Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Fantastical Tour!


The Tour:

January 26 @ Blogs everywhere: Launching the Tour
January 27 @ Mythical Books: Shadowskin by Bethany Cassel
January 28 @  Wonderings of One Person: Beyond the Hollow by Kristy Tate
January 29 @ I Am a Reader, Not a Writer: Enchanted Fairytales by Cindy C Bennett
January 30 @ A Backwards Story: EnchantedHero by Alethea Kontis
January 31 @ Bookworm Lisa: The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen by Andrea Cefalo
February 1 @ Blogs everywhere: The Grand Finale



January 27 @ Mythical Books

Shadowskin 

Cursed with a deadly touch, Pomona never thought she would leave the royal gardens of Norarchland, where she uses her magic over plant life to make the gardens flourish. But when she discovers a magic mirror beneath the roots of an apple tree, she learns a horrifying truth: the life of the beautiful Princess Nevea is in danger, and Pomona is the only one who can save her. Pomona flees with the princess into the dark forest, where she is taken in by the mysterious Selene Magna and her huntress companion, Callisto. They claim that the Tenebrari-short, magical beings responsible for Pomona's curse-are trying to conquer all of the kingdoms of Archland. Even more, Pomona is destined to play an important role in their defeat. The cursed gardener must now embark on a journey far beyond her imagination to stop the Tenebrari, or else she and all those she cares about will be cursed forever.



Bethany Cassel lives in a land surrounded by forests and cornfields, and she was lucky enough to grow up in the same house all her life. Falling asleep to the sound of waterfalls and seldom-disturbed quiet provided the perfect environment for her to develop her passion for writing. Inspired by the beautiful landscape around her, Bethany created Archland, a world with deep forests, rolling hills, and fierce winters, home to dozens of fairy tale characters.

When she is not writing, Bethany is a voracious reader, known to finish the likes of "Seraphina" by Rachel Hartman in two sittings (it was a great book)! Her favorite writers are, in no particular order, Sir Thomas Malory, J.K. Rowling, John Keats, Victor Hugo, Kendare Blake, Jay Asher, Toni Morrison, and Marissa Meyer. This list is by no means complete. She is about to earn her Bachelor's of Arts in English from SUNY Geneseo and plans to continue her education in literature in graduate school. Besides all things literary, Bethany enjoys archery and bow hunting, drawing, playing piano, and volunteering with ministries in her community. She currently lives in Western New York with four dogs, twenty-ish chickens (she lost count), a lizard, and a couple of frogs.



January 28 @  Wonderings of One Person


Beyond the Fortuneteller's Tent (Beyond #1)



When Petra Baron goes into the fortuneteller’s tent at a Renaissance fair, she expects to leave with a date to prom. Instead, she walks out into Elizabethan England, where she meets gypsies, a demon dog and a kindred spirit in Emory Ravenswood.

Emory must thwart the plans of religious zealots. His mission is dangerous, his enemies are fanatical, and Petra Baron is a complication that Heaven only knows he does not need. Or does he? Although Emory is on Heaven’s errand, he learned long ago that Heaven does not always play fair.

As Petra slowly falls for Emory, she wonders if he really is who he seems, or if he is just as lost as she is. How can they have a future while trapped in the past? Or is anything possible Beyond the Fortuneteller’s Tent?


Beyond the Hollow (Beyond #2)

Petra Baron and her immortal boyfriend, Emory Ravenswood, are living their happily in modern day Orange County, California, until Dane shows up: a heart-stoppingly handsome man from Petra's past. Petra can't remember Dane, or anything else about her time in Tarrytown, New York two hundred years ago. But Emory does remember, and he knows she's lucky to have forgotten all about Dane and the nightmarish episode in 1810.

After Emory disappears, Petra is determined to find him again. Yet she doesn’t know whether Dane can lead her to Emory, or to the nightmare she can’t remember. The one thing she does know is that once upon a time really means two hundred years ago, and that if she wants to find Emory the first place to look is Sleepy Hollow, 1810.

With a collection of Washington Irving's writings in her hand, and a prayer that some nine-pin-playing ghosts will give her a drink of the same magic ale they gave Rip Van Winkle, Petra heads into another time-defying adventure.


