Blog Tour: Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols (Review + Excerpt)

Title: Dirty Little Secret
Author: Jennifer Echols
Expected Publication: July 16th 2013
Publisher: MTV Books
My rating: 4 stars

Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.

Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…

While I have read a number of Jennifer Echols' books before, they're usually either a hit or miss for me. So whenever I picked a book of hers there's always this little cautiousness that comes with it. Yet when I picked Dirty Little Secret, for some reason, I actually felt quite sure that I would enjoy it. Maybe because it was music-themed? Or because the main protag is a fiddle/violin player? (I have serious soft spot for violin players, i.e. Virtuosity)Or maybe because it was just really good? Oh well, whatever it was I'm just glad to say that Dirty Little Secret is definitely a hit for me! It certainly is one of my favorite Jennifer Echols' books.

Bailey Mayfield was a character I easily felt for even from the very start. The emotional baggage she was carrying was something I had easily understood. I could not entirely fault her for her past unwise actions because I can clearly see where it all came from. Instead, I blamed it all to her selfish, unfeeling parents! Bailey was a very likable character; she was a very good sister, daughter and musician. That's why I just couldn't fathom how her parents could easily disregard her like that. So I was really glad when she met Sam Handiman and his band. 

So onto Sam, this guy was someone you could so effortlessly fall into but just as easily you could get pissed off. YET, for some reason, it was hard not to remain too angry with him. This guy is very charming, talented, sweet and so so adorable (although he does carry some pretty intense emotional baggage too). But even with that I like how it was showed how flawed he is too. His strong drive and determination to reach his dream was admirable but sometimes it gets a little too much that he consciously/unconsciously ends up disregarding some other people's feelings. In the end though he learned that there are things or person that is much more important than what he think is.  

Although I don't know much about country music I actually still enjoyed exploring it through here. The dynamic between the band too was amazing. I love how they could easily work and produce a really wonderful music together. 

I'm not sure if this is the kind of book that would work for almost everybody. I admit there are moments that I get a little lost and disoriented in this one, especially with Sam, although I still always found my way back (to him) eventually. Lol! But there are a lot of good and great things that definitely make up for that. In the end, I still end up having a lot of fun reading this. I recommend this book.

Thank you MTV Books for providing a copy of this book.

***Excerpt***

“We’ll see about that,” I grumbled. With my circle skirt sweeping behind me, I spun in Ms. Lottie’s chair and stepped out of her hair-and-makeup alcove. I opened my fiddle case on an abandoned bookcase with a “Romance” sign on top. Better that than “Addiction” or “Family Planning,” which was where my parents thought I was parking my fiddle these days. I ran the bow across the strings, making minor adjustments with the tuning pegs. I didn’t need a tuning fork. I could tune my instrument by ear and I was always right. Other people didn’t believe me, though, and I often spent a whole set of songs gritting my teeth and playing A at a fourth of a step up or down from 440 hertz.

Determined not to let that happen this time, I marched across the bookstore with a smile on my face, which seemed a lot more natural while I was in costume. Mr. Cash and his son sat in chairs on opposite ends of the lounge area, playing their guitars. I would charm them into doing things the way I wanted. I watched them as I walked closer. Johnny Cash was a man about my dad’s age with his dark hair greased and combed into a pompadour. He wore a dark suit with a white shirt and a bolo tie, which worked fine for Mr. Cash but also wouldn’t have turned heads anywhere in Nashville. People around here were a little eccentric about bolo ties.

Ms. Lottie had coaxed his son’s hair into the same glossy pompadour, but his clothes could have passed for current, too, part of the Buddy Holly aesthetic so popular right now at Vanderbilt. He wore low-top black Chuck Taylors, black jeans folded up a few turns like greasers wore them in the 1950s, and a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up above the elbows. The material stretched tight across his chest and biceps. He was big enough to have played football.

As I approached, Mr. Cash never looked up. There was no reason for him to. The lounge area was always busy at this time of the afternoon with musicians milling back and forth between the couches and Ms. Lottie’s area. A 1950s fiddle player coming closer shouldn’t have been an unusual sight.

But his son looked up. I was watching them, listening to the cacophony as they played two different songs in two different keys. I saw the exact moment when Cash Jr. realized someone was making a beeline for him. His dark eyes widened at me, his stare so unabashed and his expression so intent, as if reading my face that I felt myself blushing in response.

