Wednesday 29 August 2012

Rose's Will: Book Cover Contest Finalist


Hey everyone,

Rose's Will by Denise DeSio is a finalist in the Book Cover Contest over at Bookplex. Please take a moment to go on over and VOTE for it. Pretty Please :) :) :)


 
This cover was created by the amazing Sean Samborski, the man behind Therian's cover!!
 
Voting ends September 3rd.
 

Monday 27 August 2012

Review & Giveaway: The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar



Hello, and welcome to my stop on The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar by Steven Katriel Blog Tour.
 
 

 
 
 
When Gabriel Holland’s beloved Helena vanishes from his life, he journeys to the home of disgraced artist Cristian Salazar, the man he holds responsible for her disappearance and the death of several friends. Once in the town of Carliton, Gabriel finds only malice and mystery in the tales told by the few brave enough to speak ill of Salazar and the sinister Cousin Beatriz. And within shadows, in the guise of night, walks Alatiel, the creature Helena has become. . . .


REVIEW


First off let me just say that the cover of this novella reminds me of a Lady Gaga music video!! It's weird and creepy, and is a beautiful impression of what to expect under the cover.


This story is probably one of the best horror tales I have read in forever. I only wished it was a full length novel and not a novella. From the very beginning of the story, the reader is introduced to so many characters that it was easy to become a little lost trying to keep up with all of them, and if this story had been stretched out a little, perhaps they could have been better developed.

However, Katriel's writing style is superb and flows so easily, that even with everything going on it wasn't difficult settling into the macabre and twisted story of Alatiel Salazar, the muse who lures her victims in with her innocent looks and then turns their passion and desire into a dark obsession that leads to their ultimate demise.


It is quite clear from her first introduction that Alatiel is not exactly normal, and as Gabriel Holland goes in search of his beloved Helena, a chilling mystery reveals the truth of Alatiel’s existence and the darkness that stalks Carliton; A town under the control of Christian Salazar, a man stricken by grief and out for vengeance.

 
This is an unnerving ghost story that will send shivers down your spine. Just check out the book trailer to see what I mean!!

 
It gets...

Photobucket
 
 






About the Author

Steven Katriel writes Gothic Horror, Paranormal Fantasy, and Literary Fiction. He has lived in Wales, UK all his life. In recent years, he wrote history articles for a community magazine. Steve’s literary heroes and heroines range from Oscar Wilde to Hilary Mantel. He has a passion for past times and this is reflected in his writing.
To learn more about Steven Katriel and his writing projects, please visit the website below:

http://stevenkatriel.wordpress.com/ or check him out on Twitter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
And now onto the giveaway!!
 
5 x eCopies of this amazing novella are up for grabs, just fill out the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday 25 August 2012

Ahoy! Stop ePiracy Blog Hop


What is E-Piracy, and why are we making such a big deal about it??

Well, quite simply put, E-piracy is THEFT!!

That's right, when you click on that free download link, you are in every sense of the word stealing!

As an author, I'm thankful that I haven't fallen victim to this trend, yet. As a reader, I cannot believe that anyone would want to disrespect the very people who provide the tools that keep our imagination alive!!

Having said that, I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt before prosecuting them, so I have to believe that readers who download free books from unauthorized sellers are ignorant to the detrimental effect their actions will have. So I'd like to help them better understand why E-piracy can be so damaging. Time to bust some myths!

Myth 1: It's only one download, what harm can it do.
Imagine if a hundred, or even a thousand people all shared that sentiment. And let me assure you that illegal downloading equates to much more than a few thousand downloads!!

Myth 2: Authors can afford the loss.
Authors do not make millions from book sales. It normally takes months, or at least 10 000 or more copies sold before an author even starts to reap the rewards. Even then, the amount an author receives on each copy sold is not substantial. We write because it's our passion, not the path to becoming rich.

