Book Tour Promo: The Star Catcher by Stephanie Keyes

The Star Catcher

Author: Stephanie Keyes

Series: The Star Child #3

Release Date: Fall 2013

Published by: Inkspell Publishing

Summary

Magick and destiny intertwine as he fights to save his kingdom and the goddess he loves.
Her kiss…the feel of her skin…the beat of her heart…For seventeen-year-old Kellen St. James, each memory is marred by a single sentence on a lone strip of paper.

Cali has been taken…

Armed with an amulet that channels the ultimate power of Faerie, Kellen searches for his love. However, control of the amulet’s energy comes with a price, and Kellen soon learns that Cali’s captor has plans for the stone. With the threat of the Star Catcher’s evil looming above Kellen and his kingdom, he’ll have to free the Heart of Faerie and break the curse the binds the Children of Danu to the darkness. But before that, he has to find his real father, the king. No pressure, right?

Kellen and Cali will battle bewitched armies and unknown foes as they fight to stay together. Will Kellen embrace his immortal destiny? Or will his world, and the man he is fated to become, be destroyed by The Star Catcher?

Read the books that started it all... Click on each of the covers below to learn more...

Book 1

Book 1.5

Book 2

Book 3

The Trailer

Interested to learn more about The Star Catcher? Check out the cool trailer from the award-winning, Kristen Kress of BrainFry Productions!

Star Catcher Book Trailer from Brain Fry Productions on Vimeo.

Featured Playlist Song

There is this one part where Gabe and Kellen, linked via telepathic communication, are entering a castle to try and find Kellen's real father, the king. Every door they try leads to danger and they could be wiped out at any moment. While Cali files to keep an unseen force at bay, Kellen searches for the man who could be their last hope. What other band could capture this, but Muse? Supremecy fit the bill perfectly.

Weeds grew from cracks in the stone, sprouting out at odd angles. A low wall sat a hundred yards to my right. Weather or some other element had contributed to a slow crumbling of the wall. Stray bits of it had broken off at some point. At each end of the courtyard stood a door. So you got here. What are you supposed to do? Gabe asked. “I haven’t exactly thought that far ahead.” Nice. “How about I try door number two, then?” I walked toward the door to the right. Turning, the knob, I opened it a crack and then slammed it immediately. I’d barely gotten an image of a raging fire and a face before I’d slammed it shut. What the H was that? “Exactly.” I moved through the courtyard to the other door.

About the Author

Stephanie Keyes has been addicted to Fantasy since she discovered T.H. White as a child and started drumming up incredible journeys in her head. Today, she's still doing the same thing, except now she gets to share those ideas with readers!

When she's not writing, Stephanie is also a graphic designer, international speaker, teacher, musician, avid reader, and Mom to two little boys who constantly keep her on her toes. In addition, she's best friend to her incredible husband of eleven years.

Mrs. Keyes holds an undergraduate degree in Business and Management Information Systems from Robert Morris University and a M.Ed. from Duquesne University. She is a member of the Society For Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), as well as a featured author in the global group of writers, Love a Happy Ending.com.

Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child, After Faerie, The Fallen Stars, and the soon to-be-released finale, The Star Catcher (November 2013), all from by Inkspell Publishing. Mrs. Keyes is hard at work on a new YA Paranormal Romance.

Author Links

The Giveaway

So for this giveaway, we're releasing several cool items. Let me tell you about them!

• 1 The Star Child series E-book Pack (includes all three novels, plus the novelette, After Faerie)
• 2 The Star Catcher e-book
• 1 The Fallen Stars custom faerie bookmark
• 1 The Star Child series swag pack (contains bookmarks, and more!)

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Cover Reveal: The Fire Walker by Nicole R. Taylor

The Fire Walker

Author: Nicole R. Taylor

Series: Devil’s Tattoo #2

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Publication Date: December 16th 2013

Synopsis

Dylan “Dee” Cosgrove is one fourth of Australian band, The Devil’s Tattoo. Loveable, cocky as hell, but one thing is missing. He’s never been in love. He doesn’t want meaningless, he wants meaningful and all he keeps hearing is I’m sorry… Forever the good guy finishing last.

