Thursday 30 October 2014

Giveaway: Eden Forest (Saskia Trilogy #1) by Aoife Marie Sheridan


 Four banished Angels, 
A world created by the hands of God,
A Kingdom on its knees,
A secret protected for centuries,
And one mortal can save them all. 

 Step into Saskia. 

Eden Forest (Saskia Trilogy #1)
by Aoife Marie Sheridan 
Sarajane Anderson is your regular twenty-one year old with family, friends and a normal job. She also happens to be the only person who can save Saskia, a parallel world to earth. When Sarajane is taken to Saskia, she could never have imagined the reality of the world that she is stepping into- a world where magical abilities are in everyone's possession. She must face a father she never knew, a world that is beyond her belief, a guardian who captures her heart; and a darkness that wants to take it. On her journey, Sarajane discovers her magical abilities, and realizes too that they come with a price. Sarajane is truly tested as her own loved ones are put at risk- the ultimate question she is forced to ask herself is, how do you choose who lives and who dies?
Kindle Edition, 175 pages
Published December 20th 2013 by SynergEbooks (first published September 28th 2012)

You can find Eden Forest here:  



 
Aoife Marie Sheridan has loved reading from a very young age, starting off with mills and boon's books, given to her by her grandmother, her love for romance grew, by the age of 14 she had read hundreds of them.

Aoife had a passion for writing poetry or in her eyes her journal entries. It was something she did throughout her teens and into her twenties. Aoife won first place for two of her poems and had them published at a young age of just nineteen. Realising she needed to get a real job (What writing isn't) she studied accountancy and qualified working in that field for many years, until her passion for reading returned and she found Maria V Snyder. Poison study one of her favourite books has been read and re-read countless times.

Aoife's first book Eden Forest (Part one of the Saskia Trilogy) came to be after a dream of a man and woman on a black horse jumping through a wall of fire and the idea of Saskia was born. Now with her first novel published and taking first place for Eden Forest with Writers Got Talent 2013, Aoife continues to write tales of fantasy and is currently working on her third book for the Saskia Trilogy amongst other new works.

To contact Aoife you can email her at aoifesheridan101@gmail.com
Website www.aoifemariesheridan.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Aoifemariesheri
Blog: aoifesheri.wordpress.com
Goodreads: Aoife Marie Sheridan
Twitter: aoifesheri
  
 
Q & A with Author Aoife Marie Sheridan
 
Can you tell us a little bit about your main characters?

The main character in Eden Forest is Sarajane Anderson. She is raised in the mortal world with no idea that she is from Saskia a parallel world to earth. Taken as an infant by her mother to earth she grows into a normal girl unaware of her heritage or why she has been hidden amongst mortals. It’s not until she is taken to Saskia by force, that she soon realises who she is and what she must do. Her journey through Saskia changes her in so many ways. First she must believe in another world and also in creatures that shouldn’t exist and she also discovers love.

Who designs the covers for your books and what is that process like for you as an author?
The designer was Terry Quinlan I told him what I wanted and he delivered perfectly. The waiting to see the book cover was nerve wrecking but when I did I cried, it was exactly as I had pictured it. He designed all the three book covers for the Saskia Trilogy. Here is his website if anyone wishes to check him out: http://www.pilotmediadesign.com/

What is the best advice you have been given?
I don’t recall who said this but it was something that has always stayed with me. “If you can’t find a book that you want to read, then write it” like I said it’s something that has always stayed with me.

Describe your ideal writing spot.
O I want a mahogany table with the green leather J must be green and a large cushioned swivel chair, situated right under a window that looks out into a forest. I would have to be surrounded by bookshelves from floor to ceiling. That to me would be ideal. Maybe one day. J

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

To Egypt to see the pyramids, since school I have always been fascinated with them, and what secrets they hold, now I am thirty and still hold the same fascination so I always swore that before I die I will see them.

If you could have any superpower, what would you choose? 

What a cool questions but straight off the bat, I would love to be a mind reader, I think it would be awesome to hear everyone’s thoughts, but I would really like and on off button for it, or it could get really complicated. J

Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks? 

I always loved paperback and when I first heard the word e-book I wasn’t sure what it was. At Christmas my boyfriend bought me a kindle and I wouldn’t part with it, it’s as precious as my laptop and phone. So e-books.

What book are you reading now?
Right now I am reading touch by Melissa Haag, a great book, one that I am enjoying so much. I love all her work.

