Book Blitz! WONDERFULLY WICKED, by C.J. Burright

Wonderfully Wicked

by CJ Burright

Release Date: 05/13/14

Summary from Goodreads:

A dreamcaster with the ability to channel creatures from her nightmares, headstrong and cynical Kalila Montgomery longs for a peaceful, picket-fence life…until the man literally of her dreams kidnaps her. Survival quickly becomes her number one goal, yet a growing attraction to the man in her nightmares is impossible to ignore. While she fears he will kill her, other, more terrifying enemies surround her, and Kalila succumbs to his scheme to escape. She may be his one hope for freedom…A deadly combination of power, cunning, and cold-hearted charm, Lydon v'al Endrian fears nothing. Feels nothing.

Chained to a brotherhood of men with the supernatural ability to invade dreams, he hunts dreamcasters to be harvested for their dreams and killed. His target: Kalila Montgomery. But Kalila awakens an undeniable dark desire and a longing for a freedom long-lost. To gain everything he craves, Lydon must seduce Kalila before his plot is discovered…a hopeless challenge which, if failed, will earn him a death-sentence. Caught up in a dangerous world of secrets and obsession, doubt and betrayal, Kalila and Lydon face the nightmare of their lives, where love will either deliver them—or destroy them both.

Available from:

Amazon * Kobo

Excerpt:

“I took great effort to see you.” His tone hinted the act made him deserving. “You sleep; I’ll keep watch. And my vow of yesterday stands. I won’t molest you.”

To her annoyance, her pulse danced a country jig. Whatever efforts he took on her behalf were of questionable nature, not romantic. She made a rude noise in case he held any such illusions.

“Keep watch for what? No one besides you could reach my window and my door’s bolted.”

Lydon laced his hands behind his head, his lips twitching as though fighting a smile. “Then I’ll watch you. Like before.”

Horror prickled over her in a rushing tide. She leapt up. “You watched me sleep? Not skulked around in my bedroom to attack me?” She groaned, imagining him watching her drool, snore, or grind her teeth.

He laughed, low and warm. “You’re so lovely when you dream, Lils. An angel.” He patted the empty spot beside him.

Her traitorous body, defenseless against him, obeyed. The red, silken comforter hissed beneath her knees while she climbed onto the opposite side of the giant bed. The lone lamp by the bed cast a mystical glow over Lydon, catching golden highlights in his light hair, the silver shards in his eyes. “Watching people sleep is creepy.”

He shrugged. “Not people, just you. Besides, I am creepy.”

Definitely not creepy. Kalila settled into a cross-legged position and fixed him with a no-nonsense look. “Since it seems you have nothing better to do than lie there like a sloth, be useful and fess up. Why am I being treated as some freaking porcelain doll in a glass case? How can my nightmares benefit the V’alkara? Can the V’alkara really take my dreams away? None of you seem sick—and no, mental doesn’t count—so what’s wrong? And when will you take us home?”

Lydon jiggled one black boot. What she thought might be disapproval flickered in his eyes. “I won’t waste our alone time answering inquiries. I have other plans.”

She swallowed hard. Maybe she’d misjudged him. Maybe he was so confident in his assassin abilities—and her helplessness—he felt sneakiness was unnecessary.

He sat up in a blink of an eye, moving with inhuman speed. One large hand was planted next to her knee. His breath fanned her chin. The scent of the outdoors and a tinge of smoke drifted from his clothes. His voice whispered spider-soft.

“Do you care to know what other less attractive names some call me?” The world seemed to shrink to Lydon and the force of his gaze. “Angel of Ruin. Living Nightmare. Scourge.” His eyes gleamed, darkened. “As you might guess from such monikers, peace in my life is rare. I’ll relish any fragments of it I happen to stumble across for as long as possible.”

His fingers trailed her cheek to cup her chin. In the span of a heartbeat, his face changed. From beautiful man to skeletal beast then back to beautiful man. A chill coiled around her soul, deep and cold as a winter storm. Who—what—was this guy?

“Do you feel it too?”

