 Author Krysten Lindsay Hager has shared with me in the past about her amazing stories, and I'm so excited to host her today as her latest book releases. Kadee asked me to write about my favorite scene in the book and one of my favorites is Cecily at her first magazine photo shoot and she feels totally out of her element. She’s overwhelmed when she hears the magazine people gossiping about a bigger name model also there because she feels like if this model, Scarlett, can’t win them over, then how could she? Then Cecily overhears them questioning if she’s really qualified to be there—something she has already worried about herself. I think we all go through moments like that with imposter syndrome. It’s not uncommon to feel you don’t belong somewhere or didn’t deserve something even if you’ve worked hard for it. So, having Cecily doubt herself, and then hearing those exact doubts confirmed, is everyone’s nightmare. She goes through panic initially, but after a talk with the other models, Scarlett and Neneh, she keeps going. She fights through her fear and goes on to do the best job she can do and winds up impressing the magazine people because of her acting ability. Pushing through her fear was one thing, but bringing what she could offer to the shoot made the very doubters see how capable she was. Cecily walked in doubtful, went through fear, but came out better than ever because she stayed professional and learned what she brought to the table. I loved seeing her growth in this scene and also seeing the other models share their difficult times in modeling. You also see the other models’ knowledge of the business side of the industry come out. These other models are playing the long game in terms of business growth and I think that’s inspiring as well. I hope other people will be inspired by Cecily’s journey as they laugh and cry with her. Krysten also let me ask her some fun questions so we can get to know her better:  Where are you from? What has been your favorite place to live?
I’m from Michigan, but have lived in several different states and even in Europe. I would have to say of my top three favorite places they would be Michigan, Ohio, and Portugal. You finally have an evening free to spend any way you want. Money is no object. Where do you go? What would you do? Okay, if money is no object then I’m going shopping! Particularly to a bookstore and someplace with cute stationery products like journals and other fun office stuff. Then home to watch a good movie and finish up the night with a mystery novel. What do you think your greatest weakness is? (writing or in general) How much time ya got? I guess I would say tend to get overwhelmed easily. (LOL! I think we can all relate!) What do you think is your greatest attribute? (writing or in general) Being able to cheer people up and make them laugh in their darkest hour. Do you have any regrets? I regret not calling people out on bad behavior. I tend to swallow things and worry, what if no one believes me, and just hold it all inside. Do you have any bad habits? I’m messy. What has been your greatest adventure to date? Moving overseas was quite the adventure. We moved to a European island for three years. Thankfully, I decided to finish and submit my thesis the semester before we left since I got to the island, but my computer didn’t get there until four months later! I would have missed my deadline by months had I not made sure to finish it early. What is your most favorite moment from this book? I love seeing Cecily get to embark on her acting and modeling dreams and her relationship with the pop star, Andrew, is so sweet. I also enjoy watching him learning the best way to deal with the anxiety he has with his singing career. What is one takeaway you would like readers to get from this book? I hope the readers see that it’s important to stay true to yourself. In the book you see how even having your dreams come true—whether it be the dream career or whatever it is that they think will make them feel complete—might not be all that they imagine. Andrew seems like he has the dream life, but he’s dealing with anxiety that’s taking over. Cecily sees these models who look like they have it made and yet they’re dealing with a lot themselves with critics online and in the fashion world. No one has it easy, but with the right foundation you can get through the storms. About The New Book: In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety (The Cecily Taylor Series) by Krysten Lindsay Hager Young Adult Romantic Comedy from Clean Reads Cecily wants a big life, but can she handle it? Cecily feels like she has it all: great best friends, the beginnings of a career as a model/actress, and she’s dating her favorite singer, Andrew Holiday. Then Cecily’s best friend Lila begins to ditch her every time Lila’s boyfriend calls. Cecily feels lost, but she and Andrew begin connecting more and she’s never been in a relationship where she felt so understood. Andrew even begins to confide in her about his anxiety. Soon Cecily experiences her own anxiety on a magazine photo shoot, but she manages to impress the magazine staff. Just when it seems like all her dreams are coming true, everything comes crashing down when a photo of Andrew with another girl appears online. He swears nothing happened, but Cecily is crushed. She feels like she’s lost two of the people closest to her. Was her perfect relationship real or was she in over her head? Excerpt: “Good luck at the photo shoot tomorrow,” he said. “You’ll be great.” I stared out the window on the ride back to the hotel taking in all the sites. As I walked into the hotel, I felt a new air of confidence. Instead of just reading about someone going out with a pop star to some fabulous rooftop hotel restaurant and being in the big city, I was living it. This was my life and not some YA book heroine’s. Tomorrow I was off on a modeling shoot. I was living a dream and proving how I was ready for a big life. This was my destiny. I could do this. **** My alarm went off and at the same time an alarm went off in my brain saying, no, I could not do this. What was I thinking? Me, model? That’s where people take photos of you for the sole purpose of other people looking at them, which encouraged judgement and evil comments. People don’t just keep those comments to themselves anymore. Oh no, they grab their phone or laptop or whatever device helps them spew out unhelpful and cruel comments on people’s appearances online for all the world to see. My stomach felt like spewing all over the nice hotel sheets I was wrapped in. Why did I ever think I was up for this? Those strangers online would destroy me within seconds. Girls like Harlow who were born with an undeniable beauty could do stuff like this and even then, I had seen strangers criticize her online when she posted selfies. Being anxious always made all my senses go nuts. I ate two slices of toast and then my stomach did a weird flipping thing. Oh no, not today. Looking over at the clock I realized it was almost time for us to leave. Come on, stomach. You’re fine. Just relax and…nope, time to hit the bathroom. Why can’t I just be a big girl and go to this stupid shoot which most girls would kill to do without my stomach freaking out? Purchase: Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VRYS65N/ Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VRYS65N Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07VRYS65N Amazon Japan: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07VRYS65N Amazon IN: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07VRYS65N Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Krysten+Lindsay+Hager Book Depository: https://bit.ly/2ZuKQun IndieBound: https://bit.ly/2Yt5t4S Book One: https://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Come-True-Cecily-Taylor-ebook/dp/B079S3KJSH Author Bio: Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, Competing with the Star, Dating the It Guy, and Can Dreams Come True. True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book and the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for children/teens. Best Friends…Forever won the Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal. Competing with the Star is a Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist. Landry in Like is a Literary Classics Gold Medal recipient. Krysten's work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News and on Living Dayton. Check out Krysten's other award-winning work! Website: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KrystenLindsayHagerAuthor Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KrystenLindsay
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It's release day for my friend B.W. Morris! The third book in his YA Sci Fi "Six Pack" series drops on Amazon today, and B.W. stopped by to visit with us to share his favorite part of this new book, UPRISING:  In the first two books of the Six Pack series, my characters didn’t get much time to enjoy themselves. They spent their time in hiding, in danger, in stressful situations. Whenever they got the chance to just sit around and chat, it wasn’t what you would call a time to relax. That changed when I included a scene in my third book, Six Pack: Uprising, which featured my young characters going through a commencement ceremony. This scene was probably my favorite one to write. They got to dress up in fancy clothes, they had a wonderful meal, enjoyed music (minor spoiler: two of my young heroes got to share their musical talents) and simply had the chance to enjoy each other’s company in a pleasant setting. I think back to The Hunger Games series and how those books partly inspired my writing. What I appreciated the most about Suzanne Collins’ writing was how she built tension. However, I also liked the scene in her third book, Mockingjay, in which Finnick and Annie get married. Though Mockingjay is a book in which Collins puts her characters through a lot of difficult, stressful situations, I appreciated that she added at least one scene in which there was joy, a cause for celebration. I thought it was important to have a similar scene in my Six Pack series. Though I don’t go quite as dark as Collins goes, I’m not exactly being gentle with my characters. I think all characters deserve to have a moment in which they can experience simple joys of life, rather than going through one stressful or dangerous situation to the next. This entire series has been a labor of love and made me appreciate what authors go through. Though I’ve spent many years as a writer, I never experienced what it was like to be an author. But I’ve found the journey rewarding. And the way I wrote reminded me that, while we all go through a lot of stressful situations in life, there are always the moments in which we get to experience joy and times of celebration. It’s easy for an author to think your characters must always be put through the worst – but, once in a while, it’s OK to have them enjoy the best. Six Pack: Uprising Available Now! Though the Underground Network has lost a lot, its leaders believe there may be ways to bring down President Douglas Irons and the Novusordo government. Tyler Ward and his friends are more determined than ever to take action and break the control the president has over the citizens. But more must be answered than how they will accomplish their objectives, even with the superpowers they have. They must ask themselves who they can trust — even within the Network’s ranks. They must ask themselves who might become new allies — even if they work for the government. Most of all, they must ask themselves how much they are willing to sacrifice — even if it means self-sacrifice. ********************************************************************* The Six Pack Series: It all started with a drink – a drink that gave Tyler Ward and five of his friends superpowers. Now they must figure out how their new powers can change society. But who can they trust? Who has their best interests in mind and who has a bigger agenda? And what cost comes with change? The young adult, science fiction/dystopian series is published by Clean Reads.  B.W. Morris is a longtime writer for small-town newspapers who put his inner comic book geek to work through writing novels. He has published two books in the Six Pack series with the third to be released soon, and has written the Arrowverse Elseworld, which you may read at his website at bwmorrisauthor.com. Born in Texas but grew up in Colorado, he has lived in New Mexico, Oklahoma and currently resides in Kingman, Kansas.