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Sunday 26 October 2014

Eighteen Months to Live by Rachele Baker




Eighteen Months to Live
by Rachele Baker


Kindle Edition, 149 pages

Published November 30th 2012 by Rachele Baker


Description: 
In the spring of 1990, Midge Rylander rushes to the hospital because of a persistent cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath. She believes she has pneumonia but her diagnosis turns out to be much worse. Malignant pleural mesothelioma. Lung cancer from prior exposure to asbestos.

Midge’s doctors advise her that she has less than eighteen months left to live. While recuperating at home, Midge begins a daily journal to document her experiences during her final months. Eighteen Months To Live is the transcription of Midge’s handwritten journal as well as letters that Midge wrote to her daughter Rachele during that time. Midge writes about her emotional struggles, her physical pain, and her search for answers.

After reading Eighteen Months To Live, E.D. Brady wrote in her review on Goodreads that this true story “shows a woman who handled herself with grace, poise, and dignity, as she tells of her daily trials and tribulations, her refusal to go down without a fight, and finally, her acceptance of the inevitable. It highlights the beauty of the human spirit, the vulnerability of life, and the need to remember that every day is precious. I found myself quickly bonding with Midge and commend Ms. Baker for putting this beautiful book out in the world for those who may be facing similar struggles. One word of advice: have a tissue or two ready for the epilogue.

Book Links:
Goodreads 

Amazon 


                        About the Author: 
Dr. Rachele Baker is a veterinarian and author living in California. She published Eighteen Months To Live in 2012. Eighteen Months To Live is the real life story of Rachele's mother, Midge Rylander, in Midge's final months of life. Eighteen Months To Live contains the daily journal Midge kept as well as letters she wrote to Rachele after her diagnosis with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Rachele wrote the heartfelt prologue, epilogue, and narration. It is a heart-wrenching yet heart-warming and inspirational story.

For more information about Eighteen Months To Live, including the story behind Rachele's writing the book and interviews with Rachele revealing information not found in the book, please visit http://rachelebaker.com/.

You can also find her on Goodreads and Twitter


 
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Monday 13 October 2014

Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction by Amy Metz: Interview + Giveaway

Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction 
by Amy Metz



Kindle Edition, 320 pages 
Published September 6th 2014 by Southern Ink Press 

Murder & Mayhem In Goose Pimple Junction is a humorous southern mystery that will keep you laughing and guessing until the very end.

Tess Tremaine starts a new life in the colorful town of Goose Pimple Junction thinking she’s moved to a quiet little burg. Curiosity leads her to look into a seventy-five-year-old murder, and suddenly she’s learning the foreign language of southern speak, resisting her attraction to local celebrity Jackson Wright, and dealing with more mayhem than she can handle.

A bank robbery, murder, and family tragedy from the 1930s are pieces of the mystery, which Tess attempts to solve. As she gets close to the truth, she encounters danger, mystery, a lot of southern charm, and a new temptation for which she’s not sure she’s ready.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Amazon Best seller lists:

Top 100 in Books & Kindle Women Sleuths
Top 100 in Books & Kindle Mystery
Top 100 in Author ranking Books & Kindle Mystery

Review summary:
Rated 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon from 125 reviews
"The author has created a cast of characters that are quirky and lovable. Their southern charm, crazy antics and hysterical dialogue will keep you in stitches."
--Kathleen Anderson, Jersey Girls Book Reviews

"This book will soon be a favorite for all southerners. Very rarely do you find an author who can respectively capture the essence of the south and that quaint southern charm, but Amy Metz has done just that."--Jennifer, of Southern Belle

"Enticed by a mystery, riveted to the swoon-worthy romance and tickled by the “countrified” life, I was thoroughly entertained on all levels."--Carmen Pacheo, The Reading Cafe

 




Amy Metz is the mother of two sons and is a former first grade teacher. When not actively engaged in writing or enjoying her family, Amy can usually be found with a mixing spoon, camera, or book in her hands. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky and can be found at http://amymetz.com

Contact:
Email:
 amy@amymetz.com
Twitter: @authoramymetz
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmy Metz

Website:  http://www.amymetz.com/

Q & A with Author Amy Metz 

Can you tell us a little bit about your main characters?  
Absolutely. Tess Tremaine is a new citizen of Goose Pimple Junction. She’s moved to town intent on starting over after a divorce. She’s sworn off men, so she tries to fight her attraction to the eligible bachelor, Jackson Wright. But that’s hard to do, because he’s intent on helping her solve a seventy-five-year-old murder.

