Wednesday, December 26, 2012

A Rocket Holiday! Clue #13


Darynda Jones would like to share a special story with you this December.

Welcome to the Rocket Holiday Event!
Exclusive Rocket Story and Giveaway!
During the entire month make sure to follow all the blogs listed on the Darynda Jones Blog Tours Home.  Each blog will be posting a special Christmas story written by Darynda Jones.  Exclusive art will accompany the story at each post. Each blog will have a different name on the wall within the art.  Viewers must keep each name or names found on each blog post in order to unravel the secret message.  Take note of the most prominent name(s) within the artwork.  Some blogs will have more than one name.  When viewers have found all the names they will then take the first letter of each name, these letters will need to be unscrambled in order to find the secret message.  Once you have the message, fill out the form below to be entered into an amazing Rocket Giveaway!

Win Big!

Darynda Jones will be giving away a $100 Dollar Gift Card to one lucky winner!
* (Note blogs will be added as their post goes live.)


"A Blue Christmas"
by Darynda Jones

Rocket pressed his nose against the basement window and watched the lights twinkling across the way. Several houses around the abandoned asylum where he and his sister lived were decorated for the holidays, and the cheer reflected off the snow that blanketed the ground, just enough to cast a soft glow of color. Rocket stood transfixed. Names of the newly departed rushed through his head, bounced and collided with one another like atoms in the sun, but he didn't care. Not tonight. It was Christmas Eve. And Santa was coming.
“Hurry, Blue,” he said, calling out to his five-year-old sister. He was much older than she because she’d died long before he did, but she’d waited for him, followed his every move until he eventually succumbed to the conditions of the mental hospital their parents had placed him in during WWII and joined her in the afterlife. “He’s coming!” Rocket said, giggling to himself.
His sister Blue appeared in a far off corner, too far from the window to see the sparkling lights or the glittery snow. She wore her same outfit as always, denim overalls and a dirty shirt, with her dark brown hair cropped short and tucked behind her ears. When he beckoned her over in a series of excited gestures, she finally rewarded him with a cautious a smile, and for a moment she stopped wringing her hands and took a wary step forward.
He shook his head. “You’re going to miss him. I’m telling you, he’ll be here lickety-split and you’re going to be over there hiding in the corner.”
Of course, Rocket knew why she hesitated. She’d been hoodwinked before, so he understood why she thought maybe Santa wasn't really coming. But this year would be different. Miss Charlotte told him the truth about Mr. Claus. Said he was getting on up there and sometimes he forgot a few stops, but this year she’d make sure he remembered him and Blue. Rocket figured Santa didn't come because Blue Bell and Rocketman weren't their real names and maybe he didn't know where to find them, but Miss Charlotte said Santa was a lot like him. He knew all the names, real and pretend, of all the kids in all the world. Rocket wasn't a kid no more, but Blue was, and Santa needed to get off his keister and do his derned job.
Then he saw movement. He took in a breath and stilled. Widening his eyes, he watched as black boots with red pants tucked into them hurried past the window. His arms flailed out and he fell off the chair he’d been standing on, tumbling to the ground.
“He’s here!” he shouted, scrambling to his feet. “He’s really here, Blue. Hurry.”
Blue’s face brightened and she stood beaming at him. Or she was until he tackled her and scooped her into his arms, but he didn't have no time to be gentle. They had to get to bed. Miss Charlotte said in order for Santa to come, they had to be in bed fast asleep. They hadn't slept in years but that wasn't going to stop him. He had a job to do, and if he had to tie Blue to that derned bed, so be it.
“But I’m not sleepy,” she whispered to him.
“Just pretend then.” He rushed her down the hall to where the old spring cots were.
Blue chuckled softly in his ears and hugged him close. “Is that why Santa don’t come, you think? ‘Cause we ain't never in bed?”
He almost tripped but caught himself and carried on. He hadn't thought of that. “I bet you’re right. Dang it. No one ever told me Santa had rules. No breaking rules.”
Blue nodded, her porcelain face revealing the excitement she’d kept stored for far too long. “No breaking rules.”
He laid her on the springs of a cot, her body—tiny and depleted from the effects of dust pneumonia before she died—barely took up half the cot. He wished there’d been a mattress to lay her on, but the springs would have to do.
After getting her settled, he tiptoed over to his own cot, wiggled onto it, then pulled what had been a paper sack up over his face until only his eyes showed. Then he waited. And listened. As the first rustling sounds wafted down from one of the upper floors, Blue gasped. She bolted upright and gaped at him. He motioned her down, crinkling his paper.
“Sorry,” Blue whispered, but it took him forever to reposition the paper just so. She lay back down and cupped her hands over her mouth.
“Close your eyes,” he said in a hushed voice. “We have to be fast asleep.”
Blue nodded and closed her eyes, but he could see her peeking.
“Blue!” he said in a louder hushed voice.
Blue slammed her hands over her whole face to keep from peeking, but he saw her fingers part. He sighed. Santa was never going to fall for this. Or so he thought, until he heard boot steps on the stairs. He tensed to contain his excitement. Even when he heard the commotion of someone slipping and falling down the stairs or the loosing of a string of blistering curse words, he didn't dare move. But he did wonder about Santa’s inappropriate vocabulary choices and his voice. It was very . . . girly. Rocket thought it would be much deeper.
Slamming his eyes shut, he waited as the footsteps drew closer and closer. Santa paused at the door and turned off his flashlight. Rocket could see the light dim because his lids were almost clear nowadays. But he kept them closed anyway as Santa stepped toward him. Rocket held his breath. Santa stopped right beside his bed then walked to Blue’s and did the same beside hers before heading back up the stairs.
After the scraping of some furniture and another strings of curses that kind of resembled the names of his reindeer if Rocket concentrated really hard, Santa was gone. Rocket peeled open his eyes. The first thing he saw was Blue’s present. He bound off the cot and rushed to her side.
“Look, Blue!”
She lowered her hands and opened her eyes, the dark circles underneath making them look even bigger when she saw her present. A doll small enough for Blue to carry around without great effort lay on the floor in front of her. Blue blinked and her mouth formed a perfect O, even more stunned than Rocket.
“He came,” she said, her soft voice still husky from the pneumonia. She reached for the doll but missed, her hand swiping through it. Then she focused and reached again. She took hold of it that time. Cradled it. Her eyes watering with emotion. “He really came.”
Her doll looked almost exactly like the one she’d had back home. Santa really did know things. Lots of things.
“Rocket,” Blue said, her voice so soft, he could barely hear her.
He’d been lost in memories when he bound back to the present and turned to where Blue motioned. Beside his cot was a tin rocket. He hurried over to it, picked it up. It was a windup toy like in the dime stores. The kind they could never afford.
“He didn't forget us,” Blue said.
Rocket smiled. “I told you Miss Charlotte knew him. She even knows the Easter Bunny. And the president.”
Blue nodded, satisfied completely, and stroked her doll’s hair.

