Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Finding Gabriel #Book Blitz and #Giveaway!!




Historical Romance
Date Published: eBook - August 27, 2015 / Paperback - September 24, 2015

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Colonel Gabriel de Laurent departed for the war intending to die.

After a decade of bloodstained battlegrounds while fighting in Napoleon's army, Gabriel returns to the streets of Paris a shattered and haunted soul. Plagued by inner demons, he swallows the barrel of his flintlock pistol and pulls the trigger.

But fate has a different plan.

Ariah Larochelle is a survivor. Orphaned at twelve and victim to a devastating crime, she has learned to keep her back to walls and to trust no one. But when she finds a gravely injured soldier washed up on the River Seine, she's moved by compassion. In spite of her reservations, she rescues him from the icy water and brings him into her home.

Now scarred inside and out, Gabriel discovers a kindred spirit in Ariah—and feelings he imagined lost forever reawaken as he observes her strength in the face of adversity. But when Ariah's own lethal secrets unfold, their new love is threatened by ancient ghosts. Can Gabriel and Ariah find hope in the wreckage of their pasts—or will the cycle of history repeat again?

Perfect for fans of Gaelen Foley's Lord of Ice and Judith James's Broken Wing, Finding Gabriel features all the dark romance, searing passion, and historical intrigue of The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables.
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EXCERPT

“Look at me. Look at what you have saved.”

Gabriel released Ariah’s chin and tore away the bandage in a harsh movement. As his eyes bore into her own, pale moonlight fell upon the deformity, illuminating the twisted flesh and grotesque welts. The sight reminded her of a beautiful chateau . . . a stunning fortress situated along the coastline . . . one that had fallen into ruin and neglect. The skin was concave, destroyed, cavernous – a remnant of former glory. And the surrounding features – his burning eyes, the right side of his face, his powerful body – dwarfed the disfigurement with a striking beauty.

“Look at the monster you have created. Look upon my face, Ariah.”

She shivered at the sound of her name; slightly muffled from the injury to his mouth, it slid from his tongue with equal parts venom and hunger. “I was supposed to die that night . . .” The last of his words ended in a choked whisper. His face fell forward in despair until his forehead was pressed against her own. He was impossibly close. And he appeared every gram a flesh-and-blood warrior – coarse and ruthlessly untamed. Sweltering heat radiated from his body and engulfed all five of her senses. She was suffocating. Visions of that long-ago night echoed in her mind until she could perceive nothing else. Ariah gave a shallow cry as she struggled to free herself once more.

“Don’t. Don’t leave me. Please.”




About the Author


Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing dark, poignant romances that challenge the reader's emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.

Imagining dynamic worlds and characters has been Rachel's passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mother would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul.

Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.

Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.


Contact Links



Purchase Links




GIVEAWAY
 $5 Amazon gift card and 3 signed "The Frost of Springtime bookmark


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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

#Book Blast and #Giveaway - Captured

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Author is giving away One (1) autograph copies of Captured, a magnet and a bookmark.



Book Title: Captured 
ASIN: B015DTKUX4 
Publication Date: September 22, 2015 
Genre: Christian Fiction/Romantic Suspense 
Author: Terri Haynes



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FBI agent Will Anderson is working his last human trafficking case before he leaves his painful past. Social activist Savannah Elliott thinks she has escaped hers by helping human trafficking victims regain their freedom. When a case unites them, can they overcome their scars and find love.




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 Terri J. Haynes, a native Baltimorean, is a homeschool mom, writer, prolific knitter, freelance graphic artist and former Army wife (left the Army, not the husband). She loves to read, so much that when she was in elementary school, she masterminded a plan to be locked in a public library armed with only a flashlight to read all the books and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. As she grew, her love for writing grew as she tried her hand at poetry, articles, speeches and fiction. She is storyteller at heart. Her passion is to draw readers in the story world she has created and to bring laughter and joy to their lives. Terri is a 2010 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis contest finalist, and a 2012 semi-finalist. She is also a 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarterfinalist. Her publishing credits include Cup of Comfort for Military Families, Crosswalk.com, the Secret Place Devotional, Urbanfaith.com, Vista Devotional, and Publisher’s Weekly. Terri holds a Bachelor's Degree in Theology, a Master's degree in Theological Studies and a certificate in creative writing and graphic design, meeting the minimal requirements of being a geek. She and her husband pastor a church where she serves as executive pastor and worship leader. Terri lives in Maryland with her three wonderful children and her husband, who often beg her not to kill of their favorite characters.



