Cover Reveal: True Love’s First Kiss by Heidi Garrett

Only for a limited time, True Loves First Kiss by Heidi Garrett is only .99 cents for kindle!  True Loves First Kiss is the bind up of Nandana’s Mark, The Flower of Isbelline and The Dragon Carnivale.  This series is YA  (ages 14+) Fantasy/High Fantasy/Fairytale Fantasy and is a total of 681 pages.
 

True Love’s First Kiss:

~ Books 1-3 of this five-book series in a single digital bundle ~

Half-Faeries and mortals. Black magic and genocide. Coming of age and coming into power.
~ Book 1 – NANDANA’S MARK ~

Melia longs to fly like the fullblood faeries.

Her mortal father plots to bring war to the Enchanted world.

Her faerie mother practice black magic behind closed doors.

Overshadowed by her parent’s obsessions, Melia has become an outcast. She seeks aid from the mysterious Illustrator, who makes a strange mark on her forehead. The mark is meant to draw the help of a green-eyed stranger from distant lands. Before he arrives, a tragic accident destroys what’s left of Melia’s already fractured family. Her mother is unforgiving. The punishment she metes out will leave her middle daughter torn between guilt and ecstasy—and will complicate her relationship with the green-eyed stranger.
~ Book 2 – THE FLOWER OF ISBELLINE ~

When a false marriage seduces Melia’s sister,

And the keys to power are at risk,

The cost of denying true love will be apocalyptic.

Melia is determined to stop her sister from pursuing their father’s damning legacy.
~ Book 3 – THE DRAGON CARNIVALE ~

In Illialei, a light queen practices black magic.
In Tyrannis, the dragonwitch rises to power.
In the Mortal World, Umbra pursues the halfbloods as vessels of incarnation.

Energies in the Enchanted World are shifting and new alliances are forming; the Battle of Dark and Light has begun. Melia is desperate to make things right with Ryder, the young priest from Idonne, but first she must warn the halfbloods in the Mortal World that Umbra is coming for them–and face the powerful Dragonwitch and her spectacular Dragon Carnivale.

Find it:
Amazon

 

If you don’t have a kindle, download an app to read on any device here.
 About the Author:In her life and in her writing, Heidi Garrett is fascinated by thresholds and borders between: human and divine, ego and Self, conscious and unconscious, reality and imagination.

 

Confronted daily with situations where the most superficial aspects of life are valued, she’s obsessed with going deeper.

Whenever she’s lost her way, fairy tales and fantastical stories have restored her faith.

Whether you’ve picked up The Queen of the Realm of Faerie series, or a story in her Once Upon a Time Today collection of contemporary fairytale retellings, these stories feature female characters who must draw from their deepest selves to win.

Heidi was born in Texas, and in an attempt to reside in as many cities in that state as she could, made it to Houston, Lubbock, Austin, and El Paso.  She now lives in Eastern Washington state with her husband, their two cats, her laptop, and her Kindle.

Being from the South, she often contemplates the magic of snow and hopes to remind readers that:

Once upon a time, you lived in an enchanted world…

 Find the author:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

We’d love your help to spread the word,  and for convenience we’ve put together some tweets or facebook posts for you.


What’s in a kiss? $0.99 Sale! TrueLove’s First Kiss #amreading #highfantasy #fairytale #quest #romance http://ow.ly/riRkB

$0.99 Sale! Half-Faeries & mortals. Black magic & genocide. Coming of age & coming into power. #TrueLovesFirstKiss http://ow.ly/riRkB

Half-Human, Half-Fae Protagonist Struggles Against the Dark #TrueLovesFirstKiss $0.99 Sale! http://ow.ly/riRkB

$0.99 Sale! TrueLove’s First Kiss #highfantasy #fairytale #compilation #KCD #KindleCountdownDeal http://ow.ly/riRkB

Melia longs to fly like the fullblood faeries… TrueLove’s First Kiss $0.99 #amreading #YA #fantasy #quest #romance http://ow.ly/riRkB

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That old time Rock ‘n Roll

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Have you ever been going about your day with the radio on and Pandora playing in the background and then you suddenly hear a song and you are taken back in your memory like one of those montages in movies? I know I have several times. I think if you connect with music it is just one of those things that is going to happen to you often. Almost like a soundtrack to life.