Kalila’s heartbeat rumbled in her ears, kicked at her throat. Her fingers jerked with a fierce need to touch him. Instead, she fisted the blanket. Admit nothing to the enemy. Yet the urge to nestle her cheek into his palm and purr grappled with reason. She had to take control before she did something stupid.

About the Author

CJ blames her love for reading and all things Medieval on her father, who plied her often with fantasy novels ranging from Sir Lloyd Alexander to Piers Anthony.  Her love for romance, however, lies completely at the feet of her best friend Michelle, who dared to give her a romance novel for her birthday.  She smiled, politely said thank you, and tossed it in the corner, where it gathered dust.  In a moment of desperation, when only the revolting romance remained in her almost-always toppling stack of awaiting books, she sucked it up and read the romance.  Doomed. 

She started writing fantasy and paranormal romance for the cathartic experience, decided she liked it, and after two overlong, horribly written novels joined RWA and the Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal special interest chapter.  Best classes and critique groups ever.  Double doomed.  Now, writing is a necessity, not just a hobby.

In her spare time, when she’s not writing or reading or actually working, CJ might be found in the dojang (4th Dan Black Belt, baby), rooting on the Mariners (who will some day win the World Series), working out (P90X, anyone?), gardening (a little dirt never hurt anyone), or playing Music of the Night on the piano (without mask or cape). She lives in Oregon with her fabulous husband and daughter. Not to mention her minions, a herd of cats.

WONDERFULLY WICKED is CJ's Burright's first novel.

Author Links:

   

GIVEAWAY:

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Book Blitz Organized by:

How to Seduce a Band Geek (How To #2)

by Cassie Mae

Release Date: 05/06/14

Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

Sierra Livingston’s got it bad for her sister’s best friend, Levi Mason—the boy who carries his drumsticks in his pocket, marches with the school’s band, and taps his feet to whatever beat runs through his head. Sierra racks her brain for ways to impress the sexy drummer, but the short skirts and bursting cleavage don’t seem to cut it.

When Sierra gets paired with Levi’s sister, Brea, for a mentorship program, they strike a deal. In exchange for Sierra keeping her mouth shut about Brea ditching the program, Brea lets Sierra dig for more info on Levi to help get the guy of her dreams.

But when Sierra discovers Levi no longer plays the drums, his family has moved into a trailer, and he’s traded in his Range Rover for a baby blue moped, Sierra’s not sure if she can go through with violating his privacy. She’ll have to find the courage to ask him straight out—if he’s willing to let her in—and explore other ways to seduce the school’s band geek.

And here's an excerpt:

“Will you come here?” he asks, taking my wrist and guiding me—omigosh—on his lap. He slides back to make room for me, but now I’m like, straddling him. Legs over legs, one of his arms holding me steady, the other coming up and cupping my neck. I rest my hands on his waist, not sure where to put them because, holy crap, what is going on? I like it, whatever it is, but he still looks like someone’s twisting a knife in his gut.

“Levi, you’re kind of scaring me.”

He gives me this weird smile thingy, only half his mouth twitching up at the corner. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to scare you.”

“Then what’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

He shakes his head, keeping his eyes locked on mine. My lips part slightly as I wait for him to spill. But he doesn’t. He drops his gaze to my mouth, and my breathing picks up.

“I need to kiss you.”

Available from:
Amazon * Kobo

Link to book one:
(cover linked to Goodreads)

Available from:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

About the Author

Amazon multi-category and international bestselling author of HOW TO DATE A NERD, HOW TO SEDUCE A BAND GEEK and HOW TO HOOK A BOOKWORM

Cassie Mae is a nerd to the core from Utah, who likes to write about other nerds who find love. Her angel children and perfect husband fan her and feed her grapes while she clacks away on the keyboard. Then she wakes up from that dream world and manages to get a few words on the computer while the house explodes around her. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with the youth in her community as a volleyball and basketball coach, or searching the house desperately for chocolate.

Cassie Mae is an Amazon.com bestselling author of the teen contemporary romance novel REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND, which she self-published. In addition to publishing with Swoon Romance, she is published by Random House Flirt.

Author Links:

    

*GIVEAWAY*

1 ebook of How to Seduce a Band Geek & $10 Amazon gift card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

Cover Reveal: THE SOUL HEALER, by Melissa Giorgio!

