Friday, February 28, 2014

Book Blitz: Becoming Mrs. Walsh by Jessica Gordon and a Giveaway!


Becoming Mrs. Walsh by Jessica Gordon
ebook, 246 pages
Published October 8th, 2012

Shoshana Thompson is 26 years old, miles from home, and engaged to Andrew Walsh, the last single Walsh brother of one of Washington, D.C.'s wealthiest families. Throughout her engagement she becomes enamored with the Walsh lifestyle. 

Life in the fast lane comes to a screeching halt when Shoshana develops feelings for another man. When she discovers the feelings may not be one-sided, things are about to get a lot more complicated. This man is not only part of her fancy new world, he is also completely off-limits.


About the author


Jessica Gordon is a Johns Hopkins University alumna for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She received her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from the Writing Seminars program and her master’s degree in communications.

After working in the corporate world for several years, Jessica decided to return to her first love: creative writing. Jessica takes her readers to the prominent Washington, D.C. area where her characters navigate through the complex world of family, in-laws, and love.

Connect with Jessica


Giveaway Time!!





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Thursday, February 27, 2014

Summer of the Loon by Deanna Lynn Sletten and a Giveaway!


Summer of the Loon by Deanna Sletten 
Kindle Edition
Published February 17th 2014 by Deanna Lynn Sletten

New Release!

From the author of Maggie's Turn and Sara's Promise comes a heartwarming story of family and first love.

Life can change in a heartbeat…

Ali Jenson's life changed forever the moment her mother died. The sixteen-year-old was suddenly swept away from the life she knew in California to live with her estranged grandfather in the deep woods of northern Minnesota. Ali's life has never been easy, but it seems her grandfather is trying his best to make it even more difficult. Her only hope is to get through the summer and her last year of high school so she can return to her old life in California. What she hadn't counted on, though, was slowly becoming attached to the grumpy old man and falling in love for the very first time.

Benjamin Jenson never planned on meeting his granddaughter, let alone having her live with him. He wasn't thrilled with the idea of a teenaged girl coming into his home or his life. He'd been down that path once before, and he didn't want to relive it again. But he is her only living relative, and he knew his deceased wife, Lizzie, would have wanted him to give Ali a home. Grudgingly, he figured he could put up with the girl for a year. He never expected Ali to find a way into his heart and make him face painful past memories and his worst fear. The fear of losing yet another person he loves.

Will Ben finally put away the past and give Ali the one thing she's always dreamed of? A home.

   

Summer of the Loon will be on sale 
for only $1.99 on March 5 - 7.

You are really going to want to grab it then 
before the price goes back up to $3.99.

My thoughts about Summer of the Loon ~~ 

I know when I start one of Deanna's books that I am going to enjoy the story so, so much. When I get one of her books, I drop whatever I am reading and doing so that I can dive into the new world she has created for us. And I am never disappointed. She writes such wonderful, down to earth, believable stories with very likable characters.

Summer of the Loon was the perfect book to read right now, in the dead of winter, with the cold and snow blowing around me. The story takes place during the summer on a beautiful lake in northern Minnesota. I really felt like I was there, enjoying the boat rides and watching the resident loons.

Ali moves to Minnesota from California to live with a grandfather she has never met, after her mother dies. The move itself is a big adjustment but then she is also thrust upon an old man who really doesn't want her to be there.
'At only sixteen years old, her former life was behind her, and she was walking toward her new life, meeting her estranged grandfather for the very first time.'
Ben has had his heart broken and is not ready to let anyone in and he now finds himself responsible for a teenager. He doesn't want to be hurt again and isn't able to open his heart to her.
"Her mother had been so affectionate and loving. How in the world had she come from this cold, hard person in front of her?'
I loved the setting of the story. Like I mentioned, it takes place on a lake in Minnesota which just sounds so peaceful and relaxing. It reminded me of the times I have spent in a cabin at a lake as I was growing up. It can be such a happy time.
"The ocean was always moving, rushing onto shore, wave after wave. The lake, however, moved in slower motion, making it peaceful and calming.'
I totally fell in love with Ali. She is such a wise, mature girl for her age and she doesn't take any guff off of anyone, even her grandfather. Especially her grandfather! She tells it like it is and doesn't let anyone get away with anything.
'This was the closest he'd ever stood next to her. Ali could smell his spicy aftershave. He smells like a grandfather.'
Deanna's books are always so wonderful to read and she is able to make the reader connect emotionally with her characters. I was brought to tears several times as the characters worked through their issues and emotions. That takes a special kind of writing to be able to get the reader so involved!

