Friday, January 31, 2014

Tales of Ever Blog Tour




Tales of Ever
(Volumes 1-6)
By Jen Wylie
Published: Jan 10 2014
By Untold Press www.untoldpress.com
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal, YA 10+
Length: 84 000+ words, 250pages
ASIN: B00HSCHK3I










Description:
~Tales of Ever is suitable for readers 10 and up. Originally written as a novella series, it has been reworked and is now available as a complete novel.

A few months ago, I was a normal girl. Life sucked, and just like everyone else, I took the simple things for granted. At least until I got this new power, a "gift" mom called it. Apparently, I'm a firestarter. I didn't want to be. I didn't ask to be. It would be cool if it wasn't so dangerous and I knew how to control it. When an uncle I'd never heard of showed up to take care of me after my mom died, I should have been grateful. As it turned out, my whole family isn't normal and more than a little bit crazy. I thought things couldn't get any worse. I was wrong. 
They banished me to Ever.

* * * * *

Welcome to Ever.

Ever; a deadly realm where feared, powerful, and dangerous magical beings are banished. It's not a world, but a magically created prison you can never break out of. Who, or what, made Ever? I've no idea. They were powerful, and cruel. That is all I can tell you.
Ever is like, and unlike, every other world. Nothing is safe. Safety is a dream. Ever is a nightmare. Few survive their first day. Nothing is what it seems. If something appears safe, it isn't. If something appears dangerous, well it is, but probably more than you think.
Ever has no sun, no moon, and no stars at night. Time is told by the ever changing color of the sky where portals open, dropping new inhabitants or new terrors. Time does pass. Don't worry, you won't get old. You won't live that long.
The landscape changes without reason from desert to jungle. The flora isn't safe at any time. There is food, if you can find it without getting eaten yourself. Most plants and animals are poisonous. So is the water.
Are you afraid? You should be. This is the end. It gets worse of course. Remember the portals? Do you think angels come through? Innocent people rarely do. Mostly, it is evil people, people too powerful to kill. Their magic works here. The creatures are worse.
Do you understand? Well, you will eventually, or you'll die. There is no escaping Ever.
Ever.

My Review: After reading the blurb on the book the first thing that went through my mind is the song Hotel California, You can check out but you can't ever leave. Which then lead me to thinking that I really needed to read this story as if some deep carnal desire was being pulled from the depths of the unknown calling to me begging me to read Tales of Ever. Not knowing exactly why this was being deemed the book I must read at that moment I gave in to my desire and began to read it. I was completely enveloped into a story that was ever changing. Misha the main character went through so many life changes in such a sort span of time and I was mystified by each and everything that happened to her and then like breathing needing to know more about her became something I just did. I had no idea where we might end up but it was a for sure it would be a journey not forgotten. Where the path ended however was not necessarily the place one may want to be because once you are in Ever you may not leave. Tales of Ever captivated me in ways no other story has and kept me so involved and always, alway wanting to know more. Jen Wylie does a excellent job of keeping a vivid picture going through out the book of the scenery as well as each character it was almost hypnotic at times. I found myself constantly feeling as if I was walking Misha's path beside her several times and for me that is the telling of a great story. For an author to be bold enough to posses the ability to pull the reader in and have them become one with the book to me is amazing! I so completely have been pulled into Misha's story that I hope that we may find out more someday. Thank you Jen Wylie for giving me and every reader out there such a memorable story. Tales of Ever go get it today!
5/5



Available at all Amazon stores:


Bio:
Jen Wylie resides in rural Ontario, Canada with her  two boys, Australian shepherd and a disagreeable amount of wildlife. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.
Before settling down to raise a family, she attained a BA from Queens University and worked in retail and sales.
Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazing most people don’t. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy, both novels and short stories.

