Lucy’s learned some important lessons from tabloid darling Jayla Heart’s all-too-public blunders: Avoid the spotlight, don’t feed the Internet trolls, and keep your secrets secret. The policy has served Lucy well all through high school, so when her best friend Ellie gets sick before prom and begs her to step in as Cole’s date, she accepts with a smile, silencing about ten different reservations. Like the one where she’d rather stay home shredding online zombies. And the one where she hates playing dress-up. And especially the one where she’s been secretly in love with Cole since the dawn of time.
When Cole surprises her at the after party with a kiss under the stars, it’s everything Lucy has ever dreamed of… and the biggest BFF deal-breaker ever. Despite Cole’s lingering sweetness, Lucy knows they’ll have to ’fess up to Ellie. But before they get the chance, Lucy’s own Facebook profile mysteriously explodes with compromising pics of her and Cole, along with tons of other students’ party indiscretions. Tagged. Liked. And furiously viral.
By Monday morning, Lucy’s been branded a slut, a backstabber, and a narc, mired in a tabloid-worthy scandal just weeks before graduation.
Lucy’s been battling undead masses online long enough to know there’s only one way to survive a disaster of this magnitude: Stand up and fight. Game plan? Uncover and expose the Facebook hacker, win back her best friend’s trust, and graduate with a clean slate.
There’s just one snag—Cole. Turns out Lucy’s not the only one who’s been harboring unrequited love…
You can purchase #scandal at the following Retailers:
Lucy is a slightly anti-social and unusual breed of teenage girl. Very into online gaming she is most comfortable killing zombies and staying out of the spotlight. She can be fierce when she needs to be, but she doesn't mind being a girl either. When her best friend asks Lucy to be her boyfriend Cole's prom date, Lucy does not want to do it. Mostly because she has had a crush on Cole for as long as she can remember. But, she can't say no to her friend, so she accompanies Cole to Prom. It pretty much goes down hill from there.
The next day Lucy's phone is missing, but somehow pictures taken from her phone at the after party are showing up online and on her facebook page. Pictures of her and Cole kissing, along with other random pictures from the party. Lucy tries to convince everyone that she did not take or post the pics, but no one believes her. I think the thing that Lucy needs to focus on right now is her friendship which is obviously in trouble, where is her phone, who not only took the pics but posted them, and last but definitely not least... Cole kissed her back!
#scandal is a look inside the life of a group of high school kids and how social media, misinterpretation and cyber bullying effect their lives on a daily basis. This novel was written on the softer side of such events, as I've seen and read much worse happening. But it is no less powerful in it's message. Actions have consequences, a picture is worth a thousand words, do unto others as you would have them do unto you and so on. This book had some comic relief, lots of drama and some cute romance as Lucy and Cole navigate high school in the wake of their on line scandal and, dare I say, possible romance.
Fans of Gossip Girl, Friday Night Lights and 90210 will love this book! Definitely age appropriate as a YA Romance, shows some of the teenage struggles our young ones face and a whole lot of angst. Ockler did a really good job of turning usually 'generic' characters into more well rounded and just enough different to make them believable and realistic. I'm giving this one 4/5 because the story lost it's stamina a little part way through, but thankfully found it's footing again. And the cyber bullying aspect was never completely explored or explained. But overall I loved the way Ockler wrote her characters and the base story line and delivered an engaging and realistic view inside the life of one teenage girl that has a lot to learn, but I'm pretty sure she will get it right in the end!
Sarah Ockler is the bestselling author of several books for teens: The Book of Broken Hearts, Bittersweet, Twenty Boy Summer, Fixing Delilah, and the upcoming #scandal. Her books have received numerous accolades, including ALA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults, Girls’ Life Top 100 Must Reads, Indie Next List, Amazon Top Movers and Shakers, and nominations for YALSA Teens’ Top Ten and NPR’s Top 100 Teen Books.
