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Tuesday, 25 June 2013

Cover Reveal: Alternate Connection by Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey

ALTERNATE CONNECTION is the third novel in the COUNTERMEASURE SERIES.
The next installment of the COUNTERMEASURE SERIES has a tentative release date set for November 5th, 2013. The story continues where TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE left off and pursues a parallel between Trevor and Cassandra Bauer’s quest and a daring attack on US nationals.
AlternateConnection_72dpi_300BLURB
CIA operative Nathan Nelson has built his life on secrets. Secrets about events that have shaped him into the man he has become. Events that taught him to keep his shields up. He has kept them buried in the past and nobody—not even Cassandra Bauer, the woman he claimed to love—knows of them. Now, those secrets have come barreling down on him at the worst of times.
Foreign Service Specialist Rachael Moore's personal crusade puts her in the crosshairs of very dangerous people. She would risk everything to achieve her goal even if it means exposing her battered heart and deeply concealed dreams to a man who doesn’t know the meaning of love.
Unbeknownst to both, their reconnection may not only bridge the chasm between the two of them, but shed light on a puzzling mystery. Their perilous journey becomes a race for their lives, leading them into a conspiracy rooted deeper than the tangled emotions between them.
Will their collaboration shatter the tenuous link woven in the past or forge a bond they never expected could exist in the future?
EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 5
Nathan shook his head and pulled out the first folder containing the personal file of Gerald Blair, U.S. Envoy to the Middle East. The report was thorough and contained a detailed account of both his professional and personal life. He raised his eyes to Hanson. “Do you want to split’em?”
“Nope. I’m done with them. They are all yours.”
“When—?”
“While I waited for the fax. I’m a fast read, Nelson. Keep that in mind.” Hanson’s lips quirked in a cocky grin as he leaned his seat back and closed his eyes. His disheveled appearance and the hickeys decorating his neck a clear indication he needed some shut-eye. “Let me know when you’re done so we can discuss the details.”
Nathan sank in his own seat, his mind teeming with questions. Questions he didn’t think he would have answers to any time soon. He had a long analysis ahead of him considering he was also looking for pieces of a puzzle unknown to Hanson. Unlike Hanson’s, Nathan’s focus also encompassed the files belonging to the two agents and two drivers who’d been killed in the attack.
With that in mind, he returned his attention to the folder and began studying the first of the people they were supposed to know inside and out before they set off for ground zero. As he read through the pages, he looked for inconsistencies, hidden information, or activities that could have made Blair a target. Anything that could have put them all in the crosshairs of whoever had taken them.
The situation was more complex than the usual hostage kidnapping. While religious extremists were quick to claim responsibility, those who’d abducted the six remaining members of the diplomatic convoy two days earlier hadn’t made any demands through the media. They’d simply dropped off the radar as if they’d never been.
There had to be a reason for that divergence from the usual and that reason could very well be tied to Nathan’s prime directive. The answer could be in any of their past or present and, if he was to be successful, he had to find it.
He beat his way through Gerald Blair’s file and took notes as he moved through. Blair had been in extensive contact with Palestinians and Israelis—unavoidable contact since it was an integral part of his job to mediate peace in the region—and that in itself could have placed a target on his back.
Nathan set Blair’s file aside and moved on to the next in the bundle. As he flipped it open, his whole body stiffened in his seat. A buzzing noise flooded his ears, and his sight dimmed. His field of vision narrowed to the picture on the page and the name listed—Moore, Rachael. Status: Widow. Rae.
His blood iced in his veins. For a moment, he felt detached from reality expecting someone to pop up in the seat in front of him pointing a camera and screaming, “Gotcha!” He fixed his eyes on the file again. Phillip Moore’s wife. Was that why Hanson had made that comment about setting personal involvements aside? Nathan stared at her familiar image for a moment before diving in. Some of the information in it was known to him. Some was brand new. He read the declassified report on Phillip’s death with a heavy heart and the thumping in his chest rose to such a loud racket he thought it would wake Hanson from his beauty sleep.
The more he read about Rachael, the more his frown deepened. Why was she working at the embassy in Israel? How had she come to be assigned as a personal assistant to Blair?
Phillip had been crazy about her, and Nathan understood why as soon as he’d met her. At the time they met, she’d been working on a business associate degree with some difficulty due to the sudden transfer to the US. Neither had mentioned she dabbed in international politics back then. Had she made a career change after Phillip’s death? Guilt punched him in the gut and he held his breath, squeezing his eyes shut to keep self-flagellation at bay.
He’d gone through that cycle many times before. He wasn’t about to slide down that road again. If that was how he could redeem himself, he was going to take it.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
cc_mediumSQUAREWriting had touched Chris Almeida’s and Cecilia Aubrey’s lives in different ways through the years but had never taken flight. It was in 2010, when Chris and Cecilia met and began role-playing online as a hobby, that writing placed itself front and center in their lives.
Chris and Cecilia have since chosen to release all their titles independently. They have several short stories and two novels published under their own label, Éire Publishing, and are vocal supporters of independent publishing done right. They are currently working on the third novel in their series. Through all the chaos and laughter, they still hold true to their roots, bringing their favorite role-play characters and stories to life.
You can find them at:
Facebook:
Chris Almeida - http://www.facebook.com/Chris.Almeida.Author
Cecilia Aubrey - http://www.facebook.com/cecilia.aubrey.author
Authors Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/Authors.ChrisAlmeida.CeciliaAubrey
Countermeasure Series Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/Countermeasure.Series
Websites:
Chris & Cecilia- http://chrisalmeida-ceciliaaubrey.com
Countermeasure Series - http://countermeasureseries.com
Twitter:
Chris - http://twitter.com/CAlmeidaAuthor
Cecilia - http://twitter.com/CAubreyAuthor
Photography by Jenn LeBlanc of Studio Smexy for Illustrated Romance
You can enter the draw for one of 10 Countermeasure Series Swag Packs containing nine bookmarks and a bracelet (I <3 ALPHA GEEKS) and also enter the giveaway for a chance to win a digital ARC signed copy of ALTERNATE CONNECTION once it becomes available.
Thank you for joining us!
ARC Giveaway
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Monday, 24 June 2013

