Expiration Day blog tour stop {Review, Author Interview & Giveaway}

What happens when you turn eighteen and there are no more tomorrows?

It is the year 2049, and humanity is on the brink of extinction….

Tania Deeley has always been told that she’s a rarity: a human child in a world where most children are sophisticated androids manufactured by Oxted Corporation. When a decline in global fertility ensued, it was the creation of these near-perfect human copies called teknoids that helped to prevent the utter collapse of society.

Though she has always been aware of the existence of teknoids, it is not until her first day at The Lady Maud High School for Girls that Tania realizes that her best friend, Siân, may be one. Returning home from the summer holiday, she is shocked by how much Siân has changed. Is it possible that these changes were engineered by Oxted? And if Siân could be a teknoid, how many others in Tania’s life are not real?

Driven by the need to understand what sets teknoids apart from their human counterparts, Tania begins to seek answers. But time is running out. For everyone knows that on their eighteenth “birthdays,” teknoids must be returned to Oxted—never to be heard from again.

You can purchase Expiration Day at the following Retailers:

    

Imagine a world where we have lost the ability to reproduce. In Expiration Day, that is exactly what has happened. Oxted Corporation has the monopoly on "Teknoids", near perfect human copies of children. So perfect in fact, often times the teknoid doesn't even know they aren't human. Thus begins the story of Tania, her family and friends.

Tania Deeley grows up believing she is a rare human child in a world where most are teknoids. After an accident where she nearly drowns she learns that she too, is in fact a teknoid. But Tania defies the normal parameters of being a teknoid child or teen in this post apocalyptic world. She thrives and continues to grow both mentally and physically, taking advantage of the aging options to her body offered by Oxted. She has a best friend, that is human, and a meets a young man she likes. Tania, Sian and John spend several years experiencing normal teenage emotions and problems.

Tania, Sian and John are always looking for answers though, exploring the hidden archives and looking for a way for Tania to cheat the "Expiration Day." At the age of 18, the contract on Tania will expire and she has to be returned to Oxted. But when Tania's mother dies, her father sues Oxted and petitions to keep Tania after her expiration day. Will Tania be the first teknoid to survive the expiration day?

This really is a story about humanity within a world where the majority of the children and young adults aren't even human. Tania defies logic and premise throughout, she is a strong and emotional heroine. I'm reminded of the classic tale of Pinocchio with this book. Tania spends a lot of time thinking she is one person and wants these specific things in life, only to learn life is about so much more during her journey.

There were several twists and turns along the way, and I loved little things that were sprinkled through the story line that came into play at the end. I loved Tania's fierceness and her father's devotion. I could have done without the journal/diary style entries, and though the character Zog was an oddity to me until the very end, at the end I realized that was entirely the point! If you are a fan of Dystopian, Sci-Fi stories with strong female leads and an excellent moral core, you will love this book! I give it 4/5 stars.

William Campbell Powell was born in 1958 in Sheffield, but grew up in and around Birmingham. He was educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham, and gained a scholarship to Clare College, Cambridge to study Natural Sciences. Leaving Clare College in 1980 with a BA in Computer Science, he entered the computer industry, which is where he has been ever since.

William has been writing since 2002, experimenting with various genres, but he is most at home with Science Fiction, Historical Fiction and fiction for Young Adults.

Website

 

Thank you Mr. Powell for stopping by TTC Books and more today. I hope you don't mind me picking your brain for a bit!

~ What was the concept behind your story Expiration Day?

This may not be the answer you’re looking for, but many books depend on a single idea or concept.  If you take that away, the novel unravels.  For Expiration Day, that concept is the Uncanny Valley. 

Expiration Day is a novel about the end of mankind.  As the birth rate tumbles, would-be parents look to robot substitutes – which I call teknoids – to take the place of the children they cannot conceive.  This preserves the appearance of normality and stabilises society.  But as parents age, they need to be weaned off their teknoids, and the Uncanny Valley is part of that weaning.  The Uncanny Valley is the name given to the nature of the bonding between humans and robot.  A perfect simulation, by definition, allows humans to bond well, as human to human.  A poor simulation also allows good bonding, as human to pet.  But the almost-perfect simulation evokes fear – a human is “creeped-out” by the almost human.  As the years pass, the shine wears off the teknoid, and the parents become aware of little differences, and reject the cuckoo in the nest.

