Friday, November 30, 2012

Christmas Books Giveaway Hop



"Christmas Books" Giveaway Hop
December 1st to 7th
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Laurie Here



Tis the Christmas season and time to giveaway some great Christmas reads. I'm giving away my very favorite Christmas story, open internationally. Up for grabs is a beautiful copy of A Christmas Carol. This is a brand new book, bought especially for this giveaway. Just my way of saying thanks to all my followers and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.





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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Veer




Title: Veer
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy
Publisher: Self Published

Blub:
Only when you let go can you learn to live.
Between the death of her mother and pushing through law school without her best friend, it's been a tough year for Becca. Needing a break from Boston, she moves to a tiny coastal North Carolina town for a relaxing summer. After bumping heads repeatedly with a local cop, she realizes her summer will be anything but quiet.
Three years after a career ending injury ruins his chance to play Major League Baseball, Gavin has a distrust of northerners and lately girls in general. He wants nothing to do with a girl who is only in town for the summer.
When the two give in to their impossible attraction, they realize that they may just have found the key to freeing themselves from the ghosts of their pasts.

Buy Links:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo Books

Media Links:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads




About Alyssa Rose Ivy




Alyssa Rose Ivy is a Young Adult and New Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.


Up for grabs is a great international giveaway of books plus a lot of swag:





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Silenced Cover Reveal

Estimated Release: Early 2013
Genre: YA

Description:

Amber Brown spent her entire existence believing Dave was her father. When her mother reveals this is untrue, she goes through an emotional spiral with depression. It's hard for her to believe her mother had lied to her all this time.

A move to a new home and town causes Amber to be consumed by her "darkness" and reverts to cutting to free herself from her pain.

When Casey, her new friend enters her life, she introduces Amber to parties, drugs, and Amber's new boyfriend Landon. The secret of cutting begins to take affect on Amber as she tries to hide it from her friends and family. In the mist of everything, Amber has the desire to find out who her biological father is.

Follow Amber through her trials of depression and cutting, along with the discovery of love.



Author Links
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter
Website

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Casual Vacancy

The Casual VacancyThe Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I'm not quite sure what I expected from Rowling's first novel for adults, but this was not it. I am torn in my opinion of it as there were things I liked but overall its not a book I enjoyed reading. It is certainly not a book for everyone. And its not one that I will ever read over again. But, it is one that will probably stay with me forever. They say that art imitates life, and in this case it definitely does. But not the beatiful day at the beach picture, but the ugly side of humanity.

The book begins with the death of Barry Fairbrother, the main character. Even though he is deceased he plays a main part throughout the book. His life touched so many that even after he has passed his legacy lives on. Fairbrother occupied a seat on the council and with his death creates a casual vacancy. There is a scramble where each side tries to fill his seat and in the process all of their dirty laundry is aired. Pagford is filled with characters from all areas of life from the wealthy to the poor and drug addicted. And all the teens seem to be troubled.

The characters all seemed to be so real. Not just one or two of the main characters, but all of them were so well developed that you felt as though you were seeing through their eyes. However, the overall story seemed to have no point. We saw life in a small town where everyone has problems. I can see that in the small town that I live in. If you are looking for a happy ending, look elsewhere. It doesn't really end anywar, the story just seems to stop.

Overall, I liked it, sort of. It was well written, the characters were very real. But its not something that just grabs you and won't let you go. It worms its way in and haunts you when its over. I can't recommend this to anyone looking for an easy fun read. Its difficult to get into this book. I am glad that I read it, but there will be no re-reading this one.



View all my reviews

Resisting Fate Cover Reveal




Title: Resisting Fate
Series: Book One in The Right of Blood Series
Author: Marie De La Rosa
Published: Coming in 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal
Cover Art: Claudia McKinney - PhatPuppy Creations

Synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Araina was your normal teenager or at least she believed that to be true. She had only two things on her mind: graduating high school and getting away from home to start a life all on her own. But after a tragic accident claims the life of her mother, Araina is left dumbfounded and finds herself on a much different path: enrolling in the local college in Austin. Convinced that her mother’s death was no accident, she becomes obsessed with finding out the truth, and becomes disconnected from everything around her in the process.
That is … until she meets Lucca.
Lucca is the captain of the Resistance: an elite group sworn to protect Araina. He knows the truth about her mother’s death and the future attempts that will be made on Araina’s life due to her being the great-granddaughter of Leto, mother of Artemis and Apollo, which is why it is important he follow the one rule given to him: Don’t get too attached.
It is his job to gain her trust and somehow reveal her true lineage and what the fates have in store for her. Araina is about to be thrown into a world she never knew and will have to come to terms with the role she will play in the Resistance.
Will she stand up and fight or will she lose the one thing everyone has been trying to protect?
Her Life.

