Thursday, February 28, 2013

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"

"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





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.










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

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

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.




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.

















$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.

Kickin' The Winter Blues Giveaway!



blu


Welcome to the Kickin The Winter Blues Giveaway


Hosted by
Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog and Pink Ninja Media

Coupon Tip:  I'm not a master couponer, but I have a friend who is one. She is a valuable font of couponing knowledge! Her advice is to know your store, know their policies, ONLY  use coupons for things you actually use, and don't be afraid to try and fail. I'm still trying to get the knack of using them! Good luck you guys! 
                
About our Sponsor:

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Have you heard of the best place to save money, find online coupons, search coupon codes, and find coupon codes that are updated daily?  You might have heard it mentioned on TodayShow.com, L.A. Daily News, MSNBC, Woman’s World, and Readers Digest to name a few.  If you haven’t been there yet and love to save money!  You should visit Rather Be Shopping.

Kyle from Rather Be Shopping is awesome and takes pride in saving money, and it shows.  He keeps Rather Be Shopping updated daily with the best online coupon codes, printable coupons, savings, bargains, and for those new to online shopping learn “How Coupons Work.”  Don’t forget to get geared up and save on the go with the FREE Rather Be Shopping Coupon App for your iPhone.

About the Giveaway:

We are super excited to bring FIVE lucky people the chance to win some serious cash!  The 1st prize winner will receive $500 PayPal Cash!  How exciting is that!  Check out how the break down will work.

       



  • 1st Prize: $500 Paypal Cash

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  • 2nd Prize $200 Paypal Cash

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  • 3rd Prize $150 Paypal Cash

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  • 4th Prize: $100 Paypal Cash

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  • 5th Prize: $50 Paypal Cash


  • Giveaway will run from 02/27/2013 at 12:00am EST - 03/28/2013 at 12:00am EST, open WORLDWIDE!  To enter you must be at least 18 years of age, and use the Rafflecopter below.  Remember you do not have to complete all entries on the Rafflecopter, but by doing so you are gaining more entries into the giveaway and increasing your chances on winning.  There is plenty of time to enter this giveaway as it will run for 4 weeks.  Those of you who wish to take advantage of daily entries  be sure to visit daily and grab those extra entries

    Special thanks to our fabulous Co-Hosts:


    Thank you for making this event so much fun!  Maybe you will be one of the FIVE lucky readers will receive cash!  Good Luck!


    a Rafflecopter giveaway


    Disclosure: This blog was not compensated for being part of the event, nor are we responsible for shipping the prize to the winner.  This event is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google or any other social media network.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email.  The winning email will come from jennsblahblahblog@hotmail.com.  Be sure and add it to your safe list.  We sure would hate to have to redraw another winner. If you have any questions about the giveaway you can contact Jenn from Jenn's Blah Blah Blog at jennsblahblahblog@hotmail.com.  Good Luck.

    Tuesday, February 26, 2013

    Blog Tour: Frost Fire



    Frost Fire
    Olivia Rivers
    Series: Tortured Elements, #1
    Publication date: November 20th, 2012



    Book Description: 
    “Magic is just like love, Allai. It won’t wait for permission before it destroys you.”

    Like sand in an hourglass, Allai’s future is dwindling away. She’s spent her entire life fighting the Mages who threaten humanity, and dreams of someday eradicating magic. But all it takes is an anonymous phone call for the truth to spill out: Allai is the one thing she despises most. 



    She’s a Mage. 



    Though ancient law mandates Allai’s death, she still has one last chance of survival. His name is Drake Rhaize, and he swears he can lead Allai to a sanctuary for Mages. Allai hasn’t seen Drake in years, but she remembers him as the Demon boy who used to hold her close and softly whisper that he’d keep her safe. But Drake has changed since then: He’s now suspected of murder, and has been out-casted for betraying his own kind. 



    While Allai doesn’t trust Drake, she has no choice but to put her life in his hands and hope he can get her to safety. Because Allai’s father has hired a pack of Demons to bring her back to him, dead or alive–and Demons never stop the hunt. 





    PURCHASE LINKS
    AUTHOR BIO
    Olivia Rivers
    Olivia Rivers is a high school student, a literary agent intern, and an obsessive-compulsive reader. She has a slight obsession with Kootenai County in Idaho, and she’s pretty sure life will always be awesome as long as Irish accents exist. She lives with dysautonomia, a chronic medical condition affecting her nervous system. Portions of proceeds from her “Tortured Elements” series go toward supporting youth with dysautonomia.

    Author Links:

    My Thoughts: 
    The cover of this book is what drew me in. I love it! It's so so very pretty! I thought this was certainly a good book. It's a fun treat for the brain. I enjoyed the world building. The characters were well developed and the story was fun. There were certain things that kind of didn't click with me, but they were smallish and didn't distract from what is pretty much a well written book.

