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Thursday, April 30, 2015

The Dreamweaver's Journey by Diana Wicker Marquee!!!! Check it out :)

 
Synopsis
 
The Realm of Feyron has always been. It is the origin of all things magical, the axis point where all the worlds meet. Once, in days gone by, there were many gateways within the Temple of Pyli connecting the Worlds Beyond seeded with magic to their home. Now many gateways have flickered out, and Feyron weakens as the magic fades and the Guardians are lost.

For the first time in over three hundred years a Dreamweaver has come of age and is tasked with contacting the Guardians. When she awakens in the night after a vision of her best friend lost and alone, injured in the snows at the top of the Crystal Mountains, she seeks out the Sacred Fire in the Temple in an attempt to call forth more information. A voice calls out from the fire, "Dreamweaver, you are summoned." An image appears of an ancient path through the Mist Shrouded Forest leading to a hidden gate into the Crystal Caverns below the mountains. The Guardians have summoned her on a quest that will take her to the four realms of light within Feyron in search of answers and aid.

 
 

The Dawning of Firebird Alex by Orren Merton Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway :)

The-Dawning-of-Firebird-Alex

Welcome to my tour stop for The Dawning of Firebird Alex by Orren Merton. The tour will consist of reviews, interviews, guest posts and spotlights and runs April 27- May 8th. Check out the tour page for more information.
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The-Dawning-of-Firebird-Alex-Cover
The Dawning of Firebird Alex by Orren Merton
 
Eighteen-year-old Alexandra Gold is a Seduman: her humanity and compassion come from her deceased human mother, and her powers over spirit fire and super-human strength from her demon-like Sedu father. Collecting the first three novels inThe Sedumen Chronicles, this volume includes:
 
Firebird Alex: When Alex unearths her father’s Sedublade, it sets in motion a journey that challenges everything she thought she was. Rescuing her friends from another Seduman gives her a taste of the heroine she might become.
 
Lady Firebird: Her old nemesis, down but not out, executes a horrific plan to conquer both Earth and Sediin. It’s up to Alex to assume the mantle of Lady Firebird and hunt her adversary across universes.
 
Firebird Vengeance: Just when Alex thought she’d won, she discovers her victory has unleashed a horrible vengeance that threatens to destroy human and Sedu alike. In order to save everyone, she must convince skeptics in both universes that she truly is the heroine that she claims to be.
 
Also in this collection Firebird Manor: In this bonus novelette, Alex and her friends unwittingly awaken a murderous eldritch horror in a beachside manor. They must defeat the monster before it kills again.
 
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***Excerpt***


Excerpt #4 “The Dawning of Firebird Alex” (Lady Firebird chapter 34)

All seven of us held hands, ready to follow the rumam's trail. Garz's eyes started glowing bright red and we lifted off the grounds, swirling into The Nothingness. As ever, I had no sense of direction or orientation, only movement. We began to feel ourselves slowing, and I saw spinning below my feet what looked like rocks and bricks. I was surprised to see floating debris in The Nothingness. Was this a House that had just been ruined?

We stopped moving, and immediately I was hit in the head by a rock.

One rock hit Vetis in the head and he let go of both Garz and my hands. I shrieked, but I couldn't grab Vetis. There was no weight here, nothing to push or pull against. He was simply floating off from the impact of the rock, rubbing his head, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

"Damn you!" Garz screamed, pounding his chest wildly. "Damn you son of Raum!"

"What is it Garz? What's happening?" I asked, his frustration and anger sending a shiver down my entire body.

"He set this trap for us," Garz seethed. "He knew we'd follow. He had the rumam dumped here, and then he set this debris in motion—"

He grunted as a large rock pelted his stomach.

"—to disconnect and disorient us. He knows that we can't follow him from here."

"Can we get somewhere from here? Argh!" I howled as a brick pounded into my back.

Garz scowled. "Vetis," he shouted. "Return to the House of Keroz!"

"No!" he retorted. "I will not leave Alex behind! There must be a way..." he said, almost pleading.

