#Spotlight Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts by Laura Barnard + #Giveaway

Laura Barnard is now in the Spotlight with her new book, Heath, Cliffs and Wandering Hearts. Check out my review to this book here. Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win tons of exciting prizes!

Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts
by Laura Barnard

Genre: Young Adult, Friendship, Mature
Connect: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy: Amazon | Nook | Kobo | iBooks

Life for sixteen-year-old Savannah Franks has just been turned upside down. Her Mum’s business has failed and they’re forced to move into a maisonette in the rough end of town.

She doesn’t want anyone to know her dire situation, not even her besties. So when the rest of the money for the school ski trip is due she can’t be seen not to attend. Everyone is going! She just needs to find a job. Add that to the list of getting a boyfriend and losing her pathetic virginity.

But working every spare hour in a job she hates on top of school work and mounting secrets doesn’t prove easy. Soon she’s keeping so many she’s not even sure herself what’s true and what’s not.

The only person she can lean on, to tell the truth, is her best friend Heath.

Only…did he gets hot recently? That won’t make things awkward between them…right?

About Laura Barnard

Laura Barnard lives in Hertfordshire, UK and writes romantic comedy or 'chick lit' as its so often described. In her spare time she enjoys drinking her body weight in tea, indulging in cupcakes the size of her face and drooling over hunks like Jamie Dornan, Ryan Gosling and Leo Dicaprio.

She enjoys wearing yoga pants and reading fitness magazines while sitting on the sofa eating chocolate. She's a real fan of the power nap and of course READING!

She writes not to get rich or famous, but because she LOVES writing. Even if one person tells her they enjoyed her book it makes the midnight typing worth it!

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#OnTour Single by Christmas by Rosa Temple #Excerpt + #Giveaway

Rosa Temple is now on tour with her book, Single by Christmas from 17th October to 28th October. I'm posting the excerpt and hopefully, the review in a few more days. Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win ebook copy of the book!

Single by Christmas
by Rosa Temple

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Friendship, Christmas
Publication:  October 3rd, 2016
Connect: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

You’ve heard the saying, ‘opposites attract’ haven’t you? Well meet 27 year old Alex Marshall, a party girl with a penchant for free flowing Prosecco, and her devilishly handsome scientist boyfriend, Charlie, who loves jazz and dinner for two.

Alex and Charlie are together for 11 blissful months until Alex goes out of town and does something she will later regret. Was she drunk? You bet. Does she want Charlie to know? Well what do you think?

With the couple about to spend their first Christmas together will Charlie be the forgiving kind or will Alex be Single by Christmas?

This is a feel good, Christmas novel with very few mince pies, not much snow and absolutely no mistletoe – just a couple of best friends, a sociopathic nemesis and a lot of drinking.

Single by Christmas by Rosa Temple

Excerpt

You might be wondering what I was doing, sitting in a graveyard at five minutes to midnight on Christmas Eve. And if you guessed gravedigger or graverobber, you’d be wrong. But ask yourself, who sits in a graveyard when it’s cold and out and out spooky unless it’s absolutely critical? The church, where I attend Midnight Mass with my family every year, is just across the way. But sitting on that particular bench just inside the graveyard was absolutely critical.

You see, in the lead up to Christmas I managed to lose something. Well, not something, someone. Charlie; my reason for living, my heart, my soulmate … you get the idea. And before you start crying, don’t worry, he wasn’t buried there. At the time, I wasn’t exactly sure where Charlie was, but he knew I was there. Waiting.

By the stroke of midnight I would have known for sure if I’d truly lost him. I’d asked him to join me and my family for the service. They’d arrived earlier. I smiled and greeted them all – Mum, Dad, big sister, Elise, and her husband and my younger sister, Jo-Jo. They asked where Charlie was and I managed to hide my worst fears and say he’d be along soon, that he was held up. So they just kissed me and piled inside with the rest of the congregation.

My family had been looking forward to seeing Charlie, even more so than they were me. You see, like everyone who meets Charlie, they’d fallen in love with him. Who could blame them? He’s charming, he’s intelligent, he’s sweet, kind, generous. The list could go on. I admit those things weren’t what first attracted me to Charlie. No, the attraction was pure lust and desire. He walked into that New Year’s Eve party the year before and I was stunned into silence. And I’m never silent. Tall, well dressed, mesmerising looks and those dimples that appear every time he smiles, which he does a lot by the way.

And I love Charlie’s family, too. His mum, Leeza, his dad, Don, who Charlie gets his looks and sense of humour from, and his brother. I wasn’t sure Leeza approved of Charlie having a white girlfriend, at first, but I realised that was just paranoia on my part. His family are not like that. His mum, who I grew to admire and love, was just being protective, the way some mothers are.

But, I digress. My family had no idea that I’d seen Charlie twenty-four hours prior to the service and that we’d had a heated argument and that Charlie had practically slammed a door in my face. Minutes before that I’d made a complete and utter fool of myself in front of his wonderful family and he’d walked away with such disgust and disappointment in his face my heart broke in two. He’d closed the door on me but I hadn’t stopped sending begging texts and hysterical voicemails just so he would show up on Christmas Eve – like he’d promised me. I wasn’t expecting a miracle, just praying for one. Because it would have taken a miracle for Charlie to walk towards the church, bypass the tall wooden doors, see me on the bench, push open the graveyard gates and tell me he’d forgiven me.