Without that (scientifically valid) concept, all notion of plausibility goes out the window, as every parent would fight tooth and nail to keep their teknoid!

~ What inspires you to write?

A conversation, a chance remark, a memory of a dream – the initial ideas can come from anywhere and at any time, but frequently from the near-sleep time, either falling asleep or waking up.  So I often find myself rushing downstairs in the middle of the night, to jot down an idea on the computer.

It feels like the human brain is always making unusual connections, and throwing out ideas – it’s part of the human problem-solving ability – but there are filters that we unconsciously set to stop our minds from being overwhelmed, so we don’t notice this wellspring of ideas.  The trick is to just relax the filters, so that some of these odd ideas emerge.

~ Do you find any influence in music or television that merges over into your writing?

I find my characters tend to echo my musical tastes.  But I don’t think I’m alone in that – if an author mentions music at all in their work, the artists they mention will place their age to within five years.  So the tracks that Tania’s band covers are the tracks of my teen years.  And why shouldn’t she?  The best recorded music of the last fifty or sixty years has persisted well.

Television?  Less so – I grew up watching Doctor Who, The Time Tunnel and the original Star Trek, but those programs influenced my writing less than the original SF stories that those shows also plundered.

~ What has been the most interesting review you've gotten for Expiration Day?

I’m still at the stage where I do look at the reviews on Goodreads, Booklikes, Amazon and also the independent blogs.  They’re my feedback on how well I’m communicating with my audience.  While it tickles my ego to get a five star review, the three and four star ones give me better pointers on how to improve as a writer.  They’re the ones that understand the journey that I’ve tried to create, but point out the rough edges.

One of the earliest reviews I got was this one, by ‘Adam’:

One of the easiest books to "figure out as you go along" that I've read recently (I recognized each twist as it happened or far before hand)

Bother, I said.  I thought I’d been so clever with my plot twists.

but I can only describe it as "fuzzy."

It gets worse.  I spent so much time trying to write clearly.  Ok, finish it off…

Every twist, every line, all of it gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling, a real "feel good" kind of book. In a subtle way, its one of the best books I've ever read.

And that’s all he wrote.  But I believe that that reviewer had been pretty much on the journey I’d intended.  That’s what a writer wants, to be read and to be understood.

~ Is there a sequel in the works, or another project coming soon?

Yes, I’ve got a good idea how to continue from where Expiration Day leaves off, and I’ve got about 20,000 words written.

But in many ways, I’d like to explore other sub-genres of YA and other genres of fiction before following the easy paths of sequels. So there’s a fragment of an (adult) historical detective novel set in the 1830s and a YA fantasy (as opposed to SF) novel also getting worked on.

Fun Stuff!

~ Day or Night?

Night.  I do my writing at night, when it’s quietest.

~ Coffee or Tea?

Tea.  I make lots of cups during the day, but rarely finish a cup.

~ Pen or Pencil?

Pen.  I still like the feel of writing with a fountain pen, but I can never find the ink when it runs out.

~ Paperback or E-Reader?

Paperback.  A book has to be physical.  E-Reader is only for when I’m travelling.

~ Vampires or Werewolves?

Werewolves.  “An American Werewolf In London” is my iconic paranormal movie.  And I don’t know if the British original of “Being Human” crossed over to the US, but Russell Tovey’s werewolf was a treat.

 3 Winners will receive a Copy of Expiration Day +Tor Teen Bag by William Campbell Powell.
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A Hunted Man Release Day Blast

After surviving ten years in prison, Cameron Pierce is attempting to put the past behind him. He tries to adjust to his newfound freedom with a place at the halfway house and a job. But one lesson he learned in prison keeps him guarded: hope is a dangerous thing.