And then he grinned at me. His eyes sparkled. The corners of his mouth lifted through a day’s worth of dark stubble, which didn’t quite jive with the pompadour. He definitely was only a few years older than me, and so handsome that I wished for the millionth time I’d never cut my blond hair off and dyed it black. Then I remembered I was wearing my red ponytail wig, which was even worse.

Now I knew what Ms. Lottie had meant when she said he was a heartbreaker. And he hadn’t spoken one word to me yet.

***Giveaway***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Stripped by Brooklyn Skye (Promo Post)

Title: Stripped
Author: Brooklyn Skye
Published: May 14th 2013
Publisher: Brooklyn Skye

“I like you.” His voice is low and soft, which I don’t deserve. I look away, down the rutted parking lot. “Don’t... waste those words on me.” He touches my cheek. “You just need someone to show you.” “No.” I ease back again. “I don’t. So please, Torrin, stop trying to swoop in and save me. I don’t need saving.”

College freshman Quinn Montgomery will do anything to avoid the mistake her sister made—killing herself over a boy. But when she is forced into nude modeling at a local college to support her family after a bankruptcy, she begins to crack, just enough to let Torrin, the university’s top varsity oarsman, see that the real Quinn is not as feisty and unapproachable as she wants everyone to think. But letting someone in comes at a steep cost and, it turns out, Torrin is connected to Quinn’s family in more ways than she could ever imagine.

***STRIPPED on Etsy***

Hi. My name is Brooklyn and I’m an Etsy addict. *laughs* Okay, maybe I’m not that bad, but it is sort of fun to play there. Check out all the STRIPPED-related goodies I found!

Zoe’s Owl Necklace (almost the exact one we used on the cover, which, yes, I got from Etsy):

by iceblues - $24.00

A Rowing Crew Bookmarker:

By pchum  -  $5.00

A very Torrin-like photo of a boat that was recovered after sinking:

by LogeePhotography - $30

 Crew-inspired Water Droplet Earrings:

By SashaNewkirkJewelry   -  $48.00

Photos like these remind me so much of Torrin. This one’s titled Blades:

By Riekki    -  $35.00

Rowing Wine Charms

By pchum    -   $13.00

***GIVEAWAY***

One signed paperback copy of Stripped (US only) or one e-book copy with authorgraph (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Brooklyn Skye is just your average awkward girl who's obsessed with words. She grew up in a small California town where she quickly realized writing was an easy escape from small town life.

Website / Twitter / Goodreads

Blog Tour: Touch of Death by Kelly Kashway (Review + Giveaway)

Title: Touch of Death (Touch of Death #1)
Author: Kelly Hashway
Expected Publication: January 15th 2013
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
My rating: 3.5 stars

Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

Touch of Death was a fun and quick read. It was easy to get with the flow of the story and with the characters and understand what was really happening. It offered interesting points especially in mythology plus adding some twist about zombies. I actually sped through this! However, comes with its fast-paced writing was the feel that everything was happening in a rush. Thus also makings some part predictable and a little unconvincing. 

The main character, Jodi Marshall, was a character that is easy to like. She played a very special and powerful character in the story however I couldn't seem to find some distinctive trait and quality in her that would have compelled me to really really like her and admire her character. Making her a little bland for my taste. Having said that she wasn't really a bad case of a main character. She has good qualities and principle but nothing really powerful or unique.

Alex, the love interest, started as a very intriguing character. I liked the bad boy and wicked side he'd shown in the beginning. I would have loved it even more if it hadn't been that toned down that much around the middle of the book when he and Jodi are finally learning and knowing each other. Still he's probable my most favorite character in this story. 

I liked how Hashway combined the idea of Mythology and zombies. Adding to that, the mythological side wasn't really that conventional since it put one of the most known villains in the mythology on the good side. The only problem I had was that it felt rushed and quite predictable. I wouldn't have mind it being a little longer if it would make everything more credible and thrilling.

Overall, Touch of Death is a pretty entertaining and interesting read albeit a little lacking with some elements that might have made it even better. Still, I really did enjoy the overall. If you're looking for a fun, quick and unique paranormal read but doesn't have that too complex and mind-boggling world and plot, this is the right book for you.

Thank you Spencer Hill Press for providing me a copy of this book.