Greg Weisman, Suzanne Collins, Stan Lee, George Orwell and Conor Friedersdorf all influenced his writing. Morris is a fan of the Young Justice animated series, the Arrowverse shows on the CW Network, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Star Wars films and more graphic novels than he can keep track. He volunteers his time for the Kingman County Humane Society. Follow B.W. Morris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sixpackwriter Visit his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bwmorrisauthor/ Stop by his website: bwmorrisauthor.com Email him with questions about his work at bwmorris@mail.com.  Click the cover to download Earthshine Fear may be a liar, but hope can be a monster. Saylor single-handedly saved the world from a devastating solar flare...and it nearly killed her. Now her father's Alliance Military Guard must track down pirated tech, missing ships, and a rogue billionaire, and they’ve requested a reluctant Saylor’s help. Tucker spent a year training the rookie Guardsmen. They call themselves Dragons. He calls them defiant. Dispatched across the ocean on a mission to retrieve AMG's bootlegged tech, he rallies Saylor to overcome her fears and return to the field by his side. Working together wielding unprecedented tech and determined to defy their destinies, the two wrangle missing ghosts, brunt force betrayal, and the swagger of power. What lies beneath the earth just might save it. EARTHSHINE is the final book following the McConnell clan and Alliance Military Guard, a standalone for the seeker of YA Sci Fi Action Adventures.  Today is RELEASE DAY for Earthshine! Go grab your copy on Amazon! Wooooo! For the faint-hearted. For the disillusioned. For the lonely. For the seeker. For the adventurous. For the lost. For the found. ***** May you be the hero. May you face the fear with a grin on your face. May you overcome the odds. And may you be somebody’s Earthshine. My fellow Clean Reads author BW Morris allowed me to visit on his blog the other day. He let me share about the idea of what makes a superhero and how that relates to our real lives. I hope you'll read on and check it out. And share with a friend who could use some encouragement.
Happy reading, friends!  There’s a city beside a lake in the heart of an old volcano. The city is called Sete Cidades and sits on the island of Sao Miguel, in the Atlantic Ocean. Rich sunsets adorn the lush greenery of this island, stucco walls bracing the quaint walls of the houses lining the narrow streets. My husband discovered this marvel while exploring the planet for the elusive city of Atlantis. (Which, by the way, he found it.) He showed me a picture on Google Earth and said, “You need to use this location in a book.” And so, I did.  We live these busy lives, walk the dusty concrete, and rarely glimpse, let alone immerse in, a tropical paradise. Between the pages of Earthshine, you’ll receive a new mission, a new voyage, into the harrowing wilds of the oceans deep and forests high.
I scoured the interwebs for every photo and article on the Azores islands, watched endless videos on YouTube, and even spent hours using our virtual reality set on Google Earth to explore these and other various locations Saylor and Tucker traverse within the pages of Earthshine. A fellow Clean Reads author even shared an hour chatting with me about her experiences while living on of the Azores islands. One goal for my books is that they will serve readers for multiple readings and re-readings, providing rich, realistic environments and imagery to take my reader friends to these brave new worlds. Needing a vacation? Get ready to grab a copy of Earthshine and escape. Join me in the Azores, at a fraction of the cost. Maybe it will even entice you to get up and add a new locale to your travel wish list. It sure did for me. Adventure awaits. Windchimes swung in the background. A gentle wind hummed. Fingers picked the tinny strings of an acoustic guitar, one at a time cascading into a tender melody.  “Belief in the breeze The smoky morning haze The sun on her face and the touch of lovers' hands The pain that comes today Is here, then goes away And we are homeward bound And I I want this more than life…” Whitley’s version of the song, “More Than Life,” brought Saylor and Tucker into my mind, sitting on a porch swing, watching the sun set. The two characters have stayed with me over the years, as I have traversed their roads, through wet marshes, muddy mountain trails, and the wilds of the Australian outback. What would they be doing right now, I’d ask myself. The hard part about meeting characters and following their stories is that they stay with you, real as friends. Their lives influenced mine. Their stories shaped mine. So in that smoky morning haze, in the golden, setting sun, what would they be doing, I’d revisit the question in my memory. Would Saylor ever be satisfied with her ending? What would she want more than life? And from the ashes of broken dreams, from the depths of dark nights, of agony, of restlessness, of inability to wait with inaction, the story of EARTHSHINE came to be. Could a girl who’s “done the hard thing” once more rise to the occasion? You see, there is not just one “hard thing” to face in life. There will be one, then another, and another. Each time more difficult, each time more unhinged and chaotic, each time drawing the protagonist further into the hero position. What would Saylor do when asked to face her greatest fears, knowing they are real? I wasn’t ready to write EARTHSHINE when the words began spilling out. It began with another title – Deadlight. Halfway through, exploring the theme and tone brought on by the title “dead-light” generated, the word no longer fit. Is death the finale? While it served as an intriguing vocabulary word, no, it didn’t fit with Saylor and Tucker’s story. Theirs is a story of perseverance, of love, of hope. Of reflection. Of audacity. Of moxie. Of grit. One morning as I began to wrap up the final chapters on my manuscript, my “Word of the Day” email popped into my inbox. The term, “earthshine,” lit up my screen. In fact, it lit up my eyes from its first appearance, because earthshine means…well...I suppose you’ll have to read the book to find out.  I hope you will. I hope you enjoy the story that had to be written. I hope you may also get back up, once your heart has broken. I hope you will be the one who shows up, builds up, and believes. May you be the light, shining into the abyss. May you be someone’s Earthshine. Earthshine releases in three weeks, on October 9th. Happy reading.  Cecily has always had a huge crush on singer Andrew Holiday and she wants to be an actress, so she tags along when her friend auditions for his new video. However, the director isn’t looking for an actress, but rather the girl next door—and so is Andrew. Cecily gets a part in the video and all of Andrew’s attention on the set. Her friend begins to see red and Cecily’s boyfriend is seeing green—as in major jealousy. A misunderstanding leaves Cecily and her boyfriend on the outs and Andrew hopes to pick up the pieces as he’s looking for someone more stable in his life than the models he’s dated. Soon Cecily begins to realize Andrew understands her more than her small-town boyfriend—but can her perfect love match really be her favorite rock star? Clean Reads Author Krysten Lindsay Hager's latest YA Contemporary Romance released this week, and you should definitely check it out. To celebrate the release, she let me ask her some fun questions about the book and life as an artist. 1. Where did you get the idea for this book? It was basically one of those daydreams I had been having since grade school! I used my own celebrity crushes to create a “what if” moment and to see what the mindset would be for a girl who was suddenly given the opportunity to date her ultimate crush while she’s a regular high school student. 2. Who was your teenage rock star crush? I started my main lifelong crush way before my teen years. I fell for George Michael when I was a kid and that lasted until he passed away in 2016. I liked Enrique Iglesias a lot, Johnny Gill, and probably a Backstreet Boy or two—haha. And I had a lot of basketball player crushes, too. 3. How long has this book been in the works? I’ve been planning on writing it for years, but I never quite got the story quite how I wanted it. It was one of those stories that doesn’t go onto the paper/screen the way you imagined in your mind. So I had a lot of false starts. I think this version of the story started out officially around 2015. 