Hunter Donovan, Assistant State Attorney, is a man of justice who loves a challenge. After a lifetime of putting his career first, a milestone brings him to a harsh realization—he's lonely.

Hunter's world changes when he meets Cam. The wary young man intrigues him and awakens a desire unlike anything he's ever experienced. When Cam's past resurfaces and threatens to rip them apart, their budding relationship is challenged and Cam's hope for a future begins to dim.

These outside forces hunting Cam will stop at nothing to send him back to prison. But they'll have to get past Hunter first.

RELEASING APRIL 29, 2014

 

Chapter 1

Cameron Pierce didn't really know what to expect when the entire nightmare began days before his eighteenth birthday, but here he was, standing behind a large metal door waiting for it to open and grant his freedom. Nine years, eight months, two weeks, and five days of hell. Even though he had to stay in a designated halfway house for the next few months, at least he wouldn't have these bars or barbed wire fences to constantly remind him of his nightmare.

He fidgeted. In exchange for almost ten years of his life, the prison system gave him a hundred bucks for expenses during transfer, and a plain, standard-issue cardboard box containing his personal items—a watch, ten bucks, and a pack of gum. Everything broken or useless, which pretty much mirrored his existence. He ditched the box and everything else then pocketed the cash.

The gears of the large metal door ground as they inched open. Cameron shifted his weight from foot to foot, waiting for just enough space to squeeze through the door. He looked over to the guard and concluded he'd be better off attempting to walk out of this prison with a little dignity. At the pace these doors opened, he figured he'd age another decade in the process. He closed his eyes and counted, begging for a little patience to come his way. He finally heard the grinding stop and opened his eyes.

There, in the middle of the empty parking lot, Sam leaned against a car with crossed arms and a smile.

Cameron groaned as he finally exited the prison gates.

Mr. Samuel Issacs, rehabilitation officer, also secretly campaigned for sainthood every chance he had. His job was to help a group of assigned inmates rejoin the world with others but his mission was to mentor them. Sam wanted to talk, help, and offer support. Cam, on the other hand, knew better than to open his mouth, and he damn sure wasn't going to risk Sam becoming some form of collateral damage.

Cam had learned that lesson the hard way.

"Hey, Sam," he said once he arrived where Sam was parked.

"Hey, Cam. I thought I'd give you a ride to the halfway house instead of having you take the bus," he said as he opened the passenger side door of the car.

Cameron waited, not sure if sitting in a car for hours with Saint Sam was a good idea.

"C'mon, Cam. I can guarantee you the drive with me will be better than a busload of people coming back from Universal Studios with stinky feet and a crapload of gas."

Cameron groaned.

Sam laughed. "Besides, I already filled out the paperwork so you're stuck with me. Get in."

Cam didn't say a word. He climbed into the car, sat in the passenger seat, and then closed the car door.

"Buckle up, it's the law."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nope, state of Florida, it's the law."

"Since when?"

"Just strap in so we can get out of here."

Cameron groaned again as he pulled the belt and clicked it in place. He hated the way it cut into his damn shoulder. Who knew what else had changed while he was in prison. Just another reminder of things he had missed. He shifted in his seat only to have his movement limited by the seat belt restraint.

Wonderful.

Here he was, finally out of prison, yet somehow still found a way to be constrained in a small enclosed area. Hell, this was even smaller than the six-by-eight cell he’d called home for almost a decade.

How ironic.

GOODREADS / WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / AMAZON

Jaime Reese is the alter ego of an artist who loves the creative process of writing, just not about herself. Fiction is far more interesting. She has a weakness for broken, misunderstood heroes and feels everyone deserves a chance at love and life. An avid fan of a happy ending, she believes those endings acquired with a little difficulty are more cherished.