Myth 3: Illegal downloading doesn't hurt anyone.
Of course it does! Authors spend weeks, months, and in some cases years perfecting the art of writing, creating characters and stories for our entertainment. They pour their heart and soul into everything they write. Stealing their work is a slap in the face! But authors are not the only ones hurt in the process. The time and resources spent on making a book the best it can be, will mean that publishers are forced to increase the price of books, which means readers will have to fork out more for the books they love!

Myth 4: Only Indie Authors are affected by E-piracy
E-piracy has no bounds. Whether an author is self-published or represented by a large publishing house, there is a chance they will fall prey to pirates.

Myth 5: Books are too expensive to buy through an authorized seller
There are many other ways to get your hands on a book you want to read! Go to the library, borrow a book from a friend or save up until you have enough money to buy the book. Just don't steal it!!




There are so many torrent and free download sites, but if readers stop supporting their illegal activity, perhaps we can stop these pirates from destroying the industry we all love so much!!

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope I have shed some light on this topic, and I hope you will take a moment to think before pressing that download button!

Remember to check out the other blogs participating in this hop:

http://www.passionatebookdivas.com/
www.lovlivlifereviews.com
http://darkobsessionchronicles.blogspot.com/
http://mybookboyfriend.blogspot.com
http://karlacc-bookaddict.blogspot.mx/
http://kaidansseduction.blogspot.com/
http://nicsquared.com/
http://magluvsya03.wordpress.com/
http://k-booksxo.blogspot.co.uk/
http://thinksbooks.blogspot.com/
http://wefancybooks.blogspot.com/
http://tana-someofmyfavoritebooks.blogspot.ca/
http://makingconnectionsgroup.blogspot.com/
http://randomjendsmit.blogspot.com/
http://adiaryofabookaddict.blogspot.com/
http://wheneverlifegetstough.blogspot.com/
http://robincovingtonromance.com/
http://www.alwaysyaatheart.blogspot.com/
http://www.shannondermott.wordpress.com

Thursday 23 August 2012

Feed Your Reader Giveaway Hop



Hello everyone,

Thank you for joining me on my stop of the Feed Your Reader Giveaway Hop, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Books: A True Story.

I never thought I'd enjoy reading books on an eReader, but now I have two and I haven't read a paperback in months. I carry my eReaders with me wherever I go!!

Don't get me wrong, I still think there is something magical about the feel and smell of paperbacks, but eReaders are so much more convenient, compact and hey, who doesn't love having an entire library of books to read, whenever, wherever, right?

Okay, so now onto the important stuff...the giveaway :)

Up for grabs is a copy of my debut novel, Therian (The Bloody Crescent #1), as well as any other 48fourteen release (Can be a future release, if you are willing to wait for it)


Click on the covers to find out more about each book:

Current Releases
 





 
Coming Soon

 
 







Rules:

  • Giveaway is International ( eBooks available in ePub, Mobi. and PDF format )
  • Entrants must be 13 years or older
  • The Winner will be contacted via email, and will have 72 hours in which to respond.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


But WAIT!! There is more.

A few amazing bloggers got together and kindly donated towards an eReader!!
  1. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
  2. A Book Lovers Review
  3. BookHounds
  4. Bookitty Blog
  5. Lauries Thoughts & Reviews
  6. Book of Secrets
  7. Stuck in Books
  8. Lisa's Loves (Books of Course)
  9. Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf
  10. Fire & Ice
  11. Good Choice Reading
  12. There's a Book
  13. Helen Smith
  14. alchemyofscrawl
  15. Bookworm Lisa
  16. Living Learning Loving Life
  17. Mashed Potatoes & Crafts
  18. Mostly YA Book Obsessed
  19. Kelly's Lucky You
  20. Dark & Dreamy with C.C. Marks

Win a Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet or other Ereader of your choice (Up to $200)




a Rafflecopter giveaway


Before you go, don't forget to hop over to all the other blogs participating in this hop. That's 100 chances to win amazing books! YAY!





