Book Spotlight: Panic by Lauren Oliver

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Repost: Help the Philippines by purchasing Transcend Time by Michelle Madow

As I'm sure you all know, the Philippines are in devastation due to Super Typhoon Haiyan -- one of the most deadly typhoons in history. The news articles and images found online are heartbreaking. I can't come close to imagining what all of these people are going through with the loss of family members, friends, homes, pets, belongings, etc.

When I first published the Transcend Time Saga a little over two years ago, I was amazed by the support received from readers in the Philippines. In the past two years, I've communicated with so many amazing fans from this region of the world. Their enthusiasm about books and reading is incredible! My friend Rizzel from the Philippines even featured me in Colour Magazine, which she produced:

  

Seeing all the devastation in this wonderful country led me to think about what I could do to help out. Here is what I decided:

Since my connection to the Philippines is through my books, ALL the proceeds from the sales of the Transcend Time Bundle in the month of November will be donated to help those suffering in the Philippines. 

All you have to do to help is to purchase the Transcend Time Bundle on Kindle, Kobo, Nook, or Smashwords. 

Then spread word via Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. linking them to THIS BLOG POST to encourage others to help out, too. Not only are you helping those in the Philippines, but you're also getting the entire Transcend Time Saga. My fans in the Philippines have helped my career by reading, and now I hope to help their country by encouraging reading, too.

Thank you for your help -- let's do all we can to help those in the Philippines.

xoxo,
Michelle

Back to Reading contest by Tiffany Truitt

I am so excited to be stopping by today to announce my “Back to Reading,” contest. Like millions of teachers and students, I will be returning back to the classroom, and I thought this needed to be celebrated with a MAJOR book giveaway….and other fun goodies for all my fellow fans of Young Adult Literature.

What Do You Win: One lucky winner will receive copies of the following books (Only US residents need apply)-

How Do You Win: Simply stop by my website between Aug 23-26 to enter.

More Goodies: And that’s not all. Entangled Publishing and I are excited to announce that from August 23-26 books 1-2 of The Lost Souls Series (Chosen Ones and The Naturals) will be available for Kindle, Nook, and Apple for only 99 cents. That’s right. For less than a dollar, you can join the world of Tess and James before the final book in the trilogy hits store in April 2014.

Need more enticement? Below you will find an excerpt from book three, The Creators.

Somewhere, James was just as trapped as I was.

            I thought of the morning when we lay with each other, curled against one another, never beginning and never ending. How we’d stayed like that till the sun began to rise.

            James had reached down and pulled me off the ground. He wore a satisfied grin on his face. “Someone is mighty proud of himself,” I teased.

            He laughed. It bounced through the forest, calling it awake. Readying it for the day. “I’m just insanely happy.”

            I stood on the tips of my toes and kissed him gently on his scar. “I’m insanely happy too,” I whispered.

            James looked down at me, and I was lost all over again. I would never tire of looking into those mismatched eyes. They didn’t make him different. They made him him. He chuckled as he reached over and pulled a leaf from my tangled hair. “They’ll know just by looking at you that we’ve been up to no good.”

            “No good?” I purred. “I thought it was very, very good.”

            James growled and lifted me into the air. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he pressed his lips hungrily against mine. I moved my hands to his hair, curling my fingers into it, attaching myself to him. I never wanted to let go. Every part of me ached to be touched by him, and every part of me ached to touch him right back.

            “Do you know how much I love you?” he breathed into the base of my neck. His lips fluttered against my skin.

            I nodded, kissing the top of his head. “As much as I love you.”

            James slowly put my feet back on the ground. He cradled my face in his hands. “That will never change. No matter what.”

            I looked deep into his eyes. “I know.” Because I did. It was one of life’s few assurances. I would always love James.

            I pressed my lips once again to his scar. “I adore this scar,” I whispered, unable to hide the smile that seemed etched on my face all morning.

            “You’re enough to drive a man crazy,” he said The tremble of his voice caused my toes to curl. I wanted him again. And again. And again.

            My fingers traced the waist of his pants. “Tonight?” I said, knowing full well it was a promise that I probably wouldn’t be able to keep.

            James grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. “Tonight,” he echoed.

            As the sun climb higher into the sky, I knew our moment was coming to an end. James reached down and placed his hand over my heart. “Thank you,” he said.

            “For what?” I asked, my voice choked with emotion.

            “For everything.”

