Monday, December 31, 2012

My Sincere Apologies

I have been way off my game for quite sometime.  I know I have missed posts and reviews and for tht I'm truly sorry.  I only hope that everyone I've let down in the past couple of months can forgive me.  I have been having some difficult issues lately.  While I know excuses are only that, I still feel I should address the problem.  I am going to be taking a break on the scheduled posts for a bit.  I want very much not to, but even more I don't want to keep letting anyone down.  I don't plan to be off the grid for good so please remember me for any requests you may have.  I will still take a few, but very few.  For now I think I'll just attempt to catch up on books I've been wanting to read and post reviews when I can.  I will also be working on any reviews I have missed.
I want to sincerely thank all of you who have helped me along my way, including authors, publishers and, of course all of you who host blog tours!  Thanks again for all of your support.  I hope to be working with you all again soon.

Stephanie

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Hi and welcome to the Covert Dreams blog tour, hosted by VBTCafe!  Today we are spotlighting Covert Dreams by Michael Meyer.

Covert Dreams

Available at Amazon for both the Kindle and in paperback
AN INTERNATIONAL SUSPENSE THRILLER
Imagine waking up remembering intimate details about a country in which you have never traveled and fluently speaking a language that you have never spoken. B.J. is living the ideal life. He has a great wife, a wonderful job. And yet he is experiencing life-like vivid dreams of Munich, a city he has never visited.

Stan Halsey is a professor in Saudi Arabia, who sends for his wife to join him. She arrives, and, in the blink of an eye, she vanishes, leaving no trace of ever being alive in either the United States or in Saudi Arabia.

COVERT DREAMS is a fast-paced international suspense thriller that moves from Munich to the burning sands of Saudi Arabia. What is real, and who is responsible for the terrifying nightmare?


Here's an excerpt

The Munich all around her was bustling with activity. She could hear it from all directions. Munich was a wonderful city, a fun-loving place, the live and let live ebullience of the city emanating from its every nook and cranny. She had had a lovely stay here. All of it had been so adventurous, so new, so unlike life back home in Arizona. She could vividly recall the first time she had ventured into a Munich beer garden, where the liter mugs had been so huge that she had had to lift hers with both hands, and the giggles, from him, until he too had had to use both hands.The fumbling noises he had been making came to an abrupt halt. He began stroking her cheek again. Gus looked so happy, so young, so full of life. It was so hard to imagine that he could be so heavily involved in all this horror.Gus smiled at her once more. His eyes were soft, so gentle, so caring, so loving.  
Maybe this was some kind of huge mistake. Maybe he wasn't going to kill her after all. Maybe everything would turn out happily ever after. Maybe.  Maybe.  Maybe.
But then suddenly she saw it clearly. It was no fairy tale. There would be no maybe. This was real, as real as the mixture of sadness and fear that now flooded her brain.And then she died, with her eyes wide open, challenging, piercing his to the end.

The book trailer...



About the Author
Mike Meyer

I have resided in and have visited many places in the world, all of which have contributed in some way to my own published writing. I have literally traveled throughout the world, on numerous occasions. I have lived in Finland, Germany, Thailand, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Saudi Arabia, where COVERT DREAMS is set. I gained the wanderlust to see the world, to experience other cultures, at an early age, and this desire has never left me. If anything, it has only gained in intensity as I have aged. I try to travel internationally at least once a year. In the interim, I spend lots of time traveling around both my home state of California and other nearby states.I spent my early years in the small town of Lone Pine, California, the home of almost every western movie, in addition to a wide variety of other genres, made in the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. In fact, Hollywood still films parts of big-time movies there today. My dad, the town’s lifeguard at the time, personally knew John Wayne, Lloyd Bridges, and Lee Marvin, all of whom came to the town’s pool, the Memorial Plunge, at times to cool off after a hectic day of
working in the sun. I was even an extra in a movie filmed there in 1957, MONOLITH MONSTERS, a B-cult favorite even today. I was ten years old at the time. Even though I resided in a small town hours from the big city, I was exposed to the excitement of action and heroes at a formative age, and, thus, my interest in writing novels of suspense such as COVERT DREAMS was born.
As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, I now live in Southern California wine country with my wife, Kitty, and our two other cats.

Where you can find Michael online:

You can buy Covert Dreams here...



Sunday, December 2, 2012

And The Winners Are....

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I want to say thanks to all who have supported me during my first blogiversary!

Of course a special thank you to all the contributing authors..

