Thursday, November 22, 2012

Featured Book and Author - See Me by Natalie-Nicole Bates






See Me by Natalie-Nicole Bates

Carly Anders is hearing voices in her head. Another one of her kind is trying to contact her. She knows of the malevolent freaks—others who are eternal like her and seek out the weak to inflict pain upon. For years, Carly has held up huge protective walls to keep herself and her secrets safe. Now, physically and mentally exhausted, Carly needs protection and rest.

She accepts the invitation to visit an internet friend who needs help appraising a collection of antique photographs.  The situation is not ideal, but Carly hopes a male presence in her life will deter the determined suitor who haunts her thoughts and dreams.

Daniel Tremont is not what Carly is expecting.

The former funeral director has a secret of his own. Not only is he eternal like Carly, he is her creation from all those years before—her abomination she thought she killed.

Daniel has been searching for Carly for years. He knows she is the piece of his life that he has been missing for so long. Now that he has found her, he has no intentions of letting her go. 

Buy links: 


creative=19450&creativeASIN=B009MRN9P0&linkCode=as2&tag=lucyfelthouse-21

 
*****

Excerpt:

He waved a hand in front of her face, but she didn’t blink. The lights are on, but no one’s home.

     “Carly, my angel,” he whispered and cupped her cheek into his palm. He revealed in the silkiness and warmth of her skin. Still, she didn’t react. She was almost…a zombie.

     His own body jerked in reaction to the fear she was emanating. She was clearly sleepwalking and in the throes of one hell of a nightmare, yet she didn’t cry out any longer. It was all now playing out inside her mind.

     “Charlotte, see me,” he implored.

     Her lips twitched at the mention of her real name. 

     “See me,” he repeated.

     Suddenly, her body gave way and she collapsed. Catching her, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. As he laid her down, her breathing became ragged. He placed a hand over her heart as it raced, and passed healing calmness through his hand, feeling the energy pulsate against her skin. Beneath his hand, he would feel her heartbeat slow to a normal rhythm. 

     “Daniel?” Her voice was mere caress.

     “I’m here, my angel. You’re having a nightmare. You’re frightened. It’s okay now, I’m here, and I will never leave you,” he promised.

     “Everyone leaves, Daniel. You can’t understand, you can’t…” Her body started to tremble.

     He climbed onto the bed and straddled her body. Leaning close to her face, he said, “Carly, let go of your fear. I can take it. Let go and see me,” he commanded.

     Her breath came out in a whoosh, and a wall of fear and resistance hit him like a blow from above. It wasn’t exactly painful, more startling than anything else. 

     His vision flip-flopped, and he could see an image from inside her mind of two souls forever entwined as the result of one act. It made perfect sense. She was reliving the day their souls became one. The day of the fire.

     He then saw black, suffocating water. She was reliving her own death, as well. 

     As the visions left him, he was consumed with the mishmash of fear, loneliness, and resistance within her. 

     He had to make her understand that it was over. “I will never leave you, Carly. That is my promise to you,” he insisted. 

     A flicker of life ignited in her eyes. Her hands came up to his face, and to Daniel’s surprise, tears bubbled from his own eyes. He was releasing the pain and fear he had absorbed from his beloved.

     “I’m so sorry, Daniel, so sorry,” she murmured.

     “There’s nothing to be sorry for, my love. It’s over. It’s time to move forward now.”

     “You don’t understand what I am, Daniel.”

     “I do understand, Carly. I am what you are. See me for what I am.”

     In his mind, he could see the moving clockwork gears of her thoughts once again as she tried to process what he was telling her to be true. 

     “Just accept it, and let’s move forward.”

     She drew his face to hers and her lips parted beneath his. Time blurred and he drank in the essence of his Carly. Her soft, barely covered curves molded themselves against his the hard planes of his body. Her hands were under his t-shirt, her fingers stroking him. 

     If he pressed on, he knew she wouldn’t refuse him. But in her vulnerable state, he wouldn’t let anything progress further that night. Carly needed time to process everything that happened. There was plenty of time to pursue a physical relationship. They weren’t going any where…he hoped.

*****

Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author. 

Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography and antique poison bottles. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.

She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19th century post-mortem photos.

