Shadow of Angels by Laura Rollins BOOK TOUR

Shadows of Angels by L. G. Rollins

Blurb:

After the forest dwellers destroy her home and kill her father, Aerbrin sets off on a journey to find the truth about her people, her kingdom, and the mysterious Zaad stone that contains a power she never imagined. Magic and mystery join forces in this intriguing fantasy world. 

Full of shifting alliances and twists you won't see coming, it's a can't-miss read.

Shadows of Angels, by L. G. Rollins

Excerpt:

"Stay calm, her father’s words echoed in her head. When you find yourself in danger, above all, stay calm. Aerbrin took a deep, steady breath and leaned down, reaching for her bow. one of the Forest Dwellers charged. It collided with her and knocked her to the floor. Raising a knotted fist, he bashed her head.

Sparks exploded across her vision. She tried to raise an arm, tried to call out. Her body wouldn’t respond. The Forest Dwellers grunted again. The creature above her raised its fist again. She looked up. This was the end, she knew. When these monsters attacked, they killed everything. Animals, plants, and particularly humans. No one survived.

Closing her eyes, Aerbrin forced her body to relax. This time, there was no pain."

                  L. G. Rollins grew up in a far off land fighting dragons, stealing talismans, and traveling with dwarfs and elves. She is especially skilled at bribing giants with sweets. Currently, her husband and four kids live in Utah so that is where she spends most of her time. She may, or may not, have a Zaad Stone. To learn more about L. G. Rollins and her books visit LGRollins.com.

                  

Shadows of Angels comes out December 8th and is the beginning of the Zaad Stone trilogy.

Laura Rollins is an avid dessert creator, fiction writer, and probably Lucille Ball's biggest fan ever.

She homeschools her four young children and finds the kitchen a perfect place to teach them math - 1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup equals a full cup - science - add the lemon juice to the sugar because the acid is necessary for the sugar to melt - and, of course, manners - please don't grab the beater from your brother, I'll get you a spoon of cookie dough instead. While Laura enjoys all forms of cooking, baking, and any other culinary expression known to man, her heart always leads her back to deserts, treats and the sweet things on the table.

LATTER-DAY SAINT WARRIOR: Stepping Into Your Spiritual Strength by Brock Richardson

[Official Video] Mary, Did You Know? - Pentatonix

He is the Gift

Interview and GIVEAWAY with Mary McCoy! Author of DEAD TO ME

Welcome to the 2015 debut author bash!

Today we get to hear from author Mary McCoy!

Mary McCoy is a writer and a librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library. She has also been a contributor to On Bunker Hill and the1947project, where she wrote stories about Los Angeles's notorious past. She grew up in western Pennsylvania and studied at Rhodes College and the University of Wisconsin. Mary now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son. Her debut novel,Dead To Me, is a YA mystery set in the glamorous, treacherous world of 1940s Hollywood.

Twitter: @MaryElMcCoy

Tell us in one sentence about your book.

Alice Gates investigates 1948 Los Angeles’s seedy underbelly to find out who tried to kill her aspiring movie star sister - and turns up something even worse along the way.

What actors would you pick to play your characters?

Alice (the main character): Abigail Breslin

Annie (the big sister): Saoirse Ronan

Jerry Shaffer (the tough-talking private eye): John Hamm

Vivian and Nicky Gates (the Hollywood insider wannabe parents): Jennifer Connelly and Bradley Cooper

Ruth (one of Annie’s shady acquaintances): Jennifer Carpenter

Conrad Donahue (the psychopathic movie star): Chris Pine

What is your greatest accomplishment?

Living the life I always wanted, on my own terms, surrounded by people I care about

What is the biggest lie you ever told?

That I could be happy if I stopped writing

Do you have a snack you eat while writing?

I try to stick to tea and coffee.

Do you have any pets?

Two cats, advanced in age, demanding in demands.

What is your favorite part of writing?

When you’re working on a first draft and you get rolling on a scene that’s really going well, and you know you’re nailing it - that feeling doesn’t come along very often (maybe once or twice per book), but when it does, it’s the greatest.

What is your favorite book or author?

This changes all the time, but some of the best books I’ve read this year were A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin, the Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante, and Infandous by Elana K. Arnold.

If you were a superhero, what would your name be? Your superpower?