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Tour hosted by Write Now Literary www.wnlbooktours.com
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Contest ends: October 9, 2015 11:59 pm Open: Internationally Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author Terri J. Haynes and is hosted and managed by Paulette from Write Now Literary Book Tours. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Paulette @ pharperjohnson@gmail.com 

Monday, September 28, 2015

#MondayMotivation

“It is by sitting down to write every morning that one becomes a writer.”
—Gerald Brenan

Friday, September 25, 2015

#Book Tour - I’M LOSING YOU by Chicki Brown



BLURB:

Dr. Vic Stafford has an enviable career, a gorgeous wife, and two handsome, well-behaved sons. He travels extensively without his family, but after twelve years of marriage, former beauty queen wife, Ramona has become cold and distant. He suspects all isn’t as it seems and sets out to discover what is behind her attitude change.

Ramona Stafford has lived a privileged life since her marriage to Vic. She spends her time doing charity work and making her husband, who is now the chief of surgery at the largest hospital in the south, look good. Mona has everything most women would kill for, but it’s not enough. She wants more, and Vic seems unable to give it to her.



PURCHASE LINK:




EXCERPT:


A few days later, Vic sat behind his desk engrossed in preparing for a meeting with the staff surgeons when Marv knocked on his door.
“Have you seen this?” he asked, holding a magazine.
He looked up. “No. What is it?”
“This month’s issue of Jezebel.”
“Not exactly my preferred reading, man, but Mona reads it sometimes.”
“I don’t think she’s anxious to show you this issue.”
Vic removed his glasses and closed the file he was reading. “Why?”
Marv crossed the office and put the open magazine atop the folder in the center of the desk. “Do you know this guy?”
He glanced down at the picture of a tall, dark-skinned man with his arm around Mona’s waist. In another shot, the man, who appeared to be in his twenties, was leaning against her so their shoulders touched, and he appeared to be whispering in her ear. Vic studied the photos, and it took a few moments for him to come up with a response. After he swallowed and took a deep breath, he closed the magazine and slid it back toward his friend as though he wasn’t in the least bit curious. “Nah, never seen him before, but Mona knows a lot of people I don’t, because she goes to so many of these events.” He gritted his teeth and kept his expression blank.
Who the hell is this guy with his hands on my wife? Vic wanted to hit something, but kept his fists balled up beneath the desk. Obviously, Mona and her companion hadn’t posed for these shots. The photographer had captured them unaware for these candid moments. He gritted his teeth and smiled at his friend and colleague. “I’ll need to swing by the store on the way home and pick up a copy for her.”
Marv picked up the magazine and frowned as though Vic had sprouted a third eye. “Okay, I’m headed out for lunch. Can you afford to leave for an hour?”


****Chicki Brown will gift an electronic copy of this book to one person who leaves a comment below. Be sure to include your email address!!!***



AUTHOR CONTACT INFORMATION:


Amazon Central Author Page: http://amzn.to/l2kjXQ 

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

#Book #Review - When Women Become Business Owners

When Women Become Business Owners (A Stepping Into Victory Compilation, #1)When Women Become Business Owners by Tyora Moody
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was fortunate enough to receive this book as a prize during an online event and I am so very thankful that I did! This wonderful book is chock-full of wisdom, information, and inspiration. It was motivational and in many ways a feel-good read. As a woman and an entrepreneur, it was truly a blessing for me to read the words of like-minded women. If you are a business owner, an aspiring business owner, or a dreamer in general, BUY THIS BOOK!! You will not be disappointed!! I have already recommended it to several women and pray that they will grab a copy and be blessed as I was.

Adrienne Thompson
Author of Seven Days of Change (A Flash Devotional)

View all my reviews

Monday, September 21, 2015

#MondayMotivation - #quote

"Even when you have doubts, take that step. Take chances. Mistakes are never a failure--they can be turned into wisdom." 
- Cat Cora

Friday, September 18, 2015

On #Writing





This post is a departure from what you ususally see on this blog. This is not a book tour or promo or writing update. There are no marketing tips or pleas for votes for some contest. This is just me sharing some of my heart as a writer.