She’s a champion cupcake eater, coffee drinker, tarot enthusiast, night person, and bookworm. When she’s not writing or reading at home in Colorado, Sarah enjoys hugging trees and road-tripping through the country with her husband, Alex. In addition to her website at sarahockler.com, fans can find her on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook.
A princess, trained to behave. An assassin, betrothed to her. A thief, whose eyes she dreams of at night. A kingdom at war, torn apart by the suppression of magic and truth, as well as family secrets that threaten to destroy decades of peace.
Questions of loyalty, of morality, and of free will culminate in a fantasy novel about forging one’s own path and choosing one’s own destiny.
You can purchase Primordial Dust at the following Retailers:
Sarah Daltry writes about the regular people who populate our lives. She’s written works in various genres – romance, erotica, fantasy, horror. Genre isn’t as important as telling a story about people and how their lives unfold. Sarah tends to focus on YA/NA characters but she’s been known to shake it up. Most of her stories are about relationships – romantic, familial, friendly – because love and empathy are the foundation of life. It doesn’t matter if the story is set in contemporary NY, historical Britain, or a fantasy world in the future – human beings are most interesting in the ways they interact with others. This is the principle behind all of Sarah’s stories.
Sarah has spent most of her life in school, from her BA and MA in English and writing to teaching both at the high school and college level. She also loves studying art history and really anything because learning is fun.
When Sarah isn’t writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window.
3 Winners will receive an E-Copy of Primordial Dust by Sarah Daltry.
1 Winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card and Swag pack by Sarah Daltry.
1 Winner will receive a Swag Pack by Sarah Daltry. Must be 13+ to Enter International Giveaway
Book Info-
Title: Summoned
Author: Rainy Kaye
Genre: Paranormal
Audience: 18+
Formats: Kindle
Publisher: Immortal Ink Publishing
Cover By: Kris Wagner
Model: Adam Jakubowski Photographer: Marcin Rychły
Editor: Natasha Larry, Rebecca Hamilton, Arlene Nicholson
Expected Date of Publishing: Feb 24th, 2014
Blurb -
Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker.
Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well. When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can't tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn't the type to tolerate secrets.
Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl's ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.
Rainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the mean time, she blogs at http://www.rainyofthedark.com and writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona.
When not plotting world domination, she enjoys getting lost around the globe, studying music so she can sing along with symphonic metal bands, and becoming distracted by Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/rainyofthedark).
She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.
How far would you go to save everything you ever loved?
Kaliel was warned about her love for the Ferryman. One day he will marry the land and leave Avristar forever. She doesn't listen, and because of what she is-- a Flame-- one of nine apocalyptic weapons, she sparks a war. In a desperate attempt to save her home and her love, Kaliel tries to awaken Avred, not knowing she may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Kaliel is one of the nine flames, the amethyst flame, and she is also Elven. Krishani is a boy that dreams of death, and follows the ferryman in these dreams. Kaliel and Krishani are starcrossed lovers. They hide their feelings for one another because they don't want to be judged. This, in and of itself, is a struggle for them. They also have to consider the destinies that have been given to them, and how their choices will affect all of Avristar. Flames aren't supposed to fall in love, they marry the land. Kaliel talks to trees, has conversations with them. She is quite good at doing what she is told not to do, like swimming with the merfolk.
While I enjoyed certain aspects of this story and found them to be somewhat original, it was slow and disjointed at times. And then other times it was full speed ahead, so I admittedly had trouble keeping up, and was confused. That being said, the descriptives of Avristar and the water, the trees... just the world that Paille has created within this story, it was truly beautiful.
Narrated by Rachel Siegel, this was my first audio with her. I was quite taken with Siegel's voice. Perhaps her narration coupled with Paille's descriptives of Avristar are what had me creating this world in my head while I was listening. Also, Kaliel seemed to be very diverse in her personality and characterization, which was unlike any of the other characters. Siegel conveyed that aspect of the story well when I was listening, it was like Kaliel was always on display almost, and I liked that the narrator was able to pick up on that.
