Blog Tour: The Life and Dysfunction of Nadine Daniels

Mystery

Date Published:1/13/12

 Nadine Daniels’ life is a disaster.  The security company that she owns is being sued, her mother is coming to visit for a week, and some unpleasant realities about her “charity” work are about to surface.  She thought this was as bad as it could get, but she was wrong—dead wrong.

Someone believes she knows a secret – a secret worth killing for.  With assassins tracking her every move, Nadine wishes the only thing she had to worry about was her mother pestering her to settle down with her suspected live-in boyfriend, Zeke, but she can’t think about the future when the 

present might end with her death.

Author Bio:

Hadena James began writing at the age of eight. As a teenager, she had several short stories

published in literary magazines. She completed writing her first novel at the age of 17.

Hadena graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in European History with minors in

German and Russian studies. She has always wanted to be a writer so she also took several classes

in creative writing.

Hadena’s primary literary genre is action/thriller. She currently writes two series, both use action/

thriller. “The Brenna Strachan Series” uses fantasy and the “Dreams & Reality Series” uses murder

mystery as its secondary genre. She continues to explore and expand her writing and hopes to soon

produce a comedic action/thriller.

When she isn’t busy writing or running her business, Hadena enjoys playing in a steel-tip dart

league. She also loves to travel throughout North America and Europe. Her favorite cities are

Chicago, Illinois and Berlin, Germany. She is an avid reader, reading everything from the classics

like Jane Austen to modern writers like Terry Pratchett. One of her all-time favorite books is “Good

Omens” by Neil Gaimen and Terry Pratchett. She writes all of her books while listening to music

and the bands tend to get “honorable mentions” within the pages.

hadenajames.wordpress.com

Twitter:  @hadenajames

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/hadenajames

Buy Links 

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Guest Post:

Authors that have inspired me

There are really five authors that have truly inspired me to hone my craft and follow my passion.

George Sands and Alexander Dumas are probably at the top of the list and not because I’m a huge fan of what they wrote. I actually don’t like anything they wrote, but because they did it despite what everyone thought they should be doing. Both went through serious societal ostracizing for their writing. I admire them for believing that their passion for the art was more important than what society thought of them.

Edgar Allen Poe is on the list for nearly the same reason, although I do like his works. Not only did he buck societal norms and explore the darker side of humanity, but he struggled with his own demons to do it. He also spent most of his life impoverished for following his passion (for both writing and drinking).

The struggles of the three writers mentioned above have inspired me to write because I do not face the same problems. I am free to practice my craft and spread my talent without fear of retribution, because they paved the way for it.

The final two I admire for solely for their talent.

We’ll start with HP Lovecraft. No author has ever terrified me or inspired horror in me like Lovecraft. He was truly a master of his craft. His use of exposition to set-up a tale or describe a scene is awe-inspiring. His short stories had a profound effect on me and while I will never be able to emulate him, he inspires me to write my exposition in such a way that my readers are also able to “see” what I have written.

The final author is Leo Tolstoy. I absolutely hate Tolstoy. I have read dozens of his novels and short stories while working on my degrees and found that there is no author on the planet that I hate as much as Tolstoy. But Tolstoy was a master of understanding his characters. The psychology that goes into his sordid array of tortured souls and damaged psyches is amazing. His characters are robust and full, not the flat characters so often found in novels... Of course, this is part of the reason for the epic lengths of his novels. Still, I find his character creation to be magnificent and it inspires me to create robust characters.

Blog Tour: The Savage Boy

Description:

Amid the Wasteland remains of a world destroyed by a devastating Global Thermonuclear Armageddon, barbaric tribes rule the New American Dark Age. A boy and his horse must complete the final mission of the last American soldier. What unfolds is an epic journey across a terrifying post-apocalyptic tribal America gone savage. Jack London meets The End of the World.