My website: www.jenwylie.com
Twitter: @jen_wylie


Excerpt :
Fire.
I see it everywhere.
It started a year ago, maybe more. I don't remember. Images of fire appear more now than they did before.
Flames always dance just out of sight. They flicker on school lockers, in windows, anywhere. Everywhere.
Now they hover over the road as I run. If I didn't know better, I'd think they were only mirages from the heat. They aren't real. They never are. Nothing burns, there is no heat. I hate seeing them. Every time they appear, I wonder if I'm crazy.
Glaring at my watch, I round the block. School sucked today, as usual. I've run farther and faster than I normally do, trying to push all my stupid problems away while trying to ignore the fire.
The last year I've been unsettled. Sometimes I get uncomfortable hot flashes. I don't understand why. Mom gets them sometimes, too. She says not to worry about it. I wish I could, but I know I'm too young for such things and they have been coming more often.
I can't tell her about seeing the fire, or about the dreams. She wouldn't believe me and I don't want to put more stress on her.
We do Yoga and that helps. So does running. I've done a lot of both as the months pass and things only get worse.
It hasn't been the best year. Mom lost one of her jobs. She found another, but it doesn't pay as much. Lack of money really stresses her out.
I hope she'll let me get a decent job soon. Something other than yard work and babysitting. I want to help. Mom looks so tired lately. She's really starting to worry me.
In a few months, I'll be sixteen. I haven't asked about getting my driver's license. I'm sure Mom won't bring it up either. We don't have money for a car, anyway. We don't even have money for lessons or the stupid license test.
What would I do if something happened to Mom?
I have no idea. We don't have any really close friends. A few people we sort of talk to, like our old neighbor, Mrs. Green. No family either, at least none that Mom ever talks about.
I don't have any friends at school. Even though I go to a public school, most of the kids there have money. We don't, and it shows. People can be so fickle. Of course, I don't really try to make friends. I fall into the quiet and shy group. Years ago I gave up trying. Too many times I thought I'd found a friend and then got stabbed in the back.
Of course seeing fire sets me apart, too. The fear of someone finding out how weird I am forces me to keep my distance. I know normal people don't see fire like I do, but some seem obsessed with it. I watch them play with matches and lighters outside at school and I only shake my head.
I'm not obsessed. What I see scares me. If I could, I'd choose to never see the flames again.



The Forgotten Ones Release Day Blitz

Title: The Forgotten Ones  
Author: Laura Howard
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours
On Sale for .99 cents!!!!
Book Synopsis:  Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.
What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.
Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.
Social Media Links: 


Sean jogged over with the bat and held it out for me, grinning. “Pick your pitcher, Allie-O.” The smirk on Ethan's face was a challenge, and I couldn't resist. “Ethan has the ball, he can pitch to me.” He made a big show of stretching and winding up before he finally tossed the ball at me. I smacked the ball over the pool house, and Sean started shouting and cheering, making me smile. Ethan shook his head, but he was smiling. He clearly thought I would be an easy out. I made it all the way to the final round, kicking Sean and Jeff out of the game. I'd played softball and run track all through school to pad my transcripts. “You gonna let her win, E?” Jeff called, winking at me from the picnic table where he sat drinking a beer. Ethan chuckled, showing off those damn dimples. He looked down at the ball in his hands and back up at me with a grin. “If I do, will you let me take you out?” I snorted, trying to look braver than I felt. “Not a chance.” “Wait a sec. I like this. Let's make a wager,” he said. The guys were all hooting and hollering at me, my face was no doubt crimson. “What do I get if I win?” I bit my lip, feeling all their eyes on me. “I'm thinking, hang on,” He held up his finger, his brow furrowed in thought. His eyes widened with excitement, and I knew I would regret whatever he had to say. “If I win, I get a kiss.” If it was possible, my cheeks grew even redder. They were all laughing and making cat calls now. “And, if I win?” I looked up at his face. He looked at me for a second, considering. “If you win, I won't ever ask you out again.” This earned a chorus of “Yeah, right” and “No way” from the guys. My mouth fell open, I had not been expecting that, but his face was sober. The laughing around us fell away for a second, and I could only stare at him feeling the color drain from my face. His expression remained solemn, and he met my gaze head on. I nodded stiffly, and swallowed. “All right.” His grin came back in full force. “Oh, and Al?” I raised my eyebrows at him. “I won't lose.”