Kristy Tate

Kristy studied English literature at Brigham Young University and at BYU's International Center in London. Although a long time resident of Orange County California where she lives with her family, Kristy's heart belongs in her hometown of Arlington, Washington, AKA Rose Arbor--the fictional setting of her popular Rose Arbor series.

For updates on Kristy's upcoming novels, please visit her blog at kristystories.blogspot.com and sign up for her newsletter, where discounts and freebies are sure to happen.


Other books by Kristy:
The Rhyme's Library (2013 Kindle Book Review Awards semi-finalist)
Hailey's Comments (an Amazon Breakout Novel quarter-finalist)
Stealing Mercy
Rescuing Rita
A Light in the Christmas Café
Losing Penny

Enchanted Fairytales

Enchanted Fairytales is a series of short stories based on beloved fairytales. The stories are written as if the fairytales never existed. are contemporary, some are paranormal, some have elements of fantasy or magic. 

Beautiful Beast: After a cruel prank, Calli is forced to move into “Monster House” to befriend the beast. Alex is determined to hate Calli, who he believes is there to get a peek at the beast. Calli must convince Alex that she isn’t there to harm him, and that her feelings for him are very real.

Red and the Wolf: A sudden increase in the violence and frequency of wolf attacks in the forest surrounding Piera has all of the residents on edge. Ruby, contending with the news that Rafe has come home after leaving her three years earlier, and staving off the advances of his brother Lowell, doesn’t have time to deal with wolves - until she finds herself fighting against a wolf for her life.

Snow White: Snow White, sent into the forest to be killed, escapes. She stumbles upon a tiny, magical kingdom called Fableton, where time stands still for its trapped residents. Phillip, blinded centuries ago by a vengeful love, believes Snow is the key to breaking the curse and freeing them all.

The Unmasking of Cinderella: Forced into servitude by her wicked stepmother, Amella longs for the simple freedoms her stepsister takes for granted. When she bumps into Char - literally - her world is suddenly turned upside down. Amella begins to believe that she can have a life she previously thought nothing more than a dream with Char by her side.

The White Swan: Cursed to live as a swan by day by the jealous Benno von Rothbart, Odette desires nothing more than to tell Victor what’s happened, but can’t out of fear for what Benno might do to him. Victor discovers her secret and together they try to break the curse. But the cost of doing so might just be too much.

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords * Createspace


Cindy C Bennett is the YA author of several books. She lives in Utah with her two daughters. Both of her sons have married, giving her two more daughters (in-law). She loves gooey cookies, dark chocolate, and cheese popcorn. She hates housework and cooking, and has no plans to become a domestic goddess. She occasionally co-hosts a geek podcast with her son, called Geek Revolution Radio. Her favorite pastime—other than writing—is riding her Harley.


Other books by Cindy: 
Rapunzel Untangled, 
Heart on a Chain, Geek Girl, 
The Experiment, 
Whispers of Razari, 
Immortal Mine, 
In the Beginning, 
Reluctance, 
Watched


January 30 @ A Backwards Story


Enchanted

It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?

Hero

Rough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she's the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world. Is Saturday powerful enough to kill the mountain witch who holds her captive and save the world from sure destruction? And, as she wonders grumpily, "Did romance have to be part of the adventure?" As in Enchanted, readers will revel in the fragments of fairy tales that embellish this action-packed story of adventure and, yes, romance.

New York Times bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, a goddess, a force of nature, and a mess. She’s known for screwing up the alphabet, scolding vampire hunters, turning garden gnomes into mad scientists, and making sense out of fairy tales.

Alethea is the co-author of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter Companion, and penned the AlphaOops series of picture books. Her short fiction, essays, and poetry have appeared in a myriad of anthologies and magazines. She has done multiple collaborations with Eisner winning artist J.K. Lee, includingThe Wonderland Alphabet and Diary of a Mad Scientist Garden Gnome. Her debut YA fairy tale novel, Enchanted, won the Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award in 2012 and was nominated for both the Andre Norton Award and the Audie Award in 2013.

