Taming the Wolf review

Blurb:

Attacked by a wolf while hiking, Anna Avery's life just got a little hairier. Living in the Big Horn mountains in Wyoming, with a group of werewolves who are more animal than human, Anna must try to hold onto her human side. It's not easy when the alpha continues to persuade her into his bed, while another wolf is chomping at the bit to become her mate. To top it all off, dead bodies are showing up and it just so happens that Anna was the last to see them alive. She'll have to work to prove her innocence and taming the wolf who bites first and asks questions never.

Available at Amazon and B&N

My thoughts:

I cannot say enough good things about this book! I've read Stephanie Nelson's Gwen Sparks series, so I knew that I would not be disappointed with this one. I love Anna right off the bat, I felt sorry for the situation she was in, not her choice. I spent a good portion of the book not liking Adam at all, I hated how he pushed her onto someone else, and then wanted her for himself. I totally understood the situation, but that didn't mean I liked it lol.

There was a bit of everything in this book, something I've come to love about Stephanie's books, they always keep me interested. I never wanted to put this one down, I was actually really sad when it ended, I wanted more! You better believe I'll be reading anything else she has to offer.

5/5

For smart and sexy witch Jolie Wilkins, being Queen of the Underworld is a royal pain. Back from a round of time travel, Jolie must now protect her realm from the sinister Lurkers—a powerful breed of half-humans bent on conquering the undead. And if there’s one thing she knows, it’s that the supernatural never go down without a fight. At least Jolie has her soul mate (and finally official boyfriend), warlock Rand Balfour, by her side. Honorable, brave, and unbelievably handsome, Rand is everything Jolie wants in a man. So why can’t she forget the dangerously alluring vampire, Sinjin Sinclair? With her private life heating up and a battle boiling over, Jolie sets out to prove that in matters of love and war, the fairer hex has its own set of charms.






 My thoughts

 I did enjoy the story line a lot, but I honestly felt like it was rushed. We were introduced to many new characters without really resolving anything. From what I understand, this is the last book in the series. In my opinion, it didn't wrap everything up well enough. I felt like things with the Lurkers just sort of were left unfinished.

That being said, I did like the book, aside from those things, it was a fun story. I would say give this one a read for sure, I'm interested to hear what you all think about it.

3/5

Bride of Fae Release event

A love more powerful than magic or time.

Beverly Bratton has a safe, mundane life. No drama. No magic. Since her parents died, she’s cared for her little sister Marion and worked at the Tragic Fall Inn. When a fairy’s charm sends Beverly a hundred years into the past–and into the path of a banished fairy prince–nothing will ever be mundane or safe again.

The regent of the Dumnos fae is turning the court from light to dark, and there's nothing the rightful king, Prince Dandelion, can do about it. The mystical coronation cup which he needs to become king has fallen into human hands. When he meets a human woman with access to the cup, everything changes. Beverly is fascinating as well as useful–but of course Dandelion doesn’t love her.

Love for a fairy is rare. Love with a human, impossible. But when Beverly and Dandelion are thrown together in a battle against both wyrd and fae, they learn that in Dumnos the impossible happens every day.


Event page http://www.facebook.com/events/471663176178149/

Prizes

2 of these awesome roll on shimmer shadows

2 of these fun sparkle shadows

2 of these pretty lip glosses

4 of these beautiful handmade book marks made by The Book Swag Shop

And this adorable movie....very fitting for the theme of the book :)

Bride of Fae Release event

A love more powerful than magic or time.

Beverly Bratton has a safe, mundane life. No drama. No magic. Since her parents died, she’s cared for her little sister Marion and worked at the Tragic Fall Inn. When a fairy’s charm sends Beverly a hundred years into the past–and into the path of a banished fairy prince–nothing will ever be mundane or safe again.

The regent of the Dumnos fae is turning the court from light to dark, and there's nothing the rightful king, Prince Dandelion, can do about it. The mystical coronation cup which he needs to become king has fallen into human hands. When he meets a human woman with access to the cup, everything changes. Beverly is fascinating as well as useful–but of course Dandelion doesn’t love her.

Love for a fairy is rare. Love with a human, impossible. But when Beverly and Dandelion are thrown together in a battle against both wyrd and fae, they learn that in Dumnos the impossible happens every day.


Event page http://www.facebook.com/events/471663176178149/

Prizes

2 of these awesome roll on shimmer shadows

2 of these fun sparkle shadows

2 of these pretty lip glosses

4 of these beautiful handmade book marks made by The Book Swag Shop

And this adorable movie....very fitting for the theme of the book :)

Stephanie Nelson Anniversary post!