AMAZON / AMAZON CA / AMAZON UK / BARNES & NOBLE / iBOOKS

 

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Orenda release day blitz & Giveaway

ORENDA by Ruth Silver

a Young Adult Fantasy Adventure series

published by Patchwork Press

Join forces with a parallel universe. Dark forces, magical creatures, and the world Lil thought she knew collide when a dream transports her to the strange world of Orenda. Stunned and terrified, Lil comes face to face with her doppelganger, Willow, who possesses the ability to travel between the two worlds. Everything Lil knows logically says that Orenda can't exist, but a small clue may be proof that it was more than an ordinary dream. With the threat of her younger sister in danger, Lil crosses dimensions but it may cost her even more than she bargained for. A sword wielding girl, the eternal suit, and a parallel universe come together in this action-packed Young Adult fantasy adventure that will keep readers of all ages turning the pages. Orenda is the first novel in the Orenda series.

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  Excerpt: Lil stood firm, sword-in-hand, staring at the beast as it flew directly at her. “How do I kill it?” She raised the sword above her head with two hands. Hudson glanced at her. “With what we taught you. The dragon is no different than a man.” “It has wings and is flying at me. I’d say it’s different!”  

  Ruth Silver is the best-selling author of ABERRANT, a young adult dystopian adventure series published by Patchwork Press and Lazy Day Publishing, in 2013. Silver attended Northern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication in the spring of 2005. While in college, she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, Deuces are Wild, which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required, because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories. Her love of writing led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading, photography, traveling and most of all writing. She loves dystopian and fantasy young adult stories. Ruth has been actively writing since she was a teenager. Upcoming works include Royal Reaper, a young adult series about grim reapers, due for release June 3rd, 2014. She currently resides in Plainfield, Illinois. 

  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

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Dance by Teodora Kostova blog tour {review & giveaway}

Dance By Teodora Kostova Blog Tour

Jared Hartley is happy. He has a starring role in a popular West End musical, great friends, adoring fans and his own flat in Central London. A relationship is not something he has ever really wanted. Making big plans for the future is not in his nature – Jared is content with his single status and enjoying all the benefits of that lifestyle.
He doesn’t even realise something is missing in his life.
Until he meets Fenix.

Fenix Bergman has a dream – to perform on Broadway. When he gets offered the lead role in Poison – a new musical based in London, he accepts, immediately recognising the huge potential of the show.

Fenix thinks he has his life completely figured out – he will move to London, help Poison become the new West End hit and bide his time until Broadway comes knocking on his door. He has never wished for anything else but proving to himself and the world that he is a performer worthy of the biggest theatre stage.
Until he meets Jared.

Jared and Fenix’s lives collide and they fill each other’s missing pieces. Neither of them expects to feel so much, so fast for the other.

Neither of them expects to need someone so badly when love hasn’t even been in their plans.

But when Fenix’s star becomes too bright for London, will the dream he’s chased all his life ruin the dream he’s holding in his hands?

Will he survive getting everything he’s ever wanted?

Will Jared?

*explicit sexual content, graphic language and adult themes. Recommended for readers 18+ only*

Grab your copy of Dance today from Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N 

