A MURDER OF MAGPIES Blog Tour!!!

November 3, 2014November 3, 2014 / Marie Meyer / 2 Comments

A MURDER OF MAGPIES

By Sarah Bromley

I’m delighted to be a stop on Sarah Bromley’s A MURDER OF MAGPIES Blog Tour! If you haven’t read A MURDER OF MAGPIES, you need to…NOW! A MURDER OF MAGPIES is available for purchase at the links provided here:

Review-

A MURDER OF MAGPIES is a story unlike any I’ve ever read. It reads with a quiet urgency, only adding to the mystery surrounding the Silver Twins, Vayda and Jonah. It’s the perfect story to read on a cold, wintery day. Let the snow fall outside, curl up under the covers, and allow yourself to be whisked away to a world where secrets are buried beneath dozens of feet of snow and ice. And let’s not forget about the sweet romance between Vayda and Ward that keeps the cold at bay.

After the mysterious death of their mother, Vayda and Jonah’s father, Emory, moves the family from Georgia to Black Orchard, Wisconsin, so they can start over. But, it soon becomes apparent to Vayda that the move wasn’t to initiate a fresh start, but to run from the evils surrounding their past.

Just as Vayda has gotten close to Ward Ravenscroft, the boy who lives nearby, she finds that her father may be planning yet another move. But this time, she doesn’t want to run. In Ward, Vayda’s found someone who calms the never ending barrage of cold and noise inside her. Someone she trusts.

But the shadows of the past are lurking in the snow covered forests of Black Orchard and the Silver family’s secrets aren’t safe…anywhere they hide. And the residents of Black Orchard may not be safe from the Silver Twins and their unique abilities. In order to have a future, Vayda and Jonah must confront their past.

If you’re a fan of Gothic paranormal tales, AMURDER OF MAGPIES should be at the top of your TBR list! It’s a phenomenal story.

An Interview with MAGPIES author, Sarah Bromley-

I not only had the opportunity to read and review A MURDER OF MAGPIES, but I also had the privilege of interviewing Sarah Bromley! Here’s what she had to say:

What was your inspiration for A MURDER OF MAGPIES?

A MURDER OF MAGPIES first came as Vayda screaming in the night. I knew the house was on fire, and I knew her family was persecuted. My mother’s side of the family has Romani heritage, so I incorporated some of the folklore as well as persecution of people of that culture in the story. My family is superstitious and also has a very strong line of intuition among the women, so all those things came together in this book.

Vayda and Jonah’s family connection is so strong. Something writers often hear, “write what you know”; I liked how you were able to take elements of your own heritage and weave them into Vayda and Jonah’s story. That only adds to MAGPIES depth and helps to create a closeness among your characters and readers.

Speaking of writing, what is the hardest part of the writing process for you?

I absolutely hate first drafts. They’re messy and don’t get done nearly fast enough for my liking because I spend far too much time trying to make them right, so I have to remind myself “Draft first, revise later.”

I am with you on this! I HATE first drafts!! I am constantly reminding myself of the same thing. I always tell myself, “Write the worst story you can, right now. It will get better!”

To help make writing that first draft (or any other draft for that matter) easier, do you have a writing ritual? Things that must be done before your muse will come out and play?

I need coffee. I like quiet or a file I have of howling winds. I also tend to light a lot of candles, especially the ones with the wood wick to create that crackle and hiss sound. Ambiance seems to be important to me.

Yes! Coffee!! We are kindred spirits! However, I haven’t tried lighting candles or the howling winds. I must give them a try! Especially the wood wick candles, those sound awesome! 🙂

As you sit down to write that dreaded first draft, are you more of a pantser or plotter?

I’m what my critique partner Shawntelle calls a “plotster.” I write fifty pages where I’m getting to know the character’s voice and story. After those fifty pages, I can sit back and look at the threads and figure out where the rest of the story will go.

Interesting! I love to know how other authors get from A to Z. Myself, I am a tried and true pantser. I do not work well within the confines of an outline. Kudos to you, a mixture of both! And if I might add, you have an awesome CP! I love Shawntelle’s books!

Now that MAGPIES has gone through several drafts and is finally published, you’ve really gotten to know the story and its characters, do you have a favorite line, passage, or chapter from A MURDER OF MAGPIES?

Hmm. It’s tough to choose, but I do love Ward’s reaction to finding out what Vayda is because who in their right mind wouldn’t freak out at such a thing.

I know, right? He handled that news a lot better than most boyfriends would have. I also liked that Vayda didn’t push him. She let him get used to her “specialness” in his own way and own time. Vayda is a really amazing character. I enjoyed being inside her head. Thanks for sharing Vayda and Ward with us!

So, on the topic of characters… Of all your characters, which one do you most closely relate to?

