Rae Lori's Blog, page 19

Synopsis

8
That’s how old I was when I found out I was special. I was given my rose quartz gem and taught about my past.
13
That’s how many times I’ve lived in this world. This is my thirteenth life cycle as a human.
1
That’s how many seconds it took me to fall in love with Mike. It’s also the amount of time I had to say goodbye to him just before he was killed by Reggie, the hunter that’s been after me for months.


Will Reggie succeed in killing me too, and possibly eradicating the planet of the unicorn race forever?

                           Series: Cycle 13                    Paperback: 282 pages                    Publisher: Inkspell Publishing (December 8, 2013)                    Language: English                    ISBN-10: 1939590264                ISBN-13: 978-1939590268

About the Author
Since elementary school, I remember being in love with words.  Spelling them, writing them, reading them...I even hung them up around my house.  I think I owe my love of language to my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Templeton.  I can recall sitting around in a circle in that old, red-brick school, listening to her read aloud Greek mythology.  The oxymoron there was that she was the most prim and proper teacher I ever knew, right down to the white buttoned up blouse held together at the collar with a cameo pin.  The way she read made words come alive. 
I had written a few things here and there throughout my life.  I used to think I'd be good at children's books, and it wasn't a far stretch since I worked with children every day and knew what they liked.  But then I read the series by Stephenie Meyer, maybe you've heard of it...Twilight.  This was the type of story I knew I had to write.  Teenagers were my audience.  It helped I had one at home to learn from. 
My idea didn't come in a dream.  No, I wasn't that fortunate.  It happened through research.  And lots of it.  The only criteria I had was that I wanted my story to be different from everything else out there.  I wanted my story to stand out.  No vampires or werewolves.  No witches or wizards.  Unicorns were my choice.  And I think the story that unfolded is definitely unique. 

Writing this story has been fulfilling.  Getting this story published is a dream come true.  Inkspell Publishing has accepted my manuscript and my book will be released this summer. Somebody pinch me! 

LinksWebsite: http://jillkaelin.weebly.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/jill.kaelin Twitter: https://twitter.com/JillKaelin

I come across a lot of great quotes while reading blogs and thoughts of others. but I rarely quote the quotable because I'm reading so fast. This quote was just too good to pass up by Sarra Cannon over at JA Konrath's blog:

Indie publishing isn't just about those making millions of dollars and hitting the top of the charts. It's about the mid-list now becoming a place where authors can live and grow and feed our families. It's about all of us now having the opportunity to get our stories out there in front of readers without some middleman judging whether or not we're worthy.

 Beautifully said, Sarra. :-)

Author Eric Buffington is giving away copies of his fantasy adventure book, The Exile (Stones of Power Book 1) for the month of June! This book is geared to YA readers and fans alike following four boys as they make their journey into manhood in a world of magic. If you like fantastic epic adventure, this one is for you!


Now Available!

In a world where each person is born with a magic ability, the island of Denall is on the verge of an attack from a power hungry sorcerer, Mordyar, as he scours the world in search of the Stones of Power. While the stones are gathering and their power begins to be revealed, four boys leave their village on a rite of passage into adulthood and are swept into an adventure that will make men and heroes of them, if they can survive.

Four boys... an outdated tradition...
A wanted thief... an exiled heir...
Timeless prophecy... bound by fate...
Entwined by destiny... to change a world...
or die trying...

Read a sample!


Mosey on over here to grab the code!
The Exile: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/402335
Coupon Code: sw69s

Eric is also offering a 33% discount on The Invasion (Stones of Power Book 2)!

Available June 10, 2014 (Pre-order now!)

While Kaz and P join forces to overthrow Omer, the holders of the Strength and Magic Stones unite to hunt down Mordyar’s minions and discover his plans. With each new discovery they are thrown farther into danger until they find themselves in hopeless peril. Will Prophecy overcome Mordyar’s forces as they invade a broken kingdom, or has Fate already turned on the stone holders?

Read a sample








The Invasion: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/433317Coupon Code: uk44j



About the Author
Eric Buffington was born in Ontario Canada, where he lived until he was eighteen. After that he traveled with a Canadian government program, for one year (what he did is top secret), he then moved to California to serve a two year mission working with the Laotian people.

Shortly after returning home he met the love of his life, moved to Pennsylvania and married her. He has since completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in education. He currently lives in Pennsylvania with his wonderfully supportive wife, and their four children.  He currently works as a High School math teacher in an online cyber school. You can watch his math lessons on his Youtube channel.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StonesofPowerBlog: http://ericbuffington.weebly.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/EricBuffington1Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7336475.Eric_Buffington

Labyrinth Society: The Versailles Vendetta

When 12 year-old Mia Cornell is sent to live at the Tarpley Estate, her ninth foster home, she has no idea what she's in for. Having a kind but mysterious foster mother and three quirky foster sisters is all well and good. Discovering that her new family is a secret society—they use a portal in their garden labyrinth to travel the globe seeking lost art, artifacts, and OSOs (objects of supernatural origin)—is something else entirely.

