Friday, June 28, 2013

Branded Release Day Blitz

Title: Branded
Author: Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Release Date: June 28, 2013
Genre: Mature YA/NA, Dystopian.

Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours




Book Description:
Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.
The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

Author Bios:
Abi Ketner Is a registered nurse with a passion for novels, the beaches of St. John, and her Philadelphia Phillies. A talented singer, Abi loves to go running and spend lots of time with her family. She currently resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband, triplet daughters and two very spoiled dogs.

Melissa Kalicicki received her bachelor’s degree from Millersville University in 2003. She married, had two boys and currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Aside from reading and writing, her interests include running and mixed martial arts. She also remains an avid Cleveland sports fan.

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

Links:
twitter @abiandmiss.com 
website and blog www.abiandmissy.com


Chapter One

I’m buried six feet under, and no one hears my screams.
The rope chafes as I loop it around my neck. I pull down, making sure the knot is secure. It seems sturdy enough. My legs shake. My heart beats heavy in my throat. Sweat pours down my back.
Death and I glare at each other through my tears.
            I take one last look at the crystal chandelier, the foyer outlined with mirrors, and the flawless decorations. No photographs adorn the walls. No happy memories here.
I’m ready to go. On the count of three.
            I inhale, preparing myself for the finality of it all. Dropping my hands, a glimmer catches my eye. It’s my ring, the last precious gift my father gave me. I twist it around to read the inscription. Picturing his face forces me to reconsider my choice. He’d be heartbroken if he could see me now.
A door slams in the hallway, almost causing me to lose my balance. My thoughts already muddled, I stand waiting with the rope hanging around my neck. Voices I don’t recognize creep through the walls.
            Curiosity overshadows my current thoughts. It’s late at night, and this is a secure building in High Society. No one disturbs the peace here—ever. I tug on the noose and pull it back over my head.
Peering through the eyehole in our doorway, I see a large group of armed guards banging on my neighbors’ door. A heated conversation ensues, and my neighbors point toward my family’s home.
It hits me. I’ve been accused and they’re here to arrest me.
My father would want me to run, and in that split second, I decide to listen to his voice within me. Flinging myself forward in fear, I scramble up the marble staircase and into my brother’s old bedroom. The door is partially covered, but it exists. Pushing his dresser aside, my fingers claw at the opening. Breathing hard, I lodge myself against it. Nothing. I step back and kick it with all my strength. The wood splinters open, and my foot gets caught. I wrench it backward, scraping my calf, but adrenaline pushes me forward. The voices at the front door shout my name.
 On hands and knees, I squeeze through the jagged opening. My brother left through this passage, and now it’s my escape too. Cobwebs entangle my face, hands, and hair. At the end, I feel for the knob, twisting it clockwise. It swings open, creaking from disuse. I sprint into the hallway and smash through the large fire escape doors at the end. A burst of cool air strikes me in the face as I jump down the ladder.
            Reaching the fifth floor, I knock on a friend’s window. The lights flicker on, and I see the curtains move, but no one answers. I bang on the window harder.
            “Let me in! Please!” I say, but the lights darken. They know I’ve been accused and refuse to help me. Fear and adrenaline rush through my veins as I keep running, knocking on more windows along the way. No one has mercy. They all know what happens to sinners.
            Another flight of stairs passes in a blur when I hear the guards’ heavy footfalls from above. I can’t hide, but I don’t want to go without trying.
Help me, Daddy. I need your strength now.
My previous desolation evolves into a will to survive. I have to keep running, but I tremble and gasp for air. I steel my nerves and force my body to keep moving. In a matter of minutes, my legs cramp and my chest burns. I plunge to the ground, scraping my knee and elbow. A moan escapes from my chest.
Gotta keep going.
“Stop!” Their voices bounce off the buildings. “Lexi Hamilton, surrender yourself,” they command. They’re gaining on me.
I resist the urge to glance back, running into what I assume is an alley. I’m far from our high-rise in High Society as I plunge into a poorer section of the city where the streets all look the same and the darkness prevents me from recognizing anything. I’m lost.
            My first instinct is to leap into a dumpster, but I retain enough sense to stay still. I crouch and peek around it, watching them dash by. The abhorrent smell leaves me vomiting until nothing remains in my stomach. Desperation overtakes me, as I know my retching was anything but silent. My last few seconds tick away before they find me. Everyone knows about their special means of tracking sinners.
I push myself to my feet and look left, right, and left again. Their batons click against their black leather belts, and their boots stomp the cement on both sides of me. I shrink into myself. Their heavy steps mock my fear, growing closer and closer until I know I’m trapped.