About the Author:
Marie De La Rosa holds a degree in Graphic Design and has returned to college in hopes
of obtaining a degree in Criminal Justice. With a passion for reading and writing, she excelled in Advanced Placement classes during high school but always considered writing a hobby up until now. Marie is perhaps more well-known for her reviews on the Paranormal Reads and Lunar Haven Reviews & Designs book blogs.
Marie is currently working on her debut YA Paranormal novel Resisting Fate, book one in The Right of Blood Series. The series is set to be released in 2013.
When not reviewing or working on Graphic Design projects, Marie can be found at her day job, out and about with a camera in her hand, or working to finish her book. Look for more information to come in the future.




Excerpt:
He walked the path back to the house they were using as their headquarters at the moment; though it wasn’t much on the outside the inside made up plenty for it. As he walked in through the door he stopped and looked to the right to stare at his own reflection. Heavy bags hung under his eyes, his tan skin was much duller and his black hair a mess.
“You need to get rest. Huntir and I have everything set up so take this opportunity to gather your strength. Wearing yourself out like this will not be beneficial in guarding her.”
Lucca turned to his older brother Matteo, surprised that he had arrived so soon. “I know, I will go take a shower and get rest, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.” He passed Matteo but not before laying his hand on his brother's shoulder as if silently reassuring him not to worry and that he was fine. Though his brother had pointed out his need for rest, his mind was running around with too many unanswered questions with no way to solve them. But one question he kept going back to was always the same, the one that would matter most in the end.
When he finally reveals the truth to her will she rise from her sorrow and be the savior they needed her to be? Or will she turn away and go into hiding like her mother did and suffer the same fate? As he got to the top of the stairs, without turning around he asked, “Why did you arrive ahead of schedule brother?” he waited for his brother to reply, a heavy silence floated between the two. He did not expect the next few words that came out of his brother’s mouth.
“We have verification on who killed Aella.”

Glow in the Dark


Thanks to author Keira Kroft for stopping by the Cotton Patch on her blog tour and offering such a great giveaway. Prizes include ten (10) eBook copies of Glow in the Dark. These will be distributed by the publisher. Giveaway is International.

Title: Glow in the Dark
Author: Keira Kroft
Published: Decadent Publishing – April 2011
Word Count: Approx. 81,000
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Recommended Age: 18 due to some adult content

Synopsis:
Determined to be out from under her mother’s ruling and away from a no-good soon-to-be ex-boyfriend, Corey Nolan exercises her independence. With a place to call her own and a job that doesn’t pay well but makes her happy, her life is full and her young daughter is content. There is no room for distractions, until she meets a local firefighter—who stirs an immediate forbidden attraction. In need of control, she tries to ignore Jake Gilroy, but circumstances bring her closer to him when someone is hell-bent on destroying her.

Dutiful playboy Jake is known as the smoking hot fireman. The first time he sets eyes on Corey, he knows he wants her. But when threats and strange occurrences start to happen, he finds the need to protect her and give more than he’s ever given any other woman.

Being together becomes more than they bargained for when their desire for each other becomes a matter of life and death….

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads | Decadent Publishing


Excerpt:
Jake slid his fingers down her arm and across her wrist. A spark lit through her. She gasped and her gaze locked with his. She made no attempt to draw away. Corey couldn’t…she didn’t want to.
“How is it?” He glanced at her scraped and bruised elbow.
Coming out of the trance, she lifted her arm and showed him the slight injury. “Oh, it’s fine.”
“I would have been over sooner, but the other guys got you, and I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed.”
Corey couldn’t conjure up a response. What he said, and how he said it, turned her knees to jelly. She felt like the high school girl who was just noticed by the popular jock. She couldn’t stop staring at his soft, dark brown eyes, even though a sensible voice in her head told her to just walk away and forget him.
“I’m very sorry. But I really have to go.” She peeked around his massive chest to the men beyond. “It was so nice meeting you guys,” she called over, waving. She turned to pick up her bike, then pushed it along and hopped on.
“Stop by anytime,” she heard Jake yell behind her.
She smiled but didn’t turn around. Glancing at her watch, she’d realized she was supposed to have started her first day of work eight minutes ago. Fear made her pedal faster.
She hoped she hadn’t lost the job already. But what if she did? How would she pay rent? How would she feed Molly?