I believe that as writers we are blessed to be able to share our creativity with the world, especially in the current publishing environment when any Tom, Rick, and Larry can publish their work simply with the click of a button. But I also believe that with such awesome opportunities come awesome responsibility. As writers, we have a stage. We create stories that often hold the reader captive for hours, days, maybe even weeks as they devour our work. For me, writing is a ministry. It affords me the opportunity to share my beliefs, my faith, my world view. I am able to share what I love about this world and what bothers me about this world. I can entertain, inform, educate, and inspire all at the same time. That is truly mind-boggling to me!

As writers, we can not only create worlds, but we can facilitate the changing of world views. On a good day, we can change someone's life. There is power in words. Words can be persuasive. Words can be damaging. Words can be affirming. But above all, words can be transfomative. Often, I sit and think about the great authors who have paved the way for me and others like me. Especially the great African American authors who told stories that would otherwise have been untold.

Richard Wright

James Baldwin

Zora Neale Hurston

Lorraine Hansberry

They understood the power of words and understood the importance of using that power to tell our stories. They did not shy away from controversy. They were not afraid. They were powerful.

I want to be like them when I grow up. I want what I write to make a difference. I want to use the power of words for good. I shared this sentiment with my oldest daughter one day. I was lamenting, believing that I was wasting ink and not living up to the tremendous responsibility of being a writer, not changing lives or making things any better. She quickly told me that I was doing just that in telling stories of black women--some strong, others less strong--from all walks of life as they dealt with the realities of being black women.

I have never been prouder of myself than I was at that moment. I was never more grateful to God for giving me this gift.

It was then that I came to realize our stories could be told from any perspective as long as they are told. It is especially paramount in a time when people are trying to rewrite and/or delete our history that we, as African Americans, tell our own stories, whether they be stories of love and romance, opulence and drama, the streets, the grime, the south, misery, loathing, whatever! We have to keep telling our stories in our voices.

I have to keep telling my stories in my voice and in my way.

And I will.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

#WriterWednesday - Poetry Collection Cover Reveal

Hello, everyone!! Today I'm sharing the cover I created for my new poetry collection, Poetry from the Soul... for the Soul, Volume II. It has been a fun project because I wrote poetry for years before I ever thought to write a book. Poetry has always helped me deal with the ups and downs of life and has been a healthy way for me to express my emotions. I don't expect this book to break any sales records, but I do look forward to sharing it with my readers.

I plan to release it before this year's end, but have no concrete release date. Like I said, this project has been fun for me and I don't want to make it any less than that. No pressure, no deadlines.

So here it is. It's different and it coincides with the cover for Volume I of the collection. I really like it!



Click on the cover below to download Volume I for FREE!!




Happy Reading!!




Blog Soundtrack (What I listened to as I created this post):


Monday, September 14, 2015

#MondayMotivation

"You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength."
- Marcus Aurelius

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Ashes of Waterloo #Book Blitz and #Giveaway




Historical Fiction
Date Published: August 15, 2015

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April 1815

Rumors of Napoleon’s war plans spread across the French border into the Province of Brabant. The caretaker’s stepdaughter dreads the arrival of Napoleon’s soldiers with good reason...she knows their violent ways only too well. One fateful afternoon, Lisette is left in charge of the empty chateau. During the dark days that follow, a vow of revenge mars her efforts to make new friends and bask in the attentions of a rugged British officer. The three men she cares about face the battle ordeal of Waterloo. While fleeing the catastrophe of war, her every step is fraught with perils, brigands and heartache-

Lisette, a soldier’s daughter with iron will and a kind heart, refuses to surrender to hardship or vile threats... when faced with defeat by the past, she must find a way to protect those she holds dear and win a most precious victory.

