Blog Posts

Denouement Tour & Giveaway

11/24/2014

Follow the tour by clicking on the side banner to read more excerpts & improve your chances of winning.

Denoument

By

M.O. Kenyan

BLURB:
Marietta Parks believes that the only way to stop surprises from happening in life is to control your own fate. Paying attention to every detail she scripts out her own life. Leaving love, romance and children out of it. But then she meets a man who just has to be added into her story, Tobias Harden was the man of everyone’s dreams but t her he was a lovely addition to her already scripted life.

Tobias Harden was the modern day Casanova. Love was not in his vocabulary, and he was allergic to the word commitment, like poison Ivy to the bare skin. A chance kiss with Marietta Parks makes him question his single life. He was to be the best for her, and oddly enough she happens to be the only woman he wants to kiss. Tobias convinces Marietta that she needs him in her life. But after three years of marriage and life’s obstacles, he finds himself in bed with another woman. He has to convince her that he is still the man for her, especially now that she’s pregnant.

EXCERPT 2

“How long has he been here?” Marietta looked at him, her eyes heavy with sleep. She felt so tired for a second she didn’t think she was awake. But the pain in her back and her abdomen brought her back to reality. Her heart hurt too.

“He arrived a few minutes after they sedated you. He’s been here through out, no bathroom or snack breaks. He just sat there holding your handing and staring at you. I, on the other hand had to get a burger,” Jesse said.

Marietta laughed but winced in pain, “Please don’t make me laugh.”

“I was scared for a minute there. Especially when… when, they asked about what to do with the baby. I’m just glad he came when he did.”

“So he knows?” She took a deep breath that seemed to tremble out of her when she exhaled. “What did he say?”

“I think he still can’t believe it. It might be the shock or the fact that you are as skinny as a pencil.”

A knot of nerves formed in Marietta’s throat. Her heart frozen in her chest she bit her lip then asked, “He doesn’t think the baby is his?”

“Can you blame him?”

“I don’t think I can.” Marietta smoothed her hand over her belly. She still couldn’t believe that she had been walking around all this while not knowing there was a life growing inside of her. Now that the baby was no longer there she had this strange eddy feeling of emptiness and loss.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Reading,Writing,Romance, Creativity and Imagination. These are the words that describe my work.

I was born in Nairobi Kenya and had a passion for books ever since I could remember. Romance and love have always been a strange phenomenon for me. I have always wanted to change the ending of a love story. I decided to start writing my own.
Enjoy!!!
http://www.amazon.com/M.-O.-Kenyan/e/B00B2JRHK4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1383727082&sr=8-1
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/m.o-kenyan

https://twitter.com/MO_Kenyan
www.mokauthor.wordpress.com

http://www.facebook.com/MokAuthor?ref=hl

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6445835.M_O_Kenyan

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Denouement-M-O-Kenyan/dp/1618859382/ref=la_B00B2JRHK4_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414780763&sr=1-3

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Critique Groups, Psychics & Found Near Water Giveaway

11/21/2014

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Do you like reading about crimes and how psychics help solve them?

Are you condering about the usefulness of a critique group and how to decide if one works or doesn't work for you?

Maybe you were caught by the word giveaway. You're on the right site.

Author Katherine Hayton is giving away $50 Amazon/BN card to a lucky commenter. Make sure to enter the rafflecoptor below. Follow the tour by clicking on side bar to improve your chances.

My Take on Critique Groups
By
Author Katherin Hayton

At my real job we have a system for new staff where every piece of work they put onto our computer system is checked until they achieve a level of 90% accuracy (as worked out by our system – it’s more like 99.5% across all possible fields on a risk.)

Once they attain that exulted level we then put them onto ‘Buddy Signing’ and this is where we sometimes strike problems.

When you’re new at a job, especially one that involves attention to detail and memorising great swathes of information, you expect someone with more experience to tell you when you’re doing things wrong. Nobody likes it, but you deal with it because – duh – it’s your job.

You also take criticism from direct customers. You got something wrong on their policy, you handle the phone-call to explain why and what you’re going to do about it. Again this is perfectly fair and exactly what everyone in any type of customer service role expects.

The problem with ‘Buddy Signing’ is that you’re being judged by someone who doesn’t have more experience. Nor do your errors have a direct impact on their policy.

The problem with a buddy, is that they’re exactly like you.

And that means that when someone in the same boat as you pours criticism, even well-deserved, even well-meaning, even expected, on your work you feel belittled. Because they’re no better than you. By their very nature they are your true peers, with no more and no less experience than you have, so where do they get off telling you what to do?