And if you haven't already guessed, I love to mark great lines as I am reading and add them to my posts, lines that spoke to me in some way. So that's what the blue sections are above, lines that I loved. I will leave you with one of my very favorite lines of the whole book.
'Sometimes, you just have to believe in a person no matter what.'
I love it!! Thank you Deanna, for writing another great story to add to my collection.

About the author 


Deanna Lynn Sletten writes women's fiction and romance novels that dig deeply into the lives of the characters, giving the reader an in-depth look into their hearts and souls. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime.

Deanna's romance novel, Memories, was a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Books of 2012. Her novel, Sara's Promise, was a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Books of 2013 and a finalist in the 2013 National Indie Excellence Book Awards.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her northern Minnesota home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

Connect with Deanna


Giveaway Time!!

I love Deanna's stories and want to share Summer of the Loon with one lucky person. Leave some comment love for Deanna for extra entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Boxed Set Blitz: Shattered Worlds - Only $.99 and a Giveaway!


Shattered Worlds


Shattered Worlds by Boxed Set
Publication date: February 26th 2014
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult
Expected publication: February 26th 2014 

Read these bestselling tales of survival against the odds, dark worlds, dystopian regimes and heroic rebels.

Shattered Worlds features six full-length novels from bestselling authors. Immerse yourself in post-apocalyptic civilizations and bleak near-futures where hope still lives.

Featured authors and books are:

Elle Casey: Apocalypsis
Shalini Boland: Outside
Zoe Cannon: The Torturer's Daughter
Scott Cramer: Night of the Purple Moon
Sarah Dalton: The Blemished
Katie French: The Breeders


Purchase Shattered Worlds 


Limited Time only!

Special sale price of only $0.99! 
Together these books have over 650 five star reviews!

Read these bestselling tales of survival against the odds, dark worlds, dystopian regimes and heroic rebels.

Shattered Worlds features six full-length novels from bestselling authors. Immerse yourself in post-apocalyptic civilizations and bleak near-futures where hope still lives.
  
 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
Elle Casey – Apocalypsis Book 1: Kahayatle
   

My name's Bryn Mathis. I'm seventeen years old, and I live in a neighborhood outside of Orlando, Florida. I live alone because my dad died almost a year ago, along with all the other adults in the world. I'm almost out of food and the gangs of kids that roam around my town are getting more vicious by the day.

It's time for me to leave and find another place to live ... a place where I can find food and shelter ... a place where they won't be able to find me.

Alone, it might have been possible; but now I've got company. I'm worried that I don't have what it takes to get from here to my final destination.

And I have no idea what might be waiting for me when I get there.

**May not be suitable for younger, middle grade readers.**

Shalini Boland – Outside


A post-apocalyptic romance thriller.

The world of the future is divided by Perimeters: high-security gated communities where life goes on as normal. If you’re inside you’re lucky, if you’re outside life expectancy takes a nose dive.

Riley is fortunate to have been born on the right side of the fence. But her life of privilege comes crashing down when someone breaks through the Perimeter and murders her sister. She forsakes her own safety to go in search of the killer. Luc decides to go with her otherwise she’ll be dead before she’s past the security gate. But what awaits her outside is more unbelievable than she ever expected.

Cut to the present day where Eleanor's world is falling apart. This time next year, civilisation won't be quite so civilised . . .