            As the memory slipped away, I looked back up at the night sky. Praying and hoping that James knew how much I wanted to thank him too.

            For everything.

Coupon in exchange for sharing Winter Queen's release. Pretty good deal, right? :) by Amber Argyle

It's Winter Queen's release day! The journey for this book began years ago--it was actually the fifth book I ever wrote, right after Witch Song.

I've included the first chapter below as well as a coupon as a way of saying thank you for your continued support and friendship.

In exchange, I ask that you share something about Winter Queen on social media (blog, facebook, twitter--the more the better!) on it's book birthday.

Subscribe here for 20% off.

I could also use some more reviews, especially on Amazon (I'd like to see at least 20, and one-liners totally count!). 

The reviews are coming in, and they're overwhelmingly positive!

Amber Argyle

1. Clan Mistress Ilyenna’s horse danced nervously beneath her, the animal’s hooves clicking against the snow-covered stones that coated the land like dragon eggs. Reaching down, she patted her mare’s golden neck. “Easy, Myst. What’s the matter, girl?” “There.” Her father pointed at the base of a forested hillock not fifty paces beyond the road. Ilyenna saw the shadowed form of a large animal. Bratton soundlessly pulled an arrow from his quiver and nocked it. “Bear?” He directed the question at their father. The word stirred currents of tension in Ilyenna’s body. The cold stung her cheeks and formed a vapor no matter how shallowly she breathed. As she glanced up and down the road, her hand gripped the knife belted around her bulky wool coat. “I think it’s a horse,” Bratton finally said. Ilyenna eased her mare forward for a better look. It was a horse—a bay. “Then where is his rider—” The words died in her throat when she spotted a motionless gray lump at the horse’s feet. Without thought, she rammed her heels into her mare’s ribs. “Stop!” her father cried at the same time Bratton called, “Ilyenna!” But the healer in her couldn’t be denied. In three of the horse’s strides, she was in the forest. She pressed herself flush against Myst’s muscular neck. Still, larch trees managed to slap her, leaving the sharp scent of their needles in her hair and clothes. Clumps of snow shook loose from their sagging boughs, falling across her horse’s mane and into her face. Yet Ilyenna barely registered the icy shock. The other horse shied away. Myst tossed her head and balked, but Ilyenna didn’t have time to hesitate. She jumped from the saddle, and her heavy boots sank into drifts up to her thighs. Grateful for her riding leggings, she struggled toward the man, whose face was blue with cold. Her heavy riding skirt spread around her as she knelt beside him. Strangely, even in this frigid weather, he wore no coat. Beneath him, the white snow was stained crimson. An arrow shaft stuck out of his left side, and his mouth was coated with bloody foam. A quick assessment revealed the arrow head had passed completely through his chest, but the shaft was still lodged inside him. Ilyenna couldn’t imagine riding in that kind of pain. Each of the horse’s strides would’ve reopened the wound and spilled more blood. Fear rose in Ilyenna’s gut, and she wondered what had driven this man to ride himself so close to death. The lump rose higher when she recognized the knots in the stranger’s clan belt. “An Argon,” she announced as her brother and her father reined in behind her. Instantly, her mind went to the Argon clan, and her brother’s best friend, Rone. At the mere thought of the boy from her childhood, a hundred memories came unbidden. Memories she wished to banish forever. But over the last six years, that had proven impossible. She bit the inside of her cheek, forcing herself to concentrate as she pulled her sheepskin-lined mittens from her hands and probed the man for additional wounds. “You can’t just run off,” her brother growled as he dropped beside her. “What if his attacker was still here?” Ilyenna kept her expression neutral. Even though she was seventeen, her brother would never see her as anything but a child—one incapable of caring for herself, let alone their clan. Thankfully, the calm sureness that always accompanied her healing steeled her voice. “He’s not breathing well. Get him on your knees.” Despite his obvious annoyance, Bratton quickly obeyed. “Why would an Argon appear in Shyle lands with an arrow in his side?” she murmured as she worked to stop the bleeding. Bratton’s grip tightened around his axe hilt as his gaze probed the forest. “Only Raiders would attack the clans.” Ilyenna suppressed a shudder at the mention of the Raiders, men who survived by pillaging and enslaving those they conquered. “Raiders don’t come this far inland,” her father said. He handed his coat to Ilyenna, who draped it over the man. Her father pointed to the arrow that rose and fell with each of the Argon’s labored breaths. “Besides, I saw a Raider’s arrow as a boy. This isn’t one.” “Then whose arrow is it?” Bratton asked. Ilyenna eyed her brother carefully. There was something odd about his expression, as if he suspected more than he was saying. Her father frowned. “It looks clan made.” Neither Ilyenna nor Bratton had a response for that. It was an impossible thought. The Clans didn’t fight among themselves; they banded together to fight against