Never did I imagine they’d come for me. Never did I imagine all those nights I heard them dragging someone else away that I’d join them.
            “You’re a sinner,” they say. “Time to leave our society.”
I stand defiant. I refuse to bend or break before them, even as I shiver with fear.
“There’s no reason to make this difficult. The more you cooperate, the smoother this will be for everyone,” a guard says.
I cringe into the blackness along the wall. I’m innocent, but they won’t believe me or care.
The next instant, my face slams into the pavement as one guard plants a knee in my back and another handcuffs me. A warm liquid trails into my mouth. Blood. Their fingers grip my arms like steel traps as they peel me off the cement. The tops of my shoes scrape along the ground as I’m dragged behind them until they discard me into the back of a black vehicle. The doors slam in unison with one guard stationed on each side of me, my shoulders digging into their arms.
Swallowing hard, I stare ahead to avoid their eyes. My dignity is all I have left. The handcuffs dig into my wrists, so I clasp them together hard behind me and press my back into the seat, unwilling to admit how much it hurts.
 Did they need so many guards to capture me?
 I’m not carrying any weapons, nor do I own any. I don’t even know self-defense. High Society frowns on activities like that.
The driver jerks the vehicle around and I try to keep my bearings, but it’s dark and the scenery changes too fast. Hours pass, and the air grows warmer, more humid the farther we drive. The landscape mutates from city to rolling hills. They don’t bother blindfolding me because they escort all the sinners to the same place—the Hole. Twenty-foot cement walls encase the chaos within. There’s no way out and no way in unless they transport you. They say the Hole is a prison with no rules. We learned about it last year in twelfth grade.
To the outside, I’m filth now. I’ll never be allowed to return to the life I knew. No one ever does.
“All sinners go through a transformation,” one of the guards says to me. His smirk infuriates me. “I’m sure you’ve heard all kinds of stories.” I don’t respond. I don’t want to think about the things I’ve been told.
“You won’t last too long, though. Young girls like you get eaten alive.” He pulls a strand of my hair up to his face.
 Get your hands off me, you pig. I want to lash out, but resist. The punishment for disobeying authority is severe, and I’m not positioned to defy him.
            They’re the Guards of the Commander. They’re chosen from a young age and trained in combat. They keep the order of society by using violent methods of intimidation. No one befriends a guard. Relationships with them are forbidden inside the Hole.
Few have seen the commander. His identity stays under lock and key. His own paranoia and desire to stay pure drove him to live this way. He controls our depraved society and believes sinners make the human race unforgivable. His power is a crushing fist, rendering all beneath him helpless. So much so, even family members turn on each other when an accusation surfaces. Just an accusation. No trial, no evidence, nothing but an accusation.
I lose myself in thoughts of my father.
“Never show fear, Lexi,” my father said to me before he was taken. “They’ll use it against you.” His compassionate eyes filled with warning as he commanded me to be strong. That was many years ago, but I remember it clearly. My father. My rock. The one person in my life who provided unconditional love.
“Get out,” the guard says while pulling me to my feet. The vehicle stops, and I’m jerked back to reality. The doors slide open and the two guards lift me up and out into the night. A windowless cement building looms in front of us, looking barren in the darkness.
The coolness of the air sends a shiver up my spine. This is really happening. I’ve been labeled a sinner. My lip starts to quiver, but I bite it before anyone sees. They shove me in line, and I realize I’m not alone. Women and men stand with faces frozen white with fear. A guard grabs my finger, pricks it, and dabs my blood on a tiny microchip.
 I follow the man in front of me into the next room where we’re lined up facing the wall. Glancing right, I see one of the men crying.
“Spread your legs,” one of the guards says.
They remove my outer layers and their hands roam up and down my body.
What do they think I can possibly be hiding? I press my head into the wall, trying to block out what they’re doing to me.
“MOVE!” a guard commands. So I shuffle across the room, trying to cover up.
One
Two
Three
Four
Five of us sit in the holding room. One by one, they pull people into the next room, forcing the rest of us to wonder what torture we’ll endure. An agonizing amount of time passes. I lean my head back and try to imagine a place far away. The door opens.
“Lexi Hamilton.”
            A guard escorts me out of the room, and I don’t have time to look back. As soon as the door closes, they pick me up and place me on a table. It’s cold and my skin sticks to it slightly, like wet fingers on an ice cube. Then they exit in procession, and I lie on the table with a doctor standing over me. His hands are busy as he speaks.
“Don’t move. This will only take a few minutes. It’s time for you to be branded.”
A wet cloth that smells like rubbing alcohol is used to clean my skin. Then he places a metal collar around my neck.
Click. Click. Click.
The collar locks into place, and I struggle to breathe. The doctor loosens it some as I focus on the painted black words above me.