"There might be," Garz said. "Vetis, if you and I can grab some of this debris, we can return and take it with us. It should be enough to get Father to this spot. He should be able to grab Alex and Zaebos and return with them. No Sedu spirit is as vast as his, or has the power, the focus, that he does."

Vetis nodded. "Grab as many bricks and rocks as you can, then return. I will stay here with Alex."

My brother closed his eyes, his expression deeply pained. "Vetis...my friend...my brother...we need all the debris we can gather. You and I both must return, if this is to work."

Vetis looked at me with desperation, his huge red eyes about to burst. "I..."

"Go, Vetis," I said, trying not to sound terrified. "If you want to save me, I need both of you to go. I know you'll come back for—dammit!" I exclaimed, a sizable rock pelting me in the head.

Vetis shook with frustration. He shrieked in a high-pitched, shrill, and dissonant tone, filled with more fury than I imagined his tiny, lipless mouth was capable of. He nodded to Garz.

Eventually, Vetis and Garz filled their arms with hand-sized bricks and rocks.

"Alex, however long it takes, we will return for you," Garz said, his voice nearly breaking. While a little part of me was touched that this Sedu who rarely showed emotion was so upset about leaving me, most of me was scared shitless.

I nodded rapidly, trying to swallow back my fear.

"Alex..." Vetis said, his eyes welling up.

"Go, Vetis," I said. "I need you to go. Please."

He closed his eyes, emotion breaking on his face.

After a moment of concentration both of them spun off into the distance.



And then Zaebos and I were alone.


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Orren MertonABOUT THE AUTHOR

Orren Merton started writing fantasy and science fiction at an embarrassingly young age. In high school, he picked up guitar and start playing up and down California in a few bands, culminating in his industrial rock band Ember After. During that time, magazines, developers, and corporations began to pay him to write and edit music software related articles, manuals, and books. Since then he has written the urban fantasy novel The Deviant and the science fiction novel Skye Entity before working on his current series of YA novels. He lives in Southern California with his family, pets, collection of sci-fi/fantasy memorabilia, and curiously large stuffed animal collection.
 
AUTHOR ONLINE: Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Website
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GIVEAWAY
 
Orren will be giving away ecopies of his book to 5 winners of the below Rafflecopter.



This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions

 

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Verus Galaxy S6 Edge Case Thor Green Review


Verus Galaxy S6 Edge Case Thor Green Review


Link to my review on Amazon:

GALAXY S6 EDGE THOR GREEN

#teamverus

***My Personal Review***

Another awesome case from Verus!  Comes in many colors and for both the S6 and the S6 Edge.  Very stylish case and if you really look at the pictures it looks like the case gets slimmer in the middle which is awesome :)  It's like a little black dress for your phone except it's green!  I honestly wasn't sure I would like the Thor Green color but after seeing it up close I have to say I really like it.  And every Verus case makes a great bumper case and provides superior protection for your phone.  And you WANT good protection if you are going to spend $400 or $500 or more for a phone.  This slides onto your phone and forms a tight seal around it so that you can drop it hard and the inside cushion will help stop cracks and nicks. 



I am totally in love with the Verus cases - they have SO many to choose from and they really are the best I have seen - they give you the complete protection for your phone without the bulkiness.  And when you go to the product page by clicking on the image at the top of the page check out the Electric Blue and Thor Shine Gold - they are my other FAVORITE colors for this case :)  Check out their range of 2 piece cases as well, the top piece snaps into a small bottom piece and you can mix and match all their colors with those :)  So much to choose from, grab them now!