With everyone nice and warm inside the church, I continued to sit watching puffs of vapour appearing in front of my face from every exhale, brimming with an apology that may never be heard.

You might be saying, “If Charlie’s that wonderful, why couldn’t he just come to the church, it’s Christmas after all?” You have to know, he’d never be that unforgiving without very good reason.

Honestly? It took a whole year of knowing Charlie to finally understand what it is to love someone completely and to be loved the very same way in return and just one month to lose it all.

And this is how …

About the Author

Rosa Temple is a writer of romantic comedies, chick-lit and contemporary romance. To date she has published one novella, Sleeping with Your Best Friend, and her first full length novel, Natalie’s Getting Married, was published on 14th March 2016.

She has tried her hand at various occupations, from tea lady (albeit for one morning only after being returned to the agency because half an office block suffered caffeine deprivation) to supervising the office running the London Bar Exams.

Rosa is a Londoner born and bred and still resides in West London with ambitions to escape to the country when a suitable country pile becomes available.

In 2014 she was awarded a Distinction in her Creative Writing MA from Brunel University.

Rosa admits to being a reluctant keep fit addict. She owns a yoga mat, a pair of trainers and a spin cycle that gathers dust in the corner of her writing room. She vows that she will run the London Marathon again but has been saying this since her first and only marathon, run in 2010. Hence the trainers.

Having been a ghostwriter for several years, Rosa has written several magazine articles and has penned a multitude of one off novellas and novella length series in the romance genre and in its various sub-genres to include: contemporary romance, historical, adult only, romantic comedies and sweet romances.

Rosa is a member of a writing critique group who meet monthly. This lively and hard working group keep her on her toes as she hones her writing, listening and editing skills.

Rosa’s husband and eldest son are both musicians, her second son swims at a National level for his London team.

Before devoting the majority of her time to her writing of romantic comedies and chick-lit, Rosa was a singer (that’s how she met her husband) and still continues to perform and write songs.

Early reviews show that Natalie’s Getting Married is a favourite of many readers and book bloggers and she follows it with Christmas romantic comedy novel, Single by Christmas, with plans to publish a book series in the very near future.

Rosa loves to chat (about anything really) so follow her on Twitter @RosaT_Author or visit her blog, Rosa Temple Writes, on rosatemplewrites.blogspot.co.uk

Read an excerpt of Natalie’s Getting Married on Goodreads or Facebook

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#OnTour A Wolf On The Loose By Daniel Straka - #Interview + #Giveaway

 A Wolf On The Loose  By Daniel Straka is now on a Virtual Book Tour from June 19 to July 22, 2016.

A Wolf On The Loose: Episode 1 (A Wolf On The Loose)
by Dan Straka

Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Publication: February 21st, 2015
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

A Wolf On The Loose is a weekly e-serial, containing 36 parts spread over 5 episodes. One part is released weekly, free, on Amazon for 5 days (Monday-Friday). Completed episodes are available for purchase. 

Amid struggling with his addictions, former Marine Andrew St George goes AWOL from his rich family and lavish lifestyle. He appears months later in Miami with one intent; convince his friend, Emilio Cortez, to start a Private Military Company with him. Having left the Corps after his brother was killed in a drive-by, Emilio’s been stuck working three jobs to support his extended family, all of whom he lives with in a small apartment. 

While Andrew and Emilio enter into the security business looking for an escape from their civilian lives, both struggle with their demons. From the slums of Miami, the glitzy South Beach nightlife, to Cartel controlled Mexico, the boys will learn that despite their best intentions, no one job is the same and that there are battles to be fought outside of war zones.

Interview with Dan Straka

1. Tell me about yourself & your book.

A WOLF ON THE LOOSE is a weekly adventure/thriller about two former Marines trying to find their place in the civilian world by starting a private security company in Miami, Florida. What they get, is more than they bargained for.

The genre, timeframe, and format allowed me to have the character’s living in our world, reacting to major events. The week-to- week format also gave the characters room to breathe; slice-of- life scenes that wouldn’t fit within a novel were able to be included.

The nature of the security company, and finding new clients with varying backgrounds, allows for social commentary on subjects ranging from police shootings to veteran’s affairs, gang wars, drug lords, and even nerd culture.

2. How do you come up with the idea of the book? What is your inspiration?

Originally I started a novel, based on a private military company (PMC), and the protagonist was a female journalist embedded with the PMC operating in Kurdistan. This plot had some legs, and may appear in future seasons, but at the time I didn't have enough "good stuff" to flesh out an entire engaging story.

Around that time I watched Showtime's "Strike Back", which was focused on two Special Forces soldiers engaging in alternative conflict theaters and in small scale battles. I thought, that's how I should do my story.

The plots of AWOTL are not about stopping a speeding train filled with bombs, on its way to DC. AWOTL is about the characters dealing with conflicts based on events that can, and do, happen in the real world, and their own struggles. That's why Andrew and Emilio are not action heroes straight out of Call of Duty. They are simply two former Marines, with their own hang-ups and issues.

3. How long did it take you to write this book?

I started preliminary work in the fall of 2013, and weekly releases began in January 2015. Thirty-six weeks later, Season 1 concluded in September 2015 with a nasty cliffhanger.

