Waiting on Wednesday (8/31/2011) Sweet Venom

Sweet Venom
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Expected Release Date: September 6, 2011
Summary from Goodreads:

Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we (bloggers) are anxiously awaiting. So what book are you excited about right now?

Teaser Tuesday (8/30/2011) Blood Of The White Witch

Blood of the White Witch (Of Witches and Warlocks #3)
Author: Lacey Weatherford
Teaser from page: 196

Dad and Grandma had spent a lot of time down in the dungeons trying to see if they could get any information out of Darcy.
She refused to speak to anyone but Vance, and he refused to give her the time of day.

Miz B hosts Teaser Tuesday every week, check her out for the official rules.  I never seem to be able to stick to the rule about only 2 sentences.

I love reading teasers so let me know where I can view yours in the comments.

Interview and Giveaway with Mary Ting Author of Crossroads

 I am thrilled to introduce you all to Mary Ting today. I was so lucky to meet Mary through Goodreads and I have really enjoyed getting to know her. I hope you all do as well. Don't forget to enter to win your very own copy of Crossroads!

1. I love the story of how you got the idea for Crossroads. Can you share a little bit about that with my readers?
Crossroads is based on a dream I had in high school. In chapter one when Margaret tells Claudia to leave, I was Claudia in my dream.  I remember thinking . . . I want to stay, but would this mean that I would die?  I wasn’t ready for my life to end. At that point I made a decision that I wanted to go back and live my life. Even till now, I wondered what I would have seen if I had decided to stay. Though I will never know, I can imagine a place such as Crossroads can exist so I decided to write about such a place.

2. Have you always wanted to be a writer, or was it strictly a result of your inspiration for Crossroads?
If someone told me that in the future, I would write a novel, I would have laughed out loud and thought that person was crazy.  Never in my wildest dream did I think  I would write a novel. Writing was strictly a result of my inspiration to write Crossroads. I started writing Crossroads because it was a way for me to heal the loss of my grandmother.  I didn’t think I had much to say, but I was wrong…lol!!!

3. Do you have any quirky writing rituals? Share please!
I can write several chapters in one sitting if I know what I want to write about, but before even doing so, I need to check my facebook, goodreads, blog site, and for sure my emails. Once I have done that, then I can feel free to start typing.  Sometimes I eat candies, chocolates or ice cream to get me thinking, but I love Giant Chewy Sweet Tarts….Yum Yum!!! I can eat several packs in one sitting.
 
4. Which character was your favorite to write? Why?
Michael was my favorite character to write about.  Who wouldn’t want a guardian angel like him watching over you…lol!!! When I was much younger, I had a crush on a boy name Michael, but his character is based off my husband, protective, romantic, and silly at times.  No… he doesn’t have wings…lol!!!

5. Do you think you are anything like any of the characters in Crossroads? If so which one, and how are you alike?
Though I don’t like to admit it, Claudia’s character is almost just like me. I was very sheltered, didn’t know much about fashion or boys. Claudia’s first job, first car, camping and many of her experiences in the story are based on things that I did, except there were no angels…lol!!!

6. What is your favorite quote of all time?
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Quote by Maya Angelou
I believe this is so true.

7. What author has inspired you?
Though all authors inspire me, I would have to say Stephenie Meyer. Twilight was based on her dream. She gave me the inspiration to write my novel from my dream.

8. You've written an incredible Young Adult novel, do you enjoy reading Young Adult books as well or do you enjoy reading other genres? What has been your favorite book this year?  
I didn’t read many books growing up. I don’t know why, but I didn’t enjoy reading. Not until I became a teacher, did I develop a passion for books. I read many children books to my students and especially to my two little ones, but they’re not little any more. Twilight series was the first YA books I enjoyed reading. From then on, I started reading a lot more YA books. 

9. If Crossroads were to have a theme song what would it be?
I’m not sure, but I did write several lines of a song I made up. “Are you really here tonight or are you just a dream?  Out of nowhere you appeared and captured my heart.  I surrender all my love to you.  Give me forever.  That’s all I ask.”

