Blog Tour + Guest Post + Giveaway: If Only by A.J. Pine

Title: If Only

Author: A.J. Pine

Publisher: Entangled

Sometimes it takes crossing an ocean to figure out where you belong.

It’s been two years since twenty-year-old Jordan had a boyfriend—which means it’s been forever since she, well, you know. But now she’s off to spend her junior year in Aberdeen, Scotland, the perfect place to stop waiting for Mr. Right and just enjoy Mr. Right Now.

Sexy, sweet (and possible player) Griffin may be her perfect, no-strings-attached match. He’s fun, gorgeous, and makes her laugh. So why can’t she stop thinking about Noah who, minutes after being trapped together outside the train’s loo, kisses Jordan like she’s never been kissed before? Never mind his impossible blue eyes, his weathered, annotated copy of The Great Gatsby (total English-major porn)…oh, and his girlfriend.

Jordan knows everything this year has an expiration date. Aberdeen is supposed to be about fun rather than waiting for life to happen. But E. M. Forster, Shakespeare, and mistletoe on Valentine’s Day make her reconsider what love is and how far she’s willing to go for the right guy.

Hi there everyone! I am so excited to be featuring A.J. Pine and her book, If Only here on the blog today! It sounds like an incredibly adorable book and I cannot wait to finally read it!

By the sounds of it A.J. has created two swoon-worthy boys I so wouldn’t mind getting lost in Scotland with but for today I have asked A.J. to come up with 10-ish fictional boys she wouldn’t mind getting lost on the glorious Scotland with. I had so much fun reading over her answers because for half of the guys I couldn’t agree more with and for the other half I cannot wait to read about so I too can fantasize about getting lost in Scotland with. I just know you guys will all enjoy this guest post so sit back, relax, and prepare to swoon!

GUEST POST:

Top 10 (ish) Fictional Guys I Wouldn’t Mind Getting Lost in Scotland With

(From adult to YA…pack your bags, boys! We’re going to Scotland!)

Drew Evans from Emma Chase’s Tangled and Bennett Ryan from Christina Lauren’s Beautiful Bastard because who doesn’t love a smart man who is sexy as hell but admits he’s met his match with an equally smart/sexy heroine?

James Walker from Lisa Burstein’s Sneaking Candy because the man can command an espresso machine and the English language. Smart is always sexy.

Levi from Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl because he has the “smilingest face” Cath has ever seen, and everything about him is just perfection. Please let me get lost anywhere with Levi!

Cade Winston (a.k.a. Golden Boy) from Cora Carmack’s Faking Itt know I could love another hero from Cora Carmack as much as I did Garrick (Losing It), but Cade is one hell of a sexy good guy of NA.

Matt Watkins from Jessica Park’s Flat-Out Love because he can pull of a t-shirt that reads “Nietzsche Is My Homeboy” and still make me swoon.

Adam Wilde from Gayle Forman’s Where She Went because tortured musician who says stuff like this in both If I Stay and Where She Went. If you read these books, you know the implication of those words, and ANY guy who loves like this is one to get lost in Scotland with.

Akiva from Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy Will Herondale from Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices because a gorgeous broken angel and a gorgeous broken half angel/half human (nephilim) could use some time away to heal. Sigh.

Jonah Griggs from Melina Marchetta’s On the Jellicoe Road-really I just want to bring this book with me to Scotland because it was life-changing for me.

And finally, a shout out to some not pubbed yet gorgeous men… Gavin Murphy from Lex Martin’s Dearest Clementine (coming April 18) because hot R.A; Alec Stone from Megan Erickson’s Make it Count (coming June 3)because hot nerd with a Danny Zuko pompadour; and Dov Meiri from Natalie Blitt’s The Truth About Leaving because hot soon-to-be Israeli soldier.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

AJ writes stories to break readers’ hearts, but don’t worry—she’ll mend those hearts with a happily ever after…maybe. The first book she wrote was YA, but now she’s two-timing her first love Pine4BWwith NA. She’s always in the middle of reading two to three books, adores online shopping (everything from groceries to shoes), and she still loves vampires, whether it’s Eric Northman or the Salvatore brothers. When she’s not writing, AJ is sneaking off to her day job as a high school English teacher or hanging with her husband and kids in the Chicago burbs.

AJ’s debut NA novel, IF ONLY, releases with Entangled’s Embrace line on March 24!

Representation: Courtney Miller-Callihan at SJGA.

Website // Twitter // Facebook // Goodreads

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY:

1 If Only Swag Pack -An “I love you from here to Scotland” print, Ahava pendent, A pack each of Much Ado about Nothing and A Room With a View confetti, Much Ado about Nothing travel mug and A Room With a View Blu-ray (a $25 Amazon gift card will be substituted if winner is outside the US)

Click here to enter the giveaway!

TOUR SCHEDULE:

Week One:

3/24/2014- Auggie-Talk– Review

3/24/2014- Ticket to Anywhere– Guest Post

3/25/2014- Taking It One Book at a Time– Review

3/25/2014- Curling Up With A Good Book- Excerpt

3/26/2014- Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, and Romance– Review

3/26/2014- Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands– Guest Post

3/27/2014- Lovin’ Los Libros– Review

3/27/2014- FicWishes– Guest Post

3/28/2014- Reviews By Molly– Review

3/28/2014- YA Story Teller– Interview

Week Two:

3/31/2014- Allodoxophobia: The Fear of Opinions– Review

3/31/2014- Bibliojunkies– Excerpt

4/1/2014- LeAnn’s Book Reviews– Review

4/1/2014- Step Into Fiction– Excerpt

4/2/2014- The Phantom Paragrapher– Review

4/2/2014- Michelle4Laughs: It’s in the Details– Excerpt

4/3/2014- Books and Swoons– Review

4/3/2014- Creating Serenity– Guest Post

4/4/2014- Kindle and Me– Review

4/4/2014- Burning Impossibly Bright– Guest Post

Blog Tour + Guest Post + Giveaway: The Forest’s Heir by Ley Hayley

Title: The Forest’s Heir

Author: Ley Hayley

Seventeen year old Rosalind Rowan was born a princess, the apple of her father’s eye. She loves the thick forests and lush meadows of the Forested Land. She is sometimes selfish and reckless, but she is also kind and loves fearlessly. Rosalind—who is known to everyone but the Queen as Rose—is desperately in love with Gavin Ashford, the dashing and intriguing son of an important lord. She wants nothing more than to marry Gavin and live in a country manor, far away from court. Because once her older sister marries, Rosalind must take up the position of Regent of the Forested Land.

But things aren’t always simple. When Rosalind uncovers abilities she should never have and sickness tears through the kingdom, the ordered world Rosalind thought she knew threatens to crash around her.

I am so excited to have Ley and her book featured here on the blog today! She has come up with a super fun, awesome guest post that I just know you guys are going to love! Take a read, check out where you can find Ley and her book, and by all means, leave a comment letting us know what you think down below! Oh and also, there’s a giveaway you may or may not want to check out *wink, wink*

GUEST POST:

Growing up, my favorite things were fairy tales. I still love them. And I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a sucker for a Disney princess. If there’s a new Disney/Pixar movie out with a princess in it, chances are that I’m in line at the cinema to go see it. It isn’t just animated or fictional princesses and princes that I love, though. I’m a big fan of the real life ones too.

