Tuesday, June 30, 2020

*Book Tour & Giveaway* The Dead Girl Under The Bleachers by Donna M. Zadunajsky-GUEST POST


The Dead Girl Under the Bleachers 
A Craven Falls Mystery Book 1 
by Donna M. Zadunajsky 
Genre: YA Mystery 


Three girls... 

Three dead bodies... 

The quiet town of Craven Falls is depleting in population. One by one... 

Scarlet Fitzgerald thought it would be fun to play a game on Laura Stevenson, a nobody at Craven Falls High. But what happens when the game unleashes buried secrets Scarlet doesn’t want anyone to know? Secrets that could get someone killed, including herself. 

Three can play a game, but one of them ends up dead... 





Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/UqxdmACMYqM






Donna M. Zadunajsky started out writing children's books before she wrote and published her first novel, Broken Promises, in June 2012. She since has written several more novels and her first novella, HELP ME! Book 1 in the series, which is about teen suicide and bullying.


GUEST POST

What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?

Fly Away by Kristen Hannah, Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks, Misery by Stephen King, These Hidden Things, Before She was Found, and One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf, A Husband’s Secret and Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver


What book do you think everyone should read?

Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky


How long have you been writing?

Fifteen years


Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?

As I write.


What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?

I do lots of research, though it depends of the plot of the story. In Family Secrets ‘Secrets and Second Chances’ Book 1 was about breast cancer and the main character worked for NASA, so a lot of research was done to know her education and what she was about to go through with the cancer. Every book is different.


Do you see writing as a career?

I do and hope that one day I can make a living just writing. It’s like having coffee in the morning. I can’t function unless I write something each day.


What do you think about the current publishing market?

I wish there were more literary agents that could and would give us self-publishers a chance. Just because we self-publish our books doesn’t mean they are poorly written. I spend a great deal of money having all my books edited very well before I publish them. The book cover is very important to me as it is the first thing you see before picking up the book and reading the summary. I am one who based a book on its cover.


Do you read yourself and if so, what is your favorite genre?

I love to read books. I read every day. Mystery book and YA romance stories. Oh, and books based on real life events.


Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?

Write in silence because I get lost inside my head and I can’t think with interruptions.


Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?

One, usually, but if an idea comes to me, I will write it down.


If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose?

Misery


Pen or typewriter or computer?

Computer


What made you want to become an author, and do you feel it was the right decision?

I love to write stories. Yes, I do believe it’s the right decision because only I can write the stories I’ve written.


A day in the life of the author?

I get up at 5 a.m., write until 7 a.m. get ready for work, leave the house at 7:20 a.m. Come home at 5 p.m. Shower, cook, watch some TV, read and go to bed around 9:30 p.m.


Advice you would give new authors?

Read and write as often as possible


What makes a good story?

The plot and characters


What are you currently reading?

The Upside of Falling by Alex Light


What is your writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?

I have a plot that comes to me and then start writing and let the rest come to me.


What is your writing Kryptonite?

Not having enough time to write in a day.


Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I’m an original writer


If you could tell your younger writing self-anything, what would it be?

Start writing in high school. Take more creative writing classes


How long on average does it take you to write a book?

If the words are coming out of me, 6 months




$25 Amazon Gift Card 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway! 




*Book Tour & Giveaway* Billionaire's Club by C.L. Donley-GUEST POST


Amara's Calling 
Billionaire's Club Series Book 1 
by C.L. Donley 
Genre: Contemporary Romance 


Looking for your next billionaire book boyfriend? Meet Grayson Davis. 


He's a brilliant, bullied computer nerd turned handsome playboy, with a penchant for blondes. She's the assistant to the assistant, who works on the third floor and is... not blonde. And secretly obsessed with him. Complete with all the classic "plain Jane" tropes you thought were hopelessly overdone, read the smart, sexy, binge worthy debut exceeding "billionaire romance" expectations! 

Amara's Calling is the first book in the Billionaire's Club series of sinfully sexy romances. If you like unexpected love, lucrative deals, and billionaires with as much prowess in the bedroom as the boardroom, then you’ll love C.L. Donley’s steamy office affair. 