I used to listen to music a lot with my Great Grandma and my Dad too so I have a wide range of oldies or older music that I really enjoy that gives me some great memories but I cannot always find it easily on iTunes because they tend to carry the current music and even in the search you can’t always find the oldies music, I found http://www.ioldies.com/ though and they have all those songs that I remember listening to at my fingertips.

There is one song that I cannot help but smile when I hear and get taken back to the first moment when I got caught listening to it when I was younger. Queens Fat Bottom Girls, I know that seems like a typical song but when you are a teen and telling your parent you DON’T like any of his music. Only to get caught dancing around to that song, yeah it is a moment you remember forever.

Book Blast: The Balborite Curse by Kristian Alva

balborite

The Balborite Curse

The Balborite Curse is the fourth book in Kristian Alva’s bestselling Dragon Stones Saga.
After five years of fragile peace, things are changing rapidly. The dwarf kingdom is crumbling into civil war in the midst of the worst clan schism in a thousand years. With the clans weakened by infighting, the entire dwarf kingdom is vulnerable to attack.
Tallin Arai, the dragon rider, must leave the desert and the city he loves when someone puts a bounty on his head. He suspects the Balborites–a fanatic cult that trains deadly mageborn assassins. He sets out on a journey to save the dwarves from civil war and stop the Balborite assassins once and for all. Is Tallin strong enough to save them all?

Barnes & Noble * Amazon

 

kristianAuthor Kristian Alva

Kristian Alva was born into a family of writers and teachers. She worked as a staff writer and a ghostwriter before publishing her own manuscripts. She now writes young adult and middle-grade fantasy full-time. She currently lives in California with her husband and sons. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading all genres, especially epic fantasy.

 

Website * Blog * Facebook

BookBlast $50 Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 1/5/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Tennis

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It is never too early to start thinking about improving your summer activities game, especially if you play tennis. I know when looking at the possibility of taking a vacation to a warmer climate I thought about activities my family could do while there which would benefit us when we got home.

Tennis is a game that I have taken interest in as an adult so I never learned a whole lot about it when I was younger. I will never claim to be a world class player but I firmly believe you can learn things as an adult and build them up to make yourself at least pass-able at them, I think Tennis is one of them.  So what is the best way to improve your game? Well I think it is working with a Tennis professional like the ones you can find at Boca Pointe Tennis Pros. Just like in dancing or race car driving professionals are professionals for a reason, they know what they are doing and they are the best at what they do so why wouldn’t you want to learn from them?

Personally I think a professional can also be more patient and more likely to point out the flaws in your game (kindly but firmly) to make you improve. If you do not know what you are doing wrong there is no way you can ever correct it and therefore improve.

 

The sun

bright

Given that it’s winter in most parts of the country and cold not everyone is thinking about the sun. However there are still enough places that are warm and it is never to soon to think about summertime and what we should do to be prepared. The simple fact is with the ozone going the way it is the sun keeps getting stronger and we need to protect our skin better.

If you spend a lot of time out in the sun the first thing you need to think about is getting your skin checked out by a dermatologist like The Herschthal Practice to make sure that you do not have any issues already. After you have done that take some of the usual steps to guard yourself against overexposure like sunscreen and a nice big hat if you are gardening or going to be out in the sun for a long time.

I know personally when I was out on the trail horseback riding for long amounts of time in the sun I would often make sure to have long sleeve shirts on with my long pants. It can be hot and not always the most comfortable but it protects you against the sun and is the best way to do it especially if you won’t be able to reapply sunscreen at regular intervals.

Musing Monday 12/16/13

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

 

I am going to muse about one of the topics that are given by Should be reading this week. I chose to read Lightborn around the 5th of the Month because it is the Second book in a series that I started last year I think it was. I have really been looking forward to that read as well. Sadly at this point I am only about 17 pages into the book and it really is not the books fault. I have enjoyed what I read so far. Alas I just seem to be in one of those “meh” moods. It was somewhat talked about with another book blogger on FB and I am not the only one who seems to be suffering from “meh” mood right now about books.

