Obsession & Sacrifice Release Day Blitz

Title: Obsession and Sacrifice (Sequel to The Impostor)

Author: Tiffany Carmouche

Expected Release Date: February 11, 2013

Genre: New Adult Suspense Romance

Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Book Description:

Obsession and Sacrifice is the second book in a romantic trilogy about unexpected love

and a woman's fight for survival.

When Nichole wakes up in the hospital room from a coma, she has no memory of who

she is or how she got there. Only the scars on her body reveal some horrific event took

place and she is lucky to be alive…alive…but could she still be in danger?

Her only hope to rediscover her past and avoid a killer's obsession lies in the hands of

two men: sexy Dylan, her boyfriend, who used to captivate her and now prays she will

remember how much they cared for one another, and Bradley, her charming best friend,

who has secretly loved her all along. She feels safe around both men, but to her, they are

strangers. Nicole must decide who to trust, not only with her heart, but with her life.

They are rivals--both men want to win her love. But they are allies as well. The two vow

to give her a second chance at life and both will sacrifice everything to make sure she

survives.

Author Bio:

When Tiffany Carmouché is not writing Romance novels, you can find her sculpting, traveling, teaching, singing, dancing, escaping in music or enjoying her family.

She loves to travel. Sky diving in Alaska, riding camels in Africa, working with orphans in Argentina, dancing salsa in Ecuador, scuba diving in Hawaii, traveling throughout Spain, swimming under the stars in Puerto Rico and walking the cobblestone roads of

Assisi, Italy are a few of her adventures. Her most cherished moments, however, havebeen watching her two beautiful daughters strive to accomplish their dreams.

For many years, she put her passions on hold. She lost sight of who she was and thethings that made her truly happy. She says she felt almost defeated, but now she isrecommitted to savoring experiences both in the novels she writes and in the life she lives

each day. And her secret hope is anyone who is struggling will realize there is a light at

the end of the tunnel and no matter how hard the fight, no matter how many times you

have been knocked down, it is always worth staggering up to your feet and learning to

breathe again.

Links: 

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Facebook ~ Twitter

Blog


Website

Buy the book!

 Amazon ebook 
 Barnes and Noble ebook 
Amazon Paperback

Website

Just for Fun!
 Fan made book trailer
Fan Club 

Another fun Facebook page! 

A Little more about the Author! 


You're invited to a Facebook event! 

A Touch a magic in the new Touching Series Covers!

Touching Smoke and Touching Eternity got a makeover!!!!!!  

Touching Smoke: 

For sixteen-year-old FALLON BRAEDEN being on the run had been the easiest part of her life. Packing up and crossing whole cities on a split second decision had been tedious, having no friends and being alone had been painful, but being caught by the truth was something she learned too late was worse.

Fallon is a weapon. She was created to destroy. Keeping her alive, keeping her safe is all Isaiah knows. It’s all that matters, because Fallon is his. She belongs to him. She is a part of his body, his soul, his heart. He will do anything, kill anyone to keep her, even if it means sacrificing himself.

But can Fallon believe the stranger on the motorcycle claiming he was there to die for her? How do you trust when you have no one but the memories of a girl you’ve never met and a tall, dark, gorgeous boy that you feel pulsing deep in your soul? What do you do when you’ve been lied to your whole life? When you’re told you’re normal even though nothing about you is normal? Fallon must learn quickly just what she is before the evil chasing her finally gets what it wants… her blood.

The world depends on her not falling in love, not giving in. But what happens when the temptation becomes too great, when falling is her only option? Can she live knowing the world will burn because his touch is the only thing keeping her alive?

Touch Passion. Touch Power. Touch Smoke!

Purchase Touching Smoke 

Amazon, ~ Smashwrods , ~ Kobo, ~ Paperback 

Add it on... Goodreads 

Watch the Trailer. 

Read my review HERE. 

Touching Eternity:

Before Fallon was created to destroy. Before love became the ultimate weapon of destruction. There was Amalie and the horror that started a revolution that tore the fabric of humanity, of everything standing in the balance between power, hope and survival.