A year after their first tour, The Devil’s Tattoo are making it big in LA recording their next album. For Dee, all he wants is to stand on stage and play. After all, music is his first love. He could care less about the money and the fakery that comes with the LA scene and the big executive types with dollar signs in their eyes. But in walks the woman who is about to obliterate him and she’s one of them. So, what’s a guy to do when one look is all it takes?

Jessie Ware is an intern at Galaxy Records, New York. When she’s asked to go to LA to help her boss schmooze with the latest big thing to come out of Australia, The Devil’s Tattoo, it’s her chance to get her foot firmly wedged into the door. If she can pull this off, then there could be a permanent job in it. But she didn’t count on one thing. Dee Cosgrove and his cocky Australian attitude. He makes her question everything without even trying and it might just push her over the edge… if she doesn’t give her heart to him first.

The more Dee gets to know Jessie, the harder he falls and he’d walk over fire and back to win her over. That’s if she doesn’t deliver him straight into the ranks of the scarred and broken first.

—

The Fire Walker is a companion novel to The Devil’s Tattoo. It has a dose of drama, some colourful language, a HEA and some sex scenes.It’s recommended for readers 18 and up.

Book Trailer

About the Author

Nicole R. Taylor is an Australian born paranormal, fantasy and contemporary fiction author. She is a graduate of the University of Ballarat Professional Writing and Editing programme and is a former music memorabilia sales person and grocery merchandiser. She currently lives in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia with a two year old rescue cat named, Burger. She enjoys reading, writing (of course!), traveling and a little too much chocolate. One day she hopes to sky dive, but has to work up the courage first.

The first in her new paranormal fantasy series, The Witch Hunter Saga is available in e-edition and print from March 20th 2013

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Book Blitz and Giveaway: Reap by Christina Channelle

Reap

Author: Christina Channelle

Release Date: 10/11/13

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance, Novella

Available from:

Synopsis

Foreign, or rather unfamiliar, would be the word I would use to describe how I felt.

Faintly, I could hear the glimmer of voices surrounding me in this dark haze, caressing my ears like skin against silk. I felt like I was in a cocoon of sorts, protectively enveloped, quietly drifting in some far-off place. I wanted to stay that way forever.

But we all know that what you want never really seems to happen in the real world.

Something’s not right in Mia’s head.

The first thing is that her name isn’t Mia. In fact, she has no clue what her name is—who she is. All that she knows is that she’s not like the ones who found her: Dante with his kind blue eyes, Amy with her child-like demeanor, James with his questioning gaze.

And Briggs.

The one she cannot decipher no matter how hard she tries.

As Mia tries to fit in with these people, a strange occurrence is amidst outside. And as she finally remembers who she is …

Well, let’s just say that things get a little more complicated.

Excerpt

I opened my eyes but had to squeeze them shut against the harsh lights. My lids felt swollen, heavy with fatigue. My eyes burned, tears leaking from their corners. It was the most uncomfortable of feelings.

I must have been dreaming.

“Hello?”

Although the word seemed alien to me, almost as if I had never heard it before, I instantly understood its meaning. The voice that had spoken was warm, making me feel as if I were suddenly sitting in front of a fireplace, wrapped in a heavy blanket, flames crackling. The heat of the word practically licked my skin.

Again, I tried opening my eyes, this time a bit more cautiously. Blinking, I slowly adjusted to the artificial lights, now able to see.

I found myself staring back into a pair of bright blue eyes, a look of wariness in their depths. For a brief moment I couldn’t look away as I stared up at him. Then he cleared his throat and glanced away, as if uncomfortable with my gaze. With the spell of his eyes broken, it was then that I noticed I was lying on the ground—no, on hardwood floor. And with not one, but three interested faces peering down at me.

I sat up, then winced at the abruptness of my movement, bringing my hand to the back of my head.

Pain, my mind whispered.

“Careful now.”

I directed my eyes toward the person who had spoken such kind words. It was the first person I had noticed, the one with the blue eyes and the warm voice. His voice was deep and calming, and as I sat there I tried to think of the emotion I should be experiencing. Inhaling softly, I closed my eyes, ignored the painful throb in my head, and waited for the proper term to flutter into my mind.