4. How many books do you have published total? This is my seventh book. I have three middle grade books and four young adult novels. 5. If you could live vicariously through an actor/singer/artist, who would it be and why? Ooh, good question. Jennifer Lopez, but just for a day because I’d get tired out with her schedule! (Girl, yes. Those celebrities have to be exhausted.) 6. What is one piece of advice you'd tell your teen self? To stop worrying what people think of me. There was a lot of stuff I did and a lot of stuff I didn’t do simply because I worried about judgement. That went away in high school somewhat though. It was really bad in my middle school years because a couple times I did put myself out there and really got made fun of, but eventually it helped me because I realized those people weren’t nice, so why did I care what they thought anyway? I didn’t see it that way at the time though. 7. What's one thing you'd like to leave as a legacy? That people found solace, escape, and encouragement from what I wrote or said.  Enjoy An Excerpt From CAN DREAMS COME TRUE? I started to feel anxious after lunch. After all, I had been an Andrew fan for a long time, and even though I had seen him in person, this was a huge deal to get to meet him. What if he wasn’t what I had imagined? I didn’t expect him to fawn over me or anything, but what if he was rude or ignored me? It would kill my fantasy of him as being this sweet, quiet, sensitive songwriter who wore his heart on his sleeve while also being kind of a loner/rebel with just a touch of bad boy in him. Oh man, I would be crushed if he didn’t notice me or worse—if he ended up flirting with Harlow. In all his magazine interviews Andrew always said looks weren’t important to him, and what he noticed in a girl was if she was true to herself. He said he went for “bright girls who were sweet and easy to be with.” Now that I thought about it, that was the kind of fake crap magazines put out about all the teen celebrities. It was like when I saw Lawrence Claibourne, my favorite actor who claimed to be Mr. I’m-just-looking-for-a-sweet-girl-to-read-poetry-to on a red carpet with a model whose boobs were falling out of her dress and had overdone the lip fillers—I mean, you just knew he wasn’t into her for her personality. But Andrew wasn’t like Lawrence. Andrew seemed so sincere and deep. Lawrence had a smirk and you could tell he was a player, but Andrew seemed like he had been hurt and needed to find the right girl who he could open up to and learn to trust again. . .or at least that’s what he said in his last interview. The final bell rang and my heart shot up to my throat. This was it. I was on my way to meet my crush. From now on, any dreams of him would be marred by the reality I was about to face. Was it better to keep wondering what if and keep the fantasy alive or to go and actually meet him? *** Now available on Kindle Unlimited or in Paperback! PURCHASE ON AMAZON TODAY!  ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, Competing with the Star, Dating the It Guy, and Can Dreams Come True? True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book and the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for childen/teens. Competing with the Star is a Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist. Krysten's work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News,and on the talk show Living Dayton. Connect with Krysten on social media! (She's got a lot of fun, encouraging content and will make you laugh. Go check her out!) WEBSITE: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KrystenLindsay FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/KrystenLindsayHagerAuthor PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/ AMAZON BIO: https://www.amazon.com/Krysten-Lindsay-Hager/e/B00L2JC9P2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1518310668&sr=8-1 Fabulous clean romance? Yes, please! Check out these steamy, sweet, delectable romantic reads now available from Clean Reads.  Better Than This by Tia Souders What can keep a dream alive? Before the car accident that changed everything, Samantha Becker was a happy and loved little girl. Ten years later, Sam, now 18, lives under a dark cloud—largely ignored by an alcoholic mother who never recovered from her loss and ruled by an overbearing father who blames Samantha for the family tragedy. And yet, the troubled teenager has a dream that keeps her going, and an extraordinary musical talent that could take her all the way to Julliard…and far beyond. Following her heart, however, means defying her father, who has his own plans for his daughter’s future. Then, in the wake of another devastating personal catastrophe, her dream is irreparably shattered, and in her pain and anger, Samantha acts out recklessly. But her salvation could come from a most unlikely trio: a handsome college student, a hopeful little boy…and an older neighbor woman whose caring and secrets will change Sam’s world forever. Purchase on Amazon  Bleeding Hearts by Dana Louise Provo Orphaned at an early age, now twenty-four-year-old Camryn Lucks is ready to commit to find that special someone, and so accepts a date from a charming, gallant, handsome stranger. The last thing she imagines after accepting that first date with Carson would actually be the beginning of her worst nightmare. Red roses, a reminder of her parents' killer, soon become an emblem of horror for Cami as one by one, those closest to her fall victim to a serial killer. Cami becomes an obsession for Carson, the man she had finally allowed herself to love. Not only is he vying for her heart, but also her life. Finding herself in a whirlwind of torments shadowed by the blood-colored bloom, Cami finds solace in Isaac, a neighboring police officer. She’s desperate to escape the haunting memories, but she must revisit them in order to catch her would-be killer. Living life in constant fear has driven Cami to second-guess every choice she makes. Will the police catch the illusive murderer, or will Cami be forced to face him once again? Purchase on Amazon  Harp Lessons by Shea McIntosh Ford As a freshman at New York University, looking for love is the last thing on Sarah McKenna’s mind. She is too preoccupied with being homesick for her North Carolina home and finding a peaceful place to play her harp amid the noise of the city. And yet, she also dreams of Ireland and is always thinking about Grandma Maggie’s stories from that idyllic country. So who better to grab her attention than a handsome, young Irishman, especially one who shares her passion for Irish music? But Cal O’Keefe has dark secrets. Can Sarah learn to see past the superficial and cope with the secrets to be with the one she loves? Purchase on Amazon  To Dance One More Day by Rachel Jones A medical diagnosis takes away Jillian Russell’s opportunity to become a prima ballerina. Knowing a part of her will die if she walks away from ballet, she changes her focus and builds a dance company. This endeavor takes all her resources and leaves no time to develop new relationships outside the world of ballet. A supporter of the arts, Dr. Alan Armstrong finds himself on the board of the North Carolina Ballet Company. He has always had a penchant for fixing things and is eager to help solve the company’s loss of funding. Romance blooms between Jillian and Alan. The doctor discovers her misdiagnosis and tells the ballerina she must decide between their love and a performance career. Purchase on Amazon  Happily Ever Afters by Rachel Magee Lainey Stratton does not fall in love with strangers she meets on vacation. It simply doesn’t make logical sense. So when Lainey meets Carter Thompson on the first day of her Caribbean vacation, she knows it could never amount to anything more than a crush. At the end of the vacation she will return to Dallas and he will return to DC, and that will be the end of it. Well, unless he wants to join her at a friend’s destination wedding, which would be considered vacation too, right? But when an unexpected tragedy sends Lainey’s logical world spiraling out of control, she realizes her vacation crush might be the only one who can help her pick up the pieces of her shattered life. That is, as long as she can get out of the