Book Blitz w/#GIVEAWAY: The Golden Apple by Michelle Diener

We're celebrating the release of Michelle Diener's second fairy tale retelling:
The Golden Apple
An Adult Fantasy Romance based loosely on the Princess on the Glass Hill

The Golden Apple

by Michelle Diener

Adult Fantasy/SciFi

March 24, 2014

Kayla's world has been turned upside-down...

Her father has made her the prize in a deadly, impossible tournament, and Kayla has retaliated in the only way she knows how; by choosing her champion beforehand. But taking control of the outcome changes the game completely, and when the real reason behind the strange test becomes apparent, Kayla realizes not just her life, but her entire kingdom is at stake.

Rane's honor is torn in two...

In order to save his brother, Rane will do whatever he has to--including deceive and betray a princess. He knew nothing about this tournament would be easy, but when it turns into a deeper, far more sinister game, Rane is forced to see it through to the end, or leave his brother at the mercy of their enemy.

Now their fates are entwined, and they must venture into the deep, dark forest together...

Kayla and Rane are bound to one another by an enchantment and Kayla's actions. But the sorcerer forcing them to do his will may have miscalculated, because no-one comes out of the Great Forest unchanged. No-one.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes

The inspiration for The Golden Apple

The Golden Apple is loosely based on the Norwegian fairy tale The Princess on the Glass Hill. The original tale is more about the hero than the heroine, and it is a very straightforward quest story, with the hero becoming more and more accomplished, until at last he succeeds against the odds. But there were a few things in this fairy tale that stood out for me and made me take notice. The first is the very unusual situation of the king holding a contest for his daughter’s hand by putting her on top of a glass hill with a golden apple in her lap. Knights from all over are invited to race a horse up the smooth glass sides of the mountain and the one who can pluck the golden apple from the princess's lap wins her hand and is heir to the kingdom. As usual in fairy tales, there is no explanation as to how the king came by a glass mountain, but I wondered where he got it, and that sparked the starting point of the story. It is really the inciting incident that starts the story off, rather than the focus of the story, as it was in the fairy tale.

Secondly, the crux of the tale, for me, is that the hero cannot win the princess's hand without help from the princess herself. That part of the original tale is one or two lines long, but for me, it's fascinating. The feminine power determining and choosing which masculine power will prevail. This really made me interested, because the princess doesn't just sit there and take whoever it is manages to accomplish the (impossible) task set by her father, but actively chooses who it is she wants to win and helps them. I wanted to write a story about the consequences of her taking that power and using it and The Golden Apple was the result -- far, far more heroine-centric than the original, and I really had fun with it.
- Michelle Diener

LAST CALL FOR REVIEWERS!

Are you interested in fantasy romance?
Do you love fairy tale retellings?
Have you read Michelle Diener and enjoyed her work in the past?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you can request a review copy of The Golden Apple! The Golden Apple is up for review by invitation only on NetGalley. Reviewers with book review sites can apply for a limited number of pre-approved copies. Book reviewers who post their review on their review site, Amazon, and Goodreads can enter a Rafflecopter draw to win one of ten copies of any Michelle Diener book of their choice, or a $10 Amazon gift card. (Instructions in sign-up form.)

Sign up HERE! 

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction. Her Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series, set in the court of Henry VIII, includes In a Treacherous Court, Keeper of the King's Secrets and In Defense of the Queen.

Michelle's other historical novels include Daughter of the Sky, The Emperor's Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies (loosely connected to The Emperor's Conspiracy).

Michelle's first fantasy novel, Mistress of the Wind, is set for a December 23, 2013, release.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

Goodreads * Amazon * Website * Twitter * Facebook

Blitz-Wide Giveaways:

1 - Enter to WIN one of ten ebooks of The Golden Apple.
- March 30 - April 7.
See Rafflecopter for restrictions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 - For book bloggers: Review The Golden Apple by April 1, 2014 and enter to WIN one of 10 prizes:
- Choose any one of Michelle Diener's books or $10 Gift Card!

- March 24 - April 7

Request an early review copy using the form. Instructions on entering the second giveaway are included!

Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.

Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.

Stacking the Shelves 3/29/14

I love Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Happy 20th Birthday to my daughter Alexis!

Purchased:

Crimson Night by Marie Hall

Spark by Melissa Dereberry

Edelweiss:

Crooked River by Valerie Geary

The Hurricane Sisters by Dorothea Benton Frank

Feral by Holly Schindler

Netgalley:

In the Shadows by Keirsten White

The Immortal Crown by Richelle Mead

Progeny by Anita Bihovsky

The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

The Curse Keepers by Denise Grover Swank

The Curse Breakers by Denise Grover Swank

Dark Aemilia by Sally O'Reilly

So, umm, yeah, it was a huge haul this week.  I just couldn't pass these up!  I really need to dig in now and stop watching so much television. LOL

What about you?

My Update

Wow, it has been a really long time since I've written.  Real life has totally taken over and I haven't had the time or drive to sit and write.  Since my heart attacks in May 2012(2 of them), November 2012, and January 2013, I am totally and completely disabled.  I have mild heart failure which makes it hard for me to breathe.  I just turned 40 in February and I'm having a hard time accepting the fact that I'm this disabled this young.  I also have many physical impairments to add to the long list.  BUT I have been reading!  Not as much as I would like, but my medications make me fall asleep really fast. LOL

So far this year I have read:

Mercy Snow by Tiffany Baker

4 Stars

I was really intrigued by this.  Lots of story lines that came together.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

4 Stars

I actually learned so much from this book about how both the French and Germans lived during WWII.

Beyond Justice by Joshua Graham

4 Stars

This was a good book but it got really slow in some parts.

The Widow's Guide to Sex & Dating by Carole Radziwill

3 Stars

This was light and fun but got so confusing.

Turned by Virna DePaul

3 Stars

A decent first book in a series.  It dragged in some parts a bit.

Midsummer Magic by Julia Williams

4 Stars

A retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  This was a fun read but there was a lot of British humor that I didn't really get.

The Naughty Girls' Book Club by Sophie Hart

4 Stars

I thought this was going to be an 18+ book.  It was more a book of friendships and romance.  I really liked this book.

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

4 Stars

I loved this!  It takes place in 3 different cities at different times.

The White Magic Five and Dime by Steve Hockensmith and Lisa Falco

4 Stars

I loved this first installment in this series.  It was fun and left me hanging for a while.

That's about it for me so far.  I'm going to try and be more active now that things have sort of settled down.

Friday Cover Reveal: Fingers In the Mist by O'Dell Hutchison w/#GIVEAWAY

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Fingers in the Mist 

by O’Dell Hutchison

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Sixteen-year-old Caitlyn Foster never believed in the legend of the Redeemers. That was before the trees started to whisper her name. Before a murder of crows attacked the town. Before she and her family came home to find a bloody handprint on their front door, marking one of them as a sacrifice. As Caitlyn’s friends are ripped from their homes, she knows it’s only a matter of time before the Redeemers come for her. Caitlyn has the power to stop the terror, but she’ll have to decide if she’s willing to sacrifice herself to save those she loves.

Fingers in the Mist by O’Dell Hutchison
Publisher:  Month9Books

O’Dell was born in a small rural town in Idaho. There were no Redeemers living there (that he knows of). After attending college in the Pacific Northwest, he found his way to the Houston area. By day, he is a Business Systems Analyst and at night you can either find him sitting at home, dreaming of random super powers he wishes he had, or directing plays and musicals at various theaters around Houston.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast: Unplanned Motherhood w#GIVEAWAY

 

Unplanned Motherhood

Unplanned Motherhood is a non-fiction collection of short stories written by moms and dads about their funny inspirational or motivational journey as a parent. Unplanned Motherhood is based on the web series created by Lena Sledge.