When it comes to Disney/Pixar films, my two favorite princesses are Belle and Merida. I loved Belle as a kid because she loved to read. She was odd and never quite fit in, a lot like me. People realized that she was strange and not quite “right,” but they didn’t care. Sure, some of it was because of her beauty, but she was kind. And that mattered to me. When she was locked away by the Beast and kept in the magical castle, I loved how she began to open everyone in the castle up (even stuffy old Cogsworth). I always wanted to be Belle. I used to pretend to be her, carrying around a basket and a book and dressed in a little blue dress.

I haven’t stopped loving Belle, but I love Merida from Brave too.  Merida is a fantastic character! She’s so headstrong and funny. I loved watching her movie and seeing her character at Disney World because she’s just so very unique. Maybe it’s the hair (because I’ve secretly always wanted to have curly red hair). Maybe it’s the accent (because I’ve always wanted to be able to speak with a Scottish accent). All I know is that I adore Merida because of her strength and the way that she grew to realize that her mother loved her, even when they didn’t agree on everything.

As far as real princes and princesses go, I’d have to say my favorite is Edward the Black Prince. He lived in England during the 14^th century and fought during the Hundred Years’ War. He was a brave soldier who started going into battle when he was in his early teens. He got his nickname because of the black armor and great black warhorse he used to take into battle with him. He was an amazing military mind and won a lot of decisive battles. And he was also one of the first “modern” British monarchs to marry for love rather than political gain. And that’s just amazingly romantic.

Who wouldn’t be a sucker for strong princesses who are unique and brave and beautiful? Or princes who are brave and romantic? I love history, particularly those parts of history that are riddled with princes and princesses. I could go on forever about the royals that I find fascinating, but I’d probably bore you all to tears! I’ll spare you that, I promise!

I can’t wait for the next princess to come along, the next prince. Who knows, maybe one day my Rose will be on someone’s favorites list.

WHERE TO FIND THE AUTHOR:

Website // Book Blog // Facebook // Twitter

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY:

Click here to enter the giveaway

Blog Tour + Guest Post + Sneak Peek + Giveaway: State of Rebellion by Summer Lane

Title: State of Rebellion (Collapse Series #3)

Author: Summer Lane

Publisher: WB Publishing

Release Date: TODAY! (January 24th, 2014)

Everything has changed.

After a devastating ambush that left the militia group Freedom Fighters struggling to survive, Cassidy Hart has been lucky to escape with her life. Along with her Commander and former Navy SEAL Chris Young, she’s made a shocking discovery concerning the whereabouts of her father. The militias have moved further into the mountains. And the secret that is kept there will come with a price.

But when the National Guard arrives, Cassidy is faced with a choice that will force her to decide between her friends and her family. Omega is getting stronger. The fight for freedom looms on the horizon. It’s all or nothing. And Cassidy has no intention of giving up.

Today is the official release day of the third book in Summer Lane’s Collapse series, State of Rebellion! In celebration of Summer’s latest release, we’ve got a great guest post from Summer, an awesome sneak peek, and giveaway for you here today. Be sure to check it all out down below!

GUEST POST:

Making my War Real

One of the most defined challenges of writing State of Rebellion was creating a warzone that was believable. There have been too many wars too count since earth’s history began, and Cassidy’s war had to be equally as dramatic.

Fictitious? Yes. But real.

In this installment of The Collapse Series, big battlefields come into play. The fight against Omega is now out in the open, an all out war. One foe against the other, and victory is going to be costly. I had to move a small militia force into the wide open spaces, pair them bigger military forces, teach them maneuvers and strategies, give them weapons, vehicles, and access to technology that would help them in their fight against Omega.

Warfare is not a random gathering of one army on one side of a field and another one on the opposite side. It’s strategic, it’s complicated, and I had to make it believable for the veterans of real combat situations and fun enough for even the youngest reader to enjoy. There was a fine balance I had to search for, and once I hit it, the story became richer than ever before.  I paid attention to the minute details in every scene, making sure my major players were doing and saying things that were in sync with a legitimate combat situation. And the chemistry between Cassidy and Chris in high-stress situations has been an incredible learning experience. Imagine what you would be feeling if the person you loved was your commanding officer. How would you deal with that? How would you react if he or she got hurt or even died in combat? The pressure has been dialed way, way up in State of Rebellion, and you’ll just have to read the book and see if Cassidy makes it out of this one alive.

Thank you for reading my books!

Summer Lane

SNEAK PEEK:

Copyright 2014

Summer Lane

All Rights Reserved

“This,” he says, “is all yours.”

I step into the room. Weapons and equipment are hanging from every nook and cranny. It’s a goldmine of war goodies. Chris, however, is holding up a single object. A rifle. It’s brand new, it’s sleek, and it’s awesome. He hands it to me.

It’s mine.

I curl my fingers around the weapon, the metal cool against my skin. I test the weight. Not too heavy. Just right for my size. A scope is mounted on top of the weapon.

“I’ve really needed one of these,” I say.

“You’re a great shot without optics,” he replies. “With it you’ll be unstoppable.” He hoists a backpack. “I packed this for you. It’s got a new uniform, supplies, equipment. Upgraded radio, night vision goggles.” He grins and pulls out a small handgun. “There are some nice toys in here, too. This one’s just your size.”

“You packed this for me?” I asked, touched. Because with all of the things he’s got to worry about, it’s beyond sweet that he would go to the trouble of getting supplies together for me. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” He drapes one strap of the pack over my shoulder. “You’re really in the military now, Cassie. It suits you.”

“I don’t know.” I gaze up at his sure, handsome face. “Does it?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you.” He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “There’s not a lot of people that would adjust to this sort of lifestyle so well. You’ve got a gift.”

“I’ve got a great leader,” I reply, standing on my tiptoes. “You.”

He laughs softly, placing one hand on each side of my waist.

“Is that so?” he asks.

“Yes.” I kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Chris. For everything.”

“Don’t thank me yet.”

Read State of Rebellion to find out what’s in store for Chris and Cassidy! Do you write post-apocalyptic, survivalist, dystopian or adventure stories? Submit your manuscript to WB Publishing:

http://writingbellepublishing.com/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Summer Lane is the author of the national bestselling YA/NA Romantic Adventure novels, State of Emergency, State of Chaos, and State of Rebellion, the first three installments in The Collapse Series. She is a freelance writer, publicist and lover of all things feline. Summer owns WB Publishing, a digital publishing company devoted to releasing exciting survival and adventure stories. In her spare time, Summer is the creator of the online magazine/blog, Writing Belle, in addition to being a co-founder and frequent contributor at NA Alley, a website dedicated to all things New Adult. She works as a creative writing teacher and consultant, as well.