Jackson Wright is an extremely eligible bachelor, a local celebrity, and the owner of a very charismatic basset hound named Ezzie. In addition to helping Tess investigate the cold case murder, he serves as her interpreter for Southern speak. He’s good looking, intelligent, and he could charm the dew off a honeysuckle.

I’ve had readers tell me they considered the town as one of the main characters. That makes me happy because I think to know Goose Pimple Junction is to love Goose Pimple Junction. The wacky characters and the funny Southern speak that most people in town use in their daily speech, and the comradery that the characters have with one another is what I think—and hope—is what makes the town seem like one of the characters.

How long have you been writing, and when did you first consider yourself an author?
I’ve been writing since 2009. I guess I considered myself an author when I got an email from a reader thanking me for writing the book because it got her through a very tough night in the hospital while she was waiting with her sick husband.

What is the best advice you have been given?
After you finish writing a book, shelve it for at least a few months. Then go back fresh and rewrite and edit.

  As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A mom. That’s truly all I ever wanted to be. I am blessed with two sons and have had my dream job. This author gig came about as they were growing up and leaving the house. Now it’s my new dream. I only hope it turns out as well as my first.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
That is a hard question! There are so many places I would love to visit again. But there are also a lot of new places I’d like to see. At this moment, the one place that pops into my mind in answer to this question is The Colony Hotel in Kennebunkport Maine. Sitting on the hotel’s veranda and watching the ocean is heavenly. But I’d be willing to try out a new spot to sit and watch the ocean. J

If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
That’s easy—I’d choose telepathy and be a mind reader. Hey, that might actually be a good idea for a book…I also think teleportation would be cool. Then I could visit my son in college without the four-hour round-trip drive time. He might not think it’s so cool, though.

Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?
My favorite is hardback, although I read more paperbacks because they’re less expensive. But I have to add one more form to your list: audiobooks. I "read” way too many of them because I listen/read when I’m in the car or doing things around the house. I love audiobooks.

What book are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading Hard Stop by Chris Knopf (audiobook), Gold Diggers, Gamblers and Guns by Ellen Mansoor Collier (Kindle) and She Flew The Coop by Michael Lee West (paperback).

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Saturday 11 October 2014

Knossos by Laura Gill + Giveaway


Knossos
by Laura Gill

Genre: Historical Fiction – Ancient Greece
Published: August 12, 2014

Knossos. 


The legendary Labyrinth.

Go back millennia to a time when Knossos was the jewel of Crete, center of commerce and pilgrimage. A Neolithic sea captain is driven to find a new homeland for his people when the neighboring tribes turn against them. Proud, ambitious priests and priestesses rule Crete through its many gods. Daidalos, a wronged architect, builds the Labyrinth after a devastating personal tragedy; his successors, the priest-architects of Daidalos, are charged with expanding and glorifying his master work. A dutiful scribe attends the dead after a natural disaster of world-changing fury. A dynasty of Mycenaean conquerors changes Crete, for good or ill. And a crazed girl’s passion and the mysterious bull-man of the Labyrinth will change history. 

In these ten stories of Minoan Crete, spanning a period of five thousand years, Knossos is at the heart of it all.

Find Knossos on Goodreads
Buy Knossos on Amazon

About the Author:
I have a passion for Minoan and Mycenaean culture. I hold a Master's Degree in English Literature from California State University, Northridge, and have worked as a teacher, florist, and administrative assistant. I enjoy painting, dollhouse miniatures, jewelry making, and needlework as well as writing and spending time with my two cats, Molly and Ru.

Author bio site on Amazon is at: http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Gill/e/B0...

I have my own blog with posts on the Mycenaean and Minoan world at http://helens-daughter.livejournal.com. I'm also on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/oresteshighking



 
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Friday 3 October 2014

Ensuing Darkness (The Dark Chronicles #1) by Sabrina Giles


Ensuing Darkness (The Dark Chronicles #1)
by Sabrina Giles
 


YA Paranormal/Fantasy
278 pages

Kota’s hometown is harboring more secrets than she ever imagined.

Hunting, partying, and hanging with the guys has made up the most of her frustratingly simple life, and she’s looking hard for something else. Something new. Unfortunately for her, she gets her wish senior year when a family of dancers comes Waltzing into her life.

Unbeknownst to Kota however, the Peters are hiding dark secrets and a dark past that’s still chasing them. Their dangerous mission needs to go perfectly, but when the twins get mixed up in a taboo romance with Kota and her best friend Sue, things get nasty for everyone.

Driven by her inexhaustible curiosity and the disturbing effect the Peters have on her, Kota starts pushing her way towards the truth without hesitation. All at once, she’s surrounded by everything she never knew existed, and now more than just her life is in danger.