The Author:

Nick Cole is a working actor living in Southern California. When he is not

auditioning for commercials, going out for sitcoms or being shot,

kicked, stabbed or beaten by the students of various film schools for

their projects, he can often be found as a guard for King Phillip the

Second of Spain in the Opera Don Carlo at Los Angeles Opera or some

similar role. Nick Cole has been writing for most of his life and

acting in Hollywood after serving in the U.S. Army.

• Website 
•  Goodreads
• Twitter
• Amazon

The Savage Boy by Nick Cole

Genre:

Science-fiction

Publisher:

Harper Collins Imprint: Harper Voyager

On-Sale:

February 26

Purchase:

The SavageBoy

The Oldman And The Wasteland

My Thoughts:
This book is the 2nd in a series, so I was a big lost starting out. It was probably an oversight on my part, but it did hinder me going in. If I had to do things differently I would have started the series from the start. HOWEVER, The Savage Boy had that post apocalyptic feel that I love. The writing is very stark, and Boy is a very interesting and curious character. I definitely had the urge to give him a big hug, yet I knew he would probably scalp me or something. 

I thought this book was great! It would have, obviously, been much better if I had read the first book. All in all,  Nick Cole has made a interesting world where life is pretty bleak but there are those that are trying very hard to survive. It's world building like this, that makes me a happy happy girl! 
 

Follow The Tour

Blog Tour : At First Touch

Young Adult Paranormal

Date Published: 5/28/12

Liz Hannigan has been on the run since she was twelve years old.

 Her mother is dead. Her father has lost his job. And thanks to an experimental procedure, Liz is now able to ‘download’ the contents of every brain around her with a simple touch. Forced to hide from both the federal government and a darkling group of morally deficient scientists known as the Coalition determined to exploit her abilities, she moves with her father to the bucolic coal town of Pound, West Virginia. 

But the hunt for Liz and her abilities hasn’t ended, and her hopes for peace are shattered when she inadvertently downloads the enigmatic Carey Drake, whose unusual good looks and charm conceal a secret as shocking as her own. Stunned by the knowledge that she has found someone else who has extraordinary abilities, Liz finds herself drawn to Carey, discovering a deep attraction, and dares to hope for the first time she might find love. 

But when an agent of the Coalition begins stalking her, Liz must find a way to work with the government agency she most mistrusts as she strives to build a longed-for normal life and take down the agent who has tracked her down. Caught up in a struggle to save herself and those she loves, the girl who sees all is blind to true danger until it is too late. 

Virtual Book Tour February 25 - March 15

February 25 - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet

February 26 - Cozie Corner - Review

February 27 - The Writing Junkie - Review/Guest Post

February 28 - Taking it One Page at a Time - Review/Guest Post

March 1 - Must Read Faster - Review/Guest Post

March 2 - In This World of Books - Review

March 2 - Tana Rae Reads - Review/Guest Post

March 3 - Books and Needlepoint - Review

March 4 - Getting Your Read On - Review

March 5 - Read, Review, Smile - Review

March 6 - Owlnestly Book Reviews- Review

March 7 - Inside BJ's Head - Review

March 7 - Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books -Review/Guest Post

Mattie Dunman

Author Bio:

Mattie Dunman is a lifelong resident of "Wild & Wonderful" West Virginia, and has dreamed of being a writer since she first held a pen in hand.

Mattie has pursued several useless degrees to support this dream, and presently enjoys teaching (or tormenting, as the case may be) college students the dying art of public speaking. She spends most of her free time writing, but also indulges in reading and traveling.

She is the proud owner of an adorably insane American Eskimo named Finn, and a tyrant cat named Bella, who take up more of her attention than they probably should.

Mattie is currently working on the second book in the First Touch series, and is ecstatic about her new release, At First Touch.

www.mattiedunman.com

http://www.goodreads.com/MattieDunman 

Buy Links 

Amazon 

Excerpt:

I was out on the main road and about twenty minutes into my run when I heard the sound

of a motor gunning and the beep of a horn. I slowed my pace and turned around to see Preston’s

truck chugging along about two hundred yards behind me. His head was out of the window and

he was screaming at me; I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I felt pretty confident that

it wasn’t complimentary.