Cover Reveal: Nomad by J. L. Bryan

Hi Guys!  I'm really excited to bring you a sneak peak at the new cover of Nomad by J.L. Bryan.  I really enjoyed his novel Jenny Pox, so I'm excited about this one!!


NOMAD a BRAND NEW release 
from 
J.L. Bryan, author of Jenny Pox (The Paranormals) series & The Songs of Magic series
!

  NOMAD by JL Bryan
Expected publication: July 26th 2013


Synopsis:

 They took everything: her family, her home, her childhood.

By the age of nineteen, Raven has spent most of her life in the sprawling slums of America, fighting as a rebel against the dictatorship. When the rebellion steals an experimental time-travel device, she travels back five decades to the year 2013. Her plan: assassinate the future dictator when he is still young and vulnerable, long before he comes to power. She must move fast to reshape history, because agents from her own time are on her trail, ready to execute her on sight.




Author Bio:

J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on English Renaissance and Romantic literature. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Christina, dogs Violet and Tiger Lily, and cats Shadow and Sue. 
 
 
 
 


 

Saturday, 22 June 2013

Author Interview: Touch by Melissa Haag




Released: January 2013
Publisher: Smashwords
Series: No
Find at: Goodreads | Smashwords | Amazon | iTunes
Author Site: Melissa Haag

Goodreads Synopsis:

A touch. That’s all it takes for Tessa to know her future with a boy. Her mom tells her she needs to choose her best option before she turns seventeen. Problem is, she sees all her ‘options’ dying before they turn thirty. That may have worked for the last fourteen generations of women in her family tree, but she can’t choose and condemn someone to an early grave.

An unfortunate incident at school starts a chain of events that reveals a centuries old chaos demon and a chance to remove her ‘gift’ forever.