 

For me I think my mood stems from the fact that I have been doing a lot of really long articles for work recently. It uses a lot of brain time and a lot of time in general and when I finish one I just kinda wanna sit back and veg and watch some senseless TV and that is what I have been doing. I have also been doing some craft work to keep on-top of that alas reading just kinda has me feeling meh. I would not say it is a slump like I suffered from in the summer though. I do fully plan to finish at least two more books before New Years.

Miami anniversary ideas

rsc_Miami2

A wedding anniversary can be a great time to plan a little get away, especially if your anniversary comes after the holidays. I for one know that it can be nice to get away from the stress of the kids and the day to day grind and have a little bit of a romantic get together with your loved one. One great place for that these days is Miami. There are any number of great romantic places in Miami to stay and to visit while you’re there you can read my short list now and to learn more about places to stay by clicking the link.

Romeo’s Café is well known in Miami as a great place to go with a loved one and enjoy the atmosphere. It is small with only 28 seats and has no menu. Everything is custom created for you by the chef based on what you can eat and on his own intuition on what you will like. A little lavish, adventurous and a lot tasty.

Sticking with my thought of food (because you have to eat on a romantic getaway) Cioppino is another great choice when in Miami. It is expensive but worth it because you get the freshest ingredients around. There is also a secluded moonlit beach to take a walk on hand in hand.

Sunday Salon 12/15/13

Another week and we are another week closer to the Holiday Season. I am not as bah humbug this year about it as I have been in years past. The downside right now is due to work and everything else I have actually not finished the book I started on Dec 5th. Part of that is because I am busy with writing work, very busy in fact. The other problem is when I do have some time I have just felt kinda “meh” about reading. It is not the books fault I want to read Lightborn a lot. I am just on a meh feeling with reading right now, I think it will pass or at least I hope it will pass soon I have a few more books I want to get in before the New Year rolls over.

Speaking of the New Year I am starting to think about what challenges to do again in the coming year. I think that I will be doing the History and TBR challenges again for sure because History is a favorite and the TBR helped me to make a dent in the massive pile of books I have that need to be read. Of course I added some more but hey that is what happens when you are a reader right?

I always start to feel a little reflective this time of year but I am excited for a fresh year and I like to think that 2014 is going to be a great year. Maybe even the best in several years. 2013 was not a terrible year but it was not what I would call a banner year either. Maybe a banner year in reading though as I have read the most books I have ever read in a year (so far) and I started my overall goal this year pretty small. I had to up my book challenge twice and even then I beat it. So in that I feel accomplished and content. Anyone else already looking ahead to January and what reading challenges they will do in the coming year?

In some other brief slightly self promotional news my Sissy Anah opened a new blog Feels Like Home and after thinking and looking things over and debating on an overall theme she asked me to join her as a Co-blogger. So far I have to say I am having fun coming up with post ideas. I look forward to growing that blog with her.

 

Quotable Sunday 12/15/13

The Tenth Doctor: Need this?

[offers the Fifth Doctor his sonic screwdriver]

The Fifth Doctor: No, I’m fine, thank you.

The Tenth Doctor: [sarcastic] Oh no, of course, you mostly went hands-free didn’t you? It was like, “Hey, I’m the Doctor, I can save the universe using a kettle and some string! And look at me, I’m wearing a vegetable.”

The Tenth Doctor: Allons-y!

Clara: Run. Run you clever boy, and remember…

The Ninth Doctor: Fantastic!

The Ninth Doctor: Do you wanna come with me? ‘Cause if you do then I should warn you, you’re gonna see all sorts of things. Ghosts from the past; Aliens from the future; the day the Earth died in a ball of flame; It won’t be quiet, it won’t be safe, and it won’t be calm. But I’ll tell you what it will be: the trip of a lifetime.

The Tenth Doctor: …The Master, He just showed up again, the same as ever

The Fifth Doctor: Oh no. Really? Does he still have that rubbish beard?