The Seven Deadly Sins:

Lust ¾ Blue

Gluttony ¾ Orange

Greed ¾ Yellow

Sloth ¾ Black

Wrath ¾ Red

Envy ¾ Green

Pride ¾ Purple

 “Memorize it. Might keep you alive longer if you know who to stay away from.” He opens my mouth, placing a bit inside. “Bite this.”
Within seconds, the collar heats from hot to scorching. The smell of flesh sizzling makes my head spin. I bite down so hard a tooth cracks.
“GRRRRRRRRR,” escapes from deep within my chest. Just when I’m about to pass out, the temperature drops, and the doctor loosens the collar.
He removes it and sits me up. Excruciating pain rips through me, and I’m on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. Focus. Don’t pass out.
Stainless steel counters and boring white walls press in on me. A guard laughs at me from an observation room above and yells, “Blue. It’s a great color for a pretty young thing like yourself.” His eyes dance with suggestion. The others meander around like it’s business as usual.
I finally find my voice and turn to the doctor.
“Are you going to give me clothes?” A burning pain spreads like fire up from my neck to my jaw, making me wince.
He points to a set of folded grey scrubs on a chair. I cover myself as much as I can and scurry sideways. Grabbing my clothes and pulling the shirt over my head, I try to avoid the raw meat around my throat. I quickly knot the cord of my pants around my waist and slide my feet into the hospital-issue slippers as the doctor observes. He hands me a bag labeled with my name.
“Nothing is allowed through the door but what we’ve given you,” he says.
I hide my right hand behind me, hoping no one notices. A guard scans my body and opens his hand.
“Give it to me,” he says. “Don’t make me rip off your finger.” He crouches down and I turn to stone. I don’t know what to do, so I beg.
 “My father gave this to me. Please, let me keep it.” I smash my eyes shut and think of the moment my father handed the golden ring to me.
“It was my mother’s ring,” he’d said. “She’s the strongest woman I ever knew.” With tears in his eyes, he reached for my hand and said, “Lexi, you’re exactly like her. She’d want you to wear this. No matter how this world changes, you can survive.” I turned the gold band over in my palm and read the engraving.
You can overcome anything… short of death.
 “You’re going to take the one thing that matters the most to me?” I say, glaring into the guard’s emotionless eyes. “Isn’t it enough taking my life, dignity, and respect?”
A hard blow falls upon my back. As I fall, my hands shoot out to stop me from smashing into the wall in front of me. The guard bends down and grabs my chin with his meaty fist.
“Look at me,” he commands. I look up and he smiles with arrogance.
“What the hell?” He staggers a step backward. “What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your eyes?”
“Nothing,” I respond, confused.
“What color are they?”
“Turquoise.” I glower at him.
“Interesting,” he says, regaining his composure. “Now those’ll get you in trouble.”
Reality slaps me across the face. I have my father’s eyes. They can't take them from me. I twist the ring off my finger and drop it in his hand.
“Take the damn ring,” I say. I walk to the door. He swipes a card and the massive door slides open to the outside.
“You have to wear your hair back at all times, so everyone knows what you are.” He hands me a tie, so I pull my frizzy hair away from my face and secure it into a ponytail. My neck burns and itches as my hand traces the scabs that have already begun to form. Squinting ahead in the darkness, I almost run into a guard standing on the sidewalk.
 “Watch where you’re going,” he says, shoving me backward. His stiff figure stands tall and I cringe at the sharpness of his voice.
“Cole, this is your new assignment, Lexi Hamilton. See to it she feels welcome in her new home.” The guard departs with a salute.
“Let’s move,” Cole says.
I take two steps and collapse, my knees giving out. The unforgiving pavement reopens the scrapes from earlier and I struggle to stand. A powerful arm snatches me up, and I see his face for the first time.