Gratitude.

“Where did you come from?”

Satisfied I had found the correct word, I opened my eyes again to the voice speaking to me. It was a pleasant voice, reassuring to say the least, and immediately captured my attention.

At that moment, I didn’t notice the black hair atop his head, a striking contrast against his blue eyes that looked like I was staring into an ocean. I didn’t notice that the corners of his eyes crinkled up when he smiled kindly at me, complementing the single dimple in his right cheek. By just looking at him, anyone could tell that he was someone who knew how to laugh. But I didn’t notice any of that.

All those things I would notice later.

About the Author

A dreamer, Christina Channelle holds two degrees in health sciences but has always had a passion for writing. You will find her reading other young adult novels, or typing up a new story on her computer. When not writing, Christina spends her free time at the movies, listening to music, or eating sushi. She’s a reality TV junkie and has a close relationship with many characters on TV that have been a topic of many heated discussions among friends. She resides in Ontario, Canada.

Other Books by Christina Channelle

Blood Crave Series:
Dahlia
Fallen Tears, A Blood Crave Novella
Rowan

Novellas/Short Stories
Dealing With It
Those Four Letter Words
Reap

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Giveaway

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Book Tour: Run For the Roses by Rachel Schieffelbein

Run for the Roses

Author: Rachel Schieffelbein

Release Date: Release 11/2013

Published by: Swoon Romance

Summary

Abigail Conrad has spent her whole life training for one goal: to win the roses at the Arabian Youth Nationals. She’s given up friends, a social life, and doesn’t have time to even think about guys -- much less date!
Now that she’s headed off to college in the fall, it’s her last chance to be a Youth National Champion, and she won’t let anything distract her from that dream.
Except maybe Chase, the older brother of Abigail's biggest rival. He’s charming, funny, and possibly Abigail's biggest problem. How can she focus on riding when her mind keeps wandering to Chase’s green eyes and confident smile?
With her dream on the line, Abigail had better learn to fight her growing attraction to Chase, or she might end up losing the roses and the guy.

Review

Let me start out by saying that this was such a cute story. I don't read a lot of young adult novels or ones with teenagers as the protagonist, but I enjoyed reading this one. Abigail is a sweet girl, and she is full of spunk. She works hard for what she wants, and I find that admirable

I have never seen horse competitions. I've ridden a horse or two in my life, but I don't know much about breeds, keeping a horse clean and happy, or teaching them to do tricks. It's obvious that Rachel Schieffelbein knows all about it, though. Through Abigail, she is able to show her knowledge and ability about horse showing. It isn't so technical that I had problems following it or needed clarification, but it isn't so easily explained that it sounds like sitting on a horse and looking pretty. Rachel does a good job balancing the two and making an uneducated reader follow along with ease.

All of a sudden, this handsome, charming boy walks into Abigail's life, and she doesn't know what to do about it. She really likes him, but he gets in the way of her concentration - not to mention being the brother of Abigail's biggest rival in the horse show world. Like most goal driven women, Abigail has a hard time letting go of control - even if it means love and finally having a boyfriend in her life. She has put so much of her time into her horse. A guy will just get in the way. Or will he?

Run For The Roses is an easy and interesting read. I would definitely suggest it to readers who enjoy YA or stories involving horses or romance.

Rating

About the Author

Rachel grew up in a tiny town in Minnesota. She still lives there, with her husband and their four kids. She coaches high school speech and theater, rides Arabian horses, reads as much as she can, and writes stories.

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Book Blitz and Giveaway: Run for the Roses by Rachel Schieffelbein

Run for the Roses

by Rachel Schieffelbein

Release Date: 11/2013

by Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

Abigail Conrad has spent her whole life training for one goal: to win the roses at the Arabian Youth Nationals. She’s given up friends, a social life, and doesn’t have time to even think about guys -- much less date!

Now that she’s headed off to college in the fall, it’s her last chance to be a Youth National Champion, and she won’t let anything distract her from that dream.