10. What is one book that you think everyone should read?
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch.  I cried so much!!! I can’t imagine writing this book knowing you will never see your family again. As my kids grow up, I would urge them to read this book.

11. When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
Funny you ask me that question because I wanted to be a teacher when I was little. I tried avoiding becoming one, but as faith would have it, here I am.

12. What has been the most amazing part of becoming a published author?
Many have emailed me to let me know how Crossroads has helped them escape from their everyday stress.  Also, how they’ve connected to this book because of chapter one, having a loved one passed away. I took on a journey not knowing how rewarding it would be for me. I’ve met so many wonderful people from all over the world through facebook, goodreads and blog sites.  I’ve made everlasting friendship where friendship knows no boundaries.  And I have to thank my grandmother who continues to watch over me from Heaven.      

13. What gets your creative juices flowing or gets you in the mood to write?
My creative juices are my readers. When I receive these awesome emails, letting me know how much they love my book, I got really excited and think of ways I can make book 2 even better. Thank you for all the wonderful, sweet and encouraging emails!!!  I also receive fan letters in the mail.  That was so awesome!!! They took their time to thank me for writing a great story that it just fills me up what happiness. And it reassures me that I did the right thing by publishing my story. I say this because it almost didn’t happen. I was afraid to take a chance, afraid that many wouldn’t like my story.

14. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Get all your thoughts down before you forget. Ask friends to read your draft and get feedbacks. But most importantly, believe that you can!
      
For the readers of this book, fly with me through this incredible journey.  Fall in love with the characters as much as I did and make Crossroads your place to be.  Thank you for your support.

Thank you so much for being with us today Mary!
You can find my review for Crossroads here 
Check out the trailer for Crossroads here

Mary has generously offered to give one lucky reader a signed copy of her book. She asks that you follow her on Facebook Twitter or her blog Hey and while your in the following mood I'll give you an extra entry if you follow me (new and old followers get the extra entry). I'll be ending this giveaway on September 15th and will try my best to post the winner on the 16th. This contest is opened to anyone that the USPS delivers so international friends you are welcome to enter as well. Good Luck!

Giveaway and Interview with Lacey Weatherford Author of Blood of the White Witch

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Lacey Weatherford author of the Of Witches and Warlocks.