Mya's Pride 
Billionaire's Club Series Book 2 


Mya McIntosh is attending the wedding of the year as the maid of honor to her best friend Amara Davis, the former employee and wife of billionaire social media mogul Grayson Davis. A dazzling destination wedding in Spain seems like the perfect setting for Mya to finally lose this pesky virginity of hers, but her prospects don't look promising. Amara has high hopes that Mya could land one of Grayson's billionaire best friends but Mya isn't so sure, especially when it comes to Grayson's obnoxious business partner Dale Abernathy. After a few awkward moments, bad first impressions, a ton of assumptions and a sexy interlude on top of a hill, Mya's search for Mr. Right Now lands her somewhere she least expected: in love. 





Kim's Courage 
Billionaire's Club Series Book 3 


The final book in the Billionaire's Club Trilogy! 

A year after her best friend Amara's wedding united them, Kim Pritchard finds herself in the hospital with the baby she conceived with billionaire internet mogul Bel Hafiz. Not only has Kim neglected to tell Bel about his son, now she will have to tell him he's fighting for his life in the NICU. Since the handsome middle eastern playboy "ghosted" her, she wonders if he even cares enough about either of them to reach out. Little does she know that Bel Hafiz has plenty to hide, including the fact that he hasn't been able to get the gorgeous, one-of-a-kind Kimberly Pritchard out of his head, or his heart. 






C.L. Donley is a future New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of multicultural and interracial romance, who believes romance novels that are impossible to put down are the only kind that should exist! Armed with a B.A. in English and M.A. in Writing, she is new to the romance game, having written her first novel, Amara's Calling, after discovering the romance genre in September 2017. Donley writes in a style she calls "romantic realism" that is sophisticated yet simple, grounded yet unapologetically escapist, and character-driven rather than plot-driven. This style creates a unique, modern reading experience ideal for book club discussions, personal epiphanies, satisfying re-reads, and the occasional spiraling reviewer! Love it or hate it, fans and critics alike can't deny her talent, and always find themselves coming back for more! 

She loves hearing from readers and discussing her favorite parts of her own books, so feel free to indulge her. 


GUEST POST

Describe your writing style. I call my style “romantic realism.” It’s sort of a blend of the fairy tale nature of the traditional romantic scenario combined with the wrench of actual human behavior. My writing background and influence are in modern fiction and because I have an advanced degree in English, it has more of a literary bent. So, while I’m committed to the HEA ending, it doesn’t always come in a conventional way, because I’m doubly committed to realism. Almost to a fault. Most of the feedback has been overwhelmingly good, where I have readers saying, “I will literally read anything that you choose to write.” But then the people that hate it… really hate it, lol. Which I understand. Because my characters are usually flawed and do and say questionable things. And in the midst of a romance, it can make the resolution emotionally unsatisfying for some readers, who expect to read about the coming together of two likable people that absolutely, positively deserve each other. Meanwhile, others who find the genre to sometimes be a bit stale usually find my style refreshing.


How did you come up with the concept and characters for this book? This was my first ever foray into becoming an author. It started out as an idea for a story. I hadn’t written in years and then suddenly I was getting an idea that I loved so much, that I actually left myself notes about the characters and the plot, and that weekend I had 12K words. In three weeks, Amara’s Calling was finished. Around the second week, I think, I got the idea to do a series out of the secondary characters, which was a great organic moment.


Do you see writing as a career? I do. Even though I don’t make a lot of money at this stage (although I guess that’s relative) and I’ve kind of taken a break from it, it definitely goes far beyond being just a hobby for me. I definitely feel like I’m building something, with each book I finish and release. And it’s something I’m getting better at all the time.


What makes a good story? A very good question. I like to play with this notion a lot. Because there’s a lot of “how to” guides out there, and while formulas are great and I genuinely respect them because extra work sucks, I tend to always end up saying, “no, I don’t cwanna do it like that,” and for some reason, I end up with these really sparse stories. I think I’m trying to strip storytelling down to it’s core elements, but that could be b.s. Haha. I’m just the type of person that when everyone says, “this is how it ought to be done” I’m like, “oh really?” Because I’ve always understood storytelling down to its core. Like, what keeps people reading Twitter threads? It’s not always about this contrived, three acts, “save the cat” thing, and even though I’m “just writing romance,” I’m still a writer, and I’m interested in getting down to the core of what is it about stories that move us.