Unplanned Motherhood is a comedy web series for perfectly imperfect families, starring Lena Sledge as Layla, a wife and mother of five that gives parenting advice on her real life mommy blog. Her unique parenting style contradicting with her perfect parenting advice lends to a distinct brand of humor. With each episode we see Layla teaching her kids life lessons as she discovers more about herself and the advice she gives to her readers. Unique to this web series is the actual blog that Layla writes where she gives the perfect parenting advice and after many of her posts, follows the tag line; to see how I really handled the situation watch this week's episode.

This web series is special because the viewers of the web series and the readers of the real life blog get to interact with Layla and let her know if her advice is on the money or share their own parenting advice. To follow the Unplanned Motherhood blog go to www.lenasledge.com. Stay tuned. Unplanned Motherhood debuts March 28th!!!!

If you'd like to submit a short story to be included in the book Unplanned Motherhood, send 500 words or less tosonnybrookfilms@yahoo.com. Short story must be clean, family friendly as well as funny, inspirational or motivational.

 

Facebook * Youtube

 

Sneak Peek:

   

Unplanned Motherhood Cast

Starring Morgan Hamilton as Sonny, Stefani Colvin as Brooke, Grayson Kilpatrick as Deacon, Aidan Heuer as Spoon, and Ari Heuer as Ari.     

 Episode 1:

   

  Author Lena Sledge Lena Sledge is an awarding winning author. Her first book, a collection of short stories called If I Had My Way, won the 2012 African American Literary Award for Best Short Story/Anthology. Her short film, Grandma's Hands, won 3rd place at the River City Film Festival in March 2014. Her most recent project, a comedy web series called Unplanned Motherhood debuts on March 28th on Youtube. Lena Sledge has collaborated on many literary projects as well as tv and film projects. She offers advice, resources, and tips on writing, navigating the independent film industry as well as reviews and highlights about upcoming books and authors. Lena Sledge also enjoys photography, you can view some of her photography work on her website as well as Flickr.

Youtube * Facebook * Twitter * Website

Flickr * Pinterest * Blog * Goodreads * Amazon

     

  Blast Giveaway 

 $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 

 Ends 4/21/14

 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.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Redesign Reveal: Honor Reclaimed by Tonya Burrows w/#GIVEAWAY

Honor Reclaimed

by: Tonya Burrows

Release Date: 5/27/2014

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Website: http://www.tonyaburrows.com/

Blog: http://www.tonya-burrows.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyaburrows

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyaburrowsauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Tonya_Burrows

Newsletter: http://tonyaburrows.us6.list-manage2.com/subscribe?u=e03d7c5ec1a8fdc67db99bac3&id=3cafb9c112

Author Bio:

Writing has always been my one true love. I wrote my first novel-length story in 8th grade and haven't put down my pen since. I received a B.A. in creative writing from SUNY Oswego and I'm now working on a MFA in popular fiction at Seton Hill University.

When I'm not writing, I spend my time reading, painting (badly), exploring new places, and enjoying time with my family. Give me a good horror movie over a chick flick any day. (And, let's be honest, I'll take a bad horror movie too!) I'm a geek at heart and pledge my avid TV fandom to Supernatural and Doctor Who. I'm also a big fan of The Voice. What can I say? Guilty pleasure.

I share my life with two dogs and a ginormous cat. I'm from a small town in

Western New York, but I suffer from a bad case of wanderlust and usually end up

moving someplace new every few years. Luckily, my animals are all excellent travel buddies.

Synopsis:

Former Marine scout sniper Seth Harlan is new to HORNET and anxious to prove he

can still do his job despite an ongoing battle with PTSD. He remembers all too well what it's like to sit inside an enemy camp, praying for rescue and waiting for death. So when a black ops soldier contacts HORNET to rescue a buddy who was left behind, all sorts of nasty memories strain his newfound

stability. When an interview with a runaway Afghan child bride leads photojournalist Phoebe

Leighton to an arms deal involving a suitcase bomb powerful enough to wipe out a

mid-sized town, she realizes this is one battle she can't win on her own. Forming an unlikely alliance with a ragtag team of military and government delinquents, she meets Seth, a sniper carrying as many emotional scars as physical, who impresses her with his steely will and ignites passions within her

she thought long dead. Suddenly this mission is about a lot more than an abandoned soldier. Racing against the clock, Seth, Phoebe, and the rest of HORNET struggle to stop that bomb before it

reaches it's final destination: The United States.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18594360-honor-reclaimed

Amazon Buy Link: http://amzn.to/1fxVRI1

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/1kSdBWz

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

On Sale Now: Breathtaking-Seven Bestselling Novels of Love and Suspense. w/#GIVEAWAY

Breathtaking: Seven Bestselling Novels of Love and Suspense

Boxed set is only $.99 March 24th through March 29th.

