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Thursday, April 10, 2014

Release Day Blitz: Unveiling You by Samantha Grey

Unveiling You




The price of secrets can be too high…

Amy is starting the internship of her life for a prestigious antiques dealer. She knew it would look good on a resume, but a surprise trip to Paris and an assistant who is determined to keep her around make her want more. She could make this into a permanent job. 

If it weren’t for Caleb. He’s returned to his grandfather’s for a new job, even though he doesn’t need the money after selling his company. She’s up to the competition to prove herself, but soon it’s hard to ignore the sizzling tension between them. Neither are willing to give in if it means losing the chance at the job, but their attraction may be too strong. They risk everything if they’re found out — and Amy has been keeping secrets since she arrived, ones that could separate them forever. 

Read on for an excerpt from Caleb's point of view: 

Amy's eyes widened as she looked up at me. “What are you doing?” 

“We’ve got an hour and a half before we have to go back to work.” I dropped my button-down on the dock, then stripped off my undershirt. Amy looked away, shaking her head. Even from up here, I could see how pink her face was. Her blushes were hilarious. Adorable. I dropped my pants next, my boxer briefs only a foot or two away from her face. 

“Oh, my god,” Amy muttered. 

“Come on. I dare you.” 

“You dare me?” She looked at me and glanced away quickly, like she’d forgotten I was barely clothed. “What is this, fifth grade?” 

I laughed, then jumped in. I plunged into the cool water. So many memories in this lake. Birthday parties, lazy days, with my parents and my friends. I came up, hooting, and when I turned to look at Amy, she was fighting back a smile. Her shirt had wet spots from when I jumped in, and I grinned. 

“You’re such a wuss,” I said. “Live a little. You’re not going to let me show you up, are you? Miss I-have-a-degree-and-I’m-not-even-twenty-one?” 

“Do you have to make everything a competition?” she asked. 

“Yes.” 

She stared at me for a moment while I treaded water. “How deep is it?” 

“I can’t touch.” I motioned to another area of the lake, where the rocks led into the water. “It’s more shallow over there, if you want to ease into it.” My voice was heavy with condescension. 

She stood up, and I raised my eyebrows. 

“No way,” I said. She shrugged and turned her back to me. 

“Oh, come on, I didn’t turn around!” Could I be any more of a douchebag? 

She said nothing as she took off her shirt. Oh, shit. She wore a pink bra, and the backs of her shoulders were freckled. Her narrow waist dipped in, and she stepped out of her shorts. Matching underwear, bikini cut. She had fuller hips and thighs than I had realized; they’d been hiding underneath her skirts and pinstripe pants. 

What happened to not checking her out? 

She turned around, and I only got a glimpse of her front before she jumped in. Her bra made her boobs look bigger than they probably were, framing her cleavage, and something dark was on her hip, right on her hip, above the edge of her underwear. 

She came to the surface, taking in a deep breath. She rubbed her eyes and brushed her hair back, but it was still messy on the left side of her face. 

“Do you have a tattoo?” I asked, grinning. She was at least five feet from me, treading water, only her neck and face out of the water. I could see part of her chest under the water, but past that, it was cloudy, obscured so I couldn’t see that waist or full hips or slim legs. 

“Do you?” she countered. I turned my back to her. I wasn’t sure if she could see it, so I swam to the dock and leaned on it, bringing my back partially out of the water. It was a poem written by Rainer Maria Rilke, translated from the original German. 

Before us great Death stands 
Our fate held close within his quiet hands. 
When with proud joy we lift 
Life’s red wine 
To drink deep of the mystic shining cup 
And ecstasy through all our being leaps— 
Death bows his head and weeps. 

Available Today! Visit Samantha's website for buy links Visit Samantha’s Amazon Page You can also enter to win gift cards for Amazon or Barnes & Noble! 


Sunday, April 6, 2014

Blog Tour: London Bound by Nana Malone





London Bound by Nana Malone
(Chase Brothers #1)
Publication date: April 1st 2014
Genres: New Adult, Romance


Synopsis:
It wasn’t exactly like spunky, photography student, Abbie Nartey ran away from her life…except, that she left under the cover of darkness and put three thousand miles between her and her ex-boyfriend’s betrayal. She went to London searching for her dream. She never expected to find love, or herself.

