Sunday 30 September 2012

Promotion: Born In Flame by Candace Knoebel

Born In Flame
By Candace Knoebel

Red mirrored scales race up my arms as the haze of pain blurs my vision. My bones crack, breaking to realign. I scream. It is then that the realization of my unavoidable fate sinks in; I am of a dying race. I am dragon. 

Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast. Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain. Something wanted out. 

In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy, erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love. With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Thursday 27 September 2012

Promotion: The Sound And The Echoes by Dew Pellucid

The Sound And The Echoes
By Dew Pellucid

Imagine that everyone around you has a mirror image living somewhere else. Your world is like a sound, which produced that other world of echoes. And in this land men are governed by a terrible law--every Echo has to die, if his Sound dies. 

One Sound especially must die. The Prince's Sound. The Fate Sealers and Fortune Tellers will make sure of that! Because after this Sound dies, the Echo Prince will have to die too. 

Now, twelve-year-old Will Cleary is about to discover that he is the Sound the Echoes are hunting. 

And so begins his perilous adventure into a see-through, sparkling world, filled with spying crystal balls, an eerie fortress of castaway children, a hunt for clues in an ancient book of riddles, and a last-chance escape through a frozen gem-studded lake into a secret land that holds the key to placing the Prince on the throne and returning freedom to the Echoes.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Author Interview: Dew Pellucid

Dew Pellucid has written The Sound And The Echoes.


1. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
The Sound and the Echoes” is a high fantasy for middle grade and young adult readers, with 27 magical illustrations. There is a see-through, frozen world beneath ours, where our reflections live. They call themselves the Echoes, and we are the Sounds. And now, twelve-year-old Will Cleary is swept into this realm, to help his Echo find a secret passage that will save the kingdom and Will’s family.

2. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?
I wrote my first short story when I was eight. In elementary school my poems were published in the school paper. In short, literature has been the one subject I was actually good at. So when I grew up, it only made sense that I should lose myself in the realm of storytelling.

3. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
I did in September, 2012, as part of the book launch. I have only a few review copies left, which I’ll be glad to share with anyone who is fascinated by the concept of the story and wants to read the book and write a review. Just contact me at on DewPellucid.com or on GoodReads.

4. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book?
I had a perfect idea of what I wanted on the cover, but since my drawings look more like melted cheese than actual objects, I went exploring until I found the perfect artist. Andy Simmons created the cover and illustrations for the glistening, frozen Echo realm in the middle of a winter storm. It was the perfect inspiration.

5. Which is your favourite cover of all the books you have written?
I have never published under the pen-name, Dew Pellucid before. But even if I had, my answer would be the same. This cover is mesmerizing. I love it!

6. Would you have different book covers for different countries?
Since the Echo realm is as chilling whether you live in Canada or Peru, I see no reason to change the cover. We are all story-lovers in our hearts, regardless of geography.

7. How did you come up with the title for your book?
This is the first time someone asked me this great question. The inspiration for “The Sound and the Echoes” came from the Harry Potter series. Hence, the initial title of my novel was: Will, the Sound, and the Echoes. But Katie Kotchman, at Don Congdon Associates (literary agency), recommended cutting the title.

8. Is there anything you would change about your book? And why?
I did, through years of revisions. But now, six years after starting the novel, it is as real to me as a parallel universe. When readers come back and say the same thing, I feel elated. So how can I change something that already exists? It is no longer print on a page; the Echo realm is real.

9. Do you have a book trailer? And what are your thoughts on book trailers?
I love book trailers. Here’s a chance to impart the spirit of the story through the medium of sound and art. I will create a trailer for “The Sound and the Echoes” in the near future. I see it already: An old man in a watery robe sits in a dark cell, flipping through the pages of an illustrated book, and each page reveals a little of the story.

10. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
I’ve grown to love eBooks once I started reading on my black-white Kindle. The device pages really look like a book. And now I am able to find rare, out-of-print classics, often for free.

