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Sunday, August 30, 2015

Sunday Review: So Much More by Janet Gibbs


Title: So Much More
Author: Janet Gibbs
Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review
Purchase Link: AMAZON

Blurb

Three young women live in Morristown, New Jersey in 1902, the home of more millionaires than Newport.

Alice Hastings is an accomplished painter but her devoted, widowed father insists she marry a young man from town.

Francesca Dunbar has a secret which she longs to tell. Her parents spoil their only child and keep their past hidden lest it shake up this small conservative town.

Claire Armstrong is headstrong and opinionated and comes from a boisterous family of daughters. Her father is intent on having at least one of them marry well, but Claire has other ideas.

The arrival of Sir William Barrett, a charming English aristocrat adds to the confusion of these three women. Alice’s childhood friend, Richard Dickerson, is at a loss to declare his love since he loves another. Alice, Claire and Francesca take different paths to happiness and so much more.



Review

This was a refreshing break from the typical stories I have been reading. I always enjoy a good period piece and this one seemed like it had a lot of research done in order to bring out very believable characters. The writing was easy to read and the plot was solid. It is always good when you read a new author and find their work so enjoying you want to pick up the next book.

This was a solid 4 stars. A good read for a nice quiet weekend.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Secret Cravings Publishing Fellow Author: Guest blogger: Janet Gibbs


How did So Much More evolve?
This story came from history.  I’ve always loved the idea of stepping back into another time and place and seeing the world from that perspective.  My love of history combined with my devotion to women’s history brought So Much More to life.  About twenty years ago I’d been part of an amazing group of scholars, teachers, professors and historians who had discovered original research on notable women from New Jersey.   I found an incredible woman from Morristown, Alison Turnbull Hopkins, who had been a debutante and society bride in 1902 and eventually become a radical suffragette with Alice Paul. (another NJ notable NJ woman!).  All this fed my imagination and I wanted to create a life behind the façade of balls and debutantes and marriages at the turn of the last century in a small quiet town.
As I researched I discovered a town of hidden millionaires.  There was more money and mansions in Morristown at the turn of the last century than there were in Newport, Rhode Island!  I found this astounding and was determined to discover who these families were.  My work led me to financiers, importers, bankers and investors.  Most lived tucked away in huge stone mansions on mountains in Somerset County or at the end of tree lined drives in Morristown.    A few of these homes still exist and some have been converted to nursing homes or offices.  Their facades remain holding secrets of the families who lived there.   My discovery of so many famous names fired my imagination to think of the role of women at the turn of the last century.   Few had lives of their own, being handed from father to husband at their weddings.  Their days filled with fashion, babies and gossip. A few did good works for the community or worked for the poor or the rights of women but they were only a small percentage.
I wanted to give voice to three women from three different perspectives.  Thus Alice, Francesca and Claire appeared.  They came to life through their mansions and families.  Each one was a totally different version of the woman of the early 20th century. 
Alice was named after Alison Hopkins.  Though Mrs. Hopkins was devoted to women getting the vote, Alice was passionate about art.  She needed to create and paint and immerse herself in canvas, oils and watercolors.  In choosing a career over a man she went against everything Morristown revered.  Her widowed father only wanted the best for her and was convinced a steady, reliable young man would guide her back toward a ‘normal’ life.
Francesca is a mystery.  I’d always loved this name and needed to make her character equal to her tempestuous, exotic nature.   She has a secret and that makes her seductive to men and a threat to women.  Her mother is a beauty who has instilled in her only child the importance of knowing your strengths and not allowing others to curtail your individuality.   Mother and daughter are seen as unusual and not the norm in this staid community.   Francesca’s father is equally strong willed and charming and has an import business which offers a foreign intrigue to their family dynamic.  Francesca wants to prove a point about her life, she is dismissed from Morristown society, but she knows her secret will elevate her to a position none of the other families can equal.
Claire is a down to earth horsewoman.  She doesn’t suffer fools gladly and speaks her mind.  She is much more comfortable in her stable than at a ball or afternoon tea.  Though she can dress the part and follow the unwritten rules of society, she only wants to ride and have a stable of her own.     Claire has three sisters and her father is determined to have them all launched into society and married.  He has no patience with women who think they know what they want, he knows better.
During that summer in Morristown a young English aristocrat arrives to recover from a wound he received in the Boer War.  He only wants to rest at his cousin’s house and the last thing on his mind is finding a wife.   He is introduced to all the beauties of town at a summer party but finds himself attracted to a delicate blond beauty and an exotic dark haired worldly woman.  My idea for William Barret came from an old photograph of an unknown young man sitting in a photographer’s studio in evening dress.  His face was strong and yet innocent.  He seemed to draw me into creating a life for him beyond this photo.  I often find myself wondering if he would be happy in the life I created for him.
I studied literature and history at American University and have combined these two passions in my writing.  My special passion is for women in Greenwich Village from 1910 to 1920 when free love, free thinking and freedom were on the firing line.   These special, intriguing women artists, writers, sculptors, politicians and activists fired my imagination every time I read another biography.  When I walked the streets of Greenwich Village I felt them walking next to me urging me to tell their stories and what happened to them.
As my education continued to a Masters and eventual Doctorate my love for women’s history grew.  My dissertation was a critical biography of the rise and fall of Zona Gale, a women from the Midwest who became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1921.  She was on the cutting edge of women in journalism, poetry, drama, the occult and literature.   Gale was a prolific writer and well-loved and popular in American from 1905 to 1930.  Though she is not remembered today, she was one of the women who broke with a secure, quiet life in Wisconsin to seek her destiny in New York City and eventually follow her star to a writing career.
So Much More could be seen as the pre-quel to my other novels of women who would spring from towns like Morristown.  As the 20th century evolved, women took hold of their lives by force and  forged a place for themselves at the table.   Claire, Francesca and Alice were all forerunners of today’s strong women, still looking for a place in the world and fighting for their right to be at that table we call life.

Excerpt Two from Chapter Seven of So Much More by Janet Gibbs – 1, 098 words
William stood and gasped. Francesca Dunbar was obviously used to this reaction. She thoroughly enjoyed seeing men catch their breath when they saw her. Her hair was softly caught at the back of her neck and she wore a pale blue flowing dress which outlined her tapered waist and emphasized her elegant neck. Huge pearl earbobs danced as she came toward them.
Clearly aware of the power her presence had, her eyes sparkled at the effect she had on him. Though she dressed like a gentile lady she had a look of danger which both repelled and excited William. She walked slowly to the chaise and lay like a fallen swan on its faded silk damask. Her arms rested on its wooden frame and her body languished on the entire length.
“May I have some wine, Papa?” He brought her a crystal goblet and she took a sip and let her tongue run over the rim of the glass.
She turned to William and smiled slightly. "Tell me, Mr. Barrett, what did you do in the war? I hear you were wounded."
"Yes, I was hit with a bullet fragment in the leg. Nothing too serious, but enough to send me home. I lost my best friend, it has been hard to recover. I thought a change of scenery would do me good.
"You must have your hands full with this house and the garden. We English pride ourselves on our gardens, they are sometimes more important than the house itself," William said, turning to Mr. Dunbar.
Making small talk was not William's favorite thing to do but it kept him from staring at Francesca as she sipped her drink. She smiled obliquely in his direction, as if she were waiting for her father to leave.
"Yes, it does keep me busy but my wife, Delphine, is a wonderful organizer and she takes care of the house. Ah, here she is now.”
A beautiful, elegant woman entered the room like a warm wind.
Standing immediately, William gave a slight bow to the woman who looked like the portrait in the hall. She spoke first. “Good afternoon, Mr. Barrett. Francesca told me you were joining us for tea.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Dunbar, it was most kind of you to extend your invitation.”


Delphine took his hand and placed her other on top of his. Her touch was warm and comforting. Her voice was soft with a hint of an accent. “It is so rare to have an Englishman in our midst.”
William could not deny the charm of Delphine Dunbar, she was a lady but with a hint of seduction beneath her gaze, not unlike her mysterious daughter.
Paul Dunbar stood and walked to his wife’s side. He kissed her cheek and said, “Now, I'm afraid you will have to excuse me. I have an appointment in town and I'm late as it is."
William shook his hand. "Do sit down, please make yourself at home. I'm sure my wife and daughter will take good care of you." Leaning to his daughter, he kissed the top of her head and walked down the steps to the stables.
Paul Dunbar was a powerful man, large boned with broad shoulders, a master of his world as he walked through the garden edged in tightly cropped boxwood and fragrant roses.
"Papa is so sweet." Rising, Francesca smoothed her gown and looked at her mother. “Mama, I think I will take Mr. Barrett to see the rest of our house."
The lovely woman sitting at her daughter’s side nodded slightly and reached for a cup of tea. “By all means, please enjoy your visit. Be sure to see me before you depart.”
William nodded. "Yes, of course, Mrs. Dunbar.”
As the two made their way through the salon, he caught the scent of jasmine surrounding Francesca as she led him into the salon once again. They stopped by a table laden with sculpture. One particular piece took his eye. It showed a young girl holding a small vase, inclining her head shyly at the observer. Her face looked familiar and he realized it was Francesca.
"Do you recognize me?"
William nodded and pointed to another.
"Yes, these are all of me. When father and I travelled to the orient he had several people sculpt me. I think they're quite true to form, don't you?"
William wondered if this was part of her game. He realized he was sweating and pulled his collar from his neck.
Francesca had an alarming way of making him feel uncomfortable and yet familiar at the same time. He just couldn’t figure it out.
Her fingers were long and tapered and she used them to emphasize her thoughts just like his father did when he was giving William one of his many lectures. He did like to advise his son about life, especially women. There had been rumors about the duke and his conquests but William had never paid them much attention. No doubt those people were just rumor mongers intent on getting customers for their papers. However, nagging doubts sometimes entered his mind when he would see his father dash out in the evening and not return for several days. William had never felt neglected, his nannies and governess made sure of that, but as a young man he wondered about his father and of the stories that began to circulate amongst his friends. They had a habit of talking together and then stopping when he entered his club or on the polo field. No one ever said anything to his face, they were gentlemen, after all. But it didn’t stop William from wondering, if some of the stories were true.
“William, William, did you hear me?”
Francesca’s voice became more insistent as William came back from his daydreams and realized he’d been rude to his hostess.
“I’m so sorry, Miss Dunbar, my mind must have floated back to England for a moment. A credit to your ability to make one feel relaxed and at home.” Satisfied that he had assuaged her worry, he followed her down a long hall to a formal dining room. The ceiling was painted in the style of Versailles with cherubims and beautiful women adrift in ethereal clouds.
“What a magnificent painting, I’ve seen similar in the great houses of England.” William walked around the mahogany dining table with its twenty-four matching chairs, running his fingers along the smooth wood as he stared at the oil paintings and massive crystal chandelier.

BUY LINKS:






AUTHOR LINKS:

About the Author
Janet Gibbs has researched and written extensively on women’s history.  She researched and wrote three biographies for the book, Past and Promise,  Notable New Jersey Women, published by Syracuse University Press, 1997.   Her 2010 dissertation was a critical biography of Zona Gale, Literary Comet
Her historical romance, So Much More, is an ebook currently appearing on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.  The paperback will appear in January 2016.  
She has written non-fiction which has appeared in several newspapers including The New York Times.   She was awarded a grant from the AAUW to complete her novel and was asked to read her poetry at the Princeton Arts Center.   
Born in England she now resides in Northern New Jersey where she continues to write novels about strong women with a mind of their own.   

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Enchanted Book Promotions Presents: Capturing the Muse by Madison Avery


Title: Capturing the Muse
Author: Madison Avery
Genre: New Adult Erotic Romance / Collection
In this mixed genre, erotica collection, Capturing the Muse, find out just how far these writers are willing to go to gain back their creativity, or keep it from shattering their perfect world.
Through tragedy, life lessons, mentorship, and even a hint of the paranormal, these writers will find one thing in common, steamy romance comes with consequences.

 Luck Be a Penny:
A bestselling author is unable to finish her series, and figures out the kindness she shows to a stranger can unleash more than just the plot to her upcoming book.
Dances with Muses:
One writer discovers the prince charming she created might just be better than the real thing. But coping with her delusions of the perfect romance interfere with the reality of real life.
Filling in the Blanks:
When a Muse doesn’t know she’s lost, a connection with a writer yearning for inspiration, brings her story to life.
Bookstores and Dreams:
Believing a “how-to guide” is the key to her success, a burgeoning writer will have to trust a handsome bookstore owner when a devastating accident turns her life upside.
Beneath the Inhibitions:
A depressed author collides with a prolific editor during a literary conference. And a one-night-stand becomes a source for new material, and regaining her confidence.
Capturing the Muse, Volume 1 in the Courting the Muse Series, will leave you breathless, aroused and inspired.

Review

Capturing the Muse was an alright book. I liked the concept and the blurb interested me with the collection of short stories. But the problem with short stories is everything moves so quickly.

I think had each story been more of a novella, so the characters could have been better developed and you could have spent more time with them it would have been better.

The writing style was easy to follow and the plots were decently done, even if they needed to be longer.

If you like short stories, then you will probably like this book. It takes a special kind of reader to enjoy short stories since they go by so quickly.

I give this book 3.5 stars.

Author Bio

Madison Avery doesn’t kiss and tell. Except when it comes to writing. She lives in Red Deer, Alberta, where she spends way too much time reading, writing and avoiding house work.
Capturing the Muse is her first foray into the world of erotica, but where she feels right at home.
You can find Madison, and her counterpart, Yong Adult Novelist, Avery Olive, on many social media sites like Facebook, Twitter (@AveryOlive), Tumblr, Goodreads and on her website, http://www.averyolive.blogspot.com, which is currently under construction 

Links

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sunday Review: THE GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO by Stephen Kozeniewski


Title: The Ghoul Archipelago
By: Stephen Kozeniewski
Source: Received in exchange for an honest review
Purchase: AMAZON

Blurb

After ravenous corpses topple society and consume most of the world’s population, freighter captain Henk Martigan is shocked to receive a distress call. Eighty survivors beg him to whisk them away to the relative safety of the South Pacific. Martigan wants to help, but to rescue anyone he must first pass through the nightmare backwater of the Curien island chain. A power struggle is brewing in the Curiens. On one side, the billionaire inventor of the mind-control collar seeks to squeeze all the profit he can out of the apocalypse. Opposing him is the charismatic leader of a ghoul-worshipping cargo cult. When a lunatic warlord berths an aircraft carrier off the coast and stakes his own claim on the islands, the stage is set for a bloody showdown. To save the remnants of humanity (and himself), Captain Martigan must defeat all three of his ruthless new foes and brave the gruesome horrors of...THE GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO.

Review

This was a weird one for me. I looked at the cover and shuddered and was like um no way am I going to read this book. Then I read the blurb and thought about it. I needed to expand my horizon again. I've been bogged down with the same boring blahness in reading for a while and thought why not give it a try.

I am really glad I gave this book a second glance. This was very different and extremely enjoyable. I really liked the authors writing style and this whole plot of the novel

It is different than anything you've read before.

When I saw the print book price I thought oh this is a tad much, then I read it. This is deff a book that is worth the price listed.

And if you're a Kindle Unlimited member its free. There is literally no reason to not go out and try something new.

Because even if you are into zombies (I've read all of like 3 Zombie books so I may be wrong on this) this premise and story line is different! It is unique and it is refreshing!

I highly recommend this book!

4.5 Stars


Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Pump Up Your Books Presents: Let's Talk About tickling by Veronica Frances



 Let’s Talk About Tickling Blog Tour 

About the Author

Veronica Frances is the author of the gutsy, no-holds-barred novel, Tickling Daphne H. Her new non-fiction book Let’s Talk About Tickling sheds a refreshing new light on the subject. She is known as the TickleWriter in some circles.

Veronica also writes under her real name, Stacey Handler. Stacey is the author of The Body Burden; Living In The Shadow Of Barbie. Her book was featured in Jump Magazine, Australian Women’s Weekly, The National Enquirer, and several other publications, radio shows and cable TV shows.

Stacey excels at public speaking, singing, composing, and writing. She is a singer-songwriter, poet, and has written in many different styles. She has an album and several singles available, including her two popular anthems, Ain’t No Skinny Little Thing and Soap Opera Diva.

She lives in New York City, where she continues to write erotica, fiction, poetry and non-fiction.
For More Information
About the Book:

Title: Let’s Talk About Tickling
Author: Veronica Frances
Publisher: Blue Note Books
Pages: 240
Genre: Non-fiction/Erotic Literature/Self Improvement
Format: Kindle
Let’s Talk About Tickling is an honest, straightforward discussion about tickling. Discover the many different aspects of tickling—the fantasies, the realities, the many paradoxes of the tickling fetish and how to come to terms with ones own sensuality.

A refreshing and very welcome find, Let’s Talk About Tickling is for anyone who wishes to expand their awareness of tickling and other related fetishes. This book will be of great interest to anyone who wants to get in touch with their sensual self, whether they have a tickling fetish or not.

Author Veronica Frances offers her readers the chance to improve their relationships in and out of the bedroom by shining a light on the powerful significance of tickling. She reminds us that tickling is not merely the whisper of a feather on the flesh. It is an echo that calls us from deep within, beckoning us to listen and respond.

For More Information

Book Excerpt:
Now let’s face it, tickling can be the conduit for many things.
It can make us surrender, whether we want to or not. It can be held against us if we are being interrogated by people who choose to use it to get us to talk. It can be used to reprimand us and put us back in line. It can be an unpleasant form of torture, even to the point of bringing us some slight pain. It can make us scream for mercy, buck up and down, laugh until we pee in our pants. It can humiliate us, yet make us continue laughing while in the midst of our own humiliation. It can demoralize us by forcing us to laugh and twitch against our will.
It can also make us wet in our most hidden erogenous zones. It can arouse us nearly to death. It can lead to many things and is the gateway to one of the most intimate journeys known to man.
Tickling is the magic bridge that hovers above our rivers of sexuality. Tickling is most definitely the gateway to sex.
Sometimes you won’t even know that tickling is leading you down its slippery erotic slope until you are in somebody’s arms and feeling that ticklish little poke at your libido.



Sunday, August 9, 2015

Sunday Review: Sage Blog Tours Presents Yeager's Law by Scott Bell


Title: Yeager's Law
Author: Scott Bell
Source: Given to me in exchange for an honest review
Purchase: AMAZON


BLURB

Abel Yeager is dead broke, down on his luck, and suffering from a serious case of what-the-hell-does-it-matter. His transition from active Marine to stateside long-haul trucker hit a wicked speed bump when his rig was involved in a wreck that claimed the life of a pregnant woman and laid him up for several months. Back at work but deeply in debt, Yeager meets bookstore owner Charlie Buchanan in St. Louis and jumps at the chance to haul a load of remainder books to Austin for her. On the way south, a crew of truck thieves tracks his every move. But none of them know what Charlie’s ex has smuggled inside the book pallets, who he stole it from, or how far the owner will go to get it back. Charlie’s the first person Yeager has cared about in a long time, but as their bond deepens, so does the danger they’re in. With enemy forces closing in, Yeager battles greed, corruption, and his own fatalism in a bid to hold true to Yeager’s First Law: come home at the end of the day.

REVIEW

This was a refreshing story that started out a little different.


At first I thought the massive beat down that Abel provided these thieves was a bit much but then I realized it was just the set up to the rest of this great book.


The flow was very well written. I didn't feel like there were any holes in the plot or that the speed went too fast or too slow.

The Author did a nice job of painting this world and bringing the characters to life.


I enjoyed the dynamic between everyone and the main characters. I think that for a suspense it was very enjoyable.

Even if you don't like suspense you should try this one because overall it really pulled me out of my day to day world and helped me just relax and enjoy a good book.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

HEA Blog Tours Presents Unlikely Allies by C.C. Koen



UNLIKELY ALLIES 
Author: CC Koen
Genre: Romance
- SYNOPSIS -
What happens when a single mom’s four-year-old daughter falls in love with Mr. Right and she doesn’t?

Maggie Tyson’s rule: no bad boys. Her incarcerated ex-husband broke her of that attraction. Needing to escape his threats and the scrutiny of the people in her hometown, Maggie relocates to New York City. Determined to not make the same mistakes, she has a mile-long list of dos and don’ts. Unfortunately, her daughter, Cecily, doesn’t like to follow them. When Cecily wanders away from her and right into Rick Stone’s office, Maggie knows he’s the exact type she’s been trying to avoid. Can she resist him or will she succumb to his willful charm?

Rick Stone’s rule: bed them don’t wed them. Running a multibillion dollar business doesn’t leave him with much time to do anything else, particularly with an overbearing grandfather breathing down his neck. But when a man works hard, he needs to play even harder. Voted America’s most eligible bachelor, Rick doesn’t have any problems getting women into his bed—except one.
Two auburn beauties stumble into his life.
One will break his heart.
The other—heal it.
Will he love or leave them?

Contains mature content and language. Not recommended for readers under the age of eighteen due to sexual situations and subject matter.

- PURCHASE -

- EXCERPT -
Rick waved to Paul, the evening security guard, and exited the office building. Another midnight departure. It wasn’t that Rick noticed the time anymore; a fifteen-hour work day was common for him. Tonight though, he left with each task on his to-do list accomplished.

Dead tired, he focused on the parking garage across the street. At the walking signal, he jogged to the other side. Two huddled bodies in the bus stop enclosure captured his attention. “What are you doing?” He rushed toward them, stopping at the edge of the bench.

Maggie jolted and glowered at him. “You scared me half to death. I’m waiting for the bus.”

Was she out of her mind? “It’s not safe. You can’t even defend yourself. Not with a sleeping girl in your arms.”

Maggie rested her cheek on top of Cece’s. “I don’t have a choice.”

“You could have caught a cab.”

She tilted her chin up, shot him an agitated brow, and buried her face against Cece’s. “It’s far. It would’ve been too expensive.”

“I’ll drive you. Where do you live?”

“No,” she whispered.

“It wasn’t a choice, Maggie.” He leaned down to scoop Cece into his arms, but Maggie put her hand up, stopping him.

“Don’t.” She stared, unrelenting, and her back scooted into the corner of the booth. Her tight, squared shoulders were on full alert. “How do I know you aren’t some lunatic?”

He wanted to laugh, he really did, but her honest reaction shouldn’t have surprised him. Used to getting his way, he hadn’t thought twice or considered she’d protest the offer. His mouth pulled into a frown as he considered his intimidating stance towering over her. He backed up a few steps, raising his hands. Unwilling to relent, he scrolled through his cell, pressed a few buttons, and when he got an answer, he kept his focus on her. “I need you to vouch for me.” His best friend’s laughter on the other end ticked him off, but he wouldn’t rest until he had his way. “Mention I’m a good guy.” Then he eased closer to Maggie, his hand extended, urging her to accept a concession he wasn’t used to making.

Her eyes flicked from him to the phone and back a few times. He wasn’t sure if the blank look on her face meant she believed him or she’d scream for help. Several tense seconds later, she plucked the cell from his hands, her fingertips clipped to the top and nowhere near close to touching him. “Hello.” Her quiet, reserved whisper revealed hesitancy, but her intense observation demonstrated she wouldn’t surrender easily. “Maggie Tyson.” After a brief pause she answered with a relieved and happy bounce in her voice, “Oh, Matt, hey.” She listened and nodded, her lips curled into a quirky smile and disappeared before he could appreciate it. “Yeah. Uh, huh. Will do, bye.”

After he tucked the phone in his suit pocket, his hand clenched it over and over, waiting for her to say something, anything. Tired of the long silence and her scrutinizing inspection of his eyes, nose, mouth, and grinding jaw, he rocked back and forth on his heels for the second time. “Well?”

- TEASERS -



- ABOUT THE AUTHOR - 
C.C. Koen
C.C. Koen writes contemporary romance with a twist. An avid reader who enjoys mystery and suspense, her stories will never be what you expect. Determined to find adventure in her dreams and life, she enjoys skydiving, sailing and any activity that challenges her. Teacher by day, romance writer at night produce an active imagination that comes to life in her writing.


Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Enchanted Book Promo Presents: Revenge of the Wolf by Skyler Patterson


Title: Revenge of the Wolf
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Horror


REVENGE OF THE WOLF is a story of paranormal romance/action/horror. This story is set in the early settled New York. A wealthy shape-shifting young man named Justice Sorrowfell falls in love with a beautiful young woman named Angelica Innocenta. When the woman is murdered, Justice goes on a spree of vengeance against all outlaws, in the form of a wolf, and a werewolf. Justice is urged on to continue his revenge by his un-dead fiancé Angelica. This is the first book of a series. This is a tale that gives the message that death is not always the end. This tale shows that true love cannot ever die.—SKYLER PATTERSON

Author Bio
How did i become a writer? My story could be a book of itself. I will not lie. I am the “accidental writer”. I have been working in health care for many years. It was when i decided to read books on my way to work that i stumbled upon the possibility of writing. How did it happen? I take the train to get to my job in N.Y.. I had become bored with reading the daily newspapers .It was then that i decided to read a book instead. Mind you, i had not read a book in years! I proceeded to read books by J.R. Tolkien, Anne Rice, Bram Stoker, and George M. Martin. I found those books sooo cool! I love fantasy fiction. It was when i became addicted to a certain series; that it happened. I read every book from that series and when i asked the book store clerk when there would  be more the man gave me terrible news. “Ha, that guy puts out a book every five years. “WHAT”? I could not believe that. It was then that i began to wonder what if i (yes me) could write a book myself. This was a joke to me until i came up in minutes with a plot for a fantasy fiction tale. HOW did i do that!? The plot was way TOO COOL to just do nothing with.  And i will not lie. I made every type of mistake one could make in learning how to write. I have had no formal training and i successfully dropped out of college, years ago! That first idea became THE BOOK OF SWORDS, a medieval styled swords and sorcery epic. That book gave me many headaches, before i learned how to write it!(great e book that it is) So i took a break and wrote: THE LAST KRAKEN, a tale of a giant, leviathan squid running amok, in the 1800’s. It was when i was writing that book that i began to realize that i had somehow in only  a little more than a year became an author. I finished that first book. I then proceeded to test a chapter of it on my school teacher sister. My sister invited me over to hear my tale. My sister gave me many words of encouragement: “Let’s all have a good laugh”! were her words! I read her a chapter. After i read that chapter my sister began to stutter and jaws were dropping everywhere! “HOW IN THE HELL”?! were her words! And then i began to write another book called REVENGE OF THE WOLF. One day i passed my laptop to a girl i was dating and asked her to read an emotional turning point of this romance/action/horror story. As she was reading it; i was in awe as the woman slowly began to cry! I then spent the rest of that year writing many books. And here i am! I am in this for the long haul. I am now an author/poet/songwriter. My journey just goes to show that one can never truly know what they are capable of; until they give it that one good try! I can truly say I LOVE WRITING.---SKYLER PATTERSON


Book Excerpt 

Many a soul may ponder how it was, that a man of my wealth and sense of adventure came to be in such a predicament. It is said that a man cannot ever truly know anyone less he has walked in his shoes. For surely the words hold irony. For not a man could think to judge me less he could walk on all four of my legs, and howl by the fullest of moons. I can recall it like it was yesterday. And yet in truth it was many years prior. I was just a young green lad. On a hunt I was. Twas me and my brave father. On the hunt for game we had no luck. until we were both set upon by a pack of bedeviling wolves. One of the grievous death hounds, jumped into my path. The creature crouched growling preparing to pounce. The beast’s eyes were like red hot fires, his teeth like icy white death! The creature leapt at me. I raised my rifle. However my courage possessed no conviction and there I stood paralyzed in my fear! The beast lunged at me but I felt no fangs, and felt no blood spilling from my veins. The creature did manage to bite my woolen coat. The only sound I heard was the crack from my dear father’s rifle. And then the resounding thud as the beast fell lifeless on the cold dark ground. It was then my father told me words that I would never forget: “The wolves are the most devilish creatures on the earth! The wolf is the beast that hunts not on his own but amongst a pack. He is the creature that kills not in the light but from the dark shadows, and the light of the moon”. For strange as it was there was beauty in this horror and a horror to this beauty. For in time the moon turned, the horses gave way to the great steel snake called the train. I became a great man. I hunted game round the world. I fell in love. I became a soldier, and  I became what others dreaded most… I became a wolf. And then my life began… I was a young man and grew up in a mansion on the Hudson. Who am i? My name is Justice Sorrowfell. But let us go back to when I first became the beast. It was weeks after that dreaded hunt. I was in my bed chamber at the manse, and noticed the puncture marks on my arm. I did not vex myself as I had felt no ill effects. It was many years later when I was entering manhood when I noticed a change. I went to sleep in my bed and awoke on the floor, curled up in front of my mirror. When I gazed into the mirror I saw not a young man but a wolf. I found  that i could change into the beast at will. I also began to smell other beings and none of them were human. I could smell the horses in front of the estate. I could smell the mice within the cellar. I also could hear things from impossible distances. I also found that I could control other creatures. I could shape shift into bodies of Rats and birds; and I could have them to do my bidding. I told no one of my dark gift. It was my lone secret in all the world. I also developed an insatiable appetite for meat and none of it cooked. I began to have the house chef prepare for me meals of raw salmon fish, and other raw dishes. My dear father began to think me growing dim. For me it made no matter. It was soon after that I met an exquisite woman. In love I fell madly. This woman was the most beautiful creation that god did see fit to bestow to walk amongst this earth. Raven of hair she was. The woman had a round perfect face with cheekbones high. The woman was shapely as an hourglass. And indeed I did spend hours admiring her face and body. The woman had light grey piercing eyes. For this woman gazing upon me truly could never fail to pierce my heart, like a proper dagger. Angelica was her name. And in all truth god certainly removed an angel from his heaven that she could walk this earth with a soul such as myself. I courted her about the city. We dined in the finest eateries, and her arm stayed entwined in mine through the very best operas. It was in the hazy days of summer when I fell down into that blissful well called..love. Let us begin our story there. Let us begin when I was more happier than now. Let us go back to before things shattered like an expensive vase in my father’s Victorian den. Let us go back to when i first met..HER.

Monday, August 3, 2015

HEA Blog Tours Presents: FINDING FLYNN by Alexandria Bishop



FINDING FLYNN
Author: Alexandria Bishop
Series: Marlowe Series #1
- SYNOPSIS -
Ashtyn Moretti is ready for the best summer of her life. But her parents have other plans when they drop the bomb that her perfect summer will be spent…

Away from home.

Away from friends.

Away from half her family.

Armed with her Summer from Hell playlist and a Kindle full of book boyfriends, Ashtyn prepares to face what she is sure will be the worst summer of her life. Or will it be?

Flynn James has one thing on his mind—the success of his band Marlowe. He’s focused and doesn’t have time for any distractions, and that includes facing his past. But then a petite brunette comes walking into the pub where he works.

Neither Ashtyn or Flynn were looking for love but they can’t deny their obvious attraction. Ashtyn’s summer has been full of lies. The last thing she expects is for Flynn to be one of the liars too. Can she forgive his lies and turn her summer around? Can Flynn keep his secrets without losing everything? Or will this really be the Summer from Hell?

- PURCHASE -




- EXCERPT -
Ashtyn 
We’re strolling through a nearby empty park. Leaves are dancing in the light breeze, and a creek is babbling gently nearby. It’s quiet and peaceful but it isn’t doing anything to help calm my nerves. Although we came out here to talk, we haven’t said a word. I open my mouth and immediately close it. My mouth is dry like I just spent all day rocking out at Warped Tour, leaving my tongue like a sheet of sandpaper.

I lick my lips hoping to produce some saliva and ask, “Are there any drinking fountains nearby?”

Flynn gets a shit-eating grin and points to a giant statue with fountains on all sides. “Over there.”

I take a giant gulp that I immediately spit right back out. Unfortunately, Flynn is standing within shooting range and gets a mouthful of the nasty liquid, which tastes like coppery rotten eggs. I’m not sure which one of us is more shocked but I can’t hold in the laughter. The pain in my side is almost unbearable. I almost don’t hear Flynn say, “You think that’s funny, do you?”

Not understanding his tone, I look up to a blazing green fire. I don’t know whether to be scared or seriously turned on. I turn to run but he grabs me and flips me around. My body shakes with fear and desire as Flynn rubs his hands up and down my arms. I don’t speak, too terrified of what I would say but even more terrified of ruining whatever is happening. I nervously gnaw on my bottom lip and he zones right in on it and licks his own.

Leaning forward, I run my hands through his silky hair. He lightly presses his lips to mine, stopping everything around us. Not satisfied with the featherlight kiss, I greedily run my tongue along his bottom lip and use my teeth to gently tug on his lip ring. A guttural groan escapes him, causing my entire body to tingle, right down to my toes. Suddenly I understand what all those girls are feeling in the romance novels I devour. This single kiss will ruin all future kisses for me.

Letting go of his piercing, I push my tongue against his mouth and he grants me access. The moment our tongues tangle, the air around us thickens and everything shifts. Flynn’s hands trail my body. Everywhere he touches, my body is on fire. My back hits cold stone, and I wrap my leg around his waist. Flynn lifts me and both legs hook around him. His hardness hits my sweet spot and I let out a husky moan, causing him to rock against me. My eyes roll back into my head and I throw it back, unable to control myself any longer.







"It's the End of the World As We Know It" by REM 

"Leaving Town" by Dexter Freebish 

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana 

"The Weight of Lies" by The Avett Brothers 

"Baba O'Reilly" by The Who 

"We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister 

"My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit 

"Breakdown" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 

"Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who 

"I Would Be Sad" by The Avett Brothers 

"Last Resort" by Papa Roach 

"For You" by Staind 

"Rise Above" by Black Flag 

"Riot Girl" by Good Charlotte 

"Therapy" by All Time Low 

"California" by Phantom Planet 


"Somewhere in Neverland" by All Time Low 

"Won't Go Home" by 3PM 

"Kiss Me" by New Found Glory 

"Here's to the Night" by Eve 6 

"Always Love" by Nada Surf 

"If These Sheets Were States" by All Time Low 

"Have Faith in Me" by A Day to Remember 

"Don't Leave Me" by An Honest Year 

"Somewhere in Neverland" (acoustic) by All Time Low


- ABOUT THE AUTHOR - 
Alexandria Bishop
Alexandria Bishop is an Oregon girl and lives there with her husband, young daughter and fur baby. She's been a bookworm her entire life and always dreamed of becoming a writer but never thought it would be a reality.

Alexandria spends more time on social media than she would like to admit, come visit and say hi!