Mia barely has time to wrap her head around the truth when the Society's latest job, tracking down Marie Antoinette's necklace, goes sideways. Mia and her new siblings—Tomi, the historian; Devon, the hacker; and Lily, the muscle—must use their wits, plus a few cool OSOs filched from the Society's vault, to stay a step ahead of a sinister enemy from their foster mother's past. But just how far back does Mrs. Tarpley's past go? And will Mia stand by her new family or cut and run when they need her the most?





Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes

Author Biography: Angie Kelly is the pseudonym of a former member of the Labyrinth Society. When she’s not writing about her adventures, or reading about other people’s adventures, she’s busy traveling the world and indulging her inner twelve year-old. Although she was last sighted lurking around the British Museum after hours, her current whereabouts are unknown.


Pinterest * Blog * Twitter

       
Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/23/19

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Death Warmed Over  -  Lily Drake Book Three


Synopsis:
In the conclusion of the Lily Drake series, Lily must choose not only what is best for herself and her son, but for her people.  Her sword will be stained with blood through her efforts to preserve the lives of the people she loves, but she won’t be able to save them all.   
When a devastating loss crushes her will to live, can Lily go on and be the leader she has to be?  What is she willing to sacrifice to save others?
Death comes to everyone...even the Queen’s house...

What doesn't kill you will make you wish it did...
Website: www.tmichellenelson.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmichellenelsonTwitter: www.twitter.com/TMichelleNelson

Welcome to the blitz for Compelled! I am so thrilled to share this wonderful book with you. Compelled is the third book in the Coveted series by Shawntelle Madison.

 book 3




Summary


For the past five years, Natalya Stravinsky has dreamed of two things: to rejoin the South Toms River werewolf pack and to be reunited with Thorn Grantham. Fate may have brought the pack back into her life, but unless she journeys to Russia to save Thorn, the love she’s found may be lost again. For a stubborn werewolf like Natalya, no distance is too far, no magic spell too complex to master, because one way or another she will find a way to have everything she has ever wanted.










 books 1 & 2



Steal the Facebook Banner for the giveaway












Shawntelle Madison

Facebook | Twitter | Website
Shawntelle Madison is a web developer who loves to weave words as well as code. She’d never admit it, but if asked she’d say she covets and collects source code. After losing her first summer job detassling corn, Shawntelle performed various jobs—from fast-food clerk to grunt programmer to university webmaster. Writing eccentric characters is her most favorite job of them all. On any particular day when she’s not surgically attached to her computer, she can be found watching cheesy horror movies or the latest action-packed anime. She lives in Missouri with her husband and children.






Giveawaya Rafflecopter giveaway

Words can't express how much I love the idea and the blurbs of these books! I have V is For Virgin hanging out in my TBR pile (basically threatening to become its own city now) and so look forward to reading A is for Abstinence! Add it to your Goodreads shelf below and keep scrolling for a special excerpt!


A is for Abstinence by Kelly Oram

Six-time Grammy Award wining musician Kyle Hamilton has it all—money, fame, talent, good looks, and a job he loves. His only regret in life: walking away from a certain notorious virgin because he was too prideful, stubborn, and even afraid to give her the only thing she asked of him—his abstinence.

Four years and a broken heart later, Kyle realizes that sex isn’t everything, and he suddenly can’t stop thinking about the girl that got away. Virgin Val Jensen got under is skin like no one else ever has. He wasn’t ready for her then, but things are different now. He’s grown up, he’s learned a few things, and he’s finally figured out exactly what he wants, or, rather, who he wants.

Kyle Hamilton wants a do-over, and this time he’s willing to do—or not do—whatever it takes.






Amazon * Barnes & Noble




~ Excerpt ~

I’d never seen Val so upset before. I’d flustered her on a regular basis back in the day. I’d always pushed her to her limits on purpose, trying to get her strong façade to crack and she never once had. She was the strongest person I’d ever met. It said something about her emotional state of mind that she’d asked for a few moments to collect herself before having to do the signing with me.

I knew she probably wanted these few minutes alone, but I couldn’t pull myself away. I couldn’t leave her like this. I cleared my throat to gain her attention, and she jumped at the intrusion. She whirled around, hastily wiping away a tear or two as she forced her emotions down and reverted back into the calm, controlled woman I’d seen onstage.

She opened her mouth as if to explain herself but shut it again, realizing that there was no hiding what I’d just witnessed. Instead she decided to ignore it. “Kyle Hamilton.” It was a warm greeting and a sigh at the same time. Her smile was sincere, and her eyes held genuine pleasure, but there was a wariness about her that made me afraid to approach her. We stared at each other in silence, both cataloging the changes four years had brought. I wasn’t sure what to do or how to break the silence between us, so Val took the initiative. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” she said with a small shake of her head.