Thursday, June 27, 2013

Ascending the Veil Cover Reveal

Author: Venessa Kimball
Title: Ascending the Veil
Genre: Mature Young Adult



Book Blurb:
In Surfacing the Rim: Piercing the Fold, Book 2, an intersection between our galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy has been spurred at the hands of an enemy fellowship. With orders from its leader, Sondian guardian and Sam Crest opens a wormhole that traces through a black hole through the Andromeda galaxy and into another universe beyond ours.
What Jesca and the other Dobrian guardians do not realize is that the wormhole has pierced a barrier, a veil, that has successfully kept the beings of that universe from invading our world. Beings that have been considered mythical and fantastical since the beginning of time. Beings that symbolize the purest of evil and the purest of good. Beings that have been the product of the “illusions in reality” Jesca and the rest of the guardians have been tracking, dodging, and protecting humanity from for the past year.
To worsen the situation, Sam Crest attempts to take Jesca with him into the wormhole, but two of the most important men in Jesca’s life, Ezra Kahn and Nate Sera keep her from succumbing to it by sacrificing themselves. Their sacrifice protects her physically, but not mentally. Jesca is left broken in the arms of a man that she is beginning to fall for, Xander Crest; adopted son of Sam Crest.
Though Ezra’s and Nate’s sacrifice was noble, it was not enough to stop the global invasion and apocalyptical evolution the enemy fellowship intends to draw to our world. The fate of our world is bleak unless Jesca and the her fellowship of guardians can find a way for the human race to adapt, evolve, and survive amidst the invasion, as well as bring Nate and Ezra back from beyond the veil.
Ascending the Veil: Piercing the Fold, Book 3 takes you beyond our world and universe and back through the eyes of the characters in this series. Tragedies and blessings involving Jesca, Ezra, Nate, and Xander will be revealed, our favorite guardians of the Dobrian and Sondian fellowships will forge their paths in this universe and in another for the salvation of our world and each other, and heart-wrenching events will unfold when Jesca ascends the veil.
Author's Note:
The Piercing the Fold series is intended for Mature Young Adult and Adult readers due to the the paranormal and unorthodox scientific concepts addressed throughout. This series contains a rich mixture of the paranormal, science fiction, romance, adventure, and suspense.

Book Links:
Piercing the Fold, Book  One
Amazon Paperback = http://tinyurl.com/bmjfbej

Surfacing the Rim, Book Two



Author Bio:
Venessa Kimball is currently writing the third book in her Mature Young Adult/New Adult Paranormal Science Fiction series, Piercing the Fold. Book 1 was released July 2, 2012. Book 2, Surfacing the Rim, released March 14, 2013. Ascending the Veil: Book 3 will release Mid-September 2013. And the final book in the Piercing the Fold series, Book 4 (Title TBD) will release Early 2014.
As for the future, Venessa has two projects unrelated to the Piercing the Fold series in the works. Both projects will highlight Venessa's versatility as a writer with her branching out from the Paranormal/Science Fiction genre of her current series. When Venessa is not writing, she is keeping active with her husband and three children, chaueffering said children to extracurricular activities, indulging in her love for running 5ks, and devouring the latest great reads.