What does that do to a nice working relationship? It causes havoc. We have buddy signers whose work we have to go back to having an experienced processor check because their error rates sky-rocket. Is this because they suddenly become useless? No – it’s because they pick on every little thing as a tit-for-tat measure against their buddy.

We also have buddy signers whose rates of output freefalls dangerously close to absolute zero. Why? Is it because they suddenly have the task of signing someone’s work in addition to their usual duties? Not often. It’s usually because they’re spending every minute of the day compulsively checking their work in case they’ve made an error, because so-and-so marked them down for one the other day and it’s knocked their confidence level to nil.

Or we have buddy signers who start processing so much work that no one can keep up with their output. This is okay because their errors decrease along with the increase in output until they are fully proficient members of staff. They also become self-signing. This is actually the thing we’re trying to achieve whilst often managing instead to drive the behaviours above.

It’s this third one that everyone joining a critique group thinks they’re going to get. Well, you’re not. As soon as you realise that everyone in your critique group is in the same position that you’re in they’re going to pick on option one or two and you’re all going to drive each other crazy. Yes, you’ll feel great when somebody compliments your work, but often in groups there’s a rule (even if unspoken) that you don’t hand someone criticism unless you also hand them encouragement.

When I was a team leader this was the way we were originally taught to give feedback to staff on their job performance. It’s called sandwiching, and it’s meant to ensure that you don’t pump up a staff member so much they’re not aware they’re making errors, but also not dragging them down so low that they feel they’re not getting anywhere and start to think about jumping ship and trying something new.

It doesn’t work.

The best practice we now teach is that you hand staff members ONE piece of feedback. If it’s good it’s the only good thing. If it’s bad it’s the only bad thing.

Why?

Because people who are overly complimentary about their own standards of behaviour will never hear bad feedback when it’s sandwiched with good feedback. And people with low confidence will never hear good feedback when it comes parcelled with bad. So you tell people, as soon as the feedback incident occurs, what your opinion is. Good or bad, but not both. So they actually hear what you’re saying.

If you’re in a critique group try to keep that in mind. Remember that if you’ve got one piece good, one piece bad, it doesn’t convey meaning. Not without knowing if they had to spend three hours trying to find something good to say about your work. Not without knowing if they thought the whole thing was fantastic but felt they had to criticise something because, well because that’s the point of a critique group, isn’t it?

So I don’t think critique groups give you accurate feedback without slanting for retribution, lowering your output, or leaving you confused as to which way you’re heading. But I would still recommend you join one.

The one thing they’re really good for is exposing you to other people’s opinions, and helping you to grow a thick skin. You’ll be getting a lot of one, and needing a lot of the other, if you’re releasing anything into the wild.

BLURB:
Rena Sutherland wakes from a coma into a mother’s nightmare. Her daughter’s is missing – lost for four days – but no one has noticed; no one has complained; no one has been searching.

As the victim support officer assigned to her case, Christine Emmett puts aside her own problems as she tries to guide Rena through the maelstrom of her daughter’s disappearance.

A task made harder by an ex-husband desperate for control; a paedophile on early-release in the community; and a psychic who knows more than seems possible.

And intertwined throughout, the stories of six women; six daughters lost.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPTS

I set out the chairs in a circle. In my head I counted off each person as I placed their seat. Terry, dead daughter; Ilene, missing daughter; Kendra, missing daughter; Joanne, sick daughter; Christine, dead daughter. That last one is me, by the way.

There used to be a need for more chairs. I had quite the group running at one stage. Not now. We’ve dwindled and whittled our way to a close knit bunch. Like a knitting circle with barbed tongues driving all the young and optimistic members away.

I remember when I was talked into setting up this group. I was whining away to an old colleague one day and she mentioned that I may be helped by a support group. A support group! I “reminded” her that I was a fully qualified psychiatrist who had once had a roaring career until I realised how futile the entire field was. I wasn’t someone who attended a support group. I was the one to run it.

Famous last words.

There was a crunch of gravel outside and I walked to the window to have a nosey. Not one of mine. An elderly gent made slow progress towards the temporary library. He swayed so deeply from foot to foot he looked like a Weeble in full wobble.

I laid out a half packet of stale gingernuts which had mysteriously survived in our pantry and hoped that no one was feeling too hungry.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Ever since I was three year’s old I’ve been reading everything I can lay my hands on. It’s been my passion, my solace, my comfort. I used to look forward to Wednesday nights which were the time that my mother would take me, and any of my siblings who wanted to go – so usually just me, to the library.

