Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Spotlight: Soul Stone: (DelSheree Gladden)


Spotlight

Soul Stone (Escaping Fate #2)

By DelSheree Gladden


Release Date: February 26th, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Length: 230 pages

Soul Stone (Escaping Fate, #2)



Goodreads Book Giveaway

Soul Stone by DelSheree Gladden

Soul Stone

by DelSheree Gladden

Giveaway ends March 31, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win



Arrabella thought she was done with dreams, done with curses and the threat of death.

After surviving the ancient Aztec curse that had plagued her family for centuries, Arra was more than ready for her new life in the boring little town of Grainer, Maine. Boring and small sounded perfect...but she should have known better than to think it would last. 

The dream was odd, but Arra passed it off as nerves about starting school in Grainer. Her boyfriend, Tanner, was there to distract her…and get her into a little trouble as well. He pushes the dream out of her mind until they walk onto the school campus and see her. The lonely girl from Arra’s dream. 

Tanner’s reaction is fierce. He won’t risk losing Arra again and demands she stay away from Sibeal, but Arra can’t stop thinking about her haunted expression. What if she can help her? Arra can’t just walk away and let whatever curse has a hold of Sibeal claim her without trying to stop it. But what if Sibeal deserves the punishment? 


Arra’s battle to make the right choice about Sibeal only gets harder when she is forced to turn to the person in town she likes least for help. Sebastian Wallace is arrogant and irritating, but he’s seems to be the only one who can help her. As Arra tries to determine what the right choice is, she finds out saving Sibeal may be the least of her problems.


Get your copy now on Amazon!


Meet the Cast of Soul Stone!

Sebastian Wallace * Arrabella Malo * Tanner Donovan * Sibeal Ahearn



Watch the book trailer for a sneak peek of what these four will face...



Get the first book in the series "Escaping Fate" FREE on Amazon February 26th-21th! 



Get Escaping Fate FREE on Amazon!

About DelSheree Gladden

DelSheree Gladden lives in New Mexico with her husband and two children. The Southwest is a big influence in her writing because of its culture, beauty, and mythology. Local folk lore is strongly rooted in her writing, particularly ideas of prophecy, destiny, and talents born from natural abilities. When she is not writing, DelSheree is usually reading, painting, sewing, or working as a Dental Hygienist. Her works include Escaping Fate, Twin Souls Saga, The Destroyer Trilogy, and Invisible. Look for, Wicked Power, the next book in the Someone Wicked This Way Comes Series, and Soul Stone, book two in the Escaping Fate Series, coming 2014.

Connect with DelSheree Online

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Never Forgotten (Kelly A Risser)

OFFICIAL COVER REVEAL AND GIVEAWAY

NEVER FORGOTTEN by Kelly Risser

We are pleased to release the official cover reveal for NEVER FORGOTTEN by Kelly Risser. NEVER FORGOTTEN is an upcoming New Adult Paranormal Romance published by Clean Teen Publishing. This paranormal love story is scheduled to release in June 2014! 



How can one day go so very wrong? One minute Meara Quinn is making plans for how she will spend the Summer before her senior year and the next she's finding out that her mother's cancer has returned and they are moving away from the only home she's ever known.

Now every day is a struggle as Meara is trying to cope with her mother's illness, being forced to move to another country to live with grandparents—whom she thought disowned her mother—and having weird visions of a father who was absent her entire life. Top it all off with one whopping secret that everyone seems bent on keeping from her, and Meara has the perfect ingredients for a major melt down. 

The only things keeping her from coming unglued are some new friends and Evan—the son of her mother's childhood friend—who seems to know Meara almost better than she knows herself. 

Together with Evan and her friends, Meara embarks on a new journey to unlock the secrets that will not only tell Meara who she is, but whatshe is.


WIN A DIGITAL ARC COPY OF NEVER FORGOTTEN AND A CLEAN TEEN PUBLISHING- AUTHORS ARE MY ROCKSTARS BRACELET! 



ABOUT KELLY RISSER:

Kelly Risser knew at a young age what she wanted to be when she grew up. Unfortunately, Fairytale Princess was not a lucrative career. Leaving the castle and wand behind, she entered the world of creative business writing where she worked in advertising, marketing, and training at various companies.

She's often found lamenting, "It's hard to write when there's so many good books to read!" So, when she's not immersed in the middle of someone else's fantasy world, she's busy creating one of her own. This world is introduced in her first novel, Never Forgotten. Never Forgotten, a YA/NA Fantasy, will be released by Clean Teen Publishing in the Summer of 2014.