Author Links:


Monday, June 24, 2013

The Tyrant King Blog Tour

Title: The Tyrant King (The Peasant Queen 2)
Author: Cherie Chesley     
Genre: Fantasy
Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours



Book Description:
Krystal's peaceful life as queen of Fayterra is shattered when a stranger arrives with a connection to Jareth that threatens to change everything. Soon her loved ones are threatened, her people are under attack, and Krystal must face a devastating loss. As the future becomes bleaker and the mystery continues to unravel, Krystal's enemies will learn just how far she will go to defend the people she loves.



Author Bio:
Currently blissful working mother of 5. Married to a fantastic, amazing, supportive man. I love to read, I love to write and I love taking pictures (though my skill is debatable lol).

Links:

Buy Links:

Excerpts: (Your Choice)
The Peasant Queen:
Krystal had no luck with the window in her room. It had either rusted or been sealed shut. Nor could she find anything in the room that could be used as a weapon. If she wanted out of this chamber, she’d have to rely on her wits.
Her lovely gown quickly became a hindrance as did the infre­quent arrival of castle servants. The blonde maid returned with a tray of fine food that Krystal found she could not stomach. The blonde left again and returned awhile later with fresh water to drink and a full pitcher for her basin. Finally Krystal moved to the bed to wait for things to settle down.
The day must have caught up with her, for the next thing she knew, someone was shaking her awake. “Princess Krystal,” said the voice. “The king requests your presence in his study.”
For a brief moment, Krystal thought she must be dreaming. It sounded so strange. She sat up and looked into the eyes of the dark haired maid. “What does he want?”
“It is not my place to question,” the maid said. “I have been sent to bring you to him.”
Krystal looked at the candle the maid held. “How late is it?”
She moved to light the room. “It’s just after sunset. I am to have you in his study by the time he finishes dinner.”
She sat up. “Can’t you just tell him I’m not up for another round of shouting?”
The maid stared at her in astonishment. “You truly raised your voice to him?”
Krystal shrugged, trying to seem unconcerned. The maid’s reac­tion embarrassed her. “I lost my temper. I don’t think it’s any secret to your king that I don’t care for his company.”
“He is not my king.” The maid put her hand over her mouth, looking horrified. “I did not mean to say that. Please forgive me.”
“I didn’t hear anything,” said Krystal and the maid rewarded her with a smile.
“Thank you.”
“What is your name?”
“I am Miraya, Highness.”
Krystal rolled her eyes. “Please don’t call me that. I don’t know what King Gregory hopes to accomplish by naming me a princess.”
“It’s difficult to know what scheme is in his head,” agreed Miraya. “Though one thing is certain. It is clear though that he has a specific plan in mind for you.”
“That’s hardly reassuring.”
Miraya brought Krystal her dinner tray. “Please eat. It will help you feel better.”
“I don’t see how food can help,” said Krystal.
The maid smiled thinly. “I wish I could do more, but in this kingdom, King Gregory’s word is law. Most Fayterrans support him. They prefer a seasoned warrior to an untried boy.”
“What do you mean?”
“I thought you knew,” Miraya said. “Prince Jareth is the rightful heir to the throne of Fayterra. King Gregory stole it from him.”
“Isn’t Jareth his nephew? Why would he do such a thing?”
“His reasons are his own. Please, Princess. I must ask you to eat. He will be expecting you soon.” Miraya moved about the room, straightening as she went.
Krystal ate and watched her. “Why do you stay here? Why not leave?”
“I wish I could,” she said. “The king prefers to keep me here. He’s made sure I’ll stay.”
“How?”
“I wish I could tell you, but even talking about it brings risk.” She put down the pillow she’d been fluffing. “I can tell you this. It entertains King Gregory to cause suffering. He enjoyed tormenting Prince Jareth, and now I am his target.”
Krystal put down her roll. “And now perhaps I am as well.” She stood up. “Let’s get this over with. The anticipation is driving me mad.”