Visit Natalie online at www.natalienicolebates.com

Monday, September 3, 2012

VBT Promo - Sun God Seeks...Surrogate by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff







Title: SUN GOD SEEKS…SURROGATE?
Series: (Book 3, Accidentally Yours Series)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
Publisher: Self
Length: 295 Pages
Genres: Paranormal Romance (Action/Adventure, Comedy)
Heat Level: Sensual

Sequel to ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE WITH…A GOD? and The New York Times Best Seller, ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO…A VAMPIRE?, this story has it all! Vampires, gods, and our favorite evil Mayan priests, the Maaskab.

5.0 out of 5 Stars on Amazon for “Sun God Seeks…Surrogate”!

AVAILABLE AT:

BLURB:
When 24-year-old Penelope learns of a new miracle drug that could cure her ailing mother, it’s the answer to her prayers. Until she sees the cost. But for every door that closes, a window opens. In this case, the window calls herself Cimil, and she’s quite possibly the most insane person Penelope’s ever met. Could it be because this complete stranger just offered Penelope one million dollars to carry her wealthy brother’s baby?

But Cimil’s brother isn’t your everyday millionaire. In fact, he gives new meaning to the word hot.

Click here for my review - Review 



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Before taking up a permanent residence in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mimi spent time living near NYC (became a shopaholic), in Mexico City (developed a taste for very spicy food), and Arizona (now hates jumping chollas, but pines for sherbet sunsets). Her love of pre-Hispanic culture, big cities, and romance inspires her to write when she’s not busy with kids, work, and life…or getting sucked into a juicy novel.

She hopes that someday, leather pants for men will make a big comeback and that her writing might make you laugh when you need it most.




Saturday, September 1, 2012

VBT - Sun God Seeks...Surrogate? (Book 3, Accidentally Yours Series) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff



Release Notes, in conjunction with CBLS Promotions, is thrilled to feature Mimi Jean Pamfiloff's latest release - Sun God Seeks...Surrogate?  

Book Blurb

When 24-year-old Penelope learns of a new miracle drug that could cure her ailing mother, it’s the answer to her prayers. Until she sees the cost. But for every door that closes, a window opens. In this case, the window calls herself Cimil, and she’s quite possibly the most insane person Penelope’s ever met. Could it be because this complete stranger just offered Penelope one million dollars to carry her wealthy brother’s baby?

But Cimil’s brother isn’t your everyday millionaire. In fact, he gives new meaning to the word hot.

Review

This story totally sucked me in from the beginning.  Penelope is totally devoted to caring for her ill mother when the offer of a life time falls into her lap from Cimil, the craziest person she has ever encountered.  Cimil offers the money she needs in order to save her mother.  Once she finds out what the terms are, Penelope attempts to walk away in spite of the immediate heat she feels with Kinich, Cimil's brother, but discovers, like it or not, her life is tied up in an other worldly experience.  It doesn't help that she finds Kinich irresistible and tends to lose all trains of thought in his presence, except the one thought to get into his pants!

I love the main female character, Penelope.  She is feisty and strong and she knows what she wants.  She's more than a match for Kinich, who in spite the fact he's a god, is very human in his male actions.  Their interactions are very realistic and they are dealing with a strong attraction as well as new dangers.  It was exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat.

The story is also very funny.  The characters (especially Cimil) have hysterical moments and I caught myself giggling at parts of the book.  The humor Mimi Jean has woven into the dramatic moments have made this a throughly enjoyable read!  

If you are looking for a great Labor Day read, grab this one!  Don't forget to go back and grab the first two in the series and just lose yourself in the 'Accidentally Yours' series.  It's a great way to spend the last weekend of your summer!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Dog Days of Summer 99 cents Sale #dogdays99c

Dog Days of Summer Sale

Need some relief from the Dog Days of Summer? We have the answer with a three day eBook sale - three authors, three eBooks, for only three bucks.

Rachel Thompson (Mancode Exposed), Terri Guiliano-Long (In Leah's Wake), and Ann Charles (Nearly Departed in Deadwood) are putting their eBooks on sale for $.99 each.