outsiders. Pressing her ear to the injured man’s chest, she listened to a sound like the gurgling of a gentle stream. She sat back on her heels. “His lungs have filled with blood. He’s drowning.” Even as she said it, the urge to fight against death pulled at her, though she knew all too well how useless fighting it was. All things served the Balance. Life and death were no different. Though Ilyenna’s calling was to battle for life, without death, there would be no birth. Her father bent down and gently shook the man’s shoulder. He moaned softly before settling back to his labored breathing. The death rattle. Her father looked at her questioningly. “Should we take him to the clan house?” She shook her head. “You know he won’t make it.” With grim determination, her father leaned over the man and shook harder. Had something happened to the Argons? To Rone? Ilyenna had to know. She applied pressure where the wounded man’s thumb met his palm. His lids fluttered, revealing the whites of his eyes. She pinched harder. His eyes opened wide. “Who did this to you?” Ilyenna’s father asked. The Argon’s gaze focused on his face. It was clear he didn’t understand. Ilyenna brought her face so close she could smell the blood on his breath. She gently brushed his hair from his forehead. “You’re in Shyle lands.” The man snatched her hand, his icy grip surprisingly strong. “I didn’t fail?” Ilyenna wasn’t sure what he meant, but she shook her head anyway. “No. You didn’t fail.” He guided her hand to his pocket. She reached inside and pulled out a piece of rolled vellum. Her hands shaking, she slid off the leather band and unrolled it. The dying man echoed the words she read, “The Tyrans attacked us during the night . . . Clan Chief Seneth sent me to call for aid.” The man seemed to be fighting to keep his eyes from rolling back. “So much dying . . .” The words strangled from his lungs with his last breath. Death had claimed another. Somewhere, a child filled its lungs for its first squall. Ilyenna handed the vellum to her father, then closed the fallen man’s eyes and rested his hand on his axe hilt. “So passes a warrior,” she said. “So passes an Argon,” her brother and father replied in unison. After gently laying the man’s head back on the snow, Bratton leaned toward her father and read the note with him. A plea for aid that was written in Seneth’s own hand. It affirmed the truthfulness of the dead man’s words. The Tyrans had attacked the Argon clan. Bratton shook his head. “It doesn’t make sense.” Ilyenna couldn’t understand either. Undon, the Tyran clan chief, might be renowned among the clans as a dangerous man with a short temper, but this was far beyond killing a man in a drunken brawl. This treachery made him and his Tyrans even worse than Raiders. She studied her father and brother, like twin images in a mirror. The only real difference was their age. Both men had the clan’s typical blond hair and blue eyes. They even had the same braying laugh. Ilyenna had inherited all of her mother’s foreignness, right down to her dark brown eyes and black hair. Tears pricked the back of her throat. Her mother—the other half of her mirror—was dead, and it was her fault. Her father gently retrieved his coat, then hauled himself into his saddle. Bratton wasn’t far behind. “Hurry, Ilyenna. We’re near the border. It’s not safe.” She heard the warning in her father’s words. If the Argons had been attacked, the Shyle could be next. Even now, the killers could be close. But her eyes stayed fastened to the dead man. One death, one moment, and the peace of decades had been shattered. “We should take his body.” “We’ll come back if we can,” her father said sternly. She squeezed her eyes shut. Her father was right. But the man had died trying to find help. He deserved better than for the wolves to pick him apart. “I’m sorry,” she mouthed, hoping his ghost would hear and understand, that he wouldn’t come for revenge against her family for this insult. “Ilyenna!” Bratton snarled. She turned and shoved her foot into the stirrup, then pulled herself into the saddle. Myst pranced impatiently. Ilyenna leaned low over the mare’s neck to shield herself from the wind that whipped away warmth and breath. This deep into winter, the only passable path to the village was an ancient, snow-packed road that cut through the heart of the Shyle. They galloped along it, only pausing to maneuver through herds of sheep—their dense wool proof of the high mountain’s harsh winters—or to send other men off to warn people living deeper in the canyons and along the mountain bases. Why had the Tyrans attacked the Argons? Ilyenna thought again. What if Rone was already dead? She’d hardly seen more than a passing glance of him in years, but for some reason she feared his death the most. Other Argon faces flashed in her mind—people she’d met over years of feast days and hunts. A growing sense of fear settled over her like a cold, wet blanket. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw their small village, nearly fifty homes built beside the river. Behind Shyleholm, the rolling valley floor gave way to massive mountains. Village lore said the mountains were actually the last of the rock trolls—creatures who had died gripping their legs, their snow-mantled heads and shoulders rising above the tree line. The village houses were made of river stones made shiny from generations of hands. Chimneys on the split-shingle roofs exhaled wisps of smoke, and the acrid scent mingled with the smells of cattle and sheep. The Shyle survive, Ilyenna thought. Whether it be Raiders or border disputes or disease, they survived and would continue to survive long after death had claimed her. The sheepdogs heard the riders first. The dogs ran out of barns and yards, yapping shrilly. Just before the clan house, Ilyenna’s father grabbed the warning bell’s rope and gave it a mighty pull. Men hefted their axes, grabbed their shields, and started running. Women, their blond hair pulled back into tight braids, left their carding and spinning, picked up a child and their skirts, and hurried after the men. With the clang of the bell still ringing in Ilyenna’s ears, her father cried, “On our border we found an Argon near death. He carried a message signed by Clan Chief Seneth’s own hand. The Tyrans attacked them in the night.” The women gasped and the men exchanged hard looks. Ilyenna felt the same apprehension. While individual clans ruled themselves, they followed the verdict of the clan chiefs that made up the Council when conflicts arose between clans. This act by the Tyrans could spark a war. “What is the Shyle’s answer?” her father went on. “Will we allow Clan Chief Undon and his clanmen to kill our closest neighbors and friends—clanmen who’ve provided us succor in hard winters? Clanmen who saved us from the Raider invasion of my boyhood?” Pride swelled in Ilyenna at the sight of her father, still so strong and capable, though well into his middling years. The clan loved him dearly, for he had loved them first, never asking for more than he was willing to give. “No,” came the men’s response. He nodded grimly to her brother. Bratton nodded back. Tradition dictated they both turn to her. “Clan mistress?” Ilyenna felt nearly seven hundred pairs of eyes turn to her. Wishing her great-aunt Enrid hadn’t recently passed the full duties of the clan mistress to her, Ilyenna folded her arms across her middle to keep them from shaking. Her fingertips traced the embroidered knots on her leather clan belt. One knot for herself, one for every member of her family, and one for her clan. Each built upon the one before in a long, sinuous line, with no beginning and no end. Life perfectly balanced. “We will hold the lands until your return.” The saying was more a custom than a reality. The women hadn’t needed to fight for their lands since Ilyenna’s grandmother’s time, when all the men were away at war and a party of Raiders had invaded their valley. But the words still rang true. Each woman carried a knife and knew how to use it. If it came to it, they would fight. And Ilyenna would lead them. Her father hefted his axe, pointing it skyward. “Then the Shyle rides!” With a shout, the men ran to prepare for battle, leaving Ilyenna to give the orders to those who remained, as a proper clan mistress should. She nervously faced the women, children, and crippled men. Every face was tight with fear. Winter was a difficult time for fighting. If the men survived the battle, they still faced hunger and exposure. “Sound it, even if you don’t feel it.” That’s what Ilyenna’s mother had always said. Ilyenna threw her shoulders back. “Clanwomen! Food must be packed, and flint and tinder, and blankets and spare clothing. Boys, saddle the men’s horses. Any extra, load with packsaddles. Girls, go into the woods and find roots, moss, and bark for poultices. Prepare bandages and slings. Dig in the mud around the river to see if you can find some leeches. And keep your knives with you.” She added extra emphasis on the last. “Off with you. Be quick.” The women snatched the youngest children and raced for their homes, while their daughters took to the forests. The boys headed for the barns, their eyes gleaming with excitement. Ilyenna let out a breath of relief and almost managed a smile. Her mother had been right. Sound like a clan mistress, and the clan will treat you like one. Otrok scrambled through the crowd toward her. He was her tiam, in principle little better than a slave, but she treated him like a brother. Dancing from one foot to the next, he said, “Mistress, you want to send the horses?” She leaned down and spoke low, “Bring me two with packsaddles. Give three more to anyone who really needs a horse.” She glanced at Larina Bend, whose family always demanded more than they ever needed, and back at Otrok. He was a smart boy. He’d know what she meant. With a grave nod, he raced toward their barn. Ilyenna turned toward the clan house. It was easily four times the size of any other home in the village. The clan house was a place for feasting and upholding the law, but it was also Ilyenna’s home. She went past the hall’s entrance to the smaller kitchen door. Great-aunt Enrid was hauling supplies from the cellar to the rough wooden table that was older than Ilyenna’s great-grandfather. “The Argon you found, was he someone we knew?” Enrid asked, her expression tight with worry. She was trying to knot a cloth over handfuls of dried meat, but her gnarled fingers weren’t cooperating. Ilyenna gently took the bundle and tied the cloth. “I think I recognized him, but I couldn’t remember his name.” Enrid moved to wrapping loaves of bread in cheesecloth. When they had almost finished, Otrok poked his head through the kitchen door. “Larina give you any trouble?” Ilyenna asked. He came inside. “Some, but