Amalie has one wish, one gnawing desire — she wants to die. 

She wants to leave this world behind with its pain and darkness. She wants to finally breathe. But Amalie is a prisoner, a disease, not fit for life. She is unwanted, unnatural. She is defective, something useless and broken. Her own mother hadn’t wanted her. Her father hated her. The world shunned her and the only person she had ever loved, truly and with all her heart and soul, couldn’t stand the sight of her, couldn’t stand the thought of ever being with her. She repulsed him. Her insanity disgusted him. He’d forgotten her. He’d left her behind, deserted and abandoned her to a madman hell bent on crushing her, stealing her soul and shattering her will. 

But what if she’s finally given hope? A reason to live? Can Amalie finally accept the hand offering so much for so little in return? Can she love again when she has nothing left to give? 

Can she finally be free?

Purchase Touching Eternity

Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ Kobo  ~ Paperback

Add it on... Goodreads

Watch the Trailer.

Stalk . .. er, Follow Airicka Phoenix Author on

Twitter (@AirickaPhoenix) ~ Facebook ~  GoodRead ~ Pinterest  ~ Author Site 

 ~ Design Page ~ 

(And in case you didn't know, Airicka is the one who created my review chart guide!!!!) 

The Joys of Research. . .Seriously. ~ Guest post with Ryan Hunter

Ryan is taking over my blog for the day! 

Please welcome her! 

Ryan Hunter is the author of inDIVISIBLE, a dystopian that’s being hailed as a modern-day 1984; and Premeditated, a YA suspense. She’s a wife and mother of five. She’s an avid runner, blogger and baker.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Blog

Brynn Aberdie had everything: a loving family, security and an electronic implant that monitored every move.

Brynn had everything but freedom.

When her father’s life is taken Brynn vows to find that freedom, but it’s a task that puts her life at stake. She’s tagged as a terrorist and put on an Alliance kill list, forcing her to leave her home and become the rebel they already believe her to be.

Brynn learns a lesson many in One United have already learned – by failing to protect they’re rights, Citizens have forfeited their lives with little hope to ever recover their own identities.

The Joys of Research. . . .Seriously. by Ryan Hunter

While writing my latest novel, inDIVISIBLE, I decided not to read anything political or read any other dystopians so the world of One United would be unique, uninfluenced, but that doesn’t mean I avoided ALL research.

Researching for novels can come in many forms and for inDIVISIBLE I took the outdoors route, as I usually do. As much of the novel follows Brynn and T through the mountains, we went hiking.

Just south of our home is a hike that would blow your mind, and it’s rich with the same vegetation and landscape that I imagined Brynn and T would be exploring. I waited until after my first draft and then we went, collecting samples of leaves, taking pictures of trees, of the river and even a rattlesnake we found napping. After hiking I was able to make the scenes come alive, introducing more sounds, smells and sights than I would otherwise have included in the finished scenes.

I think that’s what so many books are lacking, the use of all the senses, so when I write I try to be descriptive about smells, sights and sounds, like describing the scent of butterscotch filtering from towering pines.

I’ve done similar research for every book I've written, hiking the canyons where scenes take place, driving the streets of the cities or looking up demographics to make sure I've got the people in the area right.

I even attended court for one of my first novels (written under the name Robyn Heirtzler) to make sure I got the procedure right and the emotions of the judge, defendant and attorneys.

It’s important, as an author, to understand the adrenaline involved, the physical strengths or trials a person is really going through, so I was grateful that I was training for my half-marathon while writing inDIVISIBLE, as one of the characters is a runner. And I’m even grateful that I sprained my right hand just before our hike so I could enjoy it with a painful injury.

Researching by reading books on emotions, locations or personality helps, but experiencing it helps make the story feel real to the reader, especially when we can convey it believably. It can also be a lot of fun.

