Cover Reveal and Amazon Gift Card Giveaway: Pretending Hearts by Heather Topham Wood

Summary:

Delia Bridges is done living in the shadows cast by her ex-convict father and her football star brother. Attending Cook University will finally give her the chance to be her own person and hopefully find love at the same time. When she meets Wyatt Johnston, she knows immediately he’s the one.

Wyatt fulfills all of Delia’s requirements for the perfect man: he’s rich, handsome, and a talented forward for Cook’s soccer team. However, Wyatt turns out not to be the man she thought. When he dumps her and simultaneously ruins her reputation, she has to start over once again.

Levi Caldwell has every quality Delia doesn’t want in a boyfriend. He has no money, works for the maintenance staff at Cook, and has no problem sharing his judgmental opinions about how Delia is living her life. Despite her growing attraction for the tattooed drummer, Delia tries to avoid Levi. But when a new crisis threatens to destroy all she has rebuilt, she finds Levi is the only person she can trust.

***Standalone New Adult Romance-Ages 17+ Due to Strong Language and Sexual Situations***

Publication Date: November 11, 2014

Unedited Excerpt:

Cole gestured to the remaining shot glass on the bar counter. “Do you want Levi’s shot?” he asked. “Levi swears he becomes tone deaf if he drinks while playing so he passed the drink up.”

“No thanks,” I said before swerving my head back and forth between Cole and Evan. “So identical twins? Are you very close? Is twin ESP a real thing?” 

“No, but I can read your mind and sorry we’re not interested,” Evan replied with a stony expression. “We’re not into threesomes, so get it out of your head.”

“Huh?”

“I know a lot of girls have a fantasies about being with twins. Especially two as hot as us.” Evan smirked. “But it’s just not happening, sweetheart.”

“Will you shut it, Evan.” Levi came up from behind me and I could hear his annoyance. He turned his head to face me. “He’s just messing with you. My brothers have a warped sense of humor.”

“You guys were really great,” I said as I felt all of their eyes on me. When no one replied, I asked, “How did you come up with the name? Trojan Jedi is um… pretty unique.”

“We combined a reference to sex and Star Wars,” Evan said. “Because what two things do guys like better?”

Rain rolled her eyes. “Obviously, they came up with it before I joined. We’re open to better suggestions.”

“Not happening. We already have a rep and we don’t want to alienate the fans,” Evan said.

“By fans, he means the girls who come to the shows to sleep with them after.” Rain directed her statement at me. I felt the stirrings of jealousy deep inside and couldn’t help but hope she was referring to the twins and not the youngest brother.

Rain slunk off the bar stool and slowly walked to stand in front of Levi and myself. “Our break is almost over, so I’m going to head back up,” Rain said. “Nice meeting you, Delia.”

“Great to meet you too.” Rain made eye contact with Levi and I felt something silently pass between them before she turned and walked away. Her movements and voice were leisurely as if she knew she was worth waiting for. The brothers waved and followed Rain back to the stage area.

I cleared my throat. “So, do you have to go too?”

Levi smiled. I loved how his hazel eyes glittered with amusement as he considered me. “I have a minute or two.” He took a sip of water, but kept his eyes locked on my face. Once finished, he set the water bottle behind me on the bar counter. “Did I tell you how glad I am you came?”

“You may have mentioned it.” I was beaming at him like a complete fool. Levi was such a departure from most guys I’d hung around. He was sweet and open and I loved spending time with him.

“Can you stay a while?” he asked. “We could hang out after…”

I lifted my eyebrows. “Just hang out?”

Levi let loose a strangled laugh. “Oh… the stuff Rain said, she was talking about Cole and Evan.”

“And not you?” I asked while attempting to keep out any inflection from my voice.

Levi shook his head. “That’s not my thing.”

“Sleeping with girls after your rock show isn’t your thing?” I didn’t conceal the disbelief in my tone. Levi shrugged and looked a little uncomfortable with the topic. Of course, his reaction made me all the more curious. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

“No girlfriend. And my brothers think I’m lame, but I don’t like hooking up with randoms each night like they do.” He scrubbed his jaw and continued, “I’ve had two serious girlfriends and things ended in both relationships because things ran their course.”

