Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Excerpt Blast: The Minaldi Legacy by Courtney Cole

We are extremely excited to be able to share an excerpt from Courtney Cole's new book THE MINALDI LEGACY! THE MINALDI LEGACY is a dark, contemporary romance and will be released on February 6th, 2014!!!

   The Minaldi Legacy Cover   


  THE MINALDI LEGACY Synopsis:

“I’m a monster, Eva. There’s no saving a monster. But I love that you want to try.”

Luca Minaldi is rich, powerful and mesmerizing. He’s also a reclusive enigma. He lives in Malta, a fairy-tale place filled with sunshine and sea, beauty and secrets. And Luca’s darkest of secrets is the best-kept of them all. Eva Talbot moves to Malta to finish her doctoral dissertation in Psychiatry.

 When she meets Luca, there is a very real and instant attraction that she has never felt before. But even still, she senses the darkness that lives within him. Eva is hired to care for Luca’s mother, a woman who suffers from dementia. It is Luca, however, that Eva will eventually risk everything to save… as the legacy that plagues him continues. As the darkness swirls ever more tightly around her, Eva realizes that no matter how hard she tries, she might not be able to save Luca without losing herself. Eva and Luca are thrust into a world where their love is tested and darkness reigns. Amid chaos and treachery, love and hate, Luca and Eva learn one important thing. Love is dangerous. But it also might be the one thing that can save them all. 

********

 The Minaldi Legacy consists of two parts, part one: Of Blood and Bone and part two: Of Darkness and Demons. It contains adult themes and content.  


Minaldi Legacy-Kissing behind fountain



    EXCERPT:
Prologue

Luca is gone.

 I know it before I open my eyes. The weight of his body next to me is absent, the scent of him gone from the air. I sigh, reluctant to begin this day because I know what it holds for me. I know that if Luca is truly gone, I will spend every hour frantically searching for him. 

Gazing around, I find my large suite empty. Everything is neat and tidy and exactly in place. Each lavish piece of furniture is polished with lemon oil, each extravagant painting on the wall carefully dusted. Each expensive vase, each crystal lamp, each woven rug is perfectly aligned and exactly how I left it. Something is different, though, somehow changed in this room that I fell asleep in last night.

 My sleepy eyes do another quick sweep, and this time I notice the balcony doors standing wide open while the bright morning sun streams onto the mahogany floor and the white sheer curtains on either side flutter in the sea breeze.

 This is the difference and it slams into me like a concrete wall. I didn’t fall asleep with those doors open. I would never do that now, not since I know what dangers lurk in the world, the darkness that can find me. Immediately after I notice this inconsistency, I also see that across the room, my bedroom door is tightly closed and the bolt is still slid firmly in place.

 Just as I left it last night.

 My heart stutters as I realize what this means.

 While I slept, Luca must have climbed from my balcony ledge to escape. But the drop is well over thirty feet and there are sharp rocks at the base of the house. There are gardens directly behind, but beyond that, there is a cliff with a hundred foot drop to the sea below. 

I leap naked from bed and rush to the balcony’s edge. My bare breasts press against the cold railing as I peer down at both the gardens and what I can see of the pristine sand beyond that. Luca is not lying broken and bleeding there, so I try to still my racing heart. I search the beaches and craggy landscape on both sides of my periphery and I still do not see him.

 He somehow survived the fall.

 A hundred different things run through my mind, but the one that stands out in the forefront is the image, the possibility, that he managed to drag himself, broken and bleeding, to a different location, somewhere where he is even now waiting for me to help him.

 Because I promised.

 I promised him that I would help him, that I would keep him from the darkness that plagues him, that I would heal him.

  That I would save him. 

I swallow hard and as I do, I realize that my throat is tender from Luca’s hands last night. I know that if I look into a mirror, there will be a bruise in the perfect formation of his long fingers around my neck.

 As I softly touch it, I remember his face from the night before. It was shadowed in the moonlight and like always, he was beautiful. Luca is handsome in a very classic and beautiful way, dark hair and cut cheekbones. His bangs are long and almost hide his magnificent dark eyes until he shakes his hair away. And when he does, the sadness that dwells there is apparent to anyone who knows him.

 But last night, I didn’t need to look into his eyes to see that his darkness had returned. I knew it from the moment he stepped into my room.

 I can always see it. It changes everything about him, even the way he walks and moves. The way he stands. The way he speaks. The way he feels.

