Sunday, November 22, 2015

Flamingos, Dust and Occasional Leopards by Sarah Knipping



Title: Flamingos, Dust and Occasional Leopards
Author: Sarah Knipping
Genre: Women’s Fiction



After a painful breakup Iris finds herself standing outside her mother’s doorway, her feet six inches deep in the Kenyan dust. A bra-less hippy version of her mum embraces her and so begins Iris’s adventure in Kenya…

Can Iris fix her broken relationship with her mum?
Can she mend her wounded heart?
Will an adventure in Kenya prove to be just what Iris needs, or will it prove to be all too much?






‘Our ride is here!’ Sylvia beamed, waving manically at the two men
driving towards them. ‘Have you ever ridden a motorcycle before?’

Iris shook her head at her mother. Her mother knew full well that she
had never touched a motorcycle, let alone ridden one.

‘Oh, it’s so fun, you’ll love it!’ Sylvia swung a leg over the back of
one of the bikes and wrapped her arms around driver’s waist. She 
waved her arms around, signalling that Iris should do the same.

Iris took a breath. ‘Oh, why the hell not?’ she muttered to herself.
She was here to experience new things, after all. She climbed onto the
back of the bike, letting the driver guide her feet onto two little
foot pegs below her.

‘What’s your name?’ she shouted.

‘David,’ he called back in a thick Kenyan accent.

‘Hi David, I’m Iris,’ she said, smiling politely even though he
couldn’t see her face.

‘Hold onto me or the back,’ he shouted, it came out muffled through
his helmet. She reached for his waist and then changed her mind as a
strong whiff came off his puffer jacket and assaulted her nostrils.
Instead, she wrapped her fingers around the metallic bar behind her.

Iris let out a small scream as David hit the throttle. The little bike
teetered and bumped along the road, dust flying all up the sides and
into her eyes. She was sure she was going to get bounced off this
thing. They got to the end of the road and the driver turned quickly
at a ninety degree angle onto the next road, which was astoundingly
even more bumpy than the last.

‘Oh Jesus,’ Iris cried, her knuckles white as she clung onto the bike
for dear life.

 As they made their way further and further down the streets towards
town, they began to teem more and more with life. Goats, sheep, and
cows ambled their way along the roads. Women walking with babies
strapped to their backs. Men carrying carts filled with goods.
Motorbikes. Tuktuks. Bicycles. Cars. Buses. Trucks. Iris couldn’t
believe the amount of traffic that was packed onto each road.

They finally merged onto a tarmacked road and Iris saw the houses
disappear behind her and the buildings of the town rise in front of
her. She let out a breath as the ride got smoother on the paved
surface.




Sarah Knipping is a Wellington based author with a passion for reading, travel, and coffee. Having wandered her way across 37 countries, Sarah is now New Zealand based and focused on her writing (when she’s not busy in her wonderful day job, teaching).

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Cover Reveal: Curses & Ash by Tiffany Daune



Curses & Ash (Book Two)
Release Date:  January 2016
Jester Ink Press



Discover the spellbinding sequel to Coral & Bone...

A demented twin sister, a demon hijacking her powers, and a mysterious journal filled with more questions than answers—Halen needs her Guardian Dax more than ever. But if she confides in Dax, she fears he will never forgive her, not after all he sacrificed to help her vanquish Asair.Halen drowned Asair in a tornado of wings—at least, she thought she killed him. Why then does his mocking voice snake through her thoughts, enticing her to surrender her power?

Maybe she screwed up—big time—but she will never allow Asair to control her magick. And when Etils' fires threaten the Earth, suspicions surrounding Asair's death rise, igniting restlessness within the realms. Her life in balance, Halen must race time, purge the demon's soul before flames consume the Earth or the Tari strike first. 






Coral & Bone (Book One)

Halen knows the sparks igniting under her fingertips are dangerous. She has spent her entire life trying to quell the tingly feelings that make her destroy things, but now that she is back in Rockaway Beach, where she watched her father drown, the flames have become impossible to tame. 

Halen is trying to hold on, but when she is thrust into a mysterious new world, the underwater realm of Elosia, she unravels the secrets of her past and can't help but ignite. As she explores Elosia, she realizes her life has been a lie. And when those who have deceived her come to her for help, Halen must choose—walk away or unleash the magick that could destroy them all. 




