Month: April 2019

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#Indiebooklist Monday: Week 17

Week 17

Week 17: Nina Walker

Book: Prism

I’m not exactly sure at this point how I met Nina. It was online, that’s about all I remember. However, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that I got a chance to meet her in St. Louis last year for Penned Con and she’s one of the sweetest people! I loved meeting her and her mom, and not only meeting her, but her table just so happened to be right next to mine. Talk about fun! And speaking of fun, if you haven’t read any of her books yet, you’re missing out. Prism is an amazing read! Not even kidding. I never would’ve thought of using colors like this, and so I don’t give anything away, I’ll leave it at that. No spoilers! But you should want to know what I won’t be spoiling, so read it!

Website: https://www.ninawalkerbooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ninawalkerbooks/

What if color held the secrets to powerful magic?

Forced to move into the palace, Jessa begins training as a Color Alchemist under the direction of the kingdom’s most eligible bachelor, Prince Lucas. As an alchemist, Jessa must capture and harness the color of living things. Every color has a unique purpose, except red. Red is the untapped magic no one can access—until Jessa.

Prince Lucas is running out of time. His mother is nearing death and the healing magic isn’t working. When Lucas suspects someone is using alchemy to control her, he sets out to discover the truth, even if it means uncovering Jessa’s secrets in the process.

PRISM is the first full-length installment of this unique young adult romantic fantasy series where a dystopian world with a Victorian flair meets the dynamic magic of color. 

Prism: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074HGYN63/

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Snippet Saturday: April 27

Phoenix Ebook FinalI’ve been failing at remembering to do this on the certain Saturday’s I had listed…so, I’m going to be doing them on whatever Saturday I remember! Or post ahead and schedule when I remember during the week.

This week’s snippet comes from Phoenix Awakened, my newest release! Be on the lookout for snippets of my upcoming pre-order as well.

 

Snippet:

Stepping out of the bathroom, I found Phoenix standing in a nice pair of khakis with a long sleeved button up under a cardigan. In my head, dinner was casual, so I’d changed back into my jeans and shirt from this morning. Embarrassed by my misunderstanding, I stuttered over a plausible excuse for the way I looked while trying to think if I actually packed clothes that would be suitable to match his.

“Sorry, I forgot my clothes out here and wasn’t going to come out here in a towel, no matter how much you’d enjoy it.” I dug through my suitcase, hands shaking as Phoenix took my shoulders and turned me to face him.

“You look beautiful. I don’t mind if you wear that.”

“I look like a slob. Let me change and I’ll be right out.”

“May I kiss you?”

The question popped out of his mouth so fast I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right, but the nonwavering expression that held mine told me for a fact I’d heard correctly. If this was his way of distracting me, he was succeeding. My gaze flew to his lips, remembering our last, and first, kiss.

“I don’t know if that would be a great idea,” I murmured, trying to make my feet back up, but that was useless since a bed stood right behind me. Then again, sidestepping away would be better. There wasn’t a bed in that direction.

Phoenix’s shoulders slumped. “One little kiss.”

“You’re very pushy, you know that don’t you?”

“I do, yes, but persistence is everything.”

Closing my eyes, I sighed. He was persistent, that was for sure, and that was how he was going to win me over. Patience and persistence. And his gentleness and kindness.

Warm lips brushed mine as stiff bristles rubbed against the sensitive skin around my mouth. Unlike last time, there was no burning desire or unbridled passion behind the kiss, only a gentle sweetness that was Phoenix. After a few seconds, he leaned back and I opened my eyes.

“I didn’t say yes.”

“But you didn’t say no.” He grinned. “Next time I’ll wait for an answer.”

mybook.to/PhoenixAwakened

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Travel Thursday: Cooper’s Rock State Park, WV

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West Virginia, USA is one of my favorite states of all time, and I will always consider it home. I lived there for a year and a few days (not even a week), but it made the biggest impact on me. It’s beautiful. Seriously, one of the most beautiful states I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been to quite a few. When they say Wild And Wonderful, they mean it!

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If you’ve read my Series, The Weregal Chronicles, then you already know that this series is set in West Virginia. Cooper’s Rock State Park and areas round about it were the basis for me setting the books in this area. After I moved away, I was missing the state and my friends, so there was no other choice but to set the book there. What better place is there for rogue tiger shifters to hide???