Clues below in the picture!


I hope you enjoyed the Rocket short above. Please read below for instructions on how to play with Rocket. There is one room in the asylum in which he doesn't want Charley to see the names, but he loves teasing Charley, and has decided to let you have a peek, to let you see the names in the room.  Once you have followed all the blogs listed HERE and have all the names posted on each, use the first letters in each name to create a new phrase. 
 Shhh!   Don't tell Charley!   
(*There may be extra letters and the letters are jumbled)  

~ Blogs ~

Remember the following:

1. Visit each blog listed in the link above for a name or names (no more than two nanes per blog).

2. Jot down the prominent name you see in each picture on each post. Just the first name will be needed.

3. Then take the first letter from each name to create the secret phrase. The phrase will contain exactly 22 letters.

4. Once you have unraveled the letters and have found the secret message, fill out the form below to sign up. You must know the secret message in order to have your entry validated.

Click on the "Entry Form" below to take you to the giveaway sign up sheet!


Thank you to all and the best of luck!


Secret Phrase:

_ _ _ _ _   _ _ _ _ _  



_ _ _ ­_  _ _ _

_
_ _ _ _



A special thank you to Jess Rissmiller, the artist responsible for Rocket’s rendition.
To view more of his amazing work please visit his site @ www.imaginextsoft.wix.com/2d#!



"A Blue Christmas" by Darynda Jones is in its entirety the sole property of Author Darynda Jones and may not be copied or used without sole permission from the author.

