RELEASE CELEBRATION: Bloodcraft (Bloodspell #2) by Amalie Howard + GIVEAWAY!

Author Amalie Howard is celebrating her upcoming release with an amazing giveaway!


Two lucky winners -- one will win a Kindle Fire (US ONLY) and another will win a paperback copy of BLOODSPELL & BLOODCRAFT (US & INT).

DETAILS BELOW!

COVER REVEAL: Cannon (Cutlass #3) by Ashley Nixon + GIVEAWAY!

We are so excited to be bringing you the cover of Cannon! This is the third book in the Cutlass Trilogy by Ashley Nixon. 

If you haven't read the first two you absolutely should because they are amazing.

  

Ashley was born and raised in Oklahoma, where the wind really does sweep down the plains, and horses and carriages aren't used as much as she'd like. When she's not writing (haha, like that EVER happens!), she's probably working out or pretending she's Sherlock Holmes. Her obsession with writing began after reading the Lord of the Rings in the eighth grade. Since then, she's loved everything Fantasy--resulting in an unhealthy obsession with the 'geek' tab on Pinterest, where all things awesome go.

Connect with the Author: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

The King is dead…

The Network is destroyed, and Barren Reed has been exiled by the Elders of Silver Crest. To make matters worse, the black spot -a curse of dark magic- continues to devour him. Its true purpose is still unknown, but one this is certain: It will corrupt Barren in the worst way.

With her greatest secret revealed, Larkin Lee flees Maris. Accused of slaying the king, there is only one place to go –Silver Crest. But Barren isn’t happy to see her, and their reunion leaves more questions unanswered, including whether they have a future together.

As Datherious rises in power, Barren and Larkin must work together to find the fifth Relic to complete the King’s Gold and prevent Datherious from obtaining control over dark magic, but the black spot has other ideas. The closer they get to finding the final Relic, the more corrupt Barren becomes. Larkin finds herself in a head to head battle with the only man she’s ever loved and the reality is harsh –only one can walk away alive.

And now for the cover!!!!

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Want to see some of the wonderful picture from The Cutlass Trilogy photo shoot?

Make sure to follow along with this event on Facebook to see all the wonderful blogs that are participating! 

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TRAILER REVEAL: Nobody's Goddess (The Never Veil #1) by Amy McNulty

Happy Thursday! We're really excited to have the trailer for Amy McNulty's Nobody's Goddess for you today. Ashley really enjoyed this book (you can find her review here), and we hope you enjoy the trailer!

Before we get to the trailer though, how about some information about the book and Amy?

About the Book

Title: Nobody's Goddess (The Never Veil #1)

Author: Amy McNulty
Publication Date: April 21, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC

Synopsis: In a village of masked men, each loves only one woman and must follow the commands of his “goddess” without question. A woman may reject the only man who will love her if she pleases, but she will be alone forever. And a man must stay masked until his goddess returns his love—and if she can’t or won’t, he remains masked forever.

Where the rest of her village celebrates this mystery that binds men and women together, seventeen year old Noll is just done with it. She’s lost all her childhood friends as they’ve paired off, but the worst blow was when her closest companion, Jurij, finds his goddess in Noll’s own sister. 

Desperate to find a way to break this ancient spell, Noll instead discovers why no man has ever loved her: she is in fact the goddess of the mysterious lord of the village, a Byronic man who refuses to let Noll have her right as a woman to spurn him and who has the power to fight the curse. Thus begins a dangerous game between the two: the choice of woman versus the magic of man. And the stakes are no less than freedom and happiness, life and death—and neither Noll nor the veiled man is willing to lose.

Purchase Links: Chapters Indigo | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | TBD

About the Author

Amy McNulty is a freelance writer and editor from Wisconsin with an honors degree in English. She was first published in a national scholarly journal (The Concord Review) while in high school and currently spends her days alternatively writing on business and marketing topics and primarily crafting stories with dastardly villains and antiheroes set in fantastical medieval settings.

Connect with the Author:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

The Trailer!

FREE BOOK BLITZ: The Soul Thief (Angel of Death #1) by Majanka Verstraete

About the Book

Title: The Soul Thief (Angel of Death Series #1)

Author: Majanka Verstraete

Genre: YA Fantasy / Paranormal

Synopsis: When sixteen-year-old Riley is injured in a car crash and sees a girl stealing a boy’s soul, she’s convinced she’s hallucinating. But when she sees the same girl at the hospital later, she knows she wasn’t dreaming. That’s when Riley learns her secret heritage and who she really is: a halfling Angel of Death.

Riley must come to terms with her new reality and supernatural abilities, but before she can do this, girls her age start dying in mysterious circumstances. It’s up to Riley to figure out why, what the innocent victims have in common, and what she can do to stop them from dying.