*Suitable for adults and teens aged 13+*

Zoe Cannon – The Torturer’s Daughter


When her best friend Heather calls in the middle of the night, Becca Dalcourt assumes it's the usual drama. Wrong. Heather's parents have been arrested as dissidents - and Becca's mother, the dystopian regime's most infamous torturer, has already executed them for their crimes against the state.

To stop Heather from getting herself killed trying to prove her parents' innocence, Becca hunts for proof of their guilt. She doesn't expect to find evidence that leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about the dissidents... and about her mother.

When she risks her life to save a dissident, she learns her mother isn't the only one with secrets - and the plot she uncovers will threaten the lives of the people she loves most. For Becca, it's no longer just a choice between risking execution and ignoring the regime's crimes; she has to decide whose life to save and whose to sacrifice.

It's easy to be a hero when you can save the world, but what about when all you can do is choose how you live in it? An Amazon dystopian bestseller, The Torturer's Daughter is a story about ordinary life amidst the realities of living under an oppressive regime... and the extraordinary courage it takes to do what's right in a world gone wrong.

Scott Cramer – Night of the Purple Moon


Abby, 13, is looking forward to watching the moon turn purple, unaware that deadly bacteria from a passing comet will soon kill off older teens and adults. She must help her brother and baby sister survive in this new world, but all the while she has a ticking time bomb inside of her--adolescence.

*Parental discretion advised for readers 13 and under*

Sarah Dalton – The Blemished


A beautiful world comes at a price...

In a world filled with stunning clones Mina Hart is Blemished. Her genes are worthless and that takes away her rights: her right to an Education, her right to a normal life and her right to have a child.

Mina keeps a dangerous secret which she never thought she could share until she meets Angela on her first day at St Jude's School. But their friendship is soon complicated by Angela’s adoptive brother Daniel. Mina finds herself drawn to his mysterious powers and impulsive nature. Then there is the gorgeous clone Sebastian who Mina is forbidden from even speaking to…

The Blemished is a frightening take on a fractured future where the Genetic Enhancement Ministry have taken control of Britain. It will take you on a ride filled with adventure, romance and rebellion.

Book one in the popular YA dystopia series Blemished.

Katie French – The Breeders


“When the Breeders come for ya, there ain't no escape. They strap ya to a bed and all ya hear is the thud of your heart and the cries of your friends as they wheel ya down to hell. Then the doctors come. You squeeze your eyes shut and pray you can forget. But ya never do.”

Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world's last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race. Her parents do everything possible to keep her from their clutches-- moving from one desolate farm after another to escape the Breeders' long reach. The Breeders control everything- the local war lords, the remaining factories, the fuel. They have unchecked power in this lawless society. And they're hunting Riley.

When the local Sheriff abducts the adult members of her family and hands her mother over to the Breeders, Riley and her eight-year-old brother, Ethan, hiding in a shelter, are left to starve. Then Clay arrives, the handsome gunslinger who seems determined to help to make up for past sins. The problem is Clay thinks Riley is a bender-- a genderless mutation, neither male nor female. As Riley's affection for Clay grows she wonders can she trust Clay with her secret and risk her freedom?

The three embark on a journey across the scarred remains of New Mexico-- escaping the Riders who use human sacrifice to appease their Good Mother, various men scrambling for luck, and a deranged lone survivor of a plague. When Riley is forced into the Breeder's hospital, she learns the horrible fate of her mother—a fate she'll share unless she can find a way out.

About the Authors:
 
Elle Casey 

Elle Casey is a full-time writer of New Adult and Young Adult titles in several genres, including romance, urban fantasy, sci-fi dystopian, and action-adventure. She's an American girl who's been living in southern France with her husband and three children since 2010. She loves chatting with her readers, so feel free to drop her a line.

You can find her on Facebook or on her website

Shalini Boland

Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband and two noisy boys. Before children, she was signed to Universal Music as a singer songwriter. Now, writing novels has hijacked her life and she is usually to be found with a laptop welded to her fingers and the house in a permanent state of neglect.