I told her you’d already promised the horses to the Hiders and my father.” That would leave her twelve horses in case she had to evacuate. She ruffled his shoulder-length hair. “Good boy.” Otrok moved to help them scoop up armfuls of supplies, haul them outside, and stuff them in the pack saddles. But his face remained troubled. “Ilyenna, I don’t understand,” he finally said. “You told me the clans are like a family, each clan brother to the next. Why would one clan attack another?” How could she explain war to one so young? She shot a pleading look at Enrid. But months ago, her great-aunt had claimed she was too old for clan-mistress duties. She simply nodded toward the boy with her customary “You’re the clan mistress now—you handle it” glance. Holding back a sigh, Ilyenna heaved some rolled blankets onto the back of a saddle and used the straps to tie them on. “Otrok, sometimes people do bad things.” His brow furrowed. He was no more than ten, but his soul often seemed much older. “But why would the Tyrans attack their brothers?” This time, Ilyenna let her sigh escape. She bent next to Otrok and put her hands on his shoulders. “You remember what we talked about . . . with your father.” Otrok’s expression turned wary. She continued carefully, “Sometimes people hurt each other—even people who should be family—and there’s never a good reason for it.” Otrok pursed his lips and nodded. He would understand that all too well. It had taken Ilyenna weeks to nurse him back to health after the last beating his father had given him. She looked up to see Otrok’s older brother run toward her through snow dusted with hearth-fire ash. He wasn’t old enough to trim a beard—not yet old enough to fight, and yet too young to leave behind. She looked past him, searching for the boys’ father. As usual, Dobber was drunk. She’d had him at the beating pole not two weeks past for altering some sheep’s earmarks to look like they were his. Perhaps he’d manage to kill her horse, giving her an excuse to take his other son as her tiam as well. Without a word, she handed Otrok’s older brother the horses’ lead ropes. “Be careful.” He grinned in response and led the horses to a group of boys clustered beside the packhorses. She bit the inside of her cheek. The men might use the boys in the fight, but only if no other choice remained. Ilyenna hoped it never came to that. She felt a strong hand on her shoulder. “Remember, Ilyenna, the Shyle are strong as stone—” “And supple as a sapling,” she finished for her father. Had it really only been a few hours since they’d left the dead Argon? Ilyenna hated the tears that threatened to reveal just how frightened she was. Clan mistresses weren’t supposed to be frightened. “Let me go with you. You’ll need a healer.” He withdrew his hand. “You’re our clan mistress, as was your mother once. Your place is here.” He stepped closer and whispered, “And clan mistresses don’t ask for things they shouldn’t.” It was a soft rebuke, but one that stung anyway. Glad she could blame her reddened face on the cold, she tried to memorize his features, the smell of him—pipe smoke, horses, and leather—and the rough texture of his hands. He mounted Konj. “Send any straggling warriors that come from the outlying homes after us.” Most of the Shyle moved into town for the winter. Only the poor risked the isolation of a harsh winter alone. His eyes searching, Bratton absently nodded his goodbye and took off. Ilyenna could only guess he was going to say goodbye to Lanna. If their budding romance continued, Ilyenna suspected they’d be married by summer. Her father sent the scouts out and motioned for the bulk of the men to follow him. The boys brought up the rear, bringing the packhorses and acting as errand boys and healers. Nearly four hundred of them and not one looked back. In utter silence, Ilyenna and the women watched the Balance leave the village with the men. Men and women were on opposing sides of the Balance. When they came together, they connected both ends of the Balance in a perfect circle. The Link. Now, every male out of boyhood and beneath old age had left. The Balance would be off. Bad things happened when the Balance was off. Ilyenna shook her head. She needed to keep the clan busy, keep their fears buried under a heavy load of work and exhaustion. “You’ve poultices to make, food to prepare, carding and spinning to do.” None of the women seemed to hear her as they stared after their men. “Move to it!” she shouted. That brought a satisfying round of jumps and purposeful strides. As Otrok passed her, Ilyenna caught his arm. “Round up two other boys. Use some of the horses we have left. Take turns watching the road at the mouth of the canyon. If you even think you see a Tyran, ride here and don’t stop for anything.” She hated to ask sentinel duty of one so young that even the men had left him behind. But Otrok’s small size would give him many advantages. If he had to run for it, his horse wouldn’t tire so quickly, and even the clumsiest Shyle boy was quieter than a deer and left fewer tracks. Besides, he was the closest thing to a warrior she had left. Otrok’s big eyes opened wider. He wet his lips with the tip of his tongue and squeaked, “Yes, Clan Mistress.” It was a risk she had to take, for until the men returned, the safety of the Shyle rested in her hands. Copyright © Amber Argyle Starling Publishing, All rights reserved.