11. Are you a self-published / Indie author?
Over 180 literary agents rejected “The Sound and the Echoes” in a period of two years. But I didn’t want to keep the Echo realm locked up in a desk drawer. So I decided to publish on Amazon under my own imprint, Echoland Publications. The book has been so well received by readers, many of which compare the tale to Harry Potter, while saying that this story is completely differently. The fact that readers love the story convinced me to offer the book in paperback and in ePub ebook format as well.

12. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
Just that being a writer is the hardest thing you’ll ever do. But if you can’t help yourself… if you love imagining worlds, turning abstractions into concretes, and living vicariously through your characters in a universe perfectly fashioned to your needs, then you’ll be a writer no matter what anyone else says. But while you’re busy writing, make sure you do a lot of living too. Because, in the end, experience comes from living not imagining. Before you can fashion ideas, you have to fill your mind with thoughts, experiences, life’s wisdom.

13. Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing?
I love to sing and play Irish and Scottish ballads on my guitar.

14. Where can your readers follow you?

Visit DewPellucid.com for all my social networking sites.








Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Promotion: Madison Morgan: When Dogs Blog

Madison Morgan: When Dogs Blog
By Pam Torres

Life is getting way too tricky for eleven-year-old Madison Morgan. She’s not interested in boys, fashion, or the latest gossip, unlike her best friend Paige. Her stepdad, who she knows as Henry, has way too many systems around the house since her Mom died. To top it off, Madison and her new friend Cooper have become the “school project” of a bully named Donald. And all she really wants is a dog to call her own, but all she gets is the parental-brush-off. What is a straight-talking, spunky middle grader going to do? 

Kids from ages nine to twelve years old are sure to get a laugh from Madison Morgan: When Dogs Blog, which tells the heartwarming story of the sometimes tough, frequently funny days of the wise-cracking, dog-loving Madison. When her dad arrives home with a scrawny brown terrier named Lilly, Madison is amazed to find she has an ability to understand dogs, their emotions, and often their pasts. However, her gift also leads her to uncover some extremely harmful activities that are happening in her very own neighborhood. 


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Author Interview: Pam Torres

Pam Torres has written Madison Morgan: When Dogs Blog.

1. What is your name and where do you call home?
My name is Pam Torres and I live in the beautiful Northwest where the best kept secret is that the rainfall is far lower than you'd think. After weeks of no precipitation I'm beginning to curl around the edges. Can't complain too much, though, when temperatures remain in the perfectly-pleasant range. 

2. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say? 
Thanks for asking!  It's a middle grade novel entitled Madison Morgan: When Dogs Blog. In this hilarious middle-grade novel, spunky eleven-year-old Madison discovers her special abilities to communicate with dogs, which lead her to discover some very bad happenings in her neighborhood.

3. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series? 
Yes and yes. Madison Morgan is a trilogy and also part of the bigger Project Madison. The second is due out early 2013 so I'm busy doing edits and revising. There's more adventure, new characters and lots of humor. 

4. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews? 
I am always willing to give books to valid book reviewers that have a blog or column in a publication. Project Madison's success is dependent on the support of many people to actually make a difference.

5. Please tell us more about Project Madison.  
It started with my granddaughter, Kayla, who's loved dogs since she was a baby. Her first love was White Puppy, a fluffy stuffed dog who still holds an important place on her shelf. Then came Tasha, our Samoyed, a dear gentle lady who brought us love and loyalty, she's been gone for several years, but she'll never be forgotten. Kayla has grown into a compassionate animal lover and tween.
So I asked myself: Could I write a book that would appeal to middle grade children that involved dogs?  I didn't want to write the I-want-a-dog story. I wanted to write something that would entertain and bring awareness to the plight of dogs all over the world. The more research I did the more I realized how much I didn't know. I learned that I could have given Tasha and the other dogs in my life a more fulfilling life. I also became aware of all the dogs and animals in the world that need our help. So, Project Madison was born. You can find out more about Project Madison here.