Megan Curd
Justin Bog
Anthony J. Rapino
Amber Garza
Mary Ann Loesch
Mysti Parker
Carl Hose
Christopher Buecheler
Amanda Hocking
T.J. Dell

You are all wonderful authors, and from my recent experience, awesome people.  I am so happy to get to know each of you.  I really appreciate your support of my blog!
Thank you all so much!!

And now, for the winners!!!

Shae Carcar
Shadow Kohler
Wendi Neal-Vodden
Tiffany Tillman
Tiffany Terry Cortes
Kat.N
Amy Tellier

I will be contacting each of you shortly.
Thanks to each of you for supporting my blog!  Hopefully we can interact in the future.
I will be following each of you with websites of your own.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, November 30, 2012

Spotlight on T.J. Dell and Giveaway

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Thank you for helping me celebrate my first blogiversary!! For the newcomers, I will be hosting a giveaway ending at the end of this month. See all the great prizes and fill out the rafflecopter below!

As part of my giveaway, I am posting a spotlight each day for the rest of the month, showcasing a different contributor each day.

Today is the last day of the giveaway!!!  Thanks to all who have helped me celebrate!

Help me welcome author T.J. Dell...

T.J. Dell

T.J. is a princess from the mystical island of Themyscira. Aided by her lasso of truth, and bullet-proof bracelets she fights for justice from her invisible jet plane..... No, wait that's Wonder Woman.

Well Wonder Woman is slightly more interesting than Mrs. Dell so we will leave that there. T.J. shares her imagination with you from her home in Maryland.


T.J.'s books include..

Whispers in the Woods: The Complete Collection

Vol. I
When Evie Parker meets Lucas Spencer she begins to feel hope again. Lately she's been going through life in a fog and Lucas is all about teaching her how to have fun again. For the first time since the accident she knows what it means to be happy.
So who cares if Lucas is a little odd. It isn't that strange that she's never met his parents, or that teachers never seem to notice when he's late for class. Evie tries not to care, but on top of all his peculiar behavior she's been feeling kind of sick lately-- ever since she met Lucas actually.
When Lucas decides it is time to come clean with all his secrets Evie has to make some hard decisions.
Vol. II
All Evie wants is a little bit of normal in her life-- is that really too much to ask?
Lucas isn't normal, but he makes her happy. That should count for something. Evie thinks she can find a balance that will let her be normal and also be with him.
Of course she hadn't counted on adding his family into the mix, or his ex-girlfriend.
Life with an elf is never boring.
Vol III
Lucas and Evie were finally at a place where Evie was comfortable with her mix of normal human teenager and fantastical elf boyfriend. Then she went and got herself crushed by a tree.
Evie wakes up with a whole lot of extra issues to deal with. Not the least of which is a trip inside the Veil to see Lucas's home. She never would have agreed to go if she'd known she was going to have her own secret to hide.

Her Best Friend's Brother

Libby has been in love with Tony Marchetti since she was seven years old. The problem? Tony is her best friend's older brother. Lately Tony has started looking at her in a new way and he emails her all the time. Could it be possible that he is starting to see her as more than his kid sister's best friend?
Tony knows Libby McKay is off limits. She's his sister's best friend for crying out loud! But she is also smart, funny, and seriously hot. Plus she's not afraid to get a little sweaty-- on the track that is. Tony can't seem to help himself, besides what's a few emails? The occasional phone call? He can keep things light and friendly-- Can't he?
Warning: This book contains some adult content.

Saving Face (A Young Adult Romance)

Alyssa is all set for the perfect senior year. She's head cheerleader, she's dating the captain of the football team, and every girl in school wishes they were her. That is until she catches her boyfriend with another girl-- in front of the whole school.

Convincing her best friend Brent to play her new boyfriend seems like the perfect solution. Except, is saving her reputation worth jeopardizing the perfect friendship?

And many other books as well..

I read Whispers In The Woods and loved it!  Click to see and excerpt and my review.

You can find her on the following links...

T.J. is giving away a signed copy of Whispers In The Woods, The Complete Collection!!  To win, just fill out the raffle copter below!  If you don't win, or if you just want some of her other books, just click here.



Thursday, November 29, 2012

Spotlight on Amanda Hocking and Giveaway

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Thank you for helping me celebrate my first blogiversary!! For the newcomers, I will be hosting a giveaway ending at the end of this month. See all the great prizes and fill out the rafflecopter below!

As part of my giveaway, I am posting a spotlight each day for the rest of the month, showcasing a different contributor each day.

Today, help me welcome Amanda Hocking!!!

