GC Giveaway, Excerpt & Free Book: Untangle My Heart by Maria K. Alexander

NOTE: THE BOOK IS FREE AT AMAZON FOR THE DURATION OF THIS TOUR. 

"Untangle My Heart" is a contemporary romance, available now, that is currently free at Amazon in Kindle format. Today I have an excerpt so if you like that, you can go download the book. The author, Maria Alexander, is also giving away a $25 gift card to one commenter on the tour, enter below.

A romantic at heart, Maria K. Alexander spent hours as a young girl getting lost in and wishing to be one of the heroines in the stories she read. Books gave her the ability to go to another world where she loved meeting new characters, learning about their problems, and watching them fall in love.

Maria blogs and shares her writing journey with her critique partners at: http://thevioletfemmes.com

When not writing, Maria loves to read, bake, downhill ski, visit the beach, and watch romantic comedies. Maria lives in New Jersey with her husband and children, and writes in her “spare” time between juggling a full-time job and her kids’ busy schedules.

You can keep in touch with her at: http://mariakalexander.com

Find Maria Online:

Website: http://mariakalexander.com

The Violet Femmes Blog: http://thevioletfemmes.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MKAlexander1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maria-K-Alexander-Author/201236689917319
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/mariakalexander

January Covet Blast & $25 Amazon GC Giveaway: Love at Stake & Haunt Me

Covets have all the sexiness, emotion, and happily ever after that readers have come to expect and love from Entangled. They are firmly grounded in the contemporary world, but each novel brings in supernatural twists, breaking the contemporary and paranormal rules, alike. To find out more about their titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books you’ll be coveting next, visit the Entangled website, follow them on Twitter, LIKE their Facebook page, and join the Book Club.

Also, make sure to hop on over the Entangled in Romance blog to join in the fun as Covet challenges readers to share their worst date stories. The worse, the better, hold no punches!

Today I'm happy to be featuring Covet's January releases Love at Stake by Victoria Davies (I'll have an excerpt up next week) and Haunt Me by Heather Long.

Back To You by Jessica Scott: Giveaway, Excerpt & Q&A with Jessica

Today I'm participating in the release blitz for "Back To You" by Jessica Scott, out tomorrow. CarolKat and I reviewed it together and our review will be up in the morning. Jessica is one of my favorite authors, in any genre, and one of the best romance authors currently being published. "Back to You" is the third full-length book in her "Coming Home" series and it tells the story of US Army captain Trent Davila and his wife Laura. Trent has been deployed so often that his marriage is falling apart and in "Back to You" Scott gives us the story of their attempts to repair it. I love stories where the focus is an established couple and seeing how they keep their relationship together. In this case, it's also a second chance story.

As part of the release blitz, there's an interview with Jessica, an excerpt, and a giveaway, so get comfy and read on! 

Excerpt & Giveaway - The Girl from Long Guyland by Lara Reznik

Welcome to my stop on the excerpt tour for a thriller, "The Girl from Long Guyland" by Lara Reznik. You all know, I love excerpts; they're a great way to get a taste for an author's writing. The title alone tells me this author has a sense of humor. :) 

Lara Reznik grew up on Long Island but escaped to New Mexico in 1970 in a Karmann Ghia that she and her boyfriend jump-started cross-country. As an English major at the University of New Mexico, Lara studied under esteemed authors Rudolfo Anaya and the late Tony Hillerman. She also attended a summer program at the prestigious Iowa Writers Workshop.

           

Ambidextrous from birth, Lara preferred her right-brained creative side, but discovered she could make a better living with her left-brain skills, so entered the I.T. field in 1985.

          

Lara published her first novel, "The Girl From Long Guyland" in November 2012. The novel ranked #1 during its recent Amazon Kindle promotion and has over 115,000 Kindle downloads. In addition to her novels, Lara has written and optioned three screenplays that have garnered semifinalist and finalist wins in the Austin Heart of Film, Southwest Writers, TV Writer, Chesterfield and Writer's Digest contests. Currently, Lara is working on a new novel based on her screenplay, The M&M Boys.