Fenix Bergman is an astounding dancer and the lead of the play Poisen. All he has ever dreamed of was to be on Broadway, dancing is in his blood. It should be as his mother was a prima balerina in her time, before an injury took her away from the stage. Now Poisen is a huge success and is moving to the main stage in London. It's not Broadway, but it's a close second. He's taken aback when he learns he has to share a dressing room with fellow stage actor, Jared Hartley, but his hesitation soon ta...more Fenix Bergman is an astounding dancer and the lead of the play Poisen. All he has ever dreamed of was to be on Broadway, dancing is in his blood. It should be as his mother was a prima balerina in her time, before an injury took her away from the stage. Now Poisen is a huge success and is moving to the main stage in London. It's not Broadway, but it's a close second. He's taken aback when he learns he has to share a dressing room with fellow stage actor, Jared Hartley, but his hesitation soon takes a back seat to their mutual attraction. Jared Hartly has been perfectly happy in his singularity. He has a successful career as an acomplished stage perfomer in his own right and he owns his own flat. From the moment he finds Fenix in his dressing room he's smitten with the lithe, blonde dancer and soon he claims Fenix as his own. The two go from 0-60 loving each other, moving in together, the works in about a weeks time. They say when you know, you just know, right? But just as these two start to get a grip on all the negativity that comes with their whirlwind courtship, Fenix gets a call he never thought he'd get, a call that could tear the ground right out from under Jared. Jared wants Fenix to stay with him in London, after all, Fenix did tell him he loved him and wanted to spend their lives together. But it's Broadway, how can Fenix walk away from what he's worked for his entire life? He begs Jared to go with him, but Jared's life is in London. More than anything they both want to stay together, the words they've spoken were sincere. But neither man wants to give up thier dreams, nor does either of them want the other one to. At an empass, what decision will Fenix make, and what will the backlash of his decision be. This is not Kostova's first novel, but it is her first flight into the M/M genre. The storyline and characters were very well rounded for a debut. There is even a lovely little twist in there that could prove for something very intriguing in a future story, if Kostova so decides to write it. The epilogue is fantastic, we get to see exactly where both of these sexy men are years down the road. Are they together? Well, you'll have to read the story for yourself to answer that question! And I definitely recommend that you do!!

 

Hi, my name is Teodora and I live in London with my husband Ted and my son Jason. I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it became my full time job in 2010 when I decided that everything else I've tried bores me to death and I have to do what I've always wanted to do, but never had the guts to fully embrace. I've been a journalist, an editor, a personal assistant and an interior designer among another things, but as soon as the novelty of the new, exciting job wears off, I always go back to writing. Being twitchy, impatient, loud and hasty are not qualities that help a writer, because I have to sit alone, preferably still, and write for most of the day, but I absolutely love it. It's the only time that I'm truly at peace and the only thing I can do for more than ten minutes at a time - my son has a bigger attention span than me.
When I'm procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Wii game by a six year old.

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Dirty Ross Review & Giveaway {book 22 from the Assassin/Shifter series}

Dirty Ross
Book Twenty-Two in the Assassin/Shifter sereis
{This book is part of a series that should be read in order}

Cole Ryker has been a man on a mission since the second he laid eyes on tall, dark and dirty-talking Ross Collins. That mission? To get the macho Delta Force soldier into his bed and out of his head, putting an end to his obsession. When Ross finally agrees to a date, Cole is overjoyed - and, frankly, rather surprised. Ross is like no man he's ever met. When one date leads to another and another, the men struggle to sort out their feelings. Ross Collins is in full command of everything in his life. When Cole Ryker hits on him - and keeps hitting on him - something in Ross is drawn to the confident firefighter and the uncertainty that comes with letting someone else take the lead. Time with Cole is intoxicating, unlike anything Ross could have imagined. He's falling fast and Cole is right there with him. But everyone has secrets, don't they? Ross is hiding the fact that he's a werewolf, and Cole is terrified his own past relationship will ruin any chance he has of finding happiness with Ross. There's also the matter of a man from Ross' past who's pretty determined to stake his own claim on the soldier. Truths explode as quickly and terrifying as a five-alarm fire, putting relationships in jeopardy and loved ones in danger. Is there an escape or will their love turn to ashes?

Available now through Amazon! 

Ross Collins refuses to be just another notch in Cole's bed post, but the gorgeous fire fighter is relentless in his pursuits for the ex Delta Force, sex on a stick member of the Skull Blasters supernatural team. Part of it is Ross's fear that if anyone finds out the truth about him, that he is in fact a werewolf, they won't be able to see past that and fear him, leaving him alone still. The other part is simple annoyance, Cole grates on his last good nerve. The problem is that Cole has, in fact, gotten under Ross's skin.

Since that first glance, Cole Stryker has not been able to get Ross off his mind. As hard as Ross refuses his advances, the harder Cole pours on the attention. When Ross finally succumbs to the constant barage of affection and says yes to a date with Cole, even Cole is taken aback for a moment. The first thing these two will have to learn is how to communicate. Ross wants to be cherished by his mate, loved like all the other mates he see's around him daily. Cole thinks that if he gets Ross into bed, that he'll be able to curb his appetite for the man, wrong! But that first kiss doesn't go quite as planned, still, Ross feels something there. But when he tries to slow it down and do things right, Cole bolts. He doesn't want a relationship with Ross, just a fling, right? Or so he tries to tell himself.