Find Shalini on her website

Zoe Cannon

Zoe Cannon writes about the things that fascinate her: outsiders, societies no sane person would want to live in, questions with no easy answers, and the inner workings of the mind. If she couldn't be a writer, she would probably be a psychologist, a penniless philosopher, or a hermit in a cave somewhere. While she'll read anything that isn't nailed down, she considers herself a YA reader and writer at heart. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and a giant teddy bear of a dog, and spends entirely too much time on the internet. 

Find Zoe on her website

Scott Cramer

Scott Cramer has written feature articles for national magazines, covered school committee meetings for a local newspaper, published haiku and poetry, optioned a screenplay, and worked in high-tech marketing communications. His pursuit of a good story has put him behind the stick of an F-18, flying a Navy Blue Angels' fighter jet, and he has trekked through the Peruvian mountains in search of an ancient Quechua festival featuring a condor. Scott and his wife have two daughters and reside outside Lowell, Massachusetts (birthplace of Jack Kerouac) in an empty nest/zoo/suburban farm/art studio with too many surfboards in the garage. 

Find Scott on Facebook
 
Sarah Dalton

Sarah grew up in the middle of nowhere in the countryside of Derbyshire and as a result has an over-active imagination. She has been an avid reader for most of her life, taking inspiration from the stories she read as a child, and the novels she devoured as an adult.

She is the author of the popular YA dystopia series 'Blemished' and the gothic novella 'My Daylight Monsters'. She is currently working on a YA Fantasy series titled 'White Hart'. 

Find Sarah on her website

Katie French

Katie French imagined herself an author when her poem caught the eye of her second grade teacher. In middle school she spent her free time locked in her room, writing her first young adult novel. Though her social life suffered, her love for literature thrived. She studied English at Eastern Michigan University, where she veered from writing and earned an education degree. She spent nine years teaching high school English. Currently she is a school counselor, doing a job that is both one of the hardest things she's ever done and the most rewarding. In her free time she writes, reads great books and takes care of her two beautiful and crazy children. She is a contributor and co-creator of Underground Book Reviews, a website dedicated to erasing the boundaries between traditional and non-traditional publishing. She lives in Michigan with her husband and two children. 

You can find her on her website

Giveaway Time!! 

Blitz-wide Giveaway
3 Prizes ~ Open Internationally! 
~ 60$ Amazon card + ebooks from all the authors
~ eBooks from all the authors
~ Sequels of the books featured in Shattered Worlds

Purchase Shattered Worlds 


Limited Time only!

Special sale price of only $0.99! 
Together these books have over 650 five star reviews!

Read these bestselling tales of survival against the odds, dark worlds, dystopian regimes and heroic rebels.

Shattered Worlds features six full-length novels from bestselling authors. Immerse yourself in post-apocalyptic civilizations and bleak near-futures where hope still lives.
  

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

WWW Wednesdays February 26, 2014


WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Clicking on the book covers will take you to Goodreads for more information about the books listed below.

What are you currently reading?

Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn
Great steampunk story! It is taking me outside of my usual reading genres and that's always a good thing, right? 

Under the Dome by Stephen King
Still drivin' and listenin'.

What did you recently finish reading?

Summer of the Loon by Deanna Sletten
Deanna is one of my favorite, must read authors and I loved this one! My thoughts will be posted soon. 

What do you think you will read next?

I Know You're There by Susan Allison-Dean
I love this cover and I can't wait to read it. 

I am loving my reading world right now! 

What's on your WWW this week?

Leave me a comment and
I'll stop by to check out your reads.


Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!


Tuesday, February 25, 2014

On Tour: Napoleon by Emilia Rutigliano, Voices, an Excerpt and the Book Trailer


Napoleon
Layers of Veronica #1


Title: Napoleon by Emilia Rutigliano
Series: Layers of Veronica #1
Genre: Women’s Fiction with an Attitude
Publisher: Emilia Rutigliano
Pages: 387
Language: English
Format: Kindle


They say that when a student is ready, a teacher appears.