 

July 25^th marks one year since I published Craved – Book 1 in the Gwen Sparks Series. It’s been an amazing rollercoaster and has forever changed my life. I’ve met some fantastic people, learned a lot and most importantly, found something I want to do with the rest of my life—write.

The support of my readers, friends and family has been amazing to say the least. To show my appreciation, I’ve put together one heck of a giveaway. Because of you guys, Craved reached #1 on Amazon’s bestseller’s list and #5 on Barnes & Noble’s bestseller’s list. Thank you guys for making my first year of being publish something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Check out what you could win below!

8 Signed Paperbacks

 

  13 Ebooks

 

 

 

 $100 Amazon Gift Card

 

 $20 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

 

 Plus swag (postcards, boomarks, magnets, mousepads from multiple authors!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lauren Carr Guest post

We're joined today by author Lauren Carr....here's what she had to say



Who Are You? … What’s in your author bio?

By Lauren Carr

Over a year ago, I was the featured author at a meet-and-greet book event. As is my custom, I made a
point of making the rounds to greet the other authors, ask about their books, and collect book markers,
post cards, and other souvenirs to check out their websites and purchase books later after I got home,
since I didn’t have enough money to buy all of the books, even though I wanted to.

As luck would have it, one of the authors had written a non-fiction book that was on a topic that my
husband, who was not at the event, is very interested in. My husband was more than interested in this
topic. He has studied and taught courses in it. This author was excited when I showed interest in his
book, and I could see that he was quite passionate about it. When he told me that he lived in the next
town from where we lived, I thought that not only could we possibly buy his book, but that he could
even come to speak at one of my husband’s classes and sell more copies there.

So, I grabbed his bookmark, which had the cover of his book on it and the website for his publisher, and
rushed home to give it to my husband.

This was where the author lost his sale.

“What are his credentials?” my husband wanted to know. That’s a legitimate question. He couldn’t
invite a speaker to his class who just woke up one day and decided he wanted to write a book without
any experience, study, or whatever in the subject.

The author had no bio listed on his publisher’s website. All that was listed was his name. Nothing else.

He had no website. No email address to contact him to ask for information about him. We tried so hard
to locate him or learn something about this author that I even tried googling for his phone number, but
nothing came up. He had no online presence whatsoever.

The point is, writing your bio is as important as writing your book. Readers want to know who you are.

Before I became an independent author, I cringed when literary agents and publishers would ask for a
bio. Between the lines, they were asking, “What are your credentials for writing this book?”

The hunt for this unfortunate author has brought home the fact that not only do potential publishers
and literary agents want to know who you are, so do readers. I find that at book events I talk as much
about myself as I do my books. Not because I’m self-centered, but because they ask.

At every event I have to tell about how my mother read Perry Mason to me at bed time and how I cut
my teeth on Agatha Christie. I learned to read with the Bobbsey Twins and went through puberty with
Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.

Readers want to know who you are. Are you qualified to write this book? Are you worth my taking a
chance on you to buy your book?

Maybe you don’t feel that you are worthy of having written your book. I didn’t after I had written my
first mystery. Sure, I had been a writer all my life, but all that I ever had published were articles and
humor columns. I had a bachelors in English and literature and journalism, but somehow none of that
was impressive as “those other authors” who had oodles of books under their belts.

What credentials did I have for writing a murder mystery? Well, I never worked as a detective, but I
watched lots of them on TV. I never solved a murder mystery. Nor did I ever kill anyone. I just read a lot
of murder mysteries and was passionate about them.

It’s okay to write a book because you are passionate about the subject. If that’s your credentials, then so
be it. Say so. When I started out, my bio started out with:

“Lauren Carr fell in love with mysteries when her mother read Perry Mason to her at bedtime…”

It ended with,

“…Lauren lives with her husband and son on a mountaintop in West Virginia.”

With each book my bio gets longer. So will yours.

Maybe you don’t feel savvy enough to maintain a website. Then use Amazon.com Author Central. It’s
free and will be linked to your book(s). You upload your bio and even a picture of yourself. Plus, there
are a lot of other features, like tracking your sales and listing your events so potential readers can come
to your events.

But then, I’m getting ahead of myself here.

First, and foremost, write your bio. There’s no telling who out there wants to know who you are ... and
wants to buy your book.


Thanks so much for stopping by today Lauren!!