Excerpt

The caretaker’s daily chore of inspecting the abandoned chateau fell to Lisette whenever her stepfather was absent.
Once this task was done, a few hours were hers to spend as she wished; the prospect hurried her from the family cottage with the door key and a workbasket in hand. Skirts held aside, she crossed the wide courtyard under clearing skies, avoiding the puddles strewn in her path.
Chateau Austerlitz, slate roof glistening like a dark mirror after the noonday rain, towered above the estate grounds.
A massive door of oak planks, studded with iron brads in the medieval fashion, guarded the converted fortress above a shallow flight of steps. The rusty lock, stubborn as always, finally yielded; as the door creaked open, dank air rushed past her cheeks. Out of an abundance of caution, she relocked the door from the inside.
Engulfed in a dusty gloom, the cavernous hall held a trove of tapestries, paintings and heraldic shields until the summer previous. Faint outlines on the limestone floors still marked where fine French carpets had resided.
Lisette hastened across the great hall to the stone staircase, pausing now and then to sneeze into her work apron.
Entering the second-floor ballroom, the sound of her footsteps provided ghostly company.
The open space was empty except for a carved trunk mistakenly left behind when the elderly Count Walbourg fled to Vienna; the aristocrat was banished from Brabant when Napoleon was exiled to Elba.
Fond recollections rushed from every corner.
On many a summer’s night, lively music from this grand room drifted across the courtyard to the caretaker’s cottage and into the open windows of Lisette’s attic bedroom.
During winter celebrations, logs blazed behind giant andirons in the two fireplaces. Here, the Austrian nobleman entertained his friends, the fine gilded panels brought from Paris resounding with their gaiety.
Now the salon’s ceiling was freckled with black mold, sad evidence of its changing fortunes.
Loud clattering arose in the courtyard...the sharp echo of horse hooves raced through the empty halls, a sound familiar to Lisette when she was a household servant here.
Was the visitor coming from Genappe? The narrow road past the chateau crossed the Baisy forest and led to Brussels but was seldom used until the drier summer months.
Thoughts in an excited jumble, Lisette rushed down the stairs and crossed the hall while untying her work apron, round wood heels of her shoes clacking on the stone floor.
No one had ever arrived at the estate when she was alone!
This morning after her family sped off to Genappe, she felt capable enough but now her confidence sagged.
Why had she not worn her best skirt instead of the shabby one? Stowing the apron in the basket, she checked her red knit stockings and white cap with trembling fingers.
Lisette carefully turned the large key and, opening the door a few inches, peered outside.
A military helmet, its metal badge gleaming...a soldier!
Sparks lit her memory afire...the French soldiers came to arrest her Irish father for desertion. Jabbing bayonets in every hay-filled corner of the small barn, they found him.
“No one is allowed here,” Lisette said, studying this soldier in the courtyard from behind the safety of the door.
His muddy black boots and splattered greatcoat suggested an arduous journey; tethered beside the steps, his dark bay horse was covered from muzzle to tail with brown road slurry.
Before she could warn the soldier not to come closer, he boldly mounted the steps.
“Bonjour, Miss Lisette.” His helmet perched in the crook of his arm. “I am Corporal Grosbek, serving His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Napoleon. Is Monsieur Pollard at home?”
“What do you want with him?”
How startling to hear their names spoken by a stranger!
“Is not Monsieur Pollard caretaker of this estate?” The soldier’s tone was firm but polite. “He is on a list of possible suppliers for our regiment.”
“He is not here. Good day.”
Grosbek sprang across the threshold, forcing her aside as he said, “May I wait until he returns?”
“My stepfather doesn’t allow strangers in here!”
Ignoring her protest, the corporal loped across the entrance hall to the drawing room like a haughty fox.
Why was he so certain of himself? Alarmed, Lisette edged to the open doorway, poised to run down the front steps.
“I am not a stranger,” he said, returning.
“I don’t know you, so you are a stranger.”
“Monsieur Pollard surely knows our family,” Grosbek replied, “as we have always lived in this parish. In fact, you visited Wavre a few summers ago. We spoke after Mass.”
“I’m very poor at remembering names,” she replied, unable to think of a better excuse while turning the matter over in her thoughts as if scrubbing potatoes.
After bitter arguments with her mother, Lisette was sent away to visit a distant cousin in Wavre for an entire summer.
That was three years ago...however, she recalled fleeing the church hall to escape from a brash young man, a pestering nuisance!
Could this be the same fellow?
“I remember you were rude to me, Miss Lisette, and hurried away as if I was a bore.”
The truth of his accusation stung. “You are mistaken.”
“Well, it was a few years ago.” He shrugged, adding a wry smile. “When does Count Walbourg return?”
“His Excellency resides in Vienna,” she replied, her pride in tatters, “and you may write to him there. However, you should know...since leaving here, he seldom replies.”
Lisette rubbed her fingers, recalling how raw they were after days of packing every candle, pot and kettle of Count Walbourg’s into straw-filled barrels and crates.
“Walbourg is an Austrian and Austria is our enemy,” he said in a gruff voice. “We can take property or anything else from enemies...or their friends.”
What kind of loyalty to a staunch ally was this? She wanted to explain how Count Walbourg received the former Spanish estate as a gift of France and later renamed it in honor of Napoleon’s victory at Austerlitz.
Arguing with the soldier, however, did not seem wise.
“Surely,” he said, eyeing the staircase, “some useful articles were left behind.”
“No, my family watches over an empty house.”
He tapped his boot toe in a rapid drumbeat. “Empty, yes,” he said finally, “and not what I had expected to find.”
While he spoke, she picked up the basket.
Forgoing the search for new dampness in the chateau for the time being, Lisette opened the front door wide and stood beside it, always a hint for a visitor to leave.
Grosbek agreeably followed her outside and looked up at the Latin motto chiseled above the doorway.
While she locked the door, he read the inscription aloud.
“FORTUNA AUDACES IUVAT...what does it mean?”
“I recall it translates as, fortune favors the bold.”
He hiked his chin. “When my unit from Paris arrives in this area, we will be very bold.”
“What town will they inhabit?” Lisette slipped the chateau’s key into her hidden skirt pocket, her mind racing with alarm. “Towns are the best place for billeting troops.”
That hardship must not darken their doorstep; she prayed he did not intend to bring his unit to the chateau.
“I’m not allowed to say.” He frowned. “We’ll forage to supply our regiment, possibly for weeks. I thought we might store supplies here...but it’s too damp.”
The burden of that terrible run-for-your-life feeling eased; her common sense, having flown away in fright, returned.
Relieved to be outside and thinking the soldier was a reasonable man, she sighed inwardly.
After they went down the steps to the courtyard, Corporal Grosbek glanced at his horse.
“I am traveling home from Charleroi.” Pushing aside his greatcoat, he grasped the hilt of the short saber at his waist. “May I water my horse and allow him to graze in your pasture for a while?”



