BOOKS AND BLOGGING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is defined as a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought. Well, my theory is if I can add at least 10 new books to my Wishlist and move at least 5 older Wishlist selections to my TBR list every month, then life is a ice cream sundae. And if I can find those 10 books from at least 5 new blogs each month then that's the cherry on top.

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!
Well, I've made it almost 5 years now, so for better or worse, I continue on. I tend to blog in spurts as the urge to be creative erupts. As I don't have an artistic bone in my body, you will see very few changes in the layouts. Hey, I'm a reader not an artist like so many of the awesome bloggers I follow. I know you don't always have the time but if you stopped and looked, take a half a minute and say your piece. Recommend a book that you have enjoyed or hated for that matter. Thank you to all who visit.
Oh, and I moved my Google Friend Connect info and share this buttons to the top, as without our friends, who are we?


Thursday, September 29, 2016

Guest Post & Blog Tour For Chasing Truth By Julie Cross Presented by Entangled Teen @juliecross1980 @EntangledTeen

                                Chasing Truth (Eleanor Ames #1)
                                              by Julie Cross
                                 Publication Date: Sept 27, 2016
                                     Publisher: Entangled TEEN



At Holden Prep, the rich and powerful rule the school—and they’ll do just about anything to keep their dirty little secrets hidden.
When former con artist Eleanor Ames’s homecoming date commits suicide, she’s positive there’s something more going on. The more questions she asks, though, the more she crosses paths with Miles Beckett. He’s sexy, mysterious, arrogant…and he’s asking all the same questions.
Eleanor might not trust him—she doesn’t even like him—but they can’t keep their hands off of each other. Fighting the infuriating attraction is almost as hard as ignoring the fact that Miles isn’t telling her the truth…and that there’s a good chance he thinks she’s the killer.



Purchase Links:



Guest Post

Lisa: If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would you use for the audition of the main characters and why? Stars you would pick to play your characters.



Julie:I’m not sure about which scene I would want to use for auditions...well, actually I know which scene but describing it would spoil the book.


Casting

Eleanor Ames: I think actress Hailee Steinfeld, Kaitlyn Dever, or Katherine Hughes would all make a fantastic Ellie.
Hailee Steinfeld
Kaitlyn Dever












Katherine C. Hughes

Miles Beckett: Tye Sheridan or Nick Robinson would be perfect for Miles
Nick Robinson
Tye Sheridan

Simon Gilbert: Skyler Gisondo
Skyler Gisondo
Harper Ames (Ellie’s older sister): Katrina Bowden

Katrina Bowden
    

Giveaway Information:


  • $50 Amazon Gift Card +
  • a paperback copy of Whatever Life Throws at You (INT)

Spotlight Post & Giveaway For The King of Evil by Josh Stricklin



The King of Evil
Josh Stricklin
Genre: Horror, Occult, Voodoo
Publisher: Silver Leaf Books
Date of Publication: Sept  1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1609751753
Number of pages: 334
Cover Artist: Paul Tynes

After a horrific accident, graphic artist Jack Simmons and his wife, Cindy, have lost all sense of a normal life. With their marriage in pieces, their only hope in setting things back is by starting over. The two pack their lives in boxes and migrate to the Big Easy. Upon arrival, Jack and Cindy fall into the jobs of their dreams. The new start they were hoping for seemed to have been waiting for them in New Orleans, after all. But something followed them. Something Evil. Jack is commissioned to create the artwork for a graphic novel about a voodoo king, The King of Evil. As Jack works diligently to create a masterpiece, drawing the images back and forth between paper and his computer, he starts seeing things. Images of his King appear in the corners of his vision. They spring up just as Jack falls asleep. Always only inches out of plain sight. The King grows more powerful, and soon he unleashes his power on Jack, Cindy, and the people in their lives. The King slowly destroys everyone around them, showing the newly rekindled couple what it's like to be evil for evil's sake. Jack and Cindy will need help from the King's past victims to stop him. The King of Evil is a heart-pounding, supernatural thriller. Its vibrant characters and intense action is certain to keep its audience reading well into the night.