My name is Mary McCoy, which I think is pretty much a Marvel-ready superhero name as is. My superpowers are doing the thing that needs to be done and writing excellent last lines.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Finish it. Whatever you’re working on right now, see it through to the end, then move on to the next thing. Don’t get distracted by the tinsel and the shinies. Keep your eyes forward, fixed on a point just out of reach on the horizon. That point is the best possible writer you can be. You never catch her, but you never stop trying to catch her either.

Dead To Me (Disney-Hyperion, March 2015)

LA Confidential for the YA audience. This alluring noir YA mystery with a Golden Age Hollywood backdrop will keep you guessing until the last page.

"Don't believe anything they say."

Those were the last words that Annie spoke to Alice before turning her back on their family and vanishing without a trace. Alice spent four years waiting and wondering when the impossibly glamorous sister she idolized would return to her--and what their Hollywood-insider parents had done to drive her away.

When Annie does turn up, the blond, broken stranger lying in a coma has no answers for her. But Alice isn't a kid anymore, and this time she won't let anything stand between her and the truth, no matter how ugly. The search for those who beat Annie and left her for dead leads Alice into a treacherous world of tough-talking private eyes, psychopathic movie stars, and troubled starlets--and onto the trail of a young runaway who is the sole witness to an unspeakable crime. What this girl knows could shut down a criminal syndicate and put Annie's attacker behind bars--if Alice can find her first. And she isn't the only one looking

Evoking classic film noir, debut novelist Mary McCoy brings the dangerous glamour of Hollywood's Golden Age to life, where the most decadent parties can be the deadliest, and no drive into the sunset can erase the crimes of past.

"McCoy's heroines are fierce crusaders for justice despite their own fears or the dangers they face in protecting each other. The examination of the glamorous face of fame and what lurks behind the scenes is rife with twists"  -Publishers Weekly

"Step aside, Nancy Drew; this dark mystery holds nothing back." -Kirkus

Add on Goodreads

Available to pre-order

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Book Soup

Powell's

Skylight Books

Want to win her book?? Leave a comment and random will pick a winner by December 15! GOOD LUCK and thanks for stopping by!

2015 Author Debut with Valynne E Maetani! Author of INK AND ASHES giveaway!!

Welcome to the 2015 debut author bash!

I'm excited to have Valynne here today!

Valynne E. Maetani (pronounced Vuh-lin Mah-eh-tah-nee) grew up in Utah and obtained a Bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. In a former life, she was a project manager and developed educational software for children with learning disabilities.

Currently, she is a full-time writer. Her debut novel, Ink and Ashes, is the winner of the New Visions Award 2013 and is a Junior Library Guild 2015 selection. She is a member of the We Need Diverse Books team and is dedicated to promoting diversity in children's literature because every child should grow up believing his or her story deserves to be told. She lives in Salt Lake City.

 Other Trivia:

 Favorite book: To Kill a Mockingbird

 Favorite Snacks: Hot Tamales, Hi-Chews, Chocolate, Caramel, Dirty brand Salt & Vinegar chips, anything Peppermint (especially ice cream), popcorn

 Favorite Foods: Sushi, Eggplant Parmigiana, Green Curry

 Favorite Movies: Princess Bride, To Kill a Mockinbird, Die Hard 

 Claire Takata has never known much about her father, who passed away when she was a little girl. But on the anniversary of his death, not long before her seventeenth birthday, she finds a mysterious letter from her deceased father, addressed to her stepfather. Claire never even knew that they had met.  

Claire knows she should let it go, but she can’t shake the feeling that something’s been kept from her. In search of answers, Claire combs through anything that will give her information about her father . . . until she discovers he was a member of the yakuza, the Japanese mafia. The discovery opens a door that should have been left closed. 

So begins the race to outrun his legacy as the secrets of her father’s past threaten Claire’s friends and family, newfound love, and ultimately her life. Ink and Ashes, winner of Tu Books’ New Visions Award, is a heart-stopping debut mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

Tell us in one sentence about your book.

Ink and Ashes is a story about a Japanese American teenage girl who discovers her deceased father was once a member of the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia.

Are names important in your book?

Definitely!

If so, how did you come up with the names?

The family’s last name, Takata, comes from my father’s ancestry line. And because I wrote the book for my younger sister’s birthday, all of the names of girls on the soccer team are the names of my sister’s best friends.

What actors would you pick to play your characters?

