Release Day Blitz and $100 Giveaway: Short Rides by Lorelei James
KING OF HEARTS excerpt
A murder/suicide.
In Sundance, Wyoming.
It was one of the worst scenes Deputy Cam McKay had dealt with. And he’d seen a lot of horrific things over the years. He’d served several rotations in Iraq and witnessed the aftermath of suicide bombers. He’d seen animals used as vessels to hold bombs. He’d been in a caravan that’d hit a string of IEDs, resulting in death and dismemberment of his fellow soldiers. He hadn’t come away from war unscathed—he’d lost most of his left leg, part of his hand, and bore scars, both visible and invisible.
During his time as deputy in Crook County, he’d dealt with deadly car accidents, including a fatality involving his cousin, Luke McKay. He’d broken up domestic disputes where one or both of the parties were drunk, armed, angry, and bleeding. He’d stumbled across a wild horse slaughter.
But this? It was beyond sickening.
The hysterical 911 call from the neighbor who’d discovered the bodies hadn’t prepared him at all for what he’d found at the crime scene.
His stomach roiled as his brain flashed back to the carnage and he fought the urge to throw up.
Again.
But Cam hadn’t been alone in his reaction. Sheriff Shortbull had stumbled outside and heaved over the juniper hedge after his glimpse at the dead couple.
A murder/suicide.
In Sundance, Wyoming.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Maybe it seemed worse because Cam knew the couple. He’d graduated from high school with Jeff Wingate. Cam couldn’t fathom how the mild-mannered insurance salesman could carry out such brutality, especially to his wife. And Angela hadn’t fought back. She’d literally lay down and died.
What a fucking waste.
What a fucking mess.
There’d been no indication of domestic issues. No 911 phone calls in the last year. No history of violence. He’d seen them eating in Dewey’s Delish Dish two weeks ago. They’d acted… happy.
Because the crime scene was beyond their small county’s investigative expertise, they’d had to call in the DCI from Cheyenne. Which meant waiting for the crew to arrive. But neither Cam nor Sheriff Shortbull could stomach waiting inside the house where the bloodbath had occurred.
So they stood outside in the frigid February weather, taking turns warming up in their patrol cars. He and the sheriff were too disturbed to slide into their usual defense mechanism, cracking jokes—which was how most law enforcement officers handled unpleasant aspects of the job—trying to find any bit of humor to escape the horror of the gruesome scene.
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Release Blitz Schedule
4/17/13
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Feed Your Reader Site Launch and Giveaway
Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer has launched a new site aimed at bringing you the best Kindle Ebook Deals and Steals.
Each day on feedyourreader.com you’ll find a new list of available ebook deals (most for under $3).
And of course there will be lots of Featured Freebies too!
To celebrate the launch of the new site she is giving away a Kindle Fire, Amazon Gift Card, or Paypal Cash.
Win a 7″ Kindle Fire (US only)
Or $100 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
Or $100 in Paypal Cash (International)
Giveaway Details
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7″ (US Only), $100 Amazon Gift Card or $100 in Paypal Cash (International).
Ends 5/5/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $100-$159 US.
Bookblast and Giveaway: Sacrifice by Stacey Rourke
Celeste Garrett has finally found a happy balance in her life as the Chosen One, thanks in large part to a certain hunky Irishman. But if there’s any lesson she should heed since receiving her calling it’s that everything can change in the blink of an eye. Soon a terrible new threat, unlike anything she’s ever encountered, causes her to make a gut-wrenching choice that will strip her of someone she holds dear.
As much as she’d like to have a pity party for one, there’s no time for that now because wedding bells are ringing in Gainesboro! In between dress fittings and rehearsal dinners Celeste will have to fend off attacking demons and leering pirates. As if the Dark Army wasn’t scary enough our heroine is faced with the horrifying trauma of attending a bachelorette party with her mom and watching Grams do Jello shots. Is a walk down the aisle even possible for a member of the Garrett family when the Dark Army is out to destroy them? More importantly, will the Dark Army Glee Club sing at the reception?