Thursday, January 30, 2014

A Taste for Killing Cover Reveal

Title: A Taste for Killing
Author: HK Sterling
Genre: Adult Mystery/Suspense 18+
Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours
Short Blurb:
Mystery and Romance blend together when competing detectives Carolyn Woods and Jack Heart find they are surrounded by murder on every side.
Long Blurb:
Mystery and Romance blend together when competing detectives Carolyn Woods and Jack Heart are both hired to solve the murder of Pete Wallace, only to realize they are working the same case. To complicate things, Carolyn and Jack have an on again-off again relationship. Then there is Evan Jones, a handsome architect— but he's also a suspect. Can Carolyn manage to solve the case as more and more murders pile up? Will her relationship with Jack hinder their investigations? And what about Evan Jones? He seems like the perfect man, but could he actually be the murderer? One thing is for sure: someone close to both Carolyn and Jack has A Taste For Killing.
Author Bio: H.K. Sterling is an author with Breathless Press known for stories with a kick and twist endings. H.K. likes to focus her writing on suspense, science-fiction, shorts, and anything that is spicy and unexpected. H.K. lives in Virginia with her husband who graciously puts up with her passion for writing. H.K. currently has a Mystery Thriller out: A Taste For Killing; and two short stories in the Breathless Press Anthology: My Bloody Valentine. H.K is currently working on a sequel to A Taste For Killing and a Science Fiction book of short twists. You can contact H.K. on the following social media:
Links:
Twitter: @HKSterling
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/HK-Sterling/426989014069244?ref=hl
Email: HK.Sterling@aol.com
HK Sterling "Undercover Blog": http://hksterling1.blogspot.com/
Excerpt:
He had six-pack abs, and I wanted to feel the carbonation. This one dressed like the stereotype of a construction worker, down to the handkerchief he used to wipe sweat off his forehead. I don't know if he or the hot day brought it out, but sweat poured off of me too. He had no interest in me as a person, though. I was invading his territory. Still, I enjoyed the view. For my part, I knew my clothes looked crappy. I didn’t have to wear uniforms anymore, but my street clothes, well they were very—street. So there I stood, a turd in the sun in front of this Adonis. Oh well.
He pointed to a small trailer up a muddy hill. The supervisor I asked to see apparently stayed in there. Stayed, as in never left. Great. Mud. Now I'd be a dried turd in the sun. Adonis went back to digging and I started the trek up the hill. At least I came with boots. Steel toed.
Once I made it to the trailer, I heard an argument going on inside.
"Look, I don't care who you are. The plans are publically filed. Go get them yourself!" yelled someone.
Then I heard a voice I knew. Calm, cool, subversive. "Is there any reason you're being so difficult? A man did die on your watch."
An encounter I hadn’t planned on. Well, at least not until later tonight. I knocked loudly on the door and with my sweetest voice said, "Hello, boys. Am I interrupting something?"
"Great," groused the supervisor. "A party." He appeared to me like another stereotype, puffing on a cigar over a fat jowl line and rotund stomach that threatened to overturn the small desk he was behind. I guess there's a reason for stereotypes. He looked about four hamburgers away from a heart attack.
On a wooden chair in front of the supervisor sat Jack. A fellow independent detective, an ally at times, a competitor...and my on and off lover.
"Well, well, well," he said smiling, but I could tell he wasn’t happy to see me. Not here. It meant we were both working the same case. "Hello, Carolyn. Who hired you?"
"Parents."
"Girlfriend," he answered back.
We stared at each other. Complications.
The supervisor didn’t give a damn and said to me, "Well, missy, I'll tell you the same thing I told this guy." He jerked his thumb around to Jack. "The plans are publically filed and that’s all I have to say about it."
I tried a different tactic. "That’s fine with me. I have no problem going downtown for a copy." I wore my practiced, saccharine smile. "But I wonder, could you tell me the name of the architect? Please?" I smiled again. God, this job sucks at times.
The supervisor sighed. "Jones, Evan Jones."
"Thank you so much," I said, smiling my best smile again. "I'll get out of the way and leave you two boys to...whatever you were doing."
I opened the door to go and started to shut it only to find Jack following me out.
"Sure, flash your tits and get what you want." Boy was he in a bad mood.
"There was no tit flashing in there. Face it, testosterone was not a good choice in that situation."
Jack's response: a grunt.
"Besides," I tried to placate him, "I didn’t get the plans either."
"No, you did one better."
"That's assuming the architect will have anything to do with me and cooperate." A thought occurred to me. "So are you going there too?"
"No, I might as well wait and see what you turn up. Besides, I have my own leads."
"Are you planning to share?" Just call me hopeful. As in full of shit, because that’s where hope always seemed to lead.
"No," he said, still grumpy.
"I see. So it's gonna be like that."
"I guess so."
I felt like such a female. Damn. But I had to ask.
"Are we still on for tonight?"
"Yeah."
I wasn’t convinced but didn’t push it. God, sometimes I hated myself. But we were good together—when it was good—when his competitive edge didn’t get the better of him. Though I was one to talk. I did the same thing at times. Hence our on and off status. But currently we were supposed to be on. So, I kept it light in the spirit of things to come.
"Okay, master detective, I'll leave you to your leads. See ya."
"See ya," he replied, already preoccupied, pondering a piece of paper he'd taken from his pocket.
I made my way down the hill in my muddy boots.