Find Lara Online:

  

FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/LARAREZNIK23?ref=hl&bookmark_t=page

WEBSITE - https://www.larareznik.COM

Excerpt from Spirits Among Us by Morgan Hannah MacDonald

Romance, a mystery, Paris, and a touch of the paranormal - how could I resist? The book is on my wishlist but in the meantime you and I can enjoy a brief excerpt from it.

Morgan Hannah MacDonald writes Romantic Thrillers that are NOT for the faint of heart. She has done many jobs leading up to her dream job of writing;  Photographer at Sears Portrait Studio,  Sales for Lancome cosmetics, Lead Singer in a few rock bands, Hair Stylist,  Tarot Reader,  Bank Teller (where her bank was taken over by two armed women!) just to name a few.  She was always  interested in writing,   but it wasn’t until she learned she'd dated a serial killer  that a true writer was born. She belongs to Romance Writers of America, the San Diego Chapter, as well as the Kiss of Death Chapter. She resides in San Diego, California where she is busy working on her next novel. 

Find Hannah Online:

Website: www.morganhannahmacdonald.com. 
Email:morganwrites@yahoo.com. 
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/MorganHannahMacDonald.Author.

Giveaway & Spotlight: A Bad Mad Sad Day for Mama Bear by Mayra Calvani

A Bad Mad Sad Day for Mama Bear

On a very bad day, Little Bear offers Mama Bear various items to make her feel better, but she's too busy to notice-until he gives her his super, so good, so very special dolly. Silly humor, alliteration, repetition, and onomatopoeia make this a fun read-aloud story. Suggested age range for readers: 3-7 

Giveaway & Spotlight - Fighting for the Edge by Jennifer Comeaux

I 'met' Jennifer Comeaux when I did the line edits on "Edge of the Past", book two in her Edge series. I enjoyed it and am delighted to be part of the release celebration for the new book,
"Fighting for the Edge".

DISCLOSURE: I am an employee of Astraea Press. I am not being compensated by Astraea Press or Jennifer Comeaux for putting up this post.  

,

Blurb from the author ~

Two friends. Two dreams. One night that changes everything… 

 Ice dancer Aubrey London scoffs at romance. She’s focused on winning a medal at the upcoming Olympics and uses that as her excuse to avoid serious relationships. But when she and longtime friend Chris Grayden are thrown together by unforeseen circumstances, Aubrey finds herself questioning everything she's ever known about love, complicating her life both on and off the ice. 

Pairs skater Emily Petrov embraces romance. She and her husband Sergei still act like honeymooners two years after their wedding. As Emily’s coach, Sergei provides constant support while she prepares to challenge for gold at the Olympics. But Sergei’s support might not be enough to help Emily overcome the one challenge she never saw coming. 

With the Games only weeks away, Emily and Aubrey are on the verge of realizing their dreams. But one snowy, stormy night sets in motion a series of events that will test them in ways they never imagined, giving them more to fight for than Olympic medals.  

I'll Be Home For Christmas Release Day Giveaway & Excerpt

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Scott's writing, even if she makes me sob. Her stories are real and powerful and her characters are people you just can't help but care about. Her newest novella, "I'll Be Home For Christmas", releases today and Jessica and her publisher, Forever Romance, are celebrating. There's an excerpt from the story and a fantastic giveaway and you can read my review.

USA Today bestselling author Jessica Scott is a career army officer; mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs; wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she's a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well-adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

She's written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View: Regarding War Blog, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn and has served as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas.

She's pursuing a PhD in Sociology in her spare time and most recently, she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.

Find Jessica Online: 

Blog: http://www.jessicascott.net/blog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaScott09

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaScottAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5131118.Jessica_Scott?from_search=true

Interview with Laura Wenham, Excerpt from Urban Harvest, & A Giveaway

Blurb from the author ~

New York City–it’s home to 8 million people trying to make their way through the day–a crop of humanity seething with hopes and fears, dreams and nightmares. Autumn comes, and nine authors harvest nine tales from this unique setting and people. From stories of everyday life in an otherworldly light to nightmarish tales of human darkness, Urban Harvest has something for everyone.

Urban Harvest contains tales of the paranormal from Alex Shvartsman, Laurie Treacy, Donna Ansari, Tara Hill, Laura Wenham, Andrea Stanet, Don Corcoran, Saif Ansari, and Sean Sakamoto.