Amanda Hocking

I live in Minnesota, and I write young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy mostly. The My Blood Approves series is about vampires in Minneapolis, and its available now. I also wrote the Trylle Trilogy, which is a paranormal romance without vampires, shifters, mermaids, fae, angels, dragons, ghosts, or ninjas.My latest book is Hollowland - a zombie urban fantasy set in the dystopian near future. It's a bit more violent and gritter than my other books, but there is still romance. Mostly though, Remy kicks a lot of butt. 
I also enjoy Red Bull, Jim Henson, Batman, Jane Austen, Star Wars legos, and I absolutely hate long walks on the beach out of my intense fear/hatred of wet sand 
My favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Alan Moore, and J. D. Salinger, but I don't write anything like them. I have an obsession with River Phoenix, and I've seenSilence of the Lambs more than any other movie, even The Dark Knight. If I were trapped on a deserted island, the one thing I'd take with me would be a boat capable for taking me home.
I'm also the guitarist in a band called the Fraggin Aardvarks, and even though its even twice as cool as it sounds, we haven't had a practice in like two years, so I'm not sure that technically we are still a band. But we never broke up, and it's an awesome thing to tell people, so I'm sticking with it. (We even had a synethesizer!)

Amanda is a great writer and has written several books...

The Trylle Trilogy

Switched (Trylle, #1)

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.

Torn (Trylle, #2)

When Wendy Everly first discovers the truth about herself—that she’s a changeling switched at birth—she knows her life will never be the same. Now she’s about to learn that there’s more to the story…
She shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined—and they’ll stop at nothing to lure her to their side. With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to master her magical powers—and marry an equally powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who’s strictly off limits…and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.
Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must decide her fate. If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything, and everybody, she’s ever wanted…in both worlds.
As a special gift to readers, this book contains a new, never-before-published bonus story, “One Day, Three Ways,” set in the magical world of the Trylle.

Ascend (Trylle, #3)

With a war looming on the horizon, Wendy's fate seems sealed.But everything she sacrificed might be in vain if she can't save the ones she loves. Her whole life has been leading up to this, and it's all coming to an end.

My Blood Approves Series

My Blood Approves (My Blood Approves, #1)

Teenager Alice Bonham's life feels crazy after she meets Jack. With his fondness for pink Chuck Taylors and New Wave, he's unlike anyone she knows. Then she meets his brother, Peter. Even though he can't stand the sight of her, she's drawn to him. Falling for two guys isn't even the worst of her problems. Jack and Peter are vampires, and Alice finds herself caught between love and her own blood

Fate (My Blood Approves, #2)

Alice Bonham thinks she's finally found a balance in her life between the supernatural and real life with her brother Milo. Jack - her sorta vampire boyfriend - keeps her at arm's length to keep her safe. As for his brother Peter... she's not sure where he's at, or what he wants with her. Worse still, she's not even sure what she wants with Peter.
When tragedy happens, Alice finds herself struggling with a terrible choice. Her decision has consequences that reach farther than she'd ever imagined...

Flutter (My Blood Approves, #3)

Flutter - the third book in the My Blood Approves series...
Being undead doesn't make life any easier for Alice Bonham.
Her younger brother's love life is heating up, while hers is... more complicated. Mae is falling apart, her best friend Jane is addicted to vampire bites, and if Alice doesn't get her bloodlust under control, someone will end up dead.
Alice volunteers for a rescue mission with Ezra. But going up against a pack of rabid vampires might be too much, even for him.

Wisdom (My Blood Approves, #4)

Wisdom - the fourth book in the My Blood Approves series... For her eighteenth birthday, Alice Bonham takes a vacation to Australia only to have her trip cut short by an unexpected murder. While Alice tries to understand what happened, she regrets some of the choices she's made, especially the more permanent ones.

Letters to Elise: A Peter Townsend Novella (My Blood Approves, #4.5)

In My Blood Approves, Peter Townsend fell in love with Alice Bonham, but she wasn't his first love. In a new novella told through his letters, his history is revealed.

The Hollows

Hollowland (The Hollows, #1)

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."
Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

Hollowmen (The Hollows, #2)

the sequel to Hollowland....
After six months in the quarantine, Remy finds out things are much worse than she feared. Her plans to escape come with a heavy cost, and she realizes that zombies aren't the worst of her problems.