“Me, either.” I finally broke from my stupor and managed a small smile. “Hug for an old friend?”

I held out my arms, still not taking any steps further into the room, letting her come to me on her terms. It took her a moment to decide, but eventually she pushed her smile up into her eyes and crossed the room to me.

We sank into the embrace and simply held each other as the tension left our bodies. Her arms were low around my waist and mine tight around her shoulders. Thanks to her heels she was only a few inches shorter than my six-foot-three inches, putting her at the perfect height to rest her head on my shoulder, which she did with the smallest sigh. My eyes drifted shut and I enjoyed the moment. It was a long time before I whispered, “Are you okay?”

She sucked in a sharp breath and pulled herself out of my arms. “I’m fine.”

I didn’t believe her. The words sounded too much like a personal pep talk. “Val, if you’re not up for sticking around to sign autographs with me, I’ll understand. I’ll tell them you’re not feeling well.”

Val gaped up at me, stunned by the offer. She was shocked that I’d let her off the hook. Normally I wouldn’t, but the image of her crumpling to pieces alone in this room was not one I was going to forget anytime soon.

“The thing about surviving fame,” I told her, “is knowing when to say no. The public will always take everything you give them. They’ll take and take and take, and it will never be enough. You have to remember that ultimately you come first. If there’s ever something you need, you have to put your foot down.”

For instance, not singing your most popular song again no matter how much it pisses people off and lets them down. I didn’t voice the thought, but I wondered if she was thinking about that, too.

“If you’re not up for it today, then go.”

Val studied me for a moment, and her nerves melted away. Giving her the chance to say no had apparently been what she needed to say yes. “It’s okay, Kyle, I don’t mind staying.”

She sounded much more confident, but I still asked, “You sure?”

“I’m sure,” she promised. A smile crept over her face, reaching all the way up into her eyes and she said, “I can’t let you go out there alone. Who knows what kinds of rumors you’d start. I’d probably wake up tomorrow and learn that I’d been hospitalized after going into severe shock when you kissed me backstage.”
Surprised, I burst into laughter. “That does sound like something you’d do,” I teased.

She laughed with me and we headed back to the main studio and our waiting fans. “It may have been four years, Kyle, but that doesn’t mean I don’t remember how you operate.”

I snatched her hand as she reached to open the door to the studio. I wasn’t ready to end this moment alone with her. “You don’t think I’ve learned a few things since then?”

She smirked and shook her head. “New tricks. Same dog.”

It was impossible not to take her words as a challenge. I pushed her back until she was pinned against the door and leaned in close enough that our breaths mingled. Her eyes snapped wide the same way they always had whenever I’d invaded her personal space, and I watched, satisfied, as she sucked in a lung full of air and held it.

“That mentality will be your downfall this time around, Val.” I leaned in, letting my lips linger at her jawline for a moment too long before bringing them to her ear. “Same old tricks,” I whispered. “New man.”

With that, I kissed her cheek and breezed past her into the studio, leaving her flustered and in need of another moment to collect herself all over again.

Author Kelly Oram

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which family and friends still tease her. She’s obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and loves to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and four children.









Twitter * Facebook * Blog * Goodreads

 


Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/16/19

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author S.R. Johannes has an upcoming YA fantasy that sounds rather thrilling (not to mention chilling) and a pretty sweet giveaway to celebrate the release! This one is definitely on my TBR shelf and you can add it to your GR digital bookshelf in the link below! Check out the blurb:

Unstoppable by S.R. Johannes:After everything that has happened, Grace goes to the Everglades to live with her grandmother, Birdee. Even though she is now home-schooled by her bird-obsessed grandmother, the move gives Grace time to relax. She learns to scuba dive and starts boating with old man Rex, Birdee's casual friend/boyfriend.

One day while out in the marshes of the Everglades, Grace rescues an abused Florida panther, currently on the endangered list. The more she dives into the animal’s horrific condition, the more she ventures into the underground world of the roadside zoos that run rampant in Florida with a total disregard for the law. Eventually, she stumbles upon one large roadside zoo filled with a variety of endangered and illegal animals.Before she can gather evidence and report her findings to the authorities, she is kidnapped by the ruthless owner and dragged deep into the Everglades for a hunting challenge. Only this time, Grace is the prey.

During a sick game of cat and mouse, Grace is offered one chance at survival. With a one-hour head start and very little supplies, time and skill are now all that stands between the hunter and the hunted.