Unless otherwise noted, all of the material found in this post is property of Darynda Jones. All rights reserved. No part of this post or story may be reproduced, published, distributed, displayed, performed, copied or stored for public or private use in any information retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any mechanical, photographic or electronic process, including electronically or digitally on the Internet or World Wide Web, or over any network, or local area network, without written permission of the author, Darynda Jones.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Book Review: Easy by Tammara Webber



Easy

by Tammara Webber
Release date: 6th November, 2012
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Pages: 310 (paperback bought by me)
Summary from Goodreads:

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Books Lovers Holiday Hop


Once again here I am participating in one of the giveaways organized by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and Chapter by Chapter. Thanks to both of you for your hard work!

This is THE time of the year. More specifically, MY FAVORITE time of the year. My birthday is coming (woohoo!), Christmas is coming (so soon, so soon!), my husband's birthday is coming (what can I give him?!) and we are about to begin a New Year with new books, moments and things to discover. And I love this feeling growing inside of me.

I'm not rich but I've being saving some money so I can do a few things for you guys. Next week I'll post a giveaway for my birthday just because I want to share my moment with you all xD
But today something a little more small is here:

This time I'm offering $20 to 1 winner to buy one or two books through BookDepo. As long as they ship to your country you are free to enter ;)
You will need to fill the Rafflecopter form and... yeah, that's it xD

Please, keep reading so you can see the Rafflecopter form and good luck!!! (just click on "Continue reading").

Friday, November 23, 2012

Promotional Tour + Giveaway: Exiled and Shift by M.R. Merrick


Power Will Flourish
Lives Will be Lost
Nothing, Will be Forgotten


Chase Williams is a demon hunter in the Circle, or at least he was supposed to be. On his fifteenth birthday, Chase stepped up to the altar to claim his elemental power, but it never came. Elemental magic is passed down to a hunter through the bloodline, but on Chase's birthday, the bloodline stopped. 

Exiled without the Circle's protection, Chase has spent two years trying to survive a world riddled with half-demons and magic. When he has a run in with a frightened and seemingly innocent demon, he learns the Circle's agenda has changed: the Circle plans to unlock a portal and unleash pure-blood demons into the world. 

Vowing to stop them, and knowing he can't do it alone, Chase forms a reluctant alliance with Rayna - a sexy witch with an attitude and a secret. In their attempt to stop them however, Chase and Rayna find themselves in the middle of the Circle's plan, leaving one of them to decide what their friendship is worth, and the other's life depending on it.


Excerpt
Promo Excerpt EXILED



M.R. Merrick is a Canadian writer and author of The Protector Series, a Young Adult mash-up between Urban and Epic Fantasy. Having never traveled, he adventures to far off lands through his imagination and in between cups of coffee. As a music lover and proud breakfast enthusiast, he’s usually found at the computer between a pair of headphones and in front of a large bowl of cereal.
You can find M. R. Merrick here:
Facebook Twitter Official website



Giveaway


There are 3 signed copies of SHIFT available to be won!
INTERNATIONAL
All you need to do is fill out the Rafflecopter below!
(Ends Dec 3rd)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, November 16, 2012

Cover reveal: Forever my Girl by Heidi Mclaughlin


Forever my Girl
by Heidi Mclaughlin
Release Date: 27th December, 2012

Official synopsis:

I was never supposed to be a rock star. I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after.

I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I’ve poured my soul into my music, but I’ve never forgotten her. Her smell, her smile.
And now I’m going back.

After ten years.

I hope I can explain that after all this time.

I still want her to be my forever girl.


My grandma once told me that I can do anything I want, so I am.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, I now live in picturesque Vermont, with my husband and two daughters. Also renting space in our home is an overhyper Beagle/Jack Russell and two Parakeets.

During the day you'll find me behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, I'm writing one of the many stories I plan to release or sitting courtside during either daughter's basketball games.

I'm also an active reviewer on The Readiacs - a site I own with my best friend and uber special beta, Yvette.

WebsiteFacebookGoodReadsTwitter

_______________________________________
 
GIVEAWAY
_______________________________________

This giveaway is open INTERNATIONAL.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Book Review: I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella




I've Got Your Number

by Sophie Kinsella
Release date: 14th Frebruary, 2012
Publisher: The Dial Press
Pages: 433 (hardcover bought by me)
Summary from Goodreads:

I’ve lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day! Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive :) !!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Book Review: Exiled by M. R. Merrick




Exiled

by M.R. Merrick
Series: The Protector #1
Release date: 28th June, 2011
Publisher: M.R. Merrick
Pages: 286 (ebook copy bought by me)
Summary from Goodreads:

Chase Williams is a demon hunter in the Circle, or at least he was supposed to be. On his fifteenth birthday, Chase stepped up to the altar to claim his elemental power, but it never came. Elemental magic is passed down to a hunter through the bloodline, but on Chase's birthday, the bloodline stopped.