Lauren Carr
Author/Publishing Management

Lauren Carr fell in love with mysteries when her mother read Perry Mason
to her at bedtime. The first installment in the Joshua Thornton mysteries,
A Small Case of Murder was a finalist for the Independent Publisher Book
Award. A Reunion to Die For was released in hardback in June 2007. Both
of these books are in re-release.

Lauren is also the author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in
Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. The first two books in her series, It’s Murder,
My Son and Old Loves Die Hard have been getting rave reviews from
readers and reviewers. Lauren’s fifth mystery, Shades of Murder has been
receiving rave reviews since its release.

Lauren’s sixth book, Dead on Ice, will be released in Fall 2012. Dead on
Ice will introduce a new series entitled Lovers in Crime, in which Joshua
Thornton will join forces with homicide detective Cameron Gates.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager,
consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for
independent authors. This spring, two books written by independent authors
will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth
groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has
learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and
teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and two dogs on a mountain in Harpers
Ferry, WV.

Visit Lauren’s websites and blog at:

E-Mail: writerlaurencarr@comcast.net
Website: http://acornbookservices.com/
http://mysterylady.net/
Blog: Literary Wealth: http://literarywealth.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lauren.carr.984991
Gnarly’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/GnarlyofMacFaradayMysteries
Twitter: @TheMysteryLadie

Forget Me Not

Don't forget that Mystic Wolves book 1 on the series is free on Amazon right now!!!!!

Forget Me Not Blog Tour
Book Excerpt #4

“This is wrong, Mason, so very wrong. What’s the point of being able to have hidden
stashes if you don’t keep them? How am I supposed to come in and sneak things? Not even a
chocolate bar.” I gave one last inspection, before returning everything to how it was.
“If you were looking for chocolate, why didn’t you say so? I keep all the good stuff in the
closet, shoved at the back of the top shelf. Everyone knows that’s where you keep them,” he
drawled, still in his lazy stance. “But as Alpha, I’m going to have to put your being nosey on
hold. I didn’t bring you here just so I could watch you snoop. I have something else in mind.”
“You do, huh? Is it fun?” I baited, pretending I didn’t know exactly what he meant. I licked
my lips, and ran my fingers through my hair.
“I’m positive. Now come over here so I can kiss you.” It was nothing short of a seductive
order, and it sent a thrill through my body. I loved it when Mason’s voice took on a dominating
tone, but even though I wanted nothing more than to cross the room and do as he’d asked, I
wanted to playing—stretch out the anticipation.
“Hmmm, I don’t think so. I kind of like it over here.” I headed to the window again, and
casually brushed the curtain aside. Mason was silent, and I smiled to myself. “Besides, I’m not
sure I want to kiss you.”
“I’m going to count, sweetheart, and when I reach three I better have you in my arms.” The
threat caressed my senses, and I resisted the urge to give in. This side of Mason always thrilled
me.
Resting against the ledge, I mimicked his stance, crossing my arms and ankles. “We’ll see.”
“One.”
I feigned a yawn, and grinned. “What comes next?”
He cocked his eyebrow, a smug smile crossing his face. “Two.”
“I think you should come over here.” I smiled sweetly, patting the space beside me. “In fact,
I know so.”
“You do know I’m serious, Darcy. I don’t see you moving. Once I say the next number, I’ll
be taking action.”
I laughed loudly. “You got it wrong. Three. You were meant to say three.” Lifting my hand,
I showed him my fingers, slowing counting them. “See, first comes one, and then two. Three is
next. Say it, Mason. Say three.” I straightened slowly, and placed my hand on my hip. I could see
him trying to hide his grin, as he looked me up and down. “Should I do it for you?” I raised my
eyebrow, enjoying the way he was watching me.
I didn’t need to. He stalked across the room, pulling me to his body, and crushed his lips
against mine. The roughness—intensity—of the kiss robbed me of breath. Any thought of
prolonging, or playing, was lost as I sunk against him, and felt myself softening.
I knew when the kiss was over, my lips would be bruised, but it didn’t stop me from parting
them and granting him access. My tongue met his half way, eager to move against his and to
savor the moment.

Working like a madwoman

I've been working a lot on a short story for an anthology that will hopefully be out in the fall. I'm having it center around Ronan, one of the characters from my upcoming book Love and Blood. It's been harder to write it than I want it to be, I'm having some issues with getting the flow right. But, don't worry, it will be perfect by the time you all get to read it!