I came to a stop, wondering if I should do something. I wasn’t really concerned; it wasn’t

as though he would run me over or anything, but the blind hatred on his face made me a little

nervous. Finally, I decided to ignore him and let him get his fill of throwing abuse my way and

then drive on past. Picking up the pace again, I resolutely faced forward, pretending that the

continued screeching behind me was a trick of the wind.

Suddenly the engine gave an almighty roar and I heard the unwelcome sound of

squealing tires. With only a second to register that I had vastly underestimated Preston’s anger

and mental instability, I swirled around in time to see the grille of the truck just a few feet from

my face. I made to jump out of the way, but all my knowledge and stolen tricks didn’t make me

fly, or move faster, or be any less breakable than any other human being. I knew in that moment

how useless my ability really was. In the face of the giant metal monster brimming with torque,

my mind was of no matter, it just screamed out with the desire to live, to keep going.

There was a blow like a train hitting me, but strangely there was no pain, and I was

moving faster than I could have imagined away from the truck and into the field next to the road.

I was sure that the truck had hit me and I was just flying through the air to my death, by some

fortunate stroke lucky enough to be spared the pain of impact. In another instant the movement

had stopped and I realized I was being held in a pair of strong arms against a rock-hard chest.

Carey looked down at me, his eyes frantic. “Are you alright? He didn’t hit you, did he?”

“N-no,” I stuttered. Having downloaded Carey I was aware of his incredible speed, but

there’s something very different about knowing something theoretically and experiencing it

firsthand.

He put me down gently in the grass and I just sat there, too dumbfounded to speak. Even

as he anxiously surveyed me for damage, we heard the rending scream of out of control tires and

the heavy metal sound of Preston’s truck crashing into something.

“I’ll be right back,” Carey said and then I blinked and he was gone.

 GUEST POST:
 

What if we were all telepathic...

When I sat down to write At First Touch, I wasn’t thinking about developing a character who could read minds. I was creating someone who had seen the worst of people and was still fighting. As the story developed, it became clear that Liz’s ability to ‘download’ the minds of those around her wasn’t the main problem; it was how people in power perceived her and sought to use her for their own purposes.

But it got me thinking. There are so many books, movies, etc. about people who can read minds or other variations on the theme. What is it about knowing the thoughts of everyone around us that is so fascinating?

When I was a lowly undergraduate, I majored in Psychology. I’m one of those people who can be standing in line at a grocery store and have the person behind me tap my shoulder and tell me their life story, and the thought of pursuing that odd knack as a career was tempting for a while. It certainly gave me lots of inspiration as a writer; but I think the real draw was that elusive idea that learning about the brain would make it easier to read people, understand the way they think, why they behave the way they do. In short, I wanted to be a mind-reader.

Everyone is a bit of a mind-reader. It’s how we know to stop asking the boss for a raise when he gets a certain tone in his voice, why we recognize when our significant other is about to end things, or how we know the time is right to ask our parents for that raise in allowance. We base our reactions on a lifetime of memories and precedence, and most of the time we’re right.

So why do we dream about more?

I recently read an article about developments in ‘synthetic telepathy,’ which is intended to create a connection between our thoughts and technology. So eventually, this area of research hopes to produce the ability to send a text or email with a thought, to give commands on a video game telepathically, along with other, more practical implementations. Can you imagine if covert military operatives were able to communicate brain to brain instead of relying on whispers or signals? Or individuals suffering from strokes, ALS, or other debilitating conditions that prevent speech being able to hold conversations in their heads? The implications are staggering.