Kimiko Miyashima has always been the actress I’ve pictured as Claire. She’s like a little sister to me and is currently living in L.A., waiting for her big break. As for Forrest, I envision someone like Dylan Sprayberry, but maybe a little older.

What is your greatest accomplishment?

Winning the New Visions Award was definitely a huge accomplishment for me.

What is the biggest lie you ever told?

I have never told a lie. Ever. Okay, maybe a few. Next question.

Do you have a snack you eat while writing?

Hot Tamales, chocolate, butter toffee peanuts, Big Hunk candy bars, and peppermint tea

Do you have any pets?

No, but I would love to have a dog someday.

What is your favorite part of writing?

I love writing dialogue and action scenes. If I could, I would write a book with nothing but those two things.

What is the hardest?

For me the hardest part of writing is revising because it means I have to fix all the parts that aren’t working and come up with ideas for all the moments I said, “I’ll worry about that later.”

What is your favorite book or author?

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

If you were a superhero, what would your name be?

Valynninja

Your superpower?

Stealthiness and, obviously, super ninja skills.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

A lot of writers will tell you never to give up. But my advice would be to write because you love it. Write because you couldn’t give up even if you wanted to. Focus on craft rather than publication. Let others read your work, learn to take criticism, revise, revise again, and again and again. Rather than trying to convince the publishing industry your manuscript is ready, hone your writing skills, and the industry will let you know when it’s time.  

Thank you, Valynne! You all should run out and buy her book, right?? You could try and win one here too. Just leave a comment on this post about the best book you've read this year (and leave your email so I can let you know if you're the winner). 
The contest ends December 15 and Random.org will choose a winner. 



ABOUT ME

Valynne E. Maetani (pronounced Vuh-lin Mah-eh-tah-nee) grew up in Utah and obtained a Bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. In a former life, she was a project manager and developed educational software for children with learning disabilities.

Currently, she is a full-time writer. Her debut novel, Ink and Ashes, is the winner of the New Visions Award 2013 and is a Junior Library Guild 2015 selection. She is a member of the We Need Diverse Books team and is dedicated to promoting diversity in children's literature because every child should grow up believing his or her story deserves to be told. She lives in Salt Lake City.

 Other Trivia:
 Favorite book: To Kill a Mockingbird
 Favorite Snacks: Hot Tamales, Hi-Chews, Chocolate, Caramel, Dirty brand Salt & Vinegar chips, anything Peppermint (especially ice cream), popcorn
 Favorite Foods: Sushi, Eggplant Parmigiana, Green Curry
 Favorite Movies: Princess Bride, To Kill a Mockinbird, Die Hard

 Claire Takata has never known much about her father, who passed away when she was a little girl. But on the anniversary of his death, not long before her seventeenth birthday, she finds a mysterious letter from her deceased father, addressed to her stepfather. Claire never even knew that they had met. Claire knows she should let it go, but she can’t shake the feeling that something’s been kept from her. In search of answers, Claire combs through anything that will give her information about her father . . . until she discovers he was a member of the yakuza, the Japanese mafia. The discovery opens a door that should have been left closed. So begins the race to outrun his legacy as the secrets of her father’s past threaten Claire’s friends and family, newfound love, and ultimately her life. Ink and Ashes, winner of Tu Books’ New Visions Award, is a heart-stopping debut mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

Christmas Kisses An Echo Ridge anthology BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY!

I LOVE Christmas and I LOVE Christmas kissing stories! 

Christmas Kisses is a collection from five bestselling and award-winning authors. Set in the snowy town of Echo Ridge in upstate New York, these romances are sure to delight while you sip cocoa by the fire and listen to Christmas carols.

***$.99 November 3 - 7*** Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Kobo * iTunes * Smashwords Add it to Goodreads

The Candy Counter Heiress by Lucy McConnell Amazon bestselling award-winning author

Someday Reese Gates will own The Candy Counter at Kenworth's; but someday can't come fast enough when the manager threatens to bring in a national candy provider. Reese secretly takes matters into her own hands hoping to save her parents from additional worry and prove herself capable of running the company. Her deception deepens as she ropes computer guru Andy Edwards into helping her expand the business. Reese wanted to shake things up, but she wasn't planning on her heart getting caught in the mix by Andy's stolen kisses. If she can hold it together until after Christmas, then she can reveal her successful online company and her feelings for Andy. Unfortunately for Reese, even the best laid plans can melt like chocolate. https://lucymcconnell.wordpress.com/ * https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaDymock?fref=ts