Overall this was just an okay read for me. It is steeped in fantasy, so if you are a fan of other worlds that are rich in color and personality, then you may well love this story. I'm giving this one 3/5 because I can see potential with this author and I just loved the world of Avristar.
Rhiannon is a booksmith from the middle of nowhere, Canada. She holds a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology, which is to say she happens to know a lot about what goes bump in the night. When she's not writing she's singing karaoke, burning dinner, and hiding her superhero identity. She'd like to own a unicorn one day, as long as it doesn't eat her. You'll find her sipping iced cappuccino despite her allergy to coffee at www.yafantasyauthor.com
So, the lovely ladies over at Twinsie Talk Book Reviews are hosting me for a blog tour this week! Let me start out by giving them props for everything they do for us Indie Authors. If you are looking for promotion for your book/series, you should check out what they have to offer.
So, here is the lineup for the tour. Be sure to stop by every blog and leave a comment, let them know what you think of their set up and such. You may find some new blogs to follow daily as well.
~ Note. You can share the blog stops daily on twitter and get more entries into the tour wide giveaway.
Also, through the end of the month I will be donating a portion of my profits from all 3 sites that Opposites and The Library are sold through to a local non profit organization, Resource Center Dallas.
Lets celebrate PRIDE month! Grab your copies, gift them to your friends and family and help support the LGBTQ community!!
Autumn escaped a cult, but now she realizes she’s fallen into another.
Growing up in San Francisco’s Centrist Movement, sixteen year-old Autumn Grace has always believed emotions—adrenaline, endorphins, even happiness—drain your Essence and lead to an early death. But her younger brother’s passing and a run-in with a group of Outsiders casts her faith into question.
Ryder Stone, the sexy, rebellious leader of the Outsiders, claims Essence drain is nothing more than a Centrist scare tactic — and he can prove it.
Autumn follows Ryder to his Community of adrenaline junkies and free spirits in Yosemite National Park, and they introduce her to a life of adventure, romance, sex, drugs and freedom. But as she discovers dark secrets beneath the Community’s perfect exterior, she realizes the more she risks in search of the perfect rush, the further she has to fall.
You can purchase ESSENCE at the following Retailers:
Excerpt from Essence...
Ryder took a few moments to show me
our gear—a much less complicated assortment than what Trey and Adrian used to
rock climb.
“Okay, let’s get terminology straight first. This”—he said,
motioning to the coiled rope at his feet—“is called webbing. It’s made of
nylon, and it’s weaved to be flat, almost like a seatbelt. Even when it’s
pulled tight, it’s still pretty springy; that’s why it always jumps around when
you walk. Different from the old tightropes of circus days.”
He picked up three D-shaped metal clasps. “These are called
carabiners; we’ll use them to secure the webbing between trees.” Chuckling at
my head nod, he said, “There are tons of ways to string a slackline, but the
easiest is what we’re gonna do today.
See two trees you like?”
“What?”
“For starters, you wanna look for two trees about 20 feet
apart. Strong ones. In a nice flat place where the ground isn’t too rocky. See
any trees like that?”
I pointed to two pines, and he nodded. “Perfect.”
He picked up the webbing and a few large sticks. “Wanna help
me wrap ‘em? We’re gonna want the line to be low, maybe even with your
mid-thigh?”
He instructed me to hold the sticks vertically against one
of the tree’s trunks while he wrapped the webbing around it. Once the webbing
was secured by a carabiner, we stretched the remaining length across the
clearing and secured the other end to the second tree. I cushioned its loop
with a few more sticks while Ryder wrapped it, and then we took turns pulling
it tight with the second and third carabiners.
When the slackline was officially ready, Ryder instructed me
to take off my shoes. “You gotta feel the webbing, Red,” he said, kicking his
own pair into the dirt. “Every tiny vibration; every little inconsistency and
flicker. You gotta know that webbing better than you’ve ever known anything in
your entire life. Can’t fake it, or you’ll fall.”
