25/12/2013

HAPPY (PERIOD) CHRISTMAS! DOWNTON ABBEY SPECIAL & DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY

Happy Christmas Time, everyone and all! It'll be a happy time, I'm sure, especially for  my fellow period drama fan friends. 
Aren't you as excited as I am to know we'll find these very precious gifts under our Christmas trees?

I'm thinking of Downton Abbey Christmas Special which airs on ITV 1 tonight, 25 December,  in the U.K.  (season 4 premieres in the U.S. Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014). Are you ready for the  two- hour special episode? 

Shirley MacLaine will be back as Cora's mother and Paul Giamatti will join the cast as her brother. The episode will also feature James Fox as Lord Aysgarth, Guy Williams as King George V (the grandfather to reigning Queen Elizabeth II) and Oliver Dimsdale as the Prince of Wales (Edward VIII, Queen Elizabeth's uncle).

20/12/2013

ROMANCE THROUGH THE AGES - COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY

Romance Through the Ages
Coming February 1, 2014
Romance through the Ages brings you SEVEN NOVELS from 7 bestselling authors (including New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestsellers). Join us for a fabulous collection.
*7 Romance Novels, 7 Bestselling Authors, 1 Amazing Price*

16/12/2013

DECEMBER KINDLE FIRE HDX GIVEAWAYS

December Kindle Fire


 Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)   This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7".
The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)


13/12/2013

AUTHOR GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: SALLY SMITH O'ROURKE, CHRISTMAS: A TIME FOR LOVE, A TIME FOR MEMORIES

My nephew and his family, the usual hosts for our family Christmas, will be winging their way to Europe this year and my niece who is always there with us is also going out of town. Since the death of my husband I have done very little decorating since all the festivities happen in the kids’ homes but this year an early Christmas dinner and gifts for the children will be in my home. So I pulled out some of the boxes containing Christmas past.
The crèche (navitity) my grandmother gave me over the course of several years was always the first thing to go up and this year is no exception. As I gently unwrap each piece the memories of how she gave me the lovelytableau flood my mind. I received Mary, Joseph and the baby the Christmas I was six and for every ‘giftable’ holiday after (birthdays, Christmas even tucked in my Easter basket), I received another figurine until the set was complete and consisted of the three original pieces, three wise men, three shepherds, three sheep, a ram, a cow, a donkey and an angel and I made a stable. Amo (my grandmother) died twenty-five years ago but every Christmas her memory fills my heart every time I look at the display.
The Swedish angel chimes my mother gave me for my first Christmas in my first apartment sit on the antique gate leg table. The gentle chimes as the angels turn from the heat of the four candles below remind me that my mother’s supportive love allowed me to venture out into the world with the strength and confidence she instilled in me.

11/12/2013

KIRBY PUCKERNUT BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY - CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

Kirby Tour


kirby puckernutKirby Puckernut and the Christmas Surprise

Kirby Puckernut is Santa’s cleverest little elf. While dreaming up marvelous toys for good girls and boys, Kirby has his best idea yet – a real elf in every home, all through the holidays, spreading Christmas Magic Santa finds the perfect family and allows Kirby to serve as the test elf for the first momentous visit. Fun and adventure are at every turn, but not everything goes as planned… Will Kirby’s idea be a success.








10/12/2013

BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY - SPARKS THE MATCHMAKER BY RUSSEL ELKINS

sparks tour banner 



sparksSparks the Matchmaker by Russell Elkins

 Ollie just wants one thing. The girl. Things haven’t been going so well with Anne lately, though; their relationship has become a perpetual study date, and Ollie’s roommates are starting to worry about him. How to fix things? Why, with a marriage proposal, of course. Unfortunately for Ollie, his relationship with Anne has run out of gas. Life feels like it’s counting down to one. And that one is the only person in Ollie’s life he really cares about: Ollie. Perhaps, then, he should get over himself. But first he has to deal with Sparks, the irritating little Yankees fan who invades his life in order to “help” him. And while Keith, his best friend, is doing all he can to help, Ollie’s other friend Richie never fails to show up and threaten to ruin everything just by being himself. Never mind all the drama Sparks brings to the party by forcing Ollie to take a job actually helping people in need. Will Ollie meet the girl? Will it be in history class? On a road trip to Colorado? Can he get over Anne, or should he try to mend the relationship? Should he pursue the new girl Sparks is trying to set him up with? As the strings of the puppeteer tangle with the strings of the heart, only one person can sort out the mess Ollie has made. It seems that the harder he tries, the more Ollie messes things up. Is Sparks a cruel manipulator, or is he really going to help Ollie find his match?

09/12/2013

THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN BLOG TOUR + GIVEAWAY

christmas train tour


Christmas train  The Christmas Train

In this children’s picture book, President Thomas S. Monson recounts a Christmas memory from his childhood. As a boy, he yearned for an electric train. To his delight, on Christmas morning he got exactly that a train that operated through the miracle of electricity. Then he noticed a second train that his mother had purchased for the boy down the street whose family was struggling. Although it was only a wind-up train, it had an beautiful oil tanker car, which little Tommy wanted for his own. Soon after, Tommy s mother invited him to accompany her to the neighbor s home to deliver the gift. Young Mark was thrilled with his new train and, of course, didn t notice the missing train car. However, a remorseful Tommy did. What happened next will bring the spirit of Christmas into every heart and home. Illustrated by renowned artist Dan Burr, The Christmas Train is sure to be a classic Christmas story and a beautiful addition to every Christmas library.