Raise your glass to the happy couple, and get ready for a wedding…Conduit-style.
A GWR Publicity promotional tour paid for by the
author. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee
is earned when purchases are made via the above links. Rose Petals background is a public domain image courtesy of Виталий Смолыгин.
Upcoming Bookblast and Giveaway: By My Side by Stephanie Witter
Lily Saunders sees her family falling apart. Her father is deserting her, and her mother is drinking more and more. Even sarcasm can’t help Lily. When she thinks her best friend, Andy Green, will help her, she discovers how his blinding jealousy will mess everything up.And then Gabe Green comes back home. She thinks it’ll be like always between them—sarcasms and curses thrown at each other—but she’s mistaken. He’s different, and understands right away the problems she’s trying to keep for herself.
But even if he’s there for her, making her fall hard, they both know it’ll end soon. Because at their age, you can’t expect forever. Right?
Grammar Grouch Talks Editing
To those who know me, it’s no secret that grammar and punctuation mistakes in published works make my eye twitch. I’ve been known to knock my star rating down a peg in a reviews when the mistakes are too numerous. This is an issue I’ve been mulling over for a while now, and a recent article on Self Publishing Daily moved me to discuss it.
The article, *Three Truths on Editing, brings up some excellent points. To paraphrase:
- Do it right: get your manuscript professionally edited if you’re self-publishing.
- Edit before handing it over to a professional: Polish and edit your work so it’s the best it can be before handing it over to an editor.
- Do pay attention to the small stuff: Obviously, the most important concern is an engaging story that keeps readers turning the pages, but even small errors can add up and pull a reader out of the moment.
I’d like to take this a bit further. It’s my belief that all authors need to be capable of semi-professional editing. Does that mean we want a career in editing? Of course not, but there are far-reaching benefits that shouldn’t be ignored.
- Be assured your book is well edited: If you don’t know a comma from a cheese curl, how do you know if the editor you’ve hired (or the editor from the small publisher you’ve signed with) is doing a good job? I speak from experience when I say that not everyone who claims to have editing experience is qualified to edit a manuscript for publishing.
- Save time and money: If you polish and edit before handing it over to the editor you’ve hired, there will be less work to do when you get your manuscript back.
- Look more professional: If you choose to submit your manuscript to an agent or small press for consideration, they’ll be more impressed if you have a great story and it’s already well edited.
- Help fellow authors: You might be rolling your eyes and thinking, “Why should I help someone else for free?” For one, it’s nice to pay it forward and help others traveling the same road, and two, the more you hone your skills, the easier your self-editing skills will flow. I can attest that it’s worth more than gold to find someone with strong editing skills who’s willing to put the hours in to help.
So do yourself a favor, and don’t skimp on editing. You’ll pat yourself on the back later and help some other authors out along the way. Everybody wins—especially your adoring readers!
As a public service in my endeavor to spread literacy around, I answer grammar and punctuation-related questions through a form here on the blog, or you can follow my grammar account on Twitter @MsGrammarGrouch.
Feel free to share your own editing tips and pet peeves.
*You can read the entire article referenced at Self Publishing Daily.
April Kindle Fire or Giftcard #Giveaway!
The winner will have the option of receiving a 7″ Kindle Fire HD (US Only)
Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)
Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors
- I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
- Author Jennifer Laurens
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Giveaway Details
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7″ HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).
Ends 4/30/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $199 US.
Bookblast and #Giveaway: Dragon Wars by Emily Fogle
Dragon Wars by Emily Fogle is an amazing adventure from start to finish. If you love a good fairytale this is the book for you.
Amazing imagery explode from each page of this book.
Danny sadly loses his father in a hit-and-run auto accident and is forced to move to a different town. But his fresh start is a horrible one and Danny desperately wants to find a world he can belong to. One afternoon, after a particularly hard day at school, Danny finds a mysterious box hidden inside his window seat. He soon discovers that the box is his portal to Dorcian, the dragon world. Sadly, the once amazing world is in utter turmoil, and its inhabitants are suffering.