What they don’t say is where to register, and how to matriculate in that teacher’s class.

That is a divine gift.

Veronica had it all: the looks; the brains; the personality; and the wardrobe. Not to mention a perfect husband, a fabulous career and two adorable children, until the perfect husband leaves her for another woman.

Thus begin the daily routines of a typical New York City immigrant with ambition whose teachers keep appearing, and for whom divine interventions keep affording new opportunities.

Though it starts like ordinary connections going through the tried and true, each relationship continues to delve into parts of her own universe that Veronica didn’t know existed. A universe that is suddenly open to her.

This is a different kind of heroine…

Welcome to the New American Dream, Dare to Dream…


Welcome to The Book Bag today, Emilia - I like asking authors this question and love the answers I get.

I have heard other authors say that they 'hear voices in their head' and that is how they write their books: the characters are telling their stories. Not being a writer myself, that concept has always intrigued me.

When some people hear voices, we get them medical attention, others end up becoming writers. Does this happen to you? How do you come up with your stories?

They are completely out of control! Not all of them, mind you… but most do whatever the hell they want! I’m talking about characters, of course. Those imaginary figments of YOUR imagination that you, as the author, brought to life, who categorically do and say what they want without your intent.
Specifically, my gripe is with KD Tarasovsky. His original purpose in the book series was to be a contrast to the other lovers that Veronica is enjoying, thus exploring the differences between the layers of life and love. Let me clarify that. That was MY original purpose for him. He didn't get my memo. Or, if I learned anything about him, he did, and didn't care.

“I don’t like his name.” My girlfriend complained, reading the book in its infancy.
“Me neither.” I agreed. It wasn't the sexy name that should have been chosen for a romantic hero.

“So what’s the problem? Change it!” She stated, suggesting 25 other names best suited for a character such as him.

“I can’t. He said his name is Arkadiy Tarasovsky, people call him KD.” I try to explain as she looks at me with disbelief.

“Ok, whatever. But just so you know, if she doesn't end up with him, you could kiss our friendship goodbye.” She assures me.

“I have no control over him.” I remind her. 35 years of friendship, and she’s threatening to say goodbye because of KD.

It was supposed to be so simple. I set up the scene, the flirt, the drinks and the full moon over Miami Beach as they enjoy themselves at the Fontainbleu Hotel lounge. They each have a suite at the hotel, and though Veronica starts by playing hard to get, she is so into him by the end of the evening, she’s ready to do anything… and HE says no. Really, HE refuses to put out. Who had ever heard of that?

That was certainly not my intent. In fact, that completely diverted the story line!

What was the point of setting up that romantic hook-up place if all they were going to do was “talk” – after all of that warm-up and deliberation? But I had nothing to say about it. KD had his own agenda.

And after Napoleon got published, the Miami Fontainbleu opened a bar named Arkady – I had no control over that either. Sigh.

BOOK EXCERPT

“You see the details and you are awed by them. It shows in your dress, in your manner, in how you look at things, how you eat... It’s all art. No amount of money or education can give it to you. You either see it, or you don’t.” He took another sip.

He was about to tie it all together for her. “Our society works in layers...”

“Oh, my god ... what did you just say?” Her eyes opened wide, and she stared at him. But he didn't see what was so shocking.

“Our society works in layers. Notice I didn't say levels. It’s not linear.” This was important. He needed her to see this. “Think of it this way. You consider a person’s worth by their financial statement. This is how much you earn/own, and this is how much you owe/spend. Like, John Smith is worth a billion dollars. With me so far?”

She shook her head ... Ssomeone else subscribes to the layers theory? She continued to stare at him.

“You transcend that, Veronica. There are several more layers of you that you don’t even know. You know that you are very beautiful, but you also have this magnificent charisma, this affect on people. You talk with your clients, your friends, your kids, and with me on completely different “layers”... like a napoleon, yes?”

She nodded her head, still in awe.