Of course, I wasn’t thinking about any of this when I created Liz; I just wanted to see what it would be like if she were burdened by knowing everything about anyone she came in contact with, and how that would change her as a person. And I’ve come to the conclusion that even if mind-reading technology comes along in the near future, I want to stick with the old-fashioned kind and just try to gauge the mood of whoever I’m talking to by using facial expressions and tone of voice.

After what I’ve put poor Liz through, I don’t know how much of a ‘gift’ mind-reading really is.

My Thoughts:
Simply put this is a story about a wanting a normal life. Liz wants nothing more than to be an average girl, but her abilities and circumstances make that very difficult for her. Yes, I know this sounds like every other PR novel out there, but believe me. This one is very good. The characters are developed perfectly, and the plot is crafted in such a fun way that I couldn't put this book down!

Great characters, solid writing, and a smooth quick pace makes this a MUST have for anyone!

Guest Post: Bob Ferguson

The Story Behind Buzzard Bay

When I visit places like Paris or London or New York, I wonder what would have happened to me if I had been born there. I was born about as far away from these places as you can get, on a small farm in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada. This remoteness gave me my great imagination and sense of adventure. I could not have written this book without including something about this part of my life.

It was when my wife and I went to look at a project in the Bahamas that the basis for this story began forming in my mind. Much of the economy in the rural islands of the Bahamas had been fueled by the drug trade. We had been contacted by a man who was trying to help the people on these islands by starting a farm project so the locals would have another means of employment.

This project was on Andros Island. It is the biggest of the Bahamian Islands in the Bahamas located close to the capital, Nassau and about one hundred and forty miles from Miami. On this piece of property we found an airstrip that had ditches plowed across it. We thought this airstrip would be beneficial to the project so we asked the local government officials if the air strip could be rehabilitated. The answer was a resounding no.

Without the airstrip we decided the project was not feasible and began asking questions as to why we could not use it. It was then that we were told that this was the main airstrip in the islands used to supply the US with cocaine from South America.

Sometime later we heard that one of the men who had been promoting this project was found dead on his yacht. I questioned some of the locals on the island about the airstrip and surrounding area. The many differing stories I heard were the basis for this book.

One area of particular interest to me were the stories centered around Buzzard Bay and how the local residents still feared what might happen to them if they stumbled on to something happening there. Of course the story in this book is fiction, based somewhat on fact. I will let the reader decide which is which.

About the Author:

Bob Ferguson grew up in a remote region of Canada without electricity or telephones. He spent evenings listening to an old battery-operated radio and dreaming of faraway places. Later in life he traveled extensively. His travels to the Bahamas form the basis for Buzzard Bay. The author and his wife currently live in Fiji, where Bob writes and his wife teaches. Their children and grandchildren live in Canada.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

About the Book:

Murder, drugs trafficking, kidnapping and betrayal are the detonators that set Bob Ferguson’s explosive thriller BUZZARD BAY into motion.

The tale begins on a cold winter night in a remote area of Canada. Five assassins surround an old farm house. They have already made four kills and this one seems as routine as the others. But then a dog barks and the murderous plan is suddenly disrupted. In a breathless chase over the next two days, three of the assassins lie dead, including their leader. Eventually, the only assassin to escape is a man named Henekie. He had vowed to kill the man they missed and knew someone who would be willing to pay him to do it. He heads back to Germany to find that contact.

The killers’ target is Bob Green, a Canadian farmer who needs some serious funding to keep his business operating in the black. A solution seemed to materialize when Bob joined the other assassination victims to work on a farm project in the Bahamas touted as “the opportunity of a lifetime.” Bob and his wife, July, had spent a blissful honeymoon in the Bahamas, so he is happy to return to his paradise with the promise of making money. But paradise turns deadly when his fellow workers discover that the project is just a front to keep an airstrip open to be used as part of a cocaine distribution route from the islands. Now, the Canadians are being eliminated one by one after being sent back home, and someone is holding July in the Bahamas. Bob must get back to the Bahamas to find her.

