Tuesday, March 31, 2015

"Tempting His Heart" by Dawn Sullivan

NEW RELEASE
Tempting His Heart
(Serenity Springs Book 1)
by Dawn Sullivan


Tempting His Heart, the first book in Dawn Sullivan's new Serenity Springs series, has just been released.


For another book by this author, please check out my blog post on Trace's Temptation.

Description
Sloane Murphy needed a fresh start. A new beginning. She has finally crawled out of the hell her life used to be and moved on, even if it did take several years. Purchasing a bookstore in the small town of Serenity Springs, Texas is a dream come true for her. Meeting her best friend’s brother, a man she had heard so much about, was an added bonus.
Creed Caldwell is the Sheriff of Serenity Springs. His life is centered around his daughter, his family, and his job. He didn’t think there was room for anyone else in it, until he met Sloane. The attraction is instant, the passion undeniable. Until someone decides they don’t want Creed and Sloane together.
Will Creed be able to protect both his family and the woman he is falling for? Will Sloane find the strength to place her trust in another man after her painful past? Will the fight to not only survive but to forge a future with one another bring them closer together, or be their ultimate demise?

Book Video
Watch the Tempting His Heart book video here.


Praise for the Book
"This book completely blew me away. I have instantly fell in love with the Caldwell crew. There is so much love and faith in this family. I fell in love with the author's paranormal books and now I'm in love with her cowboys. She just keeps pulling me in with everything she writes. Make sure you put this book on your want to read list and your wishlist. Get your copy as soon as it's available. I'm certain you will love this book as much as I did." ~ Staci Simmons
"I have read all of Dawns books and love them all BUT this is my new favorite book of 2015!! I absolutely love everything about this read. Dawn has always written the best characters but Creed and Sloane are her best yet. [...] All of the side characters draw you in and make you want to know their story. I went through many emotions(curious, happy, sad, scared, very happy) in this read. I love how Dawn can make you feel as if you are there with them. This story will have you on a bit of a rollercoaster so hang on and enjoy this AMAZING ride. DAWN SULLIVAN'S BEST WORK YET! HIGHLY recommended. TOP BOOK OF 2015." ~ Andrea Britton
"Brilliant, Entertaining, Smoldering, Left me on the edge of my seat! I instantly fell in love with the Caldwell Family. [...] It doesn't matter if you love a romance, a western, a suspense, an action, or just a down right good story this book has it all! Don't miss this amazing start to the Serenity Spring Series!" ~ Jessica Salmons
"I first read Dawn's paranormal books and was completely hooked. She became one of my favorite authors. She gives you just the right amount of angst, romance, and suspense without the boredom some books bring. There's no shortage of that with her newest book. [...] She writes about characters you can't help but fall in love with. And the Caldwell family you will definitely fall in love with. The book has romance, action, suspense and edge of your seat moments. Tempting His Heart just makes you want to move to Texas and find your very own Caldwell brother :)" ~ Lizette


From the Author
I have a wonderful, supportive husband and three beautiful children. I enjoy spending time with all of them which normally involves some baseball, shooting hoops, taking walks, watching movies, and of course reading.
My passion for reading began at a very young age and only grew over time. Whether I was bringing home a book from the library, or sneaking one of my mom's romance novels and reading by the light in the hallway when we were supposed to be sleeping, I always had a book.
I read several different genres and subgenres, but Paranormal Romance and Romantic Suspense have always been my favorites. I read anything by Katie Reus, Lora Leigh, J.R. Ward and Rebecca Zanetti.
I have always made up my own stories, and have just recently decided to start sharing them. I hope everyone enjoys reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.


Links




"Bone Dry" by Cady Vance

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
Bone Dry
(Soul Shamans Book 1)
by Cady Vance


Bone Dry, the first book in Cady Vance's Soul Shamans series, is ON SALE for only $0.99 for a limited time.


Also available: Bone Carved ($0.99 short story prequel) and Bone Cold (pre-order).



This book blitz and giveaway is brought to you by Itching For Books. Please be sure to visit the other participating blogs as well.