I smiled at the intense way he scrutinized me while I took
off my own shoes. “Got cute feet, Red,” he said and planted a quick kiss on my
cheek.
“You wanna take your time standing up,” he continued, coming
to stand beside the webbing. He placed his right foot on it—like Shayla had
during moonbows—and then he stood still for a moment, eyes focused forward.
“See how I’m not just popping up to stand? Taking a moment to
feel the webbing and gather my thoughts before I start. Gotta clear all that
shit out before you get up. Just… whoosh. You know?”
He closed his eyes. Tension seemed to drain from his face,
and then… Whoosh. One quick exhale, and he was standing.
He was… beautiful. Of all the words in the world, it was the
one that jumped to my mind first. In an instant, I knew it was the right one.
Gone was the Ryder I thought I knew—the Ryder that smoked
cigarettes and swaggered and laughed and flirted with me. Gone was the guy I
met in Golden Gate Park, the guy who skinny-dipped on top of Vernal Falls and
kissed me on the Housekeeping Camp bridge.
In his place was this man—this laser-focused, intense and
centered man. His expression was calm, and his eyes never left the slackline as
he took one step, then two steps, then three steps forward. His arms, held
outward from his sides, swayed slightly as he corrected his balance, and his
movements were fluid and graceful as a cat’s.
Desire swept through me at the memory of those arms wrapped
around me, and I felt pride swell inside me as well. Ryder thinks I’m capable
of doing this, too.
In several short steps, he made it to the other side. As he
turned to face me, his face melted into a grin. “Ta da!” he said. “And that’s
all there is to it. Ready to give it a try?”
####
I’ll admit it; I was smug. Ryder made slacklining look so
easy that I was certain I’d be up and strutting around on that thing in no
time.
As he jumped down and motioned for me to begin, I approached
the slackline and mimicked his opening stance: right foot elevated and parallel
to the webbing, left foot solid on the ground. The position was a little harder
than I expected, but I blamed that on how much longer Ryder’s legs were than
mine.
I stood very still for a moment, and then I attempted to
straighten my right leg, just as he had. That’s when things started to fall
apart.
It’s apparently really hard to lift your entire body with
only the strength of your thigh to support you. And apparently my thigh wasn’t
up to snuff, because my body barely budged. I popped up about three inches, and
then I felt my leg collapse beneath me. My knee buckled, and then I was back on
the ground.
My face burned, but when I looked in shock at Ryder, he did
his best to control his smirk. “No worries, Red. It’s crazy hard at first. Your
muscles’ll build in time, but standing up is one of the hardest parts. Why
don’t you try again, and I’ll give you a boost if you need it?”
I returned my attention to the webbing, but my leg collapsed
the second time as well.
“It’s okay,” he said. “Let’s see what a little help does for
you.” Coming to stand at my side, he instructed, “Put your left arm on my
shoulder. And then push up when you’re ready to straighten your leg.”
I nodded, but the nearness of his body flustered me. When I
straightened my leg and tried to stand, the webbing vibrated, and I tumbled
sideways into his arms.
“Can’t you just hold my hand and lead me?” I asked,
frustration edging into my voice.
“Can’t do it, Red.” He gently deposited me back to the
ground. “And you shouldn’t hold onto my shoulder when you get on your feet,
either. It’s a crutch, and it’ll hold you back. Gotta find your own balance,
you know?”
I must have frowned, because he chuckled and flicked my
nose. “You’re cute when you’re pissed off. You know that?” Turning to pat the
slackline, he continued, “The thing about this is, it’s not a party trick. It’s
a tool; it makes you find your center. Makes you push everything out of your
held and focus on only one thing. If you get unfocused, you start to wobble.
And if you start to wobble, you start to fall. End of story.”