Exiled without the Circle's protection, Chase has spent two years trying to survive a world riddled with half-demons and magic. When he has a run in with a frightened and seemingly innocent demon, he learns the Circle's agenda has changed: the Circle plans to unlock a portal and unleash pure-blood demons into the world. Vowing to stop them, and knowing he can't do it alone, Chase forms a reluctant alliance with Rayna — a sexy witch with an attitude and a secret.

In their attempt to stop them, Chase and Rayna find themselves in the middle of the Circle's plan, leaving one of them to decide what their friendship is worth, and the other's life depending on it.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Book Review: Sins of the Son




Sins of the Son

by Linda Poitevin
Series: Grigori Legacy #2
Release date: 27th March, 2012
Publisher: Ace
Pages: 352 (paperback copy bought by me)
Summary from Goodreads:

A detective with a secret…
When homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis sees a photo of Seth Benjamin on a police bulletin, she knows that Heaven’s plan to halt Armageddon has gone terribly wrong. As the only mortal who knows of Seth’s true nature, she’s also the only one who can save him.

An exiled angel turned assassin…
Aramael was a hunter of Fallen Angels until a traitor forced him into earthly exile. Now, with no powers and only a faint memory of Alex, his mortal soulmate, he will stop at nothing to redeem himself—even if it means destroying Seth in the name of the Creator.

A world with little chance of redemption…
As Alex’s need to protect Seth sets her on a collision course with the determined Aramael, the conflict between them may push the world over the edge—and into the very chaos they’re trying to prevent.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Blog Tour Review + Interview + Giveaway: The Marked Son by Shea Berkley


Today I have the pleasure of sharing with you another great book for lovers of all paranormal/fantasy/magic genres (which sounds just like me!).
Thanks to Entangled Publishing for letting me be part of this blog tour.



The Marked Son

by Shea Berkley
Series: Keepers of Life #1
Release date: 2nd August, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pages: 334 (paperback copy given for blog tour in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Dylan Kennedy always knew something was different about him, but until his mother abandoned him in the middle of Oregon with grandparents he's never met, he had no idea what.When Dylan sees a girl in white in the woods behind his grandparents' farm, he knows he's seen her before...in his dreams. He's felt her fear. Heard her insistence that only he can save her world from an evil lord who uses magic and fear to feed his greed for power.Unable to shake the unearthly pull to Kera, Dylan takes her hand. Either he's completely insane or he's about to have the adventure of his life, because where they're going is full of creatures he's only read about in horror stories. Worse, the human blood in his veins has Dylan marked for death...

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Greta and the Goblin King


Today I have the pleasure to be part of a blog tour organized by Shane (@Itching for Books). And don't forget that the giveaway is at the bottom of the post (US & Canda only, sorry internationals!).



Greta and the Goblin King

by Chloe Jacobs
Series: Mylena Chronicles #1
Release date: 13th November, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Pages: 400 (paperback given by author for blog tour)

Summary from Goodreads:

While trying to save her brother from a witch’s fire four years ago, Greta was thrown in herself, falling through a portal to Mylena, a dangerous world where humans are the enemy and every ogre, ghoul, and goblin has a dark side that comes out with the eclipse.

To survive, Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she’s good at what she does. So good, she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young goblin king, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her will to escape.

But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. An ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal, and with the next eclipse mere days away, every bloodthirsty creature in the realm is after her—including Isaac. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back...

Monday, November 5, 2012

Book Review: Detention of the Living Dead




Detention of the Living Dead

by Rusty Fischer
Release date: 29th September, 2012
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Pages: 199 (ebook provided for review in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

Maxine “Max” Compton is in detention when the outbreak starts; so are several other students when Max’s best friend Brie storms in – chomping on the thigh bone of their favorite Home Ec teacher, Ms. Watkins!

Brie is a zombie, and quickly starts biting everyone in the room—even her best friend, Max!

When the class realizes what happens, it’s too late; they are all zombies—and they’re no longer alone.

Now a thin gray man in a white lab coat is testing them; making them read, and once they can no longer read, the zombies are led from the room, never to be seen again.

One by one the zombies stop reading, all but a few of them, Max included. Oh, and that cute thug she’s been crushing on for years, Zander Cash!