Kelly lives in Wisconsin with her husband and two children. They share their home with Clyde the Whoodle and a school of fish.

 

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Cover Reveal: Soul Stone (Escaping Fate #2)


Official Cover Reveal

Soul Stone (Escaping Fate #2)

By DelSheree Gladden


Release Date: February 26th, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Length: 230 pages

Soul Stone (Escaping Fate, #2)




Arrabella thought she was done with dreams, done with curses and the threat of death.

After surviving the ancient Aztec curse that had plagued her family for centuries, Arra was more than ready for her new life in the boring little town of Grainer, Maine. Boring and small sounded perfect...but she should have known better than to think it would last. 

The dream was odd, but Arra passed it off as nerves about starting school in Grainer. Her boyfriend, Tanner, was there to distract her…and get her into a little trouble as well. He pushes the dream out of her mind until they walk onto the school campus and see her. The lonely girl from Arra’s dream. 
Tanner’s reaction is fierce. He won’t risk losing Arra again and demands she stay away from Sibeal, but Arra can’t stop thinking about her haunted expression. What if she can help her? Arra can’t just walk away and let whatever curse has a hold of Sibeal claim her without trying to stop it. But what if Sibeal deserves the punishment? 

Arra’s battle to make the right choice about Sibeal only gets harder when she is forced to turn to the person in town she likes least for help. Sebastian Wallace is arrogant and irritating, but he’s seems to be the only one who can help her. As Arra tries to determine what the right choice is, she finds out saving Sibeal may be the least of her problems.



Get the first book in the series "Escaping Fate" FREE on Amazon February 19th-20th! 

Turning sixteen should mean driving, dating, and breaking curfew. It should never mean certain death. Arrabella's excitement for her upcoming birthday is swallowed up by not only her dismay at being moved to a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere, but by the terror of the dreams that assault her every night. 

Stalking her dreams, the raven haired beauty warns her, taunts her, as she is paraded toward her death. Desperate for answers, Arrabella turns to her grandfather, the only one willing to delve into her family's dark past. Warning her that once she takes the first step, there is no going back, Arrabella's grandfather begins to unwind their awful heritage. The only joy she finds in the week leading up to her death is meeting Tanner Wheeler, a young man she barely knows but is immediately drawn to. A story of selfish betrayal reaching back to an age of merciless gods and blood sacrifice, Arrabella's world is sent into a deadly spiral.

Get Escaping Fate FREE on Amazon!

About DelSheree Gladden

DelSheree Gladden lives in New Mexico with her husband and two children. The Southwest is a big influence in her writing because of its culture, beauty, and mythology. Local folk lore is strongly rooted in her writing, particularly ideas of prophecy, destiny, and talents born from natural abilities. When she is not writing, DelSheree is usually reading, painting, sewing, or working as a Dental Hygienist. Her works include Escaping Fate, Twin Souls Saga, The Destroyer Trilogy, and Invisible. Look for, Wicked Power, the next book in the Someone Wicked This Way Comes Series, and Soul Stone, book two in the Escaping Fate Series, coming 2014.

Connect with DelSheree Online

Review: The Atomic Circus (KC Finn)

Caecilius Rex is used to seeing dead bodies in his work as a detective, but stumbling upon an incinerated body that has been dropped from an unknown height is a bit unusual. Cae is good with the strange and difficult to explain, though, and he is more than ready to take lead on this bewildering case. It's a decision that proves more dangerous than he could have imagined.

I loved the seamless combination of genres in this book. There are clear elements of noir mystery from the first page. The night opening with clandestine Cae finding the body is very reminiscent of Bogart and Sam Spade. Added to the noir elements is a modern twist of the story being set in post-apocalyptic Europe. This gives the story a sci-fi edge that allows more creative methods of not only detective work, but murder as well. The mix of genres will draw in a wide variety of readers.

The overall story was very well conceived. Readers will get to see both the procedural side of the investigation and the more fantastical aspects of the murder itself and the methods involved. I liked the fact that while the investigation was methodical, it wasn't overly technical and didn't bog the reader down with too many details. I very much enjoyed the sci-fi side of the story that dealt with strange chemical drugs and places like the Atomic Circus. It really added an exciting edge to the mystery because the possibilities expand so much and leave the reader guessing. Speaking to mystery of the incinerated body, the pacing varied between moderate moments of investigation and faster, more dangerous scenarios. The pacing pulls readers along easily, making them eager for answers and excited to keep reading.

Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I loved the characters. Caecilius Rex is will catch readers attention from the first page. His cool attitude at finding the charred body makes it immediately clear that Cae is familiar with tragedy and is personally scarred by what he has experienced. The gloves only add to his mystery, and I won't give anything away there, but learning about Cae's past is certainly a huge draw. I will definitely be continuing the series to find out more about Cae.


Get your copy of The Atomic Circus and KC's other books today.


Meet the Author

Born in South Wales to Raymond and Jennifer Finn, Kimberley Charlotte Elisabeth Finn (known to readers as K.C., otherwise it'd be too much of a mouthful) was one of those corny little kids who always wanted to be a writer. She was also incredibly stubborn, and so has finally achieved that dream in 2013 with the release of her first three novellas in the four-part Caecilius Rex saga, the time travel adventure The Secret Star and her new urban fantasy epic The Book Of Shade.

K.C. Finn has also recently been welcomed into the fold at Clean Teen Publishing as a debut Young Adult author for 2014 - look out for her epic Paranormal/Historical Adventure The Mind's Eye, coming early 2014!

As a sufferer with the medical condition M.E./C.F.S., Kim works part time as a private tutor and a teacher of creative writing, devoting the remainder of her time to writing novels and studying for an MA in Education and Linguistics.

Connect with KC Online

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Character Interview: Caecilius Rex (The Atomic Circus by KC Finn)

Let's meet Caecilius Rex, main character of KC Finn's "The Atomic Circus

First, a little about The Atomic Circus

A story is never a good story unless it starts with a murder. The more unusual the murder, the better the story, generally speaking. Meet Caecilius (KAI-KILL-EE-USS) Rex, a young detective in the not-too-distant future, a smog-filled post apocalyptic world riddled with crime and conspiracy. When a new case quite literally falls at Rex's feet, he teams up with his neighbour and associate Kendra Nai, an ex-army sergeant recently dismissed, to investigate. Little do they know that the events of The Atomic Circus will be the first step to solving the case of a lifetime.

***

1. Can you tell my readers who you are? Do you have a nick name you’d prefer I call you? 
My name is Caecilius Rex. Most people call me Cae since four syllable names seem to pose a certain difficulty for them, but if you’re interested in attempting the proper pronounciation it’s: KAI-KILL-EE-USS. Before you ask, it’s Roman. And before you criticize, I didn’t choose it. Blame my father.

2. For those readers who are meeting you for the first time, what do you look like? 
I suppose if you saw me walking down the street you’d think my attire was a little off. I wear a lot of black. It’s an occupational hazard of visiting crime scenes too regularly: blood hides better in black if it won’t launder out. I go through less clothes that way. I wear high collars and black gloves, and that’s always the same, day in, day out. Other than that I’m not especially striking: black hair, blue eyes, pale face, a lot of worry lines. You’re still thinking about the gloves, aren’t you? Let it go, trust me.

3. Can you tell us a little about your family?
A little, certainly. My mother died when I was nineteen, my father vanished four years prior to that. He’s also presumed dead. Before that they were scientists, a career I never much fancied joining in with, the chemical smell isn’t something I favour. I was never introduced to any extended family beyond them, so I assume that I don’t have any, and I’ve no siblings either, so that just leaves me nowadays.

4. Who are you closest to, and who do you wish you were closer to?
I don’t wish to be closer to anyone. The kind of past I have and the man it’s made of me, I don’t think it would be fair to inflict myself upon another human being in some utopic vision of closeness. That’s why I appreciate Kendra Nai, my neighbour and associate. She appreciates the need to keep a minimum safe distance from one another, she’s efficient and not bogged down with illusions like beauty and love. She gets on with things, like me, so I suppose that makes me closer to her than anyone else, at least in terms of respect and trust.

5. Where do you call home, and has that always been the same place?
Right now I live in Buchanan Street just outside of Dartley town centre, a town in one of the many metropolitan zones of Europa. I lived in a larger place out of town with my parents before disaster struck, but since then the district has provided housing for me when I officially joined the police force. It’s a small, practical house, fit for purpose and comfortable after a long day, which most of my days appear to be now. I’m almost certain that my parents lived somewhere else up until I was born, but I couldn’t tell you where.