The Wild Queen:
“Look at that.” Aiden motioned needlessly. She’d already caught Lucien’s eye.
They’d broken through the trees near King Robert’s castle. Below them a single rider raced across the green field. They watched as she pulled the drawstring of her bow and fired into the thick grass, catching a rabbit in the chest. She slowed her horse and slid off its back in one fluid motion, and bent to pick up her prize. A second rider came up behind her and she tossed it to him.
She shouldered her bow and regained the saddle, but before she could turn the horse away, she stopped and looked in their direction. Lucien couldn’t see how she sensed their presence. They sat on the rise overlooking the valley, and were still shaded by the forest behind them.
He felt her gaze pierce him to the core, but she didn’t linger. She shared something with her companion, who also glanced their way, and then they both shot off in the direction of the castle.
Lucien suddenly became aware of the men behind him, waiting patiently for their king to give the order to proceed. He looked at Aiden. “Let’s go. I’m suddenly weary to reach our destination.”
“Yes, Sire.” Aiden smiled at him.
They met a large group of Norvallen soldiers outside the village. The leader stopped in front of Lucien. “I am Corvall, Norvallen Master of Arms.”
“I am Lucien Gildresleve, King of Demarde,” he said. “King Robert is expecting me.”
Corvall frowned. “Not for another five days.”
Lucien smiled thinly. “We made good time.”
This explanation evidently didn’t appease the soldier. He grunted and said, “Very well. We will escort you to the castle.”
Aiden moved alongside Lucien as they followed Corvall. “He seems friendly.”
“Don’t antagonize him,” Lucien said. “We’re on a diplomatic mission, remember?”
“I remember we were invited,” said Aiden. “We don’t treat guests like this.”
“We’re not constantly attacked.”
Aiden slid his hand to his sword. “Perhaps he needs a lesson in manners.”
Lucien spoke softly. “I forbid you to brain the Master of Arms.”
“Then perhaps I’ll just take him behind the stables and nicely request he treat my king with more deference,” Aiden said just as softly.

The Tyrant King:

Krystal took the letter from Calum and watched as he and Jareth took their leave. Her stomach became a mess of butterflies as she looked down at Andrew’s handwriting. She had to wonder why he’d written her a letter, since she and Jareth had only left the farm a matter of weeks before.
She slid her finger under the seal and unfolded the parchment, noting how her hands shook as she did so. Something didn’t feel right. It was almost as if she’d gone back to that day when she’d opened another letter to learn her mother had died.
But it couldn’t be bad news again—at least, not like that.

Dear Sister,

It pains me to relay this news to you, but yesterday Kayne was killed in a hunting accident. I know this message will take weeks to reach you, and you will likely be in the middle of Jareth’s sister’s wedding, so I don’t expect you to travel for the funeral. We will hold a quiet service for him, much like we did for Mother.

Please know that the rest of the family is well.

Andrew

Krystal read the words over and over until her eyes became too blurred with tears to make them out. Kayne, the youngest of her four brothers and only two years older than Krystal. He couldn’t be dead.
All through her childhood Krystal and Kayne had clashed wills. Before her abduction from the family farm she’d been certain he didn’t even care about her—only to learn from Andrew that Kayne had also wanted to search for her.
Now she’d never have the opportunity to repair their relationship.
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Jareth. She had to tell him. Needed to feel his comforting arms around her.
Where had he gone? The throne room, she remembered. Calum said they had a new visitor. Still clutching the letter in her hand, she left the bedchamber.
Krystal passed several people in the halls, people who had come for Alana’s wedding, but she did not have it in her to greet any of them. A tiny voice in her head told her she was being rude, but she couldn’t make it matter. 
The doors of the throne room stood open. Krystal beamed in relief as she recognized Jareth’s broad shoulders. Calum stood next to Jareth, what she could see of his face an impenetrable mask. She entered the room and moved toward her husband.
Then Krystal saw the person speaking to Jareth and she froze. Andrew’s letter slid from her hand onto the floor.


