Win a Kiss!

Enter to win a kiss...sort of ;} Cindy is giving away a paperback copy OR and eCopy of Cindy Hogan's novel First Kiss! Winner's choice. International winner will receive an eBook)

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18164586-first-kiss

Purchase: 

Amazon. Only .99 cents:
http://www.amazon.com/First-Confessions-16-Year-Old-Virgin-ebook/dp/B00DRYOYT4/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_i

Author links:

Blog: http://cindymhogan.blogspot.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Watched-The-Book-By-Cindy-M-Hogan/185737298139932

Author interview questions

We are here celebrating your newest releases: First Kiss and Stolen Kiss. 
How have you liked writing a serial and how's it different from a series? 

It's been harder than I anticipated, but I love a challenge. The best way to get a grasp on serials is to think about a season of your favorite TV series. Each season has 6-11 episodes that make up the season. Each episode stands on its own, but is also connected to the entire season.

So, the name of my new series is Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips and the first episode is called First Kiss. The second episode is called Stolen Kiss.

The third episode is called Rebound Kiss and will be out in the next week or two.

 How long have you been writing books?

I started my first book, Watched, that you can pick up for free during this book blitz at your favorite eBook retailer, about six years ago.

Once that became a bestseller, I didn't have time to be a great teacher and a great writer, so I quit teaching. Which, was really hard. I loved being a high school teacher, mostly because I got to hang out with awesome teens all day.

What do you love to write about?

Is there anything more fascinating than teenagers? Seriously, the unpredictable nature of teens makes for great stories. I love the idea of putting sixteen to eighteen year olds get into extraordinary circumstances and seeing what they do.

What's the hardest thing about writing?

You're probably going to laugh, but I think the hardest thing is

getting names for my characters.

How do you plan out your books?

When I come up with a new story idea, I usually know the beginning and the end- that's it. I don't outline my stories, I just write what comes to me during a short brainstorming session each day.

How do you make your scenes so real?

I always go and visit the places that my books are set. Last year I went to Belgium and took copious notes and a million pictures before writing Created. I also visited Washington, DC, Helena, Montana, and Niceville, Florida before writing Watched and Protected. This year I traveled to New York and France for the two books I'm working on right now.

I lived in Roseburg, Oregon where Adrenaline Rush is set and I also lived in Tennessee where Gravediggers is set. We traveled to both places last year to make sure the setting was correct for both books.

You may think I love to travel, but really, it's Bill, my husband who has a love affair with travel.

What do you like to read?

I mostly read YA books, but I also love adult mystery and suspense novels.

Do you have children?

I have two teenage girls. They are so fun to be with. They inspire me. My oldest daughter inspired the serial, Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips

My husband also inspires me by coming up with some of the best ideas. The idea for Gravediggers came from him.

I'm waiting for my out-of-control dog to inspire me instead of make me crazy.

What's next?

I have 2 books coming out in October: Adrenaline Rush and Gravediggers. Adrenaline Rush is a YA suspense novel with a dash of romance and Gravediggers is a YA mystery novel with a dash of romance.

The covers of those two novels will be revealed soon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win a paperback copy of Unlovable + Unbelievable

Welcome to the Books to Movies hop! My novel Unlovable is being made into a move. I am super excited. To celebrate I'm giving away Paperback copies of Unlovable and Unbelievable: Books one and two in the Port Fare Series, to ONE lucky winner! 

(USA only, eBooks will be awarded to an international winner)

 UNLOVABLE: Book 1 of the Young Adult Port Fare Series

High school senior Maggie Brown is truly the poster child for Heroin Chic, complete with jutting bones and dark-ringed eyes. But drugs are not Maggie's problem... her mother is.
Maggie’s struggling with her growing feelings for the new guy at school, Seth Prescott, and fears he is just another person who will let her down, like everyone in her life has done thus far.
Seth Prescott is an undercover cop assigned to Port Fare High, and despite his job, he’s developed strong feelings for Maggie.

Seth’s working tirelessly to flush out the sadistic drug peddlers that have invaded the small town of Port Fare, New York, while Maggie fights to stay alive as the search turns deadly. Seth and Maggie’s romantic journey is one of humor, heartbreak and self-discovery as their world is about to change forever.

Unbelievable: Book 2 of the Young Adult Port Fare Series

Deliah Lopez 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? 
• Will Maggie and Seth's reaction when the truth is revealed push friendship to the limit? 
• Does Booker believe Lilah?