6. What is your biggest fear? Is there anyone you trust enough to tell? 
I’m not keen on leaving things unfinished. I’d like to hope that I don’t go to my grave one day with things left undiscovered that would have brought me peace. I don’t think I need to confess that to anyone: one look at the way I do my work should tell you I’m that kind of man.

7. It seems like everyone has a secret. Do you?
Certainly. Several in fact. But if you think I’m going to tell you them, you’ve got another thing coming my friend.


Get youe copy of The Atomic Circus and KC's other books today.


Meet the Author

Born in South Wales to Raymond and Jennifer Finn, Kimberley Charlotte Elisabeth Finn (known to readers as K.C., otherwise it'd be too much of a mouthful) was one of those corny little kids who always wanted to be a writer. She was also incredibly stubborn, and so has finally achieved that dream in 2013 with the release of her first three novellas in the four-part Caecilius Rex saga, the time travel adventure The Secret Star and her new urban fantasy epic The Book Of Shade.

K.C. Finn has also recently been welcomed into the fold at Clean Teen Publishing as a debut Young Adult author for 2014 - look out for her epic Paranormal/Historical Adventure The Mind's Eye, coming early 2014!

As a sufferer with the medical condition M.E./C.F.S., Kim works part time as a private tutor and a teacher of creative writing, devoting the remainder of her time to writing novels and studying for an MA in Education and Linguistics.

Connect with KC Online

Monday, February 17, 2014

Escaping Fate Book Trailer

We're getting closer to the release date for book 2 of the Escaping Fate Series, Soul Stone. Until then, enjoy the new book trailer for book 1, Escaping Fate!


Get your copy of Escaping Fate now on Amazon and get caught up on the series before "Soul Stone" is released on Feb. 26th, 2014!

Amazon Prime members can borrow Escaping Fate for FREE!!

Interview: KC Finn (author of The Atomic Circus)

Today I'm excited to welcome author KC Finn to the blog to talk about the first book in her Caecilius Rex series, "The Atomic Circus." 

First, a little about The Atomic Circus

A story is never a good story unless it starts with a murder. The more unusual the murder, the better the story, generally speaking. Meet Caecilius (KAI-KILL-EE-USS) Rex, a young detective in the not-too-distant future, a smog-filled post apocalyptic world riddled with crime and conspiracy. When a new case quite literally falls at Rex's feet, he teams up with his neighbour and associate Kendra Nai, an ex-army sergeant recently dismissed, to investigate. Little do they know that the events of The Atomic Circus will be the first step to solving the case of a lifetime.

***

1. What inspired you to write about post-apocalyptic Europe where your characters are running around in gasmasks to protect themselves from the poisonous air? 
Being a British writer, I love to showcase Europe as my setting in all my books. Because the United States has such a wealth of successful science fiction writers, a lot of stories set on Earth are often set in an American context. I think giving the tale a European flavor centres it in something real even though the world I’ve created is very different from the one we know right now. It doesn’t mean I don’t have plans for the other continents of this world though ;)
The decision for the post-nuclear world inhabited by poisonous smog comes from my love of classic noir detective tales. The world today is so pollution conscious that the smoke-filled streets with mysterious sleuths in long black coats have become a thing of the past, so a contemporary setting for Cae’s adventures couldn’t have had the right atmosphere. I had to create a concept that would bring the smoke and shadows back to Earth and give the criminals somewhere to hide: enter post-apocalyptic! 

2. The Atomic Circus has both a great plot and fascinating characters, but would you classify your writing more as plot driven or character driven? 
Thank you for that, I’m very glad you thought so! I have a very specific process when it comes to writing any of my books, whatever the genre. The characters come to me first; they sometimes spend several months (occasionally years) living in my head before they make it onto the page. Kendra actually came from a totally different story that I started when I was a teenager. Cae and Damian were a few drafts of a chapter some two or three years ago (Damian was about 20 years younger in that original draft). So I knew these characters very well and what I needed was an appropriate setting to put them in, then the plot became evident once they were assembled there. I know what makes them tick and the kind of challenges that need to be set before them for them to really show off who they are. So it’s character first, plot second, but I have a long time sussing out both before I would really say I become confident enough in a story to call it a book.
3. Can you tell us a little about your main character, Caecilius (KAI-KILL-EE-USS) Rex, and how his past has shaped him?
I’ll see what I can tell you without spoiling it, because Cae’s discoveries throughout the four parts of the series are the main arc that continues from book to book. Suffice to say the man is both physically and mentally damaged by a huge traumatic event in his past. He is only 25 when the story begins but his experiences have made him seem old beyond his years. There’s a darkness to Cae and a bitterness when you first meet him, but he’s also extremely determined, intelligent and thorough in his work. Despite the unfair and frankly horrific things that he’s been through, he still believes in justice being done and I think that’s at his core no matter what other emotional transformations he goes through. Most of the fun in inventing his character was in creating his flaws and connecting them to past events to give a really clear picture of how he becomes who he is, obviously you need all 4 parts of the tale to see the full journey, but I think it’s a very satisfying one by the time you get there!