There are different parts of me in both Ward and Vayda. I lost my parents young, which each of them misses at least one parent from their life. Ward is the artistic side of me that dives into projects without giving a care for how I’ll get it done, I’ll just do it because of impulse. Vayda is the opposite side of me that will carefully weigh out everything, especially in family matters. They’re good at nudging each other.

For me, adding a little of myself to my characters always breathes more life into the story. I can say that the same is true for MAGPIES. Even the smallest personality traits gives the story a heartbeat.

Now that MAGPIES is out, what are you working on now?

Well, of course, I have the sequel to A MURDER OF MAGPIES that I am working on, and I am also taking some time to write a YA horror story that is very near and dear to my heart.

I cannot wait for the sequel to A MURDER OF MAGPIES!! And a YA horror too, so excited!!

Besides writing, do you have any other passions/hobbies?

I am very passionate about animals, especially dogs and horses. I have rescued two of my three dogs in the last two years (the other is a fourteen-year-old pug), and I volunteer at a stable for disabled riders. Therapeutic riding does so much good for our riders, and being around them and the horses is wonderful for my soul. I also spend a lot of time reading, working in the garden where I have a bird garden with native plants, cooking, playing guitar, and working in a variety of art mediums—everything from furniture restoration to cross-stitching to painting.

You are a very busy, talented woman! Wow! You’re amazing!

How can someone follow in your path of awesome? What advice can you offer aspiring writers?

You must be able to trust your gut. That goes for everything—taking and employing constructive criticisms of your work, who you choose as your agent if you have multiple offers. You need to do research into the genre you are writing and where you see it on the shelf. Know who represents those books. Research any small presses you may want to work it, and always, always be persistent. Very, very few of the seemingly overnight successes actually happened fast—most were years in the making.

So true! Sound advice, fellow writers. Take it to heart.

Throughout A MURDER OF MAGPIES, Vayda is in the kitchen whipping up something wonderful. As I read, my stomach rumbled its appreciation for the story! You really need to consider a MURDER OF MAGPIES recipe book–From Vayda’s Kitchen to Your Table! Out of curiosity, what is your favorite dessert?

I am a sucker for a chocolate-peanut butter pie any day of the week.

Um, yeah. I’m going to need that recipe! That sounds heavenly! As did all of Vayda’s culinary creations! I’m serious about that MAGPIES recipe book! I wanted Vayda to invite me over for dinner!

Sarah, thanks so much for stopping by! I loved having the opportunity to interview you!

Thank you for having me!

If you’re looking for more of Sarah’s stops during the A MURDER OF MAGPIES Blog Tour, the tour schedule can be found here:

http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/tour-schedule-a-murder-of-magpies-by-sarah-bromley-presented-by-month9books/

Add A MURDER OF MAGPIES to your Goodreads list. If you’ve read MAGPIES, leave a review!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17787411-a-murder-of-magpies?from_search=true

For a chance to win a digital copy of A MURDER OF MAGPIES click on the Rafflecopter link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c08c9e8e250/

Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of A Murder of Magpies by Sarah Bromley (INT)
Winner will be drawn on November 28, 2014

ABOUT A MURDER OF MAGPIES

Title: A Murder of Magpies

Publication date: October 28, 2014

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author: Sarah Bromley

Winter in Black Orchard, Wisconsin, is long and dark, and sixteen-year-old Vayda Silver prays the snow will keep the truth and secrecy of the last two years buried. Hiding from the past with her father and twin brother, Vayda knows the rules: never return to the town of her mother’s murder, and never work a Mind Game where someone might see.

No one can know the toll emotions take on Vayda, how emotion becomes energy in her hands, or how she can’t control the destruction she causes. But it’s not long before her powers can no longer be contained. The truth is dangerously close to being exposed, placing Vayda and her family at risk.

Until someone quiets the chaos inside her.

Unwanted. That’s all Ward Ravenscroft has ever been. To cope, he numbs the pain of rejection by denying himself emotions of any kind. Yet Vayda stirs something in him. He can’t explain the hold she has on him–inspiring him with both hope and fear. He claims not to scare easily, except he doesn’t know what her powers can do. Yet.

Just as Vadya and Ward draw closer, she finds the past isn’t so easily buried. And when it follows the Silvers to Black Orchard, it has murder in mind.

ABOUT SARAH BROMLEY:

Sarah Bromley lives near St. Louis with her husband, three children, and two dogs. She likes the quiet hours of morning when she can drink coffee in peace, stare into the woods behind her house, and wonder what monsters live there. When she’s not writing or wrangling small children, she can be found volunteering at a stable for disabled riders.

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

At Your Service Tween Street Team

August 26, 2014August 25, 2014 / Marie Meyer / 4 Comments

AT YOUR SERVICE

By Jen Malone

I’m am honored and so proud to give up my blog for this post. My “Capable Kenna” will be my guest blogger for this post, as she was part of Jen Malone’s Tween Street Team. Kenna and I thought it would be fun to team up and be a part of something fun! Being a part of the AT YOUR SERVICE Street Team also gave Kenna the opportunity to work on her reading and communication skills. So without further ado, I turn this blog over to Kenna.