6. Who designed the cover of your book?  How did you come up with the cover? 
The cover was designed and painted by Kayla's great grandmother Carol Allen Anfinsen, my mother. I thought about what I would regret not doing in my life. I began this project as a legacy to leave my children and grandchildren. I figured if I didn't ever finish anything else in my life I would be happy if I had left something for them to treasure. It only seemed natural to include my mother in the project. 
One of the characteristics of my mothers art is her vivid use of color, movement and symbols. The cover represents a dream that Madison has had repeatedly for as long as she can remember. The water embraces Madison and the waves of her hair become the water that separate her from the black dog in the red tub. She is reaching out but can't quite grab hold of the tub as the dog is whisked away. This represents the yearning that leads to her animal connection, a gift that will take time and practice to embrace as her own. 

7. What made you decide to take the self-publishing route?
Time. I wanted to be sure to leave this legacy for my family. I couldn't afford the time it could take to take the traditional route for this project. I have other projects that I am following a more traditional path, but this was important for me to get it out there. Since I am self-publishing I have greater potential to raise money to donate to the causes I choose, like the ACPCA®. Ten percent of all my proceeds are donated to the cause. 

8. What is your favorite film based on a book? 
Hands down, Harry Potter. I think they went above and beyond in staying true to the essence of the book. 

9. What books have made it onto your wish list recently? And why? 
The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex #1) by Caitlin Kittredge I've been on a Steampunk kick and I'm working on my own middle grade steampunk adventure.

10. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format? 
I am usually reading several books at the same time, some on my Kindle, others on my computer, another from the library and several that I've purchased. There isn't a day that goes by that I haven't spent time reading. My frustration is and always has been that I read too slowly. For some reason I don't allow myself to skim over words, they all deserve my full attention, which bogs down my reading speed. Currently on my reading table: The Breakout Novelist by Donald Maas, SCWI magazine,  The Writer's Workout by Christina Katz. 

11. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing? 
Own Your Journey. There is no right way to publish, especially now. What's important is that you stay true to yourself and do what is right for you. If you aren't enjoying the journey, it's time to switch the road. I'm not talking about easy street. When you are truly immersed in what you love, you'll push through anything, climb any obstacle and embrace the unknown, all because if you didn't, you wouldn't be whole. I live so I can write, it is as much a part of me as my brown eyes.

12. Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing? 
When I'm not writing you can find me doing yoga, taking a walk with hubby, playing swords with my grandsons, talking about dogs and baseball with my granddaughter. 

13. Where can your readers follow you?                             

Blog: So I'm Fifty

Facebook page: Project Madison

Goodreads author page: Author Pam Torres

Twitter: @Torrespamela



Pinterest: See My Boards

Madison Morgan Website: www.madisonmorgan11.com   

Besides some great content you can find a free podcast of the first chapter of Madison Morgan:When Dogs Blog!


Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Saturday 22 September 2012

Promotion: Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red
By Kerstin Gier

Gwyneth Shepherd’s sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon—the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the eighteenth century and in contemporary London, they can trust.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Friday 21 September 2012

Promotion: Ameca J And The Legacy Of Menindus by Paul Xavier Jones

Ameca J And The Legacy Of Menindus
By Paul Xavier Jones

Teenage life seems vastly unfair to fourteen year old Ameca or Ameca J, as she prefers to be called always being pressured by her Dad to watch out for her stupid and annoying ten year old sister, Fraya. But when the girls are mysteriously transported by The Spirit to a dangerously different world populated by mediaeval Men, noble Elves, magnificent Dragons, and savage creatures, Ameca s whole perspective has to change and change quickly if they are to escape the clutches of an evil entity known as the Scelestus, who wants them for the magical powers they did not even know they possessed. Their stressed out and overworked father, Paul is summoned by The Spirit to join his daughters in the mythical land of Mythrania, where he learns that they are the One, the Flame and the Flower . They are the heirs to the legendary High Magi, Menindus, who foretold of their coming to save this world and their own...But this is no fairytale; the dark entity known as the Scelestus has a plan to harness the power of the universe and to completely dominate all life...... Can Ameca and her family stop the Scelestus, and prevent a catastrophe that would see the enslavement of countless worlds, as well as the destruction of their own...?