Summer began writing when she was 13 years old, due to the fact that the long afternoons after school were somewhat boring, and writing stories seemed to make the time pass a little quicker. Since then she has written many books about jungle cats, secret agents, princesses and spaceships. She is also a non-fiction writer, but her debut novels of The Collapse Series are her favorite books yet. You can find Summer hopping around on the Internet by following her on Twitter @SummerEllenLane. Want to talk to Summer? Email her at: summerlane101@gmail.com

Website // Blog // WB Publishing // Twitter

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble // CreateSpace // Book Trailer

GIVEAWAY:

Click here to enter the giveaway!

Book Playlist + Guest Post + Sneak Peek: The Fine Line by Alicia Kobishop

Title: The Fine Line

Author: Alicia Kobishop

High school senior Liv Evans has one rule: No attachments. She’s lost enough in her life and has vowed to do whatever it takes to make sure she never again feels the emptiness of losing someone she loves. Boys are a fun distraction, but a serious relationship is something she’d rather live without. Her determination for a future free of pain and heartbreak is put to the test when she meets–and quickly forms an unexpected bond–with Logan Tanner.

Logan has always been a free spirit, but ever since a life-changing event took place, which left him doubting the integrity of those who are closest to him, he’s taken that term to a whole new dangerous level. Learning the hard way that life is too short for worries or work–and that women can’t be trusted–Logan has exchanged steady work for street racing. When Liv walks into his world, everything he thought he knew about life and women is challenged.

In The Fine Line, Liv and Logan will discover if it’s possible for true love to have a future, or if history is destined to repeat itself.

I am so, so, so excited to be featuring Alicia and her book on the blog here today! The Fine Line sounds EXACTLY like the type of book I would like and I am sure you all will enjoy it too. It makes me beyond happy that I’m able to share an awesome book playlist and sneak peek with you all today. Be sure to check both out below and of course, let us know what you think in the comment section!

BOOK PLAYLIST + GUEST POST:

Below is the amazing playlist that Alicia created to go along with The Fine Line. Alicia also wrote up a mini guest post talking about her top three songs for this book!

 Between the Raindrops by Lifehouse (feat. Natasha Bedingfield)

If The Fine Line had a theme song…this would be it.  I hadn’t heard this song until I was close to finishing the book and everything about this song perfectly describes Liv and Logan’s relationship…from the way they deal with the challenges they face, to the way they can’t give up on each other.  There’s even a line in the song that says, “crossing the fine lines we knew.”

Little Wing by Stevie Ray Vaughan

We all know that Jimmi Hendrix gave the world some phenomenal music, with Little Wing topping many charts.  But have you ever heard Stevie Ray Vaughan’s version of Little Wing?  Holy cow, it’s sexy!  No vocals…All instrumental.  Logan played this song for Liv just before their first kiss.  She did a pretty good job of resisting his charm before this point in the book, but mix this song with Logan, and how could she resist?

Beautiful Day by Saving Abel

There is a scene in the book, which I call “the sunrise scene,” that is completely inspired by this song.  And by a beautiful sunrise that my son pointed out to me one morning.  :)  It’s at a point in the book where Logan lays all his cards out on the table.  He’s vulnerable, and so is Liv.  Neither one of them are sure how to move forward in their relationship.  Oh hell, here’s an excerpt from that part:

“Liv, wake up,” Logan whispered softly. A hum came out of my throat as I shifted off his shoulder and turned away from him, burrowing my face in the cool pillow beside us. The soft fabric smelled like Logan. I took one more deep, heavenly breath in. How long had I been asleep? Based on my current comatose state, not long. His hand casually brushed up and down my arm. “You’ve got to see this.”

Intrigued, my eyes cracked open, just enough to see the blurry orange and purple hues reflect on the bare walls of Logan’s bedroom. His fingers brushed my hair off my face and behind my ear.

“Open your eyes, baby. It’s beautiful.”

He called me baby.

I turned to face him as I opened my eyes, confused and unexpectedly delighted by his term of endearment. When my eyes finally focused and saw his beautiful face lit up by the colors of the sunrise, my bewilderment grew incredibly. His eyes glowed as he studied me. I had never seen him look this peaceful and content. He smiled at my expression then huffed out a single laugh.

“It slipped,” he said as if he read my mind. “Get over it.”

He moved off the bed and leisurely walked to the window, placing his wrist on the window frame above his head and his other hand on his hip, as he gazed out with a more contemplative expression. Then he turned to face me and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.  He extended his hand, motioning for me to join him.

SNEAK PEEK:

And just to make this post extra special today, I have not one but TWO teasers for you as well!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alicia Kobishop, who was born, raised, and currently resides in the greater Milwaukee, WI area, is a happily married mother of 2 young children. “The Fine Line,” a new adult contemporary romance, is her debut novel.

Website // Facebook // Twitter // Goodreads

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

For a limited time only you can pick up The Fine Line on Amazon for only .99! You better make sure you pick it up while it’s at this amazing price (I know I will be!)

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble // iTunes // KOBO // Smashwords

Blog Tour + Guest Post + Giveaway: Embrace December Titles

I am beyond excited to be part of the blog tour for Entangled’s New Adult imprint, Embrace. Both Forged by Fate and Sneaking Candy are two of the more recent releases for the imprint, hence this awesome tour full of fun book-ish stuff! I’ve got a fun New Adult themed guest post from Lisa Burstein today as well as a giveaway (or two!) and all sorts of fun links for you to check out. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Title: Sneaking Candy (My Review)

Author: Lisa Burstein

Publisher: Embrace, and Entangled imprint

All I ever wanted was to make a name for myself as Candice Salinas, creative writing grad student at the University of Miami. Of course, secretly I already have made a name for myself: as Candy Sloane, self-published erotic romance writer. Though thrilled that my books are selling and I have actual fans, if anyone at UM found out, I could lose my scholarship…and the respect of my faculty advisor, grade-A-asshole Professor Dylan.

Enter James Walker, super-hot local barista and—surprise!—my student. Even though I know a relationship is totally off-limits, I can’t stop myself from sneaking around with James, taking a few cues from my own erotic writing…if you catch my drift. Candy’s showing her stripes for the first time in my real life, and I’ve never had so much fun. But when the sugar high fades, can my secrets stay under wraps?

GUEST POST:

So instead of picking my ten favorites books, because I CAN’T! I thought I would share some movies about college & college age people that I love. These movies were New Adult before it even became NEW!

BOOK TRAILER:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University. She is the author of the YA Novels: Pretty Amy and Dear Cassie and the NA Novella: The Next Forever. Sneaking Candy is her first full-length new adult novel.

Website // Twitter // Goodreads // Facebook

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble // KOBO

GIVEAWAY #1:

Click here for the giveaway!

Title: Forged by Fate (Bound by Hades #1)

Author: Reese Monroe

Publisher: Embrace, an Entangled imprint

He’s waited more than 900 years to love her…

Being the Gatekeeper to Hades is no small feat, and waiting almost a millennia to meet your mate is damn near impossible. But Theo Bradford’s mark has finally surfaced on his intended. Now all he has to do is find her and convince her to embrace her supernatural heritage.

Young genius, Sadie Nowland, has got life figured out. Graduating college at the age of eighteen and accepting a six-figure job is just what she needs to prove she’s made something of herself. But when a strange tattoo mysteriously appears on her shoulder and Theo starts talking about Mates, it catapults her neatly laid out life into chaos.