Hi, my name is Kenna. I’m glad to be part of the AT YOUR SERVICE Street Team! I enjoyed reading this book with my mom. It was a lot of fun. We’d snuggle together and read some chapters before bed. I liked the story. Chloe was really cool and she had a fun job. At first, I didn’t know what a concierge did, but after reading AT YOUR SERVICE, I do now. I learned a lot about hotels and New York City. I think it would be fun to visit New York City. Maybe one day I will get to do that and my hotel will have a concierge as awesome as Chloe!

Me and my mom reading AT YOUR SERVICE!

I’d like to thank Jen Malone for letting me be part of her street team. Jen is so cool! She made each member of her street team personalized key chains, gave each of us an AT YOUR SERVICE pressed penny, and we all got a copy of the book and lots of other neat bookmarks, bookplates, and postcards. I had a lot of fun reading AT YOUR SERVICE! I also enjoyed sharing some of the AT YOUR SERVICE bookmarks with my local library. I will also be donating a copy of AT YOUR SERVICE to my library as soon as it arrives in my mailbox.

Me and my favorite Librarian, Miss Alison!

I think AT YOUR SERVICE is a fun book to read! You should get it! 🙂

Here are some buy links:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Thanks, Jen! I had lots of fun being on the AT YOUR SERVICE Tween Street Team!

“In Service through Friendship.”

~Kenna~

About Jen Malone

Jen Malone writes books for tweens and teens. Her debut novel, At Your Service, published with Simon & Schuster in 2014. She lives north of Boston with her family and has a “thing” for hedgehogs.

For more on Jen and her books visit www.jenmalonewrites.com

OUT OF LINE Series Blog Tour and Giveaway!!

July 16, 2014July 15, 2014 / Marie Meyer / Leave a comment

OUT OF LINE Series Blog Tour & Giveaway

I am thrilled to be one of the stops on Jen McLaughlin’s OUT OF LINE Series Blog Tour!!! I’m a huge fan of this series and it’s an honor to help Jen promote her fabulous stories!

Yesterday, Jen’s OUT OF LINE Series Box Set was released and during release week only, you can get a signed ebook edition of the OUT OF LINE Box Set for only $2.99!!

Buy Links
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1rlAx18

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/WcNsbf

Read on to learn more about the OUT OF LINE Series, with a special excerpt from book three, OUT OF MIND!

BOOK BLURB:

All three OUT OF LINE books in one volume.

PLUS two bonus scenes AND the original ending to OUT OF TIME!

OUT OF LINE

I always follow orders. My job, my life, depends on it. I thought this job would be easy, all the rules were made crystal clear, but when I met Carrie Wallington, everything got muddy. She’s a rule I know I shouldn’t break, but damn if I don’t inch closer to the breaking point each time I see her. I’m ready to step out of line. And even worse? I’m living a lie. They say the truth will set you free, but in my case…

The truth will cost me everything.

OUT OF TIME

Being Carrie’s bodyguard was one thing. Being her boyfriend is another. Every day she’s mine is a day the sun shines in my life. Yet our time together is running out. Her father will never think a tattooed Marine will be good enough, so I’ll do whatever it takes to be worthy of her love. But the road will take me away from the girl who makes me feel alive–the girl I can’t live without.

Time only gets us so far…

OUT OF MIND

All I wanted was to be worthy of Carrie. One mission, just one, and I’d be able to give her the future she deserved. Then everything went wrong, leaving me tainted and broken. Carrie wants me to be who I was, but all that’s left is what they made of me. I’m no good for her. No good for anyone like this. I have to figure out how to move forward. Alone.

Sometimes love isn’t enough…

Buy Links for individual books:

OUT OF LINE (Book #1)

Amazon – http://amzn.to/17HLrFu

B&N – http://bit.ly/17hfkvi

OUT OF TIME (Book #2)

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1daxXYL

B&N – http://bit.ly/1g7hPas

OUT OF MIND (Book #3)

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1pUPjhY

B&N – http://bit.ly/1mSkmpP

OUT OF MIND EXCERPT

EXCERPT ONE:

“Don’t let me die…Please don’t let me die…”

Explosions boomed in my ears, shooting me upright into a sitting position in bed, gasping for air and crying out into the empty bedroom. Gunshots still echoed in my head, along with the gurgling of Dotter’s blood as it poured out of his body until there was nothing left. I looked down at my hands, half expecting to find them bloody. They weren’t.

But metaphorically? That was a whole other fucking story.

Trembling, I rose to my feet, my broken arm casted and hanging uselessly in a sling. My body was coated in a light sheen of sweat, and even my sheets were dampened and dark. Blinking at the sunlight that crept through the closed curtains, I tried to remind myself where I was. I wasn’t fighting for my life. Wasn’t watching people die. I was safe.