Heir to his family’s tech fortune, sexy, Alexi Chase, is looking for freedom—from his family and from his past. What he’s not looking for is love. With secrets like his, he can’t afford to let anyone get too close. But a chance rescue has him wondering if the price of keeping secrets is too high.

Will Alexi risk losing love to keep his past hidden? Will Abbie trust herself enough to love again? Or will their pasts keep then from accepting true love?

This book contains mature themes and is intended for audiences 18+





When I started writing my first book (which now sits in the bottom drawer in my office) I immediately grabbed my laptop and started banging out a manuscript knowing nothing about characterization, plot or the writing business. Like so many newbie “have a lot to learn” writers, I said things like, “How difficult could it be?” An adorable heroine, sexy hero, a cute meet, sprinkle some acerbic wit and bam, you have a book. God, I had no idea. Who knew I needed plot, characterization, some magical writing and heaps of luck?

After several failed attempts at gluing a haphazard plot together for my first book, I got myself some craft books. Make that lots of craft books, joined RWA, signed up for every class I could get my hands on, and found the best critique partner that a newbie like me deserved or could ask for. She’s been patient, but honest. Tells me what I don’t want to hear, encourages me to be the best writer I can be and I’m so honored to call her a friend and one of my favorite authors, Misty Evans. If you’ve never read her, you’re missing out!

Over the years I’ve met some amazing writers. Women who pour their hearts out onto the paper. Those who plot, those who pants it. All of them hustling towards an impossible goal while traversing the land mines of day job, significant others, kids and personal lives.

Because now, 14 years later, 16 books, over a hundred rejection letters and experiences I wouldn’t trade for a pair of Prada pumps, (Let’s be honest, I might trade the experience for some Louboutins), I know what work goes into being a writer. The pain, pleasure, joy of it. The sweat and the literal tears. It’s in my blood now. And as I venture into a new genre, I’m ready for the adventure that brings

London Bound came out of this magical time in my life when I lived in London for graduate school. You mention a book, show or movie that is set in London and chances are I’ve read or watched it. I loved the energy of the city and the history and let’s face it, the accents. But most of all, I forged some of the strongest friendships I’ve ever had in that city and knew that I would eventually set a story there. While Abbie and Lex’s story is fictional, the places I mention and many of the adventures are real. It will forever be my second home







Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20872658-london-bound


Purchase:
--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/London-Bound-Chase-Brothers-Volume/dp/1496142934/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395856706&sr=8-1&keywords=London+Bound+nana
--B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/london-bound-nana-malone/1118885427?ean=9781496142931
--iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/london-bound/id826817674?mt=11
--Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/london-bound-1


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AUTHOR BIO
USA Today Best Seller and iTunes Breakout Books author,Nana Malone's love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she borrowed from her cousin.

It was a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana, and Nana was a precocious thirteen. She's been in love with kick butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.

While she waits for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, in the meantime Nana works out her drama, passion and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Blog Tour: Blades of Magic by Terah Edun



Blades of Magic by Terah Edun
(Crown Service #1)
Publication date: March 31st 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult


Synopsis:
It is not a peaceful time in the Algardis Empire. War is raging between the mages and seventeen-year-old Sara Fairchild will be right in the middle of it.

She just doesn’t know it yet.

Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, executed for desertion. Sara is also the best duelist and hand-to-hand combatant in Sandrin. She lives quietly with her family’s shame but when challenged about her family’s honor, her opponent inevitably loses.

On the night she finds out her father’s true last actions, she takes the Mercenary Guilds’ vows to serve in the emperor’s army. Using her quick wits and fierce fighting skills, she earns a spot in the first division.

There she discovers secrets the mages on both sides would prefer stay hidden. Dark enemies hunt her and soon it’s not just Sara questioning the motivation behind this war.

While fighting mages, blackmailing merchants and discovering new friends, Sara comes across something she’s never had before – passion. The question is – can she fight for her emperor against a mage who has unwittingly claimed her heart?

