Thursday, March 20, 2014

Book Blitz : Carina Press New Adult


Redemption (Defiance #2) by Stephanie Tyler

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Purchase: Amazon


Matthias Robichaud is looking for an alliance. The Defiance motorcycle club is a stronghold in the dangerous world that’s become the new norm and he’s driven to prove he’s tough enough to be sworn in as a full member. But when he sees a beautiful, spirited girl abducted by a rival MC, rescuing her jeopardizes all he’s worked for.

Politician’s daughter Jessa Everson knows what’s expected of her—obedience, loyalty and silence—but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t fight when she’s kidnapped by the Lords of Vengeance. Having Matthias save her is like gaining an avenging angel in leather and tattoos. But Defiance is known for brutal justice, and she may have just traded one bad situation for another.

Matthias’s urge to protect is too strong to ignore, no matter how much trouble Jessa brings to Defiance’s gates. There’s no room in the post-Chaos world for weakness so if Matthias and Jessa have any chance of surviving, they’ll need to put their full strength behind the MC…and hope that the MC will do the same for them.

I woke, screaming and kicking. It only took a few moments to realize that I wasn’t gagged or in chains, the way I’d spent most of the past two weeks, at the LoV’s mercy.
Mathias was the first one to come into focus. He was signing to Bishop’s voice. You’re all right, Jessa. Take a breath.
I did. And I realized I was holding Mathias’s hand, his palm warm in mine. Holding it like we were lovers, like he was my lifeline, my fingers curled through his. I stared at our hands, fisted together, and I wondered if I’d ever understand any of this.
It’s a crazy time for everyone.
Bishop’s voice, Mathias’s free hand signing. I stared into Mathias’s dark eyes and I saw more understanding there than I ever had. “My grandmother would’ve reconsidered her stance on men for you.”
Bishop laughed—it had been a long time since I’d heard a real laugh—and he translated as Mathias signed, Grandmothers aren’t really my type, but I’m guessing there’s a compliment in there somewhere.
“Definitely.” I was flirting with the violent angel in leather. Flirting. After I’d thrown up in front of him. After everything, I still felt the taut butterfly nerves in my belly. And despite everything, I liked it.
He looked like the other bikers, thanks to his tattoos, and there was a leather jacket on the seat next to me, although it didn’t have the name of any biker club on the back of his jacket. Granted, he drove a van and not a bike, but he had that air about him. Less vengeful and outwardly cruel, but he hadn’t shied away from violence.
Neither had I. What was happening to me? Were two weeks enough to turn me from a pampered girl into a fighter, or had she always been there, waiting for the right time?
My grandmother liked to say that necessity was the mother of invention. Until this moment, I’d never truly understood what that meant.


Wild Ones (The Lane #1) by Kristine Wyllys:

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Bri Martin likes her skirts too short, her heels too high, and trouble close at hand. So when big, brooding underground boxer Luke Turner comes into the bar where she works and starts a fight before she brings his first drink, she can't help being intrigued. Luke is everything she never wanted and everything she can't resist.

Soon, Luke is showing up everywhere Bri is, and she can't break free of his hold on her, nor does she want to. When her best friend turns on her, it's Luke who is there. When  Luke's opponent comes after her to send Luke a message, it's he who comes to her rescue.

Before Bri knows it, she's caught in the midst of a rivalry between her boyfriend and her boss, both of whom are not content to settle their scores inside the ring. She swore she'd never live this life, so like the one she once ran from. But only by confronting her past can she decide where her future lies…and whether Luke can be a part of it.

 We were all still in our uniforms, and during the week, it was what set us apart from one another, made us competitors in a race for drunken sales. But on Sundays, it was what brought us together. We were comrades, we gatekeepers of legal sin, the ones who contributed to society’s moral decline. We were the ones who enabled bad decisions, one-night stands, breakups. We helped customers drown sorrows, celebrate victories, nurse torn hearts. We saw people at their best and their worst, sometimes in the same night. Sometimes in the same moment. Night after night we were everyone’s best friends until closing time, and on Sundays we grouped together in a small apartment overlooking the Lane, our sinful kingdom, and compared stories over our own drinks.

I was throwing back shots with the new bartender from Sharkie’s when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to find Fury standing there and behind him, a smirk on his face, was none other than Dark and Brooding Luke Turner.

“Got someone here who wants to meet you, Bri-baby.” Fury was smiling in a conspiratorial kind of way.
“Oh yeah?” I arched an eyebrow at Brooding Turner.

“This is my boy Luke. Good man, Luke. Gonna make your boy Nicky a lot of money. Ain’t that right, Luke?”

Brooding rumbled an agreement, the amused look never leaving his face.

“Good man, good man. I’ll let you kids get to know each other.” And with that, Fury swaggered off, disappearing into the sea of bodies. In the living room the music slid back a step to the late sixties as “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” came on.

“So it’s Bri, is it?” Turner asked, his voice teasing.

“Brianna,” I replied, playing along for a second before narrowing my eyes. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”


Tell Me When by Stina Lindenblatt:

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Purchase: Amazon

Amber Scott should be enjoying life as a college freshman. She should be pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She should be working hard to make sense of her precalculus math class.

She shouldn’t be waking up her college roommate with screaming nightmares. She shouldn’t be flashing back, reliving the three weeks of hell she barely survived last year. And she definitely shouldn’t be spending time with sexy player Marcus Reid.

But engineering student Marcus is the only one keeping Amber from failing her math course, so she grudgingly lets him into her life. She never expects the king of hookups will share his painful past. Or that she’ll tell him her secrets in return, opening up and trusting him in a way she thought she’d never be able to again.

When their fragile future together is threatened by a stalker Amber thought was locked away for good, Marcus is determined to protect her. And Amber is determined to protect Marcus…even if that means pushing him away.

10 Things Every Aspiring Writer Would Know


1. Rejections aren’t the end of the world, even if they feel that way at the time. They’re like a dare. A dare from the agent or editor to challenge yourself to be a better writer and storyteller.
2. Rejections don’t mean your story sucks. It might just mean it’s not the right story for that agent or editor. Even Stephen King and J.K. Rowling received rejections. Hard to believe, huh?
3. Social networking isn’t a waste of time. It’s fun. It’s a chance to meet new friends who will later be your biggest supporters. Did I mention it’s fun?
4. Remember the saying about putting all your eggs in one basket? Well, it applies to EVERYTHING in publishing. Don’t put all your hopes on landing your dream agent (query others who are looking for your genre). Don’t focus on only one social networking platform (on the other hand, you don’t want to dilute your efforts by being on ALL of them. That’s too exhausting). Don’t…well see #5 for this don’t.
5. It’s so easy to fall in love with your first story and not move on. You keep polishing it, even after you’ve started querying. An agent sends you a form rejection with nothing more than ‘not for me’ as the reason for the rejection, and you tweak the manuscript some more. It’s time to move on. Your first baby is out there, flapping its wings, hoping to catch the wind for a safe landing. Great. Now get to work on your next novel. If you plan to self publish, your next project can be a sequel. If you plan to go the traditional route, start a project that has nothing to do with the first book. There’s no guarantee your first book will be published, and you’re only wasting time working on a sequel if it doesn’t sell.
6. It’s rare that a writer will land a publishing contract with her first manuscript. For me, it was my fifth. I didn’t finish editing all of them. Some I realized wouldn’t stand a chance in the competitive market, and I shelved them. I considered each book practice for the next one. And with each book, I strived to do better than the last. That attitude shouldn’t change once you’re published.
7. Enjoy each stage of the process. Focus on the journey and not on the destination. And while you’re at it, figure out what success means to you, but pick something obtainable. Everyone wants to be a New York Times and USA Today bestseller, but not everyone will be one. If that’s what you’re striving for, and only focus on that, you’ll miss out on what writing all is about—touching the hearts of your readers and writing the stories that are important to you.
8. Read. Read. Read. Don’t just read in your genre. You might get a brilliant, fresh idea from reading a different genre. And don’t forget to read lots of crafts books on different aspects of writing. All of this will help you grow as a writer.
9. Do. Not. Plagiarize. Chances are great you will be caught, especially if you plagiarize from bestselling authors. Their fans will recognize the prose and will call you out on it, which I can guarantee will go viral. It won’t sell books; it will kill your writing career.
10. Live your life. Spend time with your friends and family. Have fun! Because one day you will land a publishing contract and with that comes DEADLINES. Yes, these are the dreaded dates that tend to be scheduled for when you’re away on vacation (been there) or when your kids are off from school (been there, too).

Is there anything you wish you had known when you first started writing with the goal of publication?

Quicksilver Dreams (Dreamwalkers #1) by Danube Adele

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Purchase: Amazon

My name is Taylor, and damn but my life changed overnight. One moment I was just a regular girl working two jobs to pay my bills, and next thing you know, I'm uncovering secret metal disks at my boss's house. Now I'm reading minds, dream-walking and being saved from bad guys by Mr. Dark and Brooding.

That would be Ryder Langston, my new next-door neighbor. He's sex on legs, but he's also a secret agent from another world—no joke. I believe him now, because he dragged me back here "for my protection" after he discovered someone was trying to assassinate me on Earth. It isn't working out so well.

There's a war going on, one that's been fought for generations. Ryder's having trust issues (not that it's stopping us from falling into bed), and it turns out I'm connected here, if you know what I mean. The target on my back finally makes sense, but there's nowhere left to hide…

Why I Like New Adult Romance

Danube Adele – Quicksilver Dreams

New Adult romance is a blast to create because it clearly illustrates how young women are changing their roles in society today.  They are powerful, dynamic and demanding, entering that time in their lives when they’re first trying to figure out who they are in a quickly changing world.  They are no longer limited to displaying demure, virginal, long-suffering archetypes.  The sky is the limit, which gives our characters so many more options than they’ve ever had before.  Taylor Lane, my sexy, smart female lead in Quicksilver Dreams, is smart and savvy.  With-it.  No one is going to tell her how to do her life, which is why she’s attracted a strong, powerful male character like Ryder Langston.  He’s fascinated by her, doesn’t quite know what to make of her, but doesn’t want to let her go.  The word spinster has quickly become an anachronistic idea because women no longer need to assume passive roles in society to be considered attractive.  In fact, quite the opposite is true.

Taylor, in Quicksilver Dreams, became my personal hero while writing this story.  She is a true badass who is not going to let the world push her around.  She is going to live on her terms, no matter what it takes.  Her wit and snarkiness are part of her charm. As the story goes on, we get to see that she also has a deep well of softness and vulnerability that she tries to keep hidden, though unsuccessfully.  She is the New Adult woman who can boldly enter any arena with a with her chest puffed out demanding her due, but she can also show a gentle side where she dreams and wants and needs. Ryder, Mr. Dark and Brooding, cannot help but be drawn to her strength and courage.

Was this a dream?
Had I ever felt this lucid in a dream before?
I could feel the silky material around my eyes, on my wrists and ankles, softly sliding against my skin. With my body waking to sensual heat seeping through my veins, I only wanted to concentrate on what was happening in the moment, appreciate the swirl of masculine energy twining through the feminine threads of my own.
So good...
My dreams usually had a surreal, nondistinct, floating quality to them. This time, I actually felt a large, rough hand feathering over the skin on my rib cage, my flat stomach, agonizingly slow, avoiding obvious erogenous zones.
It was a hot, searing touch. It was like someone was actually there. Someone I wanted...
More... Like that... So good...
I could scent spicy soap that was subtle, yet distinctly male, arousing, and couldn’t help the feverish whispers of encouragement.
Oh, my God... Yes...
My sex dreams usually made me struggle with the frustration of a roller-coaster experience that never finished. I would ride a buildup of desire and a cool down, over and over, my imagination acting as a careless lover with wonderful intent but clumsy execution. This time there was no such neglect. The burn was exquisite, building and teasing, ebbing and flowing, but never forgetful and creating a fever that made me writhe with need.
Please!
Never had I ever felt this way before, chanting my demand, desperately wanting to reach the end of the ride.
Yes! Like that! Yes!
Sudden sensation poured over and through me, powerfully enough that I woke myself and sat up. My breath was short and gasping. My body was quivery and oversensitized. I was covered with a fine sheen of sweat, and my sheet was twisted in carefree abandon around my naked body.
I half expected to find a man in front of me.
Rubbing my wrists as though the soft bindings were still tied to me, I glanced around my sparsely furnished bedroom and felt my body quake with a small, faint aftershock. I was alone. Nothing was disturbed. At the same time that I drew comfort from seeing that everything in my world was still in its place, a faint echo of grief, or disappointment, took the edge off my contentment, like I was missing something. I was solo after such an erotic experience.
What about the hand? Who was it attached to?
A part of me had to give a mental headshake of exasperation.
No men for you. At least not yet.
The inevitable weight of responsibility, like a bucket of ice water, reminded me that I needed to work and pay the bills. I had to make ends meet. There was no one who was going to help me.
Usually, I accepted this with a matter-of-factness, but this night, a spike of resentment reared its head.
What would it be like to be a normal girl who had time for frivolity?
I quashed the thought immediately, too tired to let it take root.
Why fight the wave? I just had to ride it.
Settling back on my pillow, I once again closed my eyes and let the languorous effects of post-orgasmic lassitude steal over me. Strangely, as my mind once again stretched fingers toward my deep subconscious, the whisper of a gentle caress down my cheek didn’t frighten me.encountering anyone else.


Stephanie tyler: New York Times Bestselling author Stephanie Tyler writes what she loves to read - romantic suspense novels starring military heroes and paranormal romance novels novels starring warrior heroes, all complete with happy endings. She also co-writes as Sydney Croft. She lives in New York with her husband, her kids and her crazy Weimaraner, Gus.

For more information on Stephanie, please visit www.stephanietyler.com or email her at stephanie@stephanietyler.com.
For more information on Sydney, please visit www.sydneycroft.com or email Sydney at sydney@sydneycroft.com

Stina Lindenblatt lives in Western Canada, where she loves to dream up New Adult and Young Adult stories, especially those with romance. She loves to travel, and has lived in England, the US, Canada, and Finland. She has a Master’s of Science degree in exercise physiology and has worked with elite athletes. In her free time, Stina enjoys photography, especially the close-up variety. She is the author of TELL ME WHEN (01/20/14).

Kristine Wyllys, who usually answers to, “Hey, You! With the Hair!” was born in the north and now resides in the northern version of the Carolinas. She lives in a farmhouse older than she is, with a bunch of property that makes her spontaneously break out in Dixie Chicks songs every time she looks out the back door. She's got babies, books, a boy that she fell in love with at 15, and a dog that might be a lesbian. She spends her spare time naming chickens after Harry Potter characters, breaking smart phones, and blogging.

Danube Adele wrote her first romance at the age of seven when she penned the sweet story of her dogs falling in love and having puppies together. She’s been dreaming up romantic tales ever since. A lifetime resident of southern California, she spends time playing at the beach, camping in Joshua Tree National Park, and hiking Mammoth Mountain. Always a lover of adventure, she and her husband took their sons on a cross country road trip to Florida and back in an old VW Westfalia, that had no A/C, in the month of July, and still, it continues to be the best trip they ever took. Extensive travel and trying new things has kept the creative spark alive. Danube lives in Claremont with her biggest fans, her loving husband, amazing and wonderful identical twin sons, and a teddy bear of a Rottweiler.

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