    Book Promo: Never Too Far


    Young Adult Dystopian / Suspense
    Title: Never Too Far
    Author: Thomas Christopher
    Date Published: 5/10/12
    Its Never Too Late


    A harrowing story of love and survival. In a future of scarce resources, where the possession of gas and diesel is punishable by death, a teenage boy and a pregnant girl must find a way to save their impoverished family. They risk their lives on a terrifying journey to sell stolen fuel on the black market.



    Author Bio

    Thomas Christopher grew up in Iowa. He received his MFA from Western Michigan University. His short stories have appeared in The Louisville Review and The MacGuffin. He was awarded an Irving S. Gilmore Emerging Artist Grant and was a finalist for the Matthew Clark Prize in Fiction. He lives in Wisconsin with his wife and son. 
    Buy The Book


    Book Excerpt:

    Mary surprised Joe by knocking his arms away. She was stronger than she looked. Then she swept her legs off the bed and sprang to her feet. She took two steps and turned to face him as if to prove there was nothing wrong with her. But there was definitely something wrong. She wavered a moment. Her already white face turned ghostly. Her eyelids trembled. She seemed to realize she was becoming faint, and what that meant. 
    “I’m fine,” she said. “You don’t have to go.”
    Joe got ready to catch her in case she fell, but somehow she held herself steady. 
    “It’s okay,” Joe said. “Just sit down. I will go find some food.”
    Joe inched toward her. He was afraid to grab her again because she might try to wrench free once more and really fall. When she coughed, her little shoulders jerked and her round stomach jumped. Her head was drooped low and her hair hung down so he couldn’t see her face at all. 
    “Come on, lay down,” Joe said.
    She didn’t move. Joe stepped toward her, but before he could put his arms around her, she tilted forward and rested the crown of her head against his chest. He slid his arms along the sides of her hard belly and around her waist. Then he shifted her toward the bed again. She moved like a bundle of empty sacks in his arms. He set her gently on the bed before he bent down to lift her feet onto the sheets. 
    After he sat in the chair, Mary asked him, “What if you don’t come back?”
    “That’s not going to happen,” Joe said.
    “How do you know?”
    “I just know. You have to trust me.”





    Reading Addiction Blog
Tours

    Monday, February 25, 2013

    Guest Post: Find Everything You Need For A New Restaurant Or Renovation At Culinary Depot

    Find Everything You Need For A New Restaurant Or Renovation At Culinary Depot
    Guest post by Tina G
    Create your perfect kitchen with products from Culinary Depot. Whether you have a small café, sandwich shop or restaurant, you can equip your kitchen with the latest and most efficient appliances. Stoves, ovens, refrigerators, freezers and more are available from top manufacturers. We supply every type of equipment from food prep to serving and storage.

    To create the perfect environment for your customers, choose glassware, china and baking/serving ware that will complement both the menu and your style. A full range of glassware is offered for wine, champagne, desserts and more. If your business has a bar, look no further for shelves, ice machines, ice shavers, serving glasses and bar towels. Everything your bar needs is offered; you can build your entire bar in one order. For buffets, hot food storage units, pizza cabinets, buffet ware, chafers and more are offered. Stemware, utensils, pots and pans as well as other items are also available.

    If you are having trouble deciding what equipment or items your restaurant needs, our highly trained kitchen consultants are ready to help you by providing a free consultation. Browse our site and/or our catalog; you may find items you have dreamed of at prices you can afford. Often, you do not need to purchase everything at once. You can begin your business with the basics and add items over time.

    For those unsure about purchasing major equipment, leasing is available. This can allow your business to start, grow and become established before you decide about buying. New restaurants are not the only businesses to need equipment. Restaurants that need to replace old, outdated items as well as inefficient appliances can find everything they need at Culinary Depot.

    Review: Spirit of Lost Angels



    Book Blurb:
    Her mother executed for witchcraft, her father dead at the hand of a noble, Victoire Charpentier vows to rise above her poor peasant roots.

    Forced to leave her village of Lucie-sur-Vionne for domestic work in Paris, Victoire suffers gruesome abuse under the ancien régime. Can she muster the bravery and skill to join the revolutionary force gripping France, and overthrow the corrupt, diabolical aristocracy?

    Spirit of Lost Angels traces the journey of a bone angel talisman passed down through generations. The women of L’Auberge des Anges face tragedy and betrayal in a world where their gift can be their curse.

    Amidst the tumult of revolutionary France, this is a story of courage, hope and love.


    My Thoughts:
    Wow! It's rare that a book with a beautiful cover holds a story that is just as beautiful itself! This book holds a story that is so packed full of emotions and a great character it's almost too good to be true. Victoire's story is bound to grab you from the get-go and hold you til the last page is turned! I swear I flipped that final page with a sad face that would give "grumpy cat" a run for his money! I didn't want it to end! 

    This book was awesome and well written! I loved it! 

     

    Free Book! Reinventing Claire by Darian Wilk




    Reinventing Claire by Darian Wilk is FREE this week (2/25 to 3/1) on Amazon. Get your copy and find out how to enter to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card below.