It would be wonderful, thrilling, and risky. I was only able to take three books out each week, and only one of those could get a free pass on fees. If I picked the wrong one I would be stuck with it for a whole week. Not only stuck with it, but I’d have to read a bad book cover to cover because otherwise I’d have to do something else, and that was not really what I was after. I did go outside, and played outside, and watched TV like any normal kid, but that was just stuff you filled in time with until you could read again.

Throughout my childhood there was never anything I wanted to do but become a writer – it seemed the only natural progression to my life. Then I crawled inside a bottle for fourteen years, and when I popped back out I was working in an office job in a travel agency, my mother was dead, and I was clueless as to how I was meant to get my life back on track.

About the time I started to seriously study the craft of writing, something that used to come naturally to me but had grown incredibly hard through lack of use, I also had a change in career path into insurance (not as big a change as it might seem as it was really from one office job to another with a brighter future and better career path.) I started to challenge myself in my professional life, and my personal life, so instead of focussing in on writing I instead tried out a range of different hobbies, followed up on fleeting interests, tried to learn to play the saxophone which my partner was glad was a short-lived affair, and generally did all of the things I should’ve spent my teens and twenties doing but hadn’t.

But of course I always circled back to writing. Reading and writing. My passion remains the same but instead of skimming widely across any and all genres I’ve narrowed down and done a deep-dive into crime fiction which has been my favourite for over a decade now.

I love the fact that I’ve been reading the same genre of fiction for more than ten years now, and still find new and interesting things with every book that I pick up. Now I’m trying to bring something new and unique to me to the genre. And soon I might finally get back on track to being the person that I always wanted to be.

Amazon Links:

Author Page: amazon.com/author/katherinehayton

Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00LNUMCZ2

Paperback: http://amzn.com/0473279932

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kathay1973

Blogger: http://kathay1973.blogspot.co.nz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katherine-Hayton/1481785105415848

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8390059.Katherine_Hayton

Website: http://kathay1973.com

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A Spy Unmasked Tour Stop & Giveaway

11/19/2014

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter to win $15 Amazon giftcard and ebook of A SPY UNMASKED. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The mission did not go quite as Robert Ware--known in society as the new Earl of Kirkland--planned. A spy in the service of His Majesty, Robert is a "guest" at a masquerade party as he retrieves vital information for a murder investigation. Until he's quite unexpectedly interrupted by an exquisite, masked woman with glittering green eyes. And a pistol she has cocked and aimed right at him...

Lady Sophia Merrill has defiantly taken up justice's shining sword, determined to expose the brigand who murdered her eccentric but brilliant father, and stole his latest invention. Now she must masquerade as Robert's betrothed in order to infiltrate the Inventor's Society and find the killer. But the undeniable potent attraction between them not only imperils the investigation, but Sophia's reputation... and both of their lives.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Sophia Merrill had seconds to comprehend it all. Robert roughly wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against a mainmast of solid, male muscle. Through the black half mask she could make out brilliant blue eyes, their color like polished sapphires, and then his mouth covered hers with commanding mastery. Beneath the hardness of his lips she felt instantly overwhelmed and overpowered. The heat from his body enveloped her; the faint scent of his cologne coiled about her. Heart fluttering wildly, she raised her palms to press against his chest.

The door slammed against the wall.

“What are you two doing in here?” a male voice boomed.

Delmont’s guard was a bald, brawny man with a square jaw and a bulbous nose.

Sophia jerked in alarm, but the arms of her tawny-haired captor tightened around her waist. Glancing down, he gave her a pointed keep-your-mouth-shut look.

Then he turned to the guard, and a guiltless smile curved his lips. “Ah, the lady and I desired a bit of privacy.” Slurring his speech, he sounded like a guest who had made one too many trips to the punch bowl.

Masking her surprise, she went along with the ruse. Her position was precarious, and even if she did not know what his motives were, her own were not innocent, nothing she desired to be brought to Viscount Delmont’s attention. Her disguise, the red wig and mask, wouldn’t fool the viscount for long, and her identity was something she couldn’t risk revealing.

For some reason, this mysterious man—the man who had called himself Robert—was bent on protecting her.

Or himself.

About the Author:

Award-winning author Tina Gabrielle is an attorney and former mechanical engineer whose love of reading for pleasure helped her get through years of academia. She often picked up a romance and let her fantasies of knights in shining armor and lords and ladies carry her away. After multi-publishing for a prestigious law journal, she fulfilled her dream of writing fiction. A Spy Unmasked is the first book In The Crown’s Secret Service series. The second book in the series, At The Spy’s Pleasure, is coming in April 2015 from Entangled Publishing. She is also the author of adventurous Regency historical romances, In The Barrister’s Bed, In The Barrister’s Chambers, Lady Of Scandal, and A Perfect Scandal from Kensington Books.