He slouched against the nearest tree. “Remember your
Centrist meditation exercises? All that aura-smoothing shit? Well, that’s crap
meditation; not the real thing at all. But in order to get those auras
smoothed, you had to quiet your mind. Slacklining’s like that, but now you
gotta concentrate on your physical self as well as your mental self. What’s
your body doing? Where’s your gaze? How does that webbing feel beneath your
toes?”
He smiled. “Don’t rush into walking this time. Just push up
and balance on one foot. See how long it takes to find your center. When you
find it, start walking.”
I nodded. Turning back to the slackline, I propped my right
foot on the webbing and grabbed Ryder’s shoulder for balance.
I concentrated on the feeling of my breath as it left my
lungs, on the slow relaxing of my face as I breathed in again. From somewhere
to our right, I could hear Trey and Adrian laughing, but soon their voices
faded a little. The sun felt hot against the top of my head, but the rest of my
body felt cool. Sharp. Focused.
Instead of bolting to a standing position like before, I
straightened my right leg slowly. The webbing jerked again, and I could feel
the muscles in my thigh quivering, but I didn’t give up this time. Instead, I
extended my arms like he had, and I took a moment to catch my balance.
Whoosh. My breath felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as
it left my lungs. And then, whoosh, another breath back in.
My eyes drilled into the slackline and began to burn, but I
didn’t look away. I’m not even sure if I blinked, and the jerking of my arms
slowly subsided as my body began to find its center.
The feeling was new. A slow melting and reformulating of my
insides that startled me so much that I jerked sideways to see if Ryder was
watching. The movement sent vibrations humming through the line again. Within
seconds, I was falling.
I managed to land on my feet this time. When I straightened,
I didn’t feel frustrated or antsy like I had before. Instead, I felt energized.
And determined. And a tiny bit fixated. Someday, I would be able to do this.
“I want to try again.”
Lisa Ann O’Kane is a young adult author and former vagabond who once camped out in Yosemite National Park for an entire summer, an experience that inspired her debut novel ESSENCE.
Her background is in zookeeping and environmental education, and she has been kicked, cornered, bitten and chased by nearly every animal she has ever loved. She currently resides in Florida, and she is now a huge fan of shooting stars, indoor plumbing and keeping both her feet planted firmly on the trail.
And now author Lisa O'Kane shares her playlist with us...
I wrote the first draft of ESSENCE in four and a half months
during the winter of 2011-2012. This was less than half the time it took me to
write my first (shelved) novel, so I certainly felt possessed for a little
while there. I also felt inspired by pretty much every song I heard. This
resulted in an ESSENCE playlist that still gives me that electric feeling every
time I listen to it. I hope you like it!
1. “Northern Sky” by Nick Drake
I never felt magic crazy as this
I never saw moons knew the meaning of the sea
I never held emotion in the palm of my hand
Or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree
But now you're here
Brighten my northern sky.
ESSENCE was inspired by the summer I spent living and
working in Yosemite National Park, so it’s only natural the first song on my
playlist would be a song I played on repeat while I lived there. Nick Drake’s
music is so introspective and meandering, and this song will always remind me
of the awe I felt waking up in that beautiful place day after day.
2. “Watching You Watch Him” by Eric Hutchinson
I love you
From the bottom of my heart
And that's not gonna change
But things look grim
When I am watching you watch him.
The love triangle in ESSENCE is purposefully underplayed. I
expect readers to know who Autumn is going to choose from pretty much the
beginning—as one boy never really stood a chance. Here is that boy’s ode to
Autumn as he watched her fall for someone else.
3. “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers
So show me family
All the blood that I would bleed
I don't know where I belong
I don't know where I went wrong
But I can write a song.
I belong with you,
You belong with me,
You're my sweetheart.
The boy Autumn chooses is certainly no saint, so it’s only
fitting his love song to her would include pieces of his imperfections. I think
this song by The Lumineers sums him up so perfectly, and I must have listened
to it at least fifty times while writing ESSENCE.
4. “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men
Don't listen to a word I say
The screams all sound the same
Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore.