I smirked. “Are you a real boy? Because I don’t think I’ve met any guy like you before. You’re nice, polite, and into committed relationships. There must be some secret flaw you’re hiding.”

“Maybe you’ve just been hanging out with the wrong type of guys.” 

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The Disappearing Girl Excerpt

Hey everyone! Today I'm sharing an excerpt from my upcoming The Disappearing Girl. I'm still going through edits, so keep in mind that this is a rough draft =) The book will be released in May. 

My form felt heavy as I got up from the sofa. If everyone claimed that I was so thin, why did I feel so weighed down? My feet shuffled behind Cameron as he led me over to the table.

The table was beautifully set. He had lit a single white taper candle and placed it between our place settings. A filled wine glass was next to a plate piled with steaming hot pasta smothered in marinara sauce with meatballs. Any girl would be thrilled to find that her boyfriend had gone to the trouble to be romantic. I was far from any girl.

I felt myself growing irate as I collapsed into the chair. I wasn’t sure why he couldn't understand that I was trying to avoid fatty foods. Instead of supporting my efforts, my friends and family seemed out to undermine everything I’d done to better myself.

Cameron ate silently for several minutes. My dinner lay untouched and I felt time slow down as I waited for him to finish. I wasn’t going to be bullied into eating when food was the last thing I wanted inside of my body.

His eyes turned cold as he stared at me. “What are you doing? Why haven’t you started eating?”

I was a petulant child. Refusing to eat, despite the promises the food in front of me would make me healthy again. I pressed my lips together in a tighter line and crossed my arms over my chest.

Cameron’s temper was building. I could feel the tension in the air. He was showing restraint when all he probably wanted to do was to scream at me for my irrational behavior. His voice was strained. “Kayla, you’ve been here all day and you haven’t eaten a thing…”

My expression was deadly as we locked gazes. “When the hell did it become everyone’s business whether or not I eat? Last time I checked, it was my body.”

I could tell what he was thinking by the way his features twisted. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t the quiet and meek girl he had been dating. This girl was bitter and wanted to unleash her rage on those around her.

Speak of the Devil by Shawna Romkey Book Promo and Excerpt

Summary:

What happens when falling in love and falling from grace collide?

After dying in a car accident with her two best friends, Lily miraculously awakens to grief and guilt. She escapes to her dad’s to come to terms with the event and meets some people at her new school who seem all too eager to help her heal. Sliding deeper into sorrow and trying to fight her feelings for two of them, she finds out who…what they really are and that they are falling too.

Can she find the strength to move on from the past, reconcile her feelings for Luc, find a way to stop a divine war with fallen angels, and still pass the eleventh grade?

Author Bio:

Shawna grew up in around farms in the heart of Missouri but went to the University of Kansas, was raised in the US but now lives on the ocean in Nova Scotia with her husband, two sons, two rescue dogs and one overgrown puppy from hell. She’s a non-conformist who follows her heart.

She has her BA in creative writing from the University of Kansas where one of her plays was chosen by her creative writing professor to be produced locally, and two of her short stories were published in a university creative arts handbook.  She earned her MA in English from Central Missouri State University where she wrote a novel as her thesis.

She’s taught English at the university and secondary levels for close to twenty years and can’t quite fathom how all of her students have grown up, yet she’s managed to stay the same.  She’s a huge geek and fan of Xena, Buffy and all kick ass women, and loves to write stories that have strong female characters.

Links

Website  | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Amazon Print

Excerpt:

Rain fell, not uncommon for late spring in Missouri. “If you don’t like the weather here,” my grandfather would say, “wait five minutes.” Of course, I’d visited distant relatives in Maine once before, and they said the same thing.
Julie fumbled with the wipers while I pulled the sun visor down to check my face in its little rectangular mirror, even though I’d only left my vanity like five minutes ago. The lights on either side lit up the interior of the car. I reached into my tiny party purse to find my lip gloss, which was easy to locate since I’d only packed the essentials in my bag: phone, some cash, and make-up. As I glanced at myself, I saw Mike in the reflection, smiling at me from the back seat. I stuck my tongue out at him, making him laugh, and put on the lip-gloss, fully aware of how flirty I acted.
The windshield wipers couldn’t keep up with the sudden downpour. The pitter-patter turned to thumping. Hail came down in gumball-sized pellets. “Damn.” Julie jerked the steering wheel to keep The Whale off the curb.
“Slow down, Jules.” Mike gripped Julie’s headrest. “We can pull over until it passes.”
“Yeah.” She squinted to see the road before her.
I pressed my lips together to smooth out the gloss. “Damn is right. I didn’t bring a jacket.”
The Whale swerved to the right crunching along the gravel on the side of the road. I braced myself in my seat. Julie leaned up to the steering wheel and peered over it as my grandmother sometimes did when she drove. I squinted because of the stupid light up visor mirror. I slammed it shut, but Julie panicked and over corrected, pulling The Whale to the left and careening over the yellow dotted line in the middle of the street.
“Julie!” Mike shouted.
Time slowed and ticked out in heartbeats.
Ba bum.
Julie cringed, her hands moving up to shield her face. Her head turned away from the highway.
Ba bum.
Mike reached protectively from the back seat.
Ba bum.
The headlights illuminated the rail of the overpass.
Ba bum.
The car hit the rail on the opposite side of the road with a hard thud.
Ba bum.
Crap. We’re going over the bridge.
Ba bum.
The Whale’s nose pointed down toward the water.
Ba bum.
A jolt forward and my forehead slammed into the dashboard.
Ba bum.
The Whale flipped in the air. I’m upside down.
Ba bum.
Pain.
Ba bum.
Did my mom say good-bye when I left?
Ba bum.
Cold water rushed into the car.
Ba bum.
Is this it?
Ba bum.
I can’t breathe. Oh my God, I can’t breathe. I can’t see or breathe!
My heart quickened. It pounded. The Whale leaned on its side under the surface of the water which rushed in fast, and I couldn’t see a damn thing.
Calm, stay calm. Don’t panic. They say when you’re drowning not to panic because you use up your air faster.
Dammit, am I drowning?
I tried to get myself upright and jerked out of my seatbelt. Luckily, it gave way. I fought the latch to open the door facing up, but the pressure of the water from Black Water River held it closed, trapping me inside.
Jesus. I know this river. It’s more of a creek. It can’t be more than fifteen feet across and ten feet deep.
I pushed at the door. Opening my mouth to scream, I swallowed water.
I couldn’t see or hear Julie or Mike. My watch ticked. Or was it my heart beating?
Ba bum. Ba bum. Ba bum.
Darkness.
Silence.
Cold.
Wet.
Defying gravity.
Nothing.
The dreams came. Like a good sleep you don’t want to wake up from. I felt heavy and floaty. I wore this long white gauzy gown and the wind blew my dress and my hair like in some feminine hygiene commercial. I could breathe slowly and deeply. Completely relaxed and at peace, but I was alone.
I floated along in a white space for a while. Drifting. Breathing. Relaxing. Had I gone to a spa? After an immeasurable amount of time, others appeared. They wore white clothing, too, and they floated like me, reaching out. They opened their arms as if to welcome me to them.
I stopped and frowned. I heard no sound, and I didn’t know who these white floaty people were or why they welcomed me. They smiled, genuinely happy, and held their arms out to me. I panicked.
Where’s my mom? My family? Wait, Mike and Julie were just with me, where are they? Are those wings?
I noticed the others floating with me had white feathery wings.
“Lily,” one of them called out.
Holy hell. I’m dead.

Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas Blog Tour Stop and Giveaway

Tour Schedule

Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas




Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.



If only it were as simple as being in love.



Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.

Amazon

Praise



"Nothing like I've read before. A true original story! Everything is so well described. Now if they could make a follow up book and movie, that would be great!" ~Mrs. Z (Amazon)



"I was addicted to this book from the beginning. Life on Mars was very real and not at all a sci fi world I didn't understand . . . I found myself rooting for Retta and Hemingway from the very beginning. Easy reading, couldn't put it down and had it read in a weekend. Waiting for a sequel!" ~TNielsen (Amazon)



"The ending of this book is exceptional. While it was different from what I imagined, the way the author brought in a shocking revelation was amazing. I probably reread the last chapter 3 times letting it sink in and the meaning behind it. It was truly beautiful . . . I would love to see more of Retta and Hemingway!" ~Kat Meyer, (Goodreads)



"I love how the author populated Mars . . . so descriptive and comprehensive . . . I could clearly picture everything as if I was seeing the movie &/or was along for the ride. . . . Retta, the main character, is strong, opinionated, and a great champion for her cause." ~Megan (Amazon)



"I had been in the worst reading slump ever and came across this on Goodreads and thought I'd give it a try. Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how funny and exciting and mysterious it was . . . Mei, Retta's bff, had me laughing out loud quite a bit as well as Retta herself. I'd definitely hang out with those two." ~Deanneluvbooks (Goodreads)

Blue Hearts of Mars has made it to the quarterfinals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.