Monday 13 August 2012

#SWUR Wrap-up & #RCCleanup Update

Read-a-thon Signups
 
 
Time to wrap-up the Summer Wrap-Up Read-a-thon!!
 
I really didn't do very well! I only managed to read 3 books. Life has been just a little too hectic at the moment, but I will try my best to finish all of the books I listed :)
 
So what did I read?
 


 
I will post my reviews for Something Strange & Deadly and Over You this week. My review for The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar will only be posted at the end of the month when my post for the Blog Tour goes up :)
 
 
 
 
Now before you go...don't forget that the Review Copy Cleanup is still under way, and you have until August 15th to sign up!!
 
 


 
The Guidelines
  • The challenge runs from 1 to 31 August
  • To sign up, just fill in the Mister Linky below. Link to your sign up post directly please! The Linky is the same for both our blogs, so you only have to sign up once
  • The sign up is open until 15 August 2012
  • When you post your sign up post on your blog, either include the challenge button with your post or link it back to this article so that people know where to sign up. Thank you!
  • Every book you received for review counts towards the challenge, both ebooks and hard copies, including all genres and lengths
  • You don't need to follow the two hosts in order to be able to sign up for the event (although it's appreciated)
  • Feel free to use the #RCCleanup hashtag on Twitter for your RCC related tweets or join in the Twitter party at http://tweetchat.com/room/RCCleanup and meet lots of awesome bloggers (:
  • The dates of the readathons and Twitter parties will be announced closer to the RCC

Want to join in the fun???
Click here and sign up!

Tuesday 7 August 2012

FREEBIE ALERT



Exiled by J.R.Wagner is FREE on Amazon for two days ONLY (Aug 7-8)!!


Click on the pic above to get your copy now!



BOOK DESCRIPTION

Stripped of his powers and banished to The Never, James must save himself before he can save his fellow sorcerers from imminent demise. Prophesied by the greatest of all seers to be the sorcerer who would bring an end to the Epoch Terminus—the destruction of his kind—James grew up developing his powers under the watchful eye of his mentor, Akil Karanis. James’s insular world is shattered when he is found guilty of murdering Akil and exiled to The Never, a mysterious and dangerous place reserved for the worst of the worst, a land from which no one returns. Powerless and alone, James quickly learns that the land itself poses a greater threat than its inhabitants. If he is to have any chance of returning to his family, any chance of proving his innocence, any chance of saving his kind, he must survive the dangers and temptations meant to ensnare both body and mind in order to discover what no one else has been able to discover—a way home.


Check out my REVIEW for this book!!


The Bloggy Awards



The Bloggy Awards' nominations are officially open! You have until August 13th to nominate your favorite Blog for this prestigious award!!

The categories are:

  • Well-known blogger
  • Best design
  • Best reviews
  • Most helpful
  • Best breakout blog (Best new blog, meaning within six months)
  • Best review for a contemporary book (For this, if you nominate somebody leave a link to their review)
  • Best review for a paranormal book (For this, if you nominate somebody leave a link to their review)
  • Best review for a dystopian book (For this, if you nominate somebody leave a link to their review)
  • Best review for a sci-fi book (For this, if you nominate somebody leave a link to their review)
  • Best review for a fantasy book (For this, if you nominate somebody leave a link to their review)
  • Best reviews in general
  • Best meme
  • Nicest blogger
  • Most creative blogger
  • Hottest blog (best content: I just got tired of constantly saying "Best" and "Most")
  • Best group blog
  • Most influential
  • Best author blog
  • Promo Queen
  • Best tour group blog

So rush on over and nominate your favorite blogs :)

Oh, and while you are at it, I would LOVE it if you voted for my super, awesome, amazing friend Maghon @ Happy Tails & Tales. Mags has been nominated for the Nicest Blogger award, and she truly deserves it. We met through Goodreads and although I've never actually "met" her, she is just one of those people you know you'll love! I get the impression that she is always bubbly and happy, even on the bad days!!