Watersong

Wake (Watersong, #1)

Fall under the spell of Wake—the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking—and lose yourself to the Watersong.
Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.
Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.
Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Forgotten Lyrics: A Watersong Story

Aggie is a mythological creature on a secret mission. Lydia is a young woman from a magical family with no real powers of her own. And Daniel is a high school boy who’s made it his duty to protect his deeply troubled older brother. Then one fateful night, their lives collide in a terrifying accident that changes them all forever. And beneath the surface, the ripple effects of the accident will have more impact than anyone could ever guess...changing not only their future, but the fate of an entire town.

Lullaby (Watersong, #2)

Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister—and who's immune to the girls' dark powers.
While Harper searches for her sister, Gemma struggles to adjust to her new life. Gemma's powers are growing by the day, and the longer she lives with her new "sisters," the harder it is to resist entering their magical world. It's a realm both dark and beautiful, and where she's plagued by strange hungers and unspeakable needs. Just as she's drifting far away from her old life, Harper and Daniel find her...but no one can deny how much she's changed. All she wants is to return to her family and the mortal world, but how can she do that when she's become something else entirely—and will they still love her once they learn the truth?
Prepare to fall under the spell of Lullaby, the second book in the Watersong series from New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.

And quite a few others...

I have personally read the Trylle Trilogy and the My Blood Approves series, LOVED them!!  Unfortunately, I wasn't yet blogging when I read My Blood Approves, but to see my reviews on the Trylle Trilogy, here are the links..

You can find Amanda at the following links

Amanda is giving away a Print copy of her newest book, Lullaby!!  To enter, please fill out the rafflecopter below.
As always, if you don't win, you can always purchase her works here, or by clicking on the covers above.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Spotlight on Christopher Buecheler and Giveaway

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Thank you for helping me celebrate my first blogiversary!! For the newcomers, I will be hosting a giveaway ending at the end of this month. See all the great prizes and fill out the rafflecopter below!

As part of my giveaway, I am posting a spotlight each day for the rest of the month, showcasing a different contributor each day.

Today, help me welcome author, Christopher Buecheler!!

Christopher Buecheler Photo

My Name Is Christopher BuechelerBut you can call me Chris.
I'm a web designer/developer by day and a novelist by night. I was born in Massachusetts and raised mainly there and in Syracuse, New York. I have held Senior Web positions at GameSpyHumor Rainbow (OkCupid), and Crispy Gamer. At all three companies I was heavily involved in all aspects of front-end design and development, as well as working with the engineering teams to make the sites function. Additionally, I provided support to the Marketing and Ad Sales departments, and worked closely with Editorial. I also sometimes wrote for the sites, when I had the time.
Currently I am employed on a contract basis by a small San Francisco startup,GoldenSpear. I have also developed and launched BlogShouts.com, through a company I started with a friend, Dart Publishing Ltd.
I have self-published three novels, with a fourth on the way. The first, The Blood That Bonds, is a free eBook that has been downloaded over 400,000 times. The sequel, Blood Hunt, was released on September 1, 2011, and has sold more than 22,000 copies. The final book in the trilogy, The Children of the Sun, was released on November 1, 2012. I've had short fiction published in GUD Magazine and Aurora Wolf, and I write non-fiction cocktail articles for Primer Magazine.
I move pretty frequently. In the past twelve years, I have lived in Orange County, California; Syracuse, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York; and Indianapolis, Indiana. These days I live in Providence, Rhode Island, with my wife Charlotte, and our two cats, Carbomb and Baron Salvatore H. Lynx II. In my spare time – of which I never seem to have enough – I invent cocktails, brew beer, travel, study French, play guitar and drums, follow the NBA and NFL, and visit local bars and restaurants with my wife and my friends.


Chris's books include...

The Blood That Bonds (II AM Trilogy #1)

Two is trapped: hooked on heroin, held as property, forced to sell her body to feed the addiction. Time brings her ever closer to what seems an inevitable death and Two waits, uncaring, longing only for the next fix.
That’s when Theroen arrives, beckoning to his Ferrari and grinning his inscrutable grin. He is handsome. Confident. Eager to help lift her out of the life that’s grinding her down.
The only problem? Theroen is a vampire.
His blood can cure her addiction, grant her powers she has never had, change her forever into something greater than she was. But when he sinks his teeth into her neck, Theroen also thrusts Two into a world of danger, violence, madness and despair. The powerful, twisted elder Abraham will use her arrival to shatter the uneasy peace that exists in his mansion, bringing an end to the dark game he has been playing for centuries.