Author Update+Promo: Amber Garza

 FRESH MESSAGE from AMBER GARZA:

Hello Friends (and family),

With Christmas coming up I just wanted to let you all know that I have released the Prowl Trilogy as a one-volume special edition book. It contains all three books in the trilogy as well as a bonus short story and bonus scenes. It also has been re-formatted, edited and has a brand new beautiful cover. It came out yesterday in kindle and the paperback will come out on November 23 (Black Friday). This is the perfect present for the teenagers on your list and the price for the paperback is only $15.95, which is half the cost of purchasing all three titles. If you would like to pre-order you can do so on my website - http://www.ambergarza.wordpress.com/ under the tab of purchasing a signed paperback.

Here is the link to Prowl Trilogy on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Prowl-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00A29T3RA/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1352396555&sr=8-6&keywords=prowl+trilogy

Also, don't forget that Dazzle, the first book in my new series is also out! And I would be happy to send you some signed Dazzle bookmarks if you order it for anyone on your Christmas list. Thank you for your continued support!!

Hi! Thanks for stopping by. 
My name is Amber Garza and I LOVE to write. 

           I’ve had a passion for writing since I was a little girl, making books out of notebook paper and staples. As an adult I’ve worked hard to make my dream of being a published a reality. 

           I am currently working on my new YA series – The Delaney’s Gift series. Right now I have it slated as 4 books but it could potentially turn into more…

           The first book is called DAZZLE and will release fall 2012. Here is the blurb below:

     Sixteen-year-old Delaney Scott possesses a special gift. Ever since she was a child, she’s known about her calling and the duty she’s expected to fulfill.

           However, all Delaney wants is to be normal. That’s why she’s drawn to Sam.  He can offer her the life she’s always desired. Only Sam has secrets of his own.

          Secrets that are deadly. Secrets that can change everything.

              Click here to purchase a copy of my young adult Christian thriller: PROWL , click here to read Book 2: ENTICE, or here for book 3: UNVEIL, Also available is my single-title adult suspense novel: ENGRAVED


Happy reading!

Shiver: A bonus short story to the Prowl Trilogy

Click here to download SHIVER for free!

***This is a short teaser story which includes the first two chapters of PROWL*** Mackenzie Smith has been plagued with horrible nightmares since she was a small child. In them there is an evil voice, whispering deadly threats. Only now she is seventeen and the man from her dreams is making appearances while she is awake. Is it just a figment of her imagination or something more sinister?

Release Date: Forgiven Duke by Jamie Carie

The Forgiven Duke by Jamie Carie is now available on bookstores and online stores nationwide. The Forgiven Duke is the 2^nd installment on The Forgotten Castles Series.

Title:The Forgiven Duke
Author: Jamie Carie
Series: The Forgotten Castles Series
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Release Date: July 1, 2012




Book blurb:

Tethered by her impulsive promise to marry Lord John Lemon - the path of least resistance - Alexandria Featherstone sets off toward Iceland in search of her parents with a leaden heart. A glimpse of her guardian, the Duke of St. Easton - the path less traveled by - on Dublin’s shore still haunts her.