In addition to writing, I've been doing release day parties for other authors. I started doing them last month, and they've been a resounding hit! This is the website for my new business, feel free to contact me if you are in need of my services! I'm also working with Promotional Book Tours doing release parties for authors who sign up for that package. So, big things are coming, look out!

The Witch is Back review

Funny and feisty witch Jolie Wilkins is back—or rather, she’s back to her humble beginnings. Propelled into the past to her old Los Angeles fortune-telling shop, Jolie has no idea she possesses extraordinary powers, and she definitely doesn’t remember becoming Queen of the Underworld. But at least she has two incredibly sexy men vying for her affection: Rand Balfour, who looks very familiar, though Jolie can’t place his gorgeous face, and Sinjin Sinclair, who is tall, dark, and perfect . . . except for the fangs.

Yet despite her steamy love life, Jolie can’t shake the sense that something is not quite right—like she’s stuck in a déjà vu gone terribly awry. As both men race against time—and each other—to win Jolie’s heart, the fate of the Underworld hangs in the balance. And Jolie’s decision can either restore order or create an absolute, drop-dead disaster.



My thoughts:
This was so much better than the last one! There wasn't as much back story, and I felt like the story went somewhere. The first half of the book I was conflicted, I knew Sinjin had done a bad thing, but I felt myself falling in love right alongside Jolie. He is always so charming, you can't help but love him.
It was interesting to see a different Jolie, the one from the beginning of the series. She was so insecure about who she was, but she still had the same fire in her. I was very happy with the way it ended up, and I can;t wait to  start the next book in the series!!!

Kim Nathan interview

Hey guys, we're joined by author Kim Nathan today, and she's been kind enough to answer some questions for us.


1. Tell us about Cara, where did she come from?

Cara is someone who did everything right; the college degree, lucrative career, marriage to a
Hopkins grad, a good daughter to her parents. But she’s left feeling that it’s not enough. Not
wanting to rock the boat, she puts her feelings on the backburner until something happens to
shake her out of it. She yearns for something more, but she’s afraid to go for it. Luckily she gets
some divine help to give her the courage. Dreaming Montana is about having a vision of another
life and gaining the courage to let go of the past in order to pursue it. Divine guidance is always offered along the way, if you choose to see it.

2. Where did the idea for Dreaming Montana come from?

I first visited Seattle at the same time that Cara does. Her impressions of the city are my
impressions. I fell in love with the city, but then I went back to Baltimore over the winter
of ‘93/’94. I wrote the original draft of Dreaming Montana while I was waiting to move to Seattle, which I did in the spring of 1994. In retrospect, the novel was like a positive affirmation to help get me back to Seattle. I sent Cara there ahead of me.

3. What is your favorite genre to read when you have spare time?

I love historical fiction. Modern life can be so fast-paced, so it’s a nice escape to be transported to another time and place. Reading historical fiction when I was a teenager helped to inspire me to be a writer.

4. How did you get started writing?

I’ve been scribbling notes and stories down in spiral notebooks since I was twelve. My family
moved into a new neighborhood then. Down the street, out of context with the rest of the
neighborhood, there was an historic mansion sitting on a few acres. The place inspired me
to write stories. I used that mansion as the inspiration for Waverly in my first novel, Sterling
Redmond. The stories and characters just come to me and expect me to tell their story. I don’t
know where it comes from, but I like it.

5. What is something people would find surprising to find out about you?

I am really very shy. But I’ve had enough practice putting myself out there so I do it anyway,
even when it feels hard. Most people find me quite sociable. I enjoy people, and I’m interested
in their stories. I’d rather hear about someone else’s life than tell someone about my own.

6. What’s next for you?

I could go either way with writing a sequel to Sterling Redmond or doing another contemporary
piece set in the Pacific Northwest. I already have my spiral notebooks for each, so I jot down
ideas as they come to me. Right now, I am leaning toward the sequel, but we’ll see which way it
goes over the next month.



Kim Nathan ONLINE:
Website http://kimnathanauthor.com/
Blog http://kimnathanauthor.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kim-Nathan-Author/160477620718928
Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/KimNathanAuthor
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5753888.Kim_Nathan

The Grave Atrist

16-year-old Clare can't stop drawing the bizarre, winged skulls she calls "Sammies". Her psychiatrist assumes the compulsive drawings are just expressions of Clare's grief over her father abandoning her. But then Clare discovers that her Sammies are exact matches for the Death's Head on the grave of Samantha Forsythe, a teen who reportedly fell to her death over two centuries ago.