way of her own happiness. And as long as Carter’s past doesn’t catch up with him before she gets a chance. Purchase on Amazon  Royal Pain by Danielle Doolittle Prince Henry Fitzgerald's life has taken a drastic turn. The once high flying playboy finds himself grounded and forced into rehab after one too many wild nights. Changing his ways wasn't in the cards, a fact he makes loud and clear during treatment. But when he faces off with feisty horse trainer, Carleigh Philips, Henry starts thinking he's not as far gone as everyone-including himself-thought. Carleigh Philips has had her fill of arrogant, too good looking to be true men. Since discovering her ex in bed with another woman she's contented herself with training the horses on her family's ranch turned rehabilitation center. But when Prince Henry comes storming into her life she can't ignore him, even if half the time he makes her want to scream, she learns that some men are worth taking a risk on. When a series of accidents add up to foul play, Henry must set aside his fear of failure and act quickly to save the woman who made him believe he could be a better man. Purchase on Amazon  Not Every Girl by Jane McGarry In her small kingdom of Stewartsland, sixteen-year-old Olivia trains with the squires and harbors a secret dream. She longs to become a knight under the command of the Master-of–Arms, who just happens to be her father. Dismayed by the constant discouragement of her ambitions, Olivia’s makes an impetuous decision to disguise herself in order to sneak on a mission and the consequences are not at all what she anticipated. When her deception is revealed, she is sent home in disgrace. And that is when things get interesting. An unexpected turn of events puts her at the center of a dangerous plot against the King. The ensuing adventure finds her grappling with mercenaries and outlaws, but these pale in comparison to her newly awakened emotions. She finds not only her life at risk, but also her heart, when the aloof Prince Liam begins to affect her in ways she never thought possible. In the end, it is her courage and unique spirit which must guide her through the challenges she encounters both physical and emotional. Purchase on Amazon  The Duchess of Earl by J.L. Salter This is not a Regency… but SHE thinks it is. A young woman suddenly awakens after a terrible vehicle accident convinced she’s betrothed to a lesser British baron 200 years ago. But instead of a baron, she encounters a man named Earl… and this low-key, 2013 Tennessee farm isn’t anywhere near Regency England. Is her name really Georgette Heyer? Is she truly betrothed to Baron Hertford? It’s up to Dusty to find out. Dusty Earl thinks the beautiful accident victim (temporarily staying in his house) is close enough to kiss, but she believes there are 200 years between them. She’s also expecting a gallant gentleman to transport her to her betrothed baron. An affectionate tweak of Regency novels. Purchase on Amazon  Kistishi Island by Jordan Elizabeth Serena Cole can kick serious butt thanks to young women only she can see. School bullies aren’t a problem, but Serena’s mental health might be. To shield Serena from a dark secret, her family tries to convince her that her friends are imaginary. Fleeing her distrustful aunt, Serena joins her mother on an archeological dig at Kistishi Island. There, Serena discovers an ancient scroll and realizes her invisible friends are goddesses native to the island, and they are in danger of enslavement for their abilities. Only Serena can save her friends if she can discover the past her family has hidden her entire life – the reason why only she can see the goddesses. Purchase on Amazon  Gray's Good Samaritan by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy On an ordinary Saturday morning, Robin Cavanaugh’s life takes a wild turn. A wounded man leaps into her car at a traffic light. He refuses to go to the hospital and after he reveals his real name, she realizes she knows him from church. When he swears he’s one of the good guys, Robin abandons common sense to help him. As his condition worsens, she soon learns he’s not really Spike McGee, a criminal but an undercover agent whose life is in danger. His brother, Jack, a doctor, pulls Gray through and soon, Robin is part of the action too. Their love grows under the unlikely conditions and when Gray heads home to visit his mother, Robin comes too. While there, Gray proposes and she accepts but a family tragedy brings them back to Tulsa. Everything hangs in the balance as Gray goes undercover as Spike one last time…if he survives, can find their happily ever after? Purchase on Amazon  Right Time for Love by Jannette Spann Brandy Wyne’s future includes an old house with plumbing problems, a new job, and caring for her mother who has suffered a stroke. Gavin Wilkin has increased his Grandpa’s plumbing business to twice its original worth, but the old man’s got a hot lady friend with greedy hands. How can he convince his grandpa of what she’s after without hurting him? Added to his problems is the responsibility of caring for his seven-year-old niece for the summer. Brandy can’t afford the plumbing repairs she needs, and Gavin can’t find a sitter for his niece. Ever heard of the barter system? Purchase on Amazon  Innocent Tears by Iris Blobel Becoming a parent can be daunting at the best of times, but for Flynn, a business lawyer in Melbourne, it almost pulls the feet from right underneath him. He’s become a father to six-year-old Nadine literally overnight! He had no idea about her existence, and the news throws him into chaos, even more so when he is asked to take over custody. With the help of Emma, an employee at the hotel where Nadine and her grandparents are staying, and his parents, Flynn tries to do the right thing. Yet, the right thing in his eyes differs from his parents’, and Emma is voicing her opinion as well. And right in the middle is little Nadine, still grieving the loss of her mother and finding a wonderful friend in Emma. There’s no doubt she’s afraid where and with whom she will settle. But in the end, it’s a letter Flynn receives that helps him figuring out what to do. Purchase on Amazon  Covered by E.A. West Lacey Daniels wants a normal life where she can go to dinner or the mall without constantly looking over her shoulder. Unfortunately, her abusive father is out of prison and more dangerous than ever. The Hawthorne Guardians, a local motorcycle club that protected her as a child, is her only hope for normalcy. Some of the faces have changed, but the credo is the same: protect the innocent. One Guardian, Ratchet, takes an interest in more than her safety. He wants her heart. Despite her growing feelings for Ratchet, Lacey can’t escape the threat her father poses. With him free and seeking revenge, she will never be safe. Her only chance for a normal life — and maybe true love — lies with Ratchet, a man who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her father from hurting her again… even if it means risking his life to save her. Purchase on Amazon  Queen Mary's Daughter by Emily-Jane Hills Orford There are so many possibilities that affect the course of history. One change, one small item overlooked, can make a world of difference, not only in a person's life, but in the history and well-being of an entire nation. And then there are those multiple scenarios of what if? What if King James VI of Scotland didn't succeed in amalgamating Scotland with England? What if there had been another heir to the throne of Scotland? One who would secure its independence? Would Scotland have remained free and independent and a nation of its own well into the twenty-first century? And would Scotland, this independent version, make its own decision to join the European Union when its southern neighbor was choosing to pull away? "Queen Mary's Daughter" presents another plausible timeline, one that incorporates both historical fact and fiction with the endless possibilities of time travel. Purchase on Amazon  Dating the It Guy by Krysten Lindsay Hager Emme is a sophomore in high school who starts dating, Brendon Agretti, the popular senior who happens to be a senator's son and well-known for his good looks. Emme feels out of her comfort zone in Brendon's world and it doesn't help that his picture perfect ex, Lauren, seems determined to get back into his life, along with every other girl who wants to be