While working as a journalist (and growing up in an adventurous family) I've had opportunities to do many things that have fed into the emotions of my characters. It’s helped me be more real in my writing, things like driving a Jeep off a cliff, road trips, rock climbing, having a gun pointed at my face by a stranger, training with simulation rounds with local police departments, etc.

Whether it’s experiences intentionally sought out for research or things that just happen, they can lend a feeling of reality to writing like nothing else. They can also create some awesome memories!

Yes, I find a lot of joy in research. 

Tide Ever Rising ~ A Book Review & Giveaway

Just recently I reviewed The Alias by Mandi Tucker Slack.  

Today I am lucky enough to get to review Tide Ever Rising as well! 

.

Title: Tide Ever Rising

Author: Mandi Tucker Slack

Publisher: Cedar Fort 

Pages: 208

Publication Date: February 12th 2013

 Kadence Reynold’s favorite pastime is exploring old ghost towns, but when she and her sister, Maysha, stumble across an old journal and cheap pendant hidden in the depths of a crumbling foundation near Eureka, Utah, their world is suddenly turned upside down. Immediately, strange dreams and premonitions begin to haunt “Kadie” as she learns more about the author of the journal, Charlotte Clark. Kadie sets out on a journey to learn more about Charlotte and her family, and she and Maysha travel to Bremerton, Washington, where they discover Charlotte's still living twin sister, Adelaide and her family.  

  Kadie and Maysha, upon arriving in Washington, are immediately immersed in Adelaide and Charlotte’s story. Kadie soon learns that Charlotte disappeared the night of a tragic fire that took the lives of Adelaide’s entire family. With the help of Logan Mathews, Adelaide’s handsome grandson, and Charlotte’s ever disconcerting presence, Kadie delves into the past. Hoping to solve the mystery of Charlotte’s disappearance, Kadie immediately discovers the secrets contained in the journal will toss her and Adelaide’s family into a world filled with mystery, past regrets, and dark unknowns.

My Review: 

When I began reading Tide Ever Rising I didn't really know what to expect.  On the first page I was slightly bored and unsure of where the story was going.  By the second page I found myself leaning closer to the pages, wanting to know what was going to happen.  Around page five I knew I wasn't going to be putting this book down anytime soon. 

Mandi truly has a talent for writing. She brings her characters to life on the page and leaves you unable to put the book down.  I know this to be true after reading not one, but two of her books. 

Kadie is smart, believable and throughout the book, all I wanted was to be there standing beside her during her adventure! Her sister, Maysha is hilarious, and very alive! Tide Ever Rising was read in one sitting during my lunch break at work.  Yes, I read it that fast I loved it so much! 


Thank you, Mandi, for another fantastic book! 

Links: 

~ Website ~ The Alias on Amazon ~ Tide Ever Rising on Amazon ~ The Alias Book Trailer on Youtube ~ 

The Alias on Goodreads ~ Tide Ever Rising on Goodreads ~ Mandi on Goodreads ~ 

~ Facebook ~ Blog ~ 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ashes and Ice Release Day Blitz

Title: Ashes & Ice

Author: Rochelle Maya Callen

Release Day: February 4th, 2013

Genre: Young Adult

Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Synopsis:

She is desperate to remember.

He is aching to forget.

Together, they are not broken.

But together, one may not survive.

​Jade wakes up with no memory of her past and blood on her hands.

Plagued by wicked thoughts, she searches for answers. Instead, she finds a boy who

doesn't offer her answers, but hope. But sometimes, when nightmares turn into reality and

death follows you everywhere, hope is not enough.

LUST. LOVE. LOSS. Sometimes, all that is left are Ashes and Ice

Autrhor Bio:

Rochelle grew up dreaming up stories. When she entered high school, she tucked away

her creative side and jumped head-first into academics, work, and service projects. She

graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Political Science and Communication when

she was twenty years old. After years away from her writing, Rochelle picked up a pen

and started fleshing out a character sketch that she outlined when she was twelve. That

sketch was the start of the Ashes and Ice story. Rochelle lives in the DC metro area with

her husband and daughter. By day she works as a behavioral therapist. By night, she is a

dreamer and is busy tapping out new stories on her keyboard.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook

Excerpts: 

(Mild Swearing)

Excerpt One: Jade

The girl’s glassy, dead eyes stare into me, through me, pierce me with a fierce

urgency, with a wicked accusation. The blood is still on my hands.