Author Bio

Majanka Verstraete begged her Mom to teach her how to read while she was still in kindergarten. By the time she finished fifth grade, she had read through the entire children’s section of her hometown library. She wrote her first story when she was seven years old, and hasn’t stopped writing since. With an imagination that never sleeps, and hundreds of possible book characters screaming for her attention, writing is more than a passion for her. She writes about all things supernatural for children of all ages. She’s tried to write contemporary novels before, but something paranormal always manages to crawl in. Majanka is currently studying for her Master of Laws degree, and hopes one day to be able to combine her passions for law and writing. When she’s not writing, reading or studying, she likes watching “The Vampire Diaries” and “Game of Thrones,” spending time with her friends, or playing “World of Warcraft.”

You can find her on: Website | Twitter  | Facebook

Get The Soul Thief for FREE on Amazon

M9B FRIDAY REVEAL: Horror Business by Ryan Craig Bradford - Author Spotlight + GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are featuring

Ryan Craig Bradford

author of Horror Business, a Month9Books Title!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Ryan grew up in Park City, Utah. His fiction has appeared in Quarterly West, Paper Darts, Vice, Monkeybicycle and [PANK]. He currently lives in San Diego where he acts as Creative Director for the nonprofit literary arts organization So Say We All. He’s the co-editor of the anthology Last Night on Earth and founder of the literary horror journal, Black Candies.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Goodreads

If you were admitted to Hogwarts which house would the Sorting Hat place you in?

Never read/watched any Harry Potter :(

Twitter or Facebook?

Twitter

Favorite Superhero?

Wolverine

Favorite TV show?

The X-Files

Sweet or Salty?

Salty

Coke or Pepsi?

Pepsi

Any Phobias?

Bees!!

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

"Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas" by Beach Slang

Who is your favorite book villain?

The Judge in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian

What are you reading right now or what's on your TBR?

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Spring Movie you’re most looking forward to?

The Witch

Armed with a passion for classic B-grade horror movies, a script co-written by his twin brother, and a wicked crush on his death-obsessed neighbor; hardcore horror fan Jason Nightshade must finish his student film.

But his plans are derailed when the children of suburban Silver Creek start disappearing – his twin brother among them. Battling a possessed video camera, a crazy zombie dog, a monstrous bully, and a frighteningly broken down family life, Jason embarks on a mission to find his lost brother so the two can write an ending for his story.

As any horror fan knows, saving the day won’t be easy, as Jason finds himself forced to face the real world where death isn’t just a splash of fake blood on a camera lens.

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | IndieBound | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

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FREE BOOK: Cutlass (Cutlass #1) by Ashley Nixon

What's better to chase away the Monday Blues than a free book? Today only, the first book in Ashley Nixon's epic pirate fantasy series, Cutlass, is FREE for Kindle in celebration of the release of the second novel, Flintlock (it's out now!)! Ashley absolutely loved Cutlass (you can find her 5-star review here), and thinks that anyone looking for action, adventure, pirates, magic mystery, and a little bit of romance should give it a chance, So head over to Amazon to get your copy ASAP!

After today, Cutlass will be $0.99 for the remained of the Flintlock release activities. And speaking of Flintlock, check back on May 30th for Ashley's review as a part of the blog tour!

In case you haven't heard about Cutlass, how about some more information about the book, as well as some info about Ashley Nixon?

About the Book

Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Title: Cutlass (Cutlass #1)

Author: Ashley Nixon 

Publication Date: November 13, 2014

Synopsis: Notorious pirate Barren Reed has one thing on his mind: Revenge against the man who killed his father. So kidnapping his enemy's fiancé seems a perfect plan…until he actually does it.

Larkin Lee is more than a pretty face and fiancé to a powerful man. Her fierce personality is enough to make any pirate want to push her overboard.

But when the King of the Orient comes to Barren with a task—to find the Bloodstone, a powerful gem thought only to exist in legend, Barren sees another opportunity to destroy his enemy. Together, Barren, Larkin and a crew of
pirates set off to find the stone, only to discover it caused the death of Barren’s own mother and Larkin’s, too. As his strongest allies turn into his greatest enemies, and the life of the girl he kidnapped becomes more important than he ever dreamed, Barren’s quest for revenge becomes a fight to save the Orient.

About the Author

Ashley was born and raised in Oklahoma, where the wind really does sweep down the plains, and horses and carriages aren't used as much as she'd like. When she's not writing, she's hard at work on her Master's degree in Library Science and Information Technology, working out, or pretending she's Sherlock Holmes. Her obsession with writing began after reading the Lord of the Rings in the eighth grade. Since then, she's loved everything Fantasy--resulting in an unhealthy obsession with the 'geek' tab on Pinterest, where all things awesome go.

Author Links:

   

SALE BLITZ: Dead Girl Walking (Royal Reaper #1) by Ruth Silver

Hello! Today, we're really excited to be helping spread the word that Ruth Silver's Dead Girl Walking is currently on sale (from now until Feb 22st) and will be on Bookbub tomorrow, Feb. 20th! This book is a lot of fun, and a steal for only $0.99! Definitely pick it up while it's this cheap!