 He is an entirely different person when the darkness comes.

 These are the moments that he dreads with every breath when he is himself; the moments when he is no longer Luca.

 In these moments, he is filled with thoughts that are no longer his own.

 He cannot help it, he cannot control it, he cannot stop it.

 But I promised him that I would.

 And I have failed him.

 I scramble to my wardrobe and pull on clothing, choosing a shirt with a collar, hoping to somewhat hide the bruise on my neck. The only other people here at Chessarae are servants, except for Luca’s mother in her lonely wing. But she is locked in so she never comes into the main part of the house. No one will see me but the staff. And they are used to seeing strange things.

 I rush through the house, through the extravagant corridors and over the marble floors, the rich and polished surroundings that I would never have dreamed I would find myself in. I don’t notice it now though. It has faded into an insignificant corner of my mind. All that matters now is Luca.

 I make my way out the back of the house, through the gardens, through the English maze that is perfectly manicured and challenging to maneuver. I manage it with ease, however. I memorized its twists and turns on a happier day.

 The weather is stormy today and the normally cheerful and bright Maltese sky is gray and thunderous. I can feel the electricity in the air, snapping the ends of my long hair with static. This day looks as foreboding as I feel, which I hope is not a sign.

 I search through the maze. I search the beaches as my feet sink into the cool sand. I search the gardens with their exotic and sweet-smelling blooms and then I search the garage. His car, a shiny black Jaguar, is still in its slot and its hood is cool to the touch. Luca has not driven it today. I search the front lawns and the back. And just when I begin to panic, to fear that he has not returned to Chessarae after all, I search the stables. 

As I walk through the heavy wooden doors, the smells of the horses and the hay and the saddle-soap and leather assail my nose and I breathe them in. I’ve always loved this place. It is peaceful here. And I suddenly know, because I can feel it, that Luca is here.

 I walk quietly down the main corridor, staring into each stall as I pass.

 And finally, finally, when I come to the very last stall on the left, Luca is there and my breath hitches in my chest, freezing on my lips.

 Luca is slumped on the ground, in the corner, his expression desolate. He is beautiful even here, even in this condition, and I cannot help but stare down at him as tears fill my eyes.

 He is dirty and his clothing is torn. There are smears of blood on his shirt, dried now to a rusty dark brown. I swallow hard, trying not to imagine where the blood has come from.

 Luca’s face is tortured as he stares up at me, his head in his hands. There is blood on his fingers.

 “It happened again.”

 His words are low and husky and rough, yet elegant at the same time. He is always refined, always perfect, always Luca.

 His self-loathe is apparent and it breaks my heart.

 I nod mutely because there are no words for this moment. I bend to help him to his feet. At 6’3”, he towers above me. He is slender and strong and masculine. He is lithe and powerful, beautiful and graceful.

 And sometimes, on his very darkest days, he is a depraved killer.

 But I have gotten ahead of myself.

 I should begin at the beginning.

 If I don’t, you will never understand.

  TML Excerpt Blast Banner

  Headshot

ABOUT COURTNEY COLE:

 Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people. Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.    


LINKS: 
Website: http://www.courtneycoleauthor.com/
 Blog: http://courtneycolewrites.com/
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Court_Writes
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/courtneycolewrites
 Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3112212.Courtney_Cole
 The Minaldi Legacy Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/series/97613-the-minaldi-legacy
 Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Courtney-Cole/e/B004Y4Z8ZU/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1375577792&sr=8-2-ent     

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: Realizing You by Ron Doade with Susan Sloate






REALIZING YOU

By

Ron Doade with Susan Sloate




BLURB:  

Meet Robby Aihn, the newest star in the self-help universe and author of the runaway bestseller, Realizing You, now struggling with his first taste of fame. Though his five principles for good living are changing other people’s lives, his own life is starting to fall apart. When Robby stages a lavish self-help conference in Dallas, he attracts others with their own secrets: his estranged wife and unhappy teenage daughter; the businessman pursuing his own agenda; the all-star pitcher facing the end of his career; and the shy co-author Robby never acknowledged, who is searching for meaning in her own life. Join Robby and the others on their journey toward understanding and fulfillment, in this truly novel approach to changing YOUR life.








EXCERPT: 



Liz liked him like this—listening to other people’s problems, thinking about how to help them. This was the Robby whose principles in coaching and teaching had been the basis of his bestselling book. They were solid principles, and he’d taught them for years, and Liz knew herself that they did change people’s lives.
The Robby she had trouble admiring had emerged as the book shot up the bestseller lists. Always neat and well groomed, he’d now become fanatically clothes-conscious. He’d recently begun to order custom-made suits and add monograms to his expensive English shirts. While she decided how many new computers they needed for the office, he flew to New York for fittings with the city’s most exclusive tailor. She hired and trained new staff, and he consulted a professional colorist and lightened his hair.

When Robby solicited her opinion afterward, Liz asked, “What about the people who were fans before, some of our biggest customers? Won’t these flashy changes bother them?”

“You’re not looking at the big picture,” he said patiently. “These people are coming to me for answers. They expect to see someone who has them.”

Liz chose her words carefully. “And someone who has the answers is—attractive? Youthful? Using a facelift?”

“Stop it.” He glared at her. “The spa people I talked to said weekly facials were a good idea. They said it would make my skin softer and make me seem more approachable.”

Liz couldn’t think of any polite answer to that.

The current Robby had shown up after Marie moved out. It didn’t help that Liz knew why. But what did his wife expect him to do, now that he was finally creating a national impression?

It’s difficult seeing him humbled, Liz thought. Robby had worked a long time for success and done whatever was necessary, cheerfully and willingly, to achieve it. Yeah, he’d gone overboard with the glitzy success guy. It was still hard watching him hurt—not because he’d failed, but because he’d succeeded, after years of striving.  And seeing him hurt over his family’s defection upset Liz. It wasn’t right, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Liz thought all these things while she watched Robby stare out the window. Sad that things hadn’t been good for him personally since the publication of Realizing You.

Professionally, things were fantastic. The book was a runaway bestseller, the website hits had gone crazy, Robby’s online presence had gone viral. One month after the book shot to number one, Liz arranged joint ventures, after five years of trying, with three of the top personal-development people in the country, all who eagerly endorsed Robby’s work and sought his endorsement as well.

They’d taken a huge step forward. Robby’s plan, scrawled on a piece of paper torn from a dime-store notebook, was starting to come true, in a big way. He’d been aiming at this success for a decade, and he’d brought in Liz five years ago to set up the structure and foundation while he set about becoming the persona in whom people could put their faith.

Both of them had succeeded, but now Robby was failing in all the important areas of his life.









AUTHOR INFORMATION:

RON DOADES is president of Ronald Doades & Company, a consulting firm that, since 1977, has helped the people of large and mid-size energy companies improve their individual and corporate performance results by learning from the best-practice experiences of others. A popular speaker on the topic of managing change for optimal results, he holds an MBA from Columbia University and an MS in Psychology from The New School in New York City. Visit him at www.realizingyoubook.com

SUSAN SLOATE is the author of twenty published books, including STEALING FIRE, a #2 Amazon bestseller and Quarter-Finalist in the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest, and FORWARD TO CAMELOT (authored with Kevin Finn), which in its first edition was a #6 Amazon bestseller, took honors in 3 literary competitions and was optioned for film by a Hollywood production company. She lives in Mount Pleasant, SC. Visit her online at http://susansloate.com



GIVEAWAY:















a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Trailer Reveal: Month9 Books



Month9Books Book Preview:

YouTube Link to Trailer:
http://youtu.be/NlE8cTSGXoc 

Trailer Summary:
Month9Books is proud to present a trailer for its 2014 list. This year's theme is Month9Books for everyone! From middle grade and young adult readers who love horror, paranormal, fantasy and whimsy, there's a Month9Books title for everyone in 2014. This video features 16 titles, 5 of which make their cover debut here. Visit www.month9books.com to learn more about our books and authors. 


Pre-Order Links:




https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif



 Goodreads Links:


























Book Blitz and Giveaway: Bounce by K.M. Jackson




Title: Bounce
Author: K.M. Jackson
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Book Cover: Attached
Author Photo: Attached
Graphic: Attached



Summary

Growing up as a young girl, Sabrina Jacobs could only dream her life would be this good. She has a successful career, a famous sexy husband, two children, a house in an affluent Westchester suburb and a shoe collection worthy of a magazine spread. Too bad it’s all a façade.