To vote for Mags, CLICK HERE and look for Maghon @ Happy Tails & Tales.

THANK YOU!!!


The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar Blog Tour



Hello everyone!

Today marks the start of The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar Blog Tour hosted by Immortal Ink Publishing!!







When Gabriel Holland’s beloved Helena vanishes from his life, he journeys to the home of disgraced artist Cristian Salazar, the man he holds responsible for her disappearance and the death of several friends. Once in Carliton, Gabriel finds malice and mystery in the tales told by the few brave enough to speak ill of Salazar and the sinister Cousin Beatriz. And within shadows, in the guise of night, walks Alatiel, the creature Helena has become.











About the Author

Steven Katriel writes Gothic Horror, Paranormal Fantasy, and Literary Fiction. He has lived in Wales, UK all his life. In recent years, he wrote history articles for a community magazine. Steve’s literary heroes and heroines range from Oscar Wilde to Hilary Mantel. He has a passion for past times and this is reflected in his writing.
To learn more about Steven Katriel and his writing projects, please visit the website below:

http://stevenkatriel.wordpress.com/ or check him out on Twitter.

 
This book has received rave reviews and at only $0.99 it is a steal!!

But make sure to check out all the stops along the tour for your chance to win your very own copy.

The Tour Dates


August 6, 2012
Immortal Ink Publishing - Giveaway & Blog Tour Landing Page

August 7, 2012
The Ginger Nutcase - Character Interview + Giveaway

August 8, 2012
Bookish Things and More - Review & Giveaway

August 9, 2012
SM Boyce - Guest Post & Giveaway

August 10, 2012
A Life Among the Pages - Author Interview & Giveaway

August 13, 2012
CJ Listro - Review & Giveaway

August 14, 2012
Blood Skies - Excerpt & Giveaway

August 15, 2012
Book Lust - Review & Giveaway

August 16, 2012
Wren Doloro - Author Interview & Giveaway

August 17, 2012
The Peasants Revolt - Review & Giveaway

August 20, 2012
NR Wick - Review & Giveaway

August 21, 2012
Rainy of the Dark - Author vs. Villain Interview

August 22, 2012
Anna Allegra Books - Review & Giveaway

August 23, 2012
Paranormal Lounge - Character Interview & Giveaway

August 24, 2012
Gecko Gomez Blog - Review & Giveaway

August 27, 2012
RoxyKade - Review & Giveaway

August 28, 2012
Masquerade Crew - Guest Blog & Giveaway

August 29, 2012
KittyB78 - Review & Giveaway

August 30, 2012
Leo Godin - Guest Blog & Giveaway

August 31, 2012
Redefining Perfect - Review & Giveaway


Hope you all enjoy the tour!! Remember to stop by my blog, August 27th, for my review and giveaway :)





Monday 6 August 2012

STOP E-Piracy Blog Hop!!








Summer Wrap-up Read-a-Thon: TBR list

Read-a-thon Signups
 
 
 
 
Oh my gosh!! I can't believe I missed the beginning of this Read-a-Thon!! But better late than never, right??
 
So anyhoo, here is my TBR list ( As this Read-a-thon falls in conjunction with #RCCleanup my list will be the same )
 
  • Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
  • Over You by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
  • Defiance by C.J. Redwine
  • What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang
  • The Dead Girls Detective Agency by Suzy Cox
  • The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech
  • Something Red by Douglas Nicholas
  • The Portrait of Alatiel by Steven Katriel ( I will take part in a blog tour and be hosting a giveaway for this book at the end of August )
  • Liberator by Bryan Davis
  • Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
  • The Demon Catchers of Milan by Kat Beyer
  • Love Bomb by Lisa Zeidner
  • Night Forbidden by Joss Ware
  • Cascade by Maryanne O'Hare
  • Homecoming Weekend by Curtis Bunn