4. Do your characters ever surprise you? 

Yes, not just the characters but the flow of the narrative. I'll start planning and typing out a scene, and as the characters are talking, things happen. I sit back and think, oh, I didn’t anticipate that twist. That's in the initial draft, and then I re-write. The best way for me to edit and keep that plot twist or excitement I uncovered is: read a scene, remember what I like about it, then crtl+x and delete. And rewrite it from memory.

5. Grade your book. How many stars out of a perfect score of 5 stars? Please give the reason.

I think the story overall is fun and engaging, and the writing is clean thanks to my editor. Even my wife likes AWOTL! She is a diehard Jane Austen and classics fan, and not a fan of thrillers. So I count that as high praise!

Like most writers, I'm happy with some scenes and wish I could tweak others. Really, I'm more interested in what readers think. How they feel. And I hope they get as excited to read AWOTL each week, as I was to write it.

6. What are you working on right now?

I'm actively working on Season 2 of AWOTL. This one requires a bit more research. And, I'm going a traditional publishing route with a sword and sorcery fantasy.

7. Anything you would like to say to your readers?

As part of the blog tour, I will be releasing one episode a week for free on Amazon, beginning on July 4 th . I hope you enjoy reading any, or all, of A Wolf On the Loose. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section, or as a review on Amazon.

Thanks for reading!

Author Bio

Dan achieved a BFA in photography and metal working and since graduating, has done neither. By day he works in manufacturing. By night, often very late into the night, he writes and stalks America's sub-cultures on the vast internets.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

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On Tour: The New Mrs. D by Heather Hill - Q&A, Excerpt + Giveaway

Heather Hill is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, The New Mrs. D. Please visit her page for more blog stops.

The New Mrs. D
by Heather Hill 

Genre: Women's Fiction, Chick Lit

Publication: October 1st 2014 

Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Buy: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Bookdepository

Four days into their honeymoon in Greece, Bernice and David Dando have yet to consummate their marriage and after having accepted his almost non-existent desire for sex throughout the relationship, Bernice finally discovers the reason; he is addicted to porn. Learning that the love of her life chooses the cheap thrill of fantasy over her is devastating but then, 'every man does it; it’s just looking, right?’ If she leaves the relationship because of virtual adultery, will she be labelled as pathological, overreacting, or even worse, frigid?

When funny, feisty, forty-something Bernice plans the adventure trip of a lifetime, she doesn’t expect to be spending it alone. But as it turns out, unintentionally contributing to a Greek fish explosion, nude karaoke and hilarious misadventures with volcanoes are exactly what she needs to stop fretting about errant husbands and really start living. But when Mr D tries to win her back, Bernice has a decision to make: is this a holiday from her humdrum life, or the start of a whole new adventure?

Q&A with Heather Hill

1. Please introduce yourself and your book.
I am a comedy writer and author from Scotland in the UK and my book, ‘The New Mrs D’ is about a funny, feisty, forty-something, Bernice, who plans the honeymoon adventure trip of a lifetime, only to find herself spending it alone. But as it turns out, unintentionally contributing to a Greek fish explosion, nude karaoke and hilarious misadventures with volcanoes are exactly what she needs to stop fretting about errant husbands and really start living. But when Mr D tries to win her back, Bernice has a decision to make: is this a holiday from her humdrum life, or the start of a whole new adventure?

2. How did you come up with the idea of the book? What is your inspiration?
The book was conceived on the plane home from my own trip to a lesser known Greek island. I literally bought a notebook at the airport and spent the entire flight home scribbling down notes. I was inspired by the beauty of the islands, the wonderful people and some fabulous adventures of my own, although none so outrageous or ending in catastrophe as my protagonist, Bernice, I hasten to add.

3. What did you like most about writing this book?
How much I chuckled to myself whilst dreaming up some of the scenes. Often when I am writing, my characters seem to have a will all of their own and I can start a chapter with an idea, say, that she will go paragliding on a beach for example, and type away not really knowing what is going to happen to her before I start. The story sort of evolves; as though I am watching, rather than creating her. It is pretty surreal but wonderful and means I had a pretty good chuckle at her myself at the time because each episode had a surprise ending for me!

4. What's the best thing that happened to you since becoming an author?
I have only ever met one reader in person so far, who wasn’t somebody I knew and that was a lovely experience for me as a new author. It was at a party of a mutual friend and she had read it because my friend had recommended it to her. Not only did she tell me she absolutely loved the book but she chatted with me all night, asking me lots of questions about it and the next one. But the best part of all was when she told me how reading it had changed her as a person and her outlook on life. That is the greatest compliment of all.

5. Grade your book. How many stars out of a perfect score of 5 stars? Please give the reason too.
That is a tough question! But I would have to say four, because as a new writer - and as in life - I do recognise there is room for improvement and want to always strive for it. It is important to bring my best work to the reader, who has been generous enough to buy my book. Therefore, I will never say five. That would suggest I had nothing to learn or work on, and I never want to feel like that.

6. What are you working on right now?
My second novel is called, ‘I Hate That You Bloody Left Me,’ and is the story of three widows who meet in an online forum and decide to attend a world famous psychic medium’s very last show together, hoping for a message from their late husband’s. When none of them get a message, they then embark on a road trip to the Western Isles of Scotland to find the psychic and beg him for one, last reading… and end up accidentally kidnapping him.