It has been almost a year since her husband admitted he had an affair with a younger and bouncier co-worker. Follow Sabrina as she tries to rein in her out-of-control life by kicking her husband out on his rear, chucking her career and even firing her too-cute-for-the-job nanny. But how will she survive as a stay-at-home mom in the land of designer clothes, designer kids’ parties and designer babies? Hmm… maybe the hunky young French teacher, who has been flirting shamelessly with Sabrina, is just what she needs to take her mind off her problems. Well, not if her husband has something to say about it. Will Sabrina be able to forgive and still be true to herself?

Excerpt

I give Sean a weak smile and pull him towards me. I kiss him deeply. And I can feel the immediate surprise course though his body. But the surprise doesn’t stop him and it doesn’t take much to get him going. He instantly falls into action, running his large hands up and down my back. Kissing my neck then trailing his tongue down toward my breasts.

I let my mind drift as his mouth wanders. Off to the past. To the time when Sean used to woo me by playing my favorite songs for hours on end. The lyrics talking about being with me until the end of time flow through my memory as Sean continues his languid journey stopping at all the places he knows too well to get just the desired response from me. He kisses and I shift. He licks and I sigh. He strokes and I arch. All the while my body goes from sensation to sensation while my mind is at war going from memory to memory. Pleasure to pain. Opening doors to rooms that I don’t want to see. Images that I’m too afraid to face. 

“Baby, where are you?”

I look up. Surprised to see Sean above me. Eyes filled with worry and questions. A part of me wants to close my own eyes and turn away, but I don’t. I face him straight on. “I’m here. Right here.” I give him a smile then angle up to kiss him. 
Going deep putting my hand between our bodies and guiding him to my center. He fills me and I let my eyes close. Shutting one door and opening another. Letting him in fully and completely. Mind on the future.

Buy Links

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1eTZlGf


Author Biography

A native New Yorker, K.M. Jackson had two dreams for what she wanted to be when she “grew up”: 1. a fashion designer and 2. a writer.

After graduating from high school, she pursued her first dream and studied fashion design at New York’s FIT. She then spent ten years designing for various New York houses. But after years of jugging the oh-so-glam world of mid-market fashion along with being a mother of twins, K.M. took the leap of faith and decided to pursue her other long held dream of being a writer.

She currently lives in a suburb of New York with her husband, teen twins, and her precocious terrier named Jack who keeps them keeps her on her toes.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://kwana.com



GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Spotlight: Death of the Body (Crossing Death #1) by Rick Chiantaretto






Title:  Death of the Body (Crossing Death #1)
Author:  Rick Chiantaretto
Genre: New Adult Urban Fantasy

I grew up in a world of magic. By the time I was ten I understood nature, talked to the trees, and listened to the wind. When the kingdom of men conquered my town, I was murdered by one of my own—the betrayer of my kind. But I didn't stay dead.
I woke to find myself in a strange new world called Los Angeles. The only keys to the life I remembered were my father’s ring, my unique abilities, and the onslaught of demons that seemed hell-bent on finding me. Now I must learn who I really am, protect my friends, get the girl, and find my way back to my beloved hometown of Orenda.



About Rick Chiantaretto



I’ve often been accused of having done more in my life than the average 30 year old, but if I were completely honest I’d have to tell you my secret: I’m really 392.
So after all this time, I’m a pretty crappy writer.
I have one book published but out of print, one coming out soon, and a bunch half written (when you have eternity, where’s the reason to rush?). I’ve been favorably reviewed by horror greats like Nancy Kilpatrick, and my how-to-write-horror articles have been quoted in scholarly (aka community college freshmen’s) papers.
I enjoy the occasional Bloody Mary, although a Bloody Kathy or Susan will suffice.
Mostly, I just try to keep a low profile so people don’t figure out who I REALLY am.


Saturday, January 25, 2014

Review: Fierce by Clarissa Wild



Fight for your dreams. Fight for your life. Fight for love. 

Nerdy girl Autumn Blakewood is the prime example of a goody two-shoes. She studies every night, is never late for class, and always follows the rules. She has never felt the need to step out of her comfort zone. That is, until she meets Hunter.

Hunter Bane is a cocky, confident bad-boy, who's nothing but trouble. He’s a dangerous distraction to everyone around him. Sexy and strong, Hunter enjoys the swooning effect he has on women. Especially those who aren't used to attention, like Autumn.

Autumn finds it hard not to give into Hunter’s advances, even though it all seems like a game to him. Trying to understand him is impossible, because he shrouds himself in mystery. 
What she doesn't know is that Hunter has more baggage than anyone should have to carry. When she discovers he's in an illegal frat club to save the one person that matters to him, Autumn realizes this could mean the end of her undeniable connection to him. Even their lives are at risk.
But it's too late to turn back now ... 
(From NetGalley)


My Thoughts:

This book had some good things going for it - I really liked Hunter, he was a great character and you had to admire his drive and motivation. But it also had some things that detracted from it, like Autumn. This character just didn't ring true for me, which is unfortunate, considering she's the one telling the story. Autumn is supposed to be innocent and nerdy but she uses words like an erotic romance novelist would. That seemed to go against character for me. And I didn't get Hunter's attraction for her. Still, it was an interesting story and a pretty good read.

Bool Spotlight and Giveaway: Rubber Soul by Greg Kihn

  Rubber Soul


 Rubber Soul by Greg Kihn

 Greg Kihn is a rock star, seasoned radio host and author. Rubber Soul, his latest novel is inspired by intimate interviews that he conducted with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pete Best, Yoko Ono and Patti Harrison. Though Rubber Soul is fiction, as Greg says it is “100% historically accurate” and an candid glimpse of the phenomenon that is The Beatles. Rubber Soul is a an innovation in the Rock Thriller genre, taking readers on a rollicking ride through The Beatles legacy from the early days in Liverpool to six sold out shows per night in Hamburg and full-fledged Beatlemania. Dust Bin Bob runs into some lads from Liverpool at his second hand shop on Penny Lane. The lads: John, Paul, George and Ringo and Dust Bin Bob become firm friends, sharing vinyl that will spark a revolution. Murder, mystery and Beatlemania mayhem ensues—with the boys narrowly avoiding an international incident and an attempted assassination. It’s the ultimate Beatles story that could have happened!  


Praise

“There’s no one more qualified to write a rock-and-roll novel than Greg Kihn. He’s the real deal and at his Kihntillating best in this book.” – Guy Kawasaki, former chief evangelist of Apple “Rubber Soul is a magical mystery tour de force by Greg Kihn, a rocker who obviously has a way with words as well as music. His imagined story about the Beatles is fast-moving, full of twists and tension, and musical nuggets and insights. Great story-telling set to a Fab-four beat.” – Ben Fong Torres “Rubber Soul captures what Rock-n-Roll is all about – and Greg Kihn would certainly know! This nearly-true story of the Beatles is pure magic and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” – Eddie Money “Greg Kihn is the most compelling author who ever had a top five singing career. Rubber Soul is a fantastic story by Greg, with an historical back beat. I urge you not to miss this.” – Joan Jett “I’m happy to report that Rubber Soul, the latest work by my pal Greg Kihn, has correct punctuation, complete sentences, even full paragraphs – some of the exact same literary devices that can be found in the greatest novels our culture has ever produced! It’s also written in English, which happens to be one of my very favorite languages.” – “Weird Al” Yankovic “While the RIAA may not be able to certify Kihn’s work with a gold disc, fans of Kihn and The Beatles, as well as those who long for the simpler yet magical time of the 1960’s will thoroughly enjoy and fall in love with Rubber Soul. They certainly don’t write ‘em like this anymore.” – Chris Shapiro, RetroPulse  


Rubber Soul Tour





greg

Author Greg Kihn

NBC called Greg Kihn “Rock’s True Renaissance Man” and for good reason. As part of the eponymous band he has: toured the globe, had hit records, been inducted into the San Jose Rock Hall Of Fame, opened for the Rolling Stones and jammed with Bruce Springsteen. You may have heard of his smash worldwide #1 hit “Jeopardy” and “The Breakup Song”, not to mention the parody written by Weird Al Yankovic. Being a famous and successful rock star is only one part of the mosaic that is Greg’s story. In the 90s Greg poured his passion for lyrics into writing fiction—publishing four novels, one of which “Horror Show” was nominated for the prestigious Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. In this vein, Greg merged his love of writing with Rock and Roll and wrote “Rubber Soul”—a unique rock murder mystery featuring The Beatles. The inspiration for this novel came from Greg’s interviews with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pete Best, Yoko Ono and Patti Harrison. In this way Greg gained exclusive access to the biggest band ever to exist. “Rubber Soul” is a work of fiction, but it is 100% historically accurate and a story that only rock veteran Greg Kihn could have written.




 


BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

 Ends 2/10/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


  a Rafflecopter giveaway