Author Interview with Melissa Haag

What inspired you to want to become a writer?
My imagination and insatiable appetite for books. My imagination is cheaper than buying two books a day. :)

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.
Oh, boy... um, because my mom thinks it's cool?
Okay, seriously... read it for a story you won't forget, for a sweet romance that will make you want more.
Favourite fictional character?
If I'm allowed to choose one of my own, it's a tie between Morik and Clay. Since they are from my imagination they are perfect to me ;)
If I need to choose someone else, I'm going with Snow from Lockout (movie). He had me laughing and saved the movie from being a snoozer.
If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional. With whom would it be?
I think I'm going to have to go with Erienne Fleming, the main character in Kathleen Woodwiss's A Rose In Winter. I started reading romance much too young, and that story stuck with me. Pretty dresses, romantic heroes. I don't read many (if any) historical romances anymore, but I will never forget that one.
What is the last book you read?
A Werewolf's Moon (The Council, #2) by J.C. Isabella

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Giveaway: Forbidden (Wolf Sirens, Book 1) By Tina Smith

Hi Guys!  I'm really thrilled to bring you an awesome giveaway.

  • The Prize Book (Paperback) of Wolf Sirens to first winner with a bracelet (wolf charm on cord), swag (3D book mark, charm bracelet ) and ebook to second

  • Open to all countries except Asia - Just fill in the rafflecopter at the bottom of the post!!  Good Luck :)

  • Will run June 18 - July 16.


Wolf Sirens is about a kick butt heroine, wolves, Artemis the Goddess, a love triangle and forbidden romance. Immerse yourself in another world where wolves haunt the forest...


Wolf Sirens #1: Forbidden: Discover the Legend: 
When Lila unwillingly moves to the country town of Shade, she can’t imagine the life-altering events that lie in wait for her. Shade has a curfew and has always been surrounded by myths. A central feature of the town is its famous statue of Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, whose spirit is said to protect the innocent. Lila falls in with a group of intriguing teenagers with luminescent eyes and soon she is drawn into the shadowlands of fantasy and reality, where destiny collides. A mysterious local girl, Cresida, warns her to stay away, but Lila is drawn to them like a moth to a flame. Cresida knows their fatal secret and she is honour-bound to protect those who are endangered. But she underestimates Lila’s passion for the mysterious and charismatic clan of youths. Lila begins to feel a call she cannot ignore. Yet her heart is filled with vulnerable desires that begin to turn the underworld upside down, for both hunter and hunted, as she learns they have been waiting for her… Inspired by the legend of the mythical femme fatale, Wolf Sirens is an intimate tale of unrequited and forbidden love in the underworld, a masterpiece of romance fantasy. A compelling debut novel about how love and fate chooses you. Inspired by Grecian demigod Artemis and the mythical femme fatale, Wolf Sirens is sure to enthral all lovers of the fantasy, romance genre.

Wolf Sirens #2: Fever: Many are Born, Few are Reborn: 
 Eternally Cursed to Love & Not Purely Desire… Temperatures rise as the flames of longing still burn in the thrilling sequel to Wolf Sirens Forbidden. The legend continues. Apollo, god of deadly plague, conspires to undo his sister’s legacy. The wolves exist between two worlds, one in the town another in the forest. Prophecy says hunters and wolves are cursed to a mutual attraction. Increasingly, each successive slayer becomes more alluring to the wolf. The predestined enemies struggle, to both resist and contain their fierce rivalry in a conflict powerful enough to tear two worlds apart. A shadow has fallen over the heartlands of myth and reality. The chosen is reborn broken-hearted, in the scorching embers of grief. Devastated, Lila trains tirelessly as the assassin. She must submit to deliver justice and protect the innocent of Shade. But is it love or revenge which motivates her? Will the huntress or her heart prevail? Breaking away from the call of destiny and fearing betrayal, Lila makes a desperate escape in search of her lost beloved. The intensity between two ancient enemies ignites. The history of the wolf pack is revealed as devotion and desire in the underworld reaches fever pitch. If The Bite Doesn't Get You, Then the Fever Will.