Blood Hunt (II AM Trilogy #2)

He killed her lover, and for that crime and many others, Two Majors cut off the vampire Abraham's head, reduced his remains to ashes, and scattered them to the winds. Now each night she wanders New York, freed from the chains of heroin addiction but longing still for Theroen's kiss, the taste of blood on his lips, the echo of his thoughts in her ears. There are other vampires out there; she knows it, and so she hunts.
Tori Perrault spent a dozen years living in the woods, stalking her prey in the dark and killing without mercy. Now, she too has returned to humanity, and struggles to come to terms with all that has happened. Her parents' love smothers her and life seems empty. She spends her nights in the bottle, and in the company of strange men. She doesn't know that she is watched, until the fragile life she has rebuilt is torn from her and she is dropped suddenly into a world she never knew existed.
Rhes Thompson and Sarah Taylor have never met a vampire, and never want to. All they want is to help their friend Two, who falls further away from them with each passing day. They have all but given up when they are thrust into a world of madness, death, and vampire politics beyond their understanding. They must abandon their concern for Two, and worry instead about saving their own lives.
Blood Hunt is the ambitious sequel to the popular Urban Fantasy novel The Blood That Bonds. Nearly twice as long as the first novel, Blood Hunt weaves together the stories of Two, Tori, Rhes and Sarah, along with a large cast of characters both old and new, as they attempt to navigate their way through the difficulties they face.

The Children of the Sun (II AM Trilogy #3)

It's been two and a half years since the American council defeated the Burilgi rebel Aros Kreskas and restored order to their world. With the Children of the Sun, the militaristic cult of vampire hunters, in a period of apparent dormancy, the vampires of North America have enjoyed a time of relative peace. Two Majors has spent the years focusing on training with body and sword, and on rebuilding the life that was torn away from her by Abraham. She still holds out hope that she might someday locate her friend Tori, and bring the former vampire to salvation, but with each passing day that outcome seems less and less likely.
When The Children of the Sun strike at a trio of vampires visiting Chicago, it begins a war that will eventually devastate the American council and threaten every vampire not only in that country, but in all the world. The Children have found their weapon, and trained her, and now she has become an engine of destruction hell-bent on eradicating every last vampire on earth. Tori Perrault, once like a sister to Two, is now her greatest enemy.
Survival depends on a desperate plan: Two and her companions must take the fight to the Children themselves, or risk losing everything. There is no choice but to fight, and only one question remains: where, exactly, can the Children be found?

Amun Sa and the Girl from the Desert

The elder vampire Ashayt was once a simple peasant girl living in Egypt, on the outskirts of the great city of Memphis. Her life changes first when she meets a man -- Amun Sa -- with whom she falls in love, and second when she meets a deadly creature in the reeds, who bestows upon her both the gift and curse of immortality.
This two-chapter story is a spoiler-free excerpt from The Children of the Sun, the conclusion to the II AM Trilogy by Christopher Buecheler.

GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator (magazine) Issue 2

Issue 2 celebrates Heaven, Earth, and Space in-between; it is touched by religion, grounded in technology and comfortable with the occult.
There is a language-stretching piece triggered by the Talmud from the legendary Hugh Fox, poems by haiku heavy-hitter Jim Kacian, the surprisingly touching 'By Zombies; Eaten' from Christopher William Buecheler, and an alien perspective on human spirituality by Tina Connolly in the remarkable 'The Salivary Reflex'.
--all part of a drool-worthy two-hundred page selection of over twenty authors and artists.

I absolutely LOVE his writing!!  Unfortunately, I wasn't blogging when I started reading his books, so I have no review to show you, just know I am VERY excited he is participating! 

Christopher has generously donated all three of the II AM Trilogy books, in print!  This prize is open to USA fans only, as the shipping cost would be crazy to ship international, but there are plenty of ebooks up for grabs!  You can enter to win by filling out the rafflecopter below.  Of course, as always, if you don't win, you can pick up these great books at the following links...

The Blood That Bonds           
Blood Hunt                            

You can also find Christopher at the following links..

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Spotlight on Carl Hose and Giveaway

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Thank you for helping me celebrate my first blogiversary!! For the newcomers, I will be hosting a giveaway ending at the end of this month. See all the great prizes and fill out the rafflecopter below!

As part of my giveaway, I am posting a spotlight each day for the rest of the month, showcasing a different contributor each day.


Today, help me welcome Carl Hose!!