Red hair, blue eyes, a constellation of freckles on pale skin. She was fragile and

innocent, a lovely thing. That is what I think until I see the gashes on her wrists and

throat. With her blood spilling out, she looks delicious. She’s mine. Possessiveness

shocks me, stabs into me. I run, tearing away from a craving I don't understand.

Breathless, I grit my teeth and run harder, faster.

My feet pound against the earth, away from the lifeless body and toward the lights

of the city lingering on the horizon. Rot and death linger in my nostrils. Unscarred skin

stretches taut over my freezing bones. Echoes of an empty memory reverberate in my

mind, taunting me. The ice chases me, clutches me, and bites at my heels, sending shivers

up my spine. The ice wants me back, but I run forward, toward the lights, toward the

heat, toward a world that burns me, because I have no other choice.

The lights are so close. Heat scalds my skin.

Images race through my mind, paralyzing me. I skid to a stop, my boots digging

into the mud. The vision’s blurred edges materialize into solid shapes.

I gasp.

A new horror rakes my insides. Desperation propels me forward; the pictures

nagging at my seams threaten to tear me apart.

Scorching fire licks over my skin. In my vision, I contort like a vile, ugly creature,

eyes as black as decay. My frame hunches over the small, dead girl, like a demon

looming over a defenseless child. Her blood drips from my mouth.

I lick my lips and taste only salty sweat.

I run, desperate to trample the vision under my feet, to crush it deep into the

ground.

I refuse to believe the image, refuse to acknowledge the monster within me

demanding to be unleashed—and the possibility it has already been unbound. An

unrelenting tide of fear washes over me. Past the denial, the fear, and the hope, I think I

can still taste her.

The cold stillness inside me cracks open just as the lights of the city slam into me.

There is a difference between "Not liking a book" and "Not liking a book because you liked a different one more"

Okay, this is a rant post. And I apologize but bare with me  Let's be clear on something, if I don't like a book, I don't review it. Period!  I just don't.  My goal in life is to HELP authors.  So if I read a book, and don't like it, I kindly decline doing a review for it.

Simple as that right?

Well sometimes I do read books I don't like.  And guess what I do about it? Absolutely nothing! I know there are books out there that I am not  going to like! Even books in the genres I like.

And then there are books that I sorta like and I will keep it if I bought it but I don't plan on reviewing it.

AND THEN there are books that I absolutely love!

So, does that mean that I go and bash the book that I only sorta kinda liked? NO!

Okay, to the point that started this rant:

The other day I was having a lovely conversation with my grandma about Cinderella re-tells.  And we were discussing some of our favorites!  And she mentioned this version that was wonderful except for ONE SCENE.  And that is always horrible.  So she told me what the scene was and I was shocked.  This version of Cinderella was supposed to be for little girls, and this scene was not!

And then my grandma mentioned another scene in the book. And something clicked. . . I recognized that scene.  I had read that scene in a book somewhere.  So I get online and I go to Goodreads and look this book up and realize. . . I read that book. . years ago.  Too young to understand the scene clearly but I had read it.

Just to be sure though, I got on Amazon and began reading reviews.  And it was the same book I had read years before, never understanding that one horrible scene.

I soon discovered I love reading reviews. I like seeing what others think of all the books I read.  So I started looking up other books.  And I started with books I love.  The first thing I do? Go to the one star reviews to see what people don't like about my favorite books.

Most of the reviews were silly, and the reviewers didn't like the book for the silliest  (and what I mean by silliest is stupidest!) reasons.