Somehow a vicious demon banished to Hades defies Theo’s vanquish and returns, setting his target on Sadie, and she is thrust into the volatile world of Shomrei warriors and a connection to Theo her brain can’t comprehend and her body can’t deny. That primal bond proves more imperative to their survival than either could have ever imagined—and just may be the key to the world’s survival.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Originally from Minnesota, Reese Monroe currently enjoys living in the sunny Arizona desert with her husband of seventeen years and her loveable Shetland Sheep dog, Maddux. Monroe holds a degree in psychology from Southwest Minnesota State University and a master’s degree from the University of Iowa. When she’s not busy writing her next trilogy, she can be found pounding the pavement, training to run her first marathon.

Reese Monroe is a contributing blogger at the widely popular site New Adult Alley (NAAlley.com) and has been part of the New Adult revolution for years having penned over thirty novels in the exciting new category. Look for her Bound by Hades trilogy coming soon from Entangled Publishing.

Connect with Reese on Twitter (@ReeseMonroe1), through Facebook (Facebook.com/ReeseMonroeWrites) or her website ReeseMonroe.net

Website // Twitter // Facebook // Goodreads // Amazon // Pinterest // Newsletter

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY #2:

Click here to enter the giveaway!

HOSTED BY:

Guest Post + Sneak Peek: The Spellbound Series by Sherry Soule

I am so excited to have author Sherry Soule here on the blog today! Sherry is the author of the Spellbound series which has recently been rewritten and republished with more epic romance, sizzling character chemistry, and thrilling suspense. The new versions also include exclusive bonus material and brand new scenes. In honor of the books being re-released, I have Sherry on the blog to share some of her favorite moments from the Spellbound series. Sit back, relax, and read on!

SNEAK PEEKS:

Title: Beautifully Broken (Spellbound #1)

Author: Sherry Soule

“Initial Glimpse”

The hottie sat down and reclined, stretching out his arms on the back of the bench. He crossed his legs in the dude-esque, one ankle-over-the-opposite-thigh leg cross, and I caught a glimpse of his badass black motorcycle boots. The skin on his face was fair and smooth, and only his strong, square jaw saved his features from femininity. Gorgeous—a ten on a scale of Abercrombie model hotness. Tall, too, with spiky blond hair and eyes an amazing emerald hue.

He turned his head, his gaze capturing mine. My face flamed, interrupting my ogling. His eyes widened, then narrowed. His arms dropped to his sides. Once those hypnotic eyes seized mine, the atmosphere shifted and, for a moment, my heart ceased to beat. The intensity of his stare seemed to quiet all the thoughts and emotions whirling around inside my head. The lingering anxiety from this morning vanished.

After who knows how long, he slowly—almost reluctantly—turned away. He kept his head down like he had something to hide. Something he didn’t want people to see. Something he didn’t want me to see.

“Meet the Kitten”

“Ah, poor baby. Are you hungry?” I asked and the kitten loudly meowed. “Can we feed her?” I glanced at Trent with a pouty expression. “Please?”

He shook his head, throwing up his hands. “Sure. There’s milk in the kitchen. I’ll be right back.”

He returned with a bowl of milk and set it on the floor. I lowered the cat and she greedily lapped up the milk.

“She’s cute,” Trent said.

The ball of fluff raised her head, licking white drops off her mouth.

 “What should we name her?” I hoisted the kitten and cuddled her in my arms.

Trent wrapped one arm around me, and scratched under her white chin. “Charm?” he asked, looking into my eyes as his breath tickled my neck.

I melted into the crook of his arm. “It’s perfect.”

He rubbed the cat behind her ears. “I’d rather have a dog,” he teased.

I covered the cat’s pointy ears with my hands. “Shhh, Charm will hear you.”

Trent grinned, taking the kitten from my arms and surprising me by kissing Charm’s head. He set her on the floor and grasped my hand. The same shock lit up all my nerve endings.

“Come on,” he said, then turned back. “Here kitty, kitty.”

Charm obediently followed us through the lower level, consisting of three parlors, a drawing room, library—with bookcases that nearly reached the ceiling and contained hundreds of books—dining room, and an enormous kitchen.

“A Kiss”

His hands gripped my shoulders and he yanked me against him, his mouth covering mine in a deep kiss. The caress of his lips was softer than I’d imagined. An unfamiliar rush of excitement engulfed my senses. My hands wrapped around his neck, fingering his silky hair. His moist lips seared a path along my neck, igniting a blaze of desire that flooded my skin everywhere his lips touched. My heart pounded. Then his mouth found mine and my whole body tingled. He touched my face softly with his fingertips, holding me in place. My own fingers caressed his face, his neck, grasped onto his shoulders. My nails dug into his shirt as I kissed him back. I was overcome with heat and yearning. I pressed myself closer to him, knowing all the while that we could be caught at any moment by his uncle. I didn’t care.

Boys had kissed me before, but not like this. Never like this. And I wanted more. Now. I leaned into him…

Title: Moonlight Mayhem (Spellbound #3)

Author: Sherry Soule

“Hero Intercedes”

His hands flickered upward, and before I knew it, they were cupping my face. So damnably fast now. Demon-like fast. He reeled me closer, and our foreheads joined. He held me, while I trembled in his arms. I was vaguely aware of Evans and Maxwell watching, although it didn’t seem important. Nothing seemed important whenever he held me. As if we were enclosed in our own personal bubble made only for the two of us. We stood like that until my shaky legs regained strength. I shut my eyes and pretended my body wasn’t sizzling with heat-lightning because Trent stood so close. My hormones always decided to rebel whenever he put his arms around me. It felt like the best thing I’d experienced since before Dad’s death. And that’s saying a bunch.

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR:

Thank you so much for letting me chat up my YA series with all of you. It’s been an honor to share my favorite moments from the first two books in the Spellbound series. If you haven’t seized your copy of BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN yet, please do so. Epic thrills, spooky adventures, and passionate romance await you! I hope everyone enjoyed this post, now go feed your mind and read a book! Preferably one of mine.

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOKS:

Beautifully Broken

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

Shattered Silence

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

Moonlight Mayhem

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

Reckless Revenge

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

Destiny Disrupted

Goodreads

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Blog Tour + Guest Post + Book Playlist: Authors Are Rockstars featuring Sarah Guillory

I am beyond thrilled to be participating in the 2nd Annual Authors Are Rock Stars event hosted by Fiktshun, Two Chicks on Books, and Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! As part of the tour, I have been paired up with a young adult author who just so happens to be a bookish rock star! Sarah Guillory, author of the upcoming novel Reclaimed, has put together such a FUN post for us today. She’s selected songs that fit into her book AND she explains just why she picked them. But before we get to the musically awesome portion of this post, first let’s learn a little more about Sarah and see just why I think she is a rockstar!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Guillory has always loved words and had a passion for literature.  When she’s not reading or writing, Sarah runs marathons, which she credits with keeping her at least partially sane.  Sarah teaches high school English and lives in Louisiana with her husband and their bloodhound, Gus. Reclaimed is her debut novel.