There is also a $50 Amazon Gift Card open to everyone with easy ways to follow.  Just click on the rafflecopter link and follow the choices to get entries to win! 

Book Blurbs, Author Bios and Amazon link:


I write about men, women, sex, & chocolate. My experiences, my truth, my martinis. If you're looking for satire, love and romance, and sex depicted with humor, buy this book!

You can find Rachel most days on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, providing social media tips on her own interactive Twitter stream and popular blog, consulting with social media clients (See BadRedhead Media), or promoting her books A Walk In The Snark and The Mancode: Exposed, both Kindle bestsellers!





"The first time I came to Deadwood, I got shot in the ass."--Violet Parker

Little girls are vanishing from Deadwood, South Dakota, and Violet Parker's daughter could be next. She's desperate to find the monster behind the abductions. But if she's not careful, Violet just might end up as one of Deadwood's dearly departed.

Once upon a time, I thought my crush on Deadwood, South Dakota was going to be just a summer fling. Boy, was I wrong. I had fallen head-over-heels. Deadwood had gotten under my skin. Its golden history filled my mind with daydreams; its promising future spurred tales that needed to be told.

Nearly Departed in Deadwood is a contemporary mystery full of colorful characters that have been taking root inside of my noggin for almost three decades. The seed was planted when I was a young teenager sitting on the bench outside of the old Prospector Gift Shop on Main Street, waiting for my mom to get off work. Over the years, the seed sprouted as I hiked all over town, strolling around Wild Bill Hickok's and Seth Bullock's gravestones at Mount Moriah Cemetery, sitting on the steps outside the Deadwood Public Library, walking up and down Main Street, perusing the tourist shops.

As times changed, so did Deadwood. The drugstore where I used to buy candy, the clothing store where I bought my favorite Levi's, and the Prospector Gift Shop are all gone now. At first I was sad to see them go, but then I realized that Deadwood had to transform and grow in order to survive. Just like I did.

A couple of years ago, I was driving down Strawberry Hill on my way into Deadwood when an idea hit me. It was a "what if" moment that sparked the fire of a story in my head. This time, the "what if" involved a single mom, living in Deadwood, struggling to make ends meet with two kids--twins--for whom she had to provide. I had one young child and another on the way at the time, so taking care of kids was front and center in my mind (and my body).

As I drove through Deadwood that day, memories ran rampant in my mind, and the story you hold in your hands began to take shape. I could see it clearly. I'd name the heroine Violet, an old-fashioned name. I could hear her voice; see her in her favorite purple cowboy boots. I knew exactly the location of the realty office where Violet would work, the street she'd live on, and how I'd pull Deadwood's past into the story and intermingle it with the present.

Over the following month, I plotted this story. My poor husband was forced to listen to my ideas morning, noon, and night; there was no shutting me up. Then he caught the Deadwood bug, too, and he joined me in brainstorming and planning. Before I even wrote the first line, I knew that one book was not going to be enough to tell this story, but I had to start somewhere. Finally, after months of writing, I reached "The End" of Nearly Departed in Deadwood, the first book in a series, with much hooting and hollering in celebration.

Now, after several rounds of editing and a lot of polishing, I want to share Violet's story with you. If you have half as much fun reading it as I had writing it, you'll close the book when you're finished with a big grin on your face--especially since you know there is more fun to come.

Thank you for joining me in this adventure. Hold on to your hat!

Welcome to Deadwood.




The Tylers have a perfect life--beautiful home, established careers, two sweet and talented daughters. Their eldest daughter, Leah, an exceptional soccer player, is on track for a prestigious scholarship. Their youngest, Justine, more responsible than seems possible for her 12 years, just wants her sister's approval. With Leah nearing the end of high school and Justine a seemingly together kid, the parents are set to enjoy a peaceful life...until Leah meets Todd, a high school dropout and former roadie for a rock band.

As Leah's parents fight to save their daughter from a world of drugs, sex, and wild parties, their divided approach drives their daughter out of their home and a wedge into their marriage. Meanwhile, twelve-year-old Justine observes her sister's rebellion from the shadows of their fragmented family-leaving her to question whether anyone loves her and if God even knows she exists. Can this family survive in Leah's wake? What happens when love just isn't enough?
 
