Friday, November 30, 2012

Short Story Competition

So the voting has begun on the Short Story Competition that I entered. I would love it if my followers could go to goodreads at the link below and please please please vote for my story. Its under Christina M. Thank you all so very much for participating in everything I do. I appreciate all of you so much!


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

RELEASE DAY!!!!!

Tich Brewster is one of the best new Indie Author's I've read this year. Go Grab this book! 





Devada ~ Book one in the Angels & Demons series:

Angels and demons, God and Satan, heaven and hell ~ What do you do when you find out that these things are not some made-up fantasy but they are real? And not only are they real but you were created to fight in warfare against the demons?

Hannah’s life is turned upside down when she discovers that everything she thought was fictional is actually real. Everyone she loves is in danger and to top it off, she learns that she is a Devada. She was created to kill demons.

Will she be able to learn and master her Devada abilities before the demons find her?



About the Author:

Tich is an Oklahoma resident and the mother of five. Her passion for reading started at an early age when her Aunt Vicky gave her the novel Heidi for Christmas. She didn’t start writing until middle school, after being inspired by her best friend’s short stories. “Genny’s stories weren’t just great but they inspired me to put my pen and paper to good use.” Tich never thought of publishing her works until working with Teresa on the Royal Blood series.



Fun Facts about Tich:

Her favorite color is purple and she adores butterflies, dragonflies, and fairies.
Her taste in music includes: rap, hip hop, alternative, rock, and country. Some of her favorite artists are Enation, Toby Mac, Third Day, Skillet, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jake Owen, and Luke Bryan.
Favorite TV shows are Supernatural, WWE RAW, and WWE Smackdown.


Buy Links:
E-books:
Print book:
 Pennedit    Amazon


Where you can find Tich:ristian fiction to paranormal. Favorites books are: Left Behind series, Twilight saga, and House of Night series.

In my teen years I had a friend who was into writing, she always had a short story in the works. Reading her work inspired me to create stories of my own. It wasn't until recently that I actually got serious about my writing.

Facebook page: Tich Brewster



Blog Tour Links:

ristian fiction to paranormal. Favorites books are: Left Behind series, Twilight saga, and House of Night series.

In my teen years I had a friend who was into writing, she always had a short story in the works. Reading her work inspired me to create stories of my own. It wasn't until recently that I actually got serious about my wr

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Bad Blogger, bad bad blogger!

Okay everyone... I have to apologize for not blogging a lot this month. But I seriously have an excuse! I have finished writing my first book. I have written a children's book. And I am doing ALL the art work and illustrations myself. I am also doing NaNoWriMo during November and working hard on my first full length novel. I've written a grand total of 15000 words for that book. So I promise as things settle down a bit I'll post more. I have about 10 book reviews that need to be posted. I have notes just have to put them into some semblance of order and post them here for everyone to read and enjoy. Hopefully the month of December will be much better for my blogging. Please forgive my slackness this month towards the blog... I promise I'll do better in the coming weeks. Love you all Condygurl

Monday, November 12, 2012

Cover Reveal

It's Cover Reveal week! Thanks to the talent of so many wonderful authors, our anthology is nearly complete and will be released on December 11th. But today, we are excited to share the cover with you and won't make you wait any longer!



A first date, a lottery, treachery and deceit. Sometimes fate has other plans. Sometimes there’s more to tell.
 
In Furthermore: An Anthology, eighteen original stories take you on a journey through worlds here and beyond. From the depths of the earth to the embrace of the sea, your favorite series continue. Prequels, alternative views, and new scenes give readers a chance to experience more than originally told.
 
Including stories from Rebekah Campbell, Amber Garr, David Estes, Leigh Michael, Karen Amanda Hooper, Stephanie Judice, and Mayandree Michael. And most importantly, in honor of those who lost the battle and those who continue to fight, all proceeds from this anthology will be donated to cancer research and support.
 