Description
Sometimes it isn’t as easy as choosing right or wrong.
Sixteen-year-old Holly Bennett is a comic book nerd, a con artist, and a shaman. Most days Holly wishes she could trade in her power of spirit communication for something more useful - like fireballs or Wolverine claws. She knows spirits aren't exactly Casper the Friendly Ghosts. They're dangerous beings from Lower World who snack on human life, and messing with the magic from their world is an express ticket to big trouble. But when a shaman sticks her mom's mind between their world and ours, Holly becomes the unexpected breadwinner in the family. She uses her burgeoning shaman powers to set up fake hauntings and "banish" the so-called ghosts from her wealthy classmates' bedrooms. For a fee, of course.
When actual spirits start manifesting, Holly discovers that other shamans have come to town, summoning life-sucking spirits for their own ends. And the newcomers may just hold the clue Holly's been looking for--the one that can release her mom's mind from its Lower World prison. With the help of both a cute web comic artist and her partner-in-con, Holly plots to take them down, throwing her into a whirlwind of speedboat getaways, breaking and entering, and astral projections into the spirit world. And as her mom's mind slips further away, Holly has to fight to save her, and the rest of the town, before they get sucked into Lower World permanently.

Excerpt
There are times when I listen to the moralistic words of the angel on my right shoulder rather than the wicked whispers of the demon on my left. With Kylie Wilkinson leaning across the cafeteria table, eager to hand over cash I so desperately needed, I couldn’t help but smack the halo off that perfect little angel.
“Two hundred bucks,” I said, holding my hand palm up. The eagerness on Kylie’s heart-shaped face fell into a scowl. She tucked a stray strand of glossy hair behind her polka-dotted headband and shifted in her seat.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, Holly.”
I pulled back my hand, closed my fingers into a fist and pretended to be interested in my bologna sandwich. That move got them every time. The din of cafeteria chatter rose up around us as we sat in silence. Girls laughed, plates clattered and sneakers squeaked. Five seconds passed before Kylie cleared her throat.
“Okay, wait.” She reached into her Eddie Bauer backpack and pulled out her wallet.
I kept my attention on my sandwich, nibbling away while she anxiously counted the cash. She had exactly four fifties which made me think she already knew what I charged and had been playing me to see if I’d go lower.
A guy walking by our table stopped to watch the transaction. I turned to raise my eyebrows at the tall, thin figure towering over us. Nathan Whitman, Kylie’s ex-boyfriend. He flashed a grin at me, his dark, wavy hair curling on his forehead, his high cheekbones carving a V on his otherwise boyish face. I smiled around my sandwich and hoped I didn’t have bits of meat stuck between my teeth.
“Is our friendly, neighborhood ghostbuster in action again?”
I’d taken a case for Nathan last year. He’d thought he was being haunted - they all did. Before that day, I’d considered Nathan just another bland guy navigating the Seaport High popular crowd. A preppy sailor only interested in country clubs and stock points. But after seeing the stacks of comic books in his room, I decided there might be an interesting guy hiding behind the polo shirts.
Not that I’d ever had the time to find out.

Praise for the Book
"From the knitting needles, to Holly, to the shaman rituals, Bone Dry is a must-read for lovers of paranormal and urban fantasy." ~ Chandler Baker, Author of Alive
"Vance tells the story beautifully, and – dare I say it? – with heaps of originality and humour." ~ Mandy BookWorm’s Book Blog

About the Author
Cady Vance is the author of YA and NA speculative fiction. After growing up in small-town Tennessee, she decided to embark on a grand adventure by packing up her bags and moving to NYC. Now, she studies for her PhD in the UK and dreams of seeing the world.



Giveaway
Enter the blitz-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card.

Links



Monday, March 30, 2015

"Letters to Loretta from the Radio Shack" by Laura Lynn Ashworth

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
Letters to Loretta from the Radio Shack:
A True WWII Teenage Love Story
by Laura Lynn Ashworth


Letters to Loretta from the Radio Shack is currently on tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.


Description
Read the rare and recently discovered real time letters between Sal, age 19, and Loretta, age 15, during the final terrifying three years of World War II, 1943-1946.
Both from the Douglas Park neighborhood in Chicago, the two adolescents discuss with humor and candor, the Navy, war, politics, hit music, life back home and their relationship.
Sal nicknamed Slabby for his movie star good looks, deciphers code out of the Navy’s radio shack on a minesweeper in the Pacific.
Loretta monikered Duchess for her aloofness, lives with aunts and her widowed father, while holding day jobs and enjoying an active social life with friends.
Letters to Loretta from the Radio Shack lets you experience World War II, both in battle and on the home front, through the eyes of adolescents in a way that Hollywood has never portrayed.