So be careful what you wish for…

Goodreads: 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ensuing-darkness-sabrina-giles/1116991916?ean=2940044276406




Sabrina Giles was born during a storm, in a room with no windows and no electricity. She used to hate reading fiction so much her mother made it a punishment, and then suddenly something clicked. Now she can’t stop writing it.

Ensuing Darkness is the first in her series The Dark Chronicles. She's persistently working on its sequel, as well as a couple other projects you might see popping up soon.

When she’s not writing, she can be found spending time with her husband, being crafty or making tasty messes in the kitchen.

She & her husband currently live in Illinois with a boxer, a fat cat, and are expecting their first child.

Site/Blog: http://sabrinagiles.wordpress.com/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaGilesAuthorPage
Amazon Author Page: http://viewauthor.at/SabrinaGilesAMZ
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sabrinabgiles
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6861227.Sabrina_Giles
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+SabrinaGiles/posts
Tumblr: http://sabrinagiles.tumblr.com/



Q & A with Author Sabrina Giles

Tell us a little bit about your main characters.
I have a lot of characters in this series, so I'll try and be brief. My main character, Kota Riley, is smart, smart-elec, is a little superstitious, tougher than you'd think, and way too nosy for her own good. Her part in Ensuing Darkness tells about how dangerous being nosy can be. Dale is the big brother she never had and takes on his role as best guy friend seriously. Sue is pretty much her only close girl friend in the very beginning, is sweet, and innocent. I picture her as a soft, simple girl who prefers to see the world as she wants it to be, and has a hard time dealing when that world throws her some unexpected pain. Louis is the new guy in town and quickly makes himself at home in Kota's group, trying to also take on the role of Kota's protector, specifically from the Peters family. He doesn't hold back what he's thinking most of the time, which usually results in either a fight between him and Kota or his comments being ignored completely.

The Peters Family: Connelly is whose view some of Ensuing Darkness' chapters are in, so I'll start with him. He's Kota's on-and-off love interest, based on whether or not he's acting like a jerk at the time, and even after Kota discovers the truth about the Peters, their relationship is complicated. Ivan, Connelly's twin brother, is more understanding and slower to anger or over-reaction than Connelly. Also, I'll add that they have a special connection that makes them both extremely dangerous and wanted by the enemy, but you'll find out more about this connection in book 2. Mira enjoys proving Kota weak and vulnerable compared to them, but she's also serious about their situation and sometimes takes it too far. As does her boyfriend, Alister Montague. He's convinced from the start that Kota's dangerous and not to be trusted, while his sister, Aubrey, is much more inviting and excited to have a friend other than family again.

What is the best advice you’ve been given?
A couple years back I'd hit rock bottom and was struggling really hard with writing anything. I turned to some of my favorite authors for some advice and D.J. MacHale was the only one who emailed me back, and his message was incredible. He told me to go live life to its fullest, have new experiences, and then write about it. I was young and hadn't had very many, so I didn't have much to work with, and getting out there more would give me more fodder for inspiration. It was awesome advice and I did just that. Now I'm turning 22, married, and a new mom. I've gone through an almost year-long separation from my husband while he was in training in the military, while going through some hard times of my own. I've had a ton of new experiences since D.J. told me that, both good and bad, but all perfect for crafting amazing stories.

How has your upbringing/environment colored your writing?
I was raised very old fashioned with good morals, manners, and lots of sarcasm, so I try and use that to some degree in my stories. I also like giving my characters common sense and smarts, which only helps in making the story more complex and compelling.

Describe your ideal writing spot.
I actually have two. The first is a desk, because it’s a great focused area, unlike the couch or dining table that I use now, haha. The second would be a table outside on a nice day with a slight breeze and a place to prop up my feet.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Ireland. I love almost everything about the country. The land is gorgeous, the history is rich and very present in its architecture and its people, the music is awesome, and I even love the accent! Not to mention, I’m a big fan of plaid and I have a lot of Irish in my blood.

If you could have any superhuman ability, what would you choose and why?
I would have to say the ability to use magic. When I was growing up, I was always called “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”. I loved the show, and then when the Harry Potter series came along… Well, let’s just say I’m a big fan. I love everything about the magical world, and while reading about Harry, I so desperately wished his world was real.

Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?

I will always prefer the printed versions. Absolutely nothing compares to holding a real book in your hands. The feel, the smell! But yes, I do use my e-reader while I’m out and appreciate being able to carry so many books with me wherever I go.

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