7. Please say something to your readers.
Never underestimate the importance of your review to authors, particularly those lesser known and indie authors. Your review really does make a difference, with Amazon giving more visibility to those books with a certain number of them. Remember, they don’t need to be elaborate or long-winded. Even as a writer, I often write a simple one line review and just apply those all-important stars!  And share, share, SHARE those posts by fabulous book bloggers, who do so much to support struggling authors too. Share the book love! And to those that bought ‘The New Mrs D’ thank you so much for being a part of keeping my writing dream alive.

Excerpt:

Would a stolen pencil really warrant such an elaborate daylight operation? Of course not, stupid woman. Maybe I was being mugged. Was it the stash of Euros in my purse I’d flashed while paying for the moped? Oh no, wait – they surely weren’t after my faux diamond emblazoned Primark flip-flops?

In a panic, I kicked one off into the path of an elderly couple as they strolled out from a hotel car park. The shoe shot straight into the old man’s portly, bare stomach with a sickening slap.

‘They have the diamonds!’ I called, mercilessly pointing them out to the gangsters before whizzing onwards to make my getaway. But it was all for nothing; the roar of bikes continued behind me. I slowed to turn a corner into another side street and heard a shout.

‘Stop! Mrs Dando! You stop NOW!’

What on earth could they want? I reached down with one hand, trying to take the other flip-flop off to throw back as a ransom, but dropping it instead. As I cursed myself and looked up, an ancient Greek woman on a scooter was zipping round a bend straight at me, only swerving at the last second to avoid a collision.

‘What the…’

‘WAAAAHHHH!!!’ We screamed the last part in unison; ‘Waaaahhhh’, it transpired, being the international synonym for ‘OH SHIIIIIT!’ In an instant, her front wheel bounced off the kerb, sending both the old lady, and the basket of lemons balanced on her handlebars, flying, Frank Spencer style through the air towards a couple of teenage boys. Christ, I’m in a Carry On film.

‘Save the lemons!’ I called back, rattling onwards with no time to look behind again or wonder why my first manic thoughts were for Frank Spencer and the fruit – not the little old lady. Speeding away from the increasing chaos behind, I rounded a honking car pulling out from a driveway and yelled at its startled occupants, ‘CALL THE POLICE!’

Despite the throttle being fully open it seemed the tiny moped engine had no more to give and the roar from the biker gang got closer. Turning round once more, I could see the two bikes were still in hot pursuit, and for the first time I noticed the boy had a very fat man riding pillion. So there were four of them! And the fourth had mad lady-killer written all over him. Heart pounding with fear, I grabbed the nearest thing to a weapon from the moped basket and began hurling ammunition overhead at the assailants. However, taking my eyes off the road to lob miniature chocolate croissants was a last, fatal mistake.

Crunch!

The moped bumped straight up a kerb, sending my stomach boinging up to my lungs and my knicker tops rolling back down below my belly again, as the bike came to a near halt. This was it, the end. I waited for my life to flash in front of me… but a massive, spiny bush got there first. Without testing the moped’s brakes and fuelled by an extraordinary burst of adrenaline, I dived off, sending it ploughing, un-helmed, into the bush. This was where, in a moment of TV cop-esque brilliance, I rolled over-and-over onto a grass bank before springing back to my feet.

‘Whoa!’ For a split second, Mrs David Dando was Lara Croft; crime-fighting, tomb raiding stunt rider. That was until My Big Fat Greek Assassin got off his bike and made towards me and I remembered who I actually was. Bawling Binnie – with her knickers rolling down again.

‘Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! I’m unarmed!’ I yelled, trying – and failing – to get my helmet off before throwing up my hands in surrender to the waiting gang.

‘Other side, Mrs Dando! Other side!’ yelled Zorba the Crook, taking a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe bits of chocolate and pastry from his fat sweaty face. Spying his accomplices coming up behind, I turned around and flung myself face down in the dirt with my hands behind my still helmeted head.

‘Okay, okay,’ I whimpered, ‘just, please don’t hurt me.’

There are moments that should flash through your mind when you think death is imminent; the faces of loved ones, lifelong friends, long-forgotten happy moments, childhood memories. This was my crucial moment – and I was going to die wondering if Greece had body bags big enough for me in this colossal monstrosity of a biking helmet.

The Fat Assassin flopped down beside me and prodded my shoulder. ‘Oh God,’ I thought. ‘He’s really mad! Goodbye cruel world!’


Dear Facebook, today I was so hot. Oops, bloody mobile phone typos! I was s-h-o-t.


‘Mrs Dando...’

As I lay there with my eyes screwed shut waiting to feel a gun in my ribs, (please God let it be a gun in his pocket) hearing him huffing like a muddy, wet contestant on Total Wipeout, his voice took on a calmer, more sinister tone.

‘I not kill you. You kill yourself.’

I froze. Oh my God, he was going to make me shoot me.

I heard him take another deep breath and cough. ‘Mrs Dando,’ he said finally. ‘You drive with the moped on the other side!’

‘I didn’t mean… I wasn’t... oh!’ Ah. Right… I rolled back over to face him, but again, met with nothing but blackness. Bloody helmet! So, I wasn’t going to be bumped off for stealing the island’s only pencil. Or for assault with a supersized bag of mini croissants.