What was your inspiration for the Of Witches and Warlocks series?
It came from a random comment during a hair dying experience with my daughter. It stuck in my head for some reason and wouldn’t let go. I tried to ignore it for about a week, but the ideas kept evolving until I finally decided to write them down so I had them on paper for a later date, but once I started writing, it wouldn’t stop and just started pouring into my head faster than I could keep up with it. Before I knew it I was completely involved and sucked into the project!
When did you decide that you wanted to become a writer? My first attempt at writing was when I was 9 years old. It was a mystery story that starred me and my cousin. I dabbled in writing projects all through my growing up years, from winning essay contests at school to trying my hand at poetry and writing short romantic stories for friends. I always hoped to write a book “someday,” but I had no concrete goal or plan to make that happen until I was in my twenties. Even then it was just a little project of mine so I could say I wrote a book. I certainly never expected it to move on to something like this. That was really just a fluke chance I took that multiplied into something bigger.
What time of day is your favorite time of day? I’m definitely a night owl. I love being out when it’s night time and enjoying all the lights and atmosphere it creates. It’s the most peaceful time of day for me too. Sometimes I get a lot of work done then, others I can just sit and veg for a while and enjoy myself with a good movie or book. I find I’m much more relaxed in the evening.
What's one question you would ask your favorite author? Most of my favorite authors are no longer living, so if I could ask them about something it would probably be for them to tell me about what it was like to live and write in their era. I love history and find hearing tales about it fascinating. I recently attended the RomCon in Denver, and they had a Victorian Fashion Show while I was there and it was amazing. Just the time and effort that went into something like getting dressed every day is unreal. I think we all tend to take our ease of life for granted sometimes. I would totally love getting to hear about their personal experiences!
If you found yourself stranded on an island what three books do you hope you have with you? Hmmm. Tricky question. I have such a hard time deciding between books. I love Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, and Anne of Green Gables, by L. M. Montgomery so maybe one of those. I’d probably throw a hot romance novel in their as my guilty pleasure, and I would want one of my books so I could keep visiting with Vance! LOL
What's the one place you hope to have the chance to visit?For my whole life, at least as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to go to Italy. I’ve watched travel videos, and often drown myself in picture books of the place too. Here’s a little secret that most people don’t know, but it was my original intent to set Blood of the White Witch in Italy, but then Twilight happened and I felt I couldn’t go there because I wanted to keep my distance from that story. I ended up changing the local to Scotland, which worked out perfectly for the story anyway, so it’s all good.
Do you listen to music as you write? If so what type of music? Yes, always. It helps me to really get in the mood. My playlist consists of mostly pop/rock and alternative, though there are a couple of good “mood” music songs too. I’ve listened to a lot of The Veronicas, Breaking Benjamin, Nickelback, Adam Lambert, Lady Gaga, Ryan Star, Hinder, Selena Gomez, Linkin Park, Blue October, etc., and so on, and so forth.
Do you have any quirky writing rituals? Not really. All I need is my laptop, music, lots of water and a comfy place to sit and I’m usually good to go. I can write pretty much anywhere. I wrote on book five in the series while I was in the airport waiting for my flight to Denver, even. All I need is a little time to sit down and get my head into the story again.
In three words describe yourself?
A walking oxymoron.
In three words describe your life?
Fun, crazy, stressful.
In three words describe Blood of The White Witch.
Swoony, emotional, tragic.
Can you share with us a little about what you are currently working on or what you hope to be working on in the near future? Sure! I’m finishing up a few scenes in book five, Possession of Souls, right now and then I will start doing edits on the fantasy/fairytale I’ve written. Both of those will be released in 2012. I also have about six other books currently in the works in various stages of production, so I’m excited to get working on those too. I will be in some big events again in September and October that will give readers the opportunity to get some more books and prizes, so I’m looking forward to that. The Menage A Blog event I just did with the Indie Book Collective was a HUGE success and The Trouble with Spells ended up “winning” that. I was really excited to get to interact with so many readers. They were so supportive of me and it was truly heartwarming.

If Of Witches and Warlocks were to become a t.v. series or movie who would you love to see cast as Portia and Vance? I think Emma Roberts (Hotel for Dogs, Nancy Drew, Scream 4, Twelve) would make a fabulous Portia. She has the right look, and she can pull off both comedy and drama, which are both essential to Portia’s character.

Matt Lanter (9O21O, Vampires Suck, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Liars All) has been Vance since before I wrote the first word about him. I would definitely want him to have the chance to play him, especially since he’s been so kind and such a support to me, not to mention that he has graciously played along with all the crazed “Vance Fans” who see him as the persona for that character.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
I have a few. I love eating chocolate, looking at delicious men, and reading swoony romance novels! (Not always in that order!! LOL)
Thanks so much for having me here! It was a lot of fun!! :D

Lacey Weatherford has always had a love of books. She wanted to become a writer
after reading her first Nancy Drew novel at the age of eight.
Lacey resides in the White Mountains of Arizona , where she lives with her wonderful husband, six beautiful children, one son-in-law, and their energetic schnauzer, Sophie. When she's not out supporting one of her kids at their sporting/music events, she spends her time writing, reading, blogging, and reviewing books.

You can contact Lacey by following her on her social medias:
Twitter at http://twitter.com/LMWeatherford
Facebook Fan Page at Of Witches and Warlocks- Paranormal Book Series http://www.laceyweatherfordbooks.com
http://www.ofwitchesandwarlocks.com.