This will prove to be one of the most challenging romances in this series that has more than proven it has sustenance as well as longevity. First they must learn to talk to each other, then they have to trust each other with the truth. Cole's past is something he hides, runs from and refuses to talk to anyone about except his best friend. He's been hurt, and I mean hurt bad. Ross will have to share his secret with Cole before he's ready and the man he's falling in love with doesn't take it nearly as well as Ross had hoped. Cole says some extremely harsh things and pushes Ross away. When he finally pulls his head out of his ass and realizes that he loves Ross, unconditionally, will it be enough for Ross to forgive him for the words he said out of anger, fear and confusion?

Dirty Ross definitely earns its title. When these two hook up, it’s dirty dirty! But it's so passionate and sensual that neither of them know what to do with it. As I said, Cole has been hurt so he is not used to someone being gentle and loving, caring about his needs first. Ross has waited so long for his mate that he wants everything to be perfect. He'll have to adjust his views on love and commitment as well, as nothing in life is perfect, and it isn't for any of the other mates either. Can these two find the balance that is perfect for them?

I love the constantly continuing stories that flow throughout all the books in this series. Each installment is engaging and intriguing as there are always new twists and turns. While it would seem each member of the skull blaster team and/or the shifters has a specific purpose, that purpose is ever evolving and weaving itself with the other characters in the series. New challenges, new characters and new loves make themselves known in Dirty Ross. I cannot wait for the next book in this series, seriously hoping that it's Killian and Stone! This is the best M/M sifter series there is out there today. Simply a must read, but start at the beginning with A Marked Man (book 1) if you haven't started the series yet.

See excerpts from the full Assassin/Shifter Series

(CLICK HERE)

 

FACEBOOK / GOODREADS / TWITTER / WEBSITE / SERIES WEBSITE

Sandrine (Sandy) was born in Inglewood, California. Raised by "Old School" French parents, she later moved to Tucson, AZ. It was there that writing became a hobby. Always told she had a great imagination, Sandy wrote short stories for her friends in High School. In college, she took more writing classes while working on her Criminal Justice degree, but it wasn't until a soap opera caught her eye that she got involved in male on male romances. On the advice of a friend, Sandy dipped her toes into the world of M/M Romance. Sandy takes the writing seriously and has had countless conversations with gay men as well as hours of research.She's been involved with the military in one way or another for over twenty years, and has a great deal of respect for our men in uniform. She's traveled the world, but is currently enjoying the South.

There is now an Assassin/Shifter website!! Many thanks to the talented Jenn Watts for all her hard work!

You can friend her on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1035408057

* * * The first 21 books in this series are now on sale for 99 cents through April 30 * * * 

 

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Is It Summer Yet? QTA Blog Hop & Giveaway!

Queer Town Abbey presents... Is It Summer Yet? Blog Hop and Giveaway!

The early signs are  there. Lilac bushes bloom with their fragrant scent. The drone of a bee is somewhere nearby. The fields are vibrant with lush, green grass. Someone is cooking hamburgers on the grill next door. You see a kid riding with bare feet hanging out the open car window. The road is calling to you, beckoning with memories of trips to the beach, and lazy afternoons in a hammock by the lake. You want to dive into the crisp, clear water of a swimming pool, and play a rousing game of volleyball on the sand, and eat steamed clams after dark in front of a campfire on the beach. Summer is hot dogs, and Coppertone, sleek bodies in swimsuits and reading by the pool. It’s watching fireflies at night and making love on the beach. Eating ice cream before it melts and remembering your first kiss.

Get a jump on the season by Queer Town Abbey and dozens of your favorite authors for the Is It Summer Yet? Blog Hop. Find out what the hot summer reads are from your favorite publishers and get in on some fabulous prizes! 