Twisting the monstrous headgear off and easing myself upright, I was met by four nonplussed faces caked in, well… cake.

‘Oh,’ I said, smoothing my hair in an attempt to recuperate some composure. ‘Well, er… why didn’t you just say so?’

Author Bio

Heather Hill is a Scotland based comedy writer, author and mum of five (not the band). She is one of a rare kind; the rare kind being one of only 0.5% of women who are colourblind. She has been known to leave the house with blue eyebrows on at least one occasion. Her debut novel, 'The New Mrs D' is being pitched for film by a British TV comedy producer and Snipper Films.

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On Tour: Straight from the Heart by Breigh Forstner - Q&A

Breigh Forstner is now on tour with her book, Straight From The Heart. Visit author's page for more information/tour stop.

BLOG TOUR

STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART

By BREIGH FORSTNER

‘MUSIC WAS IN HIS BLOOD, AND SHE WAS IN HIS HEART…..’

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON NOW!

Cale Pelton didn’t want to fall in love. Fresh off a breakup, he was scrambling to find a new lead guitarist for his band, Everlasting, before they went on tour. He wanted to enjoy being single, singing his heart out nightly to fans.

Never did he expect to meet Bryn Schaefler, the sassy rich girl that would change his life.

Bryn left her parents’ house with only her suitcase and guitar, leaving her old life behind her. She nails the band audition and becomes Everlasting’s new lead guitarist. Bryn didn’t want to find Cale attractive, let alone develop a crush on a bandmate. But when trouble starts to find the band, Bryn starts to believe her family will do whatever it takes to get her home.

Will Cale and Bryn listen to their heads and stay strictly professional? Or will they follow their hearts and admit their feelings towards eachother?

Q&A with Breigh Forstner

1. What got you into writing / what made you sit down and actually start something? 

Part of what influenced me to start writing was when I had gotten my Kindle. I loved the books I was reading and I’ve always liked to write, but seeing these authors self publish their books gave me the inspiration to pen my first book. 

2. What is a usual writing day like for you, how is it structured? 

A usual writing day starts when I put my kids to bed. I get nice and cozy in my bed, set my laptop onto my lap, and put on my dedicated music playlist to get me in the mood. 

3. Do you get writers block? If so, how do you overcome it?:

I do get writers block and it’s so hard to get over it! What’s helped me is just taking a few weeks break to just relax and get away from the story before going back to it. 

4. Are you a plotter or pantser when it comes to writing a story?:

I tend to be a plotter more so. But whether I follow the plot I wrote or not is another story. I try to stick with it, but other times I drift off of it. 

5. Are you traditionally or self-published?:

I am self-published. But my first book “Straight from the Heart” has been picked up by the publishing company Booktrope so now I am traditionally published. 

6. What was the publishing process like for you? Any advice to aspiring authors?:

It’s a bit longer to get your work out to the public but well worth it. I think so far it has been a great process and the people I have worked with have been fantastic! My advice to aspiring authors is to never stop writing and marketing yourself!

7. What has been your highlight since becoming a published author?:

Going to signings and people recognizing my books and who I am!

8. Can you share a little of your most recent book with us, including genre and targeted audience?

Sure! My most recent book was “Don’t Break My Heart,” which was published in February. It’s the third book in my Straight from the Heart Series, and tells the story of Lucy and Paul (Pauly,) who are band mates. There is a cameo from Cale and Bryn (who are the MC’s in book one and two.) The targeted audience is from 18-40 years old, which seems quite broad, but I’ve taken into account co-workers, etc, who were older and have read my book. 

9. What tip would you give to new authors when trying to build a fan-base / get followers and market their books? (What to do and what not to do.):

My tip would be to join book clubs on Facebook, and to contact blogs to see if they will advertise your author page for a day, or to do an author takeover. Takeovers can be a great way to gain new followers. 

10. How long on average does it take you to write a book?:

It depends on the book. My first book took about 5 months or so to write, my second only 3 months, and my third one about 4 months. 

11. Tell us about the book cover/s, how the designing came about, whether you had much input etc. 

I had a lot of input! I got them off of a website and I had found the designer and loved the covers she had done, so my first three books were done by her. I didn’t ask her to change much about them.

12.Apart from writing, what do you do in your spare time?:

I like to read, watch movies with my daughters, and spend time with them whenever I’m out of work. 

13.  Grade your book. How many stars out of perfect score of 5 stars? Please give the reason too.

I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars. Only because when it was originally self-published, there was a lot of grammatical errors and that was the reason the book had quite a few negative reviews. With it being republished, I feel it will reach a larger audience, and will have less errors.

AUTHOR BIO

Breigh Forstner currently resides in Southeast Michigan with her two daughter. While she works full-time during the week, at night she spends time with her girls dancing and coming up with her next book idea. Her goal is to make it onto a best sellers list at some point in her career, and writes any chance she can get. She is a music lover and is a sucker for going to concerts, rock bands, and tattooed bad boys.

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On Tour: This One's For You by Brandy Jellum - Review + Excerpt

Brandy Jellum is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, This One's For You. Please visit her page for more blog stops.

This One's For You
by Brandy Jellum

Genre: Drama, New Adult, Romance
Publication: Published July 24th, 2015 by Booktrope
Format: ebook
Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tours
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All alone in a new state, Brennan Daniels has only the memories of her best friend, Reagan, to keep her company as she starts college.

Reagan is the reason for everything Brennan does—before she died, she made Brennan promise to stay good until she found a man worth keeping. No boys, no dating, and definitely no falling in love—those were the rules for college, and Brennan carved them into the brick walls guarding her heart…

But there’s a fire burning behind those walls, and when Brennan meets Owen Scott, the (mysterious) new guy across the hall, she can’t deny the pull between them. He is everything she should never want. Everyone warns her to stay away—even Owen himself—but the heart wants what the heart wants, even if it knows that it’s going to get hurt—even if it means throwing old promises to new flames…

I was intrigued with the blurbs when I saw This One's For You by Brandy Jellum, and decided to read it. I love the sound of Owen, the mysterious guy across the hall. Brennan was dealing with the loss of her best friend, Reagan. They made a promise for college—no boys, no dating and no falling in love. And Brennan intended to keep her promise until she met Owen Scott across the hall. 

I love how the story started. It was exciting to see how Brennan started college and how she was going to survive it with new friends, class and everything. The characters were fun. Owen was such a playboy. But he can be nice and quirky. I immediately fell in love with Brennan and her relationship with her brothers and her new roommate, Amelia. 

Brandy Jellum writing was easy to get into and it flows nicely. I enjoyed reading her style, but not so much with so many dramas between Brennan and Owen of the story. I wished Brennan talk a lot more about Reagan, since they are best friend. And I definitely wanted to see more of Brennan, Amelia and their friendship. Overall, This One's For You by Brandy Jellum is definitely an enjoyable read, if not for a few issues. But, I think, fans of the new adult's book would surely enjoy this.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher/CLP Blog Tour in exchange for my review.

Excerpt

My body started to shake as the first tears streamed down my cheeks. I slid down to the floor, pulling my knees to my chest, and rocked back and forth. As more tears fell, my sobs became louder. Everything I had been holding in until that moment burst free from the dam I had carefully built.

Every emotion: anger, sadness, guilt, desperation, fear, anxiety, remorse, and rage overcame me in that single second. Everything I was afraid to let myself feel, I was feeling all at once. My body shook violently as the tears continued to stream down my face, and my throat was hoarse from crying.

It happened—I finally broke.

For the first time in almost a year, I let myself feel something—really feel something. The tears I had shed in the past were nothing compared to the ones I was crying now. The pain was unbearable. I wanted it to all go away. I wanted to rewind the clock just a little bit. I’d rather deal with my brothers acting like fools than to feel this.

This was the moment everyone close to me was waiting for, the moment when I finally let everything sink in. They were waiting for me to break. I was surprised it wasn’t sooner.

My sobs echoed the breaking of my heart. Speaking for the things I couldn’t say—the one thing I wanted to shout loud enough for everyone to hear; it wasn’t fair! Why was the most beautiful person I’d ever known stripped from this earth before it was her time?

Seeing Ronnie, hearing his plan, brought everything to the surface. Why couldn’t he stay away? Everyone was constantly pushing me, and this time they pushed me too far. I went right over the cliff, and there was no end in sight.

I barely heard the soft knock against the bathroom door over the sound of my own sobs. I held my breath, waiting to see if it was just my imagination, when there was another rap against the wooden door.

I heard a loud sigh and a soft thump against the sturdy wood. My chest heaved as I kept as quiet as I could, my face soaked with tears. I wiped at them furiously, trying to get them to stop. The more I fought against it, the faster they seemed to fall.

My mouth was dry. I licked my lips, tasting the saltiness of my broken heart.

“Brennan . . .” Owen said.

“I’ll be out in a moment.”

I bit my bottom lip. I had to get myself together. I needed to get up off the floor, put a smile on my face, and go on like nothing happened. There was a reason why it had taken so long for me to break—I kept pretending I was fine. It wasn’t healthy, but staying on the cold bathroom floor bawling wasn’t either.

I had to go back to the way I was prior to this. I had to grin it and bear it. Like nothing in the world could get me down. It was the only way I was going to survive.

Author Bio

Brandy’s passion for writing began long before she actually sat down to write. As a child, she has had an obsession with reading, everything from the classic stories by Jane Austen to YA Fiction by Richelle Mead. Finally, in 2012, she decided to create her own stories for people to fall in love with. Brandy bounces back and forth writing both Romance and Young Adult Fiction (which is mainly just for fun). At the beginning of 2014, Brandy signed a contract with publishing company Booktrope. She is very excited about the next chapter of her life and cannot wait to share her books and passion with readers. When she isn’t writing, she can be found chasing after her husband, her four children and her black lab, Diesel. Or curled up on her favorite corner of the couch with her newest book.

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On Tour: Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery by Jennifer Ammoscato - Review, Excerpt + Giveaway

Jennifer Ammoscato is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery. Please visit her page for more blog stops.

Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery (The Avery Fowler 2.0 Series)
by Jennifer Ammoscato

Genre: Chick Lit, Humor, Romance
Publication: May 27th 2015 by Blue Moon Publishers
Format: ebook, 294 pages
Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tours
Connect: Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Blog

Oh, don’t judge me, people. We all do it.

Don’t try to tell me that you’ve never checked that weird mole on your thigh on WebMD. Or how to fold meringue on Epicurious. And, there’s no way that I’m the only one who clears her search history after looking up how to give a great bl— (Um, that last one’s not important.)

When newspaper reporter Avery Fowler discovers her husband is having an affair, the online help site HowTo.com is where she turns to navigate this challenging stage of her life.

If the Internet is Avery’s information god, then HowTo.com is her Holy Grail. Its live chat option is like having a virtual life coach for the low, low price of $14.95 a month:

When I joined HowTo.com, it assigned me “Clementine” as my advisor, based on my choice of “British female” in the Preferences panel. That way, I can pretend that a Maggie Smith or Judi Dench type supplies the wisdom, tinged with a sassy touch of malt vinegar. (In reality, it’s most likely a bored, seventeen-year-old boy labouring in a New Delhi call centre.)

Add into the mix a new boss whose managerial style calls to mind the Wicked Bitch Witch of the West—or the Anti-Christ—and the poor girl needs all the help she can get! The stakes rise and hilarity ensues as our heroine struggles to take control of her personal life and topple her boss after she learns Victoria’s guilty secret.

With Clementine (virtually) in tow, our heroine tackles such tricky situations as dating after divorce, sex once nothing points north anymore, and how to cover attempted murder scenes (despite a paralyzing fear of blood) as the new and improved Avery Fowler 2.0.

'Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery' started out like many other chick lit books I've read. The heroine found out that her husband was having an affair. Like most heroines, Avery was going to need her friends to survive the divorce. But what makes the story much interesting was how Avery looked up for almost everything on HowTo.com and consulted her personal online advisor, Clementine.

This book was a highly entertaining read. I think the author did a very good job writing this book. There were tons of humor and romance. I love Avery. She's a lively character. There are times when I did get a bit frustrated with her, but she's a fun person. I enjoyed reading this book through her view. She made me laugh with her obsession with HowTo.com. I love the other supporting characters (Avery's friends and parents) as well. They made the story a lot more interesting. I especially love Avery's parents. They're lovely people who cared a lot about their daughter. I just wish that there was more about Jordan, though. I would definitely recommend this book to those who were looking for a light, humorous read.

I received a copy of Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery by Jennifer Ammoscato from the author/CLP Blog Tours as part of the book tour.

EXCERPT

“Avery dear, I want you to meet our dear friend, Tyler Browning.” Tyler steps forward to politely offer his hand. “Hello, Avery.”

My father joins us and sets a tray of cheese and crackers on the coffee table. To the casual observer, he may seem unaware of the tension in the room. I know better.

After four decades of marriage, he’s become quite adept at playing the part of blissfully ignorant bystander to his strong-willed wife’s schemes. He selects a tub chair as his safe harbour and watches the golf tournament on his 65-inch TV with studied interest.

“Hi,” I manage to say to Tyler, finally remembering my manners. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Satisfied that Phase One of Operation “Get Avery a Man” is unfolding properly, my mother calls out to my father, “Stephen, I need you to carve the roast.”

My father does not hesitate and jumps back up to his feet. “Of course, dear.”

I suspect he’s only been briefed on her master plan of attack and hopes to stay as far away from the action as possible. No one willingly wants to be part of the collateral damage.

Tyler and I are alone in the living room. I sense my mother’s eyes on us as she gathers intel that she can use later to assess whether or not her operation has succeeded.

Seeing no graceful way out, I attempt to swallow my annoyance at my mom’s ruse and make small talk with her victim. I plunk myself down on the couch and take a Triscuit from the hefty pile on the tray in front of us.

“So Tyler, how do you know my parents?”

“I started working in the accounting office at the hydro company with your dad a few months ago.”

My dad set me up? I digest this knowledge with a mixture of shock and a swell of affection for him. I feel my eyes well up a little with love for my papa, looking out for me. When my mom does it, I’m annoyed. When my father does it, I feel loved. Is that fair? No. Life’s not fair. Deal with it.

Tyler finally relaxes and I notice that he has kind eyes and a gentle smile. He’s dressed very nicely in a tasteful, salmon crewneck sweater and finely tailored tan slacks. Aww, he dressed up for me. I begin to feel badly that he’s been drawn into this web of deceit disguised as a Sunday roast beef dinner and good intentions.

I offer an apology on my parents’ behalf. “I’m sorry that you were brought out here on false pretense,” I tell him. “My parents just worry about me since my husband left last year.”

Tyler smiles back. “That’s okay. They seem like nice people.” Glancing toward the kitchen, he lowers his voice and says, “But in truth, I’m a bit confused by this whole thing.”

I reach for some Havarti cheese and wedge it between two more Triscuits. “Really, why?” I ask, popping the snack into my mouth.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see my mom still watches us intently from the other room. Tyler might be my dad’s idea but I’ll bet money that she developed the finer points of the plan’s execution. Even now, as she arranges the slices of roast on the serving platter, she’s probably deciding what she’ll want our children to call her.

“Well, Avery,” Tyler answers and lowers his voice even more. “I don’t really make a habit of telling people this when I first meet them…but I’m gay.”

For 20 seconds, all I can do is stare at his now-pink face, and process the words that he has just told me. OMG! “You’re GAY?”

I hear a loud gasp from the kitchen—and a crash—as my mother drops the porcelain, serving platter onto the floor.

My great-great-great grandparents brought that platter from Yorkshire, England in the 1800s. It survived a horrible sea voyage lovingly wrapped in hand-made linens and tucked safely into a leather trunk. It endured 150 years of Sunday dinners. It could not, however, survive the stunning revelation that my parents’ first foray into matchmaking resulted a sweet but confused gay man chatting in the living room with their daughter. The platter died a swift but ignominious death on my mother’s slate floor, alongside her pot roast.

I burst out laughing. My parents are so determined to land me a man that they didn’t even bother to check if he likes women. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, Tyler,” I manage to gasp after wiping my eyes, and grasp his hand in solidarity.

In my mind, though, I can already envision the conversation that will take place in the privacy of my parents’ home after Tyler and I have fled. (But dear, how could I have known he was a homosexual. We don’t talk about things like that at the office. Besides, he’s a Green Bay fan!)

Author Bio:

Author Bio: Author Jennifer Ammoscato – solving the world’s problems one cosmo at a time.

Jennifer Ammoscato is a paid, productive member of society. Frankly, it’s not enough.

Therefore, May 2015 will see the launch of her debut novel, “Dear Internet: It’s Me, Avery” (The “Avery Fowler 2.0” series, Book I).

During the day, she is an intrepid writer/editor for the public relations department of a Canadian university. By night, she fights crime and the urge to organize closets and stuff herself with salted chocolate caramels.

Jennifer began writing as a child, producing such classics as “The Occurrence” (she understood the appeal of werewolves long before Stephenie Meyer). She had to search for the courage to write a novel, though. “That’s so F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. I didn’t know if I had the alcohol capacity for it.” However, after being goaded (sorry, encouraged) by a friend, she took the leap.

Dreams do not inspire Jennifer’s books. In fact, they tend to terrify her. In particular, the everpopular naked-at-school or I-have-a-final-exam-and-didn’t-study dreams. She usually just makes stuff up.

She is married to her husband, Ezio. As opposed to someone else’s husband (insert name here).

She is the proud mom of two very tall sons, Dante and Christian.

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On Tour: Stages & Thieves by Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba - Review + Gieveaway

Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, Stages & Thieves. Please visit her page for more blog stops.

Stages & Thieves (Sémya Slotin Mystery #5)
by Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba

Genre: Romance, Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Publication: Published February 17th 2015 by Ever After Edition
Format: ebook
Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tours
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Blog
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Ibookstore

One fateful July morning forever changed the lives of Sémya Slotin and her best friend Polliannah Guryev.

Vincent Edgerton, the only man Sémya has ever loved, was taken from her by an explosion and a fire that she couldn’t understand, trust, nor explain. It left her alone, hurt, angry and desperately seeking answers. On top of everything, she is also incredibly hormonal; Sémya Slotin is going to be a mother.

Polliannah just healed from losing her husband but seeing her best friend grieving is not only breaking her heart, it has been a strain on their once close-knit relationship. She is afraid that Sémya will completely disappear into her grief. Thankfully, Polliannah can always seek refuge with the handsome Chief Superintendent James Connelly. In the past three months, he has become her safe haven. But when they finally give in to each other and Jim reveals his true feeling for her, Polliannah pulls away. Is she ready to put herself out there again?

Then all of the sudden, Sémya, the pregnant Detective Extraordinaire is chasing art thieves across the globe, making dangerous deals and finally meeting her father… It’s all about ex-lovers and new ones, a priceless painting, con artists, baby bumps, an impromptu trip to Moscow, designer dresses, teacakes, a birthday ball and reconnecting with your roots.

With everything that has happened this year, Sémya and Polliannah are more vulnerable and exposed than they have ever been. Will Jim’s love and trust be enough to ease Polliannah’s doubts? Will Sémya find out what happened to Vincent? Welcome to the Stages & Thieves saga, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I first read this book since 'Stages & Thieves' was the fifth book from the Sémya Slotin Mystery. At the beginning, it was a bit confusing, because I have no idea what was happening in the previous book, and I get this feeling that I hadn't been introduced to the characters properly, But still, I can't stop reading this book. The story and plot make you want to read more! I was hooked with the mystery surrounding Semya's family. It makes me want to read the previous books and get to know more about Semya and Polliannah and how they get to where they are now. And I wanted to know what will happen to them in the next book.

Overall, 'Stages & Thieves' was an enjoyable read, packed with mystery, danger and romance. I would recommend this book to mystery lovers. This book could be read as a stand alone, but I think I would have enjoyed the story a bit more if I start from the first book.

I received a copy of Stages & Thieves by Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba from the author/CLP Blog Tours as part of the book tour.

AUTHOR BIO:

I’m over 30.
I was born in Quebec City, Canada.
I grew up in France and in Gabon.
I speak English & French fluently.
Pizza is my favorite dish.
Black Forest Cake is my favorite dessert.
I met Michael Jackson when I was eleven.
I loathe vodka but love gin, wine and tequila.
I'm obsessed with Robbie Williams and Michael Fassbender.
I call Toronto my home.
I love reading.
I love dancing.
I love watching exciting TV shows.
I love my life... most days.
I'm a major goof.
I can't stand intolerance.
I'm curious, cheeky and oh so opinionated!

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