To win your very own ecopy of Blood Of The White Witch, just enter you name and email address in the form below! Contest will end on August 31st and I will try to announce the winner by September 1st. Good Luck!

You can now purchase Blood of the White Witch at amazon Barnes&Noble and Smashwords

Don't forget to visit the next blog stop:
Young Readers At Home
http://youngreadersathome.blogspot.com/

Waiting on Wednesday (8/24/2011) Shifting

Shifting
Author: Bethany Wiggins
Expected Release Date: September 27, 2011
Summary from Goodreads:

After bouncing from foster home to foster home, Magdalene Mae is transferred to what should be her last foster home in the tiny town of Silver City, New Mexico. Now that she's eighteen and has only a year left in high school, she's determined to stay out of trouble and just be normal. Agreeing to go to the prom with Bridger O'Connell is a good first step. Fitting in has never been her strong suit, but it's not for the reasons most people would expect-it all has to do with the deep secret that she is a shape shifter. But even in her new home danger lurks, waiting in the shadows to pounce. They are the Skinwalkers of Navajo legend, who have traded their souls to become the animal whose skin they wear-and Maggie is their next target. 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we (bloggers) are anxiously awaiting. So what book are you excited about right now?

Excerpt: Townhouse by Brian Rowe

Townhouse Author: Brian Rowe
Summary from Goodreads:
Sara Crimson isn't happy about moving into a shady apartment complex with a man she barely knows. But after discovering she's pregnant with her first child, she decides to try to make a relationship work with the baby daddy Max, an up-and-coming talent agent.

An aspiring novelist, Sara at first is elated with the additional free time she has to focus on her writing. But as the days turn to weeks, she starts to suspect that something peculiar is happening in the Executive Townhouses of North Hollywood, California. People start disappearing, strange noises echo down the corridor, and an old, creepy tenant finds his entertainment value in staring at her from afar.

But what Sara doesn't know is that the hidden horrors that lie inside the complex are far worse than anything her overactive imagination could have ever conceived...

Excerpt from Brian Rowe

Sara yawned three times fast, each one louder than the last, and sat up on the couch. The stench of swiss cheese and meatballs lingered in the room. The TV was on mute, and the table in front of her was littered with messy dinner plates and tiny blobs of marinara sauce. She put her hand through her long hair and turned to her left to see that it was only 9:30 P.M.

Falling asleep at nine on a Saturday night. I really am becoming a parent.

She stood up and stretched, and realized that Max was nowhere to be found. More suspicious, she didn’t hear any tinkering with the computer upstairs. Sara loved how quaint the space was. She could keep tabs on where Max was at all times just by standing still and listening intently.

Sara sipped some water before trudging upstairs, her feet hurting like she had actually been the one lugging boxes and furniture around all day. She smiled with relief when she reached the top of the staircase and looked into the bedroom to see Max at the center of the bed, still fully clothed, fast asleep. She made her way into the room and draped a yellow blanket over him. He looked so adorable right now, so peaceful. She kissed him on the cheek, something she rarely did when he wasn’t awake, and turned down the dial on the wall to dim the lights in the bright room.

She grabbed her pajamas and made her way into the bathroom, which she had yet to really use and inspect. The dual sinks were a nice addition, leaving plenty of space for Max to shave his face on one side and Sara to shave her legs on the other.

Next she inspected the shower. It was sparkly clean, and ready for a test. She turned on the water and put her hand under the showerhead. It started spewing out furiously cold water, as if she had just moved to a suburb in Alaska where most of the pipes were frozen. She took off her shirt, revealing a basic white bra underneath, and pulled down her jeans to reveal a tight pair of white underwear. She tried the water again. It was lukewarm, but nowhere near hot. She figured she’d give it a few more seconds.

A conversation from outside diverted Sara’s attention to the window above the toilet. The conversation sounded to be more of an argument in the outside corridor, but by the time she darted her eyes down to the ground, a door slammed shut, and she wasn’t able to see anybody.