Christmas Makeover by Cami Checketts Amazon bestselling author Chelsea Jamison has been infatuated with Drew Stirling longer than she's loved playing basketball, high-top sneakers, and the Knicks. Unfortunately, all Drew sees is the kid who kicked his trash in the high school free throw contest and not the girl whose heart breaks into a fast dribble when he's near. Drew makes an unexpected visit home to Echo Ridge and their friendship picks up where they left off as they scheme to make a teenaged boy's Christmas dreams come true. When Chelsea realizes she's fallen for her best friend, she wonders if there is any hope of a relationship with Drew or if she's stuck in buddy-status for life. www.camichecketts.com * https://www.facebook.com/CamiCheckettsAuthor

Soda Fountain Christmas by Connie E. Sokol Amazon bestselling author Keira Kenworth has one focus this holiday season: save her father's old-time department store from bankruptcy. She is not focused on Tayton Wells, the tall, dark, and genius marketing guru from downtown New York, hired to make it happen. He is as doubtful that her nostalgic connect-the-town ideas will succeed as she is about his numbers-first plan. However, it's not just their different approaches that cause sparks to fly. Working together on a fast deadline to save the store before Christmas, the unspoken connection between them grows. But will the tough decisions they face drive them back to their separate worlds, or will they lead to the beginning of love? www.conniesokol.com * https://www.facebook.com/8basics?_rdr=p

Hope for Christmas by Rachelle J. Christensen Amazon bestselling & award-winning author Anika Fletcher hates Christmas--its promises of good tidings and hope for the future are as tinseled as the ornaments on Kenworth's Hope Tree. Despite her feelings, Anika wants to maintain her daughter's faith in the magic of the season and gladly accepts a second job working with the handsome Carlos Rodriguez to restore Kenworth's old fashioned soda fountain. Carlos is no stranger to hard times and slowly shares his life of light and joy with Anika as they work together. Just as her fragile soul begins to feel hope again, an ill-timed act of charity changes everything. Anika isn't sure who she can trust or if hope is worth nurturing--especially at Christmas when it's easy to enjoy a kiss and believe love can last longer than the season. www.facebook.com/rachellechristensenauthor * http://rachellechristensen.com/

One Winter Night by Heather Tullis Amazon bestselling author Jonah Owens thought moving to Echo Ridge to open his art gallery would solve all of his problems. The need to sell his grandma's house adds an unexpected complication. It would be easier if his neighbor didn't have all those farm animals. Kaya Feidler's family has owned their land for nearly a hundred years--long before the neighbors were there. There's no way she's giving up the animal therapy business she's been struggling to make profitable. She gets a temp job helping Jonah in the gallery. Spending time together is a recipe for romance, but can they overcome their own hangups to be more than friends? http://heathertullis.com/ * https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTullisBooks


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Sterling Bridge by Chad Parker BOOK TOUR!

Book description:

“Sterling Bridge” is an historical fiction film novel. It is largely based on the story behind the namesake that is Sterling Elementary in Tooele, Utah. Both commemorate how Sterling Harris championed the bridging of two towns.

With a Mormon mother and Catholic father, Joe Lacey, Jr. especially finds himself in the middle of a struggle between Catholic immigrants and Mormon settlers of the early days of Tooele, Utah. He is not the only one who doesn’t know where he belongs amidst the conflict, but on the verge of facing the adversity of becoming a teenager he’s not sure he’s the right man for the job of overcoming it. To take on the greater travails of a broken community, on the verge of its own heightening adversity, yet unaware of the Great Depression soon to hit, they need a bold leader who is aware of everyone’s needs.

When Joe is up against stacked odds of being the first to attempt integrating with an all Mormon student body, he has a pivotal decision to make, but he is afraid and naturally only thinks of his own predicament. Survival dictates a flight or fight response. Will he gamble with his future, continue to dodge his parents, lie, beg, borrow and even steal his way out of their higher expectations? Or will he let someone show him a better way? To do so he will have to stand up to the challenge posed by another outsider, a new larger than life football coach, who is willing to put it all on the line to integrate not just Joe Lacey, Jr., but the whole community. Both must learn how to strive for high moral ground without leaving any friends behind.

Coach Sterling Harris, aka “The Bridge Builder,” knows building relationships will be of most importance. He also knows Joe is at the center of it all. This young man will need to be a key player, if Sterling is going to be able to use the opportunity of playing winning football for the pride of a town, to bring an even greater good—blessing a community with harmony by curing ignorance and bringing education to the masses.