Readers are invited to download the excerpts (here) and rate and comment on the entries. So please, if you want to contribute, download and rate Blue Hearts! Your support is incredibly appreciated!





Or purchase the full version of the book here: Amazon

Author Nicole Grotepas



Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Tour Schedule

Excerpt:

The next chamber was a visual history of robotics. I choked and looked around, wondering if there was a way to escape the room before things got too uncomfortable. “Hey,” I said, trying to get Hemingway to stop and turn around. “Let’s try the history of media. There are really old record players in there. Records! Do we even know what those are?” But Hemingway kept going.

It wasn’t like this stuff was new to him, was it? I mean, his mind came from the encyclopedia of all history. He knew everything. And evidently had perfect recall, judging from how he was constantly bringing up random facts like that one about Genghis Kahn. I went to his side where he stood in front of a display about transistors. I was really rusty on this stuff, and honestly, before I met Hemingway, I didn’t care about it. The display would have been laughable to me.

He moved slowly, staring intently at each object and the electronic placards next to them—small Gates with scrolling type. There were displays about air muscles, muscle wires, and electroactive polymers, going up to the big advancements starting with the first types of robots until the exhibit came to the extremely real, biological robotic engineering.

Hemingway was silent and withdrawn. Anxiety started to churn my stomach. Was he going to freak out? I took a deep breath and went to his side, took his hand, and gave it a squeeze. “You alright?” I asked. It was very grown up and mature of me, I felt. And I was secretly proud of myself.

He nodded. “Just, seeing the history of my people, displayed like this, as though, well, you know. As though all that we are is a bunch of parts. It’s weird. Kind of hurts.”

He turned and stared down at me. His eyes were on fire. It looked like there were tears welling up in them. “It’s incredibly insensitive of them,” I said. And I meant it. Why was there an exhibit about androids as though they weren’t alive and living as a segment of our society? I fumed inwardly.

“We’re more than that, you know?” He studied my face. “You do know, don’t you?”

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash (Internationally)

Signed Copy of Cinder & Blue Hearts of Mars (US only)

Ends 4/19/13



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 http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Circle of Lies Blog Tour Stop and Excerpt

Title: Circle of Lies (Red Ridge Pack #2)

Authors: Sara Dailey and Staci Weber

Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

Description:

Aiden Wright is trying to figure out who he really is, but the truth could cost him his true mate—or his life.

Life has always been easy for Aiden Wright. He’s smart, athletic, funny, and the ladies adore him. But when tragedy strikes, Aiden discovers the truth about who he really is, and his whole world comes crashing down around him. Aiden thought that being a teenage werewolf was going to be awesome, but it might just cost him the one girl who could make him whole.

Since her mother’s disappearance, Teagan Rhodes’s life has been littered with her father’s empty beer cans and his hollow promises to change. Convinced that others would only let her down, she keeps everyone at arm’s length—but resisting Aiden’s charm is proving to be more difficult than she thought. Throw in a psychotic werewolf hunter out to terminate the species, and one wrong move, one wrong decision could destroy everything.

Author Links:

Website

Facebook

Purchase on Amazon

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ABOUT SARA DAILEY & STACI WEBER co-authors of Pack of Lies & Circle of Lies - the first two Red Ridge Pack Novels

Both Sara Dailey and Staci Weber are avid readers, English teachers, friends, wives and soccer moms. They have been teaching together for the past ten years and writing together for six.

Born and raised in Houston, TX, Staci Weber is a graduate of the University of North Texas. Staci is a junior high school teacher with an addiction to reading romance novels. She considers herself incredibly lucky to have a close family, some good friends, a fabulous husband and two beautiful little girls.