That’s when Max learns that there are good zombies, and bad zombies. And if she’s to survive, she has to pick a side.

Who knew Detention could be this hard… or last forever?

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Cover reveals: "Goddess" by Josephine Angelini and "Sweet Peril" by Wendy Higgins


Goddess
by Josephine Angelini
Release Date: 28th May, 2013
Series: Starcrossed #3

Official synopsis:

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.


You can find Josephine Angelini here:

Loving it!!! So freaking much!!! I'm in love with everything, the colors are so vibrant and enticing that I could stare at it all day long and don't get tired! For me they are the perfect combination.
And as always the model's face is not visible which is Josephine's personal request so we, readers, can relate more to the book and don't feel the "pressure" of beauty that lurks around us all the time.

And honestly, I respect her as an author and as a woman even more for thinking about her readers so much.


Sweet Peril
by Wendy Higgins
Release Date: 30th April, 2013
Series: The Sweet Trilogy #2

Official synopsis:

Anna Whitt, daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a claim. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?


You can find Wendy Higgins here:

Whoever took care of this cover did a gorgeous work again. Anna's dress is beautiful (although very similar to the red dress in Sweet Evil) and I love the fact that this time we get a better chance at looking at the male model who is, you have to agree with me, utterly handsome.
With this cover I see a more fearless Anna, don't you think? In the cover of Sweet Evil she looked more aware of her surroundings while Kaidan was whispering her something. But not this time, now she seems as confident and ready as he is. And I love it!

So yes, I can't wait to add this beauty to my collection!

To be honest, I really, REALLY, want to know what you think about it :]

Friday, October 26, 2012

World Wide Covers! #9

Hello everyone and welcome to World Wide Covers!

Last night, after reading a few comments on my last WWC! post I notice something: I forgot to say how to link up if you wanted to participate!!! So sorry, guys... ^^U
For now, since I have no clue of how to do it I'll say leave a comment with your WWC! post. And if we manage to get a lot of posts to share then we will get a LinkyList :]


To get to know this meme and participate in it click HERE for the full recap ;)

This week World Wide Covers! features My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent.

My Soul to Take US edition

It's no secret I love all the Soul Screamers covers so far (US edition of all of them). So imagine my huge surprise when Rachel herself showed the next cover which is for the Vietnamese edition!


Goddess of Death/Herald of Death

by Rachel Vincent
Release date: 26th September, 2012
Publisher: Hoa Hoc Tro

Summary from Goodreads:

She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

Don't tell me you don't like it because what's not to like?! The fonts are pretty amazing, the girl, her clothes and pose are stunning and the smoke plus the background create a whole new level of awesomeness right there.
Yes, I'm in love.

The summary is the US one 'cause I could't find the Vietnamese summary (and trust me, I tried) but I did find something very cool :D

Here my lovelies you have the Vietnamese trailer for My Soul To Take! And it's pretty wicked! Pity we don't really understand it but... impressive and cool nonetheless.



As always, remember to vote and comment. And don't forget to enter in my current giveaways ;)

Would you buy it?
  
pollcode.com free polls 

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Mark Tufo's Haunted Blog Tour - Stop 3


Hello fellow ghosts and ghoul hunters! Welcome to Mark Tufo’s Haunted Blog Tour. The Haunted Blog Tour will be a ten day chill fest that will take you from one Haunted Blog to another! Today is the third day of our Haunted Blog Tour...our host for this adventure, THE SPIRIT CLEARING’s Michael Talbot. Along the tour you will have a chance to win Michael’s twisted story along with some other exciting prizes (nothing big, just over $200 in great prizes)!
At our last stop via Bending The Spine we embarked on our haunted adventure (Alaiel: I really encourage you to read all the posts so you can follow the clues!) and now it is time to go further with Michael Talbot our host for this Haunted Blog Tour! Let us check back in with him...