As safe as I was going to be, anyway.

Pushing the curtains back, I squinted outside. After spending a couple of weeks in a hospital in Germany, followed by another couple of weeks in a hospital in D.C., it was nice to be in a home. But instead of the sandy beaches and hot weather of California, I saw a foot of snow reflecting the sun, blinding me. And we were supposed to get even more tomorrow night. Fucking ridiculous. I studied the position of the sun in the winter sky. Damn, what time was it now? Last thing I remembered, I took a few pills and zonked out. It had been…morning? Maybe? Now, judging from the sunlight streaming through clouds, it was mid-afternoon.

I’d missed a whole day.

Sure. I could act shocked about this, but that happened more often than not lately. I slept away the day, high on painkillers and drunk from whiskey. When I woke up, I swore I wouldn’t touch another drink. I’d last an hour or two.

Then I’d do it all over again.

I ran my hand over my shaved head, wincing at how rough it felt. I’d been back in the good old USA for a couple of days now. I still felt like I was trapped in the fucking desert. Instead, I was in the winter wonderland from hell. Carrie’s parents’ house.

A knock sounded on the door, and I dropped the curtain. I glanced down at myself. I had on a muscle tank and a pair of black basketball shorts. Decent enough, I supposed. “Come in.”

The door cracked, and the red hair I’d recognize anywhere appeared before the face I needed so damn much did. “You’re up?”

“Yeah.” I tugged on my tank and crossed the room. “You can come in.”

Carrie entered, shutting the door behind her. She hesitated, looking torn. Her blue eyes were sober and crystal clear, while I was a fucking drunken wreck. I’d been snapping at her lately. Pushing her away. I hated myself for it, yet I couldn’t seem to fucking stop.

“Did you sleep good? I thought I heard you cry out.”

I fingered the puckered wound on my head. It was still sensitive to the touch and ugly as fuck. Not as ugly as the rest of my scars. Inside and out. “I had another nightmare. Same old thing.”

She approached me slowly. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Yeah.” I met her eyes. “You can come hug me.”

She gave me a smile. “Anytime.”

Within seconds, she was in my arms. Well, my arm. I glowered down at my broken arm, knowing it was as marked up as my head. You just couldn’t see it right now. I closed my arm around her, burying my face in her neck. “Fuck. I missed you.”

She tilted her face up to mine. “I missed you, too.”

And now for the giveaway!!

How would you like to win a $25.00 gift card?

Click on the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/726d25187/

About Jen

Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Website: http://dianealberts.com/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianeAlberts6

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeAlberts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6921962.Jen_McLaughlin

Jen’s OUT OF LINE Series Blog Tour continues on these other great blogs:

Wednesday, July 16th	I Dare You To Read	http://idareyou2read.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, July 16th	In Between The Pages	http://pagesbetween.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 17th	LuLo Fangirl	http://www.lulofangirl.com
Thursday, July 17th	Short and Sassy Book Blurbs	http://shortandsassybookblurbs.blogspot.com/
Thursday, July 17th	kimberlyfaye reads	http://kimberlyfayereads.comb
Friday, July 18th	Books, books, and more books	http://deerereadergirl.wordpress.com
Friday, July 18th	Crawling Over The Pages	http://couchpotatoism.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 18th	Short and Sassy Book Blurbs	http://shortandsassybookblurbs.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 18th	SnoopyDoo’s Book Reviews	http://myreads.booklikes.com/
Saturday, July 19th	Kats Read	katsread.blogspot.com
Saturday, July 19th	Adventures in Writing	http://thhernandez.com
Saturday, July 19th	Avid Reader Musings	http://www.avidreadermusings.com
Saturday, July 19th	guilty indulgence review site	http://guiltyindulgencebookclub.blogspot.com
Sunday, July 20th	Romance Obsessed Book Blog	http://romanceobsessedbookblog.blogspot.com
Sunday, July 20th	RhiReading	http://www.rhireading.com
Sunday, July 20th	Breathless Ink	http://www.breathlessink.com
Sunday, July 20th	The Wonderings of One Person	http://thewonderingsofoneperson.wordpress.com
Monday, July 21st	I Read Indie	http://twimom101bookblog.blogspot.com/
Monday, July 21st	Tissues and Tomes Book Blog	www.tissueandtomes.com
Monday, July 21st	Broadway Girl Book Reviews	http://broadwaygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 22nd	Romance Bytes	https://www.facebook.com/romancebytes
Tuesday, July 22nd	Living in a Bookworld	http://livinginabookworld.blogspot.gr
Tuesday, July 22nd	Born To Read	http://borntoread-bookblog.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, July 22nd	What I’m Reading	http://sillymelody.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 23rd	RhiReading	http://www.rhireading.com
Wednesday, July 23rd	WOrkS of FiCTioN<3	bkwrm29.wordpress.com
Thursday, July 24th	My Favorite Things	http://heffroberts.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 24th	Heather Young-Nichols	heatheryoungnichols.com
Thursday, July 24th	Reading Is My Superpower	http://readingsuperpower.blogspot.com/
Thursday, July 24th	Sexy Bibliophiles	http://sexybibliophiles.blogspot.com
Friday, July 25th	Sexy Book Reviews By Shelly & April	http://sexybookreviewsbyshelly.blogspot.com
Friday, July 25th	grownupfangirl	http://www.grownupfangirl.com
Friday, July 25th	The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club	http://theunofficialaddictionbookfanclub.blogspot.com
Friday, July 25th	Read-Love-Blog	www.Read-Love-Blog.com