Amazon



Author S.R. Johannes:

S.R. Johannes is the award-winning author of the Amazon bestselling thriller series, the Nature of Grace (Untraceable and Uncontrollable). Unstoppable (book 3) is scheduled for May/June 2014. S.R. Johannes is currently repped by Lara Perkins at ABLA. For foreign rights on the Nature of Grace series, contact Jennifer Custer at AM Heath (London).

S.R. Johannes is the YA advisor of ALLi and a winner of the 2012 IndieReader Discovery Awards (Young Adult category) as well as a Silver medalist (2nd place) in the IPPY awards for YA Fiction. She was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year (Young Adult category), a Finalist in The Kindle Book Review’s Best Young Adult of 2012, and a YA Finalist in the US Book News Best Book of 2012.

After earning an MBA and working in corporate America doing marketing for over 15 years (Spanx and Good hair Products were my fav because of the perks :), S.R. Johannes traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her dog, English-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest 

 
 
Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/16/19

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I've been tagged!

Thanks to fantasy author Michael La Ronn for including me in The Writing Process Blog Tour.

It's been a while since I last posted on a blog tour. I haven't had much time to dive into a new one and I rather enjoyed my last author blog hop. It's a great way to get to know my fellow writers and see what they're up to with writing and other news.

The cool thing about this hop is each author gets to share what they're working on and talk a little bit about what's coming up in their production schedule and what inspires them to keep putting pen to paper. So, I'm excited to share this all with you readers out there.

1) What am I working on? Oh wow, lots! I've kicked up my writing schedule so I'm juggling a few projects not only under my Rae Lori name but also under some other pen names I'm testing out. I'm also editing some previous releases that will come out in the next month or so, working away at the last Ashen Twilight novel and creating some book covers for a few clients on the side. On the roster is a special re-release of Before Dawn Breaks, my recent cover reveal release On the Cut (a romantic suspense action novel), The Comfort of Strangers (which is my return to writing noir suspense, this time with a romantic twist), my first foray into the world of YA, a couple of short stories for magazines and some surprises coming up. ;-)

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
My romances tend to be a little different from the norm since I wrote more plot driven stories, coming from a horror, sci-fi and mystery background, and romance is a character driven genre. Still, I like writing the emotion and since my strength lies in the plot, I'm leaning more toward suspenseful and action oriented romances. After an extended break from writing, I'm re-learning how to effectively tell a story and one of my goals is to weave together my strengths of unique plots amplified by the emotions of the characters and situations. One of my upcoming books is the beginning to an action-adventure series featuring a kick butt female protagonist. I'm pretty excited about it and I'm hoping readers really enjoy reading it.

3) Why do I write what I do?
Oh man, once the bug bit me I was a goner! I love writing because there are so many scenarios in my head that I want to explore. It's the 'what if's' and getting inside different character's heads to see how they react that drives my writing. That's why I dance across a few different genres in my writing. I tried to make my writing like others but it only made me frustrated! So I'm beginning to just enjoy what I write and if I get a few readers who enjoy my stories then I have done my job. :-)

4) How does my writing process work?
I'm a total pantser. I love starting a new story and discovering where it's going through the actions and reactions of my characters. Sometimes it starts out with the kernel of an idea that soon turns into a full blown story but I always discover it organically while it's written. I tell my writing students to just get it down on the page and then rework it until it shines and I live by that. Sometimes it pushes my releases back a bit but I want to be completely sure that the book I release is in its best condition it can be that will satisfy readers for the price they get it at. It's an ongoing process and I'm still learning things as I go on but it's a fun journey along the way!

If you enjoyed this tour, hop on the train and keep going to more authors! Next up is Maybe Baby author Kim Golden!

Kim Golden is an American expat writer who moved to Stockholm, Sweden in 1995 for love with a capital "L". By day, she writes copy for a Swedish cosmetics firm. By night, she IR/multicultural women's fiction with romantic elements. She is the author of Snowbound and Maybe Baby.

Follow Kim on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google Plus!


~ *~

Thanks again to Michael for tagging and including me on the tour! If you'd like to check out his work, here's his bio! :-)

Michael La Ronn is a fantasy author who writes Decision Select Novels, which are a modern reimagining of the Choose Your Own Adventure gamebooks. He also writes traditional novels, short stories, poetry, and non-fiction.

He is a former musician and loves jazz and other obscure genres that no one’s ever heard of. His upcoming book, Festival of Shadows, will be released in June.

Michael lives with his wife in Des Moines, Iowa.

You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

I'm over at Yolanda Ashton's Multicultural Blog-a-thon chatting about my writing inspirations. Come on down and leave a comment at Yolanda's blog to enter my $30 Gift Card giveaway to Amazon or B&N plus a book of your choice from my backlist.

Also, today is a special surprise for my readers! I know it's been a while since I had some releases but this is an upcoming one I hope to put out out this summer.

Cover Reveal!
Blurb to come!




a Rafflecopter giveaway