Dead Girl Walking (Royal Reaper) by Ruth Silver

Published: November 25, 2014

Publisher: Booktrope

Forget everything you know about grim reapers.

Princess Ophelia Dacre sneaks out of the castle to visit her boyfriend in secret. A perfect night cut short when she’s brutally murdered.

Ophelia is given the rare chance to become a grim reaper. She must become Leila Bele, cut ties with her old life, and follow the rules of the reapers. Her greatest adventure begins with death.


Now includes the prequel Ashes to Ashes as a bonus story in the Booktrope edition. Available in eBook & Paperback.

Add to Goodreads

Licensed to Ruth Silver

ON SALE FOR JUST 99 cents!!!

Available on Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

“Listen, kid, I don’t care what you believe in. It’s not for me to say what’s true and untrue, real or unreal. My assignment was you. You get to be one of us, if you want it. Otherwise, you move on, life is over, kaput.”

Ophelia backed away from the stranger. For the first time, she realized she didn’t feel cold and wasn’t shivering. Is this what being dead was like? “One of you?”

“A grim reaper.” He held out his hand to properly introduce himself. “Edon Montgomery, head reaper and old soul.”

Licensed to Ruth Silver

Author Interview

Do you have any plans to write a spin-off for Aberrant?

Yes! I am currently working on an untitled project that is a prequel, spin-off. I haven't spoken much about it, but I will say there is plenty of action and a world to explore that we've barely touched in the Aberrant trilogy.

What are you currently working on?

I've got several writing projects underway. Forget Me Knot (Royal Reaper 2) is in edits right now with an expected Spring 2015 release. I'm also writing steamy adult fiction under the name Ravyn Rayne, which will be available this year as well. You can find those projects on Ravyn Rayne Reads.

Do you have a full-time job?

Writing and marketing my own novels is my full-time job. It involves far more than 40 hours a week, but I love it, so I don't mind.

About the Author

Ruth Silver is the best-selling author of the Aberrant trilogy. With a passion for writing and a love of story-telling, Ruth is actively writing two series: Royal Reaper and Orenda. Her interests also include traveling, reading, and photography. Her favorite vacation destination is Australia. Ruth currently resides in Plainfield, Illinois. She can be found on Twitter, Facebook, and her book blog Write Away Bliss.

Sound of Sirens (Tales of Skylge #1) by Jen Minkman - Ashley's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Sound of Sirens (Tales of Skylge #1)
Author: Jen Minkman
Publication Date: November 28, 2014

Synopsis: An ancient land protected by a Tower of Light,
its people ever tempted by Siren song,
and a girl who falls for the wrong boy.

On the island of Skylge, electricity is only for the Currents – the rich ruling class who once came from across the sea and brought the holy fire of St. Brandan to Skylge. Ever since, the light in the Brandaris Tower has protected the islanders. Heeding the Siren's call will drown your body and steal your soul, but the sacred light in the Tower will chase the merfolk away.

When Skylger girl Enna welcomes her brother back from a long sea voyage, he gives her a special present from the mainland – an electronic record only playable on a Current device. The problem is that Royce Bolton, Current heartthrob and the town’s most gifted pianist, wants it too. After she stubbornly refuses to sell the LP featuring his favorite artist, he suggests sharing the record by secretly meeting up in his private summer house. Taken aback yet thrilled, Enna agrees – and discovers that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Current society and the history of Skylge. Why do the Sirens tempt the islanders to give themselves up to the sea? And where does the Currents’ monopoly on electricity really come from?

While struggling with these questions, Enna begins to fall for Royce, risking everything to be with a guy who is clearly wrong for her. She will learn that the sound of Sirens isn’t the most treacherous thing out there to haunt her dreams.

(The setting of Tales of Skylge is loosely based on the Dutch island of Terschelling, or Schylge in the island’s dialect. Although the names and places in this book will sound very familiar to people living on the island, the characters and events are, of course, entirely fictitious in nature.)

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Review: I've been a huge fan of Jen's writing since I first read The Island. I love that trilogy, and then I read The Space In Between and fell in love with Jen's gorgeous writing all over again. And then she sent me Sound of Sirens, and I'm pretty sure there's nothing Jen can't write about. This book is just full of fabulous world building, character development, mystery, romance, and so many other incredible things. 

First of all, there's Enna. She's a Skylger girl just trying to get by with her aging father and her sailor brother who is absent for long periods of time when he's away at sea. Most of this book focuses on Enna and Royce, and how they meet in secret to share the LP and how their relationship develops from there. But in the course of watching their relationship grow and change, we also learn quite a bit about Enna, Royce, the Sirens, and the island. The way that all of the world-building is built into and around the characters is flawless, and I loved learning about the sirens and the island and all of that at the same time that I was getting to know Enna and Royce.