Carl is the author of several works of fiction, including "Deadtown and Other Tales of Horror Set in the Old West," "Fematales Unleashed," "Dead Rising," "Dead Horizon," and "Pornocopia."
Carl’s work has appeared in the zombie anthology "Cold Storage", which he co-edited. His work has also appeared in "Champagne Shivers 2007," "DeathGrip: It Came from the Cinema," "DeathGrip: Exit Laughing," the horror-romance anthology "Loving the Undead," the erotic paranormal ghost anthology "Beyond Desire," the "Book of Tentacles", "Through the Eyes of the Undead," "Silver Moon, Bloody Bullets," and several issues of Lighthouse Digest.
Carl’s poetry appears in the zombie poetry anthology "Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes."
His adult credits include fiction in Bi-Times, Swinging Times, Ruthie’s Club, Oysters and Chocolate, Good Vibrations, Three Pillows, the erotic anthology "Frenzy," and his erotic collection "Pornocopia."
Carl’s nonfiction has appeared in The Blue Review, Writer’s Journal, and the horror film essay anthology "Butcher Knives and Body Counts."
Carl lives in Florida with his beautiful wife Marcella and their three boys.

Carl's works are many, Here's just a few...

Dark Light
Dark Light is the light that shines through when some of the finest writers in horror use the power of their words for something good. That’s the case with this anthology—42 writers coming together to help support the Ronald McDonald House Charities and all the good the organization does for families every day of the year.
Make no mistake, though. These are horror writers and the stories they’ve written are not pretty. Traditional and non-traditional horror, dark humor, ghosts, serial killers, alternate universes, magic, zombies, and other creatures of the night hide between these pages. Shadows move and dead fingers stroke unsuspecting flesh, razor sharp knives shimmer in the moonlight, and unknown things hide in closets and under the bed. The stories here are as varied as the writers themselves. If you’re a fan of horror, you will not be let down.
Despite the horrific nature of these tales, however, their very existence in Dark Light stands as proof there will always be a light at the end of every tunnel.
Turn the lights down low and enjoy the show.

Dead Rising

In a world where the dead have risen and the living have nowhere to hide, two groups of survivors meet up in a town called Faith to make a stand against the walking dead, with the fate of mankind hanging on the outcome of the final conflict. Great characters and an engaging story make this a must-read for fans of the zombie genre.


Who is Jack the Ripper? Most of us know the dark figure in a long coat and top hat, with a black medical bag clutched in one hand and a razor-sharp surgical knife in the other. We can all imagine this madman stalking the dirty back alleys and fog-shrouded streets of Whitechapel, searching for his next victim. What we can’t imagine is what history has left out. Blood Legacy is a chilling novel that follows a blood-drenched trail leading to a shocking new twist in the Ripper mythology.

Fematales

Fematales contains 13 super sexual horror stories. How about a psycho cheerleader wanna-be who wields a knife, or a morgue attendent who has a special method of bringing in customers? There are sexy hitchhikers you never want to pick up, and women who kill for pleasure. Extreme sex and violence that will leave you torn between arousal and disgust. Cover by Marcella Hose.

These are just a few of the titles by Carl Hose.  To see the whole list, and where to buy them, see the following links..

For my blogiversary, Carl is giving away Smashwords codes for all of his books!!  Just fill out the rafflecopter below!!

Monday, November 26, 2012

Spotlight on Mysti Parker and Giveaway

blogiversary1

Thank you for helping me celebrate my first blogiversary!! For the newcomers, I will be hosting a giveaway ending at the end of this month. See all the great prizes and fill out the rafflecopter below!
As part of my giveaway, I am posting a spotlight each day for the rest of the month, showcasing a different contributor each day.

Today we're talking about Mysti Parker!


Mysti Parker (pseudonym) is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger’s Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya's Song, was published in April 2012. Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication, and is the proud writer of Unwritten, a blog recently voted #3 for eCollegeFinder’s Top Writing Blogs award. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.

Mysti's books include...


A Ranger's Tale

In the fantasy world of Tallenmere, an elven noblewoman longed to leave her gilded cage. A half-breed former pirate wanted nothing more than to escape his guilty past. Easier said than done...
High elf Caliphany Aranea leads an enviable life as King Leopold's niece and daughter of Sirius, Leogard's most famous wizard. Yet, being forced to follow in her father's footsteps and being betrothed to a man she doesn't even like makes her want a taste of life outside the city walls.
As a young boy, half-elf Galadin Trudeaux witnessed his parents' death at the hands of pirates. After being raised by those same murderers and forced to do their bidding, he escaped and now lives an honest life as a sea merchant and ranger.
When two brutes at Leogard Harbor attempt to kidnap Caliphany while she dreams of faraway lands, Galadin comes to her rescue. Impressed by his skills, she asks him to train her as a ranger. Though he is hesitant at first to train a woman of her class, Caliphany's hefty sack of gold finally persuades him. Unfortunately, her father is not amused, and the two must escape before Caliphany faces a forced marriage and Galadin faces a noose.
From that moment on she and Galadin embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Only if they can survive the trials ahead, will they find a love that stands the test of time.