Nuphorin™ Anxiety Relief Review


Nuphorin™ Anxiety Relief Review


http://www.amazon.com/nuphorin-fast-acting-pharmaceutical-anti-anxiety-ashwagandha/dp/b00g705gbk

Link to my review on Amazon:

NUPHORIN ANXIETY RELIEF

#nuphorin

***My Personal Review***

We are always hearing about ways to relieve your anxiety - I have suffered from pretty severe anxiety since my daughter was born with Williams syndrome and we went through some pretty bad times with her.  It is something that I have always had underneath and the signs were there but it didn't really rear it's ugly head until I had some sort of "trauma", even if it was emotional trauma.  Nuphorin is packed with great things for your overall health and daily needs including Vitamin B-1, Vitamin B-2, Niacinamide, Vitamin B-6, Folic Acid, Vitamin B-12, Calcium, Magnesium as well as Chamomile which is very well known for being a calming substance.  I drink Chamomile tea at night to help calm myself down.  I tried this after checking with my doctor to make sure it wouldn't interfere with my other meds and it did seem to give me a boost - I was able to stop taking my Clorazepate for a while each day and not turn into mega-beast.


This is great for ANYONE who might have mood swings or stress or anxiety or depression.  Or even if you just get a little sad once in a while - we are always running around and so busy that we forget to take time for US.  And that is something that we need.  It's important for our overall health and can take a huge toll on our bodies and mental health.  12 ingredients, 60 capsules - just look for the blue and pink triangle and ask your doctor if this would be a good dietary supplement for you to take :)


Matcha Tea Ceremony Gift Set by Matcha DNA Review


Matcha Tea Ceremony Gift Set by Matcha DNA Review

http://www.amazon.com/matcha-tea-gift-set-ceremony/dp/b00oi1szok/ref=pd_rhf_cr_p_img_1

Link to my review on Amazon:

MATCHA DNA CEREMONY SET

#matchagiftset

***My Personal Review***

I have tried matcha tea before and I have tried the ceremonial grade but I haven't ever used the traditional ceremonial set and I must say it is awesome :)  Actually immersing yourself in the ceremony and learning how to make the tea that way is quite an experience.  Of course we have all seen it done on tv, but how many of us have actually tried it??  This beautiful set is perfect for yourself or for a gift and it comes with everything you need to perform the ancient ceremony.  I saw it for the first time on the movie The Karate Kid Part 2 I think and I thought it was a beautiful tradition and so when I got the chance to review this set I was ecstatic!  Plus I love tea :)  It comes with a bamboo spoon and whisk as well as a handmade ceramic bowl and whisk holder plus you also get a 1 oz bag of tea which will make quite a few bowls as it does not take much.  It is all organic and natural as well.


Learning more about this ceremony is great too, I had no idea that each of these pieces had their own special name like the whisk is the Chasen, the bowl is the Chawan, and the spoon is the Chashaku.  And the ceremony itself is Chanoyu.  This ceremony goes back over 1000 years and is performed mainly for the sake of the beauty and movements because ceremonial matcha tea is more bitter than regular matcha tea.  "Preparing tea in this ceremony means pouring all one's attention into the predefined movements. The whole process is not about drinking tea, but is about aesthetics, preparing a bowl of tea from one's heart. The host of the ceremony always considers the guests with every movement and gesture. Even the placement of the tea utensils is considered from the guests view point." (http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/)  And with this beautiful set you can re-create that amazing feeling whenever you want and definitely impress your friends :)




Tuesday, April 28, 2015

+LIFEGUARD Car Charger - Lightning Bonus Offer


+LIFEGUARD Car Charger - Lightning Bonus Offer


Link to my review on Amazon:

+LIFEGUARD CAR CHARGER

#pluslifeguard

***My Personal Review***

I have had the luck to try Lifeguard products before and was very pleased and I was not let down with this charger.  It is super simple to use you just plug it into the lighter in the car and it has 2 USB ports so you can charge 2 devices at once.  I love it because I have a smartphone as well as an iPad 2 for my daughter and both are always running low - so instead of having to choose which one to charge I can do both at once!  Very easy and you can tell by looking at this product that it is high quality and sturdy - there was no looseness after inserting it and no problems with the charge stopping and starting.  You also know when it is charging because it has a blue light around the front.  If you want a great product at a super price then this is for you - just $10.97 on Amazon and you can choose from black or silver :)  Pick a few up and keep one in each car and always have your charger on hand!