Twitter: @sguillory262

Website: www.sarahguillory.com

Blog: www.sarahguillory.blogspot.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16045763-reclaimed

WHY I THINK SARAH GUILLORY IS A ROCKSTAR:

So why do I think Sarah Guillory is a rockstar? Let me just count the ways! First is because her book cover is gorgeous. Superficial of me yes, but still, I can’t deny it. Second is because her book blew my freaking mind. BLEW MY MIND PEOPLE. It was so intense that I had to put it down about 75% of the way through because I was scared to find out what was going to happen next. Not scared in a I’m-hiding-beneath-the-covers way but more in the holy-crap-I-think-I-know-what-is-about-to-go-down-and-I’m-scared-to-be-right way. When I finally worked up the courage to read the remaining amount of the book, it shocked me because what I thought what was going to happen didn’t and what I couldn’t possibly imagine happening did. Sarah threw one curveball after another. She basically pulled the rug out from under me making it so I really didn’t know which way was up. Moving on to another reason why Sarah rocks my socks off: her writing style is different and unique and just refreshing. Oh and she writes from alternating points of view…successfully and totally non-confusing! I am a sucker for alternating points of view. And can I just say that there was lots of swooning on my part while reading her book? Yes the book as a whole was sort of mysterious and very much heart-not necessarily breaking but definitely heart-hurting, she still knows how to write a beautifully broken and totally swoon-worthy male character. And don’t even get me started on this book playlist. Seriously, it’s awesome. So there you have it, in a very long and sort of rambly nutshell, just why I think Sarah Guillory is a rockstar!

And now that my fan-girling is on pause for the moment, let’s move on to this sort of mash-up of a guest post and a book playlist. Sarah did an awesome job selecting the music and now that I’ve read the book AND have read her reasoning for picking each song, I can so see it! So please take a look at Sarah’s post, give her a warm welcome, and by all means, let us know what you think of the book playlist in the comments section!

Welcome Home – Radical Face

I listened to this album on repeat while working on RECLAIMED, so just hearing this song pulls me into Solitude. I see the pine trees, the lake, Solitude Point, and the abandoned train yard. Though Solitude is a town I made up, I have lived in several small towns. I grew up in Arkansas, where the novel is set, so writing the scenery was a homecoming for me.

The line “the backs of my eyes hum with things I’ve never done” makes me think of Jenna. Solitude is her home. She has lived in the small town her entire life, just like her mother and grandmother. But Jenna wants to see different places and be different people. She knows she will never be able to do all the things she wants if she stays in Solitude, and she is reminded daily of the things she’s never done.

“Peel the scars from off my back/I don’t need them anymore” also fits with Jenna because she feels like if she can just escape Solitude, she can escape those things which scarred her as well.

Picking Up Pieces – Blue October

Sometimes I feel like weeping
Awake and when I’m sleeping
Perfecting how to put a game face on

This puzzle I’ve been keeping
Has been in hiding creeping out the closet door
Spilling out onto the floor

How long will I be picking up pieces
How long will I be picking up my heart

I chose this song because all three characters hide things from the outside world, and all three feel like they are picking up the pieces left scattered by those secrets. Jenna has to deal with her mother’s drinking while trying to keep it a secret from everyone, especially her grandmother. Every time her mother gets drunk, Jenna is the one who has to put her back together again. Ian is always putting on his game face. He’s the peacekeeper, and he feels like he has to put his family back together after the divorce. Because he is the responsible one, it’s his job to try and repair the cracks in his family. Luke is keeping a secret from his brother, one that has consequences that he is still dealing with. But the secret he’s been hiding will eventually creep out, and all three characters will have to try and salvage the pieces.

This is How I Disappear – My Chemical Romance

This is mainly Luke’s song. He feels like being in Ian’s shadow causes him to disappear. Ian is the good student and athlete, while Luke is the one always getting in trouble. But Luke feels like Jenna sees through all that, sees who is really is. She makes him feel like he doesn’t have to disappear.

Better than Today – Wes Kirkpatrick

no need to lie – cause I find the truth on your face and your ways

 

Just realize, I don’t care if you like what I say

when I leave, you’re still here

the same old place year after year

I want to see the smiles on different faces, I want to see the stars from other places, it will do no good to stay, you’ll never be better than today

Jenna is dealing with her mother’s alcoholism and lies. She wants to help her mother, but she always wants to leave Solitude. She is sick of being in the same place. The chorus is exactly Jenna – she wants to go places and experience new things. She is angry that her mother may jeopardize that by being selfish and having to be taken care of.

Falling Away with You – Muse

So I’ll love whatever you become
and forget the reckless things we’ve done
I think our lives have just begun
I think our lives have just begun

The relationships in this story are complicated in that each is dealing with a lot at home and each finds something in the other that helps them cope. Add in the fact that Ian and Luke both need each other and have conflict with each other. I wanted to write a story about three teens who come together as their lives are falling apart. I think I’ve done that.

All of the love we’ve left behind
watching the flash backs intertwine
memories I will never find
memories I will never find

All of the characters have left things behind in the past, things they don’t really want to remember, and things they wish they could get back.

What if We Could – Blue October

What if we could
Put our lives on
Hold and meet some
Where inside of the world
I would meet you
Would you meet me?

This story is about the solid places we find when our lives are crumbing. Each of these characters needs something from the relationship, be it Jenna and Ian, Jenna and Luke, or Ian and Luke. While their worlds fall apart, they find something in each other that helps them get through it, or deal with it, or ignore it just for a little while.

I’m glad to say that we’ve met
But I’m sad to say that the circumstances weren’t
On our side

And the circumstances aren’t on their side. Ian has lost three solid months. Luke doesn’t seem to be able to do anything right. And Jenna has to be the responsible adult when dealing with her mother. Add in that Jenna is falling for both boys, and the circumstances aren’t ideal at all. But none of them are willing to give those relationships up.

Fix You – Coldplay

When you try your best, but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse

I love writing broken, flawed characters. In some way, each of these characters tries and fails at something. Each needs something that may not happen. Jenna says at one point in the story that while she tries to do great things, she sometimes feels like she’s stuck, wading around in mediocrity, thinking she’s found her way out only to circle back to where she started. Ian is used to being successful (honor student and star athlete), but he can’t recover his memories as quickly as he wants to. And Luke feels he is always going backwards, stuck in a pattern of self-destruction.

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

They all lose things that can’t be replaced. Jenna watches her mother destroy herself with alcohol. Ian and Luke, who were once inseparable, now have what feels like an irreparable rift between them.

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Home is an important idea in this novel, and in the end, while these characters find things they need in their relationships with each other, they cannot fix each other. In the end, we can only fix ourselves.

Ghosts That We Knew – Mumford and Sons

You saw my pain washed out in the rain
Broken glass, saw the blood run from my veins
But you saw no fault, no cracks in my heart
And you knelt beside my hope torn apart

For Jenna, being with Ian is like having a blank slate. He hasn’t known her all her life, doesn’t remember every stupid thing she ever did, so she feels like she has a new start. For Ian, Jenna gives him hope that he will be normal again. When his memories fail, he can make new ones with Jenna.