And then it happened. . . I read a review for a book I love. . . and wanted to cry.   The review wasn't "Oh wasn't the book for me blah blah blah. . " It wasn't "Oh this book was horribly written and I hate it. Don't read it!"  And it wasn't "Wish I hadn't wasted my time or money. . . "  Nope.  The review began something like this:

"When I first read this book, I LOVED it. It has a great story and the writing is fantastic.  And then, well then I read (this other book)  and realized that I really don't like this book. Because (this other book) is so much better!!! So don't waste your time, read the other book I mentioned instead."  

Okay, seriously!?!?!?!?!?!?! If you like a book, why must you bash it because you found a book you like more?!?  Why can't you like both books?  Why don't you just NOT review the first book?????  *Smacks forehead to desk repeatedly*

Please tell me I am not the only one that finds this horrible wrong?  Because if I am, I will delete this post and forget it.  But really people, must we bash awesome books?  Must we bash books that aren't awesome?  Why can't we all just agree that not every book is for everyone?

*Bangs forehead on desk some more*

"Authors tagging Authors" Blog Hop

Here is my little introduction: 

My name is Konstanz Silverbow. I started writing at 13 and haven't stopped since.  I just  finished editing my first full novel and am sending it to publishers now! Whohoo! 

I love dragons, fairy tales of most kinds, aside from writing and reading, I love making jewelry, journals, and playing the violin! 

Oh yes, and originlly I answered this questions for my novel, Missing Royal. However, because I just finished, it is no longer my working title.  *Smiles* 

Here are the questions given to me to answer:

What is the working title of your next book? Trapped.

Where did the idea come from for the book? This is a parallel novel to Missing Royal. Technically it is a sequel but I am writing it as a stand-alone.  

What genre does your book fall under? Young Adult Fantasy! 

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition? This is a really tough question. And I am going to get around answering it directly. I don't want any big name actors. If my books become movies, I want to find people who aren't known to play in the movie. Why? Because I want to give others a chance to live their dream. 

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book? Trapped to save his friends, trapped to save his heart.  

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? I am currently querying book one. But I do hope to get traditionally published. 

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript? I just barely started! No literally, not even a week ago. 

What other books would you compare this to within your genre? Trapped is a very fractured version of Snow White.  And because I don't know where it is going yet, I really don't have an answer. 

Who or what inspired you to write this book? Laurel Jefferies, C Michelle Jefferies, Karen Hoover, and Shanna Blythe. 

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest? The Main character was actually a main character in another book.  All my beta readers loved him so much that I gave him his own novel. 

And that is all I have! 

And now I get to tag some authors! Sadly though, I was only able to find one author willing to play along.  

Please say hello to Lizzy Hughes, my awesome best friend! 

You can find her blog HERE! 

A-to-Z April Blogging Challenge 2013 Sign Up List!

The time is here, people!  The Sign-ups for the 2013 A-to-Z April Blogging Challenge is open!!! 

What are you waiting for? Sign up!!!

Oh wait, you have a reason?

Still not sure if you want to participate?  Not sure what I am talking about?  No problem! 

Go HERE to check out the official A to Z blog.  

Go HERE to check out the official A to Z Facebook page.

Go HERE to check out the A to Z page on my blog.  

Don't have the time to Sign up right now?  

No problem! 

There will be a page on my blog so you can sign up any time between now and April first! 

Or

You can sign up on the  Official A to Z blog HERE! 

Or 

You can sign up on any of the team member's blogs! 

(Not sure who they are? Go HERE to meet the team!) 

And now. . .Go Sign up! 

A. . . B. . . C. . . Go! 

Please read instructions before signing up! Once your info is entered, we cannot change it. 

. . . One more thing.  If you have a problem with signing up, or you need to change something,  e-mail us and we will get it fixed for you.  

WAIT! I lied. I'm not done yet. *smiles* I forgot to tell you, this year we have categories!! But don't worry, they are optional.  Here is how it works.  After your blog name, put  one of the abbreviations in parentheses.