Author Bio: Tina Smith

Tina Smith is an herbalist, dog lover, Piscean and mother with a fondness for strong female protagonist's. A love of the fantasy genre and the deep exploration of dark and evocative subjects inspired Wolf Sirens Forbidden. The sequel Fever further unfolds the tale of the heroine femme fatale, on her journey in the underworld between the lands of myth and reality.


 Reviews:
“Rich, complex, and deeply fascinating. Smith’s creation stands apart from other books in the genre. Wolf Sirens has raised the bar for paranormal romance.”- Kevis Hendrickson, author of Rogue Hunter

 "Smith weaves a thrilling and beautifully crafted tale that sinks its fangs in and refuses to let go."- Michael Alexander, author of The Vessel

 “Fever does not disappoint! Tina Smith captures her readers on the first page and leads them on a fast-paced journey full of suspense and adventure as heroine, Lila, struggles towards the truth.” - Beverley Eikli, author of A Little Deception

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Thursday, 6 June 2013

Author Interview: Nancy S. Thompson



Released: October 2012
Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing
Author Site:  Nancy S. Thompson

Goodreads Synopsis:

 All Tyler Karras wants is to enjoy life with his expectant bride. What he gets instead is a graveside seat at her funeral. With the woman who killed her uncharged and still free, all Ty wants now is revenge.

His brother, Nick, has dangerous connections and suggests a sadistic plan: grab the woman responsible and hand her over to Nick’s associates—sex-traffickers in San Francisco’s Russian Mafia. They offer Ty more than he dreamed possible. In exchange for the woman, they’ll finally let Nick leave the business for good—with his debt wiped clean and his heart still beating.

There’s just one problem: Ty kidnaps the wrong woman. Now he must protect Hannah Maguire from the very enemy he's unleashed.

While on the run, Ty and Hannah share their life stories and begin to bond—Hannah out of compassion for Tyler’s crushing loss, and Ty in his overwhelming need for atonement for having derailed Hannah’s life. Alone and desperate, they cling to each other in an intimate moment of human need, but their new bond puts Hannah at even greater risk, for the Russians are holding Nick as leverage to force Ty to complete their deal and hand over the girl.

Caught in a no-win situation, Ty must find a way to save himself, his brother, and Hannah, but with the Russian Mafia, even two out of three makes for very long odds.


 I'm really excited to have author Nancy S. Thompson  drop by Chocolate Chunky Munkie and answer some questions for me.


Author Interview: Nancy S. Thompson

Tell us a little bit about yourself. 
Well, I'm an interior designer and have run my own business in the model home merchandising industry for nearly 20 years now. Though I spent most of my life in San Francisco, I now live in Seattle with my husband, our 18 year old son, a junior in college, our sled dog, Jack, and his kitty, Skye.

What inspired you to want to become a writer? 
To be honest, I never really considered becoming a writer. I was just inspired to write this one story and suddenly, I was a writer! I suppose the muse in me just couldn't be silenced.

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book. 
The Mistaken asks the question: how far would you go to avenge the one you loved and lost?

What sparked the idea for your novel?
A song actually inspired The Mistaken, "Hurricane" by Thirty Seconds To Mars. The lyrics asked, "Tell me, would you kill to save a life? Would you kill to prove you're right?" For some reason, that bothered me enough to consider what could drive a good man to commit a violent crime, and could he ever return to the man he used to be?

Your favourite authors? 
Man, it's difficult to narrow that list down, but I'd have to say John Hart, Greg Iles, Jennifer Hillier, and Lisa Regan.

If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why? 
I'm not one to ooh and ahh over celebrities, so, while I'm not religious, I am spiritual, and would have to go with Jesus Christ. I'd have so many questions, we'd be at that table forever. As to why, well, because I think he could ease my mind over all the things I fret over. How could I not want to meet the one person on earth who's impacted more people than any other?

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? 
I've lived in a lot of different places, including a tropical island (Hawaii), and that's so not all it's cracked up to be, so it would be a toss up between a place I've already lived and loved, San Francisco, CA, and a place that fascinates me on so many levels, London, England.