Sara Dailey co-authored the Red Ridge Pack Novels with her good friend and co-worker Staci Weber. She has a degree in literature from U of H Clear Lake and is a graduate of The Institute of Children’s Literature. Sara is a native Texan and lives with her wonderful husband and son in League City, TX.

Excerpt:

I didn’t want to let Teagan go. Ever. Even if I didn’t remember what had happened the last time I’d dropped her off.

“You going to be okay?” I asked, praying I wasn’t overstepping my boundaries.

“Yes,” she replied. “Don’t worry.”

I think she blushed. I wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment about her father or pleasure at my concern, but it made my blood burn. I wanted to take her back to my car and continue were we left off. Kissing Teagan was unbelievable. The way she’d looked at me, the way she’d grabbed the back of my neck, the way her lips had molded to mine… Nothing compared. No girl. I hadn’t known a kiss could feel like that.

I was about to steal another delicious kiss when the door swung open, scaring the shit out of me. Teagan jumped, too. The man who stood in the doorway was a disaster. His clothes were wrinkled and dirty, and worst was the smell of cigarettes and beer that seemed to pour off of him.

“Who the f*** is this?” he slurred at Teagan. He stood there looking me up and down like he was trying to figure me out.

The memory of this guy belittling his daughter came rushing back. I could feel the tension in Teagan, and it made me sick. She tried to let go of my hand, but I wouldn’t let her. There was no way I was going to let this guy come between us. I hated him already.

Teagan looked at me, and for a moment I thought about picking her up and taking her away from all of this; the sadness and embarrassment in her eyes all but killed me. Reluctantly, however, I let her hand fall.

But I’d never felt this angry before. I couldn’t just let it go. He was a drunken bully used to pushing my girl around, and it wasn’t going to happen tonight. I would see to that. With full-on fury coursing through my veins, my jaw tight, I turned and looked her father straight in the eye. I poured every ounce of contempt that I felt for him into that glare, and her father visibly tensed. It made me want to smile.

I turned to Teagan, who was looking at her feet, humiliated. I lifted her chin with my fingers and grinned. I leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I’m going to wait out here until I see your light come on, okay? Call me if you need me. Anytime. Ever. I miss you already.”

Her smile made me bold. I grabbed her face in my hands and kissed her hard on the lips. I couldn’t help myself; I needed her dad to know that she was mine. Mine. And before I turned to leave, I stood toe-to-toe with him and said, “Lay a finger on her, you will regret it.”

Bookish Updates

Happy Hump Day All! A few updates on my projects today:

Dark Premonitions: Second Sight Book Three will be released on March 7! It’s my birthday, so I’m very excited that the book is going to be ready on time. It will be available through Amazon.com, BN.com and Smashwords.

First Visions is going to be available through Barnes and Noble and Smashwords once again starting February 23. I’m enrolled in KDP Select for New Revelations until April 1, but if you’re a Nook user, you can email me for a review copy in the meantime (woodtop255@yahoo.com).

First Visions will also be on sale for only 99 cents starting today through February 17. Pick up your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/First-Visions-Second-Sight-ebook/dp/B007YUP4D2

Memory Witch (Memory Witch #1) has been undergoing edits by the staff of Crescent Moon Press. Once I have a release date, I’ll be posting that information. Everyone at the publishing house has been great and I’ve enjoyed the couple of books I read so far from other CMP authors.

As a bonus, here’s a quick excerpt from Dark Premonitions. Jared and Kate are having dinner with Jared’s aunt while away in Maine =)

Kate sent a swift kick under the table in Jared’s direction. He let out a choked guffaw as she glared at him. As Lizzie and William commenced eating, Jared was unsuccessfully trying to contain his laughter. His hand moved under the table and grabbed her leg before she could assault him again. His fingers trailed up to her knee and squeezed it. Her fork froze midway to her mouth. Instead of releasing her knee, his thumb grazed over thigh. She was suddenly regretting her decision to wear black pants instead of a skirt.

Jared eyebrows shot up as he watched her carefully across the table. She felt his hand start to move away. Her hand darted under the table and she held it in place. His hand inched away from her knee and landed on her thigh. He kneaded her leg and she could feel her pulse quickening the longer he touched her. Her skin was on fire as he maneuvered his fingers to her inner thigh. She was squirming and wondered if Jared could see by her expression the crazed frenzy he was working her into.