Look out evil...here come the girls.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Author Interview: Paul Xavier Jones

Paul Xavier Jones has written Ameca J And The Legacy Of Menindus.


1. What is your name and where do you call home?
I’m Paul Jones, and I live in the Swansea Valley in South Wales.

2. Do you have a pen name?
Yes, I do, it’s Paul Xavier Jones.

3. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
My most recent book is called “Ameca J and the Rise of the Serpii”.
Intense epic fantasy for those that love “Lord of the Rings,” or “Harry Potter”

4. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
Ameca J and the Rise of the Serpii is the 4th book in the Ameca J Chronicles. I’ll be working on “No Boundaries,” the sequel to another one of my titles, “Boundary Limit,” which is a contemporary science fiction thriller.

5. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?
I was first inspired by my late Grandfather, and I started writing in 2003

6. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
Yes, I do, I believe in letting reviewers judge my work for themselves, so long as they then post reviews for it.

7. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book?
My Ameca J covers are taken from significant events within the stories themselves. The most recent ones have been designed by a lady called Kathey Amaral.

8. Which is your favourite cover of all the books you have written?
That has to be the cover for “Ameca J and the Revenge of Rex-Ultar”

9. Is there anything you would change about your book covers?
Not really, I like them all.

10. Would you have different book covers for different countries?
No, I think they work for all countries.

11. How did you come up with the title for your book?
All the titles for my books are developed when I’m around half way through the story, and I can see the direction its going in.

12. Is there anything you would change about your book? And why?
No, I’m happy with the way they are, and the reviews so far seem to support this.

13. Do you have a book trailer? And what are your thoughts on book trailers?
I don’t have one, but I do think they’re important.

14. What is your opinion of ARCs?
I think they’re a necessary evil.

15. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
I like e-books and paperbacks. Not a big fan of hardcovers, and struggle to keep the concentration to enjoy an audio book.

16. Are you a self-published / Indie author?
I’m both. The Ameca J series is published by Storyteller Publishing, an Indie publisher based in the US, while Boundary Limit is self-published through Createspace for paperback and Amazon for the Kindle version.

17. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
Yes, lots of them. Everything written by David Eddings, Robert E Howard, all the Tarzan books and of course, Lord of the Rings.

18. Have you ever bought a specific edition of a book because of it’s cover? (For example a UK, US or Canadian version)
No, can’t recall ever doing that.

19. Have you ever read a book just based on it’s cover?
No, I follow the adage not to judge a book by its cover.

20. Has the quality of the cover of a book ever put you off of reading it?
No.

21. What is your favourite film based on a book?
That’s easy, the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

22. What is your favourite book genre at the moment?
I’m always torn between Fantasy and Science Fiction, don’t think I could choose one over the other.

23. What books have made it onto your wishlist recently? And why?
None for a long time. I find it difficult to read and write at the same time.

24. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
I’ve recently read “The Relic” on my Kindle.

25. If you could invite any four celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why?
Harrison Ford, because I have enormous respect for what he’s done since Star Wars.
George Lucas, do I need to say any more? Well OK, because he made the greatest film a ten year old boy could ever imagine.
Stephen King, because his is a personal legend and icon.
Tolkien, for the same reasons as Stephen King.

26. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
My advice for other writers – never give up, and learn to develop a thick skin when it comes to criticism of your work. Don’t think I’ve ever been given any advice about writing from other writers.

27. Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing?
Yes, I do. I love Rugby Union, and have season tickets for my regional team, the Ospreys. I also like the cinema.

28. Where can your readers follow you?






Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Integration by Imogen Rose

ISBN: 9780985676612
Publisher: Self / Indie
Pages: 416

Integration is the second book in the Bonfire Academy series.

Second haiku warning:

A boyfriend missing
A lover must pay in blood
A princess must die

Welcome back to Bonfire Academy.