    Reinventing Claire by Darian Wilk
    August 20, 2012 

    People get divorced,
    but that's what happens to other people. That's what Claire thought
    anyway, until her husband, Charlie, tells her he wants a divorce.

    Claire has no choice but to take on the title of Divorced Woman, and face the
    question she has no idea how to answer. Who is Claire without Charlie?
    Her family believes her newly divorced woes can be cured by landing
    herself a boyfriend. With her dating dunce cap in hand, Claire stumbles
    her way through the foreign territory of online dating.

    A teacher from hell, a softball coach, and a sap later, Claire proclaims
    herself the dating idiot she thought she was, and fears she's doomed to
    be a lonely, crazy cat lady. But an accidental run-in with an old
    acquaintance might change everything. What starts with comparing dating
    battle wounds over a cup of coffee, quickly turns into something Claire
    had given up on.

    As Claire discovers maybe there is love after Charlie after all, Charlie realizes his mistake. He wants her back, and he'll do anything to prove it to her. Now Claire must choose who deserves her heart, and if she's really willing to give it away again.

    About the author:
    Darian Wilk was born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the younger of
    two children.  While still a toddler her family moved back to their
    home state of Michigan, where she still lives today. 

    After high school Darian tried her hand at college, majoring in Nursing, while
    she worked as a Physical Therapy Technician.  "I loved my job, but I
    still couldn't picture doing it forever," she says now.  But before she
    finished her degree she became pregnant, and focused her attention on
    the challenges of being a single mother to her daughter.

    In 2005, Darian married her best friend, Steve, whom she met and became
    close friends with several years earlier.  In their second year of
    marriage, Darian became pregnant with her son.  She worked on and off
    throughout her twenties as a Home Health Aid to the elderly, but
    preferred to stay home and raise her babies.

    In 2007, her mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and Darian quit working to tend to
    her mom.  It was in those three years of taking care of her that Darian
    realized how precious, and short, life really is.  In her moms last
    year of life, she finally had the courage to pursue what her heart
    always secretly longed for; becoming a writer.  It was then that she
    started her debut novel, Love Unfinished, and continues her writing journey today.


    Find out more at DarianWilk.weebly.com. 

    Giveaway Details
    One winner will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card.
    Giveaway ends at midnight on March 1, 2013 EST.
    Open internationally as long as you can use a Amazon.com gift card. 
    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    This book blast and giveaway is hosted by Krazy Book Lady. 

    Sunday, February 24, 2013

    Book Spotlight: Ineligible Bachelor

     

    by Kathryn Quick
    Frederika “Freddy” McAllister has loved Logan Gabriel since…well, forever. Unfortunately, she’s  spent most of forever in the dreaded “friend zone,” harboring what has to be the longest-running crush of all time. But now Freddy has a plan to make Logan see her as more than just the girl next door: She’ll enter him in Elan Magazine’s Eligible Bachelor Contest, then swoop in to soothe his bruised ego when he loses.
    There’s just one tiny problem: Logan wins! And that means he’s headed to a mansion in New Jersey where six beautiful women will vie for his affections on reality TV. Making matters worse, the producers want Freddy to tag along and help choose his ideal match. Suddenly her perfect plan becomes a perfect nightmare, as Freddy scrambles to outwit conniving contestants and convince the man of her dreams that the woman of his has been by his side all along.
    Purchase links:



    Kathryn Quick Bio
    Born long ago in a place not so far away, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Kathryn Quick has been writing since the Sisters in St. Casmir’s Grammar School gave her the ruled yellow paper and a number two pencil.  She writes contemporary and career romances, romantic comedies, historical romances
    as well as urban fantasy.

    She has been a member of New Jersey Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America since 1990 and considers it an honor to have been NJRW President in 1992 and 2001.  She is one of the founding members of Liberty States Fiction Writers, a multi-genre writers’ organizations dedicated to furthering the craft of writing and helping aspiring writers move onto publication.

    Kathye originally wanted to be President of the United States or an Organic Chemist, but somehow life got in the way and she got married right out of high school and had a set of twins two years later.  The Presidency seemed out of reach and night school to get her Ph.D. to create new molecule that would ultimately result in the betterment of humankind seemed a little time consuming while trying to raise twins, so she decided to write instead.

    In her "other" life, Kathye is married to her real-life hero Donald and has three grown sons all having adventures of their own and three “bonus” grandchildren.  She is a die-hard New Jersey Devils fan and works for Somerset County government (as close as she could get to the White House) and is plotting a novel about a new molecule that will ultimately result in the betterment of humankind.

    Connect with Kathryn:

    INELIGIBLE BACHELOR Tour Schedule

    2/1 - I Heart Books - Facebook Promo



    Thanks so much for allowing me to share a little of myself and Ineligible Bachelor with you all.  This was a fun book to write since I am a Reality TV junkie and also have had a boy-friend who never saw me in any other light.  Oh the agony of it all.  I hope you will enjoy being a part of Kinley's struggle to show Logan that the woman of his dreams has been under his nose the whole time.  Feel free to contact me and let me know if you did.
     
    Peace!
     
    Kathye Q