HUGE Announcement and Teaser Tuesday for Second Sight Book Three

As promised, I'll be posting another teaser for Second Sight Book Three. But, first I have VERY exciting news to share. I've accepted an offer through Crescent Moon Press to publish my NaNoWriMo book The Memory Witch! I am beyond excited to be working with them, they have an amazing group of writers and staff. I've had a great experience self-publishing my Second Sight series, but I'm ready to focus more time on writing instead of the editing, cover art and formatting that goes into a book when you do everything on your own. Here's the link to my page on the publisher's site and I'll be posting more information as I go through the process: http://crescentmoonpress.com/books/MemoryWitch.html

Here's an unedited version of another scene from the third Second Sight book. In this scene, Declan and Kate are discussing possible suspects over who wants to kill her.

“Maybe it’s someone from one of the cases you’ve worked. You foiled their plans and now they’re out for blood.”

Kate was chilled by the sentiment. “They’re in jail now. But I guess it’s possible for them to hire someone…”

“If not them, maybe it’s someone you know.” Declan paused, as he seemed to mull over potential murder suspects. “Hey, how mad was Jared after you told him you kissed me? Maybe he’s the one who wants to off you.”

She became a little annoyed that Declan could be so flippant about her murder. “With that same sentiment, it could be you that wants me dead. Your thinking may be that if you can’t have me, nobody can.”

He laughed a little too hard for her liking. “Kate, it was a great kiss, but it was barely a blip on my radar. I’m way too good-looking to be pining over some girl.”

“Well, if it isn’t you and I’m one hundred percent certain Jared would never hurt me, who else?”

“You know what we need…a detective. Do we know anyone like that?” he asked sarcastically. “Oh right, you were dating one. It wouldn’t make any sense at all to ask him to help figure out who wants you dead.”

Teaser Tuesday: Second Sight Book Three

Here's a sneak peek of a scene from the third book in the Second Sight series. The set-up for the scene is that Kate is on her way to Maine with Jared for Thanksgiving with his Aunt Lizzie. Kate is hoping she'll win Jared back during the trip while also dealing with the possibility of someone wanting to kill her. Keep in mind that the scene hasn't yet been edited ;)

Kate cleared her throat. “Jared, do you think you could teach me how to fight?”

“Why? Were you watching Million Dollar Baby on cable again?”

“No. If I’m going to throw myself in the middle of these investigations, I probably should learn how to protect myself. When they make a movie about my life one day, I don’t want to be portrayed as one of the too stupid to live girls.”

“Too stupid to live girls?”

“Yeah, you know…the ones with big boobs that end up investigating a chain saw sound in the basement and end up hacked to pieces within the first five minutes of the movie,” she elaborated. Jared’s eyes roamed to her chest. She socked him in the arm. “I will hurt you if you make a joke about my boobs.”

“Hey, I didn’t say a word. I’ve always liked your boobs.”

“Anyway,” she said pointedly trying to ignore the heat that flooded her face, “I want to be the girl who survives to the end because she fights back.”

“Of course, I’ll teach you how to fight, Kate. We’re staying until Sunday so we’ll spar in between our runs.”

“Our runs?” she gulped.

“I run every morning. I figured you’d join me,” he said with a shrug.

Oh lordy, toughening up was going to be a lot of work, she realized. “Alright, I’m in. I think I packed a pair of sweats and sneakers.”

“Wow, did you get hit on the head? I’ve never thought I would see the day I could get you to workout with me.”

“Well, you know what they say…evolve or die.”

The Crimson Hunt Excerpt + eBook Giveaway

Title: The Crimson Hunt (Book One: Eldaen Light Chronicles)

Author: Victoria H. Smith

Release date: November 7, 2012

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | Print

Book Description:

College junior Ariel Richmond is working on year three of Project Normalcy.

Her house reeks of keggers past and her bestie is just a slight bit vulgar. But the thing is—they both aid in making life refreshingly uneventful.

So much for hard-earned mediocrity when Luca Grinaldi appears on the scene.