Born in Burlington, Vermont, Alethea now lives in Northern Virginia with her Fairy Godfamily. She makes the best baklava you’ve ever tasted and sleeps with a teddy bear named Charlie.




January 31 @ Bookworm Lisa

The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen

Anonymous, nameless, Adelaide Schumacher should have been lost to history. Medieval girls do not make legends. If they are lucky to live long enough, they make babies.

Adelaide’s mother, Katrina was the finest storyteller in Cologne, but she left one story untold, that of her daughter, Snow White. A rampant fever claimed Adelaide’s mother just like a thousand others in Cologne where the dead are dumped in a vast pit outside the city walls. In an effort to save Katrina’s soul, Adelaide’s family obtains a secret funeral by bribing the parish priest, Father Soren.

Soren commits an unforgivable atrocity, pushing Adelaide toward vengeance, but the corruption in Cologne reaches far beyond Soren, and the cost of settling scores quickly escalates. Avenging the mother she lost may cost Adelaide everything she has left: her father, her friends, her first love, and maybe even her life.

The Fairytale Keeper casts the famous villains, heroes, and damsels of Grimm’s fairytales into Medieval lives. Seamlessly weaving historical events and Grimm’s fairytales into a tale of corruption and devotion, The Fairytale Keeper, leaves the reader wondering where fact ends, and fiction begins.


Read the first part of the novel for FREE:
Andrea Cefalo is the award-winning author of The Fairytale Keeper series. The Fairytale Keeper series is a Medieval tale of corruption, devotion, and the origins of Grimm’s fairytales. It was a quarter-finalist in Amazon’s 2013 Breakthrough Novel Contest and has been recommended by Riffle, Copperfield Review, and other various independent reviewers. The second novel in the series, The Fairest of All, will debut in 2014. When Andrea isn’t writing, she enjoys blogging and tweeting about the Middle Ages, teaching authors how to effectively use social media, and presenting in schools. She resides in Greenville, South Carolina with her husband and their two border collies.


February 1  – Grand Finale

Tour-Wide Giveaway!!

January 26 - February 10
There are FIVE chances to WIN!!
Winners will be drawn randomly, entries will be validated and the IP Addresses checked for shipping qualifications to award winnings in order of preference, if indicated. See Rafflecopter entry. Additional restrictions on Rafflecopter apply.

1 - Signed print copy of Shadowskin by Bethany Cassel plus a signed sketch of the Main Character by the author! (US Only)

2 - eCopies of both books in the Beyond series by Kristy Tate: Beyond the Fortune Teller's Tent & Beyond the Hollow!  (International)

3 - eCopy of Enchanted Fairytales by Cindy C Bennett! (International)

4 - FIVE Signed paperbacks of Enchanted by Alethea Kontis plus swag! (US Only) (That's five winners. Woop!)

5 - eCopy of The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen by Andrea Cefalo! (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.
Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.

Friday, January 17, 2014

TaleSpins by Michael Mullin

tale spins tour 

tale spins banner

tale spins


Tale Spins A trilogy of alternative fairytales and retellings. Discover the real Snow White story through the eyes of Creepy, the unknown 8th dwarf! Meet a teen princess who hires "The Frog Prince" witch to get revenge on a Mean Girl at school! And learn how the giant, boy thief and magic beans tale truly went down!  



Praise for Tale Spins
Not usually enamoured of either re-tellings or poetry I was totally taken aback by just how much I relished this trilogy of alternative fairytales and re-tellings aimed at the Young Adult market.
~Tracy (Goodreads)

TaleSpins was like walking into a vintage store and finding a true treasure. This book takes the fairytales we all grew up on and gives them an interesting and modernized version that I enjoyed.
~Rose (Goodreads) 

My Thoughts on TaleSpins
I’m a fan of fairytale retellings, and I particularly like them when a new spin is put on the story. But if you completely twist the story—as in making it twisted, I get some kind of perverse pleasure out of it. I’ve long been a fan of Miss MaryPennynickle’s Tales of Torment for Toddlers, wherein sweet children’s tales are twisted. So I was excited when I had the chance to read TaleSpins by Michael Mullin.