{Follow this link to see what authors are Hopping for Summer!}

My favorite summer memory, Author TM Smith.

I love summer vacations with my kids. We've been to Daytona Beach, Padre Island, Galveston Island and Colorado among other places. I prefer any place with water, because it seems like they forget how to fight if there is water and sand! I remember growing up how much fun it was to go on summer vacation with my own parents, and though we don't get to go away every summer, it just makes the time we can that much more fulfilling and special. 

{my three kids Steven, Chris and Mariah at Bubba Gump in Daytona Beach Florida 

summer of 2006}

Our trip to Daytona Beach had to be one of my all time favorites. We stayed in a condo on the beach, swam, surfed, visited the chocolate factory and NASA, watched fireworks and swam some more. We had two day passes to Universal studios Orlando and though I don't think they were worth the small fortune we paid for them, it was still a once in a lifetime memory we got to build as a family. 

This past summer myself, my daughter and my youngest son along with one of my best friends went to Galveston Island for a short 5 day vaca. We stayed in a fantastic hotel, again on the beach, but had an amazing pool on site that we didn't stray far from. We did, however, take a trip to Bubba Gump shrimp so I could see how much my two youngest have changed in 7 years. WOW!

{Chris and Mariah, summer 2013. Damn, Jolly Green Giant anyone?!}

We haven't decided what we will be doing this year yet, but I'm already on vacation in July for 10 whole days! My daughter and I have talked about getting another tattoo, I got my first one with her getting her fifth this past year. We shall see, I hope there is some water involved whatever it is we decide to do.

Enjoy your summer everyone!!! 

Be sure to enter this fantastic giveaway presented by Queer Town Abby.

And as far as what book I'm anticipating this summer, aside from my own of course, I think City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Claire. I'm so excited to finally see where all my favorite Shadow Hunters and Demon end up in the end. 

Grand Prizes for this blog hop

1. iPod shuffle
2. Queer as Folk Box, Music from the ShowTime original series Seasons 3,4,&5 donated by Tommy Boy Entertainment

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Bound To Be a Groom virtual tour {Spotlight, Excerpt & Giveaway}

Sometimes our wildest dreams come true.

In the tumultuous summer of 1808, Spain and England are close to war and four young lovers are close to ecstasy.

To carve out an independent life with the woman she loves, Anna knows she must leave her quiet Spanish convent to become a courtesan. To gain experience, she sets her sights on . . .

Sebastian, whose powerful, aristocratic confidence suits Anna’s mercenary goals. But his arrogance masks a craving for submission that Anna instinctively satisfies. Sebastian soon begs for her hand in marriage, even if it means sharing her with . . .

Pia, who trusts Anna completely—with her body and her future—until she learns of Anna’s hasty marriage. Pia questions their commitment to each other as they leave for London to meet . . .

Farleigh, the seemingly feckless duke who thinks he’s over Sebastian, the potent Spanish soldier he bedded two years ago.

What begins as a series of erotic escapades soon evolves into a deep, unbreakable bond. Two men and two women who yearn to explore are about to make their wildest dreams come true

Bound To Be a Groom is available now through Riptide Publishing.

Megan Mulry writes sexy, stylish, romantic fiction. Her first book, A Royal Pain, was an NPR Best Book of 2012 and USA Today bestseller. Before discovering her passion for romance novels, she worked in magazine publishing and finance. After many years in New York, Boston, London, and Chicago, she now lives with her family in Florida.