Luca’s sudden presence on campus is hard to ignore. Those bright eyes act like a beacon to unsuspecting females, and with features like his, he’s got to be moonlighting for GQ. Luca hopelessly captivates Ariel with his confidence and charisma, but the mysteries surrounding him make him nearly untouchable. And just when Ariel grows close enough to unlock his secrets, a tragic event sends her life in a downward spiral.

That steady life is no longer an option and allies quickly become scarce. The mysterious Luca seems to be the only one willing to help her—but with that trust comes the burden of his secrets. He has a dark mission of otherworldly proportions, and is willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes to see it completed.

Gone are the days of simply maintaining normalcy, and if Ariel isn’t cautious with her trust, so soon may be her future.

The Crimson Hunt is a New Adult Science Fiction Romance.

About the Author

Victoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She puts it to good use writing romance all day. She resides in the Midwest with her Macbook on her lap and a cornfield to her right. She often draws inspiration for her stories from her own life experiences, and the twenty-something characters she writes give her an earful about it.

In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, blogging, reading, and sending off a few tweets on Twitter when she can. She writes new adult fiction romance in the sub-genres of science fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary, but really, anywhere her pen takes her she goes.

Author social media links: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Excerpt:

I continued my rigorous review of the material. But as the night went on, I didn’t gain much ground. There were about fifteen chapters in the first half of the semester’s lectures. I was only up to chapter eight. There’d never be enough time for me to get them down pat before the midterm tomorrow. I wanted to cry at the thought. Laying my head in my textbook, I hoped the words would materialize into my brain.

“I think the book works better if you are actually reading it.” A gentle laugh accompanied the words.

I jolted, startled by Luca’s sudden appearance. I quickly raised my head, hoping to God there weren’t any page marks indented into my face. I rubbed my eyes, and Luca’s beautiful face appeared before me. “Don’t be so mean. I’m stressing out here. The midterm is tomorrow.” I said this though I didn’t really mind that he poked fun at me. It was really cute to see him joke.

I couldn’t help but notice how hot he looked tonight with his strong build lining his t-shirt. He should never cover his beauty with clothes and such things. He also wore a heather-gray carpenter jacket. I hoped my cardigan was enough for the weather when I left tonight.

“I was not trying to be cruel. I was just stating a fact.” He laughed again and sat on the edge of the table.

I smiled, his laugher bringing my anxiety down a bit.

“What are you caught up on? May I be of any use?”

There were a lot of things he could help me with at this point, but none of them had to do with Zoology.

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Blog Tour Stop: Faded by Chloe Mills

Author Chloe Miles has stopped by today with an excerpt from her new book Faded!

Savannah made her way across the dark hallway to her own room to get her flashlight out of her drawer. As she felt her way to the drawer, she heard a rattling noise coming from the other side of her room. She looked across the dark room, trying to see where the noise was coming from. Her bedroom window suddenly flung open, sending a gust of wind through the room and scattering Savannah’s homework papers all across the floor.

“Great,” Savannah mumbled as she closed the window and picked the papers back up and put them on her bed. She went back over to her drawer to grab her flashlight and then headed downstairs to the kitchen.

As she got to the end of the stairs, Savannah could hear the front door banging open and shut and the kitchen window rattling. Savannah knew she had locked the door after her parents had left. She ran over to the door to shut it, but it swung shut and locked itself before she got there. Savannah could feel her heart beating fast as she looked over at the kitchen window to see it slide shut and lock itself as well. She shone her flashlight around the room. There was no one there. A sense of fear came over her as she realized who was causing it. The woman at the lake had seen her with Hunter. The Forces knew who she was.

Savannah ran over to the kitchen window to see if she could open it. It was stuck. All she could think about was how to get herself and Annabelle out of there before anything happened to them.

The lights came back on and started flickering on and off around the house. Savannah placed her flashlight on the bench and closed her eyes, bracing herself for whatever was about to happen. She could feel a presence and hear a high pitched squealing around her. Suddenly, it stopped.

Savannah opened her eyes. The lights had stopped flickering and the power was back on. She looked around the room. Everything was still and quiet. Too quiet, she thought. As Savannah reached out her hand to get her flashlight, the kitchen window flew open again, sending another gust of wind through the house.

Hunter appeared beside her and knocked her out of the way just as the light above Savannah’s head exploded and smashed onto the floor, sending glass scattering where Savannah had just been standing. The two of them landed on the floor with Hunter shielding Savannah from the glass.