This is year one of the Initiate Wars. Sara is hoping it doesn’t become the year she dies.




Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20948304-blades-of-magic?ac=1


Purchase:
Will be found here come release day:
--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Blades+of+Magic+terah+edun&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ABlades+of+Magic+terah+edun
--B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s?store=allproducts&keyword=Blades+of+Magic+terah+edun


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Excerpt:



Sara Fairchild stared at the three men and two women who surrounded her with hard eyes. They had cornered her in an alley. But only because she wanted them to. She was having a bad day, might as well end it right. Feet planted firmly in the dry dirt, she called out to the group arrayed in a semi-circle around her, “Nice day for a fight, isn’t it?”

The woman to her right wore a raggedy scarf around her hair and her ears were covered in at least five earrings per a lobe. She glared and said, “You think you’re funny, girl?”

Sara watched as the woman spit into the dirt before her in disgust.

“Your da was a disgrace,” the woman continued. “You’re just like him. A coward.”

“And a cheat!” said the man directly in front of her. He nervously fingered a blade in his hands. It was a poorly crafted one. That Sara could tell from five feet away. She stood in front of him with her back-up against the wall. She wasn’t carrying her broadsword but she did have one fine long knife at her waist, a dagger on her thigh, and a baton she’d lifted from a city patrolman in her right hand.

“Is that so?” Sara said directing her voice at the man in front of her, “And what, pray tell, did I cheat you of Simon Codfield?”

Her tone was level. Even surprised. He shifted warily. He was nervous even with four of his friends to back him up. When the people standing with him began to look at him oddly, he stiffened his back. Simon licked his lips and said, “Cards. I know you had an extra ace in your belt. Admit it now and we’ll only beat you two ways until Sunday.”

She titled her head, “And if I admit it later?” Even he couldn’t miss the derision in her voice.

“We’re trying to go easy on you,” said Simon Codfield – his voice dipping into desperation. He might be a liar as well as a thief, but he was no fool. Sara knew the only reason he and his crew had followed her into this alley was because if he didn’t accuse her, he would have to take the fall for loosing over forty shillings in a card game that started off over a bet of five. She knew and he knew that he didn’t have forty shillings to give. That was one month’s pay for a dockworker, never mind a ne’er-do-well like Simon who hadn’t worked an honest job a day in his life.

“Tell you what. Why don’t you drop those trousers of yours? Then we’ll call it even,” said the thief lord in charge of the west district of Sandrin. She turned to face the man who had spoken. He rubbed a hand over his two-day old beard with a grin.

Sara brought up the long knife in her left hand, “Why don’t you drop yours, Severin, so that I can cut off your balls for you?”

Anger flashed in the thief lord’s eyes. Anger and passion. Sara smiled. She wasn’t joking. If she got close enough to him, she’d make him a eunuch without batting an eye. Simon Codfield gulped and took a step back. He knew she wasn’t playing around.

AUTHOR BIO
Terah Edun's next YA Fantasy novel, BLADES OF MAGIC - Crown Service Book #1 (set in the Algardis Universe), will release on March 31, 2014. Book Five of Courtlight, SWORN TO DEFIANCE, will release in April 2014.

Her favorite writers include Mercedes Lackey, Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore, Robin Hobb and Maria Snyder.

Check out Terah's author website (teedun.com) for more information about her books, find her online @TEdunWrites and subscribe to her newsletter (bit.ly/SubscribetoTerahsNewsletter) to be notified of upcoming releases.

Courtlight Series: http://smarturl.it/courtlightseries

Book 1 - Sworn To Raise
Book 2 - Sworn To Transfer
Book 3 - Sworn To Conflict
Book 4 - Sworn To Secrecy (smarturl.it/tenewrelease)
Book 5 - Sworn To Defiance (Coming April 25, 2014)

Crown Service Series:

Book 1 - Blades of Magic (March 31, 2014)


Author links:
http://teedun.com/
https://twitter.com/tedunwrites
https://www.facebook.com/TerahEdunAuthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6517970.Terah_Edun