SURPRISE VISITOR -Emily has never been a fan of surprises but Eric has something up his sleeve to change her mind. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)
 
GETTING TO KNOW THE HEAVIES - The two Sullivan bodyguards are still human beings underneath it all. And everyone has a weakness. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)
 
PEOPLE CHANGE - When Eric asks his dad a question about his mother, it’s time to go back to where it all began and then went so badly wrong. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)
 
COLD FEET - Kain witnesses Eviana’s deceit on their wedding day and is forced to deal with the consequences of her behavior. (The Syrenka Series)
 
RIFT - Daniel encourages the group to make a detour to the Grand Canyon, as the distance between the friends begins to rival the great ravine. (The Syrenka Series)
 
DISCOVERY - Leila’s first encounter with her psychic mentor is nothing short of memorable. (The Leila Marx Novels)
 
HUMAN RESOURCES – Blake finds a new job while Mac finds a friend who reminds him of home. (The Leila Marx Novels)
 
THE RUNAWAY- TAWNI’S STORY - After learning of her parents’ treachery, Tawni leaves home seeking to make amends for their transgressions. (The Dwellers Saga)
 
THE LIFE LOTTERY- A STORY FROM YEAR ZERO - With the survival of the human race on the brink, there’s only one way to decide who will be saved in the underground caves: The Lottery. (The Dwellers Saga)
 
FATE: Experience Annabelle’s struggle to fulfill the ABA Prophecy in a new light through the parting words of Adrian, Aurelia, Blake, and Lady Katherine. (Annabelle’s Story)
 
The Sound of Love - Glimpse into one of Nathaniel’s previous lives and see how his soul mate reacts when tragedy strikes. (The Kindrily Series)
 
MUIRNE’S MELODY--To escape her master’s vile desires, Muirne flees into the snow-swept night, finding a green-eyed stranger and a mystical destiny. (Saga of the Setti Series)
 
JEREMY’S HEART: Calm, cool, and complete scoundrel, Jeremy realizes the loss he’s suffered means nothing compared to true love. (Saga of the Setti Series)
 
FALL FROM GRACE: Warped by centuries of darkness, the creature Sveigja plots to capture Clara as his queen. (Saga of the Setti Series)
 
Plus two original stories by Mayandree Michel.
 
We would like to extend a HUGE thanks to Claudia at PhatPuppyArt for donating the artwork and to Alexandra Shostak for donating her time for the cover design. You ladies are amazing and we are all so grateful for your contribution!

If you are interested in promoting the release or reviewing an ARC, please visit HERE to sign up.

To find out more about the authors and their stories, please check out THIS POST.

Monday, November 5, 2012

An Interview with Melissa Pearl

So today I had the honor of interviewing the wonderful author Melissa Pearl. She has just released her book Betwixt and I have to say it was a real tear jerk-er for me. I loved the character creation and felt so attached to both Nicole and Dale. I loved how she created the characters and I could so easily relate to their clicks in school. Here is just a little bit about the book and the interview follows. 



TITLE:  Betwixt
AUTHOR: Melissa Pearl
PUBLISHED:  November 3, 2012
LANGUAGE: English
RATING:  Young Adult
GENRE:  Paranormal
PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon 

SUMMARY:
Beautiful, wild-chid Nicole Tepper is hit by a car and left for dead. But when she wakes the next morning, Nicole finds herself in bed without a scratch. Perhaps she was more intoxicated than usual, as her mother is giving her the silent treatment and her friends are ignoring her as well. 

Things take a turn for the weird when Nicole soon discovers she is actually hovering between life and death. Her body is lying in the forest while her spirit is searching for anyone who can hear her. Unfortunately the only person who can is Dale Finnigan, the guy she publicly humiliated with a sharp-tongued insult that has left him branded.

Desperate, Nicole has no choice but to haunt Dale and convince the freaked-out senior to help her. Will he find her body before it's too late? Or will the guy who tried to kill her with his car, beat him there and finish her off before anyone finds out?
And now for the Beautiful and Talented  Melissa Pearl!
Thanks for this opportunity. SO cool to be featuring on your blog :)

Did you always want to be a writer?
I've always had an avid imagination. There was always a story running through my head, but I didn't complete my first one until about ten years ago. Since then I haven't been able to stop writing :)

What is the hardest part of writing for you?
I love every aspect of writing and every aspect has it's challenging moments. I always worry that I'm not painting a clear enough picture or that people might find fault with my writing, but then I remind myself that writing is subjective and not everyone is going to love everything. That helps :)

What's the best thing about being an author?
Getting to share my stories with the world. Having this cool idea in your brain and these awesome characters who you get to know so well is a privilege... and then I get to share that will readers and they then fall in love like I did. It just gets better and better :)

What advice would you give aspiring writers?
Study the craft of writing. There is so much to learn and so many ways you can improve. It's worth taking the time to do a course or read those books on how to write fiction well. I look at my first few manuscripts and cringe at all the rookie mistakes I made.
I still have so much more to learn and my goal is to always make each new project better than the one before.

What do you think was the most challenging part of writing Betwixt?
Nicole is a very edgy, uptight character, but she's like that for a reason. I needed readers to empathise with her and like her, but that's hard to do when she is the way she is. Trying to get that balance right without giving everything away too quickly took a little thought and planning :)

What is your favorite scene in Betwixt?
I know this will probably sound strange, but the big fight scene between Nicole and Dale was one of my favourite to write. I think it was just so cool for them to get it all out in the open and say what they were really thinking. It was such an emotional scene and I really got into, so I had fun writing that.

Who is your favorite character and why?
I love Dale. He's so awesome and reminds me a lot of my Dad. He's just such a nice, mellow guy that really cares about people.
I also love Nicole though. I find her really funny and I love the way she just says what's on her mind. I understand her and so I find her little remarks amusing, rather than offensive :)

Did you know people like the ones you wrote about in Betwixt? And if so which "click" were you in?
Good question. I was one of those kids who was really lost in the middle at high school. I wasn't friends with any particular group. I felt like I was on the outside of about three. I hated high school. I found it really lonely and hard.
But I look back and realize that some of those challenges made me the person I am now and I like that. I like that it's made me stronger and more assertive.

I would sometimes hang out with the cool group, not really one of them, but they would tolerate me standing around every now and then. Penny, Amber and Lauren remind me a lot of those girls who just thought they were so fantastic. I remember feeling really intimidated and vulnerable around them, not that they knew it :)

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects?
Yes! I am very excited to be working on a YA fantasy trilogy for 2013. I hoping to produce all three books next year. I don't want to give too much away and I haven't thought of a decent way to describe the books yet... maybe Lord of the Rings for girls? Haha. I'll need to keep working on my pitch!!

I'm also hoping to work with my co-author, Brenda Howson, again on the next Mica and Lexy book. We have no release day planned yet, but will keep people posted. 

Who are your favorite authors? Which ones inspire you as a writer?
Francine Rivers, Dee Henderson and Simone Elkeles are among my top few. I love the emotional depth Francine Rivers gets to in her books. I'm always so inspired when I read them. Dee Henderson writes books that are impossible to put down and I love the way she marries action, tension and romance. She weaves fantastic stories. Simone Elkeles writes teenage romance in such a real, raw way. I love it.

Thanks so much for such a great interview.
That was fun :)

Thank you Melissa for stopping by and answering our questions. I have to say once again how very much I enjoyed your book and can't wait to read some more of your splendid works of art. And for those of you who have not had a chance to read this book grab the link above and grab yourself a copy!

Beautiful Book!!!







TITLE:  Betwixt
AUTHOR: Melissa Pearl
PUBLISHED:  November 3, 2012
LANGUAGE: English
RATING:  Young Adult
GENRE:  Paranormal
PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon 







SUMMARY:
Beautiful, wild-chid Nicole Tepper is hit by a car and left for dead. But when she wakes the next morning, Nicole finds herself in bed without a scratch. Perhaps she was more intoxicated than usual, as her mother is giving her the silent treatment and her friends are ignoring her as well. 

Things take a turn for the weird when Nicole soon discovers she is actually hovering between life and death. Her body is lying in the forest while her spirit is searching for anyone who can hear her. Unfortunately the only person who can is Dale Finnigan, the guy she publicly humiliated with a sharp-tongued insult that has left him branded.

Desperate, Nicole has no choice but to haunt Dale and convince the freaked-out senior to help her. Will he find her body before it's too late? Or will the guy who tried to kill her with his car, beat him there and finish her off before anyone finds out?
REVIEW:
This book begins with a very interesting start, a young girl walking alone down the road because her boyfriend left her there, she is struck by a car swerving down the road and you aren't sure if it was an accident or if it was a murder attempt. From that very simple beginning things go all crazy!

Nicole is a VERY self-centered and rebellious young lady. She has these "friends" as she considers them, while I considered them absolute trash. But it was clear to me from the beginning that they are a bunch of backstabbing gossip mongers. The further I went into the story the clearer it became that they weren't her friends at all. They didn't even care that she went missing. Although to be fair she did have a tendency to run off to go shopping when things went bad for her so she did have a history of disappearing.

Next we have Dale. Dale is a sweet boy who was badly injured and has a scar on his face. Nicole was outright mean to him by calling him names and he actually liked her. Dale is a very intelligent and seems to be a very like-able boy. He seems relatively honest and his family seems to tell each other the truth about everything including feelings, which is such a very good thing for families to do. The "IN' crowd which Nicole was a part of, do nothing but harass and bully Dale because he is different.