the future Mrs. Agretti. Emme is already conflicted due to the fact her last boyfriend cheated on her and her whole world is off kilter with her family issues. Life suddenly seems easier keeping Brendon away and relying on her crystals and horoscopes to guide her. Emme soon starts to realize she needs to focus less on the stars and more on her senses. Can Emme get over her insecurities and make her relationship work? Life sure is complicated when you're dating the it guy. Purchase on Amazon  A Chaotic Courtship by Bethany Swafford Twenty-year-old Diana Forester, a country-bred young woman fears that her inexperience and uncertainties have driven Mr. John Richfield away. On arriving back home from London, she learns that he is already there, ready to continue their acquaintance. If Diana thought that it was difficult in London, courting takes on a whole new aspect when Diana's younger siblings become involved. She finds herself dealing with her own feelings, her sister, her younger brother, jealous members of a house party, a jilted suitor, and a highwayman as she falls in love with the charming Mr. Richfield. Purchase on Amazon  Royally Entitled by Melody Delgado When her family’s cider business is ruined and other local businesses are vandalized, Anika Pembrie wonders if the recent bout of unrest is merely a result of rivalry between local merchants and noblemen or if something more sinister is at the root of the recent crimes. Along her journey Anika befriends Prince Valdemar, future king of Brevalia but their relationship hits many twists and turns along the way. Lady Winifred Paxel Flemming pursues the prince relentlessly. His grandmother, Queen Marguerite, expects him to wed whoever she thinks is suitable, even if it means marrying a foreign princess he’s never met. Anika’s mother, Lady Sarah, wants Anika to help ease the family’s financial burdens by marrying Erland Riccats, National Chairman of the Merchants’ Guild. Lady Sarah also harbors secrets regarding Prince Valdemar’s mother, Princess Karin, who met an untimely death years before. In the end, will both Anika and Prince Valdemar be forced into loveless marriages, or will they be able to outwit their enemies? Purchase on Amazon  Alone by SM Ford Ready for adventure in the snowy Colorado mountains, Cecelia Gage is thrilled to be employed as the live-in housekeeper for her favorite bestselling author. The twenty-five-year-old doesn't count on Mark Andrews being so prickly, nor becoming part of the small town gossip centering on the celebrity. Neither does she expect to become involved in Andrews family drama and a relationship with Simon Lindley, Mark's oh so good-looking best friend. And certainly, Cecelia has no idea she'll be mixed up in a murder investigation because of this job. Will Cecelia's faith in God get her through all the trouble that lies ahead? Purchase on Amazon  Season of Hope by Sara Jane Jacobs Amanda Jarvis and Tyler Armstrong have shared life together as best friends for ten years. But as Tyler prepares to pursue his dream of becoming a Navy SEAL, while Amanda plans for a future at Barnard College, he's awakened to the greatest challenge he has ever faced in the history of their friendship: he’s seeing Amanda as much more than just his best friend. Convinced the timing is all wrong, he pushes his feelings aside as he leaves for boot camp and Amanda heads to Manhattan for a summer job at her aunt's advertising agency. When Amanda’s plans for Barnard fall through, her new job catapults her into a modeling career. She readily accepts the much-needed distraction, filling her days with as much work as she can find. Tyler’s impending deployment is turning her world upside down. That, and the fact that she’s falling for her best friend. And, for the first time in her relationship with Tyler, she’s keeping a secret from him. Phoebe Garrison, Amanda’s controlling aunt, is thrilled when she is given the opportunity to manage her niece's new career. Bored with her Fortune 500 advertising agency, becoming Amanda’s manager is just what she's been looking for to rekindle her aspirations. But as Tyler becomes aware of Phoebe’s obsession to push Amanda into supermodel status, tensions rise and this perfect friendship will meet obstacles that Tyler and Amanda could have never imagined. As the three of them become entangled in a mass of concealed ambition and desire, each will make decisions that could change everything between Tyler and Amanda. Will the truth be revealed before Tyler is deployed? Purchase on Amazon  The Pirate Princess by K.R. Martin Sometimes, to become a princess… Raised to marry a king, Renee’s greatest desire is to be a true queen. So, while other girls learned the art of embroidery, Renee perfected her skills with a sword. She was prepared to earn the respect of her future husband, but a chance encounter with a handsome stranger awakens her heart to the possibility of love. … a girl must become a pirate. When tragedy strikes, Renee flees, right onto a pirate ship! Surprising herself, she offers to join their crew. Happy to finally put her swordsmanship to use, she fights injustice on the seas, but when her kingdom is threatened, can she give up the safety and happiness for an uncertain future? Or can she finally become the leader, the princess, her people need? Purchase on Amazon  Diamonds or Donuts by Lucie Ulrich Sarah Alexander’s marriage to millionaire Logan Montgomery is put on hold when Logan is offered the opportunity to go on an extended archeological dig in Egypt. Though not happy with his decision, Sarah supports her fiancé, despite the fact she’s already given up her apartment and teaching position. When Sarah’s best friend, Pippa, suggests Sarah move to Sunset Cove, she figures a new town, new job, and new friends are just what she needs to help her through the separation. If she’d known one of those friends would turn out to be kind-hearted, good-looking, and well-built, Officer Kevin Jenkins, she might have figured a little harder. Though Sarah goes out of her way to keep her relationship with Kevin on a friends-only basis, it’s clear their feelings for one another are teetering toward something more. Now Sarah must make the most important decision of her life. Will she go for diamonds or donuts? Purchase on Amazon  Abby's Letters by Dana Romanin For years, Jane’s mom told her horror stories about her time spent in foster care. Now she’s determined to keep her little sister from suffering the same fate. Seventeen-year-old Jane Sanders has had to take care of her alcoholic mother and little sister, Abby, since her dad died seven years ago. And now Mom had to go and die too. Authorities determine it was a homeless transient who died in the fire of the old manufacturing plant, but Jane knows the truth. There is no way she’s going to let Abby go into foster care which leaves her with one option—fake her mom’s life. As far as Abby knows, their mom is in rehab. And Jane wants to keep it that way. She’d be eighteen in a few months then she could become legal guardian to her sister. With the help of her best friend, Clark, it should be easy, right? Juggling nosy neighbors, a concerned school counselor, and an oblivious new boyfriend turns out to be harder than Jane thought. But the real problem begins when Abby starts writing letters to Mom. Through Abby’s letters, Jane sees a different side to their mom—a side she could have loved. And loving Mom is something she didn’t plan on. Because loving somebody makes it harder to ignore their death. Purchase on Amazon  Incomplete
by Kadee Carder Power within her. War without. Between the lines of flirtation and justice, Saylor must clench the missing pieces of her fate. While harnessing her ability to communicate with deadly weapons of mass destruction, attending the annual gala, and fighting her growing feelings for the hunky Australian soldier, Saylor’s instincts become increasingly distressed. Tempted by greed and in-dependence, she must determine what she stands for and on whose side she belongs. Purchase on Amazon  FRIENDS, put on your lovely Aussie accents, and welcome my fabulous Clean Reads author friend Tamar Sloan! She's recently released a fantastic non-fiction book titled GRIT FOR WRITERS which encourages, well, grit for writers. She's incorporated solid advice, helpful tips, and insight from other authors on this twisty adventure. *Possibly you might recognize some of those other authors!* I wanted to interview Ms. Sloan about her books and her latest release. So let's sit down for a great cuppa and chat for a few moments! KADEE: What's your favorite quote from the book? (Or a favorite)? TAMAR: My favourite quote in the book isn’t my own, but I love it because it sums up what grit is all about: Be willing to be uncomfortable. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may get tough, but it's a small price to pay for living a dream. - Peter McWilliams Although I do have quite a nice one from a fabulous fellow Clean Reads author who contributed to the book: Find your why, unleash your ardour for the art, and yank it along the journey with you. (Yes peoples, a Kadee Carder gem of wisdom!) KADEE: Aw! Love that, Tamar! <blushes> What made you decide to write Grit for Writers? TAMAR: I would say the impetus for Grit for Writers was a two-step process. I have a close friend who I met early in my writing journey. She’d been writing (on and off) for almost 20 years. She had persevered through rejection after rejection, and continued to chase her dream of being traditionally published. I truly admired that level of dedication, because I’m not sure I would have been able to do the same. As time went on I discovered what a roller coaster the publishing ride is. Full of exhilarating highs, stomach-dropping lows, and twists and turns you never see coming. I realised writing is a grit demanding profession. It got me thinking—what are the qualities that a person needs to keep following their dream, despite all the hurdles? As I started reading, I could see how valuable this information would be to my fellow writers. After much research and even more writing, Grit for Writers was born! Oh, and Heidi Catherine--my amazing friend’s— book is set to be published early this year. KADEE: How long have you been a psychologist/working with students? What made you want to be in that field? TAMAR: I was born with a strong sense of social-justice and a powerful desire to make a difference. It’s culminated in a career dedicated to working with adolescents and their families. 20 years ago I started out as a youth-worker with at-risk youth, discovering that working with marginalised and disadvantaged young people was challenging, but deeply rewarding. Knowing I’d found my niche, I studied and became a secondary teacher and worked exclusively in educational setting for these young people. Often there were days where I learned more than I taught from these young but wise, broken but unbroken, keepers of our future. I soon discovered that connecting with these kids was where my talent lay as an educator. So I returned to university and became a psychologist. I’ve been a psychologist for five years now, and it’s truly a privilege to walk alongside young people and their families every day. KADEE: What are your favorite and least favorite things about where you live? Would you want to live anywhere else? TAMAR: I’m pretty lucky in that I live in a small slice of the Australian bush, which is 20 minutes away from a major city—meaning I get the best of both worlds. I love the flexibility that having acreage allows me (I’ve owned milking goats, cows, sheep, horses, bees and even had an aquaponics system with trout!) but all the advantages of city life just a short drive away. Our boys love the opportunities our lifestyle has afforded them. If I had to identify my least favourite aspect of where I live, it would have to be winter, and it’s not even cold enough to snow most years! But I think I may be partially cold-blooded—I have permanently cold feet and hands during those months. On those days, Hawaii sounds pretty good… KADEE: What's your favorite book you've written OR character you've created AND why? TAMAR: Saved the hardest question for last, huh? I suspect the answer to this question will continually change—probably to reflect the book I’m writing at the time! Purely because that’s the magical character I’m watching, discovering, and falling in love with currently. Right now I’m working on Make it Yours, book 2 in the Touched by Love series. The main character is Emellia, a tough, persistent, lover of science (yep, fancy term for nerd). She’s witty and smart and desperately trying to save her father. It’s such a privilege to bear witness to her her highs and her lows whilst she determinedly tries to avoid the unavoidable love coming her way. I’m looking forward to sharing this special story of love and acceptance with readers. Late last year I would have said Casey, my protagonist from Make it Count, the girl who with a single touch, sees how many days a person has to live. Casey is fun and spontaneous and possesses an irrepressible spirit. I loved exploring the chemistry between her and PJ and writing her story of self-discovery. Before that it was shy, wounded Eden, the heroine of the Prime Prophecy series. Hers is a story of an epic love and the power of believing in ourselves…I think you get the idea… KADEE: Thank you so much for sharing these fabulous gems, Tamar! Now let's see what GRIT FOR WRITERS has in store for us!  Click the picture to download your copy now! Writing is challenging. It involves creating something deeply personal, then offering it up for public consumption. The rejection from agents and publishers, the slow sales, the negative reviews, and the most insidious under-miner, self-doubt, are all hurdles every writer will face. In a flooded, competitive market, how do you live your passion and keep reaching for your dream?
Grit. Grit is the ability to stick with things that are important to you, through thick and thin, through the thousands of words and hundreds of pages. The good news is this very key to your success can be cultivated and grown. With Grit for Writers you'll learn how to recalibrate your mindset and how to motivate your actions with proven psychological strategies. Before you realise it, you'll be the writer you're proud of, the one others look up to, the one that lives their passion. Don't be the writer that never finishes their novel. Don't be the writer that defines themselves by the 'no thanks' replies to submissions. Be the writer that experiences criticism and rejection and overwhelming self-doubt...and succeeds! Packed with personal stories of inspiration and proven strategies, Grit for Writers will have you on your way to writing success. Grab YOUR COPY of GRIT FOR WRITERS today! Before Josiah left the apartment, he glanced one last time out the living room window. There were two sparks of light a few miles in the distance. Trails of smoke followed the flashes through the early morning skyline. The tablet in his hand spoke in a calm male voice. "Warning. Incoming rockets.” **** John Theo's latest novel released yesterday with Clean Reads! I thought my readers would like to see about his newest release and get the latest intel on John's work.  MISSION TRIP, GENESIS AND EXODUS is the sequel to John Theo's MISSION TRIP. In 2077, doctor Kyle Faison remains trapped on the west coast of New America with a group of villagers he came to help. His father, Landon, races from their hidden underwater city to rescue his son. When Kyle goes missing, Landon tracks him to the city of New Sacramento, where a charismatic leader holds him captive. Landon must find a way past an army of soldiers to reach Kyle before the onset of another nuclear war. The origin of the underwater city known as the Atoll is revealed in a prequel flashback woven throughout the story. In 2040, technocrat Josiah Saunders has wealth and power and invests much of his resources into life extension technology. He ruins countless lives trying to reach this goal. The combination of a hostile takeover by his competitor, and a failed assassination attempt, send Josiah fleeing into the subway system of New York where he is attacked and left for dead. The narcissistic man soon realizes God has other plans for him, but first he must be broken and rebuilt as a new creature.  John Theo, Jr. has published numerous articles in New England based newspapers and magazines, and has taught screenwriting at the college level. MISSION TRIP, GENESIS AND EXODUS is his fifth fiction novel and the sequel to 2016’s MISSION TRIP (Clean Reads Press). John holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, MA.
I asked John a few questions about this release and his writing. He had some great answers and I'm rooting for Josh or Hugh too!