4. Without giving away too much, tell us a little about the main conflict Cae faces in this book. 
When we meet Cae in this book he has recently befriended his new neighbour, a 28 year old army sergeant by the name of Kendra Nai. She has recently been discharged from her military post and relocated to Cae’s hometown of Dartley, but she’s had a lot of trouble filling the void that now exists after ten years of regimented military life. So when an incinerated body falls from an incredible height with traces of a mysterious drug, Kendra jumps at the chance to join Cae in his quest to find out exactly how the body came to be and who’s responsible for this bizarre murder. From there, readers will be led to The Atomic Circus itself, a truly criminal place that only offers trouble for inquiring minds! There’s plenty of death and drugs, but nothing is sensationalized or too unpleasant. I like to think that everyone can enjoy this kind of mystery without having to feel sick to the stomach from a whole lot of gore!

5. What do you hope readers take away from The Atomic Circus? 
Hopefully a strong introduction to Cae and Kendra and who they are as young people struggling to live in this toxic world around them. I’d like people to acknowledge that The Atomic Circus is the beginning of a much bigger story that expands in the following 3 novellas, a story which I hope sets the stage for bigger and better things to follow it. I will give you this little gem too, just between you, me and the internet: the big bad villain of the whole series has already made an appearance in The Atomic Circus. The savvy  among you may already have your suspicions!

6. Now for a few fun questions! What song best describes your writing style?
Music plays a big part in my writing and I find each different series that I do takes on a different collection of music! I never have just one playlist for getting into the writing mood! For Caecilius Rex it’s always been nineties and noughties alternative rock, bands like Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco provide my writing mood for Cae and Kendra’s adventures!

7. Night Owl or Early Bird?
When I wrote The Atomic Circus and its first sequel Counterclockwise, I was very much a night owl, but my writing style has totally changed in the space of a year! I am definitely an early bird now; I like to get a good 2 hours of writing in first thing before the rest of the household wakes up!

8. Skittles or M&Ms?
Can I be bad and say neither? I’m not really a sweets kind of person, I much prefer savory snacks! Monster Munch all the way!

9. Who are your favorite authors?
As ever, I will bow down here to the brilliance of the true master of storytelling: Vladimir Nabokov. If I can even be a tenth as compelling as him by the end of my writing career I will have done my job well! More recently I’ve been enjoying the works of great independent authors such as Michael G. Williams and Amy Freeman, whilst also discovering the genius of my fellow writers at Clean Teen! You guys are telling some pretty amazing stories and I’m enjoying discovering them one by one this winter!

10. Can you tell us about your future projects, including The Mind’s Eye? 
Whoa! This is a big area as 2014’s going to be a huge year for me! First off in connection with Caecilius Rex, the fourth and final part of Cae’s story, entitled ‘Lachrymosa’ will be released the first week in March, shortly followed by a re-release of all 4 novellas in one handy anthology volume on March 9th: the complete story is released on this date to commemorate The Atomic Circus’s original release and my debut as a writer.

I am also delighted to be following this up with my first release from my new publishers Clean Teen Publishing: a paranormal/historical adventure called ‘The Mind’s Eye’. This is a very British tale about a young disabled girl evacuated during the Second World War who hones and experiments with her psychic powers to get a better look at the war around her. This is the first book in the Synsk series, all the books feature teen characters with the same kinds of psychic powers but they are set at different times in British history. The second installment ‘Leighton’s Summer’, set in 1945, will be released shortly after ‘The Mind’s Eye’, followed by a third volume set in 1961 in the early autumn/fall. 

In the world of my other independent books, fans can expect two novellas (June) and a full length novel sequel (October) to my best-selling urban fantasy tale ‘The Book Of Shade’. The much anticipated follow on to the time-travel adventure ‘The Secret Star’ is also on its way to you this August, entitled ‘A Stitch In Time’.

Get your copy of The Atomic Circus and KC's other books today.