She looked up to see the window across the way, wide open, eerily welcoming, as if the long-socked creep from across the way wanted Sara to have an easy view into his bathroom.

Or maybe he wants an easy view into mine, she thought.

Sara shook the scary thought and moved away from the window. The mirror called to her. She checked out her body in the mirror, flaws and all. There was the tiniest of baby bumps, so subtle nobody but she and her mother would ever notice. She studied her stomach, as well as her breasts, which were starting to look fuller. She cupped them with her hands and fondled them the way a horny teenage boy would. She turned to the side and inspected her back and buttocks. She could see a modicum of cellulite around her rear end, but it was nothing to get overly anxious about.

Sara loudly sighed and then made her way back to the shower. She put her hand in. It was still only lukewarm. She bent over and turned the hot nozzle all the way to the left. The water was warmer, but still not scolding hot, the way she liked it. Annoyed, she slammed her right fist against the gray shower door.

That’s when she heard the noise. A grunt of some kind. It sounded like it had come from outside the window.

Sara held her breath. No. Couldn’t be. She wanted to jump in the shower like that little noise had never happened, but Sara was curious. She kept her torso bent slightly as to look like she was testing the heat of the water and not turning her whole body toward the window. She moved her head up and looked across the corridor. It was pitch black inside the bathroom window, but she could feel a presence watching her every move.

Oh my God. That creep’s watching me.

She wanted to shout it, scream it for the whole complex to hear. She also wanted Max to run over there and beat the shit out of that weirdo with a baseball bat.

But before she could do anything, she heard the man’s toilet flush across the way, followed by a bout of upbeat whistling. She saw the outline of his body exit into a hallway as he shut the bathroom door behind him.

Was he really just in there to use the toilet? Or was he spying on me?

Sara didn’t know for sure, but she did find it odd that he had entered his bathroom just at the moment she was undressing. She felt gross all over, like she had just been molested by one of her granddad’s inappropriate friends.

She made sure to take off her bra and underwear outside of view from the window. She didn’t enjoy her shower at all.

You can find Brian on his blog at mrbrianrowe.blogspot.com

You can find Townhouse on Amazon and Barnes&Noble

You can find my review of Townhouse here






Join Brian on tour!
8/8 – review @ Books Glorious Books

8/9 – review @ Fameless Ramblings
8/15 – review @ Workaday Reads
8/15 – giveaway @ Books Glorious Books
8/18 – giveaway @ Workaday Reads
8/20 – review @ My Neurotic Book Affair
8/21 – review @ Aobibliosphere
8/22 – excerpt @ Aobibliosphere
8/22 – review @ Just Another Book Addict
8/23 – excerpt @ My Neurotic Book Affair
8/23 – guest post @ Fameless Ramblings
8/23 – giveaway @ Just Another Book Addict
8/24 – review @ Imaginary Reads
8/27 – guest post @ Imaginary Reads

Neurotic Thoughts on The Trouble With Spells (Of Witches and Warlocks #1)

The Trouble With Spells (Of Witches and Warlocks, #1)
Author: Lacey Weatherford
Released: November 12, 2009
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Pages: 244
Publisher: Moonstruck Media
ISBN: 9780984592685
Target Age: Young Adult
Source: Sent to me by the author through The Bookish Snob book tours for an honest review

Summary from Goodreads:
Portia Mullins had always lived the life of a normal teenager, up until her sixteenth birthday. She is then informed by her grandma that she is actually a witch who is a descendant of a long line of witches and warlocks. After overcoming her disbelief she finds that being a member of the coven comes with one great perk in the form of the school's handsome bad boy, Vance Mangum. Vance and Portia have an immediate connection as a budding romance begins, only to be threatened by turbulent skies on the horizon as Vance's checkered past rears its ugly head to haunt them. Portia is forced to use her untried powers in defense of everything she loves in a desperate attempt to hold on to the one thing that really matters in her life.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

I think Lacey Weatherford may have written one of the sweetest young adult, paranormal, romances EVER! Seriously, this book is so sweet it will make your teeth ache.