“Savannah, what happened?” Annabelle yelled from upstairs after she heard the glass smash.

“Nothing, Annabelle. Everything’s OK!” Savannah yelled back. She lifted her head off the floor and tried to steady her breath as she looked up at Hunter. “You saved my life again.”

“I seem to be making a habit of doing that, don’t I?” Hunter smiled. He stood up and helped Savannah to her feet. “They know who you are now, Savannah.”

“I know,” said Savannah. “What did they want with me?” She looked around the room. “Where are they now?”

“They’ve gone,” Hunter explained. “They got what they wanted. They knew I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. This was just a test to see if I would show up and I did. I just confirmed to them what they suspected, Savannah – that you’re a Chosen One.”

“They know where I live, Hunter. My whole family is in danger, aren’t they?” Savannah asked him.

“Everybody around you will be a target, and it won’t be long before they figure out who the other Chosen Ones are either.” Hunter touched Savannah’s hand. “But I promise I won’t let anything happen to you, Savannah.”

“I have to see if Annabelle’s alright,” said Savannah. Hunter followed her upstairs to Annabelle’s room. When they got there, Annabelle was nowhere to be seen.

Savannah could feel a sense of fear coming back. “Annabelle?” she yelled out as her eyes searched Annabelle’s room.

Annabelle crawled out from under her bed. “It was dark and I was scared,” said Annabelle. “And I heard a noise.”

Savannah grabbed Annabelle and held her in a tight hug. “I thought you had…”

“You thought I had what?” asked Annabelle.

“Nothing,” said Savannah, hugging her tighter. “It’s OK now.”

“Savannah?” Annabelle looked up at her. “Where’s my water?”

“Um, it’s…” Savannah looked at Hunter. Hunter grinned and disappeared. He reappeared with a glass of water in his hand and placed it on the bedside table behind Annabelle.

Savannah reached over and grabbed the glass. “It’s here, Annabelle.” She looked over at Hunter again. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Hunter winked at her and disappeared. Savannah smiled to herself. Their lives had come so close to being in danger that night, so why did she feel so happy? She looked down at Annabelle and stroked her hair. There was no way she was ever going to let anything happen to Annabelle. She cared about Annabelle more than anything.

Savannah thought about what Hunter had said. He won’t let anything happen to her. There were four Chosen Ones to protect, so why was he always there for Savannah more than the others? Savannah smiled to herself again. Hunter was probably just doing his job by protecting her, but maybe he cared about her too.



Title: Faded

Author: Chloe Miles

Publisher: Self Published

Pages: 380

Blurb:

"Savannah wanted to kiss him, but she had never even kissed a human guy before, let alone a ghost. How was she supposed to kiss him if he wasn't really there?"

Savannah has never been in love before, but she's in love with Hunter Emmerton. He's cute, funny, charming...and a ghost. How can you date someone if nobody else can see them?

After seventeen-year-old Savannah Fraser and her three friends are killed in a car accident, they are given a second chance at life by a group of hundred-year-old teenage earthbound spirits who need their help.

Savannah and her friends learn that they are The Chosen Ones, which means they can switch between human and spirit form, heal people and control the weather. And they are also now invincible.

The Chosen Ones are the only ones who can defeat The Forces - a group of evil spirits who are slowly destroying the perfect little town of Fort Everwick with violent storms and not-so-natural disasters - and stop them from harming everyone they care about.

The Forces are set on destroying everything Savannah knows and loves, but they also have another plan - they want a new member to join them. They aren't willing to give up until they get the one they want...and they have Savannah firmly in their sights.

Savannah had never been confident in herself before, but with her new-found powers, she discovers just how strong herself and her friends really are. But what Savannah didn't count on was falling in love with Hunter. She's never loved anyone the way she loves Hunter and she knows he loves her too. But how can they be together forever if he no longer exists and she's the only one who can see him?

Will Savannah have enough belief in herself to defeat The Forces, or will they be able to lure her to the dark side and turn her against her loved ones...and tear her and Hunter apart?

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About Chloe Miles

Chloe Miles is the author of FADED, the first book in THE FADED TRILOGY. The second book in the series, SEE NO EVIL, is due to be released soon.