Serenya's Song (Tallenmere, #2)

In the fantasy world of Tallenmere, no one ever said love was easy...
Serenya Crowe may be a half-elf commoner, but she's no ordinary woman. With the ability to interpret dreams, and a birth defect that forces her to wear gloves, she’s endured small-town gossip and the cruelty of her husband, Sebastian, The Earl of Summerwind. All she's ever wanted is to live a quiet life and raise a family. When she meets the new stranger in town, her world and her heart, are turned upside down.
Wood-elf Jayden Ravenwing is an ex-secret agent who wants nothing more than to forget matters of the heart. He left the bustle of Leogard and his failed marriage to make a fresh start in Summerwind. He never planned to fall in love again, especially with the enchanting Serenya Crowe.
When a strange portal opens on the Crowe property at the edge of town, Jayden is thrown into an investigation, knowing that if he fails, Serenya and everyone in Summerwind may die.
Together, he and Serenya must overcome an ancient evil, and their own inner demons, to save Summerwind and find the love they've always dreamed of.

You can find Mysti at the following links..
Website

Here are my reviews for each of Mysti's work!

Mysti is giving away an ebook of each of these great books!  All you have to do for a chance to win is fill out the rafflecopter below.
Of course, if you don't win, you can always buy them at these links..
A Ranger's Tale    Kindle and Print
Serenya's Song      Kindle and Print

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Spotlight on Mary Ann Loesch and Giveaway

blogiversary1

Thank you for helping me celebrate my first blogiversary!! For the newcomers, I will be hosting a giveaway ending at the end of this month. See all the great prizes and fill out the rafflecopter below!
As part of my giveaway, I am posting a spotlight each day for the rest of the month, showcasing a different contributor each day.


Today, we celebrate author Mary Ann Loesch

Mary Ann Loesch

Mary Ann Loesch is the author of Nephilim, an urban fantasy published by Lyrical Press Inc, and Bayou Myth, a young adult horror novel. Her short stories have been published on line with various magazines and in the anthology All Things Dark and Dastardly. All three books can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords in both paperback and ebook form. An avid reader, Mary Ann finds herself a fan of many genres, including urban fantasy, mystery, horror, and even a bit of literary fiction. 


Follow Mary Ann's random thoughts at Twitter and Facebook, or check her weekly blog, Loesch's Muse, for insights on life, writing, and dirty martinis.

Mary Ann's books include...

Bayou Myth


As a sixteen year old voodoo queen in the making, Joan Renault just wants to be like all the other girls in the small town of Monte Parish, Louisiana—obsessed with boys and swamped with social lives. If the other kids would quit calling her “hoodoo hag,” she might have a small shot at normality. It would also help if Joan’s weekend outings with her secret crush, Dave, weren’t always being interrupted by her dead Grandmere, the legendary Marie Laveau. After all, it’s hard to make out with your best friend when your grandmother is watching! But when you come from a long line of voodoo priestesses with dried gator heads decorating the wall of their huts, normal doesn’t come easily.
When Joan witnesses the brutal sacrifice of a child to a tree Druid, she learns her Grandmere’s scandalous past has come back to haunt those living in the present. Hera, a vengeful voodoo priestess is determined to use the residual energy of Pandora’s Box to revive a sleeping voodoo god and declare war on the descendants of Marie Laveau, especially Joan. Suddenly, Greek myths are being re-enacted all over town, and Joan has her hands full trying to sort it all out. With the approach of Samedi’s Day—the voodoo day of resurrection—Joan must learn to accept her destiny in order to stop the approaching threat to her family and friends.

Nephilim

When sin stains your soul, he tattoos your skin...Tattoo artist Nathan Ink is more than he seems. An angel living in secret on earth, he forces his clients to face their flaws by tattooing images of their sins on their bodies, but this glimpse into the soul often results in his clients' deaths. Although Nathan avoids the other angels, when they ask him to keep an eye on Faye, a nephilim being stalked by another of her kind, he reluctantly agrees.The angels have kept Faye in the dark about her stalker, but to keep her close to Nathan, they've tasked her with investigating the high mortality rate of Nathan's clients. Despite her distaste for his methods, she finds herself fighting a growing attraction to Nathan, and discovering he's not a rogue after all forces her to question her own mission. When Faye learns her stalker is another nephilim who intends to use her to breed a new race of hellish beings, teaming up with Nathan may be the only way to prevent a genocide.Contains strong language and violence.