Excerpt
August 6, 1944
Dearest Lore,
Well, this might seem a bit strange (of course it really depends on how you look at it) but I just wrote you a letter three or four days ago (I'll be damned if I can remember which). It just so happens that our faithful reliable and what not mail plane ran into a slight accident and had to discard the mail it was carrying from our little “pebble” into the deep blue sea. As I was about to say before, I don't know for sure whether my letter addressed to one sweet chick was on it or not but just to be on the safe side I'm dropping you another line. After all, I can't afford to break our “love affair” once we have it rolling again after a twelve month recess, now can I?
I went over to the other island this afternoon to listen to our Navy Band out here and man, are they really mellow. They were (the band of course) all from big time bands before the war broke out and they know their business. They have a few sweet arrangements of “G.M.” (Glen Miller) and boy, when they play them how do I long for Chicago and old times. Getting on the jumpy side, they have “G.M's” “American Patrol,” Count Basie's “One O’clock Jump” & Bobby Sherwood's “Elk's Parade.” When I hear the above three records (pardon me, I mean arrangements) my blood starts tingling and my toes start doing handstands ‘cause they are really “alreet” and three times as mellow. I have seemed to forgot, slightly, the knack of rug-cutting but with a sweet chick like yourself to put me back in the groove again it wouldn't take me over three seconds. I hope I'm not taking a lot for granted but I'm sure counting on you to help me steer myself right (steer—I don't mean cattle, either), seeing that you're getting to know the art of “toe-tangling”(dancing) backwards, so don't leave me down.
There's nothing on this island but lovely moonlight and nothing else. It really is a shame to leave it to go to waste like this, but that's old Mother Nature for you. I had better close for now but my love for you is quite perpetual so write again but soon.
Love & the Sweetest Dreams, Sal

August 11, 1944
Dear Sal,
Just received your letter and was very happy to hear from you again.
Say, did you know that Dolores has a new steady boyfriend? Yeah! She's at it again. But this time it's quite for keeps. He was wounded, but in France about three weeks ago. Both of his legs are in a cast and he has a “slight” chest wound. Dolores expects to marry him on his next furlough. I'm going to stand up at the wedding. (Some wedding.)
Say did you really mean every thing you wrote in your former letter or were you first “spoofing” me? By the way, are you old enough to go to nightclubs now or am I kidding? Say, Slabby, I came to think of it, did you know that you were the first fellow I ever kissed? And, remember the “helluva” time you had trying. Spelling games and such. And you know, you asked me something else, but at that time I didn't know what you were talking about. But I know now and it makes me laugh now as to how dumb I was then. Oh yes! I'm changing little by little. Now don't think I'm throwing hints but my sister and I made a little wager of five “bucks” that I would have a “steady” by my eighteenth birthday and I say I will. She thinks I'll never get one because I'm so “cold” towards the fellows. But I think I know what I want, so why “play up” to ever T.D. & H (Tom, Dick and Harry).
I'll have to close this letter now but I'll be expecting to hear from you P.D.Q. (Pretty Damn Quick)
Love and that one kiss from me,
Loretta

The USS Signet minesweeper where Sal wrote most of his letters to Loretta while in the Pacific and in the radio shack. If you look closely you will see men on deck (Sal is one of them).

Praise for the Book
"I have never experienced a book with the warmth, sensitivity, insight and humanity in a wartime setting as you have been able to present through these letters. There has probably not been a sense of shipboard life since Mr. Roberts. Through the letters one can also capture to a greater degree than I have seen before, a sense of the impact of the war on the nearly adult on the homefront." ~ R. Alan Lewis, President, Ground Zero Books, Ltd.
"Letters To Loretta From the Radio Shack is a delightful time capsule of star-crossed love during the war of all wars. Laura Lynn Ashworth has arranged a superbly poignant collection of letters that give insight into a world modern film and literature have yet to capture." ~ Dianna Skowera, former US Army interrogator
"Laura Lynn Ashworth's historical non-fiction work, Letters to Loretta from the Radio Shack: A True WWII Teenage Love Story, is a fascinating look at the 1940s through the eyes of two young people in vastly different places. It's also a unique and marvelous coming of age saga as the two experience life and share their hopes and dreams." ~ Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite
"I just loved reading this book. I believe that Laura did a fantastic job with using these letters and putting them all together so that we too can read them. I gave this book 5 stars but it deserves many, many more. I highly recommend this book to everyone. It would be a great addition to anyone who enjoys history especially if you are interested in WWII. I look for more from Laura Lynn Ashworth." ~ Marjorie for Amazon, Goodreads, Cocosbookreview

About the Author
Laura Lynn Ashworth is an award-winning copywriter and political cartoonist. While helping an elderly family member with veterans administration paperwork, she ran across "the letters" and instantly knew of their rarity, freshness and historical significance. Although she received three publishing contracts within two months of sending the letters to major publishers, Ashworth decided to publish them herself on the advice of best-selling authors. She currently lives and works in a northwest suburb of Chicago.
10% of author proceeds will be donated to the USO and VFW in loving memory of Sal and Loretta.

Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon or B&N gift card.

Links