It's been two months since Gabi Harkins first learned of demons and the mysterious hunters who battle them.  After discovering a few unbelievable surprises about herself, she simply wants to settle into a normal routine that involves dating her boyfriend Rafe Fitzgerald, hanging out with her friends, and eating lots of dessert.  But when her peaceful life is destroyed by the ultimate of betrayals, Gabi must rely on her wits -- and a few new crazy friends -- to survive her hardest challenges yet.

The sequel to THE SIGHT SEER combines action, romance, and a healthy dose of humor as Gabi struggles to learn the truth about the secrets that surround her life.

Sounds awesome, right?  Make sure to add it on Goodreads!  And if you haven't read THE SIGHT SEER, here it is on Amazon.

Now about the wonderful author, Melissa Giorgio!

Melissa Giorgio is a native New Yorker who graduated from Queens College with a degree in English.  She's always dreamed of being a writer and has been creating stories (mostly in her head) since she was a little girl.  Also an avid reader, Melissa loves to devour thick YA novels.  When not reading or writing, she enjoys watching animated films, listening to music by her favorite Japanese boy band, or exploring Manhattan.

Guest Blog: Theresa Paolo - Finding Inspiration

I'm super excited to welcome author Theresa Paolo to the blog!  Her book (NEVER) AGAIN came out in October.  She's here today to talk a little bit about inspiration for the book, as well as inspiration in general.  Take it away, Theresa!

Thanks, for having me!

Inspiration is a large part of being a writer. It doesn’t just stop at that first spark of an idea either. It carries on throughout the entire time you’re working on a book. It can be triggered by almost anything, at least for me it can. A conversation, a news story, a sign on a tree, a song, anything. And when that moment hits, it is the best feeling. I can never get the idea down fast enough. I carry three notebooks with me at all times, but even though I’m prepared, most of my inspiration tends to hit when I’m in the shower. Why wouldn’t it?

The inspiration for (Never) Again was sparked by a news story. It was a tragedy, and I remember thinking not about the people who were involved in the event, but about the family members and friends who were watching it unfold, bit by torturous bit on TV and the radio. Little information was known, but for the people watching the TV and listening to the radio, it was enough to know that their lives may be changed forever.

I thought about their stories, and how they were going about their lives just like any other day when they received word of what was happening. My thoughts turned into a story and Liz was born. A girl who was not handling the fact that her ex boyfriend was back in town. Compared to the event she would watch unfold on TV her problems were absolutely ridiculous. But I wanted the story to be real. How many times have you had a bad day and you think it’s the end of the world? And how many times have you seen something that makes you realize your problems are miniscule? That’s where the idea came together.

A few scenes in the book were inspired by things my Dad has said. He’d be happy to know I’m giving him credit. The inspiration for Zach’s grandmother came from a coworker who was going through a similar situation. And the first scene where Liz dives into the bathroom to avoid Zach is actually inspired by my own personal experience of dodging an ex.

Inspiration can come from anywhere. You just have to open yourself up to it.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Theresa!  Make sure to check out (NEVER) AGAIN on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

"Writers betray people."

Last week, I had the honor of meeting Justin Torres, the bestselling author of WE THE ANIMALS.  If you haven't read it, you're missing out.  In short, it's a haunting coming-of-age story about family, betrayal, and sexuality that packs one hell of a punch in a whopping 125 pages.

The book.

The signed book.  It's OK to be jealous.

Though WE THE ANIMALS is fiction, Torres admits that it's thematically autobiographical.  Hence, one of the most interesting conversations we had involved his family's reaction to the book.  He said it was tough.  When the book was first coming out, he spent a lot of time worried about what they'd think when they recognized themselves in the characters.

"Writers betray people," he said.

As someone who frequently writes from personal experience, that comment really stuck with me.  He went on to say that he doesn't know if it's right.  If it's worth it.

At any rate, it got me thinking.

P.S.  Justin Torres disapproves of the blogosphere.  Oh well :)

(left to right) Me with phenomenal writers Tom Chester, Noa Nir, Meagan Smith, and Justin Torres

THE SIGHT SEER, by Melissa Giorgio - On Sale Now!