The OUT OF LINE Box Set Releases Today!!

July 15, 2014July 15, 2014 / Marie Meyer / Leave a comment

OUT OF LINE Series Box Set Release

By Jen McLaughlin

BOOK BLURB:

All three OUT OF LINE books in one volume.

PLUS two bonus scenes AND the original ending to OUT OF TIME!

OUT OF LINE

The truth will cost me everything.

OUT OF TIME

Time only gets us so far…

OUT OF MIND

Sometimes love isn’t enough…

RELEASE WEEK SPECIAL:

**Special introductory price. This is the cheapest you will EVER find these books! Will go up to full price after release week!**

**For release week only, get a SIGNED eBook edition!!**

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1rlAx18

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/WcNsbf

BONUS CONTENT:

The OUT OF LINE Box Set contains 2 bonus scenes from Finn’s POV and the original ending of Out of Time. One scene is a never-before-released scene and the other is a scene that takes place between Out of Time and Out of Mind! Plus, the box set ebook comes SIGNED by Jen (for a limited time)!

Buy Links for individual books:

OUT OF LINE (Book #1) Amazon – http://amzn.to/17HLrFu B&N – http://bit.ly/17hfkvi

OUT OF TIME (Book #2) Amazon – http://amzn.to/1daxXYL B&N – http://bit.ly/1g7hPas

OUT OF MIND (Book #3) Amazon – http://amzn.to/1pUPjhY B&N – http://bit.ly/1mSkmpP

About Jen

Website: http://dianealberts.com/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianeAlberts6

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeAlberts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6921962.Jen_McLaughlin

Stop by tomorrow when Jen begins her OUT OF LINE Series Blog Tour!!

ALL BROKEN DOWN Cover Reveal!

July 9, 2014July 8, 2014 / Marie Meyer / Leave a comment

ALL BROKE DOWN Cover Reveal

By Cora Carmack

I am so excited to get to share the cover for Cora Carmack’s ALL BROKE DOWN today! A New Adult Contemporary Romance, and published by William Morrow-an imprint of HarperCollins, this is the second book in her Rusk University Series, and it is set to be released on October 28, 2014! But you can pre-order it NOW! Check out what it’s about and then fall in love with this gorgeous cover!

brokedown_cover

ABOUT ALL BROKE DOWN:

In this second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack’s New Adult, Texas-set Rusk University series, which began with All Lined Up, a young woman discovers that you can’t only fight for what you believe in . . . sometimes you have to fight for what you love

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians—you name it, she’s probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He’s in for a different kind of fighting. And though he’s arrogant and infuriating, she can’t help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it’s trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He’s met girls like her before—fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn’t think he’s broken, and he definitely doesn’t need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about, his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.

Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

Amazon Barnes and Noble iTunes

And don’t miss out on the first novel in the Rusk University series, ALL LINED UP!

About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She’s done a multitude of things in her life– boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Website Twitter Facebook ** Author

Goodreads ** ALL BROKE DOWN Goodreads

THE SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIMENT Cover Reveal

July 9, 2014July 14, 2014 / Marie Meyer / Leave a comment

THE SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIMENT by Cole Gibsen

I am so excited to reveal the cover of THE SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIMENT!!! Cole is a good friend on mine and it is a pleasure to feature her forthcoming novel on my blog!

The Social Media Experiment by Cole Gibsen will release on September 2, 2014.

The Social Media Experiment official blurb:

On the surface, seventeen-year-old Reagan Fray appears to have everything. She’s popular, Ivy League–bound, and her parents are rich enough to buy her whatever she wants. Behind the scenes, Reagan is a girl with an anxiety disorder struggling to hold the fraying threads of her life together. It takes work to stay on top, and when that fails, Reagan’s learned from her politician mother that a little social espionage never hurts. That is, until the day Reagan finds all of her texts and private messages printed out and taped to every locker in her high school.

Finding herself ostracized from her friends and on the receiving end of the bullying she used to dish out, Reagan won’t settle into her new role as social pariah without a fight. Determined to get back in with her friends and reclaim her social status before her mother finds out and sends her to boarding school, Reagan has no choice but to team up with outcast Nolan Letner.