Royce bothered me a little bit because of the way he treats Enna in public, but I also understood why he does what he does. He's part of a very influential Current family, and the relationship between the two groups of people is incredibly tense. But still. He could give a girl a little heads-up or something without having to break her heart all over the place. Silly teenagers. 

There's still so much I want to know about this world and about the Sirens, and I'm so glad that Light of Lorelei is out in the world already! I'm so excited to read the sequel and the rest of this fantastic new series, and I would totally recommend it for anyone looking for a romance with a bit of fantasy/sci-fi/dystopia thrown in. It's an excellent read, and was definitely one that I didn't want to put down. In fact, I'm pretty sure I read it all in one sitting. So yeah. Definitely a 4/5!


--Ashley

Month9Books FRIDAY REVEAL: The Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl by Leigh Statham - Chapter 1 + GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are revealing the first chapter for

The Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl
by Leigh Statham

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Lady Marguerite lives a life most 17th century French girls can only dream of: Money, designer dresses, suitors and a secure future. Except, she suspects her heart may be falling for her best friend Claude, a common smithie in the family’s steam forge. When Claude leaves for New France in search of a better life, Marguerite decides to follow him and test her suspicions of love. Only the trip proves to be more harrowing than she anticipated. Love, adventure and restitution await her, if she can survive the voyage.

Title: THE PERILOUS JOURNEY OF THE NOT-SO-INNOCUOUS GIRL
Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Leigh Statham

The Perilous Journey of the Not-

So-Innocuous Girl

Leigh

Statham

Chapter One

Marguerite held the brass cricket gingerly in her hands. She kept it tucked under the table while she turned it over, her fingers blindly memorizing every feature. She knew it was childish for a sixteen-year-old to have a favorite toy, but she couldn’t help it. The design fascinated her. Occasionally she would trip the mechanism and the cricket literally sprang to life, launching itself against the underside of the table with a loud knock.

“What was that?” Madame Pomphart cried.

Marguerite caught the little metal bug with one hand and tucked it into the folds of her skirts. “Nothing,” she lied.

“I heard a noise.” The sour-faced governess slapped the desk with her pointer and stepped closer. “What are you hiding?”

Marguerite didn’t flinch. “You must be hearing things again. You are getting rather old.”

Madame Pomphart swung her pointer, making sound contact with Marguerite's shoulder.

“Ah!” Marguerite grabbed her shoulder and jumped to her feet, knocking her chair over.

She quite forgot about the little toy cricket which launched right at the governess’s face.

“What? Oh!” Madame Pomphart batted the air and stumbled backward, dropping her stick as the cricket ricocheted off her nose and landed at Marguerite’s feet. “How dare you bring vermin into my classroom? Your father will hear about this. Lord Vadnay will not be pleased!”

Marguerite scooped up her prize and ran for the door, grateful for the chance to escape.

“Get back here or you’ll receive double lashings!”

It was too late. Marguerite ran much faster than her teacher and was already halfway down the wide corridor. Lined with portraits of long-dead relatives and her father’s collection of modern weaponry, each display tempted her with thoughts of challenging the governess to a duel. She could easily scoop up one of the automated cat-o-nine-tails and turn back to the classroom.

She rather fancied the idea, actually. But it wasn't the right time or the right way to handle her heavy-handed caretaker, and honestly, she wasn't quite brave enough to do more than talk back—not yet.

Her fear began to lift as she lightly descended the grand curving stairway to the ballroom, sprinting over the marble tiles and through the large doors to the gardens. The French summer sun blinded her.

Marguerite blinked as she continued to run around the fountain filled with automated koi. A servant perched on the edge of the large pool, brass fish in hand. Its tail clicked furiously back and forth as he tried to oil it. The late-summer roses bloomed bright with color all around her. Butterflies seemed to flit merrily on every blossom, cheering her on. Human and automaton servants worked side by side grooming the large hedges … They jumped out of her way and bowed. None of them seemed surprised to see the young lady of the house running out of doors and they all knew where she was headed.

She tried to slip away to the cool shelter of the small glen beyond the lavender fields every chance she could, but since her father came up with the idea that she needed to be a “real lady,” it had become more difficult to sneak away.

At this point, she could have stopped. Pomphart wouldn’t follow her now, but it felt so good to move quickly after being at a table all morning. Her heart beat like an auto-hammer in her chest by the time she reached the work fields. More automatons and human servants stopped and bowed to the master’s daughter. Marguerite paid them no attention.

Finally reaching the small grove of trees, she flopped merrily on the soft grass and took a deep breath, then giggled to herself. She was safe, for now. The wind picked up and tousled the leaves overhead, sending bits of sunlight swimming wildly around her. The grass outside the glen rustled under the heavy thud of work boots: Claude.