Follow Mulry through the following links: 

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A note from the author:

I am thrilled to be touring around the blogosphere introducing everyone to my new book Bound to Be a Groom! I loved researching and writing this steamy story and can't wait for readers to get their hands on it. Speaking of hands...while a reviewer was reading an advance copy of the book a few weeks ago, she bemoaned the fact that she had run out of double AA batteries. This led to a hilarious conversation on Twitter about the wide range of sex toys and vibrators at our disposal and my editor, to whom I defer on all things technical, said the Hitachi Magic Wand was the be-all-and-end-all of "personal massagers" (<-that's the technical name, just in case you were wondering). It never runs out of batteries...because it plugs in! So, of course I went online and bought one (which also involved research because there are cheap imitations galore...do not be fooled!). And holy hell! Okay. First of all, it is loud and heavy and enormous...there is no pretending you are just *whistles innocently* hanging out in bed with a good book. It's more like shouting, "OKAY NOW I AM GOING TO PLUG IN THE BROBDINGNAGIAN VIBRATOR AND HAVE AN ORGASM!" Which is also fine. So, yeah, I tried it. Two times. And then I realized it was really an excellent, LITERAL, personal massager. I sit at a desk eight hours a day and have tons of muscle strain in my neck and shoulder. And the Hitachi is AMAZING for that shit. I'm not joking. Give me five minutes on low, right there at the base of my neck...and I'm ready to walk upstairs and have sex with my partner.

So to celebrate this rite of passage (I used a vibrator! Yay!) and save you the trouble of ever running out of AA batteries (You can too! Yay!), I'm giving away (a brand new lol!) official (do not accept cheap imitations!) HITACHI HV250R MAGIC WAND MASSAGER. This priceless (okay, it's about $75) item will go to ONE lucky winner. The 2^nd place winner will receive a $10 gift card from Riptide Publishing, and the 3^rd place winner can choose any book from my backlist (excluding Bound to be a Groom). Entries close at midnight, Eastern Time, on April 25, and winners will be chosen on April 27. Contest is valid worldwide. Good luck and thanks for being a part of the blog tour!

Excerpt from Bound To Be a Groom:

Badajoz, Spain – June 1808

Anna Redondo was unaccustomed to feeling at a disadvantage. It was not in her nature. She knew she’d been born on the wrong side of the blanket, but that had never prevented her from knowing her own mind. Having spent her first eighteen years within the walls of a convent might have limited her experience, but it had not curtailed her imagination.

And she could imagine all sorts of things with this man.

Regrettably, imagining would only take her so far; she needed to act. Taking a fortifying breath, she turned to face him.

“It’s going to be quite a long afternoon for those two, don’t you think?” she ventured, gesturing toward the bride and groom. Isabella and Javier were walking at the front of the wedding party with the bright morning sun, so particular to this part of southern Spain, glinting off the beautiful silks and polished leather of the aristocratic guests all around them.

“Pardon me?” Sebastian de Montizon asked, clearly surprised at the audacity of a polite young miss speaking to him so directly.

“They look miserable, don’t you think?” Anna mused. She had left the convent in Burgos two weeks ago and traveled to Badajoz in a carriage, chaperoned by one of the older nuns. Apparently, the short time away had already emboldened her.

Sebastian stared down at her as they walked, assessing her through hooded eyes while the clank and clop of horses and regal hardware around them seemed to fade. “I think they look blissfully happy. Whatever do you mean?”

But she suspected he knew what she meant and was only pretending to be confused by the demure front. “Of course they’re happy to be married,” she said brightly, then, in a lower voice, “but now they have to wait and wait until they can be alone . . . on their wedding night . . .”

Over the past week, dignitaries and aristocrats from all parts of Spain and Portugal, and even a few from France and England, had filed into Badajoz. Sebastian had swept into the main hall shortly before supper three days ago, looking like he had spent the past month splitting his time between a bar and a brothel. His dark hair had been too long even by today’s liberal standards, and the scruff of his beard had looked untended. For the wedding, he had reacquainted himself with his valet, and he now looked like many of the other perfectly turned-out aristocrats. But there was still a look of something wild about him.

Anna’s first thought upon seeing him had been that he needed to be taken in hand . . . and that she’d be the one to do it.

“What do you know of wedding nights, little convent girl?” He smiled and stood straighter as he kept walking alongside her through the winding cobbled streets. He clasped his strong hands confidently behind his back, as if he’d assessed her and seen all he needed to see of the little flower.

Perfect. Think of me like that.

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