“Who’s got the flashlights?” I might have asked with a little too much lilt in my voice. I coughed to try to cover it up.
“Look at this place.” An older gentleman said as his light splayed across the far wall.
The receiving room was huge probably fifty by fifty feet. To call the paint peeling would be the same as saying zombies had mild psoriasis. ‘Chips’ the size of standard pieces of paper hung in suspension against the walls. Rusted rails looked down at us where the guards could hold the high ground and show the newly interned prisoners exactly where they stood.
“What was that?” The older gentleman with the flashlight asked.
I turned and checked the door it was locked like I figured it would be. I pulled out my cell phone, the glow of the screen somehow comforting in the pressing gloom of this place.
‘BT where you at?’ I sent a text to my best friend. He’d been getting me out of jams for longer than I cared to remember, plus he was like 6’5” 315 pounds of pure meanness.
Glared at me. “On my own, I guess. What’s your name?” I asked the older man.
“Jed.” He told me.
“What’d you see?” I asked him. I had my fingers crossed hoping it hadn’t been werewolves, vampires or zombies. A cat if it was alone might be an acceptable answer.
“It happened so fast.” He continued. “It’s tough to say, it was like this black mass darted past my light.”
“Why’s it always a black mass? No chance it could be like a heavenly white light?” I asked the heavens.
“Is this all part of the tour?” A heavyset man with a shirt three sizes too small asked. Had we still been outside I would have told you looking at his hairy gut was the single most scary thing, but that changed once we got inside.
“I was assured this would not be a tampered with investigation” Goth girl said nearly stamping her feet. “What should we expect next? A man in a sheet perhaps.” She said staring right at me.
I put my hands up. “Hey I have no knowledge of anything going on in here.”
“That’s my point exactly, You have no knowledge!” She added.
“You do realize the loudest person in the movies is always the first to go don’t you?” I asked.
She shut up, I could only wonder how much time I had bought.
“I really think my son is getting scared and wants to leave.” Pinching mom said.
“I’m fine mom.”
“No, you’re not!” She said hysterically. “You really want to get out of here!”
“I’m having a blast.” He told her.
She wrenched him by the arm and pushed past me. “Open it!” She shrieked at me, when she realized it was locked.
I shrugged my shoulders. “They didn’t give me the keys.”
She banged on the door a couple of times. “My son is nearly in fits, you need to let me...him out of here!” She screamed.
Jed came to the rescue. “Listen I have the itinerary for the tour here and how we are to get out, it says here that our next stop is Cell Block ‘C’.”
“Cool!” Peppy Peter said ripping his arm free from his mother’s claws.
She rested her head against the door. We both said “Wonderful.”


So now, you just need to answer today's question in the Rafflecopter form for your chance to win something beyond spooktacular!

What is the groups next stop?



The Spirit Clearing
by Mark Tufo

Official Blurb:

After a horrific accident Mike wakes to find himself blind in one eye. He now sees things that others can’t and nobody will listen to him.
That is until he meets Jandilyn Hollow. Will she be able to pull him out of the depths of his despair?
Can love transcend even death?


Now for the giveaways:
- One lucky commenter will get an ebook copy of The Spirit Clearing  (a marvelous read for
this Halloween, guys!)
The Grand Prize
- $50 Amazon Gift Card & The Zombie Fallout Audio Book Set
1st Prize
- The ZOMBIE FALLOUT series on eBook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember to check all the other stops!
10/22 Book Me!
10/23 Bending The Spine
10/24 Librarian Mouse
10/25 Booked & Loaded
10/26 BookSpark
10/27 Romancing the Darkside
10/28 Books Are Magic
10/29 The Happy Booker
10/30 BookHounds
10/31 Unabridged Bookshelf

Thanks to Parajunkee for organizing this amazing blog tour!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop


Once again here I am participating in one of the giveaways organized by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and The Diary of a Bookworm. Thanks to both of you for your hard work!

It's time guys! Oh yeah! Can you tell how excited I am?! Well, of course I am, Halloween is approaching and I want to celebrate it with you all so much that my excitement is about to burn my house, I'm telling you :D
So, rules? There are no rules perse but I would like the winner to choose a spooky book, you know? Ghosts, werewolves, vampires, zombies... That kind of thing.
So to illustrate here you have a few samples:




Click on the pics to go to its Goodreads page. And some of these books have sequels so if you already have it you can choose a sequel, no worries.

This time I'm offering $25 to 1 winner to buy one or two books through BookDepo. As long as they ship to your country you are free to enter ;)
You will need to fill the Rafflecopter form and... yeah, that's it xD
And remember those are only suggestions, you can choose whatever book(s) you want.

Please, keep reading so you can see the Rafflecopter form and good luck!!! (just click on "Continue reading").