“Hullo!” His voice sounded merry as he peered through the low branches that poked and tickled at the earth, surprised to see her there so early. “How’d you manage to beat me?” His wavy, light brown hair was just shaggy enough to soften his strong jaw and angular nose. His cheek was smeared with gear oil, right up to the corner of his smiling blue eyes. He was too tall for his work trousers and his chest had grown too broad for his cotton shirt. The buttons tugged a bit, but he wasn’t the type to care about his clothes. He pulled his welding goggles off of his head and wiped the sweat on his brow with the arm of his shirt.

“I ran.” She smiled wickedly.

Claude flopped down in the grass beside her. “That’s not very ladylike, and Pomphart doesn’t usually let you out till half past.”

“I had to run after this marvelous toy you made for me attacked her.” She held up the cricket like a prize gem freshly plucked from the earth.

“Marguerite!” he cried. “I asked you to keep it safe, not use it to get yourself tossed out of ladyhood!”

“It was an accident. I swear. The lessons are just so boring. I needed something to do, so I had it under the table. She’s such a brute. You should have seen
how she hit me with her blasted pointer.”

“She struck you again?” his face turned dark.

"Yes, but it's nothing, just a welt on the shoulder.” The last thing she wanted was to be the damsel in distress.

“Still.” Claude's brow furrowed. “It's not right. Ladies don't strike other ladies. Please keep good care of that little bug. It took me a long time to build and I didn’t record the plans. I may need to borrow it back someday.”

“All right.” Disappointed at his lack of enthusiasm for her naughtiness, she carried on. “But you should have seen her face! If only I could have a portrait made of that. I’d hang it over my bed and have a miniature made to keep by my heart.”

A nasally voice attached to a pointy-faced, pale girl in bright pink skirts burst through the cool glen. “Whose miniature are you keeping by your heart? You haven’t even had your ball yet.”

“Hello, Vivienne.” Marguerite sighed without enthusiasm.

“Marguerite has just sealed her doom,” Claude chimed in. “She threw the cricket I made her at Pomphart’s face today, so there may not be a ball.”

“That’s rubbish! I did no such thing. It just got away from me and bounced right off her nose.” Marguerite laughed again while recalling the image, but Claude’s words made her a bit nervous.

“Oh dear,” cried Vivienne. “What are you going to do?”

Of course Vivienne would make a big deal out of it, Marguerite didn’t expect anything less from her childish neighbor.

“I’m not sure. That’s why I came straight here.” She turned pointedly to Claude. “I thought you’d want to celebrate my freedom and take the rest of the day off.”

Claude was quick to reply, “I’m afraid I can’t. Lots to be finished at the forge and I am on stall-mucking duty with the bots.”

“What do you possibly have to finish at the forge that’s so important?”

Claude raised his eyebrows at her. “A certain girl’s father has requested automatic serving dishes made of twenty-four-karat gold for her introduction to society.”

“Oh my!” Vivienne drew a dramatic breath. “How elegant. I so wish I were old enough to come.”

“Don’t worry,” Marguerite patted the girl’s knee, “I’m sure you can borrow them for your own ball.”

“Marguerite… ” Claude hissed at her.

It wasn’t a very kind thing to say, but Marguerite had never been very fond of Vivienne. She mostly endured her company because she was the only girl within a hundred miles that was close to the same age and station as Marguerite. That, and Claude had insisted she be kind to her.

“You’re right, Claude.” Marguerite smiled in repentance. “I’m sure your father will have loads of wonderful things for the guests to marvel at when your time comes, Vivienne. Still, it would be nice to have both of you there. I suppose I will be forced to talk to strangers.”

“I can’t believe you’re not excited!” Vivienne chattered. “New dresses! Handsome suitors!”

“I am excited,” Marguerite cut her off, “to have it over and done with! Dressing up might be fun, but dressing up to catch a man is not my idea of a good time.”

"Don’t be vulgar.” Vivienne blushed. “It’s not like that at all.”

Claude cut in, “I’d love to stay and discuss this matter with you girls, but I do have a few chafing dishes waiting for their motors in the shop.”

Marguerite tensed at the thought of not only being left alone with Vivienne, but also being without Claude’s protection should Pomphart come looking for her.

“Do you think I could come help you at the forge today?”

“Not if you want me to get anything done.” Claude smiled merrily.

“Stop it! You know I’m a whiz with gear-work.”

“When you are actually interested in the work, yes, but I’m afraid that auto-spoons and brass tureens would bore you to death.”

Marguerite tried to make her eyes look large and beseeching, but she knew it was no use.

“No. But you can walk me there. I forgot my lunch anyway,” Claude said as he reached to help Marguerite up.

“I didn’t exactly have time to grab a snack as I fled the dungeons,” Marguerite quipped.

“Oh! I know!” Vivienne was bursting. “Let’s have lunch in town today. You’re not going back to your lessons are you? And Claude is busy with work. It will be such fun girl time!”