Before long, Clare's drawings morph into cryptic writings that urge her to uncover the truth behind Samantha's death. Together with Neil -- the friend she might be falling for -- Clare scours the local history for clues. She finds that, although Samantha was engaged to a wealthy landowner, there were whispered rumors of her involvement with a younger, biracial man.

Soon, Clare is haunted by disturbing dream images -- a mysterious eye, a broken chain -- that point to someone Samantha called her "Dearest". But who is Dearest? And why does Samantha need Clare to find him so badly?

Isolated and carrying hidden scars of her own, Clare fears her obsession with Samantha will threaten her sanity and safety. But it seems she has no choice in the matter . . .

The Grave Artist is a compelling paranormal murder mystery and a poignant story about loss and what it means thrive in a less-than-perfect reality


AUTHOR BIO

Paula Lynn Johnson loves a good ghost story. She's a former English major and
attorney living in central New Jersey with her husband, kids, cat, dog, and killer

rabbit. She adores them all, even the killer rabbit.

Paula also loves a good laugh! You can read her short, humorous pieces on sites
like The Big Jewel and Errant Parent, or on her blog, Twaddle Like a Duck.

When she's not writing, Paula sells antiques and art out of Lambertville, NJ. You
can visit her online at Tiny's Lambertville.

website www.thegraveartist.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheGraveArtist

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5805705.Paula_Lynn_Johnson

The author is also giving away a beautiful hand hammered sterling silver pendant, enter for your chance to win it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mayfair Moon review

After a nightmarish encounter
with a werewolf, seventeen-year-
old Adria Dawson loses her
sister, but gains the love of a
mysterious young man and his
legendary family.Strange and
tragic things begin to happen in
the small town of Hallowell,
Maine: residents come down
with an unexplainable ‘illness’
and some disappear. In the
midst of everything, Isaac
Mayfair is adamant about
keeping Adria safe, even from
her sister whom he has warned
her to stay away from.As unspeakable secrets unfold all
around Adria, impossible choices become hers to bear. Ultimately, no matter what path she takes, her life and the lives of those she loves will be in peril. As she learns about the werewolf world she also learns why her place in it will change the destinies of many.

Amazon

My thoughts:


Wow, I mean, really wow. This book had me from page one, it kept me up late into the night reading. I loved every second of it. J.A. Redmerski is a true talent, she has such a way with story telling. I felt such a connection with Adria right away, I wanted to shield her, and protect her from everything bad in her life. I loved and then fiercely hated her sister Alex (although a lot of it wasn't her choice) Moving to Mayfair, starting a brand new life, that was the beginning of Adria's life. I don't want to give too much away, I really want you all to go and read it for yourselves, its just that good!!!! I am now going to search for anything else by J.A. Redmerski to read, I have found a new favorite author.


About the Author:

J.A. Redmerski is a Contemporary Fantasy and YA writer - author of THE
MAYFAIR MOON and DIRTY EDEN. She’s a mother, werewolf & zombie
fanatic, book addict and a happy hermit obsessed with the Universe. Oh, and
AMC's "The Walking Dead".

Jessica started her first novel at the
age of thirteen and has been writing
something ever since. Generally, she
loves characters in life and on paper.
She pays attention to people,
especially those whose personalities
make them different from the rest of
us: the drug addict roaming the
Laundromat that talks to himself,
the young, inattentive mother in the
park with the meanest kid on the playground - (the entire cast of 'Swamp People') -
characters fascinate Jessica and she hopes that it shows in her literary work. Some
authors that inspire Jessica are Neil Gaiman, Cormac McCarthy, Max Brooks,
Anne Rice, J.K. Rowling, Richard Matheson, William R. Forstchen, Carrie Ryan,
Stephenie Meyer and Lisa Smedman.

Giveaway on the other blog!!

Hey guys, I'm doing a giveaway on my other blog Book on the Bright Side! Lots of fun goodies to be won, some amazing author's have donated ebooks and swag. Head on over there and enter, it's going on util the end of the month.

http://bookonthebrightside.blogspot.com/2012/07/first-giveaway.html

Writing..

I've finally been inspired enough to write!! I've gotten almost 3k done on Love and Blood over the last day or so. I'm really hoping to have it done and ready to release right after I put out Chasing the Witch. The characters have been a nice change from Jilly and William, not that I don't enjoy writing them too. Everyone is a bot darker, and the story is grittier. I'm not entirely sure how long it's going to be, full length, or novella. Decisions, decisions. Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!