Prologue
In the 1940s there was a hospital on the back way out of town where the poor people had their children. It was far enough out of the way that the city was only a murmur, and the trees surrounding the building threatened to break in through the windows. The red brick building wassmall, and there were only a few rooms. At the edge of the tall grass where the trees stopped, a chipmunk stared in wonder at the marvelous brick structure built by man. She had spent a long day trudging through the swampy Louisiana woods, which was much harder now that she was carrying a litter. The faraway sky bruised with the arrival of an oncoming storm.Bars guarded the glass, but the chipmunk had no problem watching the commotion inside. She didn’t see the brownish-orange, diamond-shaped head easing through the tall grass. She watched as the big people picked up the small people from tiny beds and walked out of view.Then a big person would return and lay the small one back in the bed. No one but the chipmunk seemed to notice when the black smoke rose from the center of the room. None of the people reacted whatsoever, because only the chipmunk saw the ashy gray person materialize in the center of the nursery. The head crept closer. The life inside the chipmunk’s belly stirred. They were hungry, too.The gray person stood above the tiny bed with wide eyes fixed on the small person. He looked back and forth between the one in front of him and the one just to his right. Then he turned to the one on his right as if suddenly more intrigued with that one. The chipmunk had no idea what to make of this. She just wanted food, and there was the feint smell of something sweet coming from that building. The chipmunk stood on her hind legs. She stopped, tilting her head. The new person, the one no one else seemed to notice, lifted an arm above his head. The copperhead sprung forward, sinking its teeth and venom into her back. The arm descended. As life drained from the chipmunk, the ashy gray person vanished, and the other people in the building seemed to panic.

Josh Stricklin is an American author and musician with degrees in English literature and advertising from the University of Southern Mississippi. His first novel, Those Who Are Left, is available online and in person. The King of Evil is his first terrifying novel with Silver Leaf Books. He's currently hard at work finishing his first series…or more likely reading comic books and wearing a Seahawks jersey.

http://www.thegreenroses.com
https://twitter.com/ExplosionAction
https://www.instagram.com/explosionaction/ 

Tour giveaway 5 copies The King of Evil

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS by Carolyn Brown - Release Week Blitz & Q&A

Title: MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS
Author:  Carolyn Brown
Series: Lucky Penny Ranch, #3
On Sale: Sept 27, 2016
Publisher: Forever
Mass Market: $7.99 USD

Add to Goodreads

'Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house is the presence of one wickedly hot cowboy who's come to stay for the holiday. Fiona Logan is downright shocked to return to her childhood home and find that the tall blond stranger who came to her rescue on an icy road will be sleeping just across the hall from her bedroom. Talk about temptation…

Jud Dawson never believed the Lucky Penny Ranch would live up to its name until now. Fiona is gorgeous, smart, funny, and everything he thought he'd never find. Now all he has to do is convince her to stick around town instead of hightailing it back to Houston. But with wild weather, nosy neighbors, and a new baby in the family, getting her to admit that she's falling in love might just take a Christmas miracle.

"Jud with his slow, Texas drawl is one sexy cowboy who will have readers falling in love with him. His romantic connection with Fiona sizzles. Brown's modern storytelling and fun-filled plot will engage readers and wrap them up in this sweet, Southern holiday romance." 
–RT Book Reviews
THE LUCKY PENNY RANCH SERIES

WILD COWBOY WAYS, #1
HOT COWBOY NIGHTS, #2
MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS, #3
WICKED COWBOY CHARM, #4


BUY THE BOOK HERE


Q&A
Good mornin’ to all y’all. I’m so glad to be here at your site to answer a few questions about Merry Cowboy Christmas, my newest cowboy book and my favorite holiday book that I’ve written to date.

1) Tell us a little about yourself?
I’d much rather talk about my three kids or my yard full of grandchildren but since you asked about me, I’ll do my best. I’m a wife, a mother, a grandmother and even a great grandmother. Note: I got married very, very young! I sold my first books—two in one day—19 years ago and Merry Cowboy Christmas is my 80th published book. My grandmother said if you love what you do, no matter if it is digging ditches or acting as the President of the USA, then you are a success. With that in mind, I’m a big success because I love what I do.