Red Reader #1

“Red Reader #1” is the first in a series of print publications aimed at promoting the work of underground and under-recognized writers and artists. This collection of poetry, prose and art provides readers with a wide range of topics, styles and themes and includes work from fifteen talented writers and artists.

All Things Dark and Dastardly

A compilation of horror, mystery, and urban fantasy short stories by Austin authors with a distinctly dark side...Featuring stories by Kaye George, Mary Anne Loesche and Steven Metze.This title is published by Dragonfire Press and distributed worldwide by Untreed Reads Publishing.

You can find Mary Ann at the following links:

An ebook copy of Bayou Myth is up for grabs! All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter below!

If you don't win, you can always get her books here..
Bayou Myth                              Kindle and Print
Nephilim                                    Kindle only
All Things Dark and Dastardly  Kindle and Print


Saturday, November 24, 2012

Spotlight on Amber Garza and Giveaway



blogiversary1


Thank you for helping me celebrate my first blogiversary!! For the newcomers, I will be hosting a giveaway ending at the end of this month. See all the great prizes and fill out the rafflecopter below!
As part of my giveaway, I am posting a spotlight each day for the rest of the month, showcasing a different contributor each day.


Today, we celebrate author Amber Garza!


(From her
website) My name is Amber Garza and I LOVE to write. I’ve had a passion for writing since I was a little girl, making books out of notebook paper and staples. As an adult I've worked hard to make my dream of being a published a reality.
Amber Garza lives in California with her amazing husband and two hilarious children who provide her with enough material to keep her writing for years.


Amber is the author of many wonderful books..

Prowl (Prowl Trilogy #1) Entice (Prowl Trilogy #2)      Unveil (Prowl Trilogy #3)     Shiver
The Prowl Trilogy
Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie Smith is sent away to spend a boring summer at her grandma's. But then she meets Wesley. He tells her exactly what she wants to hear and has information about her past that no one else knows. It's almost like he can read her mind.
Only Wesley isn't who he seems.
By the time Mackenzie discovers his true identity it may be too late. She's in too deep and he won't let her go. Now Mackenzie must call on the strongest power of all in order to save her life.

    Dazzle (Delaney's Gift #1)           Glimmer (Delaney's Gift Series)
Delaney's Gift Series
Dazzle:  Sixteen-year-old Delaney Scott possesses a special gift. Ever since she was a child she has known about her calling and the duty she’s expected to fulfill.
However, all Delaney wants is to be normal. That’s why she is drawn to Sam. He can offer her the life she’s always desired. Only Sam has secrets of his own.
Secrets that are deadly. Secrets that can change everything.
Advanced Praise for Dazzle:
A definite MUST read!! Amazing new series! - Alexia Purdy, author of Reign of Blood
Torn between the unconditional love of a lifelong friend and the intriguing allure of a bad boy, you won't know who to root for in Garza's new young adult series. But one thing is certain, you'll be rooting for a sequel!
Glimmer:  Sixteen-year-old Delaney Scott is not your typical teenager. She is one of ten Ekloge Warriors,born with the purpose of protecting the town of Edenly. Only it’s a duty she wants to shed like a pair of dirty, worn-out shoes.
However, a daring rescue alters Delaney's life forever. Now there is no running from her calling, and things will never be the same again.
(This is a very short teaser story which includes the first three chapters of Dazzle, Book One in the Delaney's Gift Series)
Engraved



Engraved
A missing girl.
A young woman running from her shameful past.
A person with a dark secret who will stop at nothing to keep it hidden.
And the act of betrayal that binds them all together.

I've only read the Prowl Trilogy so far, but LOVED them!  Here are my reviews for those books..

You can find Amber Garza at the following links..

Amber is giving away two ebook copies of Dazzle, and one ebook copy of Prowl.  Fill out the rafflecopter below to enter.

Of course, if you don't win, you can always purchase any of her books, here are some links..
Prowl:       Kindle, Print
Entice:      Kindle, Print
Unveil:      Kindle, Print
Shiver:       Kindle only
Dazzle:      Kindle, Print
Glimmer:   Kindle only
Engraved:  Kindle, Print