***Giveaway***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mia's Heart by Courtney Cole - Release Day Blizz

Title: Mia's Heart (Paradise #2)
Author: Courtney Cole
Publication: November 13th 2012
Publisher: Lakehouse Press

My name is Mia Giannis. I am seventeen years old. I live in Valese, Caberra.

This has become my mantra and my lifeline, having recently lost my memory due to a scary natural disaster.

Yeah. I have amnesia. Messed up, right? You don't know the half of it.

Not remembering anything has turned my world upside down. My parents try their hardest to “remind” me of who I was, but it doesn't feel right. Or, if what they're saying is true and that really was me, I'm not sure I like that person very much.

And then there’s my love life. Apparently, Gavin Ariastasis is my oldest and best friend in the world. Also, apparently, we’ve never dated. But now, noticing him for what feels like the first time, he’s making my heart do somersaults. He knows me inside and out—the real me. Plus, he’s sexy and charming as hell. Sounds perfect, right?

But then... there’s the new guy. Quinn McKeyen – tall, gorgeous and deliciously American. His mischievous grin and slow Midwestern drawl turn my insides to mush in two seconds flat making me question who I really am and what I really want.

Seriously. What am I supposed to do with all that?! I feel torn between them, but I barely even know who I am, let alone what I want.

I just hope my indecisive heart will clue me in. And sooner rather than later…before I lose what little of my mind that I have left.

**Excerpt**

I flip over and suddenly, I’m terrified. 

I’m panicky.

The sea is so very vast. 

And I’m so very alone.

I scream.  I can’t help it.  And as I do, I accidentally gulp in a huge mouthful of water.  Everything that follows is a blur. 

I start coughing and flailing my arms and even though I’m wearing a life-jacket, I’m thrashing around like a lunatic.  I hear the boat motor start up and then I feel the wake of the boat as it crests up to me.  Gavin is next to me and before I know it, he’s hauling me over the side of The Shining. 

I’m in his lap, on the floor of the boat and he is holding me and I am shaking.

OhMyGod.

I’m such an idiot. 

I’m such an idiot.

And I must be repeating it out loud, even though I don’t mean to, because Gavin is telling me, “No, you’re not.”

But I am. 

I really am.

“I don’t know why I got so afraid,” I tell him.  “I think I had a panic attack.”  My voice sounds pathetic and I hate it.

Gavin tightens his grip on me, his strong arms are wrapped around me and I suddenly realize that his skin is pressed against mine and it feels really, really good.  I push into him harder and clutch him to me.

Because for some insane reason, I’m still unnerved.

“It’s okay,” he tells me softly.  He’s stroking my back and I’m trying to catch my breaths like a normal person.  “You’ve been through a lot. I shouldn’t have let you float like that alone.  You seemed like you were doing fine, so I climbed up onto the boat to watch you and I must have fallen asleep.  I’m so sorry.  This is my fault, Mi.”

I look up at him.  He’s so sexy and concerned and my heart melts.

“It’s not your fault that I’m insane,” I tell him firmly.  “I don’t know why I panicked. I can’t even explain it. Everything just all of a sudden felt so big and I felt so small and alone.  I guess I kind of freaked out.”

Understatement of the year.

Gavin’s dark eyes are soft as he stares at me.  He brushes a thumb across my cheek and says that he is so very sorry. 

“It makes sense, Mia,” he tells me.  “You can’t remember who you are.  So you feel sort of alone in the world.  And when you fell asleep while you were floating and woke up, the sea felt big.  And everything came down on you at once.  It’s okay. I get it.  But you’re never alone.  I want you to know that.  You will always have me. You always have and you always will.”

My heart swells until it might burst. 

It feels so incredibly, amazingly good to have this beautiful boy tell me that.  To know that he has always been my friend, that he knows me inside and out.  And then I do something unexpected.

I lean up and kiss Gavin. 

On the mouth.

Sweet Angel of Mercy.

His lips are soft and warm from the sun.  I can taste the sea on them and I weave my hands into his hair, pulling him closer.  He tightens his grip on me and kisses me back; hard, hard, harder.  He tastes like fruit and smells like sunshine. 

It’s really nice. 

Wonderful.

Amazing.

My heart is doing flip-flops when I finally pull away. 

Gavin stares down at me in shock.

“I’ve always wondered what that would be like,” he admits.  “Kissing a firecracker, I mean.”  I smile. 

“And?”

“It’s really too difficult to say from just one kiss,” he says, his dark eyes twinkling.  “We should try it again so that I have more to go on.”

He cups my face in his hands and dips his head, his lips meeting mine. 

He tastes of butterscotch and man.

Twenty-five beats of my heart later, he pulls away. 

“And?” I breathe. 

“You’ll do,” he grins.  

Check out Dante's Girl - the first book in the Paradise Diaries Series  

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

**Giveaway**

During the Release Blizz Courtney offers one signed copy of Dante’s Girl to one lucky winner! US/Can only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could.

She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds.

Every Last Kiss is her debut novel and she followed it with the rest of The Bloodstone Saga (Every Last Kiss, Fated, With My Last Breath and My Tattered Bonds).

Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.

Learn more about Courtney and her books at www.courtneycolewrites.com

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook fan page

Excerpt and Giveaway: Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole

Hi guys! So today I'm happy to share you an excerpt from Courtney Cole's young-adult novel, Dante's Girl as part of its promotional even hosted by AToMR. I'm also hosting a giveaway for a gifted copy (Kindle or Nook) of either of her two other paranormal novels , Soul Kissed and Princess. Giveaway is open international. And if the winner is from US/Canada he/she will also receive a signed 4x6 glossy of Dante's Girl. This ends on October 1.

I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring. Until this year.

And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things:

1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes. 2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac. 3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish. 4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise. 5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.

Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference?

But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl.

My heart just might be crazy.

Amazon / Barnes & Nobles

***Excerpt***

There are rose bushes everywhere. And peonies, which are my favorites.  And lots of white marble statues of Greek gods.  And one of Napoleon.  Why in the world is this country so obsessed with Napoleon? 

I am just wondering if the small statue is life-sized when Dante interrupts any coherent thought process that I might have by striding across the lawns with a racquet in hand and wearingshort-short tennis shorts. 

Sweet.

Baby.

Monkeys.

It’s like a slow-motion scene from a movie.  Dante shakes his blond bangs out of his eyes and the sun catches every glint of gold in his hair.  His legs are long, lean, tanned and muscled and HolyCowThereIsAGod.  If I were a man, I would totally be wolf-whistling right now.  But then again, if I were a man, I guess I wouldn’t be wolf-whistling at Dante. 

I’m such a weirdo.

***Giveaway***



Winner’s choice of a gifted ecopy (Kindle or Nook) of Princess or Soul Kissed. Open International. If winner lives within US/Canada, they will also receive  a signed 4x6 glossy of Dante’s Girl.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

-------------------------------------

Find and follow author, Courtney Cole on her:

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

-------------------------------------

Bog Tour: Chasing McCree by J.C. Isabella (Interview + Giveaway)

Hi guys! As part Chasing McCree Tour hosted by YA Bound I'm sharing you a promo post which is an interview with none other that the lovely author of the book, J.C. Isabella! Check out the interview below and a giveaway for a copy of Chasing McCree and the short story A McCree's Star Spangled 4th.

------------------------------------------

How old were you when you started writing?

JC: I was sixteen when I started writing.

How did you get your books published?

JC: I self-published through Amazon Kindle, just for fun at first.

How did you find an editor?

JC: At first I didn’t have one. I had friends and family look over my work. I found one online with great references. You just have to make sure the person knows what they are doing and can be trusted with your work.

Do you write or type your books?

JC: I type them. I’d never be able to read my scribble if I wrote it out.

Do you have any tips for writing?

JC: Write every day. Have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously. In the beginning just let the words flow and don’t stress if your writing isn’t perfect. It takes time and practice.

Do you have any ideas for a story?

JC: I do and I keep them on a list and check them off as I go!

Did you start out writing short stories or skip strait to full books?

JC: I just started writing whatever came out. I thought they were really long stories, but now when I look back, they were very short and had hardly any detail at all.

How do you get an idea for a book?

JC: It usually happens when I’m listening to music. I hear a song and I can imagine it as a story. The rest of the time it’s when I’m blow drying my hair. I always think up new things when getting ready for some reason!

How do you stay focused on a book and not get side tracked?

JC: I give myself goals. Like, I need so many words by this date. I like to write in the afternoon and evening, it’s when I do my best work.

How do you come up with names for your books?

JC: Generally I get the name from the book. Chasing McCree is the Character’s name. A little play on words. I sometimes don’t think of a good name until a book is almost done.

How do you come up with story lines for your books?

JC: I take a cue from the characters. Every lead has an issue they have to deal with, and that issue drives the story.

How do you come up with characters?

JC: Some of them are based on people in a very loose way. Zack Warren was an idea that came from knowing a guy who was a baseball player. For Chase McCree, I wanted to find out what a classic cowboy hero would be like as a teenager. Some of my characters just pop up as I’m writing, as if they’d always been there.

Do you base your characters off of real people or make them up?

JC: Both

Find and Follow J.C. Isabella on her:

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

---------------------------------------

***GIVEAWAY***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Briar Thompson had it all. The right clothes, the right friends, the right car. Being popular was all that mattered. Her parents were rich and treated like royalty throughout the community. She thought her senior year of high school was going perfectly, until the night her drink was spiked at a party by one of her so called friends.

That was the night she met Chase McCree.

Chase wanted to go back to Montana. To the ranch and the wild, wide blue sky that went on forever. He wanted nothing to do with flashy cars or spoiled rich kids. But he found himself head over boots for the quirky cheerleader who turned her back on her social status. She befriended him when no one else would.

Shunned and hurt by the people who were once her friends, Briar flees with Chase to his family ranch in Montana. There she discovers another world, and apart of herself she never knew.

The cowboy wasn’t like anyone she’d ever met. The cheerleader wasn’t like anyone he’d ever met. Apart their lives didn’t seem to make sense, but together, they were chasing forever.

Amazon / Barnes & Nobles

Inbetween Blog Tour: Review + Guest Post + Giveaway

Hi guys! Today is my stop for Tara Fuller's Inbetween Blog Tour. I'll be sharing a book review, a guest post about the behind the scenes of Inbetween and a giveaway!

Title: Inbetween (Kissed by Death #1)
Author: Tara Fuller
Publication Date: August 28th 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky — and unending — lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option. 

 It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left…his soul.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Review:

I'm not usually into reaper boy-human girl story. I remember reading some but not many. I don’t really have problem with them but I wasn’t really that inclined to pick them up. Still, when I saw the blurb of Inbetween there something about it that had me hooked. I was intrigued and interested and very curious to find out the story of Finn and Emma. So I was really glad when I was able to join a blog tour for this book and got a review copy of it.

The plot line of this book kinda reminded me of some angel books like Fallen and Daughter of Smoke and Bone. The girl being reincarnated as a human who doesn't remember anything from her past life and the guy who knows and remembers everything but torn and guilty from moving back to the girl's new life. Although it wasn't very original I think it still delivered some quite unique stuffs that I find enjoyable and amusing.

Finn was an endearing and interesting character. His guilt and sadness about the things that he did in the past and his love for Emma was so heartbreaking and touching that I wanted to comfort him and hug him. Emma although likable I did find a bit dull. I would love for her to developed more personality, something that would make her character more striking.

The story of Finn and Emma was a very sweet and heartbreaking one. I was curious and intrigued as to why Finn can't go near and reveal himself to Emma and why he feels guilty and responsible for her. I wanted to learn what had really happened in the past. And when I finally learned it I was sad and sympathetic for the two.

However, I think I wasn't completely that invested in their love story. There were moments that I get so fond of it then moments that I just don't quite care. In a story, I love seeing two characters fall in love, how it developed and grew. But in this book, having that part happened in the past, I wasn't able to see more of it. The author did provide flash backs that showed how the two met, moments between them and how the conflict came but I think it wasn't really that enough for me to completely connect and invest in their romance.

The secondary characters were my favorite! Especially Cash (!!!), Anaya, Easton and even Scout. I love that they did make an impression in me and didn't just fade into the background.

Despite all the slight issues I was still satisfied and happy with how things turned out. The ending, I think, was a bit too nice. But it was a happy ending so I guess I should be happy about it. lol! The overall I enjoyed and I do still think that this is a nice and decent read, although not mind blowing but absolutely lovely.

Rating: 3.5 stars

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guest post

Inbetween: Behind The Scenes

Behind every writer and every book, there is a process. For me that process relies heavily on inspiration. I am inspired by books, movies, music, documentaries, and so much more. So, I’ve decided to share some of the things that inspired the book INBETWEEN.

1. Music is a huge inspiration for me when it comes to writing. From lyrics that fit what my character is feeling to a beat or melody that sets the mood for a scene. Each of my books have a playlist. One of the songs from the INBETWEEN playlist that really inspired Finn was Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. From the lyrics to the beat, this song was perfect in every way for him.
2. The initial idea for Inbetween actually came from an Edgar Allen Poe quote. When I read this I knew I wanted to write a story where death was keeping two lovers apart. Literally.
   
   
   “The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?”  ~ Edgar Allen Poe


3. Another big inspiration for this book came from a documentary I saw about a little boy who had the reincarnated soul of a World War Two Pilot. That was the story that not only got me very interested in reincarnation for this book but it is also inspired Finn in a lot of ways.


4. Fantasy Cast! I love working with images of actors or models for my characters. Here are the people that inspired Finn, Cash, and Emma.

Xavier Samuel as Finn

Ashley Benson as Emma

Adam Gregory as Cash

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

See full tour schedule here. :)

About the Author

Tara Fuller writes novels; some about grim reapers and some about witches. All of course are delightfully full of teen angst and kissing. Tara grew up in a one stop light town in Oklahoma where once upon a time she stayed up with a flash light reading RL Stine novels and only dreamed of becoming a writer. She has a slight obsession with music and a shameless addiction for zombie fiction, Mystery Science Theater, and black and white mochas. Tara no longer lives in a one stop light town. Now she lives with her family in a slightly larger town in North Carolina where they have at least three stoplights.

Guest Post & Giveaway: C.K. Kelly Martin (Author of Come See About Me)

Hi guys!  A few days ago I just finished C.K. Kelly Martin's new-adult novel Come See About Me. And I loved it (see my review here). It was a very poignant and heart warming story that touched me and even taught me lessons. Today, I'm happy to present to you a guest post from her as she shares a very insightful message for us. Aside from that, she kindly offered two lucky person to win a copy of her book! A signed hardcover for the 1st winner and an e-copy for the runner up! Yay! Now go check out the guest post and giveaway below! :D

Guest Post: C.K. Kelly Martin

A few days ago I watched the first few episodes from season 2 of Felicity. If you’ve never seen the show the basic premise is Felicity follows her high school crush (a guy named Ben who she’d barely spoken to at school) to college in New York City where their lives often intersect. By the start of season 2 they’ve actually started to date and Felicity is over the moon about the turn of events. But when Ben finds out she may be in love with him he can’t hack it and cools things off. Felicity pretends that’s no big deal for her – they’ll still hang out, after all. However, one night when they’re supposed to go to an outdoor movie together Ben doesn’t show. Felicity is left sitting alone in a crowd, glancing around trying toscope out Ben’s face and eventually registering how much it sucks that he isn’t coming. Not long after she breaks things off entirely, realizing how the pretence that she can be casual with Ben is hurting her. 

Why am I going into so much detail about a fourteen year old episode of Felicity? Because I personally recognize that sinking feeling Felicity was experiencing in front of the movie screen. The bending yourself out of shape in the hope that eventually your efforts will get you what (or often who) you want but simultaneously feeling kind of sick about it. While you can, of course, get royally screwed up at any age for me personally the early twenties was primetime for that. I think the same is true for a lot of people at whatever period/age they get their first sustained taste of independent living, whether that’s going away to college, moving into your own place, travelling somewhere or whatever. You can really go off the rails (emotionally or otherwise) when you’re not sharing an address with your parents anymore, have no curfew, don’t need approval to bring potential romantic partners home and are no longer forced to share things like your grades with your parents. This is the time in your life when suddenly there’s no one around to rein you in except your friends (who often have a similar experience level to your own). Unprecedented freedom. 

All of this is a big part of the reason why when the editor of my young adult books initially asked me if there was any chance Come See About Me was YA (she hadn’t read it), I was positive that the answer was no. In the novel twenty-year-old Leah’s been experiencing the beginnings of a grown-up life, going to university while living with her boyfriend Bastien (also a college student). When tragedy strikes and Bastien is killed in a car accident sending Leah into free-fall, her parents can’t force her to come home across the country. Legally she’s an adult who demands to be allowed to grieve her boyfriend in the way she chooses. However protective her parents feel, ultimately Leah has to be allowed to stand or fall on her own. 

For a long while there’s more falling than standing. In time things begin to shift and Leah starts reconnecting to life in various ways, including the casual sexual relationship she develops with Liam. There’s a moment in Come See About Me where Leah makes a similar realization (whether ultimately wrong or right) to Felicity’s alone at the movies – that she’s crossed a line that doesn’t feel right. As corny as it sounds, a big part of your development during your late teens and early twenties (particularly that period I mentioned earlier – when you have your first sustained taste of independent living) is about learning how to be true to yourself when there are no boundaries in place except the ones you erect for yourself. It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times. Losing the person she believes is the love of her life makes this period even more acute for Leah but I think, if you’ve already been through that period, there are elements in Come See About Me you may recognize and if you haven’t yet, you may well encounter some of those things down the road a ways. Just don’t say Felicity and I didn’t warn you.

GIVEAWAY!

There will be two winners for this giveaway: 1 for the signed hardcover and the other for the ebook copy

Giveaway is open international and will end on August 31
To enter, leave a comment and answer the question: What is the name of the girl who followed Ben to New York City in the t.v. series C.K. just recently watched? (You can find the answer on the guest post above)
You can gain extra entries by following the instruction in the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

C.K. Kelly Martin is the author of many young-adult novels, among are I know It's Over, One Lonely Degree, My Teenage Beating Heart, The Lighter Side of Life and Death and Yesterday. And the latest new-adult novel, Come See About Me.

You can find and follow her at:

 www.ckkellymartin.com/, twitter, goodreads, and blog. 

Totally Outrageous Preloved Giveaways at The Midnight Garden!

Hi guys! So you see, The Midnight Garden is hosting a "Totally Outrageous Preloved Giveaway"  and I'd be really happy to also share it to you guys. (Because I'd be gaining 10 entries if I share this and I so badly want to win this. lol!) 

In celebration of Shirley Marr's birthday last April 18 she is offering us a present! Along with 1 autographed copy of her new book, Shirley is offering one lucky winner a beautiful sterling silver locket necklace similar to the one that plays such an important role in the book.

Grand Prize - 1 autographed copy of Preloved by Shirley Marr, plus a beautiful necklace worth $100 AUD 

Necklace specs: solid sterling silver locket with sterling silver chain, 18mm length. Vintage inspired, but new. Is not haunted, Does not contain a ghost inside. 80s ghost sold separately, you will need to get your own.

Shirley says: "Also, I'm going to write a secret message and tuck it inside. It could be anything. It could be the name of my next novel, it could be what it's about. It could possibly be ANYTHING!"

Two Additional Prizes - Copies of Preloved

To enter, go to The Midnight Garden's "Totally Outrageous Preloved Giveaways!" post  and simply fill out the rafflecopter! Giveaway is open internationally, so enter now for your chance to win! Good luck :))

That Wedding Giveaway Winner

Hi guys! Thanks to all those who joined the giveaway to win a copy of Jillian Dodd's That Wedding. And our winner is... 

  Abigail J. 

Yay! Congratulations Abi! Check out your email for further information! :)) Good day! ^^

Author Interview and Giveaway: Jillian Dodd (Author of That Boy and That Wedding)

Hi guys! Today, I have the pleasure to share you an interview of Jillian Dodd, author of That Boy and That Wedding! If you've read my recent posts you'd see that I really had a blast reading those two books . You can read my reviews for That Boy here and That Wedding here. And guess what?! Jill has kindly offered one lucky person to win a copy of That Wedding! Yay! And yeah, she even gave us a little background of her incoming series! Check out the interview and giveaway below!:))

INTERVIEW

1. What inspired you to write the story of Jadyn, Philip and Danny?

I was inspired by a few dreams that I had. The dreams were very vivid. Three of the scenes from That Boy were inspired by dreams. When Phillip and Jadyn visit Danny at college and play catch on the actual Nebraska field. About a week before I had actually gotten to run on the field myself. My son had a field trip to the museum on campus and they got to eat lunch and play on the field.  I also dreamed the party in the cornfield scene including the sad thing that happens after she leaves the party. I woke up crying. I also dreamed the engagement party after watching Peggy Sue Got Married. She was on stage at her high school reunion and is taken back to high school in her dream. The dreams were so vivid I started writing them down. Then I felt like I had to know the rest of the story. I kept writing and writing their story. When I had about 60% of the final book written, I let a few friends read it. They fell in love with the boys and thought I should publish it. I wrote the rest of it and did.

2. Which is your favorite character and/or the one you can relate to the most?

I relate the most to Jadyn because I was trying to tell the story from her perspective. She is a lot different from me, but I'd say we share the same sense of humor. 

3. Do you have a "Danny and Philip" in real life?

Phillip shares a lot of characteristics with my husband. Or maybe it's the way I feel about him and love him shows through in my writing. The things that Jadyn loves about Phillip like how he's always warm, how his neck always smells good, and how he rescues her are things I love about my husband. And Danny is a mix of people probably. I had a best guy friend in high school. He was always the last boy I talked to on the phone at night. He yelled at me when I was being dumb with boys. If we weren't dating anyone else, we'd kiss. He'd make me get up way too early to play racquetball with him. Then later in college, I had a different best guy friend. He dated tons of different girls, but after a year or so, he met THE ONE. She ended up being one of my best friends too. And he was the kind of guy I always got in trouble with. We still joke about the night we almost died in his boss's Porsche. (No, we weren't supposed to be driving it and yes, he was driving it too fast lost control and almost hit a tree. The car spun into the grass inches from the tree and we both looked at each other and said, Maybe this wasn't our best idea.) When you read the sequel, That Wedding, you will see more of how they are as couples. Their relationship is similar in how Phillip and Lori are very much alike and so are Danny and Jadyn.

4. How difficult was it to get your novel published? 

What obstacles did you face on your way?  Getting published is not easy. At least it wasn't for me. But I had no clue what I was doing. I'm sure the few query letters I sent to publishers and agents were quickly disregarded. Also my story doesn't fit in a traditional category. It has been popular in YA, but is really more of a crossover into Adult. My husband encouraged me to self publish after he read an article about it in The Wall Street Journal. And I'm so glad I did. I have control of my books and will continue to self publish.

5. What are you working on right now? Will there be more books coming from you in the future?  

Well, I just published the sequel to That Boy, That Wedding. There will be a third and final book in that series called That Baby which will probably be out late 2013. I also have written a few scenes for a book or novella about their kids grown up.

The project that I'm currently working on is a six book series called The Keatyn Chronicles. The cover reveal and name of the first book will be next month, but I can tell you a little about the series overall. Keatyn is the daughter of a famous actress. She's traveled all over the world being tutored while her mom made movies. She dreamed of going to a real high school. (She's watched High School Musical a million times!) She had two dreams about high school. She wanted to be the most popular girl and date the most popular guy. You meet her toward the end of her sophomore year and she has exactly what she dreamed of. Only now the reality isn't living up to her dream. She also crushes on a surfer boy who is not the kind of boy her friends think she should be interested in. She makes a wish on her 17th birthday that she could go somewhere where no one knew who she was (or more importantly, who her mom is) and make real friends. Friends that wouldn't like her because of her mom or her boyfriend. Oh, and did I mention that her mom has a long time fan that has recently turned into more of a stalker? And that he decides to stalk Keatyn instead? And that something bad happens? And she gets sent to boarding school and she has to pretend to be someone else? That she gets her wish? The series has a lot of characters and so many dreamy boys. The first book takes place mostly in her old life, then books 2-5 take place at the boarding school. It's really fun and I've had a ball getting to know Keatyn. I even have planned out all the outfits she wears on Polyvore. It's been great fun shopping with her!!

Thank you Jillian for giving me a time of your day for answering my questions! 

GIVEAWAY!

I know he's that boy. The boy I want to marry, my prince, my happily ever after. I feel like I'm living in a dreamy fairytale.

But then, Pastor starts asking questions I don’t know the answers to.

I have horrible wedding disaster dreams.

I can’t find a dress.

I have to manipulate him to get my way.

An old boyfriend asks me to run away and marry him.

My best friend tells me I'm going to ruin everything.

And forever is starting to sound like a really long time.

Which makes me start to wonder.

I wonder if best friends should get married.

I wonder if I'm settling.

I wonder if the fact that sex with him is so amazing that it’s clouding my judgment.

I wonder if it's just cold feet.

I wonder if marriage is all that fun.

And then I have to decide. Am I willing to give up on true love forever, or should I say, What the hell, and marry him anyway?

Giveaway is open internationally! Follow instructions in the rafflecopter below. Good luck!