Thursday, February 23, 2017

#EXCERPT: The University of Corporeal and Ethereal Studies by Wolfgang Edwards

The University of Corporeal & Ethereal Studies tour


CorporealEtherealStudies_FrontCoverPromoPrint
At the University of Corporeal & Ethereal Studies meddling with unknown powers can be dangerous work. Courses in arts and sciences experiment with supernatural forces to solve the mysteries of the universe, but when school projects go awry, the students may discover more than they would like to about the madness of the cosmic 'Beyond'. Eight interwoven stories follow students whose school work, social lives and inner demons crash together, leading to fantastic and horrible experiences, supernatural powers, and a fuller understanding of the dark depths of their world. Classes include subjects such as time travel, alchemy, oneironautics , psychedelic transformation, rogue automatons, cosmic ghosts, reality-warping crystals, and more. Inspired by many authors of science fiction, fantasy and horror, including H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, William Gibson, Kurt Vonnegut and Isaac Asimov.

EXCERPT:


The cascade of rain gushed from the sky, a cyclopean waterfall. Tornado-strength wind
shrieked, ripping at my clothes. Veins of white lightning cut closer through the darkness,
rumbling thunder overtaking the wind.
For a long, mad moment I knew nothing but the din of the storm. I temporarily parted ways
with the corporeal world, glimpsing the void realm of pure, unfettered confusion Beyond.
I was possessed by a daemon I had known all my life.
No spiritual entity or higher being, no religious visitation or ghostly apparition – it was the
dark, sable soul hidden in a secret pit, burrowed in my own heart. My morbid, passionate,
macabre, lascivious side. The nyctophiliac who made love to the shadows of the night with
gnawing teeth and tender hands. The creature that howled at the moon and raised a drink to toast
Death. The artist who found poetry in the hollow eyes of a skull, whose very blood radiated
creativity in the midst of a storm.
That soul – subdued and smothered with schedules and chores, plans and rules – was free atop
that grotesque lightning rod.
Whether there is any form of fate to this world none can say for certain – though the results of
my misadventures would prove there are indeed some things beyond scientific reckoning. Yet
luck, at least, played a part that night. My provocation did not entice the daemon of the storm to
descend upon me in my moment of madness. Before the devil of lightning had the chance to find
me and accept my challenge, an unexpected change of heart swept over me from the most
peculiar source.
A lull in the thunder and bellowing wind brought silence to the storm. The splashing din of
the rain faded so low that my ears picked up the faintest notes of something terribly alien to that
dark and vicious scene; Music floated up from beneath my demented perch and with it, a wisp of
sweet mastic. The haunting scent and sweet melody struck me so intensely that I nearly lost my
grip upon the daemonic weathervane.
In that instant the madness within me found some modicum of control, a marriage between
Order and Chaos, a colossal flood funneled into a manageable river of roaring energy.
Rather than wait for the storm to regain strength or for Death to find me – its once eager
sacrifice – I hastily slipped and crawled back down to the ladder from whence I came, heading
directly for the source of the quixotic music.
With every rung the dark side of my heart built toward something like direction, focus.
A violin’s sweet, sorrowful notes glowed out from where the mysterious blue light emanated
in the belfry.
Reentering the tower I took the door to the belfry and halted at a sight I shall never forget; a
vision to change my life forever.

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Wolfgang Edwards was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1987. He has been an aspiring writer since he was a child and intends to keep writing the rest of his life.

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Tuesday, February 14, 2017

#BLAST and #GIVEAWAY: Blogger Girl and Novelista Girl by Meredith Schorr

novelistagirlbookblast


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"Sassy, sexy, endlessly entertaining, and full of laughs (as well as some heart-wrenching moments), Blogger Girl is one of those books that keeps you up at night because you can't wait to see what happens next." - Tracie Banister, Author of Mixing It Up What happens when your high school nemesis becomes the shining star in a universe you pretty much saved? Book blogger Kimberly Long is about to ?nd out. A chick lit enthusiast since the first time she read Bridget Jones's Diary, Kim, with her blog, Pastel is the New Black, has worked tirelessly by night to keep the genre alive, and help squash the claim that "chick lit is dead" once and for all. Not bad for a woman who by day ekes out a meager living as a pretty, and pretty-much-nameless, legal secretary in a Manhattan law ?rm. While Kim's day job holds no passion for her, the handsome (and shaving challenged) associate down the hall is another story. Yet another story is that Hannah Marshak, one of her most hated high school classmates, has now popped onto the chick lit scene with a hot new book that's turning heads--and pages--across the land. It's also popped into Kim's inbox--for review. With their ten-year reunion drawing near, Kim's coming close to combustion over the hype about Hannah's book. And as everyone around her seems to be moving on and up, she begins to question whether being a "blogger girl" makes the grade in her offline life.

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“A great chick lit book: a strong and confident heroine, a sexy boyfriend you can crush on, supportive friends, and plenty of conflict leading to comical results, culminating in a very satisfying ending.” – Erin Brady, Bestselling Author of The Shopping Swap Feisty New Yorker Kimberly Long runs the most popular chick lit book blog on the web, loves playing house with her sexy lawyer boyfriend, Nicholas, and is finally pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming a published author. At first glance, her life is worthy of five pink champagne flutes. But is there more to the story than meets the eye? After hearing the phrase “chick lit is dead” more times than she’s read The Devil Wears Prada, Kim is driven to desperate measures, seeking advice from up-and-coming chick lit author, Hannah Marshak, her high school nemesis and resident “mean girl.” As if Kim doesn’t have enough on her plate balancing her secretarial duties with her blog, Pastel is the New Black, shrugging off the growing pile of agent rejections, and keeping her best friend from turning green over Kim’s budding friendship with Hannah, Nicholas is so blinded by his career ambitions, he doesn’t see that their home sweet home could use more than a dash of sugar. This is the year when all of Kim’s dreams—professional and romantic—are supposed to come true, but will her story have a happily ever after or will Kim end up unpublished and all alone?

Buy on Amazon / iBooks / Nook / Kobo

author_photo_1401About the author A born and bred New Yorker, Meredith Schorr discovered her passion for writing when she began to enjoy drafting work-related emails way more than she was probably supposed to. After trying her hand penning children’s stories and blogging her personal experiences, Meredith found her calling writing chick lit and contemporary women’s fiction. She secures much inspiration from her day job as a hard-working trademark paralegal and her still single (but looking) status. Meredith is also the co-founder of BookBuzz, a live author/reader event held annually. She is a loyal New York Yankees fan and an avid runner. Novelista Girl is her fifth novel.

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Monday, February 13, 2017

#SALE: Vengeance and Penance by Reese A Stephens

reeseAStephens



Vengeance (Book 1 in the Oak Grove Suspense Series)
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When Dr. Shayla Thorn moves back to her home town of Oak Grove, she is determined that this will be a new start for her and her son. But when Dylan’s father insists on righting the wrongs of their past, she’s torn between what she knows is right and what her heart wants. But the one thing she never expected was for her life to be thrown into utter chaos.
Ryan Jacobs, former FBI agent and lead detective for Oak Grove and its surrounding areas, is determined to win Shayla’s heart and make up for the mistakes they made in the past. He won’t take no for an answer, but everything begins to unravel when he is called to the scene of a brutal crime almost identical to a slew of murders he solved long ago.
It doesn’t take long for the pair to give into what their hearts want, but when an old nemesis seeks revenge on Ryan, everyone's life is in danger. Will Ryan find the culprit in time to save the love of his life or will she fall victim to a vicious killer's vengeance?

Buy on Amazon. Available on Kindle Unlimited

Penance Cover Promo_0004_Front Vertical CoverPenance (Book 2 in the Oak Grove Suspense series)
Judson Hardenbergh's life was perfect, that is until tragedy changed the course of his life. When a fire claims his family, he gives up on everything. Will moving back to his home town of Oak Grove save him from himself or drive him into deeper despair?
For Ryan Jacobs, Oak Grove’s Chief of Police, it’s been smooth sailing since the abduction and murders that plagued the town, and almost cost him his family. Though Mathis is still at large, Ryan is confident that he’ll be able to catch him before he strikes again.
When one of Ryan’s high school friends, Judson Hardenbergh, is accused of murder, he must jump into action and determine if ‘Jud’ is capable of committing this horrible crime. What he finds is that this case is more complicated than he imagined and that penance comes in many forms.
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Reese Stephens was born in the Appalachian Mountains, but was raised all over the East Coast. Since getting married Reese has settled back into her Appalachian roots, and currently lives on a small farm with her husband and three children. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Education, and is currently homeschooling her two school aged children. She considers herself a naturalist. She loves learning about and using natural remedies and essential oils to keep her family and herself healthy.
Writing was something Reese never thought much of, until she and her family went through several traumatic events. A friend advised her to keep a journal, but she just couldn’t put into words how she felt, so she turned to the world of creative writing. It didn’t take long for her to discover her passion there. Reese is currently working on publishing the first book in her Oak Grove Suspense series, Vengeance which will be out this fall. The second in the series, Penance, is expected to be released spring 2017. In addition to writing crime suspense she also writes paranormal romance. Her first story in this genre is called The Reluctant Prince, expected release is late 2017. You can, however, read the first few chapters of it on Wattpad or her Website for FREE.


Social Media Contacts: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReeseAStephens/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReeseAStephens
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reeseastephens/
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/ReeseStephens
Website: https://reeseastephens.com/

Thursday, February 9, 2017

#REVIEW and #GIVEAWAYS: Recovered by Amber Polo

Recovered (Shapeshifters' Library #3) by Amber PoloRecovered (Shapeshifters' Library #3) by Amber Polo

Publisher: Wordshaping Press (November, 2016)
Category: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Dogs, Werewolves,  Humor, Pet Rescue
Tour date: Feb 1-Mar 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1539059813
Available in Print & ebook, 224 pages
 Recovered (The Shapeshifters' Library #3)

From the Award Winning Author: Bliss D. Light believes she’s an ordinary children’s librarian…until she grows a tail. Now her life is filled with more magic than any fairy tale she reads the children at the Shipsfeather Library. Bliss’s newly discovered dog-shifting ability allows her to change into a sleek white Greyhound but leaves her yearning to dig up her heritage and track down the dog-shifters’ lost library. Her best friend Harry, disgraced werewolf/dog-shifter mix, smitten with Bliss and eager to redeem himself, insists he accompany her. Tailed by the devilish werewolf duo of Harry’s supercilious ex-wife Sybilla and bad boy Blaze, their cross-country quest takes them up ancient mounds and into extreme danger. Chased by federally-funded dogcatchers, sold to a racetrack, and forced to fight wolf-dogs is no walk in the park. Aided by dog rescue advocates and a bookstore cat, Bliss and Harry never lose sight of their goal—or each other.

Series Description Shapeshifters' Library  by Amber Polo

Dog-shifting librarians nose to nose with book-burning werewolves! Light fantasy series for the dog lover who lusts for books and adores libraries. Comic villains, smart sweet heroines, and brave intelligent heroes share a world where dogs talk and librarians battle werewolves to protect knowledge.

Praise for Shapeshifters' Library Series

“Author Polo does an excellent job organizing the details of her inviting series for new and returning readers… At its core, the narrative illustrates how… kindness can heal humans and dogs—and maybe even cats… A fanciful read that remains loyal to its noble principles.”- Kirkus Reviews
“…let the author's imagination take you into her world of shapeshifting dogs who have taken on the responsibility of preserving books for mankind. Change into your dog form, go to Starbarks (sic), order a chai latte, and read Recovered.”- Mike Bove, author of the Bruce DelReno Mysteries
“Take a perfect hero and heroine, a mystery, secrets, evil book-burning werewolves, noble dog shifters, non-stop adventure, and the race against time and you have a fantastic book. Highly recommended for readers who love unique fantasy!”- Kari Thomas, author of Under a Shifter’s Moon
“A novel like RECOVERED elicits a happy sigh from me. This is the type of book you want to curl up to read by the fire with a cup of hot tea on a rainy day. It's exciting, engrossing and has the sweetest of romances. I've really enjoyed all of the Shapeshifters' Library books, but RECOVERED is my favorite! RECOVERED has a National Treasure (love that movie!) vibe with mystery and adventure at its core.”- Danielle Smiley, Known To Read

My Rating: 4 stars
My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I learned one thing about myself as a reader that I hadn't experienced before reading this book. I don't like shifters who are able to talk as a human while in their animal form. It seems too fanciful for me. That fact in itself is the only bad thing I can find about this book.
The book itself can be read as a standalone, I didn't feel too out of the loop even though this is the third book in a series. There was enough of the backstory woven into the book so that I didn't feel like I couldn't understand what was going on. Overall, the feel of the book is fanciful, light at times, and adventurous.
Bliss and Harry are an unusual couple, both most definitely not alphas. In the beginning of the book, they are both characters I could see being wallflowers, liking to stay in the shadows and not in the center of attention. They are very much in contrast to their werewolf counterparts, Sybilla and Blaze. It's that contrast and the tension between the two duos as they race to find the lost library. I enjoyed watching both Bliss and Harry grow as characters and find their voice as the book progressed. It is a life's lesson that when you find your calling, that is where you find your strength.

Recovered (Shapeshifters' Library #3) by Amber PoloAbout Amber Polo

Amber Polo’s lifelong love of libraries and dogs led to a fascination with lost ancient libraries and curiosity about why werewolves outnumbered dog-shifters in literature and inspired her urban fantasy series The Shapeshifters Library. The mystical side of Sedona became the comic paranormal setting for Hearts in the Vortex. One day a plane flew past her office window and she turned her pen to her own airpark backyard and Heads in the Clouds was the result. Author of award-winning fantasies and Arizona romances, Amber relaxes stressed writers and readers. Relaxing the Writer offers a catalog of suggestions and simple exercises while her calming CDs help (almost) anyone relax and find restful sleep. After living in seven states, she’s settled in a small Arizona town. Wordshaping Blog Twitter Pinterest Google+ Facebook Facebook Page for Shapeshifters’ Library

Buy Recovered (Shapeshifters' Library #3) by Amber Polo

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Recovered (Shapeshifters’ Library #3) by Amber PoloRecovered by Amber Polo Grand Prize Giveaway

This grand prize includes the following:
  • Canvas bag for books or whatever you carry
  • A collectible Taco Bell Chihuahua
  • Relaxing the Writer book & the CD containing the track that put 7,500 people to sleep on Insight Timer app)
  • More Books – Released (the original edition), Hearts in the Vortex (paranormal romance), and Christmas on Wherever Island (to put you in the Christmas spirit anytime)
  • a Rafflecopter giveaway

      And another Giveaway!!!! This one is for a copy of the book!

      • Open to everyone
      • Paperback to US only
      • ebook available worldwide
      a Rafflecopter giveaway

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