This time around it won't be a Dreser causing an uproar in Port Fare:It will
be Booker. But does he have it all wrong? Usually not!

Enter here and  check out the rest of the hope!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

REMEMBER IF YOU DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BLOG FOLLOW NAME AND FACEBOOK NAME BELOW in the comment section you will be disqualified!!! (Sorry! To many people cheat on these things anymore and it's not fair to the ones who are being honest!
<!-- end LinkyTools script –>

Win A Change of Plans in audio!

Donna K. Weaver is so excited about the release of the audio book of her adventure romance A Change of Plans that she and her publisher, Rhemalda, are hosting a giveaway. 

(Check out my review of A Change of Plans Here!)

And there can be two winners!

When Lyn sets off on her supposedly uncomplicated and unromantic cruise, she never dreams it will include pirates. All the 25-year-old, Colorado high school teacher wants to do is forget that her dead fiancé was a cheating scumbag. Lyn plans a vacation diversion; fate provides Braedon, an intriguing surgeon. She finds herself drawn to him: his gentle humor, his love of music, and even his willingness to let her take him down during morning karate practices. Against the backdrop of the ship's make-believe world and temporary friendships, her emotions come alive. 

However, fear is an emotion, too. Unaware of the sensitive waters he's navigating, Braedon moves to take their relationship beyond friendship--on the very anniversary Lyn is on the cruise to forget. Lyn's painful memories are too powerful, and she runs from Braedon and what he has to offer.

It’s hard to avoid someone when stuck on the same ship, and the pair finds themselves on one of the cruise's snorkeling excursions in American Samoa. Paradise turns to piracy when their party is kidnapped and Lyn's fear of a fairytale turns grim. Now she must fight alongside the man she rejected, first for their freedom and then against storms, sharks, and shipwreck.

AUDIBLE | AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fun Blog Hop

I'm part of a fun blog hop with a few other Authors.  You can learn about my current WIP (Work In Progress) and discover new authors!

         1. What are you working on right now? I am editing two books right now. Unbearable, Booker's story of my Port Fare Series. I am also part of a Christmas anthology with Cindy Bennett and Stephanie Fower, and I'm editing my short story, Loving Marigold for that! I recently finished another novel with two other authors, Cindy Bennett and Jeff Moore,  a speculative fiction novel titled The Experiment. (More info and the covers for these two books below!)

2. How does it differ from other works in its genre? My Port Fareseries is contemporary Young Adult (YA) fiction. Loving Marigold is a fantasy story involving a witch! I have loved writing fantasy. I'd like to write a full length fantasy novel!

3. Why do you write what you do? I enjoy the YA genre. It is a fun, exciting genre. I would like to try my hand at Chic Lit also. Maybe someday soon!!

4. How does your writing process work? I outline the story, breaking down what will happen in each chapter, then I write and change everything, LOL! That beings said, I still like to outline. It helps me stay focused and hopefully avoid writers block. Then I send it through my critique group of amazing authors, fix the errors and publish! I also redo the cover half a million times!

Thanks Mikey Brooks for allowing me to be part of this blog hop!

Author Mikey Brooks: 
http://writtenbymikey.blogspot.com

Author Stacy Lynn Carroll:
www.stacylynncarroll.com 

Author Joyce P. Smith:
 http://zanygsworld.blogspot.com/

Author Danyelle Leafty:

http://myth-takes.blogspot.com/

Author Monique Bucheger: 

http://moniquebucheger.blogspot.com/

Marigold Yarrow has a secret. She also is in love with Jack Mahoney. Jack's family moved to Port Fare, New York,leaving the small town of Sugar Maple, West Virginia behind. And Marigold. Nine years later they meet up again. This time will fate smile down on them or will magic tear them apart?

Time is running out for the Collaborative's oppressive rule of the remote world Senca One. The government attempts to suppress the escalating riots, even while seeking to further their experiments. When their parents are taken, triplets Juliet, Cilla, and Emiah Tripp set out to locate them, and soon discover they are at the center of a hunt to capture them. 

Chris Aston Kutcher

Never been a fan...till now! Thank you, Chris!

Awakening: Book One of The Geis by Christy Dorrity

First, I'd like to say, LOVE this cover, and secondly: LOVE this cover!! Her husband designed it, and he is NOT a graphic artist (though in my opinion me may want to take up a side job because I LOVE this cover: Did I say that already ;}} Anyway, the book looks amazing, and if you can judge a book by it's cover, I'd say this book is going to be great!! Best of luck, Christy!

 BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:

Awakening: Book One of The Geis by Christy Dorrity
Publication date: September 24th 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis:

. . .because some Celtic stories won’t be contained in myth.

A little magic has always run in sixteen-year-old McKayla McCleery’s family—at least that’s what she’s been told. McKayla’s eccentric Aunt Avril travels the world as a clairvoyant for the FBI, and her mother can make amazing delicacies out of the most basic of ingredients. But McKayla doesn’t think for a second that the magic is real—it’s just good storytelling. Besides, McKayla doesn’t need magic. She just moved to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming, and already she has an amazing best friend, a solo in her upcoming ballet recital, and the gorgeous guy in her physics class keeps looking her way.

 When an unexpected fascination with Irish dance leads McKayla to seek instruction from the mute, crippled, janitor at her high school, she learns that her family is not the only one with unexplained abilities.

After Aunt Avril comes to the valley in pursuit of the supernatural killer that she has been chasing her entire career, people in the valley begin disappearing, and the lives of those McKayla holds most dear are threatened. When an ancient curse, known as a geis, awakens powers that defy explanation, McKayla is forced to come to terms with what is real and what is fantasy.

A thrilling first novel, Awakening is a gripping contemporary fantasy rife with magic, romance, and mystery.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18074584-awakening?ac=1

AUTHOR BIO:
Christy Dorrity lives in the mountains with her husband, five children, and a cocker spaniel. She grew up on a trout ranch in Star Valley, Wyoming, and is the author of The Book Blogger’s Cookbooks. Christy is a champion Irish dancer and when she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.

Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Twitter

PS Love Giselle of Xpresso books also!!

--

Giselle Cormier

Xpresso Book Tours

Xpresso Reads

My review of Sink or Swim

Sink or Swim Blog Tour

Blurb:

There are some things you just can't walk away from.

When sleeping in vacant warehouses and dark alleys becomes preferable to living at home, something is seriously wrong. But when word reaches Allie that her mother is facing a life threatening illness, she has no choice but to return to the place of nightmares. Leaving wasn't a choice, it was a necessity, and if returning hadn't been equally necessary, Allie never would have set foot back inside that hell-hole.

Dean is no stranger to hardship, but the day Allie walked out of his life, taking his heart right along with her, was hands-down the most frustrating. Six months later, she's back and Dean refuses to rest until he figures out exactly what the hell happened.

Now, Allie's drowning. Drowning in lies. Drowning in the truth. Drowning in pain, and anger, and fear. But there comes a time when every drowning person must decide whether they will . . . Sink or Swim?

My Thoughts:

Jamie’s writing is exceptional. Her heroes are awesome, both the guy and the girl. Allie is one tough girl who puts love above her own safety. Impressive. And she has a lot of sass! She is caring for a sickly mother while enduring a sicko father.

Dean is awesome! Every girl should have a Dean in their life. Sexy, giving, self-sacrificing.

I hate spoilers, so I will try to be as general as possible here and still give my opinion

Allie's life is horrible. And it is getting worse as she is losing her struggle to, well, survive.  I hated the father and even the mother in his story. The father because he is a foul loathsome creature. And the mother because she is a spineless nit. Yes, she too has been through a lot, but seriously, Allie's YOUR KID!! Neither of them deserve Allie. Dean, on the other hand, definitely deserves her. (Insert swoon here)

Sink or Swim is the sequel to Fight or flight, another great book by Jamie, though both novels are stand-alone stories. Jamie is a wonderful and talented author and I have enjoyed ALL of her work.

*A note of caution: While other works by Jamie have few cuss words, such is not the case for Sink or Swim, and Jamie has noted this on her Amazon page! (Kudo's to you, Jamie!) There is profuse use of the F-bomb, along with other swearing. I have to say I found it excessive and distracting. I feel this novel falls best into the NA (New Adult) category over say Young Adult. While my job is not to decide if an F-bomb is necessary in a story, I do, however, feel the need to give the heads up since a lot of young readers follow this blog.

SINK or Swim is a touching, tear-jerking novel, by one of my favorite authors! Congrats Jamie!!

Amazon link for Sink or Swim

Author Bio:

Jamie Canosa is a full time author of YA literature, which she absolutely loves. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she can usually be found with her nose in a book. She currently resides in Ravena, NY with her wonderful husband and three crazy kids . . . plus the dog, the bird and the rabbit.

Author links:

Facebook 
blog
GR
Twitter-

Other books by Jamie:

Fight or Flight
Dissidence 
Vengeance (Dissidence #2)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Awesome Trailer