Mullin has three tales here, one based on the opposite of Snow White, and the other two a sort of meshing of several different stories. The tales are all told with poetry. Personally, I think the stories would have been more effective had they been written out as a story rather than told in poetry, but that’s just me. The rhythm of the poetry threw the stories a little off to me. That being said, I liked the stories. I liked the dark, twisted side given to them by Mullin. He’s a bit macabre, and that’s something I can appreciate!

These stories are not for children, nor for the faint of heart. But if you have a slightly dark sense of humor, you’re going to enjoy the adult-size TaleSpins. I know I did.  

mike mullinAuthor Michael Mullin Michael Mullin is a native New Englander living in Pasadena. He is the author of TaleSpins, a trilogy of alternative fairy tales and retellings for YA readers. TaleSpins stories (in the 1-book collection) are "8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf"; "The Plight and Plot of Princess Penny"; and "Jack'd". Michael is also the co-author of the successful "Larry Gets Lost" children's book series. His screenplay "Zooing Time" was recognized by the WGA's Written By magazine. Before all this writing, he taught preschool and college, two positions he found disconcertingly similar.


  Tour Giveaways Giveaway #1 - Open to US only

Mike Mullin Giveaway


Giveaway #2 $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/21/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

High Five to Pie Five

Pie Five Pizza Co.

Last week I went to a new place near my home called Pie Five Pizza. If you have one of these near you, and you like pizza, I highly suggest the place. I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of pizza. I have to be in the mood for it to eat it, but I happen to live with two daughters who really like pizza. So we have it more often that I like. Pie Five just might be the first pizza place I willingly go to.


It's brilliant, really. It's a fast food pizza place where they make the pizza fresh. You pick your crust, then pick any and all toppings you want on the pizza for the same price. They show you the completed pizza before sending it through the oven, and voila, your own, personal, perfect pizza made just for you.

The pizza I had was classic pan crust, alfredo sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and pineapple. Probably not a pizza many would like, but it was just right for me.

My own personal, delicious pizza. I can't wait to go back and try other combinations.
Because I liked it so much, I wanted to share it here with you. I'm not at all affiliated with Pie Five, nor am I getting anything for my endorsement. I didn't even tell them I was going to talk about them. This is purely a treasure I found that I wanted to make sure you could also find!

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Time Together



I've been slacking on blog posts lately. As you know, I went on vacation to California - and it was great to escape the cold, snowy, inversion-laden valley here. On the flight home from Cali, I could feel a cold coming on, though I really hoped it was allergies. Alas, I woke the next morning with a horrible cold, then Christmas came, and with the busyness of the season and not feeling well, I've been neglectful.

I'm back now, and feeling better, so I wanted to take a minute to report on my fun time away. It was a great Christmas gift, being able to spend some time with my daughters.

Thrilled to be somewhere that required sunglasses - and looking very Hollywood at the same time!
At Santa Monica Pier
We spent a few days in the LA/Hollywood area, visiting Universal Studios, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Grauman's Chinese Theater, and taking a tour to be annoying tourists who gape at celebrities houses.

At Universal Studios

Gotta love Snow White!

Apparently thought it was important enough to photograph, but honestly can't tell you whose house this is.

Yup, never pass a chance to pose by a Tardis! It's the law.

We then drove to Anaheim to spend the remainder of our days at the Happiest Place on Earth - though from some of the crying and ornery people I saw, apparently they didn't receive the memo.

Greeted at the Paradise Pier hotel by Christmas carolers.

Found Doctor Who at Disneyland proving that it is indeed the happiest place on earth - for me, anyway! (And yes, it was raining, I don't just randomly wear raincoats. Okay, maybe sometimes, but not this day.)

Giant Mickey wreath - wish I could have fit it in my suitcase

Cars Land

Cars Land is something new at California Adventures since I last visited. Gotta admit I'm not a fan of the movie, but they did a great job with Cars Land. We went on one of the new rides, Radiator Springs Racers, and would probably have purchased this picture because it was our first time on it, but the man in the front of the car was the icing on the cake, making it required for us to purchase the photo.