Deception is at the heart of ESSENCE, so this song was
particularly important to me while I wrote the second half of the book. I
especially love the fact that “Little Talks” is a duet, and the creaking ship
in the song’s background still gives me goosebumps.
One of my favorite things about being an author is the
opportunity to explore the various ways people crash into and out of each
other’s lives. We are such passionate creatures that our arrivals and
departures often resonate long after our paths are no longer entwined. The
rawness of this and the poignancy of this song mesh together perfectly for me,
making this a fitting way to close out my ESSENCE soundtrack.
I hope you enjoyed my ESSENCE playlist, and thanks so much
for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!
And thank you to Lisa for coming over to TTC today! Until next time...
1 Winner will receive an E-Copy of ESSENCE, a Vintage Yosemite Map Pendant, Two collectible ESSENCE Buttons and a Metal Cuff. Must be 13+ to Enter International Giveaway
*Book Nerd Tours is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Mail Box*
Sadly,
we’ve also probably all known loss in one form or another.
And,
yes, we at Wayward Ink are sure we’ve all experienced lust!
In
Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust, you'll experience one or more of the "L"s as we take
you on a roller coaster of emotions.
Whether
you like to sigh over the sweet, cry for the broken-hearted, enjoy a good laugh,
or get a little hot and bothered; there's something for everyone in this
collection.
His Prince Wore Pink Stilettos
Julie Lynn Hayes
Wanted: one prince, ball optional…
Invisible
Taylin Clavelli
What do you do when you
become invisible to the love of your life?
Hearts
Anyta Sunday
What
if your fate is to lose the one you love and be doomed to live in a city of
lost hearts?
Is it possible two dead hearts can see life again?
A Closed Door
Andrew Q. Gordon
Sometimes when you leave to
find yourself, you've left the answer behind.
Sleepwalking
Taylin Clavelli
Devastated
by loss, Matthew sleepwalks through life, existing but not living.
Can
someone rescue him from his waking nightmare and help him to live again?
Life According to Buddy
Lily Velden
Buddy
is a penis on a mission...
Mission Objective: The Love Tunnel
Service with a Smile
Lily G. Blunt
Terry visits a
men’s designer boutique, and Ash gives him service with a smile…
Hunter or Hunted?
Lily Velden
Any hunter worth his salt will tell you that in order
to capture your prey, there are few simple rules you must follow… W.I.P is holding a release party event on facebook, CLICK HERE to be redirected to the event page, join up and join in on all the fun. The various authors involved in this anthology will be promoting, answering questions and giving away some great prizes! ** Each of the authors in the anthology will have some time to themselves to chat and answer questions. Here's a schedule of when everyone will appear: [Note all times listed are Australia East Coast Time, the time in parenthesis is the local time for the author.]
Lily Velden: 7-8 pm and 6-7 pm on 6/21/14 ...
Andrew Q. Gordon: 8-9 pm & 1-2 pm on 6/21/14 (6-7 am and 11-12 pm US EST)
Anyta: 5-7 am (9-11pm Berlin time)
Lily G Blunt: 5-6 am (8-9pm British time )
Taylin Clavelli: 6:30-7:30 am (9:30-10:30 British time.)
Julie: Friday after work – 9-10 am (6-7 pm US CST)
Each author will hold their own giveaway during their time slot and will be giving away the following:
1 x Gift pack containing: USB extension cord, WIP Pen, Lip balm, Fridge Magnet & Tim Tam Biscuits!
1 x Amazon Gift Card valued at $10 (USD) or £6 (GBP) or €7.50 (EURO)
1 x Paperback of LLLL
So, make sure to stop by when you can and join us as we celebrate the release of Wayward's Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust Anthology. **
![clip_image002[7]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-o3kmmNg9lDM/UvaUMqdEGnI/AAAAAAAAObQ/avSZ3PCjg4c/s1600-h/clip_image00273.jpg "clip_image002[7]")