Everyone should hurry over to Amazon to buy the wonderful Melissa Giorgio's book, THE SIGHT SEER.  Here's the blurb:

Gabi Harkins likes to think she’s a pretty normal sixteen-year-old. She goes to school, suffers though an awful part-time job, and deals with a bratty younger sister. But when a potential shoplifter morphs into a monster right in front of her, Gabi realizes her life is far from normal—especially when that monster follows her home and ends up battling a boy wielding a sword in her backyard.

That boy, Rafe Fitzgerald, is a member of Silver Moon, an organization devoted to eradicating demons before they kill humans.  If this little bit of news isn't earth-shattering enough, Rafe reveals that he needs Gabi's help.  As strong as Rafe is, he does not possess the Sight--a rare ability that allows a hunter to See through a demon's glamour, enabling them to strike before the demon does.  But guess who does?

While Gabi is reluctant to face another demon, she knows she owes Rafe big time for saving her.  Together, they're thrown headfirst into heart-stopping situations as they battle newer and more frightening demons.  When she starts to fall for Rafe, Gabi knows her normal life is gone forever.

Cover Reveal: (NEVER) AGAIN by Theresa Paolo

Just when she had finally moved on…

…He moved back.

When college freshman Liz Wagner hears her ex's voice for the first time since he moved clear across the freaking country, she does what any respectable girl would do:  Dive into the girls' bathroom.

Zach Roberts--the Zach Roberts--is back.  And he's everywhere Liz looks--infiltrating her friend group, buddy-buddy with her brother.  It's enough to ruin college altogether.  But what choice does she have but to put on a happy face and pretend he didn't leave her vulnerable and alone in a pile of emotional wreckage?

Pretending works, until tragedy strikes and the only person available for comfort is the one person she wants to stay away from.  When Zach turns out not to be the jerk she convinced herself he was, but the boy she used to love, Liz needs to decide whether to open her heart again to the boy who tore it out.

About the Author:  Theresa Paolo lives in the same town she grew up in on Long Island, NY with her boyfriend an Milton, their big-eyed goldfish.  She has a hard time accepting the fact she's nearing thirty, which is why she writes New Adult and Young Adult books, reliving the best an worst years of her life through her characters.  She put her love of writing on hold while she received her Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from Dowling College.  On November 11th 2011 at 11:11 she made a wish.  Two hours later she was laid off.  Jobless for the first time since she was sixteen she was determined to make her wish come true.  Writing became her life again and after many nights of ignoring her boyfriend to spend time with her characters, she finally received teh call that all her hard work, finger crossing and eye crossing paid off.  She signed with Berkley (Penguin) and her debut novel, (NEVER) AGAIN, a NA romance, will be out in Fall 2013.  When she's not writing, she's behind a camera or can be found in the blogosphere or on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Happy Book Birthday: UNSCRIPTED

Congratulations to Jayne Denker on her brand new book, UNSCRIPTED.

Here's the blurb:

One of Hollywood's hardest working women is about to discover there's a lot more drama behind the camera than in front of it…

Faith "Freakin'" Sinclair probably shouldn't have called her boss a perv…or grabbed his "privates."  But as creator of the hit dramedy Modern Women, she'd had enough of his sexist insults.  Now she's untouchable in the industry--not in a good way.  The only way to redeem herself is to convince Alex, the wildly popular, wildly demanding former star of her show, to come back.  But there's one obstacle in her way--one very handsome, broad-shouldered obstacle…

Professor Mason Mitchell is head of the theater department where Alex is studying "real" acting.  The only way he'll let Faith anywhere near Alex is if she agrees to co-teach a class.  It's an offer she can't refuse--and as it turns out, the professor just might end up teaching Faith that there's more to life than work--and that real-life love scenes are way more fun than fake ones.

Sounds awesome, right?  I can't wait to pick up a copy, which you can find at the following places:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

And make sure you look for Jayne Denker!  You can find her on Twitter and at her website!

London: A Book Lover's Paradise

That's me in front of Parliament!