Check out the book trailer for KC's upcoming novel, The Mind's Eye



Meet the Author

Born in South Wales to Raymond and Jennifer Finn, Kimberley Charlotte Elisabeth Finn (known to readers as K.C., otherwise it'd be too much of a mouthful) was one of those corny little kids who always wanted to be a writer. She was also incredibly stubborn, and so has finally achieved that dream in 2013 with the release of her first three novellas in the four-part Caecilius Rex saga, the time travel adventure The Secret Star and her new urban fantasy epic The Book Of Shade.

K.C. Finn has also recently been welcomed into the fold at Clean Teen Publishing as a debut Young Adult author for 2014 - look out for her epic Paranormal/Historical Adventure The Mind's Eye, coming early 2014!

As a sufferer with the medical condition M.E./C.F.S., Kim works part time as a private tutor and a teacher of creative writing, devoting the remainder of her time to writing novels and studying for an MA in Education and Linguistics.

Connect with KC Online

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Looking for a new book?

Looking for a new book for this weekend? Check out Bestselling Reads!


I recently joined Bestselling Reads, a great collection of indie authors working to promote each other and introduce readers to some amazing indie books. 

There's a little bit of everything at BSR, from YA, to memoirs, to nonfiction, and so much more. Stop by and check out the fabulous authors and books you may not know about yet!

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Review: The Woodlands (Lauren Nicolle Taylor)

Life inside the rings has never been pleasant for Rosa. The rigid rules don't sit well with her adventurous and strong-willed spirit, and she often finds herself in trouble because of this. Lately, however, getting into trouble is her only defense against her hateful stepfather. She half expects her attitude will be what costs her everything in the end, but that would have been more bearable than the truth.

Set in post-apocalyptic Russia, The Woodlands society is harsh and rigid. The focus on "All Kind" over individuality is a common theme in dystopian style novels, but there is an element of uniqueness to this world that draws readers in immediately. The Superiors rule the Woodlands by keeping the different groups of survivors isolated from each other to the point of absolute dependency. Even Rosa's strong personality has trouble seeing past the inevitability of falling in line with the Superiors. Even so, Taylor still manages to keep an underlying sense of hope throughout the terrible trials Rosa faces to keep the readers from despairing too much.

Something I always look for in a novel is a strong cast of characters. Rosa is a character most readers will easily relate to right off the bat, but it is the varied supporting cast that truly gives this novel the sense of reality it needs to capture readers' attention. I very much enjoyed the complexity of each supporting character and the depth of not only their emotions, but their motivation and perspectives on their lives. Joseph is a beautifully deep character who's initial cheerful personality might make readers not take him seriously, but his depth of conviction and troubled soul will make him unforgettable.

It isn't just the supporting characters that readers will have a hard time pulling away from. While this isn't Rosa's story alone, she is definitely the main focus. Rosa isn't immediately the most "likable" character in the sense of her being the kind of girl who easily wins people over. At times I would find myself wishing she could be just a little different, a little less antagonistic or more able to open up to those who love her, but if she were any different she wouldn't be nearly as captivating. It is Rosa's imperfections that make her so real, so unique. It will pull at readers' heartstrings as they suffer along with her through incredible trials.

Rosa's story is not always a happy one, yet her strength and fierce love for her friends never lets the reader lose hope in her. This is the first book in The Woodlands Series, and I can promise that readers will be eager for book two as soon as they finish this one.

Get your copy of The Woodlands now from: 

FREE on Amazon Kindle and available in paperback

Connect with Lauren online at: 


Monday, February 10, 2014

Interview: Lauren Nicolle Taylor (author of The Woodlands)

Today I'm welcoming Lauren Nicolle Taylor to the blog to tell us a little more about herself and her YA post-apocalptic novel, "The Woodlands." 

1. What was your inspiration for The Woodlands? Can you tell us about how your own experiences influenced this story? 

My inspiration for The Woodlands started with race. It then bloomed into the concept of All Kind, the contradiction that to eradicate racism you must blend all the races and make everyone look the same. I am of mixed race background and it was interesting to me to twist that and see where it led me. I also drew on other personal experiences to do with being a young mother, a teenager in love and my obstetrics background to write The Woodlands. 

2. Would you classify this series as plot driven or character driven? 

Definitely character driven!