But the closer Reagan gets to Nolan, the more she realizes all of her actions have consequences, and her future might be the biggest casualty of all.

The Social Media Experiment links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20613726-the-social-media-experiment

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Social-Media-Experiment-Entangled-Teen-ebook/dp/B00I703OSK/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-social-media-experiment-cole-gibsen/1118174090

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

At seventeen, Cole found herself homeless with only a beat-up Volkswagen Jetta and a bag of Goodwill clothing to her name. The only things that got her through the nights she spent parked in truck stops and cornfields were the stacks of books she checked out from the library along with her trusty flashlight. Because of the reprieve these books gave her from her troubles, Cole vowed to become a writer so she could provide the same escape to readers who needed a break the reality of their own lives.

Additional links to Cole’s pages:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/colegibsen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cole.gibsen

Tumblr: http://colegibsen.tumblr.com/

Website: www.colegibsen.com

OUT OF LINE Series Box Set Cover Reveal

July 8, 2014July 7, 2014 / Marie Meyer / Leave a comment

Out of Line Series-Box Set- by Jen McLaughlin

I am super excited to be taking part in my agency sister, Jen McLaughlin’s, OUT OF LINE Series box set cover reveal!!! I’m a huge fan of these novels and now readers can get all three of them packaged together in one beautiful box set!

photo 2 (7)

BOOK BLURB:

All three OUT OF LINE books in one volume.

PLUS two bonus scenes AND the original ending to OUT OF TIME!

OUT OF LINE

The truth will cost me everything.

OUT OF TIME

Time only gets us so far…

OUT OF MIND

Sometimes love isn’t enough…

Buy Links for individual books:

OUT OF LINE (Book #1)

Amazon – http://amzn.to/17HLrFu

B&N – http://bit.ly/17hfkvi

OUT OF TIME (Book #2)

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1daxXYL

B&N – http://bit.ly/1g7hPas

OUT OF MIND (Book #3)

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1pUPjhY

B&N – http://bit.ly/1mSkmpP

Author Information

Website: http://dianealberts.com/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianeAlberts6

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeAlberts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6921962.Jen_McLaughlin

Cover Reveal for LET ME KNOW

July 7, 2014 / Marie Meyer / Leave a comment

Cover Reveal for LET ME KNOW

By Stina Lindenblatt

I’m excited to participate in today’s cover reveal for Stina Lindenblatt’s newest novel, LET ME KNOW! This is the gorgeous sequel to TELL ME WHEN.

Title: Let Me Know

Author: Stina Lindenblatt

Release Date: September 1^st 2014

Publisher: Carina Press

**Add Let Me Know on Goodreads!!**

Preorder LET ME KNOW now: Nook | Amazon | Kobo | iBooks

About LET ME KNOW: This shouldn’t be happening again…Amber Scott thought her screaming nightmares would end now that her stalker is locked up and awaiting trial. But they return when her slam-dunk case starts to fall apart. Explicit letters she allegedly wrote surface, suggesting she was the mastermind behind her assault, a willing victim.Amber only feels safe in the arms of her boyfriend Marcus, the one person she can lean on. Until damning evidence from Marcus’s past collides with the case and the media circus drags them both down. To protect Amber’s reputation, Marcus has only one option: end their relationship. He won’t risk further damage to her case, even if it means breaking her heart.Amber has to find the strength to step into the spotlight and bring awareness to victims’ rights before she’s convicted in the court of public opinion. And she’s really not sure what’s worse—that her kidnapper could walk free, or that the seemingly endless attention and speculation will drive Marcus away permanently…

See how it all began for Amber and Marcus in Tell Me When.

About Tell Me When:

Amber Scott should be enjoying life as a college freshman. She should be pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She should be working hard to make sense of her precalculus math class.

She shouldn’t be waking up her college roommate with screaming nightmares. She shouldn’t be flashing back, reliving the three weeks of hell she barely survived last year. And she definitely shouldn’t be spending time with sexy player Marcus Reid.

But engineering student Marcus is the only one keeping Amber from failing her math course, so she grudgingly lets him into her life. She never expects the king of hookups will share his painful past. Or that she’ll tell him her secrets in return, opening up and trusting him in a way she thought she’d never be able to again.

When their fragile future together is threatened by a stalker Amber thought was locked away for good, Marcus is determined to protect her—and Amber is determined to protect Marcus…even if that means pushing him away.