Guest post: "Swarmed" A deleted scene from Detention of the Living Dead By Rusty Fischer

So guys, in a few days most of us are going to celebrate Halloween, right? And what better way to prepare ourselves that reading a guest post by an author whom writes about teenage zombies like nobody else?
Ladies and gentlemen, children and zombies of all the world, help me welcome Rusty Fischer, author of Detention of the Living Dead among many other zombie books!

Rusty: What would you do if you saw a fleet of military looking vehicles swarm over the back of your school as you practiced your soccer kicks? Would you run? Hide? Tell someone?

That’s the dilemma young Alaiel faces (hmmm, now why does that name sound so familiar?!?) (Alaiel: OMG, that's me guys! That's... wait a second, am I going to be surrounded by zombies?! Sweet!) as she runs drills after school, completely unaware that inside Catfish Cove High School there is a zombie infestation turning her classmates into the living dead.

That’s what happens in “Swarmed” a deleted scene that never quite made it into my new paranormal YA novel for Bono Books, Detention of the Living Dead. But now you can read it here on the Librarian Mouse blog, and only here, for the first time ever:



Swarmed
 A Deleted Scene from Detention of the Living Dead
by Rusty Fischer

I wipe the sweat out of my eyes and grab another soccer ball from the giant mesh bag at my feet. There are about seven balls inside the net, and four more sitting on the grass field just to the left of it.

I hear Coach Mulligan’s voice screaming in my ear with every kick: “More power, Alaiel! More! Power! You can do it, Alaiel! You! Can! Do! It!”

I try, I really do, but the more power I put behind it, the more each soccer ball veers off to the left. I have no idea why, and that’s why I’m out here, an hour after everyone else has gone home from school, practicing my power kicks.
The sweat stings my eyes but I’m used to it now and, besides, the sun’s gone down a lot since school let out. There is a nice breeze, the field’s empty and it’s just me out here. It’s kind of nice, actually, if I didn’t have notes to prepare for Chem Lab tomorrow and that oral report due in Sociology next Monday.

Still, the quiet time is nice. God knows my sister’s home from middle school by now, raising a ruckus when she sees Mom’s redecorated her room – again.
So, yeah, alone time + quiet time = good time.
I just wished all the balls could land inside the net. We’ve got that game against Central coming up next week, and I really want to start this time, and no way is that happening if I can’t score.
I kick another ball, it goes in, and I start to feel good. Then I kick two more, quick like that, and both land, again, just to the left of goal.

I reach for the mesh bag Coach lent me to practice with and find it empty. I groan, drag a sweaty arm across my sweaty forehead and run past the goal, gathering up all the balls that didn’t quite score and slipping them inside the bag. Then I grab the balls inside the goal and shove them in as well.
I’m reaching for the last one, the bag full to bursting and nearly twice my size by now, when I feel the rumbling on the grass field beneath my sweaty fingers.

I put my hand against the grass and it gets even thicker, like a freight train right beneath the surface of the practice field. A second later I hear the roar of engines and, I don’t know why, but I duck, crouching behind the massive bag of soccer balls like a cowboy hiding behind hid horse. (It’s almost as big and I’m just about as sweaty!).
Just as I’m peering over the top of the bag, feeling slightly – okay, completely – ridiculous, I notice the first black truck. It’s massive, with all kinds of wheels and bars over the windows and tinted windows and antennae wiggling and dangling from the roof.

It’s on Bayside Drive, the street just beyond the back of the school, rumbling along when suddenly the driver slices left and leaps onto the practice field itself.
The great, giant wheels tear up turf and rumble over the extra hurdles the track team never yanked back into the gym after practice and come about as close to the goal stands as you can without actually plowing right thought them.
I let out a little “eek” and cover my head, grass and turf landing – and sticking – everywhere; on my sweaty arms, my sweaty calves, the back of my sweaty neck and all up in my ponytail. I almost stand, instinctively, to scrape it all off but this close to the ground, using the giant mesh sack of soccer balls as cover, I can feel more rumbling coming; lots more.

One, two, three more massive black trucks grind onto and over the practice fields, each coming closer than the next to literally driving over me without even looking down.
I watch as the last one passes, the rumbling growing distant as it parks, next to the others, just behind the Catfish Cove High School gym.
They just sit there like that for a minute, engines ticking, backsides rocking with the momentum of their assault, four massive trucks lined up in a row.
Then, as if on cue, the doors all open at once and soldiers, all in stiff blue fatigues, storm out. We went to the circus last year, as a family, one of those “we need to do more things together” evenings my Mom cooks up every few months when some women’s magazine article has made her feel guilty or doubt her parenting skills or whatever.
It was pretty lame, though we each got our own cotton candy, which was pretty cool not having to share with my little sister. Anyway, there was this one act where a little tiny car pulled up into the middle of center stage, sat there for a minute, then the door opened and one by one, all these clowns got out.
At first, like one or two, then we kept counting and it was fifteen or so by the end. I couldn’t believe it, and that’s kind of what I’m thinking now as this army of soldiers streams out of these four trucks.