About the Author:
Keira carries a vet assistance degree. Her love for animals is as great as her love of
people. She gives a percentage of her personal book sale profits to the animal welfare league. Residing in a quiet suburb in the outskirts Chicago with her husband and daughter she spends any spare time she has working with her cats Scamper and Sawyer, to achieve total world domination, one shared Twinkie at a time. Her passions include Reading, Writing, Football, Comic Books and Family.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Blog


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First Time: The Legend of Garison Fitch




First Time: The Legend of Garison Fitch

"What if history didn't happen that way ... the first time?"

Garison Fitch was one of the most revered scientists in the Soviet Americas until he left fame behind to work on a secret project in his log cabin in the mountains of Marx.

But something went wrong. Instead of traveling interdimentionally, Garison has traveled through time ... twice.

Now, he's in something called "The United States of America" and a woman he's never met before is calling herself his wife. It it a hoax? Or, has he somehow changed history?

If so, can he return the world to what he believes is "normal", or must he live in this strange world he created?


Purchase


Praise:

"Sam continues to weave his magic as a storyteller. I always find myself anxious to find out what will happen next and what kind of twist will befall the adventurers. It helps to be familiar with the places that the heroines go, which adds to the story."

~Labdaddy, Texas

"I've had a few very unproductive but enjoyable days thanks to Samuel Ben White. If you haven't read Sam's books you have been missing a treat. These were funny, suspenseful, spiritual and kept you turning the pages."

~Karen S.

"Just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed your books. I have a Kindle and I have purchased all of the Garison Fitch novels. I am in Saudi Arabia and your books have really helped take me away from here."

~Scott, Saudi Arabia

Also Part of the Series:


Saving Time

Two years ago Garison Fitch traveled through time and rewrote history. An accident in
the eighteenth century created a whole new world, and even gave Garison a wife he had never met before. Now, he’s got a daughter and he’s coming to enjoy this world he created. Until he’s attacked by men masquerading as Indians, and a funeral procession from out of the past enlists his help, and a tree grows from sappling to full-grown in a matter of minutes, threatening his daughter’s very life. Time itself is unraveling and Garison’s trips through time seem to be the cause. Garison must go back in time once again and keep himself from making the original trip that started the problem. But he can’t use his time machine to go back. How does one sew up a rip in time?



Lost Time

Jason Kerrigan and Brownwyn Dalmouth are pilots with the Republic of Texas Army Air Corps. A world war is going on and bombs have just brought an end to Crockett Air Field in south Texas. Jason and Bronwyn, though, are called away from the battle to be test pilots for a new aircraft that-they're told-will bring the war to an end. The experimental craft lives up to expectations in early tests, but then it lands them somewhere it never should have sent them. Another place? Another time? Another dimension? Somehow, they've taken a trip to the future and changed the past. Or did they? The answer to their change of reality may be known to a Justice of the Peace in Colorado named Garison Fitch. To figure it out, though, Garison may have to team up with his least favorite person: Bat Garrett.



Purchase

Kindle * Nook * Smashwords


Author Samuel Ben White

Samuel Ben White (“Sam” to his friends) is the author of the national newspaper comic
strip “Tuttle’s” (found at www.tuttles.net) and the on-line comic book “Burt & the I.L.S.” (found at www.destinyhelix.com). He is married and has two sons. He serves his community as both a minister at a small church and a chaplain with hospice. In addition to his time travel stories, Sam has also written and published detective novels, a western, three fantasy novels and four works of Christian fiction.


Links

Twitter * Facebook * Website

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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Interview With Author Mike Ronny

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a copywriter, freelancer and lifelong resident of the Boston area. Last November I

came across a newspaper article about the independent book publishing business, and it sounded like a dream come true. I immediately went to work creating some ebooks.


How long have you been writing and what kinds of genre do you write?

I’ve been writing since grammar school. It’s been a favorite pastime for as long as I can remember, a fun way to make time fly by. My main genre is the humorous short story, though some of my stories are also suspenseful, while others are nostalgic and poignant to some degree.


Do you only write short stories? Or have you written longer novels?

I’ve never written a novel, only short stories, and don’t have any
plans at this moment for a novel. Still, I wouldn’t rule out writing a
longer work. I admire novelists, and certainly one of the great
pleasures in life is having a novel in your hands that you just can’t
put down.


Is there a certain place that you prefer to write? Or draw inspiration
for your writing?


I like to write at my desk in the apartment. But I try to draw
inspiration from everywhere I go. You never know where you might
encounter a situation that you could fit into a story: the dentist’s
office, the barber shop, anyplace you’re free to listen to others’
conversations. (I guess some people would call that eavesdropping!)


Do you listen to music when you write?

No, never. I know many people like to write to their favorite songs,
but for some reason I find it easier to write to silence.


What writers have influenced you?

There are many, but my strongest influences are probably Mark Twain,
E.B. White and Ray Bradbury. I love Twain’s tartness and skepticism,
White’s poetic sentences and Bradbury’s almost childlike enthusiasm
for such subjects as dinosaurs and space travel.


Please tell us a bit about your books.



Right now I have 7 ebooks for sale on Amazon fictional stories
ranging in length from 10 to 40 pages. My only goal for each book is
to give the reader an enjoyable experience: some laughs, some tension,
maybe a sad moment. Hopefully, readers will find these stories
companionable for long plane trips or stormy nights at home.


How long did it take to write each book?

I probably worked on each story for a month or so, whenever I could
find the time. However, some of these books are based on stories that
I wrote in high school or college, so that made the writing process go
faster.


Who designs the cover art for your books?

Maux Gitto (‘Maux’ is short for Maureen), an artist from Los Angeles. Maux also produced the font and came up with the idea of having a catchy tagline for each book. Her covers are sensational; I hope Maux does all my covers in the future.


Do you have any other projects in mind at this time?

My plan is to write and release a few new stories every year. I have a bunch of vague ideas for storylines – one’s about a nighttime security guard at a haunted shopping center – but no solid outlines yet.


If you could have dinner with any person, from now or from history,
who would it be?


It might be a common answer, but I’d have to say Abraham Lincoln. He wasn’t only a great historical figure, but also one of the all-time great writers. And he was a really funny person, too, with just this
unimaginable collection of anecdotes in his head.


Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Just to say thank you for hosting me, Flora, and keep up the great blogging. I find your posts inspirational.

Awww, thanks Mike. I appreciate that. I hope you stop by often.

Thanks again for letting me do this interview.

My pleasure!

Monday, November 26, 2012

Dreaming of Summer Giveaway Hop



Its the time of year we are wishing for warmer weather and dreaming about summer. Up for grabs in this Dreaming of Summer Giveaway Hop hosted by Me, My Shelf and I & I Am A Reader Not A Writer! is my copy of Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms: Magic, Mystery, & a Very Strange Adventure. Its brand new, only been read once, and would make a great gift. While its true this isn't a beach read, its set in the summer when young Stuart Horten has a wonderful adventure. This is a great read for those who are young or young at heart. You can find my review here.






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Reviving Bloom


I would like to thank author Michelle Turner for sending us an excerpt from her new book Reviving Bloom and for offering such a great giveaway. Prizes include three (3) eBook copies of Reviving Bloom via Smashwords coupon. Giveaway is International.

Title: Reviving Bloom
Author: Michelle Turner
Published: Self Published – October 3rd, 2012
Word Count: Approx. 61,000
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Synopsis:
Bloom was abandoned by her mother at birth, but thanks to her dad she never once felt unloved. When he is killed in a car wreck, leaving her without any close family, she spends a year mourning him. Her heart has been cut out of her chest and nothing is left but an empty hole that she doesn’t think will ever heal. Then one night after work she finds a wounded dog in the woods behind her house and takes him in, not realizing he’s more than just some stray dog but a wolf shifter, who happens to be her mate.

Pike is getting over the loss of his father by running full force away from his responsibilities. He’s getting ready to go back to face his new position as the Alpha of his pack when he catches the scent that can only belong to his mate.

When Bloom finds out she may not be the normal human she always thought herself to be, she’s forced to search out the woman who abandoned her at birth.

Amazon | Smashwords | GoodReads

Excerpt:
“Pike, I’m far from perfect,” I sigh, hiding my face back behind the door under the pretense of gathering the cooking supplies. I hear him hop down seconds before I feel his arms wrap around my waist.
His lips pressed to my ear and he whispers, “In my opinion you’re perfect and anyone that disagrees will have to answer to me.” Moving his mouth farther down to the crook in my neck he breathes, “Though you should know this little freckle right here might be the reason you are so perfect.” Then he takes my breath away by planting those deliciously kissable lips right on that freckle. I grab the counter in front of me and slam my eyes closed, praying for him to only move those lips if he’s going to take them from my neck to put them on my mouth, and for the first time since this madness began I thank the lord he can read my thoughts because he spins me around and gives me exactly what I was praying for.
He starts gently but when I throw my arms around his neck digging my fingers into his raven hair his lips become demanding and I part my lips so he can join his tongue with mine. We can’t get close enough, can’t get enough, and in that moment I feel fairly certain I’ll never be able to get enough of this man in my arms. His kisses taste sweeter than hot chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, and hot fudge sundaes combined.

About the Author:

Michelle is a 28 year old native Ohioan. Go Buckeyes! She lives with her husband and

son. When she isn't spending time with her family or working you can find her with her nose stuck in a good book. On October 3, 2012 she released her first book as an independent author, Reviving Bloom.

Facebook | GoodReads



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Saturday, November 24, 2012

Underneath


Underneath


A thriller by Michael Cargill

Look at the person sitting just across from you. It doesn't matter whether they’re a loved one, a friend, or a complete stranger.

Now look at their face. Are they happy? Are they sad? Or are they angry? Can you even tell?

How well do you actually know the people closest to you?

Have you ever seen the real person that lies just underneath what you see...?


 
 
 
Where to purchase this book:
Smashwords
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble

About the author: Michael works in IT by day, and has heard the words “Yuck, I hate computers” more times than he cares to count. Although generally a fan of thriller-suspense stories, he is also something a WWII enthusiast. By this, he means that he likes reading about WWII; he has no desire to travel back in time, and actually be a WWII soldier. Everything was black and white back in those days, so telling the difference between a blood stain, and a coffee stain is almost impossible. Michael is a new author, and he published his first story in mid-2011. Underneath is his debut novel, and he cites Stephen King, John Grisham, and James Herbert as influences. Michael is as much a humorist as he is a novelist, and his website is chock full of hilariously irreverent and sarcastic articles. Anyone looking to sample his work, should check out Shelter from Thunder. It is short, and available for free on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble. Interestingly, he thinks that authors should be more willing to embrace piracy. He uploaded his own work to numerous torrent sites, and links to them are available on his website.

Links and stuff: Website Facebook Twitter - @MichaelCargill1

Excerpt

For most of the night he was friendly, charming and flirty. A couple of times, however, she thought she saw something unsettling and sinister about him. It was something she would never be able to actually explain, but it was as if she had seen another person somewhere underneath his pleasant exterior. Someone who was snarling at her. Ready to pounce. To smash her face, again and again, against the table if she didn’t give him what he wanted. Or worse. However, it was nothing more than a glimpse that she saw out the corner of her eye, and when she looked back it was gone. It was just Hugh sitting there, smiling and laughing as he always did. She put it down to nerves, and the fact that she was in an unfamiliar place with a man she had only met the other day; the wine was also clouding her judgement. After a while, she felt completely at ease in his company. Later on, they went to another venue that had a dance floor. He whispered in her ear that he also found the absence of her brassiere very liberating. She laughed, and playfully slapped his hands away. They walked back to his apartment, sliding across one or two car bonnets on the way. It was late and dark when they got to the complex, so there was no-one hanging around outside, but Hugh didn’t even notice. He was too busy giving Abigail a piggy back to care about anything else. As they took the lift up to his floor, in the mirror’s reflection Abigail thought she saw that sinister look on Hugh’s face once more. Yet when she looked back, it was gone. The lift doors opened and when they stepped out, Abigail saw some straws lying on the floor of the corridor. She yelped in delight, and kicked at two that were lying right next to each other. One of them shot off across the floor, whilst the other one looped up into the air and hit her on the forehead. She screamed with laughter. Hugh couldn’t help, but smile. “Where the bloody hell did they come from?” she asked.

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Friday, November 23, 2012

Dark Halo


Thanks to author Christopher Kokoski for stopping by the Cotton Patch and giving us this interesting interview with Landon Paddock, a character in his book Dark Halo.

Dark Halo by Christopher Kokoski
genre: paranormal thriller
334 pages

In a town besieged by shadowy, demonic forces, a father races against time to save his family.
Thirty-five-year old Landon Paddock has deserted his wife and daughter, abandoned his business, and secluded himself in his late parent’s southern Indiana ranch. But he’s barely lapsed into a drunken coma when a mysterious, winged stranger appears during a violent lightning storm, chasing him out into the maddening night with his estranged 15-year old daughter.
As layer after layer of reality is dissolved by a series of violent encounters, the only way to survive might be for Landon to band together with the family he destroyed to make one last stand against a sinister army of unthinkable magnitude.

Awaken


Thanks to author Kristen Day for sending us an excerpt from her book Awaken and offering a great giveaway. The prizes up for grabs are 7 copies of Forsaken and Awaken (winners will get both), a Stasia inspired original necklace and a Finn inspired original necklace.


Teaser #4

Directly in front of us was the quintessential haunted house of childhood nightmares and horror movies, positioned on a decrepit acre of dead leaves. The ragged branches of a lone live oak tree had been stripped of its foliage, which now lay below. No other trees on the island