Tell Me When Goodread | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About Stina:

Born in England, Stina loves to travel, and has lived in England, the US, Canada, and Finland. She spent a semester in graduate school living in central Finland, and a summer during her undergrad degree working in Helsinki. She has a Master’s of Science degree in exercise physiology and has worked with elite athletes. In her free time, Stina is a photographer, mother of three adorable kids, and devoted wife. She currently lives in Calgary, Canada.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Author Goodreads

Exclusive Excerpt from LET ME KNOW:

Amber

When I was younger, and believed in Santa, I would wake up at four every Christmas morning. I would then sneak into Michael’s room, and we would tiptoe downstairs to check out the presents Santa had left while we slept. I never had to wake my brother. He was always waiting for me.

Like the little girl I used to be, I wake to find my alarm clock glowing 4:00 a.m. While I’m no longer the girl with the brother eagerly waiting for her, I’m still the girl who sneaks downstairs to peek at her gifts.

And in this case, Marcus.

We haven’t had a chance to be intimate since he arrived less than forty-eight hours ago, beyond small, chaste kisses or hugs. After almost losing him, I’m happy we can have even those. But they haven’t been enough to stop my nightmares.

The only sound greeting me as I creep downstairs is the soft thud of my bare feet against carpeted steps, and the slight rustle of my pink satin robe. Underneath is one of my gifts to Marcus: matching pink satin panties and bra.

The soles of my feet touch the cold tile floor and I pause. Once I’m positive Mom’s mom senses haven’t kicked in, and she’s realized what I’m up to, I tiptoe toward the guest room and inch the door open. The room is dark, other than the faint glow from the Christmas lights next door.

As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I spot Marcus sleeping. I stand in the doorway, wondering how I got so lucky. If I hadn’t been failing my math class last term, I might never have given him a chance. A chance to prove he’s more than the sexed-up guy everyone assumes he is. While I might not be thrilled that so many girls on campus are intimately familiar with his body, a warmth floods through me at the thought that he’s mine.

“Are you planning to stand there staring at me,” Marcus murmurs, “or did you have something else in mind?” His tone is teasing and edged with a desire to do things to my body. Things that will leave me beyond satisfied. My breath hitches and I struggle not to melt away.

Now that you’ve been sufficiently teased, preorder LET ME KNOW right now!! Don’t miss out on this beautiful sequel! And if you haven’t read TELL ME WHEN, purchase it today!

TELL ME WHEN: Tell Me When Goodread | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

LET ME KNOW: Nook | Amazon | Kobo | iBooks

Writers for Hope Auction

April 23, 2014July 2, 2014 / Marie Meyer / Leave a comment

I am honored to be a part of an auction benefiting the RAINN Organization. For today only, thirty-plus writers have donated various author services, such as: query critiques, first page critiques, first chapter critiques, full manuscript critiques, or combination critique packages.

Kelly Johnson, fellow writer and Writers for Hope organizer, has tirelessly put together an amazing auction. If you would like to peruse the items up for bid, click on the link here: http://countlesslives.blogspot.com/2014/04/auction-items.html

To help raise money for the RAINN Organization, I have offered a query and first chapter critique. If you would like to bid on my donation, click on the link here: http://countlesslives.blogspot.com/2014/04/item-26-query-and-first-chapter-critique.html

The Writers for Hope Auction is only live for today, so get bidding!! There are some fabulous prizes and all the proceeds go to an amazing cause!

Pitch Wars Wrap-Up

February 2, 2014February 2, 2014 / Marie Meyer / 3 Comments

The top 10 things I learned from Pitch Wars:

10. Twitter friends are great. Twitter is a great place to meet like-minded people. I’ve met so many awesome writers through Pitch Wars and Twitter and I wish them all the luck in the world.

9. Refresh…refresh…refresh… ad nauseam! Sometimes, the refresh button isn’t your friend. Not only was Pitch Wars an intensive writing boot camp, it also provided a lesson on patience. From waiting to find out if my manuscript was chosen for Pitch Wars, to waiting for agents to leave a comment on my entry, to waiting to hear back from the queries I sent out, I could develop an OCD of refreshing my Twitter/Brenda Drake’s Blog/email. But, a better idea would be to use my time wisely. I’m going to get started on my next manuscript while I wait. After all, patience is a virtue. Thank you, Pitch Wars, for making me more virtuous!

8. Save the melodrama for your mama (but, then again, she may not even want to hear it)! Keep things real.

7. Alliteration Affection- Or was it more of an infection? I learned that alliteration doesn’t always work, and more often than not, I wasn’t even aware I was alliterating. Under Lioness’s careful scrutiny, I was made aware of my affinity for alliteration. Now, I’m hyper sensitive to this device and find myself cringing when I come across alliterated words. My thesaurus is my new best friend!

6. You’re not alone! Even though writing is a very solitary endeavor, Pitch Wars turned that notion on its head. With my mentor and my teammates, I knew I had people behind me, cheering me on the whole way through. The talented ladies of The Pride are Sarah L. Blair and Anna Rains.

5. Follow your instincts. Over the course of my Pitch Wars revision journey, I learned to listen to my characters and follow my instincts as a writer. It’s still a developing skill, and I will only continue to get better with time!