I will tell you this much, not only do we learn a lot about Nicole but also Dale. I enjoyed learning what made these two teens act the way they do. I think that Melissa Pearl did a wonderful job on Character Creation and we truly gain an attachment for the characters.  I also think she did a wonderful job with plot and storyline creation and it kept you turning page after page to find out what happens next.

I can tell you right now this book takes some interesting twists and turns. And I for one could not stop reading it until I reached the end. With all the yelling and crying and carrying on I did while reading it I can also say it pulls emotions from your very core. I can't tell you how many times my husband told me to shut up. But all's well that ends well since once I finished the book and was crying because of everything that had happened he told me not to worry I get to write a review now. So that made me hush and get to work writing this, but then I had to wait until November to post it. *sighs*

So all in all do I recommend this book? YES I DO!!!! It is an excellent story for anyone ages 9 and up I'd say since there doesn't seem to be any real violence and the lesson in it is a wonderful one.  And for us adults we get to relive the trials and tribulation of being a teen and having to deal with all the different peer groups from the geeks to the popular kids.
Melissa Pearl I just wanted to say thank you for allowing me the privilege of getting a pre-release copy and also for the opportunity to review your wonderful story.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

DRAGON LOVE!!!!!!!    FIVE STARS!!!!!!!


Thursday, November 1, 2012

Fabulous children's book!

Ella the Pink Elephant
By Doris Rueger
Purchase Link: Amazon
★ 

In her new children’s book, a beloved elephant learns how to grow older gracefully
In “Ella the Pink Elephant: Her Life, Love and Fame,” Doris Rueger creates a children’s book with a moral lesson as a former star elephant learns how to accept herself as she ages.




BELLPORT, N.Y. – In “Ella the Pink Elephant: Her Life, Love and Fame” (ISBN 1469937565), children’s author Doris Rueger writes and illustrates a fantasy tale with a moral message. It follows the life of Ella the Elephant, a star-studded pachyderm that never lacked for attention.

As a child, Ella was the star animal of one of the world’s largest zoos. Her keepers dressed her in pink silks and shawls, while friends and admirers flocked to her side. Yet as all creatures must do, Ella grew older. She grew tired of all the work it took to remain at the center of everyone’s attention. After many years, Ella wanted to be taken to a retirement zoo where she could rest and enjoy her days in peace. 

In this restful reserve, Ella was by herself. For the first time, she looked at herself in the mirror, without makeup or fancy clothes, and saw an aging elephant with grey skin and wrinkles. “Who am I?” she asked. “I am neither Ella, the beautiful elephant baby, nor am I Ella, the gorgeous elephant modeling expensive clothes and being the star at weddings. I am just plain me. No adornments. Will I still be loved?”  Ella would have to find a new way to be happy. She looks in the mirror and realizes she was a beloved elephant, full of tender memories that she could enjoy for the rest of her life. 

Through her storybook tale of talking zoo animals, Ms. Rueger weaves a tale that encourages children to love and accept themselves for who they are. A children’s fantasy with fun characters and a moral ending, “Ella the Pink Elephant” is illustrated by the author in crayon and color pencil. Self-acceptance, knowing and loving one’s true self and learning how to graciously live in the limelight are lessons parents would be happy to impart to their young ones.

“Ella the Pink Elephant: Her Life, Love and Fame” is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.
About the Author:
Born and raised in Germany, Doris Rueger attended college in the United States and graduated with a master’s degree in literature and journalism. After a 30-year career in the scientific community, she now pursues her love of literature by writing and illustrating children’s books. Ms. Rueger currently lives in Bellport, NY.

Awards:
Winner of the Summer 2012 NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for “Ella the Pink Elephant”



MY REVIEW 

I have to give Doris Rueger a resounding 10 stars for this fabulous children's book. In this story we meet Ella, who is born in a zoo and taken care of by a former clown. She is loved by everyone because of all the beautiful outfits that she wears. We continue on the story with her as she ages and all the way through to her self-acceptance of her much older self.  This is a wonderful story about loving people with all your heart and being kind to others. She learns that she is loved not for her wonderful outfits but because of her kind and loving heart. This is an invaluable lesson for young children to learn.

It doesn't matter what's on the outside its what's on the inside that matters! The story itself was fabulously written and the art work was beautiful. I highly recommend this book to everyone young and old alike. This book is a fabulous addition to any family library.

Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.