How hilarious is this guy?
So you might wonder why I'm including a pic of a random bag of candy. This bag of candy saved us from a major medical issue in the form of a seizure. My daughter has type I diabetes, and this night we were leaving Disneyland quite late. As we walked through Downtown Disney, she suddenly stopped and asked to sit down. Her blood sugar had taken an unexpected dive, even though she'd just finished a large box of popcorn. Everything in Downtown Disney was closed, and there were very few people around. We, poorly planned, didn't have any quick sugar on us, since we were only about a ten minute walk from the hotel. My other daughter began running around, looking for help. She found a couple of young Disney workers who couldn't help other than one of them offering his bag of candy he happened to have in his jacket pocket. Thank heavens he did, because I don't know what we would have done, other than watch Lexcie have a diabetic seizure. Okay, honestly it wouldn't have gotten quite that dramatic since we did have a Glucagon shot on hand we could have injected her with, but since she was still conscious that seemed a little like overkill. I wish I knew the name of the guy who gave it to us, because we sure were grateful! Soon after, Lindsay spotted some cleaning people in a bakery and managed to get a bottle of orange juice from them - free, thank you to the bakery peeps - and we were able to avert the crisis.

Almost life-saving bag of candy
I'm very grateful for the chance I had to go to one of my favorite destinations, and for the time I was able to spend with my daughters. I hope you all had as blessed a Christmas as I did, and that you have the happiest new year!



















Thursday, December 12, 2013

Off to Sunshine!


Here in Utah we've been dumped on by snow, and frozen in by sub-freezing temperatures (I had ice on the inside of my car windows that I had to scrape in order to drive!). It's even cold and snowing in parts of the state that are traditionally warm year round, and so it's time to take myself off to sunnier climes. As of the posting of this, I should be on an airplane headed for the much warmer California (they've been 60-70°F to our 1-10°F, with the occasional warmth of maybe as much as 20°F).



This year has been . . . let's just say interesting. It began with complications from surgery that had me seriously questioning whether I was going to make it (or if I even wanted to) and has ended with me moving from my beloved home into a new place, where I currently reside amongst piles of boxes that feel like I'm living in my own personal episode of Hoarders. In the middle of those two things was a bunch of crap, some of it good, some of it bad. Kind of like a rollercoaster that has free-fall drops (I hate anything that free-falls though I love rollercoasters). Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely grateful for all of my blessings. I have a roof over my head, food to eat, amazing kids, adorable dogs, wonderful friends, a loving extended family, faith and hope, a car that runs in spite of the freezing temperatures, and readers who make it possible for me to live the dream! I haven't been swamped by a tsunami or hurricane, or flattened by an earthquake, or burnt out by fire. So I'm not complaining loudly, only murmuring softly. And only for a minute because I am really, truly very blessed.

Yes, this is genuinely my house - the kitchen to be exact!

I decided that I deserve a vacation, and so do my daughters (who've had to go through a lot of the crap with me and have been supportive beyond what I hoped for), so our Christmas gift to ourselves is to head to Disneyland for a week. We'll spend a couple of days doing the Hollywood thing, but the bulk of our time will be spent doing the Mickey thing. So if my blog seems strangely silent, it's because I'm not here.


I hope all of you have a joyous holiday season, and that wherever you are you're with family and friends, and that you're basking in the glow of the Christmas spirit! See you soon.


Burned Cover Reveal

Liz Long stopped by the blog today to reveal the cover for her new book, Burned, due to be released Dec. 19th. So, here's Liz:

Thank you to the amazing authors and bloggers who volunteered to help with today's cover reveal. I am so excited to show off the cover for my new book - I've been dying to show it off! Made by the talented Caroline McKean, I hope you love it as much as I do (plus gets you a little worried about what's to come). Gifted, A Donovan Circus Novel is the first title in the series. Available at Amazon on Kindle and paperback, the ebook is currently on sale for only 99 cents to celebrate the upcoming release! (Where's Sheffield's ringmaster voice when I need it?) Now here it is, the cover reveal for Burned, A Donovan Circus Novel!