4. Constructive criticism is your friend. Personally, I LOVE constructive criticism! I thrive on it. It lights my writing fire! Pitch Wars was a godsend for me. I’ve always wanted someone to pick apart my story—tell me what works, but better yet…tell me what NEEDS work! I WANT to improve my storytelling craft, so I’m not scared when someone tells me a scene or a character isn’t working. Bring on the constructive criticism, I want to learn and improve!

3. Slice ‘n dice, then reattach! I am not afraid to take my story apart and put it back together again, if that’s what it takes to make it shine. One of my characters didn’t make it through Pitch Wars. After my mentor advised me to cut him out, I willingly complied, leaving my manuscript with gaping holes that needed to be filled. I could have let that intimidate me, but it didn’t. I knew my story would be better in the long run. I listened, cut him out, reduced my word count by approximately 12,000 words, and have a far superior story as a result!

2. Listen to the professionals. All the amazing mentors of Pitch Wars 2013 are publishing professionals. They have found success in the industry, and they know what they’re talking about. I went into Pitch Wars with this mentality. I wanted to learn from my mentor, heed her advice, and with her guidance, revise my story to greatness. I am so grateful for all the help Lady Lioness gave to me, and I will continue to use her advice to grow as a writer. Along those same lines, listen to the agents. It still confounds me that aspiring authors don’t follow an agent’s specific querying guidelines. For the love of all that is holy, LISTEN TO THEM!! Professionals only want to work with those who are professionals as well.

1. Hard work=accomplished dreams. Writing is difficult. But, I know that being a full time author is what I want to be. Late nights, writer’s block, frustrating scenes/characters, endings that aren’t working, the whole novel-writing process is daunting and hard. But, it is something I truly love, and I’m willing to listen to the professionals, listen to my characters, and put in the time and effort that’s needed to produce a compelling story. One day, my hard will pay off, and I will see my stories on a bookstore shelf.

I want to thank Brenda Drake for her hard work and dedication to Pitch Wars. She’s beyond amazing. A big thank you goes out to all the mentors who so generously gave their time to helping aspiring authors realize their dreams. I especially want to thank my mentor, Lady Lioness! She’s wonderful and there aren’t enough “thank yous” in the world I could offer to express my gratitude. Thank you to all the agents who participated in Pitch Wars, and I hope you find some awesome stories (and writers) to represent.

Good luck to the Pitch Wars Class of 2013, may you all find the agent of your dreams! I can’t wait to see your books on the shelves! It’s an honor to be categorized with such an uber talented bunch of up-and-coming authors!!

A MURDER OF MAGPIES

By Sarah Bromley

I’m delighted to be a stop on Sarah Bromley’s A MURDER OF MAGPIES Blog Tour! If you haven’t read A MURDER OF MAGPIES, you need to…NOW! A MURDER OF MAGPIES is available for purchase at the links provided here:

Review-

Just as Vayda has gotten close to Ward Ravenscroft, the boy who lives nearby, she finds that her father may be planning yet another move. But this time, she doesn’t want to run. In Ward, Vayda’s found someone who calms the never ending barrage of cold and noise inside her. Someone she trusts.

If you’re a fan of Gothic paranormal tales, AMURDER OF MAGPIES should be at the top of your TBR list! It’s a phenomenal story.

An Interview with MAGPIES author, Sarah Bromley-

I not only had the opportunity to read and review A MURDER OF MAGPIES, but I also had the privilege of interviewing Sarah Bromley! Here’s what she had to say:

If you’re looking for more of Sarah’s stops during the A MURDER OF MAGPIES Blog Tour, the tour schedule can be found here:

Add A MURDER OF MAGPIES to your Goodreads list. If you’ve read MAGPIES, leave a review!

For a chance to win a digital copy of A MURDER OF MAGPIES click on the Rafflecopter link:

AT YOUR SERVICE

By Jen Malone

OUT OF LINE Series Blog Tour & Giveaway

And now for the giveaway!!

Jen’s OUT OF LINE Series Blog Tour continues on these other great blogs:

OUT OF LINE Series Box Set Release

By Jen McLaughlin

Buy Links:

Buy Links for individual books:

Stop by tomorrow when Jen begins her OUT OF LINE Series Blog Tour!!

ALL BROKE DOWN Cover Reveal

By Cora Carmack

Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iTunes

And don’t miss out on the first novel in the Rusk University series, ALL LINED UP!

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Author

Goodreads ** ALL BROKE DOWN Goodreads

THE SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIMENT by Cole Gibsen

Out of Line Series-Box Set- by Jen McLaughlin

Cover Reveal for LET ME KNOW

By Stina Lindenblatt

Exclusive Excerpt from LET ME KNOW:

The top 10 things I learned from Pitch Wars:

Amazon Barnes and Noble iTunes

Website Twitter Facebook ** Author