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

The Sidekick Chronicles Volume 2: A Pirates Tale by Stacey Rourke COVER REVEAL



 The call of the sea
.
The promise of adventure.

For Rowan Wade, the need to return to his swashbuckling ways is enough to betray the only woman he's cared for in over three hundred years.

With vengeance in his heart, he's determined to exact his revenge on those that mutinied against his father.

The arrival of an unlikely ally challenges Rowan's plans. Her goal isn't to stop him, but to lead him on a journey of self-discovery to unravel the mysteries of the

twisted path that led him to the Dark Army.

Will it be enough to make the pirate shift course? Or will he be lost forever in a rum-induced haze? Hoist ye colors and prepare to set sail with the Gryphon Series' favorite pirate!



What people are saying about the series
"The series in a whole is quite amazing. It leaves you breathless with all the cliffhangers, hot sexy men, and the courageous heroine! 
Dying for more while agonizing over when the next book come out.
~ M. Abbott

" The Gryphon series Is packed with supernatural creatures, action, romance and comedy. The characters are so awesome, you will want to meet them for real. 
These books hooked me and my non reading teenagers and won't let go!
~H. Alexander'

"Oh My Gryphon! This series is great and I love how Stacey Rourke takes her humor and sassiness and brings it to the next level!"
 ~M. Williams

"The first that I was actually able to get my teen-aged daughter to read! She then came back begging me to grab her the whole series!
Sure to make you LOL time and time again, so be warned of where you read!"
~ Phenomenal Reviews

Find her books
All of her books are currently only $0.99
The Conduit
Embrace


About The Author


Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012.
2012 InD'tale Rone Awards Finalist for Young Adult Teen Romance
Stacey Rourke is the author of the Gryphon Series. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant, drooly dogs. Stacey loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head. She is currently hard at work on the continuations of this series as well as other literary projects.
Keep up to date with these links
Amazon- 
GoodReads
Facebook
Website
Twitter
@Rourkewrites

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, June 17, 2013

The Forgotten Ones Blog Tour

Title: The Forgotten Ones  
Author: Laura Howard
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours



Book Synopsis: 
Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.




Author Bio: 
Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.

Social Media Links: 


Excerpt: 

Sean jogged over with the bat and held it out for me, grinning. “Pick your pitcher, Allie-O.”

The smirk on Ethan's face was a challenge, and I couldn't resist. “Ethan has the ball, he can pitch to me.”

He made a big show of stretching and winding up before he finally tossed the ball at me.

I smacked the ball over the pool house, and Sean started shouting and cheering, making me smile. Ethan shook his head, but he was smiling. He clearly thought I would be an easy out.

I made it all the way to the final round, kicking Sean and Jeff out of the game. I'd played softball and run track all through school to pad my transcripts.

“You gonna let her win, E?” Jeff called, winking at me from the picnic table where he sat drinking a beer.

Ethan chuckled, showing off those damn dimples. He looked down at the ball in his hands and back up at me with a grin. “If I do, will you let me take you out?”

I snorted, trying to look braver than I felt. “Not a chance.”

“Wait a sec. I like this. Let's make a wager,” he said.

The guys were all hooting and hollering at me, my face was no doubt crimson.

“What do I get if I win?” I bit my lip, feeling all their eyes on me.

“I'm thinking, hang on,” He held up his finger, his brow furrowed in thought. His eyes widened with excitement, and I knew I would regret whatever he had to say.

“If I win, I get a kiss.” If it was possible, my cheeks grew even redder. They were all laughing and making cat calls now.

“And, if I win?” I looked up at his face.

He looked at me for a second, considering. “If you win, I won't ever ask you out again.”

This earned a chorus of “Yeah, right” and “No way” from the guys.

My mouth fell open, I had not been expecting that, but his face was sober. The laughing around us fell away for a second, and I could only stare at him feeling the color drain from my face. His expression remained solemn, and he met my gaze head on.

I nodded stiffly, and swallowed. “All right.”

His grin came back in full force. “Oh, and Al?”

I raised my eyebrows at him.

“I won't lose.”


a Rafflecopter giveaway