Will he come after her? Will he drag her back to London, quelling her mission to rescue her treasure-seeking parents, or might he decide to throw caution to the wind and choose Foy Pour Devoir: “Faith for Duty,” the St. Easton motto. The Featherstone motto Valens et Volens: “Willing and Able,” beats in her heart and thrums through her veins. She will find her parents and find their love, no matter the cost.

The powerful yet wing-clipped Duke of St. Easton has never known the challenge that has become his life since hearing his ward’s name. Alexandria Featherstone will be the life or the death of him. Only time and God’s plan will reveal just how much this man can endure for the prize of love.

Buy now:

Amazon |Barnes and Nobles|Book Depository

Goodreads: Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12934289-the-forgiven-duke
Facebook: facebook.com/ForgottenCastles

About the author:

Jamie Carie writes novels about fierce, passionate women; their dreams; their fears; their triumphs. Her deepest desire is to see her readers find that same passion as they follow their destiny and discover deeper intimacy with Jesus.

She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and three sons.

Website | Blog|Facebook|Goodreads |Twitter

Change of title: Loving Emily by Anne Pfeffer

Hey guys,  as you have remembered I reviewed Anne Pfeffer's book Loving Emily awhile ago..

I even mentioned there that: I agree with another reviewer that the cover, title, and description are actually misleading. This book isn’t just about “Loving Emily”, it’s about coming to an age, loss, family, grief, guilt, and love. This book was so much more, and a truly inspiring and thought-provoking read.
 Read more here...here's the link!!!

So I received an email from the author ...Here's the result:

Any other night, Ryan Mills would have driven his best friend, Michael, to Emily's sweet sixteen party at the Breakers Club. Instead, determined to win over the birthday girl, he goes to the party early and alone, setting off a chain of events that ends with a car accident in which Michael dies.

Ryan blames himself for what happened to Michael. As far as he's concerned, he doesn't deserve to have love or ever be happy again. Then he learns Michael left a secret behind. Ryan feels compelled to take on his friend's unfinished business, and in the process, changes his life forever and becomes a man.

This book was published in October 2011 under the title Loving Emily. In May 2012, it was reissued with its content unchanged as Any Other Night. Many older ratings and reviews remain under the old title. Please put newer ratings and reviews here.

A NOTE ABOUT CONTENT: in this book, some characters use profanity, engage in nonexplicit sexual activity, or take illegal drugs.

Thank you! :)

The new title is Any Other Night. There's a new cover as well, but the content of the book is completely unchanged.
 

Anne did this in response to comments, and her own feeling, that the title Loving Emily and its cover didn't represent the book as well it should. I think and hope that the new cover and title do.

She's keeping alive her listings for Loving Emily on Goodreads and Amazon. All the old reviews and ratings will be there, along with a note to new readers that the title has been changed. There are also new listings for Any Other Night, which should slowly fill up with new reviews.

If you have read the book or would read, you can either:

1. Do nothing

2. Post a notice about the title and cover change (cover is below)

3. Add Any Other Night to your list of reviews and crossreference it back to Loving Emily

4. Keep Loving Emily in your list of reviews but cross reference it to Any Other Night

I think I love the new cover more.. I could finally clearly see Ryan..lol.. and "Any Other Night" majorly represents what the book is all about (I think).. read it too so we could have the same sentiments..:D

What do you think???

leave your thoughts in the comments please

Cover and Title Unveiled +Promo + Free E-Book: Halflings Series by Heather Burch

Title:Guardian (Book #2)

Author: Heather Burch

Series: Halflings Series

Publisher: Zondervan

Expected Release Date: October 9, 2012

Vigilance. The mission to safeguard Nikki Youngblood depends on the fragile alliance of two half-angel, half-human guardians, both struggling with intense feelings for the girl who has been assigned to their care. Mace, steadfast and deeply in love, wants to protect Nikki at all costs, while Raven's loyalty to Nikki finds him advocating for her independence and battling his own darker inclinations. At the same time, Nikki finds it harder and harder to choose between the two heavenly beings she may never have. Dangers intensify, and tensions between Mace and Raven flare as the purpose of their mission becomes clear. Can their defenses hold up to master manipulator Damon Vessler and the powerful secret he holds regarding Nikki's heritage? Can anyone protect Nikki from her true purpose and destiny?
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I like it, though I don't know why.. maybe because it's green, wardrobe change...ahm.. I think the image of the two guys at the background , Mace and Raven, is appealing.. (so this is how the 2 boys look..:D)... and the tagline, They chose to protect her but forget to guard their hearts--- was well thought of, it sounds promising!!!