I can’t imagine what they’re doing here, and as they fan out around the back of the building, pairing up and looking left and right, I inch down behind my camouflage and watch from what I hope is a safe vantage point.
But it’s not; not really. Two of them, big suckers, too, all dressed in blue, skin gray like they’re wearing makeup or something, head over to me. They’re coming slow, and I could probably run, but they’re carrying guns, big ones, and I’m not that fast.
Just ask Coach Mulligan!
I hunker down, wondering what I should do, as I hear the grass of the soccer field crunching beneath their sleek, black boots. I risk a glance over the sack of soccer balls and they’re both staring right at me!
Their eyes are yellowish, like maybe they’re sick or wearing contacts but they don’t really seem to be looking at me, maybe just past me. Then they slow down and I hear sniffing noises, but I’m too afraid to look over and see what – or who – they’re sniffing.

Grass crunches so close I can almost smell shoe leather when, suddenly, glass shatters back at the school. More grass crunches and I can sense the soldiers turning when I risk a peek above the mesh of my hiding spot. Sunlight catches on falling glass as hands, bloody hands, and lots of them, wave from the third floor Chem Lab window.
The men, the soldiers, run toward the school. They all do. Everyone converges below the window and, shocked at what’s happening, I finally stand from behind my hiding place.
The hands inside the broken Chem Lab window are attached to arms, bloody arms, attached to faces; bloody faces. I recognize a few from the Math-a-Letes club, but what are they doing in the Chem Lab?
Mary Sinclair shoves her face through the crowd and screams, “Zombies! There are zombies in here!!!”

I smirk. This is some kind of elaborate prank, I figure, but the blood sure looks real and as dramatic as Mary Sinclair can get reading the announcements in the morning, she sounds pretty believable.
The soldiers look up at the window, then at each other, and then raise their guns. Mary Sinclair screams as the first shots ring out, the sound of shattering glass and crunching grass under my feet drowning her out as I run, run, run for home.
Across the playing field, down Bayside Drive toward our apartment complex, my kleets loud on the deserted highway, cop cars racing in the opposite direction as I flee, faster than I’ve ever run, long past tears and my breath ragged and wheezing before I finally fall down in the cul de sac outside our apartments, grass between my teeth as I gasp and scream into the dirt.


(Alaiel: So I made it out alive, fiu!)


Detention of the Living Dead
by Rusty Fischer

Official Blurb:

Maxine “Max” Compton is in detention when the outbreak starts; so are several other students when Max’s best friend Brie storms in – chomping on the thigh bone of their favorite Home Ec teacher, Ms. Watkins!

Brie is a zombie, and quickly starts biting everyone in the room—even her best friend, Max!

When the class realizes what happens, it’s too late; they are all zombies—and they’re no longer alone.

Now a thin gray man in a white lab coat is testing them; making them read, and once they can no longer read, the zombies are led from the room, never to be seen again.

One by one the zombies stop reading, all but a few of them, Max included. Oh, and that cute thug she’s been crushing on for years, Zander Cash!

That’s when Max learns that there are good zombies, and bad zombies. And if she’s to survive, she has to pick a side.

Who knew Detention could be this hard… or last forever?

*Alaiel is in awe so she may need a few seconds to come back to Earth*

...
...
...

[Someone, please, snap you fingers]

SNAP!

Ah! Hey, thanks... whoever did it. Sorry. It's just that I'm, don't know, so happy? Flattered? Almost crying? Running around my house 'cause I'm so giddy I can't stay put? That is until I fall, because I always do^^U

But yeah, back to the point. I have to thank Rusty. I know this is just a guest post (a very special guest post) and that it didn't really made it to the book, and that he made it up for my blog and my readers but still, I feel really special. So, from the bottom of my heart, thanks Rusty.

And guys? Don't go too far away, in 2 days I will do a giveaway for one of Rusty's book! Trust me, you don't want to miss it ;)