I received Integration by Imogen Rose for review from Allison Potter and Imogen Rose. As with the previous book in the series, Initiation, this book had a great plot line but unfortunately the language used was quite simplistic. To be quite honest, although I enjoyed reading Integration, I feel that Initiation & Integration should have been just one book, as except from Cordelia returning to bonfire Academy as a teaching assistant, there weren’t any drastic changes that really required a separate book. As Integration literally just picked up, word for word, where Initiation left off, and didn’t seem like a separate continuation of the series in its own right, I don’t have a favourite character. I’m not very fond of the cover of Integration, as although the colours within the image match with Initiation’s cover colours, the actual cover image, in my opinion, isn’t inkeeping with the story within & Initiation’s actual cover image.

Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Author Interview: Kat Zhang


Kat Zhang has written What's Left Of Me.

1. What is your name and where do you call home?
I'm Kat Zhang, and I'm from Nashville, TN :)

2. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
My debut book is called WHAT'S LEFT OF ME and here is is in 20 words or fewer: A 15-year-old girl fights to survive in a world where two souls inhabit each body and one must disappear. Whew! 19 words! WHAT'S LEFT OF ME will release on September 18th of this year.

3. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
WHAT'S LEFT OF ME is the first book in a trilogy called The Hybrid Chronicles, so I'm working on Book 2 right now. I always have new ideas for books floating around, so I have a few unrelated works in progress going on, as well.

4. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?
I started dreaming about publishing a book when I was 12 years old, and I started my first (unfinished) novel that same year, so I guess you could say I've been writing novels for eight or nine years now. I was inspired by all the books I read as a kid. I was definitely The Bookworm at school. Once, in elementary school, I heard one teacher say to another about me: "I don't think that kid needs to eat. She just reads!" :P

5. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
Oh, yes, definitely. Not as much anymore, but when I was a kid, I read my favorite books over and over and over again. I can't even name them all, really. Any book I owned I read at least 5 times.

6. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
My best advice is really very simple: keep writing, keep learning, keep trying. It's hard to give broad advice about writing and publishing since the process can be so very different for each person, but I've never heard of anyone going wrong with those three things :) And really, that's the best advice I've been given when it comes to writing, as well. That and the reminder to remember why you write--for me, in the end, I write not because I wanted to be published or to win so-and-so award or to sell so-and-so number of copies, but just because I love the process of creating a story. Remembering that helps me concentrate and stress less :)

7. Where can your readers follow you?

Blog: katacomb.blogspot.com (my main site is: katzhangwriter.com)



Twitter: @KatZhang



Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Monday 17 September 2012

Promotion: Violet Midnight by Lynn Rush

Violet Midnight
By Lynn Rush

Let the Hunt begin…

Blending in with her college co-eds proves difficult for vampire Hunter, Emma Martin, considering the mystical tattoo on her wrist glows whenever Vamps are near. And after three months of silence, the glow is back with a vengeance.

Jake Cunningham witnesses Emma, a violet-eyed beauty, using unimaginable powers to fight off a fanged creature. Finally, after two years of searching, he may have found out what he’s become—a Hunter, like Emma.

Thankful for an ally in the fight against the Vamps, Emma finds hope and comfort in Jake’s arms. As she learns more about her new love’s family and its dark heritage, she may be forced not only to hunt them but to sacrifice her life to save Jake’s soul.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Saturday 15 September 2012

Promotion: Atomic Summer by Elaine D. Walsh

Atomic Summer
By Elaine D. Walsh

THREE friends, TWO secrets, ONE lie, and the summer that changed their lives.

In 1953, three teenage girls’ innocent conversations about what each of them would do if the end of the world were imminent, coupled with a friend’s obsession, become the catalyst for a prank that spins wildly beyond control and draws in an entire town. Left behind in the wake of that summer’s events are their unrealized dreams and open wounds. In 1973, a reunion trip to the small town of their youths returns them to the summer of 1953 and the passion and betrayal that changed their lives.

The world is ripe for destruction in 1953. The Korean War drags on and the Rosenbergs are executed as spies. Senator Joseph McCarthy convinces the country communists are infiltrating the government, and the threat of nuclear war festered in the collective consciousness of the nation. While American’s constructed backyard bomb shelters, the government conducted nuclear tests in the desert. 