 

WV

This map, taken from the Cooper’s Rock State Forest website, shows exactly where it is. If you see south of Morgantown the city of Fairmont, that’s where I lived. I miss those windy mountain turns and the forests and rock outcroppings beside the road. However, I don’t miss the fact that most West Virginians don’t know how to drive in the snow like I do since I’m from the North.

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SANYO DIGITAL CAMERAA few years ago, I was able to go back to West Virginia on my way to Virginia (yes, they are two separate states), and my best friend, Evie, and I explored Cooper’s Rock and went “Weregal Hunting”. It was awesome! We didn’t find any weregals, but we did find a few areas that they could’ve hidden, and a possible passage to Fairimorr. ;)

 

If you love nature, you don’t want to miss this state forest, especially if you’re passing through. The views are amazing and the rock formations are stunning. You can stare from the top down, which is fun if you aren’t scared of heights as several places don’t have a barrier to keep you from the edge. Staring up at how large those formations are really puts their height into perspective. I can’t wait to go back and visit the area again. If you make it to Cooper’s Rock, keep an eye out for weregals, and let me know if you spot one!SANYO DIGITAL CAMERA

 

Also, it’s a great place for a picnic, but if you plan to do some hiking, make sure to wear long pants, appropriate foot gear, and watch out for snakes in the warmer months. There are several trails to follow, and you can easily spend a full day adventuring. Oh, and don’t forget your camera!

For more information, check out: https://wvstateparks.com/park/coopers-rock-state-forest/

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#Indiebooklist Monday: Week 16

Week 16

Week 16: Melanie Gilbert

Book: Alpha King

Well now, if there’s anything you want to know about Melanie (I mean anything), I’m your person. I know way more about her than most people, considering she’s my sister. So if there’s anything embarrassing or fun you want to know, hit me up! I’d do a “This is how we met” explanation, but that would be awkward, so I’ll leave it that I’m a few minutes older than she is, and yes, I hang it over her head. I also can tell you that she’s an amazing author! Her stories are unique and fun, with twists and turns you don’t see coming. Alpha King is awesome! If you love shifter books and you haven’t read it yet…you need to remedy that quickly. Like, now. Right now. And I’m not just saying that because Melanie probably has something on me. Nope, it’s the truth! Read it!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelanieGilbertAuthor

By the age of nineteen, Ryske thought he’d be long gone from his pack in North Carolina. As an arctic wolf shifter in a pack of red wolves, he’s an outcast. When he finds himself thrown into a portal to another world, he’s in way over his head.

In a world where wolves once roamed with other shifters and mages, he competes to claim the princess’s hand, making him instant enemies with Dirk, a lion shifter. But what choice does Ryske have other than to fight for the princess when a wolf, not a lion, is destined to be crowned Alpha King?

Alpha King: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DV4PZ6Q/

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#Indiebooklist Monday: Week 14

Week 14

Week 13: Heather Hildenbrand

Book: Dirty Blood

Heather and I interacted a little on Facebook over the last few years, but more so last year when we started sprinting together in a Facebook group (that’s basically where you write at the same time to keep one another motivated). We got to meet for the first time in Frankenmuth, MI and I was so excited to meet her! Y’all, she’s so sweet and funny, and just a fun person to be around. When we met up at Penned Con 2018 a group of us chatted for a while when she arrived and it was great. And you guessed it: I had to buy a copy of Dirty Blood! I’d had the ebook on my kindle for forever and one day I felt inclined to read it, and I wasn’t disappointed in the least! It’s completely amazing! Yup, I gained yet another book boyfriend. Don’t worry, you will too!!

Website: http://heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherHildenbrandAuthor/

I killed a girl last night.

I’m not a murderer—but then she wasn’t a normal girl, either. One minute she was a stranger with a chip on her shoulder and the next she was a wolf. Right down to the teeth and claws. There was no stopping her attack, but somehow, I knew exactly what to do when I decided to fight for my life. By the time I stood over her lifeless body, she was human again.

That’s when he showed up.

We’re not going to be friends. I know that. But I don’t think friendship is what he’s after. Not with me.

A complicated relationship is the last thing I need right now. Turns out, everything I was taught is a lie. Now, there are only two things I know for sure. One, werewolves exist. And two, I was born to kill them.

