Friday, November 29, 2013

Feature and Follow #4



Feature and Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. This blog hop allows bloggers to meet new bloggers and gain new followers! If you're new to this blog hop thing, you can find the details at the blog of the hosts.
The general rules, however, are:
  1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
  2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
  5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
  6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
Question of this week
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving Day food? If you’re not American or Canadian, what is your favorite holiday food?

My Answer
I'm neither American nor Canadian, so not much aware of Thanksgiving Day Foods, but my favourite festival food, as an Indian is Biryani (a preparation of rice). :-D




About The Follow




  • I'll prefer a follow via GFC. You can follow my blog by clicking the 'Join this site' button placed above the list of GFC followers on the right side bar of my blog. 
  • In case you have difficulty or a problem following via GFC, the Bloglovin' button is right below the GFC followers list. Click the button to proceed. 
  • If none of the above options apply for you, well, you can always subscribe to my blog posts via email. Just submit your email id in the box provided and you're done!
  • Also, if you wish, you can follow me on twitter too and add me as a friend on Goodreads. I love making new friends and definitely those who are crazy book addicts like me.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Blog Tour: Covert Dreams by Michael Meyer [Promo + Author Interview + Guest Post]


Title: Covert Dreams
Author: Michael Meyer
Date of Publication: June 1st, 2012
Publishers: Createspace 
Genre: Mystery
Format: Paperback
Length: 340 pages


AN INTERNATIONAL SUSPENSE THRILLER Imagine waking up remembering intimate details about a country in which you have never traveled and fluently speaking a language that you have never spoken. B.J. is living the ideal life. He has a great wife, a wonderful job. And yet he is experiencing life-like vivid dreams of Munich, a city he has never visited. Stan Halsey is a professor in Saudi Arabia, who sends for his wife to join him. She arrives, and, in the blink of an eye, she vanishes, leaving no trace of ever being alive in either the United States or in Saudi Arabia. COVERT DREAMS is a fast-paced international suspense thriller that moves from Munich to the burning sands of Saudi Arabia. What is real, and who is responsible for the terrifying nightmare?



Hi Mike! Its such a pleasure to have you here! Welcome to my blog. To start the interview, first tell us something about yourself.

I am a retired English professor. I taught at universities literally throughout the world: Thailand, Saudi Arabia, the Virgin Islands, and, for the last 25 years of my 40-year career, I taught at a California community college. Now that I am retired, I can devote my time to my four favorite things: my family, writing, reading, and world travel. I live in Southern California wine country with my wife, Kitty, and our two adorable rescue cats.

That's enviable! You traveled a lot! So, now lets talk about your book and writing. When did you first know that you wanted to be an author? Did you always want to be one?

I wrote my first book when I was about ten years old. My parents bought it for a dollar, I think. From that time forward I was hooked. Now that I am retired, I have the luxury of time to practice what I preached for forty years as a professor of writing.

 How did you come up with the idea behind "Covert Dreams"?

I love a good mystery. I like to be thrilled. There are few locales in the world more mysterious than Saudi Arabia. In addition, Munich has been one of my most frequented vacation spots. That is how I chose the two primary locales. As for the plot, the strange relationship between the very Western American government and the ultra-conservative Saudi government has always intrigued me, so the plot was born.

Is any of the characters/incidents in your book influenced by real life people or circumstances?

The characters are all from my imagination, but the locales are authentic. In addition, the premise of the book, the involvement of the American government, is not too far-fetched. As a matter of fact, many readers have told me that the ending is quite believable, which, to me, is quite a frightening thing.

What was the biggest challenge while writing the book?

I hated it to end. My books are like my children, in a way. When they go off to live their lives on their own, say at Amazon or at Barnes and Noble, I miss interacting with them on a daily basis. I am like a reader when I write, and I am always a bit sad when I finish a good read.

Did you ever suffer writer's block? If yes, what did you do to get over it?

I write because I enjoy doing so. Whenever my writing becomes anything more than pure fun, I simply get away from it for a time. I never want my writing to seem like work. I am retired now. I have put in my time, so now, when I sit at my computer, I do so because this is what I want to do in retirement.

What were your feelings when you first saw the finished copy of your book?

I was elated, but, as I mentioned earlier, I was also a bit sad. However, when I held the paperback version in my hand, I must say that I beamed like a proud father. I love seeing my own books on my bookshelves at home.

Are you completely satisfied with your writing or would you like to change something in your story, given a chance?

When I finish, I am finished. I then move on to something new. I have spent so much time rewriting, that there comes a time when I simply have to tell myself, “Enough.”

Why did you choose this particular genre to write about? Who are your target readers?

I am an eclectic writer as well as a reader. I have published two mysteries/thrillers, two humorous novels, and one non-fiction book. In other words, I am all over the place. I write what I like to read, and I have many different reading tastes.

Okay! I'd now love to hear a few things about you. To start with, is writing your full time profession?

As a retiree, my profession is now behind me. Writing is now my preferred avocation, and I am enjoying every minute of it.

When you're not writing what do you do to relax?

I love to read, and I thoroughly enjoy spending quality time with my three kitties. My wife, Kitty, and I travel a lot. We enjoy short vacations in the U.S., and we make it a habit to travel overseas at least once a year. In fact, we just returned from a three-week holiday in Germany, where we rented an apartment in a small town along the beautiful Rhine River.

What’s the schedule of a typical day for you?

I really do not have a typical day since I write when I like, and Kitty and I might decide to spend the day along the beach or at a local bookstore. Or, we might decide to stay home all day and read since we are both very avid readers.

If your book is adopted for a movie, which actors would you like to play the characters of your story?

I’m not choosy. If any of my books become a movie, I would be so elated that I would not care one bit who starred in it.

You said you love reading. So what are your favourite books?

I am an avid reader, and I select the books I read pretty carefully. Therefore, since I really get involved in what I am reading, I would have to say that the book I am reading at the moment would be my favorite.

What are you reading currently?

I just finished DOG’S RUN by Nick Russell, and it was terrific.

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Write, write, and write because that’s what writers do. And be sure to enjoy it, not to think of it as labor intensive. Life is too short to do otherwise.

Just for curiosity, if you’re ever deserted in an island alone, which 5 books would you pick to carry along with you? And why?

A large blank book, so that I myself could write; a concise encyclopedia, so I could continue to learn about the world; a large collection of poetry, so that I could calm myself when need be; a large anthology of British and American literature, since you can never take the English professor out of me; and a second blank book, so I can continue writing, which is very cathartic for me.

Are you working on any other book now?

I am taking a short break at the moment since I just recently completed my latest book, THE THREE KITTIES THAT SAVED MY LIFE, my true journey from grieving widower to the once-again happily married man I am today.

Thank you so much, Mike. I loved the chat with you. And lots of good wishes for your book. :)
Topic: How did you decide the setting of your novel?
Written by: Michael Meyer


People often ask me how I selected the settings for my international thriller COVERT DREAMS. I got the traveling bug early in life, and it has stayed with me all these years. I love to travel internationally at least once a year. I have been a student overseas, and I have taught at universities overseas. I have visited, and know well, all of the locales in COVERT DREAMS, London, Rome, and the two major locales of Munich and Saudi Arabia. I have been to Munich so many times that I know it like the back of my hand. I can practically move about blindfolded and find my way. I love that city! As for Saudi Arabia, I was a professor for two years at the University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. I literally traveled all over the Middle East. The local color drawn in the book is real. I was there. I lived in both major settings. Authenticity is in all of the local color portrayed in COVERT DREAMS. Boisterous Munich and the mysterious burning sands of Saudi Arabia are portrayed in all their splendor, glory, mystery, and secrecy.  

I have always been intrigued by the relationship the United States has had with Saudi Arabia, one of the most restrictive societies in the world, where I have been personal witness to the fact that life here and life there is as different as being on two separate planets. What we take here for a given is nearly always a no-no there. It is as if our two cultures come from completely different worlds, so the interaction between the two fascinates me and makes for a good suspenseful read.

The area of parapsychology has always intrigued me, and where better to deal with something such as this than in a very hidden-from-the-rest-of-the-world location. The live and let live boisterousness of Munich, coupled with the religious zeal of mysterious Arabia, enhanced by government intrigue – and the plot just seemed to thicken, drawing me into it as I wrote, without my ever knowing precisely where or how it would end, but loving every minute of it. I was like a reader as I wrote. It was as if I were back in the two locations I have experienced so well in my real life.


The sites of London, the glory of Rome, the ebullience of Munich, and the mysteries of Saudi Arabia—the locations are all presented authentically since I have personally visited and /or lived in all of them.



Monday, November 25, 2013

Blog Tour: Peaceful Genocide by J. A. Reynolds [Release Day Blitz + International Giveaway!]

Title: Peaceful Genocide
Author: J. A. Reynolds
Date of Publication: November 25th, 2013
Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult


Seventeen-year-old Mitzi and Deuce can recall how many drops of water were on a leaf from a rainstorm five years ago and conversations from last week, month, or year. They have the ability to remember every second of everyday—since birth. This gift has blessed Mitzi with a history of being sexually assaulted by researchers and abused by her own parents. She trusts no one. Likes no one. Deuce, however, is a high school standout. His gift has made him a superstar on the football field and his memory promises him endless opportunities. When they both end up at an Alzheimer’s research facility under false proviso, they quickly realize this place isn’t what it seems to be. They endure crazy military-style tests, are forcefully drugged, and complete real-life simulations that haunt them. Mitzi and Deuce have no idea what the researchers want to do with them or their memories. But one thing is clear: the researchers will go to any lengths to get what they want.

JA Reynolds lives in the Midwest with a normal family, raising a normal daughter, with some abnormal pets. It’s extraordinarily ordinary. You can catch her on twitter @jaauthor.
Blitz-wide giveaway

Prizes (open internationally):

A Kindle Fire, eBooks, Signed copies, 25$ Amazon Gift Card
To win, enter in the giveaway!!
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Blog Tour: Slide by Michelle Congdon [Promo + Author Interview]

Title: Slide
Author: Michelle Congdon
Series: Broken #1
Date of Publication: November 25th, 2013
Genre: New Adult


After surviving a horrific car accident twelve years ago, that claimed the lives of her mother and brother, heiress to the multi-billion dollar Montgomery Empire, Evangeline, promised never to go back to the city filled with memories of her tragic past. However, after an unexpected event, Evangeline reluctantly finds herself back in New York City. Since the accident, Evangeline has feared the media attention that comes with having the Montgomery name, and would give everything up to bring back her loved ones. Delicate and camera shy, the last person she needs in her life is New York Yankees hotshot, Ryan Fox. Witty and extremely arrogant, the notorious bad boy is well-versed at playing the game both on and off the field. Ryan isn't fazed by the media circus following his every move and couldn't be anymore different to the quiet, shy girl that is Evangeline. Everything about him screams trouble with a capital T, but it’s away from the cameras that Evangeline begins to see the real man hiding behind the cocky façade— one that is haunted by a dark and terrible secret. Life led them to one another, but will further events and opening up about their past bring them closer, or tear them apart and have them sliding into darkness all over again?

***Recommended for ages 18+ due to mature situations, sexual content and language*** 



Hi Michelle! Its such a pleasure to have you here! Welcome to my blog. To start the interview, first tell us something about yourself.

I can’t say no to chocolate, and I have an unfinished degree in Ecology.

Oh yeah, chocolates can never be denied!! So, now lets talk about your book and writing. When did you first know that you wanted to be an author? Did you always want to be one?

I never planned on being an Author. I’m a very creative person; I also do a little acting, so there are always crazy things running around inside my head. A friend of mine suggested jotting all of the dreams and ideas I got into a journal, and before I knew it, an entire story came of it.

 How did you come up with the idea behind "Slide"?

Slide started as a dream I had about a couple that was both trying to hide from their demons and grew from there. The baseball theme came from my high school crush on Alex Rodriguez, haha.

Gosh! I wish I get my story someday like that too! Haha.. Anyway, lets move on. Is any of the characters/incidents in your book influenced by real life people or circumstances?

Not major ones. Ryan’s character was inspired by a friend of mine, whose name also happens to be, Ryan) as well as a few characters from TV shows (including a cartoon, can you believe it?). There are a few small parts to the story that have come from real life; such as watching Will and Grace re-runs, and a scene that involves Ryan’s dog almost biting him. (Happened to my cousin while I was holding his puppy; except that Toby was a Chihuahua and not a great big Blood Hound.) Trust me, the look on my cousin’s face was priceless!!

What was the biggest challenge while writing the book?

Finding the time to write when you still have to try and live a life. Sometimes I wish there were more of me! Haha.

Did you ever suffer writer's block? If yes, what did you do to get over it?

Not yet!! Fingers crossed not ever!

What were your feelings when you first saw the finished copy of your book?

I was so excited! A friend of mine had been begging me for months to have it done. But I wanted to make sure Ryan’s character was perfect. :-)

Are you completely satisfied with your writing or would you like to change something in your story, given a chance?

After many re-writes (blame Mr. Fox) I think I’m finally satisfied with it.

Slide is the first book of the “Broken” series. How many books will be there in this series? Are you working on the sequels?


There will definitely be sequels. How many? I’m not so sure yet, but the other characters that want to share their stories. So far I have 3 others planned.

Why did you choose this particular genre to write about? 

I love reading NA Contemporary. They deal with subjects people can relate too and are allowed to be super steamy!

Okay! I'd now love to hear a few things about you. To start with, is writing your full time profession?

I wish! But no, unfortunately. I have to go to work just like everyone else.

When you're not writing what do you do to relax?

When I’m not writing, I’m trying to play catch up’s with friends. They start to complain after I’m being anti-social for long periods of time. I love the beach and also shopping!

What’s the schedule of a typical day for you?

My typical day generally goes something like this: go to work, come home, discuss my day with my housemate, jump on the computer, play around on my social media sites, dinner, watch any TV shows I may have missed, then head to my room for some serious writing until I fall asleep.

If your book is adopted for a movie, which actors would you like to play the characters of your story?

I haven’t even thought that far, that takes some seriously Googling time. But I would demand to be part of the auditioning process. I will stomp my foot if I have to, haha. ;-)

What are your favourite books?

Oh, it’s hard to choose!! I’ll just try to name a few. The Stranger I Married, is still a favourite from Sylvia Day. AbbiGlines, While it Lasts. Let The Right One In, by John AjvideLindqvist and also the Vampire Academy series, by Richelle Mead.

Some of What are you reading currently?

I am currently reading two books by two awesome Aussie Authors that I will be attending the Indie Down Under Event with early next year. Welcome to Sugartown by Carmen Jenner & Consumed by SkylaMadi.

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Follow your dreams and never give up doing what love! My parents used to say that to me all the time.

Just for curiosity, if you’re ever deserted in an island alone, which 5 books would you pick to carry along with you? And why?

Nothing scary if I’m stranded alone! 1. Sylvia Day’s, The Stranger I Married (I could read the over and over!). 2. The entire Harry Potter series 3. Also the entire the Vampire Academy series. (Both series would keep me busy for a while). 4. Some sort of survival guide for being stranded on a deserted island. 5. And lastly, a journal. (You just never know when some great story ideas will pop into your head!)

Thank you so much, Michelle. Lots of good wishes for your book. :)


Sunday, November 24, 2013

Sunday Series #7




Sunday Series is a weekly meme, to be posted on Sundays, dedicated to the several books belonging to a series of books.

Since majority of the Young Adult, New Adult, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary, Dystopia (and other genres too) books are written as series, I thought arranging all books of a particular series in one place will be helpful and nice!
Each week I'll post about one series (I'll pick it randomly) and will post about all the books of the series. My post will include the author bio and short synopsis of each book. Hope you, my readers, will find it interesting! :)

The Series I chose for this week is:

Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker
Genre(s): Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia



Book One: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Date of Publication: May 5th, 2008

Synopsis: Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

Average Rating on Goodreads: 3.97/5,  46,999 ratings.





Book Two: The Ask and The Answer

Date of Publication: May 4th, 2009

Synopsis:We were in the square, in the square where I'd run, holding her, carrying her, telling her to stay alive, stay alive till we got safe, till we got to Haven so I could save her - But there weren't no safety, no safety at all, there was just him and his men... Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss. Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor's new order. But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? And where is Viola? Is she even still alive? And who are the mysterious Answer? And then, one day, the bombs begin to explode... "The Ask and the Answer" is a tense, shocking and deeply moving novel of resistance under the most extreme pressure. This is the second title in the "Chaos Walking" trilogy.

Average Rating on Goodreads: 4.23/5,  21,868 ratings.





Book Three: Monsters of Men

Date of Publication: Sept 28th, 2010

Synopsis:"War," says the Mayor. "At last." Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge - the electrifying finale to the award-winning "Chaos Walking" trilogy, Monsters of Men is a heart-stopping novel about power, survival, and the devastating realities of war.

Average Rating on Goodreads: 4.30/5,  19,110 ratings.


Companion Books of The Series

         

Click the images to find the goodreads pages of the respective books.

Author Bio



Patrick Ness, an award-winning novelist, has written for England’s Radio 4 and Sunday Telegraph and is a literary critic for The Guardian. He has written many books, including the Chaos Walking Trilogy, The Crash of Hennington, Topics About Which I Know Nothing, and A Monster Calls. He has won numerous awards, including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, the Booktrust Teenage Prize, and the Costa Children’s Book Award. Born in Virginia, he currently lives in London.  


Take a look at Patrick's Website


The Complete Series




Friday, November 22, 2013

Feature and Follow #3



Feature and Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. This blog hop allows bloggers to meet new bloggers and gain new followers! If you're new to this blog hop thing, you can find the details at the blog of the hosts.
The general rules, however, are:
  1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
  2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
  5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
  6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
Question of this week

You Are It! We are playing #FF tag this week. Comment on as many blogs as you can, even if they aren’t participating in #FF. Just say Happy #FF! At the end of your comment. Keep a running total if you want and update your post with it. The bigger the number the more impressed we will be!

My Thoughts

I think this is gonna be fun! :D Its fits the prime objective of #FF completely. So looking forward to Friday!



About The Follow




  • I'll prefer a follow via GFC. You can follow my blog by clicking the 'Join this site' button placed above the list of GFC followers on the right side bar of my blog. 
  • In case you have difficulty or a problem following via GFC, the Bloglovin' button is right below the GFC followers list. Click the button to proceed. 
  • If none of the above options apply for you, well, you can always subscribe to my blog posts via email. Just submit your email id in the box provided and you're done!
  • Also, if you wish, you can follow me on twitter too and add me as a friend on Goodreads. I love making new friends and definitely those who are crazy book addicts like me

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Blog Tour: DOGSCHWITZ by Kim Cano [Blitz + International Giveaway]

Title: Dogschwitz
Author: Kim Cano
Date of Publication: September 4th, 2013


When a basset hound named Rory survives the animal control gas chamber and becomes an internet celebrity, he attracts the attention of Anita, a just-dumped-by-her-boyfriend, luckless burger flipper, who travels cross country to adopt him. Spurred by an online group called Animal Warriors, Anita then embarks on a mission to improve animal rights. Along the way, Rory brings Anita true love and financial success through a chance encounter with America’s 1%, proving her spontaneous rescue of Rory was the best decision of her life.

Kim Cano is the author of For Animal Lovers, a short story collection for kids ages 9 to 12. It also appeals to adult readers who are young at heart. 10% of the sale price is donated to the ASPCA® to help homeless pets.

A Widow Redefined is Kim’s debut novel. It’s a story of a young woman’s journey through grief and the transformational power of friendship.
Kim’s most recent book is Dogschwitz. A novellete set in the future that explores the terrible time in American history when millions of unwanted dogs and cats were euthanized each year.
Kim lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and cat.
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Blog Tour: East of Eden by Lee Strauss [Blitz + Giveaway]

Title: East of Eden
Author: Lee Strauss
Series: The Stone Legacy #2
Date of Publication: November 12th, 2013
Genre(s): New Adult, Contemporary, Romance


Regret is a formidable foe.  
Eden Kelley is the primary caregiver for her mother who’s in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and she’s only twenty-four. Not what she planned to do when she left her husband for a new start with her four-year-old daughter in tow. She’d hoped for free babysitting, but instead she found a mystery. The discovery of an erroneous marriage document leads to more questions, and unfortunately Eden can’t ask her mother for answers because she doesn’t remember. 
 Her mother’s antics drive her crazy, but Eden’s determined to make the best of it. That includes finding the exciting romantic adventure she’d dreamed about. But when trouble knocks, it’s her husband Cade who arrives to help. It’s awkward and tense. And Eden comes to one sure conclusion: leaving her handsome, caring husband was a huge mistake. 
 Her parents had a second chance at love? Would she and Cade get one, too?

Lee Strauss writes historical and science fiction/romance for upper YA and adult readers. She also writes light and fun stuff under the name Elle Strauss. To find out more about Lee and her books check out her facebook page. Follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/elle_strauss to find out about new releases sign up for her newsletter at www.ellestraussbooks.com.
To win a signed copy of East of Eden (open to Us and Canada) enter in the giveaway.
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