The Tenth Doctor: No, no beard this time. Well, a wife…

River Song: Hello Sweetie.

The Tenth Doctor: Nah, never. Well, maybe.

The Eleventh Doctor: I wouldn’t say that. The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. Hey. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice-versa, the bad things don’t necessarily spoil the good things and make them unimportant.

Amy Pond: When I was a little girl I had an imaginary friend and when I grew up he came back. He’s called The Doctor. He comes from somewhere else. He’s got a box called the TARDIS that’s bigger on the inside and can travel anywhere in time and space. I ran away with him and we’ve been running ever since.

Martha Jones: I battle with textbooks.

The Tenth Doctor: I battle with monsters.

Martha Jones: I’ve tried to save money.

The Tenth Doctor: I’ve tried to save the universe.

Martha Jones: I’m going to be a doctor.

The Tenth Doctor: I *am* the Doctor.

Martha Jones: Well, let’s hope this box is big enough for the both of us.

The Tenth Doctor: I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.

Donna Noble: There are things waiting in the darkness. Creatures of metal, fire and blood. But he’s out there, burning through time, facing a thousand dangers across the stars and never giving up. He looks like a man but he’s a legend and his name is the Doctor. He’ll come back to save us and this time I’m going to be ready. Then just like that…

Donna Noble, The Tenth Doctor: We’ll be gone.

The Ninth Doctor: Me? I am the Doctor.

The Tenth Doctor: Brilliant!

Cover Reveal: The Underworld King by Ranjit More

Today we’re excited to bring to you the cover reveal for the fantasy novel,  The Underworld King by Ranjit More. While this is an adult fantasy, it is appropriate for YA readers.

Book Description:
60,000
miles below the surface of the earth thrives a kingdom inhabited by daityas – giant,
fanged beings of the night who sometimes travel to the surface above and eat
humans in the hearts of grim forests. Their four-armed king, Drumila, faces a
new peril, and this time it is advancing upon him not from the heavens, where his
eternal enemies reside, but from the darkest depths of creation. The naagas –giant,
flame-breathing serpents– are traveling towards the capital of daityas, intent
upon reducing them to ashes, and Drumila must do everything in his power to
thwart them. For no matter how strongly he detests his subjects’ lifestyle and
nature, it is his duty to protect them as king.

 Moved by Drumila’s plight, the powerful sage,
Shukracharya, swims down into the underworld upon the back of his giant
crocodile and convinces his disciple-king to migrate to the surface of the
earth.

What
follows is an epic exodus to the world above and a strange encounter with a beautiful
girl thereupon. Nandini seems to be human, but all signs point towards her having
descended from the heavens, the least of which are a delicate waist and long
eyes extending up to her ears. But is this a trick of the gods? Drumila will
find out soon enough, when the battle begins.
THE
UNDERWORLD KING is the tale of the emperor of Paataal, the Hindu underworld,
and the goddess of Svarg, the Hindu heaven, and their quest for endless power, lust
and each other’s destruction.

Here’s an excerpt for your enjoyment:

A sage called Shukracharya emerged from the limpid waters of a lake upon
the back of a giant, green crocodile. Swiftly had they shot through the
reservoir, the sage and the crocodile, like a divine shaft released by
Shambhu[1] from the underworld, and had arrived on the banks of the
lake, which lay within a myterious island. Yet, it was early, as far as
their fixed arrivals at the secret site were concerned, for the
sun-globe was still visible in the sky and had yet to redden the earthly
firmament.
Churning the life
airs[2] within his body, Shukracharya heated the surface of his skin and
dried off the water running over it. Then he got down from the
crocodile upon the golden sands of the bank and surveyed the forest
around him. 

A
thousand times over had he seen these woods, which were the residence
of his beloved deity, Nataraj, Who produced blazing fires from His third
eye and scorched the cosmos until it became devoid of life and matter.
Fanning those flames with His destructive dance, Nataraj then destroyed
the twelve worlds and their denizens at the end of every divine
millenium, and created the worlds anew.