Dirty Blood: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004V08RS2/

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Travel Thursday: Hale, Michigan, USA

I’ve been wanting to add more topics to my blog, and this begins one of those topics! I love to travel, but I don’t get to do a lot of it…yet. While thinking about this topic, I realized there’s so many fun and interesting places that I’ve been that most of my readers have either never heard of or haven’t had a chance to go, so this is me traveling again via the internet! There are also so many other places I want to visit, and if you happen to live in the area I discuss, feel free to comment on the posts! I’m excited to do these, and I hope you get a better flavor of what I’m like.

Today’s Journey: Hale, MI

Map of MI

That little red dot is Hale.

On today’s trip around the world, we’re starting off a little closer to home. My home, to be exact, or rather, the home of my childhood and young adult years. I grew up in a little town in the northeastern lower peninsula named Hale. (For those who may not know, Michigan has two peninsulas, the Lower and Upper.) Both peninsulas are beautiful! What I love most about Hale is that it’s surrounded by forests, lakes, and farms.

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Google maps screenshot of downtown Hale!

Before moving to Madison, WI, I’d lived in a few bigger cities, but nothing prepared me for Madison’s size and living here. It’s honestly a breath of fresh air to go home where life moves a bit slower and you can avoid and weekend traffic by taking the back dirt roads. Seriously, traffic in Michigan moves in two directions on summer and holiday weekends: North on Friday night and South on Sunday. If you want to avoid the rush, go the opposite direction. Once Hale started getting busy, we always took the back roads where we needed to go.

One of my favorite things to do was to walk in my grandpa’s woods. I’d also play with my sisters and cousins in them. We’d get lost, get our feet wet, and give a pint of blood each to Michigan’s state bird: the mosquito. Because of this, I’ve grown to love nature so much. My goal is to eventually own a house out in the middle of the woods. Living in the city is killing me slowly. It’s also why you’ll find that so many of my stories’ settings are rural and in forests. If I could spend my time anywhere, it would be the forest, first and foremost.

If you’re ever in the area and feel like stopping by Hale to check it out, here’s a few things to note:

*You’ll need to purchase a Kocher’s doughnut

*Grab an ice cream cone at The Victorian Cafe

*Attempt to run up all the stares at Iargo Springs (not far out of town and totally worth it)

*While you’re at Iargo, check out Lumberman’s monument just up the road

*Buy some bacon from Alward’s Market

*There are about 60 lakes in the vicinity, so take a swim or go kayaking!

*Visit my dad and sister at Bernard Building Center (Bonus points if you let Tasha design your kitchen/bath)

*Finally, check out the small town restaurants. You won’t want to miss them!

http://www.halemi.com/

http://www.haleyes.org

Hale Downtown

 

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#Indiebooklist Monday: Week 13

Week 13

Week 13: Kelly Martin

Book: Dark & Deadly Things

Maybe it’s my weird sense of humor, but I find it appropriate that Kelly Martin gets to be week 13. Honestly, I think I stalked Kelly Martin before she even knew I existed, and when I finally got to meet in her Roanoke, VA a few years ago, I was kind of freaking out on the inside. You see, one of the things I love most about Kelly is her accent. Love it! And she’s completely amazing! Actually, this past year at the Roanoke Author Invasion, I bought this book from her (come on, how could I pass up buying a signed book from her when her table was two away from mine???). Reading last year wasn’t something that was easy for me to do, but I’ve been slowly hacking away at my to be read pile, and this is near the top because it sounds soooooo good! Just remind me not to read it in the dark…(pun intended)

Website: https://www.kellymartinbooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KellyMartinAuthor/

Since Elise Morgan left her father’s fake reality television show, Dark and Deadly Things, she put the ghost-hunting life behind her, able to comfortably watch from her couch– next to the ghost of her mother.

When the Halloween episode airs live on television, something goes horribly wrong. Four people end up dead, and Elise’s father is the lead suspect in their murders. But Elise knows the truth. She watched the thing that crawled from the darkness. It most certainly wasn’t her father.

Abel Hale was in the house when his family died. He felt the icy chill, heard the scraping of nails along the wall, felt the fear and gleeful anticipation as the entity stalked them. The thing that killed the people he loved was not human. There is only one person who believes him, one person who can help him– Elise, the daughter of the man he blames for his family’s death.

Reality mixes with fantasy as Elise and Abel’s world turns upside down.

Dark & Deadly Things: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYCJC65/