I write stories about magick, love and dark creatures lurking in the shadows. When I’m not lost in Editland you can find me reading a book from my towering TBR pile or at the movie theater nibbling licorice. I don’t have a lucky number, but my favorite time is 11:11. I completely believe that the fortunes found inside cookies will come true and that you must be careful when wishing on stars. I live on an island, so if you want to visit you’ll need a boat, and if you want to survive the passage, be sure to bring candy for the mermaids.





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Bloodcraft by Amalie Howard Release Celebration & Giveaway



Author Amalie Howard is celebrating her upcoming release with an amazing giveaway!

Two lucky winners -- one will win a Kindle Fire (US ONLY) and another will win a paperback copy of BLOODSPELL & BLOODCRAFT (US & INT).

DETAILS BELOW!




BLOODCRAFT
Release: December 15th, 2015
Cover design by Alan Pranke

All magic has its price, and no one knows that better than Victoria Warrick. Gifted with a centuries-old blood curse, Tori has finally learned to master her blood’s demands and has emerged triumphant with Christian Devereux, a vampire overlord, at her side.

But the worst is yet to come …

In the infamous City of Lights, home to both the Witch Clans and the Vampire Council, Tori enrolls at the exclusive Belles Fontaines school in Paris, where she is faced with a devastating choice: choose Christian and be an outcast, or choose the coven and secure her place with the witches.

When the fate of the supernatural world is targeted by a sinister new threat, Christian and Victoria must unite their two warring species to defeat it. Their bond will be tested, twisted, and sorely weakened, and Tori will find herself in uncharted territory—a dangerous place to be when her blood’s magic has its own dark agenda.

But to save them all, she may have no choice but to invoke its deadly power.

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

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ABOUT BLOODSPELL



The spell was simple...

Cruentus Protectum (Defend the Blood)

But what do you do if your blood is your enemy?

Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds -- much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.

What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...

Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?


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ABOUT AMALIE HOWARD


AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island (Trinidad & Tobago) where she spent most of her childhood with h er nose buried in a book or running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 25 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.

An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie’s poem “The Candle,” written at age twelve, was published in a University of Warwick journal. At fifteen, she was  a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Award (a global youth writing competition). A Colby College graduate, she completed simultaneous Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for research and criticism in Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, Mothers of the Nation. She also received a distinction in English Literature from the University of Cambridge (A-levels) as well as a certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale SupĂ©rieure in Paris, France. Traveling the globe, she has worked as a research assistant, marketing representative, teen speaker and global sales executive.

She is the author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller and a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children. She is represented by the Liza Royce Agency and is a member of SCBWI.






  • Kindle Fire giveaway is open to US residents due to shipping restrictions. 
  • Paperback copies of BLOODSPELL & BLOODCRAFT are open to US and INT readers.
  • This giveaway is sponsored by Amalie Howard. 
  • Leading up to the release of BLOODCRAFT, more entries/options will be added to the rafflecopter to double your chances! 





For The Love Of Dixie by Shyla Colt


Title: For The Love of Dixie
Series: Kings of Chaos #3
Author: Shyla Colt
Genre: Contemp/NA Romance
Published: October 25, 2015


After having her heart broken by Echo, Dixie Dunn makes a new life for herself, away from the Kings Of Chaos. Now, she must return in order to get her stubborn father back to fighting shape after a heart attack. She knows she’ll have to face Echo, as he has made it clear over the years that she still belongs to him. But she refuses to give him any chance to crush her heart again. 

Echo, Joel Spencer knows that Dixie hates him, but he also knows she yearns for him. After being forced by his hateful father to practically leave her at the altar when they were teens, he realizes that he has his work cut out for him. One thing is on his side, he knows what she wants and needs. This time, he WILL make her his again, and to hell with whoever gets in his way.

 


“I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, pain, secrets, betrayal, racism, grief, and heartbreak.” ~ 4.5 Star Review from Renee Entress’ Book Blog
“Nice story and realistic characters. This was book three in the series and the storyline ended nice and neat. Good way to spend an afternoon.” ~ 4 Star Review from I Love to Read
“I loved Dixie as she so strong and sassy. I also loved her with Echo who is her soulmate. I give For the Love of Dixie 5 hearts!” ~ She Hearts Books





Echo 

My father was a proud example of what a King of Chaos should be: loyal, strong, and ready to take care of business, or defend his own. At one time, he was the apple of my damn eye. I didn’t realize till much later in life how fucked up his views were. 

We lost my grandfather in his prime to a fucking robbery of all things. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and caught a bullet to the brain. They found the guy; a black man strung out on heroin. I think that’s where his bullshit beliefs about keeping races separate, and blacks being inferior started. 

Growing up, I thought he wanted to protect us from people who meant us harm. It was a familiar concept I could accept because it was an extension of us versus them. Civilians and the club. Then I saw how he treated Dixie Rose. Suddenly, I understood what he felt and taught was corrupt and wrong. A hate that knew no bounds. It wasn’t about him protecting those he loved from the outside world, or the people who’d hurt Grandpa. It was an uncontrollable hate for anyone with the wrong color of skin. It screwed with me, divided my loyalties. I’d always been drawn to Dixie Rose. She was a brilliant ray of sunshine, always laughing and smiling. I never understood why my father acted so gruff with her. I made a career of hiding our relationship. Maybe that’s why I thought I could have my cake and eat it too. 

I was dead fucking wrong. 

Parked in my car like a little bitch afraid to face the consequences of his actions, I try to form a plan. We’re welcoming Hoss back into the fold officially. It’s the perfect diversion to get her alone. With all the carrying on, I can get her back to my dorm. She’s angry and obstinate, the only way I can get her to sit still long enough to speak with me is by force. I can’t blame her really. I fucked us royally. I’d make good on it if she would let me. 

I need to prove to her I’ve changed. 

I wasn’t the man she needed me to be before. That’s changed. Ready to get things started, I step from the car and amble inside. 

I walk through the club, shaking off the questing hands of the blonde I’d been nailing on a regular basis. The years apart have only reinforced that. I spot her in the corner sipping on a bottle of beer as she watches Slick line up a shot. 

Her hair is pulled up on top of her head revealing her slender neck. The swell of her full breasts in the form fitting black tank top with the KOC emblem and the tight black pants have my dick twitching. She looks like royalty. Her face isn’t caked with makeup … there’s a delicate beauty to her. With her full lips painted red, and the fringe of eyelashes accentuating those brown orbs that never miss a thing, she is a goddess to me. 

She’s a part of it, but separate. I want to change that. She deserves to be immersed in the culture she was born to. I walk up on her blindside and lean against the wall beside her. 

“Here I thought you weren’t going to show,” she drawls. 

“Good to know you were looking for me,” I say. 

She scowls. “Don’t flatter yourself. I like to know where my enemies are.” 

“I’m many things, but your enemy has never been one of them.” 

“I don’t know, people who hurt me aren’t my friends.” 

Her words hit their target, but I refuse to let it show. “Not what you said the last time we had a run in.” 

“So, you make my pussy wet. You taught me all I know; it’s a matter of muscle memory.” 

I lean down and whisper in her ear, “Fucking bullshit.” 

“I’m sorry, did I hurt your feelings?” she retorts. 

“Takes more than that. I want to bring this shit out in the open.”

“What?” She blinks owlishly. “No, you can’t do that. I won’t let you do that.” 

“You think you control me?” 

“Fuck this.” I lift her up and toss her over my shoulder.
 


Shyla Colt grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has lived a variety of different places thanks to her wanderlust, interesting careers, and marriage to a United States Marine. She’s always loved books and wrote her very first novel at the age of fifteen. She keeps a copy of her first submission letter on her desk for inspiration. After a lifetime of traveling, she settled down and knew her time had come to write. Diving into her new career like she does everything else, with enthusiasm, research and a lot of prayers, she had her first book published in June of 2011. As a full-time writer, stay at home mother, and wife, there’s never a dull moment in her household. She weaves her tales in spare moments and the evenings with a cup of coffee or tea at her side and the characters in her head for company. A self-professed rebel with a pen. Her goal is to diversify romance as she continues to genre hop, and offer up strong female characters.






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