Jenna sees through the dark version of himself that Luke throws at everyone. She knows Luke is broken, but she sees deeper than that, and she likes that they can be a little broken together.

So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light
‘Cause oh that gave me such a fright
But I will hold as long as you like
Just promise me we’ll be alright

In the end, they help each other believe that things will be okay. Spending time with one another shows them there is hope and redemption, that the past might possibly be escaped, and that a life can be reclaimed.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Jenna Oliver doesn’t have time to get involved with one boy, let alone two.

All Jenna wants is to escape her evaporating small town and her alcoholic mother. She’s determined she’ll go to college and find a life that is wholly hers—one that isn’t tainted by her family’s past. But when the McAlister twins move to town and Jenna gets involved with both of them, she learns the life she planned may not be the one she gets.

Ian McAlister doesn’t want to start over; he wants to remember.

Ian can’t recall a single thing from the last three months—and he seems to be losing more memories every day. His family knows the truth, but no one will tell him what really happened before he lost his memory. When he meets Jenna, Ian believes that he can be normal again because she makes not remembering something he can handle.

The secret Ian can’t remember is the one Luke McAlister can’t forget.

Luke has always lived in the shadow of his twin brother until Jenna stumbles into his life. She sees past who he’s supposed to be, and her kiss brings back the spark that life stole. Even though Luke feels like his brother deserves her more, Luke can’t resist Jenna—which is the trigger that makes Ian’s memory return.

Jenna, Ian, & Luke are about to learn there are only so many secrets you can keep before the truth comes to reclaim you.

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Indie Bound

Guest Post: Gemini Rising by Eleanor Wood

Hi there everyone! I hope your Thursday is off to an incredible start! I have a super fun post planned for all of you today.

I am so excited to have author Eleanor Wood here on the blog. For those of you that don’t know, Eleanor is the author of Gemini Rising, a recently released young adult novel that sounds just as mysterious as it is fascinating. She has written up a guest post entitled “The Difference Between Books and Bands” which I absolutely LOVED because books and bands just so happen to be my two favorite things! Be sure to check out all of the book information and the guest post below and of course, give Eleanor a warm welcome by leaving a comment and letting us know what you think!

Title: Gemini Rising

Author: Eleanor Wood

Publisher: Carina

How far would you go to fit in? Sorana Salem is ok with being not quite bottom of the pile at her exclusive private school. Until the mysterious Johansson twins arrive unexpectedly mid-term. Hypnotically beautiful and immensely cool, magnetic Elyse and mute Melanie aren’t like the school’s usual identikit mean girls.Soon Sorana’s sharing sleepovers and Saturday nights out with the twins. But their new world of Ouidja boards and older boys might not be as simple as it seems. And the dark secrets that they share could be about to take Sorana down a path that’s impossible to turn back from…

The Difference Between Books and Bands

The only things that matter?  I love books and bands so much that sometimes the two have been known to get confused in my mind.  When I was a kid, I would write early-prototype fan fiction about Kurt Cobain in my diary.  I would make mixtapes to listen to while I read a specific book – Lemonheads for I Capture the Castle; Placebo for Jean Genet.

When I wrote my first novel, a book for teenagers set in a girls’ school, I found the same thing happening all over again.  It’s probably a good metaphor for my life – the inability to separate fact and fiction.  If we’re being totally honest here, I also used to write early-prototype fan fiction about a boy at school and over-empathize with Leonard Cohen songs at far too young an age to know what they were really about.

I knew that music would have to be in my book.  It manages to feature in pretty much all my writing, but this was a teenage novel, so it was extra important.  I still love music and reading as much as I ever did, but I don’t identify myself through it quite so much these days.

So, the text is littered with name-drops of bands I love – from Mudhoney to the Velvet Underground.  It’s also sprinkled with book titles from my heroine’s shelf – from The Bell Jar to Less Than Zero.

Best of all, I got to invent an entire fictional band, called Trouble Every Day (named after the Vincent Gallo/Beatrice Dalle/crazy French cannibal film; I love Vincent Gallo nearly as much as I love books and bands, a man who seems to have similar difficulty in separating fact from fiction).  The girls in my book are obsessed with Trouble Every Day – they bond over their love for the singer and go to their first live gig together.

When I picture Trouble Every Day, if I squint, they’re a tiny bit Placebo (who I was obsessed with at 17), a little bit 30 Seconds to Mars, a dash of the Horrors.  They are the band I would have loved beyond all measure when I was a teenager.

My career as a bass-player in terrible gothy girl bands turned out to be sadly short-lived; I want to write books forever.  That’s the thing about books and bands – you can project your own worlds onto them, and invent things that you wish existed in real life.

WHERE TO FIND THE AUTHOR:

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WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

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Blog Tour + Guest Post + Book Playlist + Sneak Peek + Giveaway: Steel Lily by Megan Curd

Title: Steel Lily (The Periodic Series #1)

Author: Megan Curd

AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She’s a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn’t any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

…Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything…including the fate of your world.

I am so, so, SO excited to have the absolutely LOVELY Megan Curd on the blog today! I haven’t had the pleasure of reading her recently released book yet but I am excited for it regardless. I have had a blast working with Megan to put this stop on the blog tour together and I hope you guys enjoy it just as much as I did. We’ve got an awesome little guest post and INCREDIBLE playlist  for you to check out. Seriously, Megan outdid herself with all of the awesome music. I found it hard to contrl my inner musical fan-girl. And then, there are not one, not two, not even three, but FOUR sneak peeks of Steel Lily down below and I just know you will all love them. And because, we needed to make this post even more fun, you also have the chance to enter an incredible giveaway down below. So visit all the fun pit stops on this post here and let us know what you think about it all in the comments section!

GUEST POST + BOOK PLAYLIST:

Hey Kate! First off and most importantly, I want to thank you for having me on your blog today! I’m honored!

Secondly, I want you to know that I absolutely love that you asked me to share Steel Lily’s playlist. Music is a HUGE HUGE part of my life. There’s always music playing in our house. My personal favorite bands are Muse, The Civil Wars, Bon Iver, The Black Keys, and Florence + The Machine. My 2-year-old son is a big fan of Bob Marley, as well. Oh yes, I’ve succeeded as a parent. He’s a rasta-kid. J

Anyway, each book I write really takes on a life of its own with music. Steel Lily was written practically to Muse’s The 2 Law album, but I figured people might was some diversity, so this is the playlist that I feel best conveys what I was feeling as I wrote the book. The funny thing is, I’m currently writing the sequel, Iron Pendulum, and its playlist is soooo different, mood-wise. Funny how that works out. I hope you guys enjoy the songs, and please let me know if you think of a different song that makes you think of Steel Lily! I love finding new bands to check out.