“It isn't that one layer is better than the other, although some will argue that the soaked bottom is best because it has the most flavor; others will say the flaky top is best; still others prefer the middle because it is just the right amount. But one cannot exist without the other. I would very much like to see you discover the layers of yourself. There are many that you have not discovered, and it's only because no one has taught you. You excel in things that you do. You’re quite a virtuoso, and I’d like to teach you about more. Interested?“

I’m being presented with an opportunity. Am I even hearing this correctly? Did he just say that there is another world, layers, that I am worthy of attaining, and that he would like to help me reach and discover these layers ?Wasn't that what I was hoping for when we first met … to learn from him? Concentrate, Nika, this is serious. “I’m more than interested, Jeremy, but I’m unaware of what is required of me.”

He smiled. “Good question. There are many layers here, but let’s deal with the first two. First things first... you have trust issues.”

Book Trailer


OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: FAIRYTALES (BOOK 2)


Veronica’s story continues.

Ever wonder why there is so much gore in the storybooks that we read to our children? Is it because it is appropriate preparation for life?

Amidst the balls, and gowns and champagne … there are evil stepmothers and death and disease. There are also valiant princes, and kindly matriarchs and enchanted lands. There is no alternate reality though. It is still modern day New York… and Paris, of course.

Still, Veronica needs to get up and go to work, and take the kids to school, and play nice with the ex’s new wife. But each layer is enchanted with its own romance… and its own lover becomes a benevolent wizard. There’s Ben… and Jeremy… and Edmonde. And then there’s KD. Why choose?

These are the games your mama never taught you. These are men’s games played by a woman. And a woman is only eligible to play when she is taught to see the world differently. It isn't just a matter of calculations… it is a matter of nobility. What Jeremy taught in NAPOLEON, becomes a world of experience in FAIRTYATLES.

They say you only love once… but that isn't a fact for Veronica. Each of her bedmates offers her and demands from her something different.

What starts out as a parochial life, with known participants and variables, is unveiled with more and more opportunities. Each comes with a privilege and an obligation – and Veronica has never shirked an obligation. Not even in a fairytale.

It’s all connected… just on a higher layer.

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: PETALS (BOOK 3)


Veronica’s story continues.

The prettiest of blooms commence with the nurturing of the seed? In PETALS… Veronica’s life goes global, and she unites her family with the aristocracy around her, without self- betrayal.

Physical recovery post trauma is not the difficult part. How do you heal the other parts of you? And what if you were stupid enough to throw out the healer in your life?

Every relationship takes work. Every relationship is a lesson. Each has a depth.

Where NAPOLEON and FAIRYTALES opened a magical kingdom dominated and ruled by men… PETALS reveals the same monarchy ruled by women. There is a new perspective on the same world, and the same characters. Relating to women, and taking your place among the nobility requires a lot… and not at all a marriage or blueblood.

But of course it wouldn't be Veronica’s life…if there weren't more lovers, more galas, more jewels and of course… more heartbreak…

It is a fun journey. What it isn't -- is a known destination.

About the author


Emilia I. Rutigliano scored fiftieth percentile on her SATs... and on her LSATs... and on her BAR...Sigh...

But she nevertheless survived, and seems to be doing OK. She practices Law read lore) in Brooklyn, New York (read Nu Yawk). She was born in the former Soviet Union, and emigrated in 1979. She is happily married to the same crazy Italian she's been with since college, who suffers from a severe addition to travel (still in acute form). Together they are doing a somewhat passable job with their three precious darlings (who are now teenagers, thus elaboration is not necessary).

Which is why Emilia writes about Veronica. Veronica, though... is interesting. And Emilia knows interesting.

So she weaved the tale about the interesting characters, places and events from her own life. It is remarkable how if you choose to view a subject objectively, it becomes downright artistically gorgeous. So Emilia views and shows Brooklyn Russians as gorgeous, and the Barese intricacies as gorgeous, and she even tolerates Paris, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia for the reader's interests.

Thank you, dear reader, for tolerating these scenes....