burned_cover_final_web

Burned, A Donovan Circus Novel Synopsis: “Tell Sheffield that Medved is hunting him…the Bear is coming.” Nearly a month after Lucy Sullivan saved the Donovan Circus from certain death, she discovers that Dr. Felix Hardy wasn’t the only bad guy around. When Lucy is attacked on home ground, Sheffield Donovan reveals that there are bigger foes in their world, gifted that use their powers to kill others – including her own family, as she learns from her ringmaster mentor. Medved, a Russian thug and powerful Shapeshifter, is intent on outing the gifted world and will stop at nothing to succeed. In order to survive, Lucy and her friends must travel to another show, the Grayson Circus, for help. The uneasy alliance with owner Albert Grayson comes with potential new friends and dark secrets about their competition, including a troublemaker named Mel and an old flame of Lucy’s father. Lucy must also contend with her feelings about Keegan and Gabriel, as well as learn how to contain her rampant emotions or risk setting the entire place ablaze. Will Lucy be able to save the Donovan Circus again? Or will Medved and his men slaughter everyone in their path on the way to gifted domination?

DSC_0089  About the Author: Liz Long is a ridiculously proud graduate of Longwood University with a BA in English. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her fabulous day job as a social media editor includes writing for a publishing company in Roanoke, VA. Her first book, Gifted, is the first book in the Donovan Circus series. Her second book Witch Hearts, a story about a serial killer hunting witches for their powers, is available at Amazon on Kindle and paperback. To learn more about Liz, visit her website: http://lizclong.com.  

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Just in Time for Christmas: Enter to Win a Kindle Fire

December Kindle Fire   

Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)   This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7".

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)
  Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
  Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)
      December Kindle Fire Giveaway #2 Sponsors
  1. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
  2. Feed Your Reader
  3. Darker Passions
  4. Author Talia Jager
  5. The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl
  6. Kelly P's Blog
  7. Kelly's Lucky You
  8. LeahSay's Views
  9. Author Bella Street
  10. Author Bonnie Blythe
  11. Feed Your Fiction Addiction
  12. Blogging the Beloved
  13. Fae Books
  14. Author Kelli Beck
  15. Barb's Wire - eBooks & More
  16. MumbleBee Inc.
  17. MyLadyWeb: Women's History and Women Authors
  18. I Know That Book!
  19. NESSAROX
  20. The Reporter and the Girl
  21. My Story That I Like Best
  22. Jessica Loves Book
  23. Author Jennie Sherwin
  24. Candace's Book Blog
  25. Attack of the Books!
  26. Author Elizabeth Seckman
  27. Author Rosanne Rivers
  28. Author Carole Lanham
  29. Author Jennifer L. Weil
  30. The Real Bookshelves of Room 918
  31. Author David Pandolfe
  32. Author Georgina Young-Ellis
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  35. Book Crushin
  36. Laloba Press
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  39. Write Story Editing
  40. Bookworm Lisa
  41. Author John D. Mimms
  42. Author Heidi Garrett
  43. Stanley and Katrina Pet Authors
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  46. The Late Bloomer's Book Blog
  47. Immortal Ink Publishing
  48. Circus of Lost Souls
  49. Author Inger Iversen
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  51. Author Christy Hayes
  52. Author Lisa C. Temple
 Sign up to sponsor the next Kindle Fire Giveaway: http://www.iamareader.com/category/kindle-giveaway-sign-ups   Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International). There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire HDX 7". Ends 1/1/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, December 6, 2013

Chasing June

One of my favorite authors has a new book releasing soon called Chasing June. It's currently on tour (as you can tell by the banner below) and today Shannen and the tour are kind enough to stop here to say hi.


June Laurie has it all-a budding career on the hit crime drama Forensic Faculty, a supportive and perfect boyfriend in her best friend Joseph Cleveland, and hopes of transferring her acting skills to the stage at college. But in a series of plot twists as dramatic as any Hollywood storyline, June's dreams dim with a heavy dose of grown-up reality. Once she starts school at BYU, June's days become filled with classes and the new challenge of dealing with jealous theatre majors who seem determined to give her the cold shoulder. Her happy plans for a future with "the one" take a turn, too, when Joseph dumps her to focus on preparing for his two-year LDS mission. Casting directors and the siren call of stardom beckon her back to California, while an old co-star appears on the scene to confuse things even more. Caught up in the drama of life-the type that has more intrigue, subplots, and unexpected romance than a murder mystery game-June starts to wonder if maybe her life's script might end with a grand finale she never saw coming.