2) What's a favorite line or paragraph from the novel? The line at the end when Landon realizes God performed miracles to save his (Landon’s) son but did not spare His own son. At this point Landon’s “arc” is complete and he has healed from his past trauma. “He had not spared His only son, but made a point to spare Landon’s. It was as if Landon fully understood the cross of Christ for the first time.” 3) How many books have you written? When did you begin writing? I started writing back in high school for fun, but did not take it seriously until my mid twenties. I’ve written five books and one novella that cover a broad range: I have a young adult fantasy, a nautical murder mystery, a Tom Clancy-esque conspiracy thriller, the two Mission Trip stories as well as a prequel novella. All of which are available online or www.johntheo.com. 4) What inspired you to write MISSION TRIP? I wanted to write a sci fi story for a long time. I grew up a complete nerd reading comic books and watching every sci fi show, and movie, imaginable. I wanted to tell a sci fi story that had not been told yet, which is hard to do. If nothing else, Mission Trip is a unique tale because it is a futuristic re-telling of the Pilgrims story. At the time I wrote MT (2015) the world was in a bad place. Christians were (and still are) being persecuted all over the world. According to PEW research, Christians are the most persecuted group on the planet. They were also (to a lesser extent) being persecuted here in the US legally. This got me thinking about the future as well as the past. What prompted the pilgrims to flee Europe and what would it take for Christians to flee the US, and where would they go? 5) Do you currently teach screenwriting? Have you written any scripts recently? If you could turn MISSION TRIP into a movie, who would you cast as the lead? I’ve written multiple screenplays, but currently I’m marketing only two of them with my agent Pierre Rumpf. Nicky and the Saint, A Christmas Story is a screenplay about the historic Saint Nicholas and a modern day boy named Nicky, and how their symbiotic “hero’s journey’s” overlap. The trailer (or sizzle reel) is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMePOl_KK_Q&list=PLSogEOVpzTJHtXpPlfUJCNiO2Rs7a0Bnv&index=32 Christmas by The Sea is a straight up Hallmark Channel-esque romance set in a quaint New England seaside town. Unlike other made-for-television Christmas movies I instilled some comedy, and even a little action to broaden the audience base. The sizzle reel is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUtYScVghpI&list=PLSogEOVpzTJHtXpPlfUJCNiO2Rs7a0Bnv&index=2 Christmas seems to be a theme in a lot of my writing. I guess it’s the kid in me. As for teaching: I taught screenwriting off and on for five years at Endicott College in Beverly, MA. Prior to that I was a movie critic for a local paper and even acted a little on TV. I recently left my teaching job to move my family south. My wife and I punched out of the “rat race” and purchased a small business allowing us to be together more as a family. In the future I may create an online screenwriting class on Udemy. As for the MISSION TRIP books as a movie: I’ve often thought of who could play the lead. I think Hugh Jackman is the size and age of the main protagonist. He would make a great Landon. With that said, I love underdogs and going against the grain. I think an actor like Josh Duhamel is an underrated actor who (for some reason) was never given the opportunity to take-off as an A lister. This is all fun stuff to think about. For more information on John check out www.johntheo.com. You can get MISSION TRIP, GENESIS AND EXODUS for only $3.99 on Kindle Unlimited by clicking here! ********** Connect with him in other places on social media: BOOK TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1LBjsWLBbY YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_tXTp-mEENYHe2Ex3LJeXg TWITTER: https://twitter.com/search?q=john%20theo&src=typd FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=579062130  Pre-order your copy of the Young Adult Action Adventure HERE BE DRAGONS for only $4.99 and receive your own Alliance Military Guard Training Guide containing TWO WEEKS worth of exercises, guaranteed to get you in battle-ready shape to train as a Guardsman. In addition, every purchase earns an entry into a drawing to win a MONTH-LONG online FAT LOSS PROGRAM, worth $150! With over ten years of experience specializing in metabolic conditioning, and as the official trainer of the Alliance Military Guard, Fit By Faith© owner Krista Johnson has created ten workouts to get you in gear and ready to crush life. Utilizing a variety of whole-body strengthening techniques, your free gift with purchase will be just what you need to start your new year off the right way. Each of the ten workouts can be completed at home or in a gym, and takes approximately thirty minutes or less. ALSO Krista has generously given me one spot in her online FAT LOSS FORMULA PROGRAM. I've participated in her online program several times and learned something new every single time, along with losing over 10 pounds and 8 inches in one month! Over the course of six months where I've been measuring my progress and working consistently on my eating habits, I've lost over 20 pounds and 17 inches. Krista's program is worth its weight in gold. She gives you the education and information to manage your own nutritional and fitness goals to live a fat loss lifestyle like a boss. For every HERE BE DRAGONS receipt received, you earn ONE ENTRY in a drawing to win this spot in her class! Krista's online course begins December 31st. (See more about Krista's program, workouts, and courses at http://www.fitbyfaith.net/index.html) ***To earn a spot in the drawing, entries must be received by Wednesday, December 20th at 11:59 PM*** Click this link to pre-order HERE BE DRAGONS and submit your receipt to get your FREE GIFT NOW: http://www.kadeecarder.com/herebedragons.html What's HERE BE DRAGONS about? Alliance Military Guard sent the order. Sergeant Tucker Thompson acquiesced. Hopping a plane to his long-lost Australian birthplace, he's been charged with his toughest mission yet. Thompson must rally his company of soldiers to prevent a new generation of weaponry from breaching the world's borders. Pound the war drums. Rattle the cages. Here be Dragons.  Excerpt from HERE BE DRAGONS:
Creeping through the sultry space, footsteps steady and stealthy, we readied our weapons. Blood and fire pulsed through my veins like they’d done so many times in training. This was the game, after all. These Alliance builders loved their long hallways. Our rustling stirred up dust underfoot, and cement beams overhead groaned in disuse. “How many feet‘re we underground ya think?” Hawk asked from the back of the line. “Don’t ask.” Flashlights and head lamps illuminated the way before us, stark tile work on the ground cracked and chipped. With every few feet we advanced, the walls became more fractured and peeling, as if a wave of tremors had rippled outward from the explosions of the bombing. Like vines along the paint, crevices in the cement grew substantial and entangled. Cautious and wary, we proceeded. After several minutes of quiet steps echoing along the corridor, someone’s beam of light caught a fleck of darkness upon the wall. “What’s that?” Norita asked. Burkman shined his light to the scrawled paint upon the wall. The black paint dripped the warning: Beware. GET IT HERE: HERE BE DRAGONS Carl Wayne invited me on KOXE to chat with him about Here Be Dragons and my AMAZING promo leading up to release day. Check out some fun and funky Australian sayings, chat about themes behind the book, and how you can get a FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE!
Listen below by clicking the the triangle on the left of the gray play bar.  Readers' Favorite announces the review of the Young Adult - Adventure book "Incomplete" by Kadee Carder, currently available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MSABMCK. Readers' Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the "Best Websites for Authors" and "Honoring Excellence" awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies. "Reviewed By Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite What’s in a name? Does it define a person? Saylor is really questioning the merits of names. Her newly discovered father, the Commander, has taken disciplinary action. He doesn’t want Saylor injured in any way, and Saylor, being the reckless, headstrong young woman that she is, always finds herself at odds, not only with her father, but also with her twin brother, Logan. Someone is always getting hurt, even though Saylor claims to be looking out for everyone else’s safety and well-being. Part of the Commander’s disciplinary actions is insisting that Saylor use the name given to her at birth, Laurel. Only Saylor really doesn’t feel like a Laurel. As her growing friendship with Tuck intensifies into something more, he points out to her the importance of being herself. “You were born one person, and another person emerged. You can either be one or the other, but not both. See how you can use the weaknesses of one to engage the other. Become someone entirely new. Decide who you want to be from here on out. That’s what a name is. Nobody can force it on you, and nobody can fulfill it except you.”  Sage advice that we could all use at times. As the drama intensifies in Kadee Carter’s second book of Saylor’s story, Incomplete, the message and the title intertwine gradually. Lots of action packed scenes drive the story forward as the twins, Saylor and Logan, keep up their mission to take down the technological devices that are not only threatening their immediately community, but the world as well. Good characterization and plot development. A compelling read."
You can learn more about Kadee Carder and "Incomplete" at https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/incomplete where you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through their website and social media pages.  Sensations and sights sharpen. Those molten maple pools watching me. The heat pressing against my body. Those Adonis lips parting on an inhale. The bead of sweat raking down my spine. I lean forward, and my eyes widen the moment my next sense registers something. A scent, the kind of scent that has your head tilting reflexively, your mouth opening just a touch to see if it will land on your tongue. I don’t know what amber smells like, but I think this could be it. Woodsy, spicy…tempting…moreish. It’s the kind of smell that makes you wish you could spend more time breathing in than out. One hand reaches out to the red plastic fender rising from the back of the bike. The moment woven cotton presses into my fingertips, rather than smooth plastic warmed by the sun, I stop. It’s all I need to return me to reality. I take a step back, having to mentally force my nose to follow. PJ was never meant get close enough to smell, because exactly what I thought would happen just happened. He smells as good as he looks, and I don’t need any more temptation to fight. *** He’s irresistible…but she’s the one person who knows his days are numbered. Casey’s touch can reveal the one thing a person would never want to know — the number of days they have left to live. By the time Casey turns seventeen she’s learnt to withdraw. But the phobia she fakes in order to avoid human contact is sorely tested by hot, persistent, motorcycle riding PJ. For a girl who craves contact, maple eyed PJ is impossible to resist. When the inevitable happens, when hands, bodies and lips collide, Casey sees PJ's number, one that can only be seen as a cruel twist of fate. Now she must decide. Will she continue counting the days of her life, or start living a life that counts? With the memorable writing and humor of writers such as Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun blended with the attitude, chemistry and unexpected plot twists of Katie McGarry’s best sellers, Make it Count is a romance that will leave you swooning and smiling. Make it Count (ISBN: 978-1-62135-708-7, Clean Reads Publishing) is now available at www.tamarsloan.com and on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBooks. See more about Tamar and her books at: www.tamarsloan.com Purchase Your Copy: https://books2read.com/MakeitCount Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36284190-make-it-count  I had the opportunity to ask Tamar about her new release. Check it out!