A
thrill ran across Shukracharya’s body as he recalled his Lord’s
destructive activities, which, although terrific and frightening to most
living beings, were necessary for the balance of nature. It produced in
him a great desire to see the white Lord immediately, but alas, it was
not possible. There were rules to be followed, regulations to be
observed, in the divine jungle of Shiva-Shankara. Shukracharya
controlled the urge, and turned the other way, for Nataraj didn’t expect
his services for one and a half muhurt[3] yet. 

Of course, idols normally didn’t expect
anything, seeing as how they were made of gold, stone, wood or jewels
(Shukra’s idol was made of jewels) but this particular statue managed to
express such things nevertheless, and more. Shukra believed it was due
to the divine mystic power of the forest-island than any miraculous
result of his own devotion, but he was glad about it either way. Only,
whenever Damstra, the crocodile, accompanied him to His sacred grove,
did the deity remain lifeless. Otherwise He talked and laughed with
Shukra in the most astonishing way.

Since
he had time to spend, Shukracharya looked in the direction of south,
where he hoped to find something that would occupy him. As though in
response, a cool breeze imbrued with many sweet fragrances blew from the
direction, beckoning him. 

‘I
can smell the scent of the champaka flower in there somewhere,’ he
thought, as the fragrances passed him by. ‘And even a hint of bilva!’
Both trees were exceedingly dear to Nataraja; with their flowers and
leaves finding extensive use in His worship.
 ‘If not, he thought, at least I’ll get some fresh flowers to tuck in my hair.’
Like
most divine sages, Shukracharya had matted hair upon his head, tied in a
manner that resembled a large beehive. Due to swimming so rapidly
through the waters of the lake, all the flowers and leaves had washed
away from it.

Shukracharya turned to his crocodile. “Damstra,” he said, “stay here.” 

The
crocodile nodded his heavy, green head but Shukra continued to look
upon him. “Last time I saw you, you were holding one of the reptiles
from the forest in your mouth.” He narrowed his eyes. “It looked like
you were about to swallow the poor creature. May I ask why? At the time I
had some important matter pressing on my mind, and I didn’t say
anything to you. But now that I remember, I demand to know the meaning
of such behavior.” 

The
giant crocodile tossed his scaly head as though shaking it in denial.
“I never was going to eat it, maharaj[4],” he said in a heavy voice,
looking grumpily at the spot where this event had occurred. “But the
crocodiles took me to be an ordinary reptile like themselves and came to
challenge me. I had to expand my body and display my strength. Would
you rather me sit still and do nothing? Your mount?”

“Of
course not,” Shukra said at once. “You must defend yourself and your
self-respect at all times… I only ask that you don’t kill anything here,
on this sacred island.”

“Of course, maharaj,” Damstra said. “I won’t.”

“Very well. Rest awhile.”

Damstra then nodded and began to lumber away lazily on his four, bent legs.

Shukracharya
gripped his golden stick firmly and began to walk towards the southern
forest, treading upon fine gravel in his wooden sandals. He passed
palash trees laden with startling red flowers and groves of kadamb
trees, which lent a sweet fragrance to the air, and caused fat
bumblebees to buzz lazily around his matted hair.

He must’ve walked for a long time,
because when he turned back, the lake, the crocodile and the forest had
disappeared from view. As he looked around he only saw tiny shrubs and
standing plants growing in large clusters here and there. It was a most
wonderful thing. 

Where trees had been at least a
yojan[5] tall near the lake, now appeared to be of the mere size of his
thumb… If he wanted, Shukra could’ve uprooted a tree with his two
fingers by exerting only a bit of force, but he restrained himself. 

‘What strange wonder is this?’ he thought. ‘Everything is so small!’

Shukra
looked closer and was astonished even further. Verily, surrounding him
on all sides, were hills and mountains…growing to the height of his
waist!

He could have sat upon them like a throne, or beat them to crumbling rocks with his stick.
There was no mistaking it. 

Shukracharya had entered the dimension of the humans. 


The Underworld King is now available for purchase for only .99 cents for a limited time! (Regular price: $3.99)
Find the author:
Giveaway:
The author is generously giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky person!
(INT)

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This cover reveal was organized and put together by CBB Book Promotions.

 

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