In keeping with the spirit of harvest, all proceeds from this anthology will go to support City Harvest, an organization that feeds NYC’s hungry.

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Genre: Urban Fantasy, New Adult

Format: paperback, ebook

Release Date: September 21, 2013

Buying Links: Amazon*   *affiliate link; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through this link.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18528733-urban-harvest

AUTHOR LIST:

Donna Ansari 

Alex Shvartsman

Laurie Treacy

Tara Hill

Laura Wenham

Andrea Stanet

Don Corcoran

Saif Ansari 

Sean Sakamoto

 

Spotlight on Egypt Rising by Stan Schatt & A GC Giveaway

Tour Schedule

 

Blurb from the author ~

 Some ancient secrets should remain buried. An American teenager in Cairo finds herself in the middle of the Egyptian revolution fleeing militant Islamic extremists. She leads her worst enemy and the boy she thinks about much too often on the adventure of a lifetime. When she discovers an ancient artifact that was buried for thousands of years, she learns that very powerful people will stop at nothing, including murder, to learn the secrets of a long-dead civilization.   

 Amazon*

* affiliate link- the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through this link.

Building Paranormal Ideas from Legends - Guest Post by Skye Callahan

Skye Callahan was born and raised in Ohio and has seen enough unbelievable stuff to feed a lifetime of paranormal stories. When not writing or working at the dayjob she hangs out with her ethnomusicologist husband and pet ferrets, reads, and takes long walks through the cemetery. 

"Fractured Legacy" is the first in Skye's Darkness Bound series and is also her debut novel. Right now, she three books worth of stories but there may be more.

Find Skye Online:

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Blog

The Wager by Rachel Van Dyken - Excerpt & Giveaway!

Today I'm excited to have an excerpt from Rachel Van Dyken's new book, "The Wager". Rachel has many books under her belt, including some Regency romances with my publisher Astraea Press, but lately she's on fire with her New Adult Romances. Recent best sellers by her include "The Bet" and "Elite".

Rachel is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor. She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at http://rachelvandykenauthor.com/

Find Rachel Online:

Blog: http://rachelvandykenauthor.com

Twitter: @RachVD

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/romancebyrachel

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4882127.Rachel_Van_Dyken

Spotlight & $50 GC Giveaway: Rocky Road by Josi S. Kilpack

 

Blurb from the author ~

 It was supposed to be a girls’ weekend in scenic St. George, Utah that would include shopping, trying out the local cuisine, and participating in a breast cancer fundraiser. The fact that one of the organizers of the fundraising event, a local doctor, disappeared two months ago was not supposed to be Sadie’s problem. In fact, she refuses to participate in the grassroots investigation her friend Caro, and Caro’s cousin, Tess, have put together prior to her arrival. But then she meets the ex-wife of the missing doctor. How could she not ask a few questions . . . that lead to a few more questions . . . that lead to a small town and yet even more questions. Before she knows it, Sadie is in the middle of yet another murder investigation and trying to piece together a convoluted trail of good intentions, hidden motivations, and philanthropy turned big business.

Excerpt from Bama Bride by Joan Chandler & GC Giveaway

 My first excerpt of the week is from a contemporary romance, "Bama Bride", by Joan Chandler. To celebrate its release, she's having a book blitz with excerpts and a giveaway. 

Joan Chandler is a Florida native who has lived in the Deep South all of her life. She is married with two children who are her pride and joy. She lives a double life of sorts, holding down a nine-to-five job during the day, and writing steamy romance at night—often with her black cat curled up in her arms as she types.

When she’s not spending her spare time working on her next novel, she loves to go camping, sharing girls’ night out with her friends, walking her two dogs, and watching college football.

Find Joan Online: 

BLOG:   www.joanchandler.wordpress.com 

twitter: @joanchandler1

facebook: Joan Chandler 

email: joanchandler13@gmail.com

Excerpt from Cast the Cards by Shyla Colt

Cast The Cards - Release Day Blitz

By Shyla Colt

Blurb from the author ~ 

Savannah escaped a kidnapping but her best friend Clark—the man she secretly loved—didn’t. Guilt-ridden and changed after the event, she gives up her dream of teaching and earns a position in the F.B.I as a profiler. When she’s targeted by the very same kidnappers wishing to finish the job, she is armed with her skills, backed by her first love’s twin brother, and forced to revisit her demons when Clark’s ghost appears.