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Author Interview: Elaine D. Walsh

Elaine D. Walsh has written Atomic Summer.

1. What is your name and where do you call home?
Elaine D Walsh and home is Florida in the Tampa Bay area where I have lived since graduating college.  Prior to that, I grew up in upstate New York in a town called East Fishkill, which has nothing to do with killing fish.  It is a Dutch name. 

2. Do you have a pen name?
I waited too long to publish, so I want everyone who reads my work to know it’s me who wrote it.  My high school and college classmates who I’ve reconnected with through the years all ask “so have you published”.  They all know me as Elaine, so now when I answer “yes”, there’s no explanation about a pen name.  It’s a lot less complicated for me that way.

3. What is the name of your recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 words or less, what would you say?
Atomic Summer - THREE friends, TWO secrets, ONE lie, and the summer in 1953 that changed their lives.

4. Do you have plans for a new book?  Is this book part of a series?
Atomic Summer is a stand-alone work, so there won’t be a sequel or series.  But I will be publishing my second novel next summer.  It is called Restoration and is written from the point of view of a young woman whose mother abandoned her family to marry a man on death row and the impact this had on her life.

5. What or who inspired you to start writing?  And how long have you been writing?
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing stories.  I wrote Dip Dap The Weather Machine when I was about six.  Years later, my mother asked a family friend who is an artist to illustrate it.  In elementary school when I wrote stories, I received a lot of positive reinforcement from teachers.  During a parent-teacher conference, my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Kuam, told my parents I had a real talent for writing and to encourage me, and that’s what they did. 

6. How did you come up with the title for your book?
The working title was “The Truth About Lies” but it didn’t quite have the punch I was looking for.  As I researched 1953, which is the year the story is set, the word atomic was a word that kept surfacing.  The first atomic bomb was dropped less than a decade earlier, nuclear tests with atomic bombs were conducted in the desert, atomic symbols were hung on fallout shelters and the country was anxious that the communists would send an atomic bomb our way.  I coupled that word with summer because that is when the story takes place.

7. Have you ever read a book just based on it’s cover?
Not just on the cover.  But covers are powerful.  They’re first impressions and are meant to attract readers and say “pick me up and check me out”.  I have certainly picked up many books based on the cover, read the book jacket and have read the book based on that.

8. What is your favorite film based on a book?
Gone With The Wind.  I saw the re-release of the film in the theater when I was a young girl and read my grandmother’s copy of the book a few years later.  I am a fan of both the book and the movie.  I was just in Atlanta and visited the house where the author Margaret Mitchell wrote this classic. 

9. Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading and writing?
I love history and visiting historical sites when I travel.  I enjoy golf and wish I had more time to work on my very mediocre game.  I’m a foodie and red wine enthusiast and love exploring new restaurants where I can enjoy both.

10. Where can readers follow you?






Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Friday 14 September 2012

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

ISBN: 9780983157274
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Pages: 312

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he’s a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she’s more than interested. There’s just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she’s willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not have been an accident at all, she’s not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

I received an ARC copy of Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout for review from Spencer Hill Press, which on the whole, I liked but didn’t exactly love, like I thought I might have. Although I found the plot of Cursed to be a mixture of The Immortals series by Alyson Noel and X-Men, (which I have enjoying reading & watching), the writing style let the book down. Unfortunately, Cursed was written quite simplistically, and at times quite predictably. I didn’t really get attached to any of the characters as such because most of the descriptions within the book didn’t include the characters, or didn’t give much of an insight into their lives & personalities. It felt like more emphasis had been put on describing the scenery in detail, rather than on the characters, their actions & their emotions! I’m not very fond of the cover for Cursed. I feel that cover image of the model representing Ember, should have been the “right way up”, instead of upside down. Ember being laid upside-down probably represents the fact that her lie was turned upside down by the car accident; however, I believe that, Ember being laid back in the grass, upside down, with her eyes closed, could also be construed as her giving up, which isn’t inkeeping with Cursed.