1.)    “Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 1” – Muse

2.)    “The 2^nd Law: Unsustainable” – Muse

3.)    “Seasick” – Silversun Pickups

4.)    “Supremacy” – Muse

5.)    “A Beautiful Lie” – 30 Seconds to Mars

6.)    “Simple Life” – Carolina Liar

7.)    “Everybody Lies” – Jason Walker

8.)    “Distance” – Christina Perri

9.)    “Highway of Fallen Kings” – Civil Twilight

10.) “Ruled by Secrecy” – Muse

11.) “Letters from the Sky” – Civil Twilight

12.) “Unnatural Selection” – Muse

13.) “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” – Death Cab for Cutie

14.) “Secrets” – OneRepublic

15.) “Thistle & Weeds” – Mumford & Sons

16.) “A Rush of Blood to the Head” – Coldplay

17.) “Madness” – Muse

18.) “Shouldn’t Be A Good in Goodbye” – Jason Walker

19.) “All Fall Down” – OneRepublic

20.) “Where We Belong” – Thriving Ivory

21.) “True Love” – Pink

Yeah, the list is a little long, but I love all of those songs and I think it really conveys the feel of Steel Lily. I hope if you haven’t heard some of the songs that you’ll check them out! And, as always, let me know what you think! Thanks again for having me today, and keep the music playing. <3

SNEAK PEEKS:

#1:

The Polatzi woman’s broad body blocked the view of my intended hallway. Her hands were on her hips, and her piercing gaze felt as if it might actually impale me.

Do they teach that death stare to every Polatzi, or is this woman particularly nasty?

“Avery Pike?”

I jutted my chin in the air. “Who’s asking?”

“You were off the grid last night.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I pushed past her before she could say more and felt the smooth fabric of her cape slap my legs as I passed. Fiery anger consumed me, but I kept my expression neutral. Damn Polatzi. They gave me nothing but unanswered questions and a lice-ridden bed at an overcapacity orphanage, yet expected me to revere them. Providing steam–being an asset they couldn’t get rid of–gave me immunity to the Polatzi as long as I didn’t do anything stupid.

Like skipping class and going to see Alice during a night of sweeps.

Yeah, that would fall under the category of life-threateningly stupid, which was a couple notches above incredibly stupid.

#2:

I’d never seen anyone like him in Dome Four. His jawbone was strong, his cheekbones set high. His nose was regal and straight and when my gaze reached his eyes, my breath caught. Stormy blue-grey eyes that reminded me of shale returned my gaze with seemingly genuine curiosity, if not a bit of humor. Strips of colored fabric were woven into his dreadlocked hair, giving it a wildly unique appearance that suited him. His smug expression made me realize he was enjoying this.

“Are you finished checking me out? If you’re not, that’s okay; I allow every new woman I meet a free five-minute gawking period. After that, it’ll cost you.”

Blood rushed to my face. I tore my eyes from his magnetic gaze and watched as he took a worn leather strap off his wrist. He pulled back his dreadlocks–deep brown streaked with blonde–into the strap. His devilish grin pulled his eyes tight at the corners. He was trouble incarnate. Trouble I may very well want to get into, given the right circumstances.

“You’re at five minutes and thirty seconds now,” he said in a purr as he leaned in toward me. I felt his breath against my cheek, and my heart raced. “I’m going to start taking payment, and I choose how that payment is issued.”

Before I could respond, Alice stirred groggily beside me. She rubbed her eyes as she sat up. “Where are we?”

“Good question,” piped Jaxon. “One that your friend here failed to ask, but it could have been because I rendered her speechless with my good looks.”

Alice moved to get a better look at him, but he emphatically covered his face, as though he were a vampire trying to block the sun. “Don’t look at me!” he cried, then grinned as he winked at me. “I don’t want to make two ladies swoon in such a short period of time. How would I entertain myself tonight?”

“You’re not that handsome,” I argued mulishly.

“There’s drool on your chin. Either you’re physically unable to keep your mouth shut, or I caused you to forget how. Since when I found you, you were drool free, I’m going with the assumption that it was me.” He fished in his pocket and offered me a piece of white silk. “Here, a handkerchief for your trouble.”

#3:

I was moving double time to keep up with his long strides. He seemed so sure of himself, so in control of his destiny, even in this place, where he claimed we were imprisoned. I didn’t have a shred of doubt that what Jaxon wanted, Jaxon got. He owned his life. I so desperately wanted to own mine as well. Could he help me take control of it, or would he cause it to crash around my feet? For some reason, it felt like either option would be exhilarating if he were involved.

Exhilarating and dangerous.

The back of his shirt was soaked. The small “v” of muscles at the base of his spine flexed as he craned his neck to make sure I was still behind him. Why did that give me butterflies?

He turned and smiled. “Are you even listening to me? You’re way past your ogling allotment.”

“I’m not ogling you.”

“Trust me, I’ve experienced enough ogling to know it when I see it. If you’d prefer to ogle in peace, I’ll turn around again. There have been contests where my ass took first place in squeezability.”

“You must have been the only person in the running.”

He grinned mischievously. “And the only one to vote, but a win is still a win, right?”

#4:

Out of nowhere, his breath ran like warm water over the back of my neck. I closed my eyes for a moment, then forced them back open. No. Not Jaxon. Nothing for Jaxon.

“Now it’s Mr. Pierce, eh?” He put one of his large hands at the small of my back to lead me toward Xander’s office. “I think I’m going backwards.”

“You are backwards, Jaxon.”

He laughed and muscled around me, sliding far too much of his toned body against me as he moved past. His chiseled chest pressed against mine as he leaned in, inches from my mouth. I sucked in a breath to avoid his scent. No dice. It still overpowered me. His smile was evident even in the low light, and I bit my lip to keep from sighing. His hand brushed my cheek, and he ran a finger down the side of my neck, sending shivers through me. “If I were backwards, I’d be Noxaj,” he whispered huskily. “What kind of name is that? It’s not sexy at all.”

“I never said you were sexy,” I whispered as his hands roved through my hair at the base of my neck.

“No, no you didn’t…” His lips were on my neck. His hands worked down my back.

I stood there like a wet noodle, incapable of responding.

Do something! Touch him back! my brain screamed, but my body felt detached. Do something, or he’s going to think you’re on the relationship short bus.

He pulled away to search my eyes, but for what, I didn’t know.

I willed myself to give him something. Anything. An awkward grin, accompanied by a cough was all I could muster. Really, Avery? Seriously? I knew later replays of this moment in my mind, no matter how awful, wouldn’t compare to the actual event.

GIVEAWAY:

In honor of this awesome blog tour and the release of Steel Lily, there is an awesome giveaway for you guys to enter! You have the chance to win some awesome prizes that include a Steel Lily t-shirt, a signed book, and some swag. You can enter the giveaway by following this link here!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college.

When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves to snowboard and travel to new places, and doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself.

Megan currently resides in Stanton, Kentucky with her husband, son, and Great Dane named Dozer.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

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WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

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Blog Tour + Guest Post + Book Playlist: Pepperland by Barry Wightman

Hey there everyone! I first want to apologize for having this post up a day late. We had some storms in our area this past week and I am just now getting my internet back on. I secondly want to give a very warm welcome to Barry Wightman, author of Pepperland. He has put together and incredibly awesome post for you all that includes a little bit about his book and all of the AMAZING music in it. And as you all know, books and music are my two favorite things so it is no wonder why I absolutely love the discography for Pepperland. I have a little bit about the book below followed by the post by Barry. Please take look, enjoy, and of course don’t forget to tell us what you think in the comments section!