Marguerite sighed, but Vivienne was right. There was no way for her to return to the estate house without being trapped by Pomphart, and she had nothing to do if Claude insisted on finishing his chores.

Still, she was uneasy about the idea of being on her own with Pomphart’s wrath hovering around an unknown corner waiting to pounce. The woman was ruthless when no one of importance was watching.

She had a way of getting Marguerite off on her own and exacting whatever form of punishment she felt was suitable for the crime. Marguerite tried to complain to her father, but he wouldn’t listen, he thought Marguerite just didn’t want lessons anymore.

Claude knew all of this and sensed her fears in her quiet gaze.

“Come with me, both of you. I have someone I want you to meet.” Claude smiled.

Marguerite jumped up at his tug, tossed her wavy brown hair, and set her skirts aright, glad someone was helping her make up her mind. “Very well.”

“Hooray! Oh, I know just the place,” Vivienne said. “There is a new little patisserie I saw the other day I’ve been aching to try.” She skipped up the hill ahead of the other two, babbling on about buns and cakes and half sandwiches.

Claude reached for Marguerite’s arm and squeezed a bit. He used this gesture when he was about to chastise her, but she didn’t think she’d been that rude to Vivienne. The girl got on her nerves with every word, but her intentions were good and Marguerite wasn’t cruel by nature, just impatient.

“What?” she hissed.

“I have some news, but I wanted to tell you first.”

“Oh?” Relieved not to be in trouble, but also perplexed, Marguerite wished more now than ever that Vivienne would just skip into oblivion with her bouncy blonde curls and scattered thoughts.

“Yes. You know how we spoke a few weeks ago about my plans?”

“Did you find a position in Paris?” Marguerite could scarcely contain herself. Her friend was so talented, and she knew better than anyone that he was wasted working as a bondservant on her father’s estate. If he could secure an apprenticeship in Paris he could come back to La Rochelle as a master tradesman. Plus she could visit him there. Still, apprenticeships were hard to come by.

“No, I think it’s better than that.”

“What could be better than Paris?” In her mind, crowds of well-dressed ladies paraded down glittering avenues while the latest autocarts passed by in a blur of technology and innovation. Paris was the hub of all things Marguerite admired.

“I’ve signed into His Majesty’s service. As of next week, I’ll be an official member of the Royal Corp of Engineers.”

“You what?” She was stunned. It took her a moment to sort out her emotions. How could he have made this type of decision without consulting her? They had shared everything since they discovered each other as bored children on the estate a decade ago.

“I knew you’d be angry with me for not telling you beforehand, but an opportunity just presented itself and I knew it was right—I had to take it.”

“No, I’m not angry at all. Just shocked. You know how my father feels about the military.”

“But you see, that’s just it. I won’t have to worry about your father anymore, I won’t owe him anything. My first assignment is to New France.”

“Are you two coming or not? I’m starved!” Vivienne had doubled back when she realized she was talking to herself.

Marguerite wasn’t sure she could eat or talk at that moment. She wasn’t sure she could even take another step.

Leigh Statham was raised in the wilds of rural Idaho, but found her heart in New York City. She worked as a waitress, maid, artist, math teacher, nurse, web designer, art director, thirty-foot inflatable pig and mule wrangler before she settled down in the semi-quiet role of wife, mother and writer. She resides in North Carolina with her husband, four children, five chickens and two suspected serial killer cats. If the air is cool and the sun is just coming up over the horizon, you can find her running the streets of her small town, plotting her next novel with the sort of intensity that will one day get her hit by a car.

Connect with the Author: Website |Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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The book will be sent upon the titles release.

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BLOG TOUR: Deceived (Soul Keeper Series #1) by L.A. Starkey - Excerpt + Author Interview + GIVEAWAY!

Happy Thursday! We're really excited today to be a part of the blog tour for L.A. Starkey's YA Paranormal book, Deceived. We have an excerpt, a short interview, and a giveaway for you! You have the opportunity to win a $50 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card, so make sure to fill out the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post.

Also, don't forget to visit all of the other fantastic stops on this tour. You can find the entire tour schedule by clicking on the banner above.

About the Book

Title: Deceived (Soul Keeper Series #1)
Author: L.A. Starkey
Publication Date: August 28, 2014

Synopsis:  They say a soul is the immaterial essence, the animating principal, the actuating cause of an individual life.

But what if you had to share yours with the one person you hated the most?

The soul mate principal states that for every one soul there is another that will recognize its match, hence creating the perfect union.

But what if you had two soul mates, which would you choose?

What if your choices had eternal ramification?

Deceived, the debut novel in the Soul Keeper Series, is a modern day love story about the implications of having more than one soul mate, and having to choose between the two of them. The decisions of the gods has left the next generation, their heirs, torn between fate and reality, and the balance of the future hangs in anticipation of what's to come.