SPELL FIRE BLOG TOUR - MY FASCINATION WITH YA FICTION GUEST POST BY AUTHOR ARIELLA MOON


spell fire tour

“You can tell what age an author got stuck in by what genre he or she writes.”

Spell FireI think it was Lin Oliver who said the above quote, right after she had introduced an author who had skateboarded up to the podium at a Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators conference. I remember thinking at the time, Uh oh. Then I’m still reliving high school!

The Do-Over Aspect
Although my teen years are but tiny specs in the rearview mirror, I love reading and writing Young Adult fiction. Maybe it is the Do-Over fantasy aspect. YA stories allow readers to recapture the deep emotions they felt in high school. Friendships, betrayals, first love, peer pressure — the highs and lows play out on the page. Adding paranormal elements — angels, demons, witches, vampires, werewolves, gods and goddesses, amps up the stakes. Those who thought high school was tough, can read a paranormal YA and think, at least the Mean Girls at my school weren’t vampires.

Paranormal YA stories intoxicate with What if? I was well into adulthood before I became a shaman. But what if I could have commanded shamanic skills in high school? Would I have misused my magic? It would have been tempting to use spirit flight to spy on my secret crush. My high moral code might have justified my placing a binding spell on a bully, instead of placing a protection spell on myself. Then who would have had the karmic lesson to work on?

07/12/2013

BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY - THE REAPING BY ANNIE OLDHAM

reapingBook Blurb
The government is on the verge of perfecting its loyalty serum, and Terra knows exactly what that means—the agents will have absolute control. Terra has survived the labor camp, the agents, and the soldiers who hound her as she brings nomads to the water's edge. But now she faces her most daunting challenge yet: she must return to the colony to ask the council—and her father—to help her destroy the loyalty serum. With the aid of old friends and unexpected allies, Terra races toward a confrontation that will decide her fate on the Burn forever.

Buy the ebook: Amazon * Apple * B&N * Smashwords

Buy the paperback: Amazon * CreateSpace

Read an excerpt

The soldiers shrug and look around for a few seconds more before disappearing across the grove to cover more ground. The helicopter lifts into the air and flies above the forest. Our tree sways under its down draft. My foot loses its grip on the branch and I slip, my hands grappling the biting bark as my legs flail out from under me, and Jack catches my hand just in time to keep me from falling. We stay that way—me with one hand on the branch, Jack clinging to

06/12/2013

CREATIVE STRATEGIES THAT WILL KICK-START YOUR BOOK WRITING PROJECT

(by guest blogger Candace Meyer) Writing a book is one of the goals of aspiring authors and bestseller writers. To be able to create a really good book is already an achievement how much more if you were given a book contract and somebody wants to publish your work. If you want to enter in the world of book writing business, you have to be prepared mentally, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Why? It is because learning how to write a book effectively is already a daunting task. Keep moving, editing your writing, and working with editors and publishers are another big challenges.


Before you jump-start your book writing project you have to ask yourself first, "Why write a book?". As a writer, it is important that you know your purpose and objectives of why pursuing such big writing project. Most writers think that writing a book is a hard work. It requires a lot of time and it takes a really long time before you can see the final product. Aside from that, there's always risks and one of which is that there might be no one who will read it. But why would you think of those not-so-good things if your goal is focused to successfully finish a good book, right? Instead of being pessimist, why not get your creative juices flowing and start working on it.

BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY - ROOK BY MONICA MACDONALD

rook
Could you be the monster to save who you love? Two women, separated by generations, must leave what they know to start a new life. Seventeen-year-old Kate's senior year is ruined when she's moved from the only home she's ever known. After an isolating month alone in her apartment, school starts, but neither her classmates nor her teacher are who they seem. Kali, a single mother living in the nineteenth century wilds of Montana, is stalked by a malicious past. She fights to keep her daughter safe while her freedom is threatened by her less than benevolent benefactor. Both find love, and with it hope, but that is quickly ripped away as one woman must learn the lessons of the other -- before it's too late to save either.   

                                     amazon blog  


Praise for Rook 

 "This book also drew me in. I couldn't let go of what was happening and when life intervened and forced me to close my computer I kept looking for a few moments to sit down and read some more.” Brookeworm, a Blog 4 Stars

 "Rook had me hooked from the first page. It all started so mysteriously that I just had to know what it was all about. “ Jannat Bhat, Obsessive Compulsive Reader 4 Stars

 “Rook is an amazing story that had me at the edge of my seat.” Tee Loves Kyle Jacobson Blog, 5 Stars  

03/12/2013

HOMES OF CLASSIC LITERATURE


At many a time we can become lost between the pages of a good book. Immersed in its fantasy and mysterious tales, the captivating characters, scenes and a little imagination can easily take you there. This infographic delves into some classic stories from The Hobbit to the depths of The Secret Garden to show you nine of the famous homes found within these tales. Ready for the tour?

01/12/2013

HOLIDAY KINDLE FIRE HDX GIVEAWAY

Holiday Kindle Fire Giveaway

  Just in time for the HOLIDAYS - Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)   This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7"