3. Can you tell us a little about Rosa and how her home life has shaped the way she interacts with others?

Rosa is a solitary character, not by choice but because her inability to control her behaviour makes her an outcast in the tightly controlled Woodland society. She has a complicated relationship with her mother who appears not to care and sides with Paulo, Rosa’s verbally abusive and controlling stepfather. Rosa’s reaction to this situation is to antagonize Paulo and do anything she can to get into trouble. This is not because she’s trying to get attention but rather because she doesn’t care enough about her own wellbeing to stop herself. She doesn’t think she matters. Her mother reinforces this every time she turns a blind eye to Paulo’s abuse.

4. Without giving away too much, tell us a little about the trials Rosa faces. 

Rosa starts out a very closed off, angry child. As the book progresses she is faced with challenges that force her to open up, to love and trust people. This is a hard fought battle and often she clambers halfway up the hill only to slide back down again.

5. What do you hope readers take away from this book after meeting Rosa and Joseph? 

You’re always so much stronger than you think you are.

And it’s not always instant, it’s not always romantic but a love based on mutual respect and acceptance is worth the wolves, the helicopters and everything in between. 


6. What song best describes your writing style?

Anything Can Happen Finn Brothers

7. Night Owl or Early Bird?

Neither. According to my husband there is only a magic seven-minute window in every day where I’m pleasant to be around ;)

8. Skittle or M&Ms?

M&Ms preferably peanut butter M&Ms.

9. Who are your favorite authors?

I love Veronica Rossi, Colleen Hoover, Maggie Stiefvater, Julianna Baggot…

10. Can you tell us about your upcoming book, “The Wounded,” any other future projects? 

The Wounded picks up where The Wall left off. Firstly, Rosa must deal with her father suddenly entering her life after a long absence. The challenges she faces in this book will either break her and Joseph apart or bring them closer together. The secrets they uncover will completely change their world and everyone else’s.

In terms of future projects, I have to write the fourth and final book of The Woodlands series. I have also written a New Adult novel. The blurb/synopsis is below.

Langley is eighteen years old. She's spent most of her childhood in and out of foster care until she gives up lying and admits to the fact that she sees her dead sister. Now she spends all of her time in a psychiatric facility. The problem for Langley is she doesn't want to be treated. She wants to keep her delusion, it's the only family she has. 
Tupper is an orphan as well. But lucky for him he was adopted by a loving family. He had a great childhood, but he always felt like something was missing. So on his eighteenth birthday he takes the car his biological mother abandoned him in and follows the map they found in the glove box detailing a trip through the middle of America to Canada.
Tupper and Langley meet when she escapes the mental institution and he's on his way to the Grand Canyon, the first stop on his mother's map. Together they hash out the past, enjoy the silence of each other and realise some things can be fixed but other's you just have to live with.

Connect with Lauren online at: 


Sunday, February 9, 2014

Soul Stone Cover Reveal and Blog Tour Signups Now Open!

Guess what's coming up? 

Early 2014 is going to be an exciting time for me, and for my readers! Between now and April, I'll be releasing 4 new books!

First up on the list in the second book in the Escaping Fate Series. 
Soul Stone will be releasing Feb 26th. 2014. 

If you'd like to participate in the Cover Reveal on Feb 19th, or the Blog Tour starting Feb 26th, head over to Signup Genius and sign up now! Bloggers, reviewers, and readers are welcome to participate!

Next up is "Intangible" the next book in The Aerling Series!

If you've been patiently waiting to find out if Mason and Olivia will find their way back together after being separated in order to save Mason's life, mark your calendars! 
Intangible will be released March 12, 2014

Cover Reveal and Blog Tour signups will be coming soon!
You won't want to miss the cover reveal. Invisible and Intangible will be getting brand new covers in the cover reveal, featuring Mason and Olivia!

Last, but not least, is Wicked Hunger and Wicked Power, the first two books in the Someone Wicked This Way Comes Series!

Wicked Hunger will be released by Clean Teen Publishing April 1, 2014. Wicked Power doesn't have a set release date yet, but we're hoping to release it either the same day, or shortly after, so check back for updates often! 

Clean Teen Publishing will be hosting a Facebook Release Party on April 1st for Wicked Hunger and KC Finn's new ya novel "Mind's Eye. I'll post the link and invite as we get closer to the release date. 

Friday, February 7, 2014

Freebie Alert! The Key by Jennifer Anne Davis

In anticipation of book 2 in Jennifer Anne Davis' True Reign Series, book 1, "The Key" is FREE for a limited time!!