Title: Pepperland

Author: Barry Wightman

Publisher: Running Meter Press

What happens when one revolution dies and a new one begins?

Think the Ramones meet Jane Fonda meets Bill Gates—a love story—where one woman has all the power.

She asks him—do you want to play your little rock ‘n’ roll songs or change the world?  He says—both.

Pepperland is a ‘70s rock and roll race through the heartland of America—a love letter to the power of new-fangled computers and the importance of a guitar pick. Pepperland is about missing information, missing people, missing guitars, paranoia, Q & A, brothers, revolution, Agents of the Federal Government, IBM, Hugh Hefner, a Dark Stranger, love, death and the search for it amidst the wreckage of recession-wracked, entropically rundown mid-seventies America.

Sound familiar?

Hi  there,  Kate (and of course you guys reading this!).  Pepperland,  set  in  the  early  70s,  is  indeed  a  very  musical  novel,  though  it’s  really  about  two  very  smart  young  people  discovering  what  to  do  with  their  lives,  getting  into  serious  trouble,  dealing  with  their  pasts  and  falling  in  love.    As  you  can  see  in  the  Discography  shown  below,  the  book’s  major  chapters,  or  “Sides”  (like  an  old  record,  vinyl,  get  it?)  are  titled  thematically  using  classic  tunes.  Also,  the  book  is  strewn  with  hidden  references  and  allusions  to  lyrics,  titles,  and  cultural  touchstones.  Sharp-‐eyed  readers  will  have  fun  spotting  them—it’s  a  bit  of  a  stump-‐the-‐band  challenge.

The  Discography  also  includes  the  music  of  the  fictitious  Chicago  record  label  Checkers  Records  and  the  London-‐based  Terpsichorean  Records  and  the  various  bands  that  record  for  those  labels.    Please  note—I  made  all  that  stuff  up.

Very  fun.

Best,  Barry  Wightman

Pepperland  Discography:

Side  1

The  Beach  Boys.  Pet  Sounds.  “Wouldn’t  It  Be  Nice.”    Capitol  Records.  1966.  (Pepper’s  Theme)

Crosby,  Stills,  Nash  &  Young.  “Ohio.”  Originally  released  as  a  single  in  May  1970,  the  studio  version was  not  released  on  an  album  until  So  Far,  1974.

Iron  Butterfly.  In-‐a-‐Gadda-‐da-‐Vida.  Atco.  1968.

Tony  Orlando  and  Dawn.  “Candida.”  Bell  Records.  1970.

Oscar  Peterson.  The  Sound  of  the  Trio.  “On  Green  Dolphin  Street.”  Recorded  at  the  London  House, Chicago.  Verve.  1961.

Side  2

Jefferson  Airplane.  Volunteers.  “We  Can  Be  Together.”  RCA.    1969.  (Sooz’s  Theme)

Jefferson  Airplane.  Crown  of  Creation.  “Lather.”  RCA. 1968.

Side  3

Bob  Dylan.  Highway  61  Revisited.  Columbia.    1965.

Side  4

The  Rolling  Stones.  Their  Satanic  Majesties  Request.  “She’s  a  Rainbow.”  London.    1967.

Side  5

The  Kinks.  Everybody’s  in  Showbiz.  RCA.    1972.

Side  6

Yes.  Fragile.  Atlantic.    1971.

Side  7

Yes.  Close  to  the  Edge.  Atlantic.    1972.

Side  8    

I  am  he  as  you  are  me.  The  Beach  Boys,  Carl  and  the  Passions/So  Tough,  “All  This  is  That.”  Capitol. 1972.

Side  9  

Jefferson  Airplane.  Volunteers.  “We  Can  Be  Together.”  RCA.    1969.

Mott  the  Hoople,  All  the  Young  Dudes,  RCA.    1972.

The  Beatles.  Yellow  Submarine  –  Nothing  is  Real  (original  soundtrack).

“Pepperland.”  Original  film  score  composed  &  orchestrated  by  George  Martin.    1969.

Checkers  Records  Artists  (partial)

Scratchy  Fenwick  and  His  Itchy  Zoot  Suiters.  The  Many  Moods  of  Scratchy  Fenwick.    Including  “Do  You  Like  Tractors”  and  “North  Dakota  Love  Call.”  Written/produced  by  Harrison  Creach.    1953.

The  Cat  Daddies.  “Who’s  Yowling  at  My  Window?”  and  “If  I  Was  a  Three-legged  Cat  (Would  You  Still  Love  Me?),”  1962  (written/produced  by  Harrison  Creach)

Shine  &  The  Funkolas.  “Funk-‐o-‐Sicle,”  “Chocolate  Bloop,”  “Jive  Kangaroo,”  1974  (written/produced  by  Harrison  Creach  and  Bobby  Washington)

Pepperland.  Pepperland.  “Burgers  in  Benton,”  “Freakout  in  Coal  City,”  “Your  Aunt  is  Cool,”  “Windblown  American  Dirt,”  “151,”    “The  V,”  “If  I  Were  a  Rich  Man,”  “The  Transmission  of  Information,  (Part  1)”  “Peggy  Lee’s  Purse,”  “Shelley’s  Lyre,”  “Lysergic  Night,”  She  Kissed  the  Cat,”  “Charlene,”  “This  Whole  Life,”  “Queen  Fab,”  “The  Subconscious  Sleep  of  Unconsciousness  (Part  1),”  “Dreaming’s  Done.”    May  1974.

Terpsichorean  Records  Artists

The  Thamesmen  (“Don’t  Cross  the  River  (Without  My  Heart  in  Your  Pocket)”),  The  What,  Nigel  and  the  Pub  Crawlers.

About The Author:

A rock ‘n’ roller at heart, Barry Wightman blends music, mayhem and high technology in his debut novel Pepperland due out this spring from Running Meter Press.

Born in St. Louis, raised in Chicago and New England, Wightman, a business major at Principia College in southern Illinois, claims he should’ve been an English major. Living for many years in Chicago and Minneapolis, he raised a family with his wife Jill, and spent thirty years in the high tech industry, traveling the world, spending time in Silicon Valley, with countless trips to Asia, Australia, and much of the rest of the world. After all that, he earned an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2010. He currently serves as vice president of marketing at Forward Health Group, Inc.

Wightman is Fiction Editor for Hunger Mountain, a literary journal based in Montpelier, Vermont. He is a talented voiceover professional and a Wisconsin Broadcasters Association award-winning essayist, whose work has been heard on WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio.

Wightman is a reviewer and editor for the Washington Independent Review of Books. His music and book reviews have also appeared in various publications in Chicago, Milwaukee and Washington D.C. He is a voting member of the National Book Critics Circle.

This writer and lover of literature has lived in Elm Grove, Wisconsin since 2005. He is married with three grown children and plays guitar and keyboards in a rock ‘n’ roll band, The Outta State Plates.

Website: BarryWightman.com

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