2) When and how did the idea for "MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS"
come about?
Well, it all started with Fiona confided in her sister about her divorce. And I already knew that Jud was coming to Dry Creek. I just knew in my heart if I put them together with the magic of Christmas in the air, that they’d be good for each other.

3) What was your favorite part about writing the book and is there a character you had the most fun with?
I’ve loved working with Fiona’s grandmother Irene. She has her lucid moments but even in her muddled dementia state she is a character after my own heart. She’s one of those old gals who speaks her mind and does exactly what she wants.

4) If you found a genie, what would be your three wishes?
OMGoodness! Should I wish for world peace or that I would magically drop twenty pounds without it being for sickness? Or maybe I should wish for a lifetime of happiness for all three of my children. Or perhaps that I could meet my writing goals—to make it to the #1 New York Times slot, to have a movie made of one of my books, to win a RITA? I think maybe I’d just talk to the genie for a while and see how many stories he could give me.

5) Was there a specific part in the book that you had an especially difficult time writing?  If so, why?
The end was difficult for me in Merry Cowboy Christmas. I had such a good time writing the book that I could hardly make myself writing the final chapter because then the fun would be over, but then I remembered that I could visit Fiona and Jud again in Wicked Cowboy Charm (Jan. 31, 2017) when I found the right woman for Deke.
Yeap! that's the worst thing about finishing one of Carolyn Brown's awesome books, you're at the end. The best thing? the knowledge that there will be another one in less than 6 months!

Go HERE to read my review!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author and RITA® Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than seventy-five books. She presently writes both women's fiction and cowboy romance. She has also written historical single title, historical series, contemporary single title and contemporary series. She lives in southern Oklahoma with her husband, a former English teacher, who is not allowed to read her books until they are published. They have three children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. 



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  • Ten (10) mass market copies of 
  • MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS by Carolyn Brown

Release Day Celebration: Sacrifice (Serpentine #2) by Cindy Pon with Giveaway


sacrificerdc

Welcome to the Release Day Celebration for
Sacrifice (Serpentine #2) by Cindy Pon
presented by Month9Books!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Happy Book Birthday, Cindy!

SacrificeCover
 Sacrifice (Serpentine #2) by Cindy Pon
                                   Publication Date: Sept 27, 2016
                                           Publisher: Month9Books
Sacrifice, the sequel to Serpentine, plunges Skybright into the terrifying underworld where demons are bred and whisks her up to the magnificent Mountain of Heavenly Peace where the gods dwell.
Stone is stripped of his immortal status and told to close hell's breach, which mysteriously remains open, threatening mortals.
Zhen Ni, Skybright's former mistress and friend, has been wed to the strange and brutish Master Bei, and finds herself trapped in an opulent but empty manor. When she discovers half-eaten corpses beneath the estate, she realizes that Master Bei is not all that he seems.
As Skybright works to free Zhen Ni with the aid of Kai Sen and Stone, they begin to understand that what is at risk is more far-reaching then they could ever have fathomed.
add to goodreads


excerpt
Dressed in a black sleeveless tunic, he seemed taller than she remembered and definitely bigger. Kai Sen had been all wiry muscle when they had traveled together but thin, still boyish in some ways. His time in the monastery since had filled his frame, as if he’d finally grown into his adult physique. He had looked strong before; now he looked powerful. She watched while the flickering flame danced across his face. Kai Sen’s dark eyebrows were knitted together as his alert eyes swept the large bedchamber. Zhen Ni could see why Skybright had been drawn to him—he was handsome. He exuded masculinity. Assuming a girl appreciated that sort of thing: rough hands and deep voice, the odd metallic tang of sweat. She knew from their travels together that he even smelled different.
Zhen Ni wasn’t attracted to these things.
For a brief moment, she remembered the soft curve of Lan’s neck bent over her embroidery, smelled the rose perfume she used to dab at the hollow of Lan’s throat, the scent sweet and mellow when she would kiss the same spot hours later … Zhen Ni blinked the memories away and whispered, “What are you doing here?”