If you could travel back in time to a certain event in history, what would it be? 
Goodness, you pick some hard ones! For me, it would be an event in my personal history, because, unlike a major world event, I'd actually be able to alter the outcome. That moment would be the birth of my first child, my daughter, Julia, now nearly 29 years old and whom I gave up for adoption when I was a teenager. If I had to do it all over again, knowing what I know now, I'd never give her up. It's my one great regret in life.

 Favourite fictional character? 
You're killing me here! Okay, let's see... This might, at first, seem weird or self-serving, but, as an author, I have the ability to create characters from the ground up, and in doing so, I can't help but fall a little in love with each of them. But I fell most deeply for my own protagonist in The Mistaken, Tyler Karras. He's physically beautiful and morally upright, but then becomes so incredibly fragile and flawed after losing his pregnant wife and making poor choices because of it. He absolutely breaks my heart. Plus, physically, he's my ideal man! YUM!

 Thank you Nancy for taking time to answer my questions, some great answers  :) 

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

Wishlist Wednesday #59

Every Wednesday, Dani at Pen To Paper features Wishlist Wednesday, a meme in which you can list a book that you really want to read or keep meaning to get. These are books that you want to add to your wishlist, and believe me there are plenty!  I've decided to use Dani's feature every Wednesday :)

So what do you need to do to join in?
  • Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
  • Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
  • Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
  • Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of her post.
  • Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com/) somewhere in your post.
  • Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

So here is my book for this weeks Wishlist Wednesday:



Goodreads Synopsis:

There is a world where gods you’ve never heard of have wound themselves into hearts, and choice has led its history down a different path.

This is a world where France made a small, downtrodden island called England part of its vast and bloated empire.

There are people here who can cross a thousand miles with their minds. There are rarer people still who can move between continents in the blink of an eye.

These people are dangerous.

And wanted. Desperately wanted.

Apprentice hedgewitch Vela Rue knows that she is destined for more. She knows being whisked off from a dull country life to a city full of mystery and intrigue is meant to be. She knows she has something her government wants, a talent so rare and precious and new that they will do anything to train her in it.

But she doesn’t know that she is being lied to. She doesn’t know that the man teaching her about her talent is becoming obsessed by her, and considered by some to be the most dangerous man alive ...




I met Laure at a Hachette blogger brunch last year, when I found out she had written this book I had to check it out.  Fearsome Dreamer sounds interesting and totally freaking marvelous, I love the name for a start.  Fearsome dreamer is not out until September 2013 (Hotkey Books) but this one is certainly on the wishlist.  I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!! 


If you've chosen a book for Wishlist Wednesday be sure to leave a link in the comment section below and I'll check it out!!

Tuesday, 4 June 2013

Cover Reveal & Giveaway : Skin Deep by Megan D. Martin


Hi Guys!  I'm really thrilled to reveal the cover for the exciting new book Skin Deep by Megan D. Martin.  It looks really good and I can't wait to read it!!!




Title:  Skin Deep
Author:  Megan D. Martin
Series:  #1 of The Eternal Forces
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher:  Dragonfairy Press
Expected Release Date:   Fall 2013

What would you do to have the body of your dreams?

Kiera hates being overweight and hides behind thick layers of clothing. One night, her friends present an opportunity that seems impossible to believe. With a single spell, she can have the thin physique she's always coveted.

But all magic comes with a price: no sex or she'll revert back to her old body. Kiera accepts the cost. It's not like she has men lined up at her door. Obeying this one tiny rule isn't difficult at all—until the night she meets Cain, a were-tiger and a soldier with the Eternal Forces.

When a slew of unexplained murders forces Kiera and Cain together, they'll have to face the horrors of their pasts. Will Kiera realize she is worth more than her outward appearance? Or will she make the wrong the choice and lose everything—including her life?




About the Author

Megan D. Martin is a multi-published author, mother, student and editor. In her spare time she enjoys decorating her house with strange things that do not match, playing her old school Nintendo Entertainment System, and buying fish for her many fish tanks.
You can find Megan on pretty much every social networking site that exists.

Vine: Meeegann

Giveaway Info

$15 Amazon GC!!!!!!!

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