Except maybe Chase, the older brother of Abigail's biggest rival. He’s charming, funny, and possibly Abigail's biggest problem. How can she focus on riding when her mind keeps wandering to Chase’s green eyes and confident smile?

With her dream on the line, Abigail had better learn to fight her growing attraction to Chase, or she might end up losing the roses and the guy.

About the Author

Rachel grew up in a tiny town in Minnesota. She still lives there, with her husband and their four kids. She coaches high school speech and theater, rides Arabian horses, reads as much as she can, and writes stories.

Author Links:

   

***GIVEAWAY***

1 - $10 Starbucks Gift Card & ebook of Run For the Roses (INT)

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Book Blitz and Giveaway: Lost Eden by G.P. Ching

Lost Eden

Series: The Soulkeepers #5

Author: G.P. Ching

Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult

Available from:

Synopsis

Rules. Balance. Consequences. War.

When Fate gave Dane the water from Eden to drink, she did more than save his life. She changed his destiny. Since the beginning, a compact between God and Lucifer has maintained a tenuous peace, balancing Soulkeepers and Watchers and the natural order of things. Dane upset that balance the day he became a Soulkeeper. Fate broke the rules. Now, Lucifer is demanding a consequence, requiring Fate to pay the ultimate price for her involvement. God intervenes on the immortal’s behalf but in order to save her soul must dissolve the compact and with it the rules, order, and balance that have kept the peace. A challenge is issued. A contest for human souls begins. And the stakes? Earth. Winner take all. The Soulkeepers are at the center of a war between Heaven and Hell, and this time, nobody, anywhere, is safe from Lucifer’s reach.

Excerpt

God approached him, the air crackling with her presence. The back of Lucifer’s head glowed brassy in her light. “Very well. What is your suggested price?”

“My price is Fate. She has been in her position far too long. I will choose her replacement, and she will step down.”

“No!” Fatima yelled, her hands flying to cover her foolhardy mouth. Why had she allowed her true feelings to show? Now he’d be even more likely to use those feelings against her.

He turned the force of his stare on her, laughing through a toothy half smile. “Oh yes, Fatima. Perhaps, I will not only choose your replacement but take your soul as my own.” In a blink, he was in her face, his hand on the small of her back. Her skin squirmed beneath his touch. “You are a beautiful sinner. Hell, could use an ornament such as you.”

“Let her go.” A wash of cool light poured through the room, and Lucifer retreated, joints folding unnaturally in his haste for the shadows. “The Watchers who reside on Earth negate your ability to make such a demand. You are in breach of the law, Lucifer. You must return your minions to Nod or Hell.”

“Or what?” Lucifer carefully slithered into the shadow of a bolt of fabric where his eyes could open fully.

“Or the compact is rendered null and void.”

“War.” The word rolled off of his tongue, smooth as melted butter.

About the Author

G.P. Ching is the author of The Soulkeepers Series, Grounded, and a variety of short fiction. She specializes in cross-genre paranormal stories, loves old cemeteries, and enjoys a good ghost tour. She lives in central Illinois with her husband, two children, and one very demanding Brittany Spaniel.

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Malini’s Favorite Things by G.P. Ching

‘Tis the season to give thanks, readers! With the release of book five in the Soulkeepers series, Malini won’t stop talking to me about all of the things she wants you to know. Today, she made me promise to gab about a few of her favorite organizations, the ones she thinks are doing a lot of good in the world.

See, as Healer, Malini is the charitable sort. She’s interested first in helping others. So, for today’s guest post, I’m featuring three charities that Malini endorses as effective Healers of our non-fictional world.