Short excerpt:

“Is that Joe Lacey over there?” Across the tracks now open to all of the boy’s view stood the austere man with the car, his hands cupped to his mouth to yell. His broad shoulders and bold stance made him look larger than life.

I did an about face. The other boys finished tackling each other into a pile.

“You know that guy?” Mike stood next to me. “What does he want with you?”

Sterling beckoned with a big swinging motion of his arm. But when I made no motion toward him, he then approached us, confidently crossing the tracks.

“I’ll be back,” I scurried toward him.

“Hey Joe, you gonna introduce me to your friends?” Sterling walked right by me.

“You’re not going to tell my parents, are you?” I held my hands out.

“What’s to tell? I can still give you that ride to school.” Sterling looked at his car.

“My friends don’t know I’m switching schools.” I spoke so only he would hear.

Sterling pivoted. With his back to my friends he offered me a deal. “If you win you’ll never hear from me again, but if I win you have to at least let me take you to school.”    

Now I felt calm and casually strode over to huddle up certain I would never lose our bet.

Author bio:

CHAD ROBERT PARKER lived in six states growing up, and is the second of six boys. Each served two-year missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is the son of two great, humble parents. They taught him a love for family, church, and life. Chad is an avid sports fan and likes creating games. He also likes juggling; he chose to juggle publishing his first book with getting married and starting a new venture hosting anecdoting.com: a site to share and collect good everyday life stories. Chad works in the library by day at BYU and dabbles in marketing and creative writing services at writcreate.com by night. He lives in beautiful Saratoga Springs, Utah, with his lovely wife. They are enjoying the life of newlyweds and feel like this is just how life was meant to be.

Platform links:

Websites & Blog

www.ChadRobertParker.com

Anecdoting

http://www.anecdoting.com

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Chad-Robert-Parker-675077972603613/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/writcreate

Linkedin

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/chad-parker/9/589/3b6

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/user/WritCreate

Purchase links:

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Sterling-Bridge-Chad-Robert-Parker/dp/146211735X/

Barnes&Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sterling-bridge-chad-robert-parker/1121907970?ean=9781462117352

The Cenote by Chelsea Dyreng BOOK TOUR

          



Forced to marry a complete stranger, Sandpiper tries to adjust to life in her new village. But the mysterious Cenote, a great pool of water, has bewitched the men of the village, and Sandpiper must know why. This moving story of romance and redemption serves as an allegory with a timely message. Filled with drama and heart, it's a book you won't soon forget. Published by: Cedar Fort Release date: November 10, 2015










The author, Chelsea Bagley Dyreng, is the daughter of a fireworks salesman and Miss Malibu. She was born in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, earned her BA at Brigham Young University, worked as a librarian for several years, and now lives in North Carolina where she and her husband are raising five God-fearing, book-loving, adventure-seeking kids. Author links: Chelsea Dyreng's blog Chelsea's Facebook fanpage Chelsea on Twitter You can get the book online from the following locations: Amazon.com Barnesandnoble.com booksamillion.com After the November 10th you should be able to find The Cenote at select bookstores throughout Utah and Idaho and on booksandthings.com

North for Christmas by Christina Dymock Blog Tour!

I LOVE Christmas and I really LOVE reading romantic Christmas stories. So when Christina emailed about her newest Christmas book and would I like to be part of the blog tour I said YES!

Have you ever known exactly what you wanted for Christmas? As a child, you may have written a letter to Santa, made a wish upon a star, or locked your dream away in your heart afraid that it might not come true if you so much as whispered it out loud. Even as adults, Christmas wishes carry a magic that can't be explained.


In North for Christmas, Ruby Jeavon certainly has her heart set on an engagement. It's the first step in creating the family she's always wanted. But things go slightly off course and instead of flying to Italy with her boyfriend, Ruby heads out of town to work as an elf in Nashville. Even though she's far away from her dream, she's about to discover the magic of a Nashville Christmas through the eyes of North Foxwell, her fellow elf and a Christmas expert. Even though North struggles with his own Christmas ghosts, Ruby manages to bring new light to his life. Can Ruby let go of her dream to find what her heart truly desires? Only time--at the North Pole--will tell.


You can pick up your copy of North for Christmas at your local book store, iTunes, Barns and Noble, or from Amazon.