Get your copy today at your favorite ebook store

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

The Woodlands Series by Lauren Nicolle Taylor


Lauren Nicolle Taylor's The Woodlands Series will be featured on the blog next week, but here's a sneak peek of the third installment of the series coming out February 28th, 2014. 


Start the series today with a FREE copy of "The Woodlands" on your Kindle and most major ebook readers. 


When being unique puts you in danger and speaking your mind can be punishable by death, you might find yourself fighting to survive. Sixteen-year-old Rosa lives in one of the eight enclosed cities of The Woodlands. Where the lone survivors of a devastating race war have settled in the Russian wilderness because it's the only scrap of land left habitable on the planet. In these circular cities, everyone must abide by the law or face harsh punishment. Rosa's inability to conform and obey the rules brands her a leper and no one wants to be within two feet of her, until she meets Joseph. He's blonde, fair-skinned, green-eyed, and the laid-back complete opposite of Rosa. She's never met anyone quite like him, and she knows that spells danger. 

But differences weren't always a bad thing. People used to think being unique was one of the most treasured of traits to have. Now, the Superiors, who ruthlessly control the concrete cities with an iron fist, are obsessed with creating a 'raceless' race. They are convinced this is the only way to avoid another war. Any anomalies must be destroyed. 

The Superiors are unstoppable and can do anything they want. After all, they are considered superheroes by the general public. But not everyone sees them this way. When they continue to abuse their power by collecting young girls for use in their secret, high-tech breeding program, they have no idea that one of those girls has somehow managed to make friends even she didn't know she had. And one man will stop at nothing to save her.


And when you're done reading The Woodlands, continue the journey with the explosive, emotional sequel, The Wall.

And don't forget book two in the series, "The Wall," available on Amazon and most major ebooks stores. 

"She says it over and over. It's her mantra, her prayer, her plea. But life doesn't stop while he's sleeping. With a newborn baby in her arms, Rosa's thrown into a new world, with new rules and a philosophy that sounds too good to be true. She's sure they didn't rescue her out of the goodness of their hearts. The Survivors must want something in return.

The Wall finds Rosa eagerly entering a new life, yet struggling to keep the demons and ghosts of the past from dragging her backwards. She's left so many people behind.

There's freedom in the Survivors' world, more than she'd ever dreamed of, but there's also secrets. The darkest of which pulls Rosa headfirst into a trauma, forcing her to reevaluate her past and pushing her to make a choice that threatens to destroy the tenuous, sewn-together family she's built on the outside.

To continue the journey, lookout for book three of the four book Woodlands Series, titled The Wounded to be released in Feburary 2014!"

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Love is in the Air Giveaway!

LOVE IS IN THE AIR AT CLEAN TEEN PUBLISHING…

It's the month of love and Clean Teen Publishing wants to celebrate this month with a LOVELY GIVEAWAY where you can win your choice of a Cheryl's Cookie and Pretzel gift or a $25 Amazon Gift Card! This month we will be celebrating the epic love stories from our Clean Teen Publishing and Crimson Tree Publishing books, our book boyfriends and girlfriends—including an upcoming exclusive CTP book boyfriend quiz—and other romantic posts from our authors and maybe even a post or two from our very own Mr. Squirrel. 


Huh? I'm not sure what you mean Mr. Squirrel. Oh wait… You want a book girlfriends quiz? 


Well yeah, I mean obviously squirrels can have girlfriends… Well, at least it would make sense and all. We didn't leave the book girlfriend quiz out of this because we didn't think squirrels could have girlfriends. We didn't create a book girlfriend quiz because we just didn't think that guys would really want to fill out a questionnaire about their fictional book girlfriends. Are we wrong? Does the average guy… or squirrel… enjoy taking quizzes? 


Okay then! So now that we are clear that Clean Teen Publishing does not discriminate against squirrels, nor do we believe that squirrels can't have girlfriends, let's get to the good stuff! 

ENTER TO WIN THE CLEAN TEEN PUBLISHING LOVELY GIVEAWAY! 


Enter to win one of the following prize packs:
 or 


1st Place: Winner's choice of either a 10pc. classic cookie and pretzel gift from Cheryl's or a $25 Amazon gift card (for those of you on a diet, allergic to chocolate or out of the country) and your choice of any Clean Teen or Crimson Tree Publishing digital book! 

2nd Place: Winner's choice of any CTP digital book and a complimentary bookmark. 

3rd Place: Winner's choice of any CTP digital book.