Nobody's Goddess by Amy McNulty Blog Tour and Giveaway :)



ABOUT NOBODY’S GODDESS:



Title: Nobody's Goddess (The Never Veil #1)

Publication date: April 21, 2015

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author:  Amy McNulty



In a village of masked men, magic compels each man to love only one woman and to follow the commands of his “goddess” without question. A woman may reject the only man who will love her if she pleases, but she will be alone forever. And a man must stay masked until his goddess returns his love—and if she can’t or won’t, he remains masked forever.



Seventeen-year-old Noll isn't in the mood to celebrate. Her childhood friends have paired off and her closest companion, Jurij, found his goddess in Noll’s own sister. Desperate to find a way to break this ancient spell, Noll instead discovers why no man has ever chosen her.



Thus begins a dangerous game between the choice of woman versus the magic of man. And the stakes are no less than freedom and happiness, life and death—and neither is willing to lose.





Purchase Links:




ABOUT AMY MCNULTY:



Amy McNulty is a freelance writer and editor from Wisconsin with an honors degree in English. She was first published in a national scholarly journal (The Concord Review) while in high school and currently spends her days alternatively writing on business and marketing topics and primarily crafting stories with dastardly villains and antiheroes set in fantastical medieval settings.











Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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***Author Interview***

Thanks for having me on your blog and for all the great questions!  I wanted to answer almost all of them, but if that’s too many, feel free to cut some out!

What inspired you to write your first book?

An avid reader and consumer of geeky pop culture, I’ve wanted to be a published author since I was very young. I got slightly serious about writing fiction in 2003, but it wasn’t until 2012 that I finally had a finished manuscript and I started working on fiction writing and editing more regularly.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I used to write without an outline, but I make sure I have an outline now after I abandoned one of my manuscripts toward the end because I felt like I couldn’t tie everything together. (I want to try rewriting it eventually!) Still, I don’t always stick to my outline and I sometimes will skip ahead to a vivid scene I’m excited to write and go back and fill in the gaps later.

How did you come up with the title?

It was originally called The Veiled Man’s Goddess, which I modeled after The French Lieutenant’s Woman. My publisher thought it set the wrong tone for the novel (it seems more like an adult romance), and we brainstormed with a bunch of people to come up with something new, but we had a hard time. One of my editors pointed to the words “nobody’s goddess” in my manuscript and said it would make a great title, and we agreed! Noll is both nobody’s goddess and the veiled man’s goddess in a way, so it works.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I didn’t really write the series with a message in mind, but I think a few came through. If readers walk away with ideas about one’s freedom to love and how to make things equal between genders, I’ll be happy.

How much of the book is realistic?

It’s a fantasy setting and there’s a magic spell (curse?) over the village, so not a lot. But I feel like the emotions Noll experiences are pretty realistic when considering the situation in which she’s been placed.

Are experiences writing the book based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Nope, no one or nothing I know in real life. I do have a penchant for the Byronic hero in fiction, though, so that influenced my writing.

What books have most influenced your life most?

Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Jane Eyre, and Jane Austen’s books.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Melissa Giorgio, my best friend and beta reader. She published her first novel a few years before me and has been seriously writing fiction for longer than I have, so she gives me tips and motivates me to try to work as hard.

What book are you reading now?

I’m taking an unintended break from novels to marathon-read Fables from Vertigo. I played The Wolf Among Us, a game by Telltale, and it was a lot of fun, so I wanted to read the comic series on which it’s based.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

Pretty much all of my fellow Month9Books authors! I’ve gotten to know them online over the past year+, and I’m excited for their books to do well, too.

What are your current projects?

I just finished the first draft of the third and final book in The Never Veil Series and I’m still working on revising that. (I’ll also soon have revisions from my publisher for book 2.) I’m looking for a home for a finished YA fantasy manuscript about four teens whose parents are all villainous in what I consider a YA Game of Thrones meets Marvel Comics’ Runaways. This summer, I want to rewrite a YA suspense manuscript I shelved about a teen with prosopagnosia who still loves his ex-girlfriend, even though something awful happened between them and he can’t remember her face.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Melissa Giorgio, my beta reader and author of The Silver Moon Saga.

Do you see writing as a career?

Definitely! I’m a freelance business writer most of the time, but I really hope to devote more of my work day to fiction writing. But I’ll have to write (and sell) a lot more books before I get to that point.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No, because it went through so many major rewrites already. From the version with which I started querying to get an agent to the version hitting the shelves, I’d say I made five major revisions (added new characters, rearranged scenes, added scenes, deleted scenes) and twice as many minor revisions along the way thanks to input from agents, beta readers and editors. I think we finally got it right.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

“Is your mother French?”
                I shifted in my seat and winced as my boxers rode up. The chipped metal stool they sit us on for these pictures could hardly fit a kindergartener, let alone a high schooler.
                “You… Your mother…”
                Oh. The guy was actually looking right at me. I mean, of course he was. He was supposed to be taking my picture for the yearbook. Never mind that the seniors got to decorate their own yearbook pages and there was unlikely to be a single other senior there. Mom and Dad wanted the pictures. They picked out a dirty brown background. Said it would go well with my eyes. I keep forgetting I have brown eyes. No, black. So brown they were almost black.
                “Uh,” I stammered. I gripped the cheap plastic comb in my fist and watched uncomfortably as a girl next in line started whispering to the girl behind her. They both started laughing. Hurry the f*&^ up and take the picture…
                The light flashed. I had forgotten to smile.
                “You look so like her,” said the picture guy. I detected the faintest trace of an accent. And was… Was he crying?
                The guy wiped an eye with his shirt sleeve. Holy s(*&. He was crying. My gaze shifted uncomfortably to the long line of people. More and more of them were watching now, a large crowd of strangers. But what if I knew one of them? One could be in my class. One could be my friend, for all I knew… I strained to recognize something—hair, an outfit I’d seen before, a familiar way of standing. Didn’t Mia usually cross her arms like that? I knew she had long hair, but I couldn’t tell from where I was if this girl had short hair or had pulled her hair back. That’s what I got for taking off my glasses for the picture. But what if Mia had cut her hair anyway? What if my stupid brain had failed to register the hair cut?

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Writing first drafts is always hardest for me! It’s overwhelming to think of the tens of thousands of words ahead of me.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Jane Austen. I love how her characters come to life and she interjects humor into her stories as the narrator.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

So far, no, but I’m planning to sign at Book Con in NYC Saturday, May 30th!

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Fighting to keep one aspect of the book in it that editors along the way wanted me to take out. (Not Month9 editors—they saw its potential.)

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Writing is hard and sometimes you feel like you’re investing a lot of your life in it for no reason, but if you love it, it’ll prove worthwhile.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Keep writing, and don’t put yourself down.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you for taking a chance on a new author! All the enthusiasm for the book has made me so happy!

What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

Finding the right publishing house that understood my story.

What genre do you consider your book(s)?

YA romantic fantasy

Do you ever experience writer's block?

Definitely! If I’m on a deadline, I get especially panicked. But the best way to handle it for me is to walk away and come back later if I can or just push through it if I don’t have the time.

Have you ever hated something you wrote?

Yes! But not Nobody’s Goddess. I’ve shelved the awful mess that was my first attempt at a manuscript.

What is your favourite theme/genre to write about?

YA fantasy in general and complex villains/antagonists specifically.

While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?

Sure, a bit. It helps to get into the head of your characters. That’s not to say they’re anything like me, but they probably each have a little bit of me in them.

What are your expectations for the book?

I hope it finds an audience and that most of the people excited for it based on the concept and/or cover art alone aren’t disappointed!

Thank you Amy for answering some questions for us readers!  Good luck with your book :)


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Giveaway Information:  Winner will be drawn May 22, 2015

·  Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Nobody's Goddess (The Never Veil #1) by Amy McNulty (INT)