1. WRITING : WR
2. BOOKS: BO
3. FILM : FM
4. PHOTOGRAPHY: PH
5. GARDENING: GR
6. CRAFT: CR
7. ART: AR
8. MUSIC: MU
9. CULINARY: CU
10. LIFESTYLE: LI
11. FASHION: FA
12. PERSONAL: PR
13. SOCIAL MEDIA: SO
14. GAMING: GA
15. EDUCATION : ED
16. POLITICS: PO
17. HISTORY: HI
18. SCIENCE: SC
19. HUMOR: HU
20. TRAVEL: TR
21. MISCELLANEOUS: MI
22. ADULT CONTENT: AC

EXAMPLE: Nothought2small (WR)

Again, totally optional. I'm not categorizing my blog because I talk about too many things.  So if you don't want to, you don't have to. (If you have Adult Content on your blog, PLEASE mark it as such. We have a wide  variety of people participating and do not want anyone getting a shock when they visit. Any blogs with adult content that do not mark it as such will be removed. ) 

Only put ONE category.  (Or none) 

You may sign up with just your blog name, and none of the following codes. But please note that once you have decided on a code, you won't have the option to change it. Multiple entries of the same blog will be deleted.

Okay, last time I promise.  NOW go sign up! 

Tis better to take a break, than to break the novel.

As you may know, I have been editing like crazy.  And although I find myself enjoying it (which you can read more about HERE) I may have lost a bit of its magic in the process.

Not because I'm horrible at editing (I'm not the best, but I'm not the worst) but because I am going too fast and missing too much in the process.   Perhaps if I slowed down I might catch just a few more mistakes.

And I realize, I shouldn't be killing myself editing when it should be a fun process. And a recent interview came to mind. .  Just last month I interviewed an author and one of my questions was  What is your definition of "Magic"? 

And Amber Garza's answer was: Taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary.

Where you can find Amber Garza: Blog ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

And I lost sight of this.  Yesterday (Sunday) I had a really rough day and I didn't edit during the day as I had planned. So Sunday evening when I opened up my manuscript, I remembered this and realized that I just gotta slow down.  

I realized that it is better to take a break, than to break the novel. 

And now I am back to happily editing.  

My Favorite Fairy-tale Re-tells #1

I'm not gonna lie, I LOVE Fairy-tales!  There are so many FANTASTIC re-tells of all these wonderful stories!  And not only do I love reading them, I love writing them!  Today I thought just for the heck of it, I am going to share some of my all time FAVORITE Fairy Tale Re-tells!!! So please pull up a seat, relax, and enjoy!

A mix of many stories: 

This category contains books that are a mix of different fairy-tales in the same story. 

(Click on the Title to go to the book on Goodreads) 

My Fair Godmother by Jannette Rallison

My unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Come back next week to see my favorite re-tells of Snow White! 

Emergence ~ A Book Review

Emergence by C. Michelle Jefferies

Book Blurb: 

Assassin Antony Danic has never killed an innocent man. At least, the corporation he works for has never given him a reason to think otherwise--until now. Reeling from a series of demanding assignments, Antony is desperate for some downtime. As he sits on a beach in Tahiti watching his wife play in the ocean, a messenger delivers a death threat. In a matter of seconds, the hunter has become the hunted. While Antony scrambles to find a way out of his "till death do us part" contract, he's faced with the decision of a lifetime: kill another innocent man, or do what's right--even if it puts his family in jeopardy.

My Review: 

Fast paced, heart pounding, sweaty palm action.  This book keeps you on your toes, guessing at every turn.  

Who is good? Who is bad? And who dies next?  

Antony doesn't know who to trust, who to kill, and who to let live.  

This book will keep you reading late into the night, never giving you a break to put it down.  

Warning: Once you start reading, you won't stop until you've reached the end! 

Characters? Incredible, believable. 

Writing? 5 stars alone just for the writing. 

Story? Think James Bond only better! 

Overall rating of Emergence? 

5 Dragons

Links:

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Website