Compassion International: This organization connects sponsors with needy children across the globe to provide basic needs, education, and health care with the goal of lifting them from the cycle of poverty. I know what you’re thinking. How much REALLY gets to the kids. Well, in the case of CI, most of it. The organization has earned the highest rating from Charity Navigator for twelve consecutive years for being one of the most efficiently run charitable organizations out there. Beyond that, I was privileged to have two close personal friends travel to Africa this year to see the results first hand. You can read about their journey here. (The Ching household is privileged to sponsor Juan Daniel from Peru.) http://www.compassion.com

The Carter Center: Former president Jimmy Carter and his wife help lead the Carter Foundation, a charitable organization guided by a fundamental commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering; it seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health.* What I love about the Carter Foundation is they have very specific and obtainable goals and the foundation is achieving measurable results. Take the guinea worm. This parasite once infected 3.5 million people in Africa in 1986. Thanks to the Carter foundation, there were only 542 reported cases in 2012. The Carter Center does not duplicate the efforts of other effective charities and also has the top rating by Charity Navigator. http://www.cartercenter.org/index.html

The Conservation Fund: Malini would certainly be concerned about our planet and I think she’d love what The Conservation Fund is doing. This highly rated charity finds ways to preserve the environment while balancing economic development for sustainable results. The fund has protected 7 million acres across America. http://www.conservationfund.org

Okay, okay. *Slaps Malini’s hands back from the keyboard* Geesh, characters can be so bossy! Malini would also like you to know that anything you do for others, even on the smallest, most personal level, is a form of Healing, and she thanks you for your help. As Mother Theresa once said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

Thank you for visiting today. Malini and I hope you enjoy Lost Eden.

Author Q&A

How did you come up with the idea for the Soulkeepers?

I was talking to a friend about creation stories one day, the one with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and I questioned how the serpent was able to get to the woman. It was supposed to be the safest, most perfect place created by God. When I started to research different interpretations of the creation story based on this questioning, another story started to play out in my brain, one of a boy who didn’t believe in God but would come to play a pivotal role in the battle between Heaven and Hell. That was the birth of the Soulkeepers series.

Tell us about Lost Eden

In Lost Eden, the agreement between God and Lucifer is dissolved as a consequence of Fate making Dane a Soulkeeper. A challenge ensues for human souls. When Lucifer and his Watchers unleash Hell on Earth, the Soulkeepers use Eden as their safe house while attempting to recover Abigail, who is abducted by Lucifer, and help God win the challenge. Unfortunately, new rules mean that even Eden isn’t safe from Lucifer, and it’s just a matter of time before he destroys their last safe haven.

Some reviewers have accused you of trying to manipulate young readers’ belief systems with your books. Is the Soulkeepers an evangelical series?

Absolutely not, although you might call the series religious in the same way the DaVinci Code is religious. There’s nothing wrong with Christian books. I am Christian and proud to be. But when it comes to the Soulkeepers, while the books are based on Judeo -Christian history and mythology (Angels, Watchers, Garden of Eden) and have some Christian themes, they are not prescriptively Christian. The books are about faith in general, friendship, loyalty, redemption, and the power of doing the right thing even when it is difficult.

What do you hope readers take away from your novels?

First and foremost, I want them to be entertained. I write novels to give people a mental break from a stressful world. Beyond that, the story is meant to be life affirming, to give a sense of hope, and to encourage acceptance of self and others.

You took some knocks after the fourth book, Soul Catcher, because it featured a homosexual main character. Do you regret the route you took with that book?

No I don’t regret it. I did receive some hate mail and reviews after book 4. What’s important to me is that I remained true to my story and my characters, their individual triumphs and challenges, and true to myself.

Lost Eden is book five in the series. How many books will there be?

Six. The Last Soulkeeper, will end the series and will be released first quarter 2014.

How does it feel to be wrapping up the series?

I have mixed emotions. When I self-published the Soulkeepers in 2011, I said I’d be happy if I sold one hundred copies. Two years later and I’ve sold hundreds of thousands of copies of the books in this series. The Last Soulkeeper ends the story arc as I imagined it. I believe it will be a complete and fulfilling ending for my readers. However, I’ve lived for two years with these characters in my head. I imagine the release of the sixth book will be like a death in some ways. This book, then, is like the beginning of the end.

Giveaway

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Teaser Tuesday (Nov. 19)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.

• Open to a random page.

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

'Are you going to stare at me forever?' She touched her hair self-consciously. It was piled on top of her head to keep it out of the oily water, and she knew it looked a mess.

Page 209, Dark Predator by Christine Feehan