Of course I won't be able to get through all of these books in a week, but as I'm not really sure which order I'll read them in, I've listed all of the possibilities :)

Tweet updates using hashtag #SWUR
Challenge Schedule
Times are Pacific you can use a time converter HERE
Challenges will run for 24 hours

August 4
START OF THE READ-A-THON Some Like it Paranormal & In Between – Show us your TBR
8:00am
Jessica  @Wickedly Bookish - Wicked Summer Cover Challenge
2:00pm
Misa @The Magic AtticRewrite the Synopsis - INT

August 5
8:00am
Trini @Book Lovers ReviewHotter than Summer

August 6

8:00am Emily @Falling for YA Cover Love Challenge
2:00pm
Shae @Understanding Shae’s Story - Summer Vacations
6:00pm
Mackenzie @Oh For the Love of Books!Summer Party Challenge

August 7
2:00pm
Allison @Abibliophobic Mystery Title Challenge

August 8
8:00am
Daphne @Winged ReviewsSummer Couples - INT
2:00pm
Sadiya @Random and BookySummer Reading List

August 9
8:00am
Rachel @Unforgettable Books Individual Challenge
2:00pm
Christina @A Reader of FictionsDystopian Challenge - INT

August 10
8:00am
Montana @The Book BellesLaughing Out Loud Challenge - INT
6:00pm
Shreya @Chocolate Coated ReviewsBook Cover Challenge - Canada/US

August 11
8:00am
Patrick @The BookshelvesTitle Story Challenge
2:00pm
Stephanie @A Dream Within a DreamParanormal Summer


August 12
8:00am
Bekka @Pretty Deadly ReviewsVolleyball by the Beach - INT
2:00pm
Margie @Bumbles and Fairy-TalesQuote Challenge
6:00pm END OF THE READ-A-THON Some Like it Paranormal & In Between- Wrap Up and Photo Album.





Wednesday 1 August 2012

REVIEW COPY CLEAN-UP 2.0

It's finally here!! The olympics of read-a-thons!! Review Copy Clean-up 2.0

Okay, so we all know how it goes...we start off by reading a few review copies of books sent to us by authors or publishers, we join Read 2 Review discussions on Goodreads, and then bham! we discover websites such as Netgalley and Edelweiss, and before we know ir our TBR pile is overflowing and we've lost all control!

Yes, reading is fun and we all love it, but review copy requests can become an addiction!
Thanks to the counsellors over at Nyx Book Reviews and Books, Biscuits and Tea :) there is hope for us!! And this Review Copy Clean-up intervention is just what we need!

If you haven't signed up for this event, you may do so by clicking on the picture above. Sign ups end August 15th.

My list of review copies is so exhorbitant that I don't even have time to read the books I have bought or even those I have won through some amazing giveaways! I keep walking into bookstores, only to walk out empty-handed because the thought of buying a new book, only to have it sit on my shelf for months without being touched actually scares me a little.

So here is my plan:

Between working and writing three of my own books, I will do everything possible to read the following:

  • Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
  • Over You by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
  • Defiance by C.J. Redwine
  • What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang
  • The Dead Girls Detective Agency by Suzy Cox
  • The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech
  • Something Red by Douglas Nicholas
  • The Portrait of Alatiel by Steven Katriel ( I will take part in a blog tour and be hosting a giveaway for this book at the end of August )
  • Liberator by Bryan Davis
  • Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
  • The Demon Catchers of Milan by Kat Beyer
  • Love Bomb by Lisa Zeidner
  • Night Forbidden by Joss Ware
  • Cascade by Maryanne O'Hare
  • Homecoming Weekend by Curtis Bunn

I have many more which I will add to this list, if I get through all of these books. As well as reading and review the books listed, I still have so many reviews to write for books I have already read, so I will make sure to post all outstanding reviews within the month of August as well :)

Let's get this thing started!! Good luck to all my fellow readers!! Look forward to connecting with you all on Twitter #RCCleanup.







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