After his twin’s murder, Officer Carey Carr loses more than his brother. Savannah avoids him for a decade. Her return—and her steaming-hot body—stir brand new feelings in Carey. But Clark’s reappearance has Carey battling to control his primal desires around the woman his twin loved.

As Savannah and Carey, with Clark’s help, embark on a cruel game of cat and mouse with the kidnappers, the twins come to an understanding that involves Savannah and more pleasure than the three of them have ever dreamed.

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Format: ebook
Release Date: 8/2/2013
Buy Links: Amazon | Kobo | Barnes and Noble

Burn on the Western Slope by Angela Smith - Excerpt & Giveaway

 I have another excerpt for you today; "Burn on the Western Slope" by Angela Smith is a romantic suspense set in Montana. The hero is an FBI agent and I am a sucker for a lawman. :)

Excerpt From Mismatch by Nana Malone

Today's excerpt is from a cute new contemporary romance. I haven't read Malone before but the excerpt was appealing so I thought I'd share.

USA Today Best Seller and iTunes Breakout Books author, Nana Malone's love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she borrowed from her cousin.

GC Giveaway & Spotlight: The Hero's Lot by Patrick W. Carr

 

The Hero's Lot Blurb ~

 Riveting Sequel from Christian Fantasy's Most Talented New Voice. When Sarin Valon, the corrupt secondus of the conclave, flees Erinon and the kingdom, Errol Stone believes his troubles have at last ended. But other forces bent on the destruction of the kingdom remain and conspire to accuse Errol and his friends of a conspiracy to usurp the throne. In a bid to keep the three of them from the axe, Archbenefice Canon sends Martin and Luis to Errol's home village, Callowford, to discover what makes him so important to the kingdom. But Errol is also accused of consorting with spirits. Convicted, his punishment is a journey to the enemy kingdom of Merakh, where he must find Sarin Valon, and kill him. To enforce their sentence, Errol is placed under a compulsion, and he is driven to accomplish his task or die resisting.

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Series: The Staff and The Sword #2

Genre: YA, Christian Fiction, Epic Fantasy

Format: ebook, paperback

Release Date: July 15, 2013

Buying Links:  Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Hero's Lot is the Sequel to A Cast of Stones -
 

A Cast of Stones ~  An Epic Medieval Saga Fantasy Readers Will Love. In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom. Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

Publisher: Bethany House Publishing

Series: The Staff and the Sword #1

Genre: YA, Christian, Epic Fantasy

Format: ebook, paperback

Release Date: February 1, 2013

Buying Links: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 

Author Patrick W. Carr Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

Find Patrick Online:

Website * Facebook

   

 Book Blast Giveaway 

 $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 

 Ends 8/11/13 

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author.  

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight & GC Giveaway on IXEOS: Rebellion by Jennings Wright

   

Blurb from author ~

With rebel leader Darian free at last, the humans and outsiders on Ixeos must find a way to join forces and defeat the Firsts. The problem? All slaves are tracked with GPS, the Firsts are the only ones with power, and roving gangs hate the rebels just as much as they hate the aliens. As Darian and the outsiders from Earth travel the globe through the mysterious tunnels in Paris, they learn that the Firsts are preparing to launch another wave of biological warfare. With a transporter that will allow the aliens to target any city, anywhere on the planet, the rebels know they must stop them at all costs. As things get more dangerous on Ixeos, the outsiders find that they're pushed to their limit. Will they fight for freedom, no matter the price?  

Cover Reveal for Black Arts by Faith Hunter

"Black Arts" is the seventh book in Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series. Jane Yellowrock is a Harley-riding, leather-wearing, vampire killing machine behind her church-schooled manners. Her motto – Have Stakes, Will Travel – is succinct and to the point. She’s currently the Enforcer for the Master of the City, MOC, of the Southeastern US (except for Florida), Leo Pellisier, hunting down rogue vamps and other threats to mankind. She’s very much an introvert, but learning to work with others. She’s a Cherokee Skinwalker, in a day and age when Skinwalkers are no longer remembered, and her past is a mystery, even to her.