Terri Giuliano Long has written marketing pieces for print and online media, edited technical articles, and written news and feature stories for numerous publications, including the Huffington Post. She lives with her family on the East Coast and teaches at Boston College. In Leah's Wake is her debut novel.

Please visit her website: www.tglong.com Or connect on her blog (www.terriglong.com/blog), Facebook (www.facebook.com/tglongwrites) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/tglong).

Friday, August 3, 2012

New Review - Fifty Shames of Earl Grey: A Parody by Fanny Merkin a.k.a. Andrew Shaffer

I have to admit, I started this novel with a great deal of apprehension.  After reading the entire Fifty Shades trilogy, I must confess, I was underwhelmed and mad at the same time.  I had lost countless hours reading it, hours in my life I can never get back.  When I received this book from my Net Galley request, I was wary but I was so glad to discover I was wrong and it was worth the read.

The main characters are Ana Steal, a naive college student and Walmart cashier who meets Earl Grey, a young billionaire with his own secrets or his "Fifty Shames" among them being his man-crush on Tom Cruise and his love for shopping in Walmart.  From the beginning, hilarity ensues.  The novel parallels many of the main highlights of the original novel but with amusing twists.

The author did an excellent job of skewing the themes of the original book but taking them and creating new scenarios.  I laughed throughout most of the book especially when names from the original "Twilight" and "Fifty Shades" were tossed in the story, reminding you that this was meant to be a joke.  There are also many cultural references that add to the humor and most readers will recognize the movies or songs that get mentioned along the way.

The novel was very enjoyable and while reading the "Fifty Shades" trilogy might increase your enjoyment, I don't feel it was necessary to really enjoy this book.  For a good laugh, I would definitely recommend "Fifty Shames".

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

In His Own Words - Kevin Anthony, Author of Mad Moral - Guest Post


Release Notes is honored to feature Kevin Anthony,author of Mad Moral, the first book in his Mad Series, in this "In The Author's Own Words" segment.  I hope you will enjoy his guest post on his thoughts behind his novel.

No Vampires or Werewolves Allowed

The moment I started writing my Urban Fantasy novel Mad Moral, I made the decision not to include any vampires or werewolves. I know vampires and werewolves play huge roles in many Urban Fantasy novels and many other genres and that’s the main reason I didn’t want to include them in Mad Moral.

I’m a big fan of vampires and werewolves, but I didn’t want to travel down a road that had been explored so many times. I decided to give a new set of beings time to shine in more humanizing roles, horror movie characters.

I’m aware the word “horror” instantly causes many to lose interest. My novel isn’t a horror, just inspired by the many elements and characters of horror movies.

 Imagine as I did, horror movie villain Michael Myers dropping his children off at his parents’ house for the weekend and heading out on his first date post-divorce. After a disaster date, to blow off some steam he decides to head to the nearest college campus and slash some sorority girls. He spends the morning after sipping a cup of coffee as he watches the tragedy coverage unfold on the morning news.

That visual sparked my series about a mad world where others like the horror movie villain mentioned are your friends, neighbors and lovers.

My first main character I created was a young adult named Ford Fischer. He’s a slasher, unemployed and does his best to live a straight and narrow lifestyle. I was raised by a single mother and I consider my sister my best friend, so I had to have strong female presences in my story. Ford’s mothers play huge roles and both are bystanders or victims in this mad world I created.

 Another main character is an exorcist named Sidnee Vincent whose romantic life is constantly sabotaged by pesky demons. I’m sure we all have a bit of evil in us all and she just happens to have the ability to communicate with it. My final character I included was a dreamer named Milo Amos. His identity is questioned the most by readers who haven’t started the series yet. His character enters dark nightmares every time he sleeps and must fight for his survival or risk death not only in his fantasy existence, but reality. 

This novel faced the toughest set of critics yet, teenage girls. I posted it on website mostly used by those in that age range. It sometime took a lot of convincing and me constantly explaining it wasn’t entirely about blood, gore and things that go bump-in-the-night. I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from these young readers who instantly started to root for my characters to overcome the madness in their lives. I encourage putting all pre-judgments aside and giving my novel, Mad Moral, the opportunity to entertain you.