Excerpt

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and even though the breeze had picked up, embracing Sam like a good friend, the warmth of the sun was putting up a mighty fight. Being someone who thrived outdoors, she loved that New Hampshire had four seasons and took profound joy in having the ability to experience all the weather gods could throw her way. After the first few warm up miles, Sam stood back up on her peddles and pumped out the next few miles with a good bit of effort.

Man, it feels good to get my blood pumping.

Sam looked to her left as a quick movement of yellow jotted between the trees.

“No!” A loud masculine voice rang out.

She jerked forward in time to swerve, barely missing the yellow lump lying in the road and instead hitting the curb. She plummeted off the bike, flying through the air and landing in a crouch. Her chest heaved in effort to gain much needed oxygen as all of the blood in her body rushed to its aid.

Her eyes quickly surveyed her surroundings as she cautiously rose. No one was close enough to create the loud protest that was still reverbing in her head. Trying to regain her composure, she worked to make sense of what had happened. I could’ve sworn there was something yellow in the trees. And then it was in the road, right?

She searched the ground finding nothing to support her internal claim.

About the Author

Laurie Starkey is the author of the upcoming Soul Keeper Series, a supernatural young adult series, and The Liarus Detective Series, a supernatural middle grade series. She lives in Houston, Texas with her husband, Jacob and three beautiful kiddos.

She is a CPA by trade, a church planter and entrepreneur at heart; however, writing and reading are passions she just can't help but indulge in. With more ideas that one person should be allowed, she is blessed to have a muse that doesn't seem to take a vacation and more energy that one might consider healthy.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

The Interview!

Do you write about what turns you on?
Absolutely. I love supernatural or paranormal content. I really believe that all of my future books will be within that subject. I have about twenty new ideas that I’ve start to scope out for future projects and no matter what I do, they always somehow resort back to the paranormal thing, that which lies just below the surface that our minds refuse to consider.

If we were to come to your house for a meal, what would you give us to eat?
My family is from the south for the most part, so you’d most like get a southern fried meal. Something like chicken fried steak, white gravy, butter creamed corn, whipped potatoes, and homemade biscuits. No dessert… there’s no room for it, I promise.

Are you a romantic?
Yes and No. If I have the choice I’d rather put on jeans and a t-shirt and do something casual, but to read romance in a book makes me swoon. My husband does a few romantic things here and there, but honestly I’m good without it.

Do you listen to music when you're writing?
Sometimes. Music moves me and so if I know where the scene is going and need to get it out, I’ll turn the music off. The last thing I need is for the music to change the direction of my writing. If I’m just writing a short scene or something for fun outside of the context of a story – the music is what I let drive the entire piece.

Do you ever read your stories out loud?
I read out loud to myself sometimes, but I actually downloaded a reader onto my computer so that I can have it read my work back to me. Crazy what you catch (editing-wise) when something is being spoken out loud. “…and she loved his wong.” Wong?? NO… song, song, not wong. :P

The Giveaway!

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card

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Thanks for stopping by!


--Ashley & Paul

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: A Hole in the Ice by McCallum J. Morgan

Happy Saturday! McCallum Morgan, author of the recently released A Hole in the Ice, stopped by today to talk about his book, his life, and other random things. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did! But first, here's some more info about A Hole in the Ice, in case you're not familiar with it!

About the Book

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: A Hole in the Ice

Author: McCallum J. Morgan

Publication Date: September 20, 2014

Synopsis: In a world similar to our own during the 1800s and early 1900s, two political factions seek an object that could be the key to ultimate power. This object, a supernatural compass, falls into the hands of sixteen-year-old Parsifal. When Sir Oaktree comes to retrieve it, Parsifal accidentally kills him with it (or so he believes).

Parsifal sets off across the globe on his uncle’s “scientific” expedition, hoping to escape. But the expedition itself is inextricably tied to the compass he tries to keep secret. Balder Balfra and Lady Vasille (whom Parsifal is drawn to despite her apparent involvement with his uncle) are also travelling on this expedition, but whose side are they on? And which side is the right one?

About the Author

As a child, McCallum always wanted to write a book. He scribbled in notebooks, drew pictures, and lived largely in a world of make-believe. Into this fertile field a seed was planted. Notebooks began to fill and they didn’t stop. It was a soaring waltz with words among the silvery clouds and he loved it. He was thirteen.

McCallum discovered the Institute of Children’s Literature and enrolled in their writing course, Writing for Children and Teenagers. For their second, advanced, course, he rewrote those bursting notebooks. Now McCallum is eighteen and working on the sequel, and enjoying every minute of it knowing that finally, it’s real. It’s not just a pile of notebooks anymore, it’s ‘A Hole in the Ice.’

McCallum still draws and occasionally attacks an unfortunate piece of fabric with a sewing machine. He may be spotted around his home town of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, sporting his collection of bizarre clothing items, singing ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ in French, or at the bakery near his home, drinking a caramel macchiato. His day job is log home finishing. He lives with his parents in a house perched on the hillside twenty miles south of the Canadian border and takes his tea with milk and sugar in a cup and saucer.

Blog | Website | Facebook | Twitter

The Interview!

What inspired you to write A Hole in the Ice? 

Okay, here we go: I was reading The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman and I was imagining it set in an older time (and it is, sort of, being an alternate world that’s a touch steampunk). Anyway, I was disappointed that it wasn’t quite as old fashioned as I’d thought (Love the book anyway) so my brother and I played a game of make-believe set in a world that was a cross between Pride and Prejudice and The Golden Compass. The main characters' names and the basic storyline come from that. I started writing it down before we’d even finished the game. I must have decided it was time to really try this writing thing. I’d started a few novels previously (I was around twelve or thirteen at the time) but nothing had ever come of them and I was very superstitious in my approach, calling it a TAB(which stood for Triple A and B or AAAB which meant Attempt At A Book (I know, I’m crazy)) rather than a book. Gotta confound the Fates somehow. I credit Phillip Pullman’s inspiring work along with a healthy helping of serendipity for the success of my TAB. But I got the idea of the Weather Casters one day while staring at a painting of a ship that has hung in our living room for ages. I started doodling, sketching out their function and method in a little cartoon which included the mermaids. I don’t know if that was before or after the game, but either way, it got grafted into the game somewhere along the way.

Growing up, what were some of your favorite books? 

I really loved The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper and I devoured the Lemony Snicket books. The Chronicles of Narnia were a favorite too, although maybe from watching the old BBC film versions.


If you could spend the day with any author, living or dead, who would you choose and why?
Well I wish I could somehow console Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, bring her chocolates or something. When I read The Last Man I felt so sorry for her because I could tell she was drawing on her own experience for the lonely depressed feel of the book (her children died in the same way that the main character’s children die in the book). Otherwise I’d like to meet Kenneth Oppel, just because his Airborn books were so stinking awesome.

What book(s) is currently on your nightstand?
Mortal Engines by Phillip Reeve, and When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket. I actually have a huge stack of books and papers on the floor next to my bed, a couple French dictionaries, a Field Guide to Little People (Nancy Arrowsmith and George Moorse), and one of my favorites, The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, to name a few.

How does a typical writing day usually go for you?
I am tragically unorganized. I don’t have writing days, I have writing moments, some are ‘knuckle down and write it NOW’ moments and some are those magical moments when my muse hits me over the head with something. For the former I sit and agonize over my keyboard or notebook, sometimes for days on end, before I finally get the ink flowing. The latter…well they’re like lightning strikes. I’ve been so busy lately I’ve almost forgotten what having a writing schedule is like (I don’t know that I’ve ever had one, but it seems like I used to be more organized. It’s not good, it’s gotta change).

Do you have a favorite mermaid story (besides your own, of course!)?
I haven’t read many mermaid stories but I’ve read lots of water spirit legends like the Drac and Asrai. I love the imagery of the Lady of the Lake from Arthurian Legend. I also like how in The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen the mermaid just wants a soul because she doesn’t have one.

What is your favorite costume that you’ve made?
Possibly my most ambitious project: Sweeney Todd. It consists of a pair of stirrup trousers and a waistcoat, both of a dark grey and black fabric. But I also made a purple suit coat (I was thinking Joker maybe) and I wore it over my Sweeney Todd to a costume party recently. I was the Mad Hatter. My brother is a wizard with cereal boxes and a glue gun so he made the hat and covered it with the same purple as the suit coat.

Are you currently working on any new projects? I’m up to my ears. I have an Institute of Children’s Literature assignment (story or nonfiction article—I’m leaning towards story) and a story I was writing for my M’Habla’s short story blog and several novel ideas including a full plot and chapter outline of a circus novel I’m planning to write for NaNoWriMo. And, of course, the sequel to A Hole in the Ice.

How would you describe A Hole in the Ice in 140 characters or less?
It’s about desire for power, first love, supernatural beings, guilt, and friendship/family in a steampunk regency world.

What was the last book you read and loved? Metropolis by Thea Von Harbou. I watched the 1927 silent film and had to read the book. Her language is so poetic and full of symbolism.

Do you currently have a guilty pleasure TV show?

Um, I don’t get television (gasp!) but I do have an addiction to Tim Burton movies and old Christopher Lee horror films.

If you could go anywhere in time or space, where/when would you like to go? 

That’s a hard one. I’ll have to say ancient Greece because I’ve always been infatuated with Greek myths. Like really bad. But I could just as easily say 19th century England (or France. France is on the top of my foreign countries to visit list). Hmm…19th century England is sounding better, but it just depends on my mood. Obviously the 19th century won out when I wrote a novel.

Thanks so much again to McCallum for taking the time to stop by!

--Ashley & Paul