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

Serpentine-Cover

SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.
Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.
When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.
add to goodreads


About-the-Author2
cindyponauthorcolor2

Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. Her most recent novel, Serpentine (Month9Books, 2015), is a Junior Library Guild Selection and received starred reviews from School Library Journal and VOYA. The sequel, Sacrifice, releases this September. WANT, a near-future thriller set in Taipei, will be published by Simon Pulse in summer 2017. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Learn more about her books and art at http://cindypon.com.

giveaway2
Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

Release Blitz/Excerpt/Giveaway For A Kiss at Christmastide by Christina McKnight



Travel to Somerset, England for your 
Holiday Season!
Out Sept 27th – Regency Romance, 
A Kiss At Christmastide by Christina McKnight
Follow the blitz and enter to #win one of 5 signed 
copies of Christmas Ever More by Christina McKnight

Title: A Kiss at Christmastide
Author: Christina McKnight
Genre: Regency Historical Romance, Christmas
Release Date: Sept 27, 2016
Lady Pippa Godfrey has suffered the most ruinous London Season. She escapes to her Somerset estate for a quiet Christmastide holiday with her family, away from society’s prying eyes. But before her parents can join her, a storm crashes down on Somerset to destroy any hope of Pippa’s white Christmas dream. The roads have flooded and travel is impossible, leaving her stranded and alone. But a muddied, angry and devilishly handsome lord appears at her door demanding shelter.
Lucas Hartfeld, the Earl of Maddox, has been summoned by his parents, the Marquis and Marchioness of Bowmont, to attend a holiday party in the wilds of the country, far from his London townhouse. He suspects they command his attendance for far different reasons than a simple country party. When a storm strands his carriage, he’s forced to seek shelter at the only home for miles around, a local manor called Helton House.
When Lady Pippa is reluctant to admit him, he does what he’s been raised to do—demand she provide him and his servants with shelter until the storm passes. But the beautiful woman draws his interest far more than he’s willing to admit. Can Lucas find a way out of the predicament his parents are planning?
As Lady Pippa scrutinizes another arrogant, demanding lord, she is bombarded with memories of betrayals in her past. Can she forget those difficult life lessons to claim a Christmastide kiss from a perfect stranger?

Available at:


GUEST POST Q & A
What was your favorite part about writing the book and is there a character you had the most fun with?

A Kiss at Christmastide brought together a couple who likely would have never met in London. Lady Pippa is more of a bookworm—a woman who enjoys reading of long ago fables before a roaring fire and being close to her small family. Lucas, the Earl of Maddox, is a rakehell and man used to living life on his own terms, answering to no one.

In a crowded London ballroom, Pippa would have stayed close to her mother’s side and spoke demurely with other misses and their mothers. She would have graciously accepted to dance with men of her father’s choosing, keeping the conversations to appropriate topics such as the drizzly weather.

On the other hand, Lucas would have holed up in the card room, only leaving his place to seek out his latest conquest; a comely widow or a woman of questionable morals. He would not give a care in the world if he consumed too my spirits—there was no one he sought to impress and no person daring enough to comment on his behaviors. 

But that all changes when Lucas’ carriage throws a wheel and becomes stuck in the mud during a violent storm only days before Christmas. He is drenched, angry, and has a bloody horrible headache, when he is forced to seek shelter at Lady Pippa’s country manor in Somerset. There is no tavern close by nor willing and wanton females. Lucas has no other option but to play by Lady Pippa’s rules or insult her gracious hospitality. With time on his hands as the storm rages on around him, Lucas must come to terms with his wounded past—and determine what he truly wants for his future.

A Kiss at Christmastide forces Lucas, an alpha hero, to take a moment and enjoy the simple things in life; cooking a holiday meal, decorating the foyer with holly and ribbon, and, possibly the simplest joy of all, giving to those who are less fortunate. 

Excerpt 
Pippa pushed her hair away to continue with instructing the servant to the nearest inn. “Your lord will be far more comfortable…”
The wind whipped the last of her hair from her face to reveal not the servant from before, but a tall, very tall, broad-shouldered, very broad-shouldered, man—that was all Pippa saw of him as her glance locked on his chest. He was drenched, with his shirt plastered to his enormous width. It hadn’t been the wind that had knocked the door from her hands and allowed the storm access to her home, but the man before her.
And he was fuming mad—his nostrils flared as water dripped from his hair and he stared at her pointedly—not bothering to mask his aggressive stance.
“Were you truly going to turn away a man in need of shelter?” his voice boomed.
Pippa gasped, taking yet another step back. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, hoping the noise had awoken one of her servants, abed on the third floor of the house. But none came running to aid her. 
“I knew I was venturing to the depths of hell when I agreed to come all this way from London, but are manners not taught in the wilds of Somerset?” The man ran his hands down the front of his shirt, pushing the water from his body to pool on the floor beneath him. “My servants will need space in your stables. I thank you for…” he eyed her up and down before continuing. “…your hospitality, my lady.”
He bowed before Pippa with his last words and his breath caressed her body, making her acutely aware of two things; he smelled heavily of spirits and she was attired in a sheer nightshift that did not leave much to the imagination.


Christina McKnight is a book lover turned writer. From a young age, her mother encouraged her to tell her own stories. She’s been writing ever since.
Christina enjoys a quiet life in Northern California with her family, her wine, and lots of coffee. Oh, and her books…don’t forget her books! Most days she can be found writing, reading, or traveling the great state of California.

Follow the tour and enter to #win one of 5 signed paperbacks of Christmas Ever More by Christina McKnight





Blog Tour/Spotlight & Giveaway for Half Life by Paul H.B. Shin




Half Life 
Paul H.B. Shin
Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC  
Genre: Thriller   
Release Date: September 6, 2016

The year is 1997. North Korea is suffering from a devastating famine that has shaken the foundation of the ruling class. A series of high-profile defections to the West has led the reclusive country's leadership into the grasp of paranoia.
Nuclear scientist Han Chol-Soo is on a tenuous diplomatic mission to the United States. There he is forced to embark upon a high-stakes pursuit after his wife disappears with their newborn son. Paralyzed with fear at the repercussions of her decision, Han turns to his colleague Park Jun-Young for help -- a man that he suspects is an intelligence operative. He soon regrets his decision as Park cuts a swath of mayhem in the name of helping Han, and the chase forces Han to confront the harsh realities of his home country.

Half Life Reviews
“Half Life is a terrific novel. Right from the start you'll be drawn into many dark worlds—politics, espionage, and North Korea—and it will keep you on the edge of your seat right until the last page. Paul H.B. Shin’s authenticity and style cannot bemissed.” –Dale Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Starfire (William Morrow)

 “A gripping, taut espionage thriller, Half Life is enriched by the love story at its core and the refusal to give simple answers. I loved it.” –Robert Ferrigno, bestselling & award-winning author of Heart of the Assassin (Scribner)

“Paul H. B. Shin wraps an engaging tale of espionage and intrigue around a failed marriage in his new international thriller, Half Life. With sure-footed prose and vivid characterization, Shin takes readers inside the paranoid claustrophobia of North Korea’s political world, where even high-ranking diplomats live in constant fear. With North Korea's nuclear arms program as a backdrop, the eminently believable and thoughtful plot will have readers wondering if they're looking at tomorrow's news. A well-wrought debut.”–

Jim DeFelice, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of American Sniper (William Morrow)

Paul H.B. Shin’s debut novel follows a career
as an award-winning journalist for more than
20 years, most recently for ABC News. He
previously wrote for the New York Daily
News. He was born in South Korea and lived
in London during his childhood. He now lives
in Brooklyn, New York.




Tour Giveaway

(1) hardcover copy of Half Life by Paul H.B. Shin

(1) paperback copy of Half Life by Paul H.B. Shin

(5) ebook copies of Half Life by Paul H.B. Shin