My review: Chasing June is a great follow-up to Finding June, the first book in the series. June is as charming as ever, and Joseph is as wowzer as ever (is wowzer a word?). I will say Joseph made a lot of bone-head choices in this book that frustrated me, but Ryan swooped in to fill the swoon-worthy role of hero. I didn't much care for Ryan in the first book--no, that isn't right. I did care for him, I just wasn't weak-kneed over him. That changes in this book. Shannen does a great job of creating a realistic triangle that makes it hard for you to decide which team you're on. I thought I was firmly team Joseph, but now I'm wavering toward team Ryan. I'll decide after the third book! Great second novel in the series, and of course I always recommend anything by Shannen Crane Camp, and that goes for this book as well!

Add it to your shelf on Goodreads!

Join Shannen's fun Facebook Launch Party on December 14 with lots of fun games and giveaways (maybe even a book or two that may or may not have my name on the cover)

Chasing June is the second book in the June Series. Check out the first book, "Finding June" here. You can read my review of it here.





Shannen Crane Camp was born and raised in Southern California, where she developed a love of reading, writing, and anything having to do with film. After high school, she moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where she received a degree in Media Arts and found herself a husband in fellow California native Josh Camp. The two now live in either California or Utah... they still can't decide.
Shannen loves to hear from readers, so feel free to contact her at Shannencbooks@hotmail.com or visit her website for more information: http://shannencbooks.blogspot.com





Come check out the rest of the blog tour!



Enter to win a signed paperback copy of "Chasing June"!



    Goodreads Book Giveaway

        Chasing June by Shannen Crane Camp
   
 


          Chasing June
        


          by Shannen Crane Camp
     

       
            Giveaway ends December 08, 2013.
                 
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         
      Enter to win


Thursday, December 5, 2013

Studio C

studio c tour 

      

Studio C

Seasons 1 and 2 of the hilarious BYUtv sketch comedy series, Studio C, featuring Whitney, Mallory, Jason, Matt, and the rest of the cast pulling out all the stops with two full seasons of enough rip-roaring hilarity to make you spit milk out of your nose. Travel back to the moment it all began and watch some of the very first Studio C sketches, plus two never-before-seen features! Includes popular episodes featuring
  • Presidential Shoulder Angel
  • Facebook Friends Song
  • Flirting Academy
  • Captain Literally
  • The Center for People That YouTube Made Infamous
  • Candy Land Character Conference
  • Bollyside
  • Dana’s Dead
  • And many more!
Special Features
  • Exclusive Feature: “Just Jeremy Date”
  • Exclusive Sketch: “Substitute Miss Frizzle”
  • Season 2 Outtakes
Studio C is a hit sketch comedy series that the whole family can enjoy. Like the popular TV show Saturday Night Live, the cast performs original sketches that parody American culture and the hilariously awkward moments of everyday life; but with a refreshingly wholesome yet hilarious spin. With their huge fan-base and increasing popularity, Studio C aims to produce clean, family-oriented comedy for a national audience.  

Purchase Amazon * Deseret Book

       

My review: I first heard about Studio C when someone posted one of their videos online, Classic Fight. I thought it was hilarious, so when the chance came up to participate in this blog tour, with the opportunity to watch seasons 1 & 2, I immediately signed up.

The shows are set up very much like Saturday Night Live, minus the celebrity guest host and musical guest, and with more humor--I think anyway. The sketches are hit and miss, but luckily enough they're more hit than miss. Even some that start slow by the end have me laughing. There weren't many that actually bored me from start to finish.

Some of my faves are: The Doorstep Part I, Stage Directions, Mafia, Awkward Funeral (just the moustache alone cracked me up), Google Translator, Sidious Says So, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Disney Vault (it explains why Pirates always seems to be shut down), and Spelling Bee (inner city version, hilarious).

Funny DVD you can share with your family, because the humor is clean.

Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/31/13