The suspense mounts as Bob sets out to rescue his wife and set things right. To do that, he must agree to a CIA plot to go underground and pose as a well-known drug dealer thought to be dead. His decision puts both July’s and his life at stake.

Bob Ferguson’s Buzzard Bay gives readers all the adventure and thrill they could ask for in this unputdownable read.

Book Blast: Guardians Inc The Cypher

GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER

A chance reading of a newspaper ad will send 16 year old Thomas Byrne into the world within our world.

Following the ad he will find Guardians Incorporated. A seven thousand year old organization charged with protecting the balance between Magic and technology.

Through their guidance, technology has kept Magic at bay since the Renaissance, but the balance is shifting and soon all those creatures we've driven into myth and legend will come back with a vengeance.

To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future and to unlock the future

they need a Cypher.

Book Trailer

Guardians Inc.: The Cypher is FREE on Kindle, Nook & iBooks

Praise

USA Book News 2012 Finalist -Young Adult Fiction

"Rosado-Machain brings a light, humorous touch to themes of teenage love, loss and betrayal wrapped up in a tasty package of magical coming-of-age."

~Kirkus Reviews

"It's like Julian Rosado-Machain took everything that I love about middle grade children's fiction and slammed it into one awesome, well-paced fantasy"

~Emi London Oktopusink.blogspot.com

"The Cypher hooked me from the beginning. And kept my attention right through to the very end."

- Heidi Roth reviewthebook.com

Get Your Copy for FREE

Amazon * Barnes & Noble 

iTunes

Author Julian Rosado-Machain

Julian has enjoyed pizza in three continents, holds a degree in graphic design, built armored vehicles and computers, handcrafted alebrijes and swears has seen at least one ghost.

He is the Co-owner of Hacienda de Vega Restaurant in San Diego, California and enjoys the sun with his wife, three children and cat.

Website * Facebook

Book Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/13/13

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 

and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast and Giveaway: Fields of Elysium

Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan

How can love mend a heart full of hate?

Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful. Then one day after school, something magical happens. On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers. While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding. Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly's life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor. Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings.

Fields of Elysium is a suspenseful, romantic tale full of forbidden secrets, unimaginable danger, deception, and the never-ending fight for true love.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Goodreads * Facebook

PRAISE

"The novel's take on otherworldly travel is a compelling one, and the romantic plot will likely appeal to Twilight fans." - Kirkus Reviews

"I expected a good love story with a paranormal twist. I got so much more. I think you should take the chance and read it. Let this book take you on the adventure, fall in love." - Young Adult and Teen Readers

"Fields of Elysium is a fabulous read. ... Whelan paints her faith into the fabric of her story with deft, light brushstrokes, making her work accessible to all, no matter their spiritual beliefs or background." - Readers Favorite

"I escaped into this fantasy world, author, A.B.Whelan, created and I didn’t want Molly to go. From detailed descriptions, to sweet romance, and to all the twist and turns in the story, it had me captivated from page one." - Mary Ting, author of the Crossroads Saga

"Whelan's writing is very vivid and descriptive. It's more formal than the average YA novel, but I enjoyed the lyrical and mesmerizing quality to it. I thought the overall story read like a fairy tale--very sweet." - Megan Thomason, author of Daynight

Author A.B. Whelan

A.B.Whelan is a Hungarian born, American writer. She currently lives with her husband and two children in Southern California.

While growing up in a wealthy Eastern European family, she had a chance to travel Europe. Later as an adult, she visited Africa and the Middle East and lived in Ecuador and in Crete.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Tour Schedule

$50 Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash plus a gift bag of one signed copy of Fields of Elysium, a scrabble-tile pendant with a butterfly image on a chain necklace, and a fridge magnet.

Ends 3/11/13

Gift Bag open to US only.  If winner is international they will receive only the gift card or paypal cash.

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