Danny finds the one thing that can bring meaning and happiness back to his heart: saving those that desperately need his help. Together, one boy and six lone dragons, will defeat evil and wage the Dragon Wars. And, in the midst of it all, Danny will discover that even the smallest person can make a huge difference when it matters the most.
Buy the book at Amazon!
The prize pack includes: one tote, 2 jumbo book marks, 2 signed bookmarks, 2
tattoos, 3 pencils, 1 mouse pad, 1 calendar (filled with illustrations
by Robert Immings), 1 pen, 3 magnets, 2 keychains, 1 signed paperback
copy of Dragon Wars, and a $20 Amazon Gift card. Enter the giveaway below.
A GWR Publicity promotional event paid for by Anchor Group Publishing. The giveaway is sponsored by the author.
Review and #Giveaway: IXEOS by Jennings Wright
Today, as part of the blog tour for Jennings Wright’s new YA novel, IXEOS, you can read my review of the first installment of the trilogy. Don’t forget to read about the author and scroll down to enter the giveaway!
Ixeos
The McClellands are enjoying a lazy summer vacation at the beach when they are lured from our world into Ixeos, an alternate Earth. Finding themselves lost in a maze of tunnels under Paris and surrounded by strangers, they discover that they have been brought to Ixeos for one purpose: to take the planet back from humanoid aliens who have claimed it. With the aid of the tunnels and a mysterious man named Landon, the teens travel the world seeking the key that will allow them to free Darian, the long-imprisoned rebel leader. But the aliens aren’t the only problem on Ixeos — the McClellands have to deal with brutal gangs, desperate junkies, and a world without power, where all the technology is owned by the aliens, and where most of the population has been killed or enslaved. The worst part? There’s no way home.
Author Jennings Wright
Born and raised in Florida, Jennings spent her early years reading anything she could get her hands on, when she wasn’t spending time in and on the water. She won a prize in the 6th grade for her science fiction stories.
Jennings attended the University of Tampa, graduating with a B.A. in Political Science, and almost enough credits for B.A.s in both English and History. She attended graduate school at the University of West Florida, studying Psychology. She spent time over the years doing various kinds of business writing, editing, and teaching writing, but mostly having and raising her family, homeschooling her children, owning and running a business with her husband, and starting a non-profit.
Thanks to a crazy idea called NaNoWriMo Jennings got back into creative writing in 2011 and hasn’t stopped since. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, also a business owner and writer, and two children, and travels extensively with her family, and her non-profit in Uganda.
Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/12/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://www.iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Upcoming Book Blast #Giveaway
Join me for the Dragon Wars Book Blast Giveaway
April 3, 2013
#Flashfiction: Emerald Cut
“Emerald Cut”
Black and white.
Sepia.
Dark.
Hurt.
“This will make it better, baby.”
A cool swipe, a sharp prick.
RushRushRushRushRushRush
Colors erupt from my eyes. I blow rainbow kisses from between my lips that skate across the palms of my six or eight . . . or ten hands.
Peacock feathers for hair.
A kaleidoscope dances all around me, prisms of light refracting from his emerald cut eyes.
My ten hands caress his baby-smooth cheeks, stroke his pouty lips.
Falling, falling, away from him.
No!
Gossamer ribbons of every hue, silk and smoke, slip through my grappling fingers . . . taking my emeralds away.
“Shh . . . ride it, baby.”
Murk swallows the rainbows, and I float on soft undulating waves of well-being, enrobed in womb-like bliss. I slip into darkness . . .
Heaviness . . . aching . . . wanting . . .
My eyes open to the stale-smelling room with the dirty mattress.
The guy slumped against the wall is all wrong.
Dark skin, hair. Lids flutter open . . . no emeralds.
“I need to go again.”
“You’ve had enough, sweetheart.”
Not yet. Not yet.
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