Well, Study Abroad 2013 is officially over.  The semester has finished and I've fled Sevilla's sunshine to the clouds of London, where I'm staying with family for two weeks.

Honestly, I didn't expect a lot from London.  I anticipated it would be just like New York, or Madrid, or Barcelona, or any other big city I've visited:  dirty, crowded, generic.

I was wrong.

My first glance at Big Ben!

Apart from the weather, London is gorgeous.  The old-fashioned houses, the palaces and fortresses, the shops, the parks, everything.  But what makes it especially fun is that no matter where you turn, you recognize something iconic:  Big Ben, the Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, etcetera.

But what I love most about London is it's literary history.  Whether the home of a renowned writer or the setting of a classic, London has featured prominently in the book world.

Yes, that would be Buckingham Palace.

Over the next few days, I'm going to give a little virtual tour of London for Book Lovers.  So stop by!  If you know of anything interesting, tell me in the comments:  I have until Sunday to thoroughly explore :)

What is Magical Realism?

When I tell people I came to Spain to study literature (among other reasons, but that's the academic reason), they look at me funny, as though my freckles have turned purple.  Not many English majors venture to Spain; most American students go to the U.K. to study literature, which makes a lot of sense.  But the U.K. is a little chilly for my tastes, so here I am.  Plus, I really like Spanish and Latin American literature, probably even more than I like Brit Lit.

Márquez, considered the master of
magical realism.

For decades, Latin American literature has been linked with magical realism, though technically, the genre hails from France.  But as my professor told us, "Americans do it better."

Gabriel García Márquez.  'Nuff said.

But what is magical realism?  For some reason, it's a genre that we have a lot of trouble defining.  Often I'll look at a book that's described as magical realism, but really it's urban fantasy (or even just fantasy). Recently my professor gave us a good definition, which I figured I'd share:

Magical realism is exactly what the name suggests:  magical events happen in the normal world, but what separates it from genres like urban fantasy is that the events are told as though they're completely ordinary.  There is no sense of awe.  No wonder.  The characters show little to no reaction, and if they do, it's something like, "Hmm, that's interesting," and then they continue on with their lives.  They don't dwell on it, and neither does the narrator.  Magic is almost an aside:  "By the way, he was levitating.  No biggie."

In One Hundred Years of Solitude, for example, a character starts to levitate.  Why?  Because he drank hot chocolate.  It's passed off as totally normal.  Nothing special.  Happens all the time.

So say a character discovers that her next door neighbor is a witch.  If she freaks out (because who ever heard of witches actually existing?) then most likely that's urban fantasy.  If it's mentioned in passing, such as, "As Natasha walked to school, she waved to her next door neighbor, Mrs. Andrews, who happened to be a witch," then most likely it's magical realism.

A - Z Challenge: FLAMENCO

SPAIN

For me, the best part about flamenco is it's authenticity.  Unlike the bullfights, it's not a spectacle put on to attract tourists.  No, flamenco is deeply entrenched in Spain's culture.  That means that most everyone, especially in Andalucía, can sing or dance flamenco, at least to a certain extent.  It's not exclusive to the professionals.  If you're in Spain long enough, chances are you'll come across someone singing flamenco at the top of his lungs as he walks down the street.

Flamenco dancers in Sevilla, Spain

Walking through Sevilla, you'll find dozens of dress shops.  These dresses are pricey.  The cheapest you'll find is 75 euro (about $100), and that's the absolute cheapest.  For many girls, they get a new dress every year, which they adorn with flowers and ribbons, and will don during the week of Feria, a celebration based on flamenco, which happens to begin two weeks from now.  All night the people of Sevilla gather in casetas, personal tents set up on designated fairgrounds, where they dance flamenco 'til dawn.  Not to impress anyone, but just for fun.  For tradition.

Feria in Sevilla.  This is in two weeks.

WRITING

Many Spanish romantic writers, such as Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, incorporated flamenco into their writing.  They referred to is as the poesía popular, or the popular poetry, and drew on its themes and rhythms to compose short stories and poems that reflected Spanish pop culture.  To them, flamenco was a source of endless inspiration:  it embodied passion, beauty, and pain in its potent vocals and intense movements.

Here's a video of some flamenco: