Blog Tour: Ondine by Emma Raveling [Blitz + Excerpt]

Title: Ondine

Author: Emma Raveling
Series: Ondine Quartet 0.5

Date of Publication: December 19th, 2013

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

“I shouldn’t get involved.” 
 Rebellious and headstrong, sixteen-year-old Kendra Irisavie doesn’t have much respect for authority. An ondine with the powerful gift of Virtue, she uses her tough attitude and Empath magic to navigate through high school and keep others away. Because being an ondine also means keeping secrets. Kendra and her mother are Rogue water elementals in the middle of an ancient war. They hide among humans, their survival constantly threatened by monstrous Aquidae demons. Along with a rigorous training regimen to mold Kendra into a lethal fighter, her mother has instituted four rules to keep her safe. Trust no one. Relationships are weaknesses. Emotional attachments are dangerous. Be responsible only for yourself. But when Kendra witnesses a classmate in trouble, she intervenes and her decision to break the rules comes at a price. Sometimes, humans could be more dangerous than demons. Ondine is a short prequel novella for the young adult urban / paranormal fantasy series, the Ondine Quartet.

Amazon 

** The Book will be available after release date. **

Afternoon sunlight drenched the wood, heat seeping through my jeans and warming the back of my legs.

Rui’s icy voice sliced through the delicate spring air. “I need you to get the money from him.”

Potheads occupied the narrow recess beside the stairs while the cheerleaders and athletes took the table farthest from the building door.

They weren’t getting involved.

Neither was the Student Council group gathered along the west side.

I’d managed to follow her rules for the four months we’d been in L.A. The championship tournament was in two hours and she’d be seriously pissed if my performance wasn’t better than the last one.

I needed to concentrate on my own shit, not get involved in anyone else’s.

Troy’s fear ratcheted up another notch and the hot spike of emotion raked against my insides.

“I—I don’t know him that w-well…”

“That’s a problem.” Rui adopted an expression of mock concern and pulled out a cigarette. “‘Cause your dad owes mine a lot of money.”

Empath magic reached inside him, sensing clumps of frustration and rage, hardened over the years.

“It’s just me and my mom,” Troy said in a desperate voice. “I don’t see him that often —“

Mistake one.

“Often?” Rui’s voice rumbled with the dark glee of a predator who’d spotted its prey. “So you do see him.”

“N..no.” Troy’s eyes darted around the courtyard.

Don’t, don’t…

Wide eyes locked on to me. Great.

“What do you mean, no?”

“I m-m-mean…” He stumbled over the words. “S-sometimes I do, but…”

Mistake two.

“Then you can get the money from him, right?” Rui lit his cigarette. Troy flinched at the click of the lighter. “I don’t think your old man would like it if my father got his hands on you.”

Troy swallowed, his gaze flickering toward me again.

Sasha followed his line of sight. “You thinkin’ a chick’s gonna help you?”

Rui slowly turned. Black hair, dark eyes set against olive skin. Cold, grim awareness etched into his face, creating an impression of severe superiority.

The things he’d seen and experienced exceeded your worst nightmares and he wanted you to know it.

Rui flicked his cigarette, ash landing a foot away from me.

“She’s not bad, Troy. Don’t think she’s your type, though.”

I suppressed a sigh and stood. Might as well get this over with.

“You don’t know my type, Vergara.”

A flicker of surprise in those dead eyes. “You know my name. I’m flattered.”

“Don’t be.” I strode over and leaned against the metal railing of the stairs. “You just have a rep of being an asshole.”

Kane stepped forward, body tense. Rui’s arm shot out and stopped him.

“You’re that junior.” A ring of smoke gently swirled around his face. “Transferred here a few months ago. Kendra, right?”

Empath detected a quick shift. Irritation and anger smoothly transformed to calculating curiosity. The unusual degree of control set off my internal alarms.

I shouldn’t underestimate him.

I’m a fantasy writer who lives a slightly eccentric life with my accommodating husband and our charming, neurotic dog. I'm currently working on the Ondine Quartet, a young adult urban fantasy/paranormal series featuring a kick-ass heroine, powerful magic, and the complex world of water elementals.

I have a weird love of spreadsheets and organizational tools because they give me the illusion that I am somehow in control of the chaos that is my life. I adore beautiful art such as painting and sculpture, classical music, lyrical writing, and great graphic design. My all-time favorite books (as of this writing) are Immortality by Milan Kundera, 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.

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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. :)

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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?

Amazon | Kobo | Smashword

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.

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To win a signed copy of East of Eden (open to Us and Canada) enter in the giveaway.

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Interview of Bloggers!

Author interviews are pretty common in book blogs. Even I've interviewed a few authors on my blog! 
But I wanted to interview my fellow bloggers- to know them better and also to give them a space to share their blogging experiences. Hence, I decided to create this section for the Interview of Bloggers!

The blogger I interviewed this time is  Sophia from Bookwyrming Thoughts!

Here's what we talked about:

Me: Hey Sophia, welcome to my blog! It's such a pleasure to have you here!! To start the interview first tell us something about yourself.

Sophia: Hi! I'm Sophia, but I'm perfectly fine being called Sophi or Soph. I'm a blogger over at Bookwyrming Thoughts, graphic designer, bookworm, and very random (I think that might be noticed on Twitter... lol). I'm currently a high school student and still deciding just what career I should get into when I graduate in a few years. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of time left for me to decide. Time seems to be my enemy right now. >_<
 

Me: When did you start blogging and why?
Sophia: November 2, 2012 (almost a year!). I used to try blogging about a MMORPG game called Wizard101 but then I ended up distancing myself and later realized that gaming just isn't my thing to blog about, so I decided, why not blog about books instead?
 

Me: Tell us briefly about your blog and what do you do over there?
Sophia: Bookwyrming Thoughts is a book blog originally aimed toward Young Adult and Middle Grade reads. Now I'm also reading New Adult books, but definitely not adult books. I do book blitzes, blog tours, book blasts, the occasional giveaway, and of course, reviews.
 

Me: What you love most about blogging?
Sophia: My favorite thing about blogging? Being able to tell everyone my thoughts about the books I read without having to keep it all bottled up inside and reserved for my close friends/book club members at school.

Me: How do you promote your blog? Whenever there's a new post, how do you connect to people and let them know about your blog? 
Sophia: NetworkedBlogs and Tweetpost always tweet out and share on Facebook any new posts shortly after the post goes live. But then I also schedule posts on Twitter (no, Twitter doesn't have a schedule thingy...) that same day in the afternoon, and if it's a review, I tweet them on Sunday as well (also scheduled). They're always at hourly intervals to avoid spam at all costs.
 

Me: What is the most interesting thing that has happened to you during the course of blogging?
Sophia: To be honest, not much interesting has happened to me (YET). I've started revealing to some of my real life friends that I blog about books, and surprisingly (and interestingly), none of them reacted the way I feared they would. *phew!* But then that was book club, so of course they probably wouldn't react.
 

Me: What do you think is the most challenging part about blogging?
Sophia: Balancing everything. Even though I'm doing pretty well (in my opinion), I still have trouble here and there. Between school work, homework (not that there's much for me yet), any extracurricular activities and whatnot, there's not a lot of time to read and blog, unlike in the summer where I have almost all the time in the world to read and review. I also have to accommodate to my mother's schedule since I can't drive yet.
Okay, I'm eligible. I just haven't learned yet.
 

Me: What are your top 5 favourite books? Name some of your favourite authors.
Sophia: You're kidding me, right? FIVE books to choose? And they're favorites? Gee, I think I'll pass. I could go on all day naming my favorite books! But some of my favorite authors include Rick Riordan, Julie Kagawa, C.C. Hunter, James Dashner, Richelle Mead...
I'm out of ideas. And yes, I'm avoiding JK Rowling. Simply because that's just too... cliched. No offense.
 

Me: Haha! Choosing favourite books is indeed so difficult! Umm so besides blogger are you on any other blogging social networks? If yes, which one do you prefer most and why?
Sophia: Twitter, Goodreads, Tumblr, Pinterest, Facebook, Booklikes - I think that's a lot, lol. The majority of my social networking time is spent on Twitter. Facebook is pretty bland in my opinion, and Booklikes is okay - I'm still trying to navigate my way through the hoola hoops. Goodreads and Tumblr are the next two after Twitter. I personally prefer Twitter because it just seems more interesting. There's a lot more going on and you don't have to "friend" them just to follow them. You just click follow and go from there.
 

Me: What's unique about your blog? Why is your blog different from that of other book bloggers? 
Sophia: I'm honestly not sure. I think I'm probably the only one out there with text symbols decorating the sidebar (I have no clue how to make my own with pictures... so I looked toward the alternative idea) and a review queue. I'm also the host for the Summer Reading Challenge, which I just started this year and it'll return sometime next year in May.
 

Me: Your favourite blog that you follow?
Sophia: With no internet at home and I have to count on public computers to update my blog and schedule them, I generally don't have the time to read the blogs that I follow. I do try and check out the most recent posts whenever possible and visit people who commented on my blog.
 

Me: Lastly, any tips for fellow bloggers?
Sophia: The main one that pretty much everyone knows: be yourself and of course... don't plagiarize. But maybe I should also add something else: don't overwork yourself in trying to balance everything. :)

Thank you so much Sophia for sharing your experiences! It was a pleasure to talk to you. :)

You can interview bloggers on your blog too. It's really fun! If you do, share your link here (in the comments), I'd love to read them. It always feels great to know about more and more bloggers! 

Interview of Bloggers!

Author interviews are pretty common in book blogs. Even I've interviewed a few authors on my blog! 
But I wanted to interview my fellow bloggers- to know them better and also to give them a space to share their blogging experiences. Hence, I decided to create this section for the Interview of Bloggers!

The first blogger I interviewed on Books Are My Best Friends is Rose from Desert Rose Reviews.

Here's what we talked about:

Me: Hey Rose, welcome to my blog! It's such a pleasure to have you here!! To start the interview first tell us something about yourself.

Rose: Well, I am an aspiring musician, as well as an artist and amateur writer- amateur in the sense that I'm unpublished, for now.  

Me: When did you start blogging and why?

Rose: I started Desert Rose Reviews in May, 2013.  I was reviewing books as a hobby, and wanted a way to share my reviews and love of books with people.  A blog seemed like a great way to do that, so I thought I'd give it a try! :)

Me: Tell us briefly about your blog and what do you do over there?

Rose: Well, my blog seems to be forever changing and growing.  It started out as simply a catalog of my book reviews, then grew into reviews and tour/event hosting.  Now, as of Oct 2013, I'm starting my own tour service, so my blog has taken on that aspect as well. 

Me: What you love most about blogging?

Rose: Probably the ability to connect to people I'd never meet otherwise, and share my love of books with people.  

Me: How do you promote your blog? Whenever there's a new post, how do you connect to people and let them know about your blog?

Rose: I generally share my review or event on Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.  I'm still looking for other outlets to share my posts with, actually! haha

Me: What is the most interesting thing that has happened to you during the course of blogging?

Rose: It's all been incredibly interesting- I don't think I could pick just one instance.  I've met and created relationships with some incredible people, had some good laughs, and found some amazing books!  It's all been awesome so far :)

Me: What do you think is the most challenging part about blogging?

Rose: Probably reaching people, and getting my blog out there.  I'm not naturally a person who likes to flaunt herself in front of people, so it's a little hard for me to go around and say “Hey, come look at my blog!”  

Me: What are your top 5 favourite books? Name some of your favourite authors.

Rose: Wow, that is a hard question.  Those are lists that seem to be forever changing as well!  At the moment though, my top 5 fav books would be: 

1. The Mark of Cain, by A.D. Seeley

2. Blood Roses/Morning Stars, by Jason T. Graves

3. Nightshade, by Andrea Cremer

4. Firelight, by Sophie Jordan

5. Eric Elmoor and The Gauntlet of Godric, by Thomas A. Meyers

Some of my fav authors, besides the ones listed above, are:

Shakespeare

Chaucer

Mark Twain

Ally Condie

Those are all the authors that come to mind at the moment, but I'm sure there are more :)

Me: Besides blogger are you on any other blogging social networks? If yes, which one do you prefer most and why?

Rose: Not any more.  I tried Wordpress and LiveJournal, but I prefer blogger.  Desert Rose Reviews & Tours is actually my second blog- I have a personal blog as well (which has taken a hit in posts lately, with me spending so much time on DRR&T)- when I was searching for a good blogging social network, I tried several out, and blogger won my vote.  I like the template design and layout, and the fact that I can use html and javascript in my widgets and posts.  Plus, blogger blogs seem to be the easiest to promote and share with others, which is a big plus to me. 

Me: What's unique about your blog? Why is your blog different from that of other book bloggers? 

Rose: This question kind of puts me in that uncomfortable area of flaunting myself/my blog, haha.  I suppose if I had to compare my blog to other blogs I've seen recently, I think my blog looks a bit more put together and clean, easy to navigate.  It's more user friendly than a lot of blogs I visit.  Besides that, my blog isn't really for me, it's for others.  A lot of bloggers use their blog as a personal outlet, which is completely cool!  For me though, the whole point of my blog is to promote others, so I'm always thinking about how my blog looks to others, and I try to make it the best it can be for my followers and visitors.  I also put a lot of effort into making sure I'm honest and respectful, esp to the authors I work with.  Finding the balance between sharing my opinions and the things I like or don't like, while still maintaining respect for the author's work.   Honesty and respect- that's what it's all about! :)

Me: Your favourite blog that you follow?

Rose: Ah, I always dislike this question.  I know it probably sounds bad, but I don't have a fav blog that I follow.  There are several I like to visit occasionally, but I don't really spend much time following other blogs.  I like certain posts, and enjoy browsing when I get a spare minute, but I can't say I have a fav blog.

Me: Lastly, any tips for fellow bloggers?

Rose: Always think about your readers.  Your font, layouts, colors, etc- are they simple to navigate, or are they complicated and an eye sore?  I've seen many blogs that have conflicting font colors, and it gives me a headache to read, which is a bummer.  That's probably my biggest tip- make sure your blog is easy to read, and is inviting people in, not turning them away.  That is, if you're wanting to have readers and followers.  If you're just having fun, and don't care about who follows your or if your posts get read, then my only tip is to just have fun!  :D 

Thank you so much Rose for responding to my initiative and sharing your experiences! It was a pleasure to talk to you. :)

Here's the beautiful button of Rose's blog:

You should really visit her blog. It's amazing! :)

Also, I must mention that the idea of interviewing bloggers came to mind as Jazmen from This Girl Reads A Lot interviewed me for her own blog! So, I'd like to thank Jazmen for coming up with the idea. :)

You can interview bloggers on your blog too. It's really fun! If you do, share your link here (in the comments), I'd love to read them. It always feels great to know about more and more bloggers!