Available at Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk.

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Promotion: Vortex by Julie Cross

Vortex 
By Julie Cross

Vortex by Julie Cross is the second book in the Tempest series.

Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, after an accidental run in with Holly—the girl he altered history to save—Jackson is once again reminded of what he's lost. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents not only find themselves under attack, but Jackson begins to discover that the world around him has changed and someone knows about his erased relationship with Holly, putting both their lives at risk all over again.

Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Promotion: Tempest by Julie Cross

Tempest 
By Julie Cross

The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Promotion: Tomorrow Is Today by Julie Cross


Tomorrow Is Today
By Julie Cross

Tomorrow Is Today by Julie Cross is book 0.5 in the Tempest series.

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, throws lots of parties, is interested in a girl he can’t have, and oh yeah, he can travel back through time.
But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

Read here!

Author Interview: Julie Cross


Tempest, the first book by Julie Cross is out in paperback on 30th August 2012 and the follow up, Vortex, will be out in January 2013. 

1. What is your name and where do you call home?
Julie Cross and I live in a town in Central Illinois, about two hours south of Chicago and thirty minutes from the Indiana border.

2. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
My most recently published book is called Tempest. The short summary is, Nineteen year old, time traveler, Jackson Meyer witnesses his girlfriend's murder and then gets stuck two years in the past.

3. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
Tempest is part of a trilogy. The second installment, Vortex, releases in January 2013.

4. How did you come up with the title for your book?
My editor actually came up with the title Tempest. It has a literal and a more figurative meaning but if I explain the literal meaning it will spoil the book. The figurative meaning is just that Tempest is a strong and violent storm and that's exactly what happens when Jackson is stuck two years in the past and can't get himself back.

5. Do you have a book trailer? And what are your thoughts on book trailers?
There is a book trailer for Tempest and it can easily be found on youtube. There's a few versions for the foreign editions as well. Personally, I love to watch book trailers. I think its a great way to get people interested in a particular book.  


6. What is your opinion on ARCs?
I'm still fascinated with the idea of being able to read a book BEFORE it releases so I love getting ARC in the mail. Makes me feel important. But at the same time, I was okay with not having many arcs out of my second novel, Vortex because I want the plot to be a mystery for those who read the first book and I'd hate for too many spoilers to pop up online.
 
7. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
I love my e-reader. I think it so nice to have. I also love to fill my book shelves with hardcovers as well. 
 
8. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
I've read so many books more than once it's not even funny. I've read all the Harry Potter books at least 10 times each. 
9. Have you ever bought a specific edition of a book because of it’s cover? (For example a UK , US or Canadian version)
I ordered used copies of the Bloomsbury edition of Harry Potter 7 just to have the adult cover with the locket on the front. We don't have that in the US . Then I ended up finding used copies of three other UK version of Harry Potter and I loved reading them with the mums instead of moms and jumper instead of sweater. If a book is set in the UK then I want the full experience. It is still English after all. 

10. What is your favourite film based on a book?
It's not a fulled length book, but I'd have to say the Shawshank Redemption based on the novella/short story by Stephen King. 

11. What is your favourite book genre at the moment?
Young adult. Always.
 
12. What books have made it onto your wishlist recently? And why?
Shades of Earth by Beth Revis. I just love the Across the Universe series and can't wait to see where she's going with the final installment. 

13. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
I'm reading Fair Coin by E.C. Myers and it's a hardcover.
 
14. If you could invite any four celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why?
J.K. Rowling--obviously, I'm a fan.
John Green--Met him at LeakyCon and we chatted for about twenty minutes and he was so cool, I'd love to talk again.
Chris Coffer from Glee--he's an author now and seems like a really cool person and he could dish all the Hollywood gossip and I adore Glee.
Dominique Moceanu--Just finished reading her biography and I'm a huge gymnastics fan and I love her story and was left with many more questions to ask.

15. Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing?
I enjoy working out and running mostly. 
 
16. Where can your readers follow you?






Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!