It was so refreshing to read a young adult novel with no love triangle. Portia is blown away on her sixteenth birthday to find out that not only is she a witch, but that the boy she has been crushing on has had his eye on her as well. Once they get together sparks fly, only bad boy Vance wants to do right by his girl. Really, he is the sweetest bad boy ever! Be prepared to ooh and aw at least a few times. The characters in this book are so much fun to read about from Portia and Vance to Portia's parents, friends and especially her grandmother. Not only is this book a great romance it also has it's share of suspense and intrigue. Once you think you know what's going on you realize that you didn't quite get it right.

A definite read for anyone that loves a sweet romance with lots of innocent passion. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

In My Mailbox (8/21/2011) Mail Time!

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. This week I received some great books that I've been drooling after for a while.

This week I received some great looking books for review.

Filter (The Von Strassenberg Saga Bk.1)

by: Gwenn Wright

Fate Book 1 of The Timeless Trilogy

by: Tallulah Grace

Red

by: Kait Nolan

Traded on Paperbackswap.com

Light Beneath Ferns

by: Anne Spollen

Thanks this week to Kait Nolan, Tallulah Grace and Gwenn Wright.

Neurotic Thoughts on Townhouse

Townhouse
Author: Brian Rowe
Released: June 17, 2011
Genre: Horror
Pages: 243 according to my nook

Publisher: Self Published
A SIN: B0056P19DG
Target Age: Adult

Source: Review copy from the author for BLB Book Tours

Summary from Goodreads:

Sara Crimson isn't happy about moving into a shady apartment complex with a man she barely knows. But after discovering she's pregnant with her first child, she decides to try to make a relationship work with the baby daddy Max, an up-and-coming talent agent.

An aspiring novelist, Sara at first is elated with the additional free time she has to focus on her writing. But as the days turn to weeks, she starts to suspect that something peculiar is happening in the Executive Townhouses of North Hollywood, California. People start disappearing, strange noises echo down the corridor, and an old, creepy tenant finds his entertainment value in staring at her from afar.

But what Sara doesn't know is that the hidden horrors that lie inside the complex are far worse than anything her overactive imagination could have ever conceived...

                                                  I Really Like This Book!

If you like your books to get your heart racing and your adrenalin pumping, then you have to get your hands on Townhouse. Brian Rowe nailed the suspense, and the horror in this novel!

I haven't read a book like this in a long time, and now I remember why! I was really freaked out!! Since this is a horror/suspense novel, I'm pretty sure that is how I was suppose to feel. Luckily I don't have many neighbors or I'd be suspicious for months.

Brian's writing is engaging and quick to read, and by the end I was literally on the edge of my seat. Sara's character is very believable and real.  Her fears and thoughts seemed very genuine even if she was a bit judgmental, whiny and petty most of the time. By the end of the novel I had a bit more love for Sara. I enjoyed how the point of view occasionally switched to the other characters in the book so that I was able to get a broader perspective of the goings on in The Executive Townhouses. I would recommend this book to people that enjoy a good mystery, suspense and a bit of gore.

Townhouse is now available from amazon and  Barnes&Noble

 Make sure to check out the other stops on the Townhouse blog tour for more opinions, giveaways, and guest posts by Brian himself. 

8/8 – review @ Books Glorious Books
8/9 – review @ Fameless Ramblings
8/15 – review @ Workaday Reads
8/15 – giveaway @ Books Glorious Books
8/18 – giveaway @ Workaday Reads
8/20 – review @ My Neurotic Book Affair
8/21 – review @ Aobibliosphere
8/22 – excerpt @ Aobibliosphere
8/22 – review @ Just Another Book Addict
8/23 – excerpt @ My Neurotic Book Affair
8/23 – guest post @ Fameless Ramblings
8/23 – giveaway @ Just Another Book Addict
8/24 – review @ Imaginary Reads
8/27 – guest post @ Imaginary Reads

 

  As always thanks for stopping by!