Title:Avenger (Book #3)

Author: Heather Burch

Series: Halflings Series

Publisher: Zondervan

Expected Release Date: February 2013
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I think I like the original model more...(used to it..:D) Same background with the first two books but I really like the change of colors, outfits and their pose... Something about it says what the story is all about.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments..:)

Cover of the first book

 PROMO

·       Guardian eBook Pre-order Sale:

o   While Guardian won't be available in bookstores until this fall, you can be one of the first to pre-order the eBook for only $3.99! Pre-order today, and Guardian will download to your eReader the day it releases. Click one of the links below to buy now!

·       A Halflings Rescue (FREE eBook): Need your Halflings fix before Guardian releases this fall? Don't worry, we've got you covered! Heather Burch has penned another illustrated short-story that features your favorite Halflings in an action-packed side mission. It's called A Halflings Rescue, and will be available for FREE download later this month. Stay tuned for more news on that later!

Please see link for full announcements: http://halflings.ning.com/profiles/blogs/big-announcements

Author Update: Lauren Oliver- in the Philippines

Poor me, I only know as of today that Ms. Lauren Oliver will be coming here - yep in the Philippines, for Book Signing and Launching of her book "Pandemonium"..
Anyway... Here's your chance to meet, greet and have your books signed by Lauren Oliver! :)

Pinoy fans of Lauren Oliver will be excited to know that she will be coming to the Philippines!  Known as the author behind Before I Fall, and Liesl & Po, Lauren Oliver will be launching Pandemonium, the sequel to her third published book, Delirium. This event is organized by National Bookstore. To know more about the book signing event (pay attention to the fine print), read below:

To add more excitement to her visit, National Bookstore has a contest wherein five (5) lucky fans will be able to get up close and personal with Lauren Oliver.

• The mechanics are pretty simple: e-mail 5 Questions You Would Ask Lauren Oliver to contest@nationalbookstore.com.ph by March 14, 2012 (Wednesday). 

• The 5 lucky fans with the best set of questions will be treated to… get this… a private lunch party with Lauren Oliver on March 25! 

• Winners of the contest will be announced on March 16, Friday. 

• Each winner will get two (2) invites so they get to bring their friend along. 

Isn’t that fun? To keep yourself updated about this event, follow National Bookstore on Facebook and on Twitter. To know more about Lauren Oliver, check out her official website: http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com/

Author Update: Upcoming Titles

Kresley Cole & Cassandra Clare confirmed new upcoming titles!

*First, Kresley Cole signed with Simon & Schuster for a brand new YA series!
About the first book:

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1)

Poison Princess centers on 16-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene, a privileged teenager from Louisiana. When an apocalyptic event decimates her hometown, killing everyone she loves, Evie realizes the hallucinations she'd been having for the past year were actually visions of the future — and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux. As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophecy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of teens have been chosen to re-enact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side …

Kresley announced on facebook yesterday that “the phenomenal cover for POISON PRINCESS (Book 1 in the Arcana Chronicles) will be revealed soon, along with an excerpt!”
Tentative release date: October 2012!

*Second, Cassandra Clare announced a new deal also with Simon & Schuster!
This new deal is for a new trilogy! Spin-off of TMI set in set in 2012 Los Angeles, called The Dark Artifices
 
Tentative release date for the first book = 2015.

Here’s what Cassie had to say to The Washington Post:

“The series follows Emma Carstairs, the fiercest warrior and most skilled young Shadowhunter since Jace Wayland, and Emma’s sworn partner in arms, Julian Blackthorn,” the statement reads. “Despite Emma’s complicated feelings for Julian, the two must band together to investigate a demonic plot that stretches from the warlock-run nightclubs of the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica.”

Clare said in a statement that she was sure readers would love both her new and her established characters.

“I know readers will come to love Emma, Mark, Cristina and Julian just as they have loved Jace, Clary, Will, Tessa and Jem,” she said. “Readers have often asked what will happen in the Shadowhunter world after the events of the ‘Mortal Instruments’ and this series will give them a chance to find out.”