About the Author


Olivia M. Andem lives in Southern California and enjoys speaking to book clubs, library and civic groups about the historic Georgian era that inspired The Hawthorne Diaries saga. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and is an avid reader and researcher of her English and American heritage. Aided by the encouragement of family and support of a Yorkie terrier, Harley-Girl, current projects include works of both romance and historical fiction.



Contact Information



Purchase Links



Giveaway
$5 Amazon Gift Card



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Monday, September 7, 2015

Friday, September 4, 2015

New Release - SEPTEMBER!!!




NOW AVAILABLE!!!!!
Grab your copy today!!


BLURB:
Born to an interracial couple in Arkansas circa 1960, Christina Dandridge’s life was tumultuous from the start with things only growing worse as the years passed. Wrought with abuse and abandonment, Christina’s life is a journey of ups and downs and trials and triumphs.

This is a companion novel to the Been So Long series, chronicling the life of Mona-Lisa’s mother and setting the stage for the dysfunction that plagued the lives of both Mona-Lisa and her sister, Cleo.

(Discussion Questions are included)


EXCERPT:

The summer was almost unbearable. It wasn’t just the stifling, unrelenting heat or the flies that seemed to multiply by the second or the smell of the chicken coop behind the house or the fact that we were made to stay outside all day. It was knowing that the next day would bring more of the same. There was no school to break up the torture of being there and being treated less than human in our parents’ own house. The walk to and from school was long, but I made the most of the fact that it kept me away from the house and away from Uncle Teddy even longer. It kept me off of my knees for hours at a time, staring at a floor whose grooves, cracks, and tiny dirt tracks I’d memorized, while he sat and watched TV in what amounted to me and Kenny’s bedroom. But in the summer, when there was no school, there was nothing to do but try to play outside and try to forget that life could be better, because thinking of life before this—life with Grandma Orene or at Mr. Henry’s house—would only make things worse since it didn’t look like we were ever going to be able to leave this place...


Paperback coming soon...