Publisher’s Weekly calls her Regency Barrister’s series, “Well-matched lovers…witty comradely repartee.” Tina’s books have been Barnes & Noble top picks, and her first book, Lady Of Scandal, was nominated as best first historical by Romantic Times Book Reviews.

Website: www.tinagabrielle.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinagabrielle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TinaGabrielle
Blog: http://thevioletfemmes.wordpress.com/

Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

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Shimmy for Me Tour Stop & Giveaway

11/18/2014

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Deanna will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Follow the tour by clicking on tour banner & improve your chances of winning.

BLURB:
Juggling two jobs to keep her belly dance studio afloat keeps Abby Anderson’s mind off her shattered love life—until a reawakened pain sends her into the arms of an anonymous stranger she plucks from the audience of her tribal belly dance show. No names, no strings, no romance. She tells herself it’s a harmless hookup.

Until he turns up at her day job . . .

Derek Collier, the sexy heir to the Collier media dynasty, just landed everything he’s always wanted: the publisher’s seat at the Orange County Herald. Except his first order of business is to sell the newspaper. Reeling from his family’s betrayal, his only comfort is the memory of that mysterious belly dancer and the perfect night they spent together.

He won’t rest until he finds her again.

She’ll lose everything if he does.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:

“It’s only sex,” Abby Anderson said, keeping her focus on the mirror propped on the desk in front of her and the black eyeliner wand in her hand.

In the corner, Melanie flipped through a tattoo magazine. “It’s about time. How you managed to go a whole year is a mystery to me.”

“It’s not like I planned it. It just happened. I’ve been busy.”

Busy working two jobs—three if you counted the belly dance studio that was consuming every spare minute and dollar she had. It didn’t seem possible that so much time had passed since her ex had given her the ultimatum: him or the studio. He didn’t understand how she could leave graduate school and the prospect of a comfortable career to devote herself to what he considered a dead-end business. That’s when she knew he didn’t understand her—and he never would.

Most days, she was too busy to think about her wreck of a love life. Today she could think of little else.

May 1. Seeing the date on the calendar had brought it all back. That last terrible fight. All the awful things he’d said to her. She knew they weren’t true. Pursuing her passion didn’t make her selfish. It didn’t mean she was damaged goods.

She’d find love again. Eventually. But tonight it wasn’t love she was after. She just wanted to think about something besides that brain-dead temp job at the newspaper, the skimpy dance tips she earned at the restaurant, and the studio that sank her deeper into debt every day, even if it was the only thing that could still make her smile.

She wanted to remember how it felt to be touched. To feel lips pressed to hers, hands on her waist, maybe a caress or two. All the belly dance writhing and grinding in the world wouldn’t scratch that itch.

She needed a man.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
DeAnna Cameron writes novels featuring feisty heroines transformed by true love and belly dance—the oldest and most exciting dance form in the world. Her novels have been translated into Japanese, Polish, and Serbian, and her work has been praised for its “deft prose, energetic characters and . . . colorful images” by RT Book Reviews and called “most entertaining” by the Historical Novel Review. Before turning to fiction, DeAnna worked as a journalist, writing and editing for several Southern California newspapers and magazines. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, as well as its Orange County chapter. When she isn’t working on her next novel, she can usually be found at her jeweler’s bench, creating new wire-wrap, bead, and multimedia designs. She lives in Orange County, Calif., with her family.

http://www.DeAnnaCameron.com

http://www.facebook.com/deanna.m.cameron

http://www.twitter.com/deannamcameron

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No Light Tour Stop & Giveaway

11/17/2014

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This post is part of a book blast organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter will be awarded a $20 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Dems have been held captive since before the world was made. They are the darkness only spoken of in whispers. As much as they are hated and feared, those who guard them are even more so. The pariahs of society, they live apart from the rest of the world in a settlement called Ameritat. That is where The Dems Trilogy begins. An unlikely and dangerous love between a human guard and the most feared of all the Dems. It will be the beginning or the ending of everything.

Sarah Mackenzie was never meant to be a guard, never meant to descend into the bowels of the earth, but The Corridor is where she is sent. With little information and even less training, she is thrust into her position as a Dem handler. She walks a thin line between life and death, as she tries to uphold her family honor and unlock the mystery of the Dem’s captivity. The pursuit of truth will drag her deep into a world of corruption, hatred, and greed and she will have to decide where her loyalties lie. With the humans who have mistreated her or the Dem who could destroy them all.

Enjoy an excerpt:

"Dem, can you hear me?" She stepped to the door and gasped.

"Yes, human. I hear you." The Dem pulled open the door and reached for her. "Rule one. Do not disengage the locks when the prisoner is not restrained." His tone was full of dark amusement.

Sarah stared at him with wide eyes, too terrified to move. His fingers circled her arms. He jerked her forward and a choked gasp left her throat, as her toes skimmed the floor before it fell away. Her mind raced, but she forced herself still as he lifted her until they were eye to eye.

"Name?" he demanded.

"Sarah Mackenzie." She swallowed hard. She would be like the ones who had fallen, her remains something to be cleaned from the floor.

"Age?"

She tried not to tense when he brought his face to her neck and inhaled deeply.

"Twenty-two." The lie tried to stick in her throat.

He pulled back and gave her a dark look. "Try again."

"Eighteen," she whispered, tensing when his lips pulled back from his teeth in a shark smile.

"A lie, Sarah? How nice that you are not as innocent as you look."

About the Author:

Writer of cross genre romance, Devi Mara, grew up in rural Missouri. An avid reader and writer, she found inspiration in the people and places around her. The result, a fluid concept of the romance subgenres.

Her debut novel, No Light, was released in January of 2014 and is the first book in the Dems Trilogy. It was followed by her first stand-alone novel, Kingdom Come, in May. The second novel of the Dems Trilogy, Darkness Blooming, was released in August of 2014.

Devi is a lover of coffee and chocolate and partakes in both daily. She lives in Missouri with her family. Including two dogs too human for their own good.

She loves hearing from readers and encourages them to message her on Facebook or contact her on Twitter. She is always open to questions and comments.

Website: www.devimara.com
Blog: devimarawrites.blogspot.com
Twitter: @devimarawrites
Facebook: www.facebook.com/devimarawrites
Buy the book at Amazon

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Aegis Rising Tour Stop & Giveaway

11/13/2014

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn commenter will receive a $40 Amazon GC. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Over a remote northern forest, a small plane carrying five teenage friends flies into a freak storm. Struck by lightning, the aircraft crashes and the passengers find themselves cast into a life-changing adventure.

In a hidden valley, a mysterious people gaze at the stormy sky as a glowing object with fiery wings disappears behind a mountain ridge. The astonishing sight reignites an ancient prophecy foretelling the arrival of five chosen ones destined to become bearers of light against a dark storm gathering on humanity's horizon.

In a distant city, a secretive organization led by a shadowy figure initiates a sequence of cataclysmic events designed to wreak havoc across the planet, beginning with a remote mining site in northern Canada.

As the three worlds collide, unlikely heroes arise. Armed with powers entrusted to them by the ancient prophecy and the resilience of their life-long bond, the five teens take a stand against a malevolent foe.

REVIEW: "Astonishingly imaginative and thoughtful. Aegis Rising sets a festive narrative table and makes the reader eagerly anticipate a sequel." ~ Samuel F. Pickering, Professor Emeritus of English, University of Connecticut & Inspiration for the film Dead Poet's Society ~

Jag placed two fingers on his mentor’s neck and felt a very faint pulse. He slammed his fist against the ground, knowing Tayoka was hardly hanging on.

“Is he still alive?” Tegan murmured.

“Barely.”

Aari looked up at the Osprey. “We need to get him out of here. The plane’s going to turn back soon.”

“Take care of him,” Jag said, an edge to his voice as he stood up.

Tegan caught a look in his eyes and knew something was brewing in his mind. “What are you—”

“Just get him to safety,” he cut her off, turning to look at the plane. Without another word, he started to sprint in the direction of the aircraft. He heard his friends shouting his name but his mind was set and he was not turning back.

About the Author:

S.S.Segran spent a good chunk of her childhood exploring the enchanted forest of a million tales in the mystical land of books. In her early teens, she began crafting intriguing new worlds and conjuring up characters who came alive with the flick of her wand... err... pen. With the publication of Aegis Rising in her senior year of high school, she was surprised by the abundance of time that magically appeared right after graduation. She plans to use this newfound resource to expand the arc of the Aegis Series. Her future plans include studying Cognitive Science at university and helping youths in developing countries realize their potential through the non-profit organization, Aegis League (www.aegisleague.org)

When not devouring a book or writing one, S.S.Segran can be found standing behind the cauldron of life, stirring a potion made up of chores, parkour, gaming, drawing, horseback riding and—having recently jumped off a perfectly fine airplane at fifteen thousand feet – perhaps skydiving.

• website: www.aegisnovel.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aegisnovel
• Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/segranbooks
• Buy the book at Amazon.

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Computer Love Inc:Gestation Tour Stop & Giveaway

11/11/2014

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

After the sudden deaths of two previous Computer Love Inc. CEOs, Marius takes control of the company. Embracing the talents of his godson, John, and his best friend, Zak, he hires the boys to oversee the Companion Services Division. Marius refines his breakthrough technology, the Brain Machine Download, and as a result, creates his double, M2, as the prototype. Together, they ignite the future of Computer Love Inc. by acquiring an elite team of scientists to expand the company’s technological boundaries. Meanwhile, Marius struggles with the government’s demands for a clandestine initiative - the Secret Service Companion. Between the looming government presence and the overwhelming force behind his new team of inventors, can Marius survive the outcome of his own creations?

Enjoy an excerpt:

“So, Marius, I’m pleased, as I’m sure you must be, that the download between you and I went so well.”

The remark was sudden and bewildering.

“Yes, I am also pleased…” Marius paused. “What brings that up, M2? Is there something you feel we need to improve upon?”

“No, actually, I don’t think that at all. In fact, I think the process and aftermath have proven to be extremely fruitful, don’t you?”

“Well, yes… But then, what is it?”

“I just recalled an idea we had, that’s all,” M2 said.

“’We' had an idea?”

“Well, as you know, to say that we think alike would be an understatement.” M2 paused and allowed Marius to have a laugh. “So obviously your knowledge of robotics resides not only within you, but within me as well. I know you’ve thought about it, the possibility to help the company pounce into the next generation. What if, say, we were to make a team of Companions, not unlike myself, created from experts in different fields? For example… We could use that famous technology instructor, the woman from Advance Propulsion Labs who’s won awards for all of those groundbreaking projects they’ve done recently, or even that metal-loving genius who combines materials recovered from asteroids with titanium and such. It would be a team of biorobotic and propulsion brilliance with unlimited potential!”

About the Author:

Kurt and Jessica Hansen reside in northern New Jersey . Kurt has worked in the aerospace electronics industry for over three decades and enjoys the outdoors, writing, and composing music. Kurt is easily recognized with a guitar in his lap, a pencil in his mouth, and a piece of paper in front of him.

Jessica graduated from Montclair State University, summa cum laude, with a B.A. in English. Her favorite pastimes include reading, running and spending time with her family. She can usually be found with a book in one hand and a hazelnut coffee in the other.

The Computer Love Inc. series is a collaborative effort between father and daughter.

Kurt and Jessica Hansen Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kurt-Hansen/e/B00E9ZHCGM/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Website: http://computerloveinc.com/Home.html
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ComputerLoveInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Computer-Love-Inc/396920320362031
Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

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Coming Home To Love Tour Stop & Giveaway

11/9/2014

3 Comments

Katie will be awarding a signed-by-the-author print copy of Book One of the Lakeside Porches series by Katie O’Boyle, Stepping Up To Love (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on side banner to follow the tour.

BLURB:
With his health deteriorating and his spirit dying, Justin Cushman has come home to the Finger Lakes to assist his injured nephew Joel. Sick of accumulating wealth for its own sake, Justin knows that his life is meaningless without a loving relationship and a purpose for his billions. On a whim, he visits Joel’s spa, looking for a massage to relieve his pain. Gianessa Dupioni is a gifted masseuse who starts the boss’s irritable uncle on a journey of health and happiness. Too bad for Justin that Gianessa is devastated by personal losses and strictly focused on rebuilding her career. Justin may be a master strategist in the financial world, but can he persuade Gianessa to let love in?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:
Gianessa stepped aside as he brushed past her. She drew in a deep breath, preparing to take charge, but his scent threw her off—cloves and sandalwood and something she couldn’t identify. Justin Cushman had a force field nearly as strong as hers, and she didn’t like it one bit. His eyes were all over her, appreciating and assessing at the same time. That’s my role—to evaluate his body.

When his gaze fastened on her necklace and one eyebrow rose, she forgot to breathe. Okay, she was out of uniform, she had led a client to a shamefully tiny treatment room and she was wearing outrageously expensive jewelry. Is he making a case to fire me? Nonsense. She was doing him a favor.

Gianessa squared her slender shoulders and tapped her foot in protest.

He met her gaze, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

She blushed. Enough. No more games. She was in charge here, and he needed her finest care.

“You’ve come home to support Joel’s recovery, I assume. Do you—?”

Both eyebrows arched in surprise. “And I assume you are the physical therapist and healer my nephew brought to the Manse to reconceptualize his spa. Aren’t you overqualified as a massage therapist?”

“—know what illness is wasting your body?”

His eyes flashed a warning. “I asked for a massage.”

He’s more vulnerable than I thought. She soothed him with her voice and her smile. “I will give you a massage, but we will talk about your body, Mr. Cushman, if not today, then soon. Joel would expect it, and I’m sure I can help you. I see from your reaction that you’re not in denial about being very ill.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe I’ve lost a little weight.”

“Forty or fifty pounds.”

He looked around the treatment room. “What is this space? Ten by twelve?”

Testing. “Seven by nine. Which is why it’s never scheduled.”

“Yet you’re slender enough to move around the table.” His gaze softened. “And kind enough to go the extra mile for me.”

She admired the way he had shifted his energy, from defensive to open. She relaxed her shoulders and gave him a warm smile.

His gaze penetrated. “You know, Gianessa, I’ve been seen by experts in three countries, but if you can figure out what my doctors haven’t figured out, I’ll be glad to hear it.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Born in the upstate-New York village known as the Birthplace of Women’s Rights, Katie O’Boyle loves the Finger Lakes in every season. She enjoys lunch with friends at charming inns, and she cherishes the lakeside porch as a place for intimate sharing, laughter, and inspiration. To the outside world, she is a tech-savvy college professor. In her soul, she is a passionate author of warm-hearted romance. She is hard at work on book four of the Lakeside Porches romance books and novellas.

Meet Katie O’Boyle:
on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/katie.oboyle.author

on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TompkinsFalls

Buy Link: Amazon

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Shadows of Ghosts Tour Stop & Giveaway

11/7/2014

9 Comments

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BLURB:
Shadows of Ghosts carries readers to Enara, a kingdom at war with itself, where for centuries centaurs have been treated like animals because of their horse-like lower bodies; they've been forced to work as slaves in the southern agricultural provinces, and have been bought and sold like livestock. But a strong abolitionist faction has convinced many that centaurs' human torsos, heads, and intellectual abilities make them humans, who should be liberated from slavery and granted the same rights as any other person.

After four years of being forced to live in a remote village and having to keep his real identity a secret, Cal Lanshire, days away from his thirteenth birthday, is given the best birthday present he can imagine. He is told the war is almost over and he will soon be allowed to return home.

But then an old acquaintance unexpectedly arrives with news that changes everything. Cal's father, the king, has been assassinated.

Suddenly the outcome of the war and the very fate of the kingdom depend upon Cal being able to reach the capital where he will take his father's place.
With only his crafty best friend by his side and an escaped centaur slave to guide him, can Cal make it through an enchanted, hostile wilderness, past the assassins sent to kill him, and back to the capital before it's too late?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
Cal walked on the bridge. With each step he took, he could feel the wooden planks under his feet gently bow from his weight, and he could feel the bridge casually sway like a dance partner each time he moved. The wind that was keeping the mosquitoes away seemed stronger now that he was on the bridge. Somehow he felt both afraid and overwhelmingly calm.

“Hurry up, slowpoke!” Mont shouted.

A beam of sunlight pushed through the clouds, and at the same moment Cal felt the planks disappear from under his feet, he felt himself being thrown to his right. One of the bridge’s rope handrails had suddenly snapped, and this caused the bridge to violently twist to one side. Cal had the strangest sensation that he was flying. He felt as if he was ascending to the sky, not tumbling downward.

The water slapped him, stinging his face, and then quickly engulfed him. He was blinded by the water’s murkiness; he could barely see the filtered light from above. His clothes absorbed the water and made him heavy. He felt as if invisible hands were reaching out in the darkness, grabbing his clothes, pulling him down. He was tempted to relax, to allow himself to sink. But no, he wasn’t ready for the darkness. Cal kicked his legs, bringing himself up toward the light.

When his head broke through the surface of the water, he inhaled and blinked the dampness from his eyes. Ellsben was waving wildly at him and shouting, “Swim! Cal, swim, swim, swim!” Mont was running toward the river, but Ellsben grabbed him by the back of the shirt, stopping him. Mont screamed Cal’s name.

Several long, black snakes slithered into the river. Once the snakes were in the water, Cal could no longer see them, but he knew they were coming toward him. On the other side of the river, behind him, he knew snakes were also slithering into the water.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Stefan Haucke, driven by the desire to learn about other cultures and the need for adventure, has traveled to over twenty nations. He rode a camel near the pyramids in Egypt, swam with sea lions in the waters of the Galapagos Islands, climbed the Great Wall of China, hiked near the Acropolis in Athens, went dog sledding in northern Michigan, and photographed polar bears in Canada.

Along his many travels, Stefan has successfully worked as a deckhand, a shepherd, a dispatcher for an emergency services unit, an electric meter reader, and an office manger. He has also found the time to study the literature and history of ancient Greece, Russia, and the United States, and loves reading folktales, fairytales, and urban legends. He also enjoys astronomy, and on clear nights can be found gazing at the stars and planets with his telescope.

My website:
http://www.stefanhaucke.com/

My GoodReads page:

My Book can be purchased on:

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Clear as Glass Tour Stop & Giveaway

11/5/2014

2 Comments

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BLURB:
Poised to become her overbearing father's right-hand man, Jaye Davis is tired of being a faceless drone, writing software. She’d rather help real people—like the family who owns a struggling glassblowing factory in rural Pennsylvania. While she’s there, she might figure out how to squash the secrets gnawing at her.

Mitchell Blake and his father keep butting heads about expanding Blake Glassware, and now Mitch has to deal with his father's consultant, Jaye. She claims online marketing will boost sales, but Mitch insists broadening their product line will increase revenue. Arguing with this doe-eyed woman makes one thing perfectly clear: she has the power to shatter his safe, lonely life.

Jaye’s got four weeks to save his glassblowing factory, but he detests her marketing plan. She’s got no place to live, but he has an extra bedroom in his house. She’s got secrets, but living with a glassblower who can see right through her would be an enormous mistake…or would it?

Excerpt One:
Her insides kinked. A few minutes ago, she hit him in the nuts and called him a murderous sex maniac. Now, he had very good reason to fire her.

“You must be Mitch Blake.” She angled the flashlight at her chest. The bright light beamed off the ruffled white blouse peeking from the lapels of her blazer. “Your father hired me.”

Mitch’s gaze dropped to her skirt. “I’m supposed to meet someone named Jayson Davis.”

“I’m Jayson, but I’d rather you call me Jaye. Sorry about the confusion. If it’s any consolation, this isn’t the first time someone didn’t expect me. My father was convinced I’d be a boy. He liked the name Jayson too much to change it.” The confession eroded her confidence. Would Mitch be another man she’d never please?

The muscles along his jaw tightened, hard as the cold pavement. “Does my father know you’re a woman?”

“I have no idea. We made arrangements via email. He never asked.” Mitchell Blake was acting like a sexist oaf who thought women didn’t belong in a factory. Jaye gripped the flashlight, tempted to whack him in the nuts again. “Your father said he’d provide a place for me to live during our four-week contract. Could you point me to the hotel?”

“You’re not staying at a hotel.” Mitch’s terse words bounced off the road. “You’re living with me.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Lynn Kellan writes romance about strong men who have a weakness for smart women. She believes men and women aren't that different...we both want to be with someone who will empty the dishwasher. When Lynn isn't writing, she likes to play tennis and golf, but not at the same time.

Visit Lynn's website at: http://LynnKellan.com

Lynn's twitter: https://twitter.com/LynnKellan

Lynn's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LynnKellan.Author?ref=sgm
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Lynn's Google Plus:https://plus.google.com/111286423102544277412/posts

Lynn's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5fHDuRa_Y0bo23Q3r9fICA

Find buy links for Lynn's books at: http://forloveorfunny.com/books

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Denouement Tour & Giveaway

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Critique Groups, Psychics & Found Near Water Giveaway

My Take on Critique Groups
By
Author Katherin Hayton

A Spy Unmasked Tour Stop & Giveaway

Shimmy for Me Tour Stop & Giveaway

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No Light Tour Stop & Giveaway

Aegis Rising Tour Stop & Giveaway

Computer Love Inc:Gestation Tour Stop & Giveaway

Coming Home To Love Tour Stop & Giveaway

Katie will be awarding a signed-by-the-author print copy of Book One of the Lakeside Porches series by Katie O’Boyle, Stepping Up To Love (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on side banner to follow the tour.

Shadows of Ghosts Tour Stop & Giveaway

Clear as Glass Tour Stop & Giveaway

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My Take on Critique Groups By Author Katherin Hayton

Deanna will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Follow the tour by clicking on tour banner & improve your chances of winning.

Katie will be awarding a signed-by-the-author print copy of Book One of the Lakeside Porches series by Katie O’Boyle, Stepping Up To Love (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on side banner to follow the tour.

Paperback

Archives

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My Take on Critique Groups
By
Author Katherin Hayton