 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords

Breathtaking Book Trailer

Unbelievable by Sherry Gammon Deliah Dreser's in town to take care of family business. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but there's more to Lilah than meets the eye. Cole's in danger of losing his heart when this firestorm throws sparks his way. Is she simply playing him for the fool in order to exact revenge for her brother's murders? Bestselling author Sherry Gammon's reviewers exclaim; "She has a gift for touching her readers with beautiful, gripping stories that you can’t put down."

  Home Before Dark by Christy Barritt Nothing good ever happens after dark. Those were the words country singer Daleigh McDermott’s father always repeated. Now her father is dead, and Daleigh finds a hidden journal hinting that his death was no accident. Small town mechanic Ryan Shields is the only one who seems to believe Daleigh. As the two work to unravel the mystery, it becomes obvious that someone wants them dead. They must rely on each other—and on God—if they hope to make it home before the darkness swallows them whole. Award-Winning Suspense Novelist and Bestselling Amazon Author, touted as "scary, funny, passionate, and quirky" by USA Today.

 

Baggage Claim by Amanda Tru Rachel Saunders is looking forward to her all-expense paid weekend trip to New York. But, when her luggage is lost and she is accosted by an infuriating Homeland Security agent, events take a dangerous turn. Amanda Tru, Bestselling Amazon Author of Romance and Suspense. Discover the author who, as an Amazon reviewer raves, “continues to impress me and dominate my time with a book I can’t put down even after it’s ended.”


  Cassie's Cowboy Crave by Kimberly Krey In a moment of weakness, Shane steals a kiss. In return, Cassie steals his heart… When Cassie is forced to join the witness protection program, she fears her life is over… but then she meets Shane Emerson — the hunky cowboy posing as her husband. Will this sham marriage turn into the real thing, or will a hidden danger put it all at risk? Kimberly Krey writes romance that’s clean without losing the steam. What’s Beyond Forks calls this Best-selling Western Romance author “the master of romantic tension.”

 

A Perfect Fit by Heather Tullis Cami DiCarlo is not happy when her father forces her into heading up guest services at his newest five-star hotel and unveils the existence of four half-sisters at the same time, insisting they live together while they launch the new resort. When she meets Vince, the sweet, sexy landscaper her father would never have approved of, Cami can’t say no. If only she could be sure she is on the right track—and that they will be able to stop the person who is trying to destroy everything.

                                     You Belong with Me by Shannon Guymon
Layla Kendall is a burned out social worker one step away from a major depression. When she and her sisters inherit their grandmother's bakery, she doesn't know if she can trust her good fortune or not. But the chance to be with her sisters and get away from the heartache and pain she's faced day in and day out is a chance she's going to take. With Layla's new life, come new friendships, including Michael Bender, a single dad. She doesn't trust men but Michael's little girl grabs her by the heart and won't let go. Shannon Guymon is an Amazon Bestselling Author of lighthearted and clean romance who according to her many fans, has the ability to paint pictures of her characters so real that readers would know them if they saw them walking down the street.

  Blog This by Cami Checketts Devastated by the loss of her brother, Natasha Senecot exposes the dangers of Matthew Chrysler's violent video games, bankrupting and humiliating him. Chrysler sends a hit man after her. In a race against time, can Natasha expose Chrysler before his assassin murders her family and shatters her world? Bestselling author Cami Checketts has been touted as, "A genius! She writes about topics that aren't widely discussed, and she does such a brilliant job of crafting these things into wonderful stories that touch your heart and remain with you for days afterwards."

a Rafflecopter giveaway