Where did you get the idea for Make It Count? Make it Count, a young adult contemporary romance, is one of those books that comes to you at 4am (even though you just had major surgery!) and you just know it’s going to be a special story. It started with the seed – what if with one touch, a girl could see how many days a person has to live? Apart from all the heart-wrenching considerations like touching your loved ones, I knew she’d avoid touch at whatever cost. But then PJ arrived, and he was hot, and irresistible. I had to capture their chemistry, and their story. Who's your favorite character in it? I know this is going to be predictable, but it would have to be my heroine, Casey. I love Casey. She’s the character that is least like me so I had to really work to see the world from her perspective. I knew if anyone that had to live with seeing what Casey did, it would heart-wrenching. When Casey really showed herself, I realized it was harder for her than I could have imagined. Casey is impulsive and fun-loving and loves human interaction. Being so isolated is such a challenge for her (and the primary reason PJ’s tenaciousness is just what she needs!). Casey was the only person that could pull off Make it Count, and really glad I got to tell her happy ever after. A school psychologist by day, Tamar channels her passion for books into creating young adult stories about discovering life and love beyond our comfort zones. She is the award-winning author of the Prime Prophecy and Touched by Love Series. Tamar is also the author of PsychWriter: where psychology meets writing, a blog that supports and extends writers. When not reading, writing or working with teens, Tamar can be found with her ever-patient husband and two beautiful sons enjoying country life on their small acreage in the Australian bush. (That's right my friends, Ms. Sloan lives in the Great Down Under!) Tamar finds it deeply rewarding to share her stories and she loves to hear from her readers and fellow lovers of all things book related. You can find her at www.tamarsloan.com or on Facebook www.facebook.com.au/tamarsloanwriter or Twitter www.twitter.com/sloantamar.  At sunset, Travis and Hillerman reached St. Joseph, a smattering of buildings perched on the grassy eastern bank of the Missouri River. Thousands of people were already encamped around the frontier town. Tired as the two travelers were, the sight of countless glittering campfires sprinkled across the low rolling hills fueled them with energy. As they drew closer to the expanded town, a cacophony of guitars, banjos, and voices reached their ears. The emigrants played and sang the raucous, popular melodies of the day, as well as the occasional staid church hymn, all at the same time. Here and there the popular Christy’s Minstrels tune “Oh! Susanna” was belted out, but an intent listener would have noticed that, now and then, the destination named in the song was not Louisiana but rather California. In fact, new versions of the song had been written, in which a young man with a gold pan on his knee said goodbye to the poor forlorn Susanna and set out for the West. ~ Excerpt from WEST FROM THE CRADLE, Brigid Amos' latest release from Clean Reads! ~ If the West doesn’t kill you, it’ll make you stronger. Travis Cooper was not meant to be a prospector. Small for his age, he has never been much help on the family farm in Missouri. How could he survive the journey west to take up such backbreaking work? But when he sees a copy of the California Star in the fall of 1848, everything changes. One shining word jumps off the page: GOLD! Now staying alive is a struggle. Keeping his partner from getting himself killed is even harder!  Brigid Amos’ young adult historical fiction has appeared in The MacGuffin, The Storyteller, Wilderness House Literary Review, and Words of Wisdom. Her first novel, A Fence Around Her, was published by Clean Reads in 2016. A produced playwright, she co-founded the Angels Playwriting Collective and serves on the boards of Angels Theatre Company and Women Writing the West. She is also an active member the Nebraska Writers Guild. Although Brigid left a nugget of her heart behind in the California Gold Country, most of it is in Lincoln, Nebraska where she currently lives with her husband.
I had the wonderful opportunity ask Brigid a few questions about her writing process and stories. Here's what she had to say: Who's your favorite character in WEST FROM THE CRADLE? My favorite character in West from the Cradle is my protagonist Travis Cooper. When I used to hike through the Sierra Nevada Foothills of Northern California, dreaming of writing a book about the Gold Rush, Travis was the first character that appeared to me. I saw this young man astride a horse, looking down from a ridge upon a valley of Ponderosa Pine, Manzanita, and Madrone. In my mind, this optimistic and enthusiastic young man had just arrived from a farm in the Midwest and was looking with hope upon his future. If you read the novel, you will imagine something quite different. Perhaps you will see Travis barely able to walk, leading the mule he purchased in Fort Laramie, all his remaining possessions packed on her back. But the enthusiasm and optimism are still there, despite all the seemingly insurmountable obstacles he has faced on the trail west. Travis is my favorite character because he rises to a challenge while remaining humble. He is a survivor while maintaining his good heart. And most importantly, he is the best kind of friend a person could have. He would risk everything, even his own life, to save his friend. Who wouldn’t love someone like that? What are your favorite and least favorite things about writing? My favorite thing about writing is how I feel after a productive writing session. I can only describe this feeling as euphoric. This feeling doesn’t last of course, but I know I can always get it back by opening up a notebook and clicking a pen. I suppose this is addictive behavior, but I thank God for such a healthy addiction! There is nothing I don’t like about the actual act of writing. I even enjoy revision. However, the editing process before publication, in which every little comma must be properly placed and every adverb assessed can make writing feel like work. I think this is because at that point, there is less creativity involved. As a writer, I so appreciate those who actually enjoy editing. I was at the Nebraska Writers Guild booth on Labor Day, and a woman who told me how much she loved editing stopped by. I must have been looking at her as if she were an alien from another planet, an exotic creature whose thought process I could never understand. I’m at my best while scribbling with abandon in a notebook and everything that pours out is new and exciting. Not so much when I’m trying to make it perfect on a computer screen. Thank you for sharing your passion for those characters and your craft, Brigid! Brigid Amos' newest release, WEST FROM THE CRADLE, has hit shelves everywhere, and if you're a fan of historical fiction, you'll want to grab this one quick! Click on the link below to download today! Amazon: getBook.at/WestfromtheCradle Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/west-from-the-cradle-brigid-amos/1126943650?ean=2940158732119 iTunes: https://itun.es/us/jleOlb.l Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/west-from-the-cradle Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/741413 Join Brigid’s mailing list: http://www.brigidamos.com/mailing-list-signup.html Like Brigid on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brigidamoswriter/?fref=ts Follow Brigid on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Brigid_Amos Visit Brigid’s website: http://www.brigidamos.com/ *******GIVEAWAY NOTICE********** Brigid will be giving away one FREE copy of her book to one participant who comments on this blog post. Winner will be chosen at random by October 13th. Simply comment on this post to enter!  Hey BOOKISH people!
I've created an Instagram challenge for the month of October. I'll promote it on my blog and social media places. I wanted to invite you to join it! If you're on Insta, FB, or Twitter, you can use the challenge to engage with other readers in a fun and purposeful manner. What's an Instagram challenge? Use the keywords from the photo to create a fun, beautiful, personality-rich photo. The challenge is to create a picture for every day of the month. When you post the picture, be sure to hashtag with the day keyword and the challenge hashtag. For this one, it's #bemorebookmore. (Example: October 1st, create a square containing a book related to October or what you like about October or what bookish thing you'll be doing. Provide a caption like: Can't wait for #Booktober to begin. SO many books, so little time! #bemorebookmore #bookstagram#booklife) Feel free to save the pic, share the pic, and let's connect on Insta and have some fun in October! What you might do occasionally is search through the hashtags for those days and 'like' and comment on other people's posts. This makes the challenge even more fun for everyone! I hope to see you over there! If we're not connected already, I'm @kadeecarderink on Insta. :D |
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