Connect with Emilia






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Sunday, February 23, 2014

Release Day: The Harder I Fall by Jessica Gibson



Becca Langer was not a normal girl, she didn't have normal girl problems. For most of her life, she’s had to take care of herself, her younger brother Chad, and her drunk mother. She’s lived under the shadow of what her father did when she was ten years old. Forever branded by his actions.

College was her escape, she could get away and finally live. Her dream was to make it in the New York Ballet Company one day. That for her meant a long road full of hard work and dedication. She didn't have time for distractions, and Levi Klein was definitely a distraction.

Will Levi be able to crack through her tough exterior and really see the wounded soul underneath? Becca needs to be loved, but the question is, will she let Levi love her?



Teaser


About Jessica Gibson



Jessica Gibson is a recovering bookaholic, she's down from four books a week to a more reasonable one. It was that love of words and creativity that made her dream about writing her first book. That dream was hidden for years, always put on the back burner, filed away in the "someday" section, until her husband Matt gave her the kick in the pants she needed to actually get off her butt and write.

Jessica and Matt live in Southern California and have a serious addiction to reality tv shows like Pawn Stars and American Restoration. They have one son and hope to add to the family in the near future.

Aside from writing, she runs an online event planning business called the Release Day Diva. In addition to novels, Jessica writes and maintains the blog Book on the Bright Side. Keep up with Jessica and her latest releases and events on her blog.

Connect with Jessica

Website |  Blog |  Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads


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Saturday, February 22, 2014

Book Spotlight and a Giveaway! Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris


Blackberry Wine


Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris
Paperback, 336 pages
Published March 26th 2001 by Doubleday Canada

From the author of Chocolat, an intoxicating fairy tale of alchemy and love where wine is the magic elixir.

Jay Mackintosh is a 37-year-old has-been writer from London. Fourteen years have passed since his first novel, Jackapple Joe, won the Prix Goncourt. His only happiness comes from dreaming about the golden summers of his boyhood that he spent in the company of an eccentric vintner who was the inspiration of Jay's debut novel, but who one day mysteriously vanished. Under the strange effects of a bottle of Joe's '75 Special, Jay decides to purchase a derelict yet promising château in Lansquenet-sous-Tannes. There, a ghost from his past waits to confront him, and his new neighbour, the reclusive Marise - haunted, lovely and dangerous - hides a terrible secret behind her closed shutters. Between them, there seems to be a mysterious chemistry. Or could it be magic?

Joanne Harris's last novel, Chocolat, was both a dazzling literary success and a commercial triumph. Chocolat, the major motion picture directed by Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules), is scheduled for release in December 2000 and stars Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp, Dame Judy Dench, Alfred Molina, and Lena Olin.


About the author


Joanne Harris was born in Barnsley in 1964, of a French mother and an English father. She studied Modern and Mediaeval Languages at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge and was a teacher for fifteen years, during which time she published three novels; The Evil Seed (1989), Sleep, Pale Sister (1993) and Chocolat (1999), which was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp.

Since then, she has written five more novels; Blackberry Wine, Five Quarters of the Orange, Coastliners, Holy Fools, and, most recently, Gentlemen and Players, plus; Jigs & Reels, a collection of short stories and, with cookery writer Fran Warde, two cookbooks; The French Kitchen and The French Market. Her books are now published in over 40 countries and have won a number of British and international awards. In 2004, Joanne was one of the judges of the Whitbread prize (categories; first novel and overall winner); and in 2005 she was a judge of the Orange prize.

Her hobbies are listed in Who’s Who as: “mooching, lounging, strutting, strumming, priest-baiting and quiet subversion of the system”, although she also enjoys obfuscation, sleaze, rebellion, witchcraft, armed robbery, tea and biscuits. She is not above bribery and would not necessarily refuse an offer involving exotic travel, champagne or yellow diamonds from Graff. She plays bass guitar in a band first formed when she was 16, is currently studying Old Norse and lives with her husband Kevin and her daughter Anouchka, about 15 miles from the place she was born.

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