$25 Amazon 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway! 




*Release Blitz* GENES by Mary Ting

Title: GENES (International Sensory Assassin Network Book 3)
Author: Mary Ting
Genre: YA Dystopian
Cover Reveal: Michael James Canales
Publication Date: June 30th, 2020
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
Blurb:
Allegiances will be tested.
Identities will be revealed.
No one is safe.
While searching for the HelixB88 anti-serum on the black market, Ava uncovers valuable intel that may help the rebels in their fight to bring down ISAN—the location of a hidden facility. But first, the insurgents must find the female citizens unexpectedly displaying powers without use of the Helix serum before ISAN captures them.
As the rebels join forces with other sectors, ISAN plans their destruction by using someone they don't suspect at the rebel home base. A traitor within.
Now, Ava must make a dangerous decision, one that could risk their capture—or worse.
 Book Links:
Mary is an international bestselling, award-winning author. She writes soulful, spellbinding stories that excite the imagination and captivate readers around the world. Her books span a wide range of genres, and her storytelling talents have earned a devoted legion of fans, as well as garnered critical praise.
Becoming an author happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she had in high school. After realizing she wanted to become a full-time author, Mary retired from teaching after twenty years. She also had the privilege of touring with the Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book: No Bullies Allowed.
Mary resides in Southern California with her husband, two children, and two little dogs, Mochi and Mocha. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Being a huge Twilight fan, Mary was inspired to make book-themed jewelry and occasionally gives it away as prizes to her fans.
Author Links:
Book Links:
Told from Rhett’s point of you.
If Ava could see herself, the sight would have stopped her cold. Even Rhett was afraid. The hair on his arm rose. His goosebumps had goosebumps.
Ava had absorbed Mia’s energy. Blue light zapped and crackled not only through her, but around her like an electric storm. She became the lightning and wind, uplifting everything around her. The ground shook, walls trembled, and lightbulbs popped like gunshots. Centered in the brilliant phenomenon, she was Mother Nature about to unleash her wrath.
“Holy mother of all mothers.” Ozzie’s jaw slackened. “Do you see what I see, Rhett?”
“Yes,” Rhett said with a grim smile. “That’s my girl. I hope she gives them hell.”
Mia stood her ground. Rhett gave her credit for courage but she was a fool. Rhett knew Ava would make the right choice, so he didn’t try to stop her.
“Well, what’s it going to be, Mia?” Ava’s voice sounded as grand as her display of powers.
Rhett was learning something new about Ava every time she pushed herself, though he worried she might burst. He had no idea how her ability worked.
“I’m not going to apologize, you freak.”
Oh, no. She did not just say that.
“Uh oh.” Ozzie crouched lower. “Ava hates that word.”
Four massage tables zoomed across the room at a flick of Ava’s finger, boxing in the girls.
“Like this is going to stop me. Pathetic,” Mia spat.
Mia didn’t know when to quit. Ava didn’t want to hurt her, but she kept punching Ava with insults. Rhett had to do something.
Ava’s hands trembled. Her body was shutting down.
“No, they weren’t intended to hurt you, and they certainly won’t hold you in.” Ava shook her thin shoulders. “That was a distraction—this will do the damage.” Ava flicked her index finger. A metal tray flew off the counter like a rocket and collided with Mia’s face, knocking her head to the table. “The table is to break your fall, idiot. I was being generous. What about you, Ella? Want to walk with me or be carried out like your friend?”
Ella blanched and softened her stance, giving the impression of compliance. Her voice squeaked like a frightened mouse. “I was going to cooperate. I swear I was. I’ll walk.”
Poor girl. She shook with her arms crossed over her midsection.
The door slid open.
“Why are you all wet? What happened here?” Naomi cursed, her eyes darting around the wrecked room. “Are you guys okay?”
Ozzie pointed to Ava, gawking at her as if she was a goddess. “She did it. It was pretty awesome.”
Tamara laughed. “I should have been here earlier to see it all. The sounds did not do it justice.”
Reyna smoothed a hand over her face. “We’re in so much trouble. Zen’s not going to like this. It’s a good thing this room had no windows.”
“Well, at least we’re all going down together.” Rhett planted a kiss on his girl and supported her with an arm around her waist. When she’d stopped the bullets at Mitch’s apartment, she’d fainted. “You okay?”
Rhett gripped her shaky hand. So cold. All the warmth flushed out of her when Helix had diminished or had burned out. Or however her power worked.
“Yeah. Just a little lightheaded. At least I didn’t black out. I got a little carried away.”
“A little. Just a little.” Rhett chuckled to lighten the mood.
“Are you and Oz okay?” She examined him. “You’re wet.”
“Oz and I are fine. Do you want a change of clothes? We could try to find—”
“No. Let’s get out of here.”
Rhett was worried about her. How much could her body take?
Ava had practiced every spare second. Anyone else would be wiped out, but maybe someone like her didn’t need a lot of time to recover. If Helix could replenish her quickly, then perhaps it was all good.
“Come on. Someone want to help me drag this lunatic?” Ozzie’s shoes squeaked and squashed through two inches of water as he headed toward Mia. “Yup, Zen is going to flip out. Can we pretend it didn’t happen? Or do one of you girls have the power to put everything back together? Why can’t I have that kind of power? Why am I talking and nobody is answering me?”
“‘Cause you talk too much, Ozwald.” Rhett grabbed Mia’s other arm and hauled her up with Ozzie’s help.
Ozzie’s mouth scrunched together into a pout. “Ozzie. It’s Ozzie or Oz.”
How Rhett loved to mess with him, and Rhett knew Ozzie liked it, too, since he did the same to Rhett. It was the way they were.

*Release Blitz* Reign of Secrets by L.L. Hunter

Title: Reign of Secrets
Author: L.L. Hunter 
Genre: YA Fantasy
Cover Designer: Stephanie Sew of Sevenstar Book Covers
Publication Date: June 30th, 2020
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
Blurb:
At the Midnight Ball, leave your inhibitions at the door and be who you were born to be…
In the magical kingdom of Sydlandia, 17 year old Grace is hiding a secret.
You see, she’s the heir to the Sydlandian throne. But according to hundreds of years of tradition and history, those with her particular secret are not allowed to be Queen.
Grace is torn between two worlds: the one where she is queen, reigning over her people with strength and authority.
Then there’s the other world: the one where she doesn’t have to pretend. Where she can be herself. Where magic and secrets come out to play.
The Midnight Ball gives her the freedom to be someone else for the night.
But for Grace, that is not so easy.
When a devasting event upends Grace’s world, it will force her to rethink everything she’s ever known.
And question everyone around her.
After all, she’s not the only one hiding secrets.
From the bestselling author of The Dragon Heart series and the Legend of the Archangel series, comes the first book in an all new YA fantasy series.
L.L. Hunter is the author of over 20 published works, including The Legend of the Archangel Series and The Garden of Eden. She has studied everything from veterinary nursing, forensic science, and dramatic arts, but has always known her true calling was to be an author. 

She has been writing since her teens - everything from fan fiction, to song lyrics, to plays and musicals. When not working on her next paranormal romance, she can be found at home in Australia, reading somewhere comfortable with one or both of her “fur babies.” Follow her on Facebook, Twitter @llhunterbooks, and her blog - http://llhunter.blogspot.com.au.

Monday, June 29, 2020

*Book Tour & Giveaway* Unique by Starr Z. Davies-GUEST POST


Unique 
Ordinary Series Book 2 
by Starr Z. Davies 
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Dystopian 


He lost everything. His dad, his best friend, and the woman he loves. 

Ugene and the other test subjects escaped Paragon. They thought they were finally safe. But the battle for freedom is far from over. 

When a rouge group calling themselves the Protectorate offers to help Ugene, he worries that his friends are falling into another dangerous trap. The struggle for freedom becomes a desperate fight for survival. Ugene is determined to stand up for what’s right and save the oppressed citizens of Elpis from persecution by Paragon and the Directorate. 

The deeper Ugene digs, the more he uncovers about the Directorate's sinister secrets, the Protectorate's true goals . . . and the dangerous game he is about to play. 

It’s time for the deception to end. It’s time for the truth to finally come to the surface. And it’s time for everyone to finally learn that being Powerless isn’t weakness. 




Ordinary 
Ordinary Series Book 1 


Fans of Powerless, The Testing, Hunger Games and the Maze Runner will crave this world of iniquitous secrets, intrigue, and desire to find a place in society. 

Divinic. Somatic. Psionic. Naturalist. Who will you be? 

Having a superpower is ordinary. Your Power determines your job, social class, and future success. 

But Ugene doesn’t have a Power. The only thing special about him is that he isn’t special at all. Ugene is Powerless. 

So when the most prominent biomedical research company in the city offers Ugene a solution, he jumps at the possibility to be ordinary. All he has to do is agree to allow them to use him in their research. But the longer he stays at the research facility, the more he realizes something isn't right. 

Friendships are forged. Trust is broken built and broken. And everything Ugene thought he understood and believed is called into question. 

Who can Ugene trust in his search for answers? What is he willing to sacrifice for Powers?  





STARR Z. DAVIES is a Midwesterner at heart, and lives in Wisconsin with her husband and kids. From a young age, Starr has been obsessed with superheroes like Batman and Captain America, which inspired her novel, ORDINARY. If Starr had a superpower, she would be an Empath, because she is an emotional sponge and easily relates to how others feel. 

While pursuing a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin, Starr gained a reputation as the “Character Assassin” because she has a habit of utterly destroying her characters both emotionally and physically. 

In her free time, Starr loves watching Doctor Who or anything with superheroes, reading books (duh!), writing about her favorite fantasy stories (Song of Ice and Fire, Mistborn, The Wheel of Time), and staring out the window as she dreams up more stories. Oh, and sometimes she steps out the door. 


GUEST POST

5 F U N F A C T S A B O U T S T A R R Z . D A V I E S

1 /Starr is short for Starrburst, her given Native American name.


2 / Starr is a big fan of cheesy puns and 5th grade humor and will often laugh at her own jokes before anyone else. Ex: Whats ET short for? Cuz hes got small legs!


3 / Starrs favorite quote is from Batman Begins (of course, a superhero!): “Its not who you are, but what you do that defines you.” She tries to live by this ideology.


4 / Starr loves to fantasize about who would star in a film as her characters. In fact, she sometimes castsactors on her social media feeds by posting pictures. After seeing Detective Pikachu, no one else but Justice Smith would satisfy her as Ugene.


5 / If she were to choose a superhero whose personality is most like her own, Starr would be Spiderman—nerdy, awkward, and witty, but always eager to do the right thing to help others.


$20 Amazon 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway! 




*Book Tour & Giveaway* Out of My League by Sarah Sutton


Out of My League 
by Sarah Sutton 
Genre: YA Romance 


It’s all fun and games until someone catches feelings.
Sophia Wallace is convinced her life is over when her high school cuts the journalism program. Without the elective, she loses her chance to intern with the biggest newspaper company in the county, and why? All because the baseball team needs more funding. 

To make matters worse, her boyfriend publicly dumps her at a party, which is mortifying. But the icing on the cake is when the captain of the baseball team and the most popular guy at Bayview High, Walsh Hunter, decides to be chivalrous. He jumps in, throws his arm around Sophia, and declares his undying love for her. In front of everyone. 

Suddenly, Sophia is thrown into a world of fake relationships and undercover journalism, and she realizes she’s way, way out of her league. 

Good thing she’s got the team captain to teach her how to play. 

But faced with choosing between saving her journalism class or her newfound feelings for Walsh, will she strike out or hit a home run? 





Also by Sarah Sutton


What Are Friends For? 
By Sarah Sutton 
Genre: YA Romance 






Sarah Sutton is a YA Romance author, bringing you stories about teenagers falling in love (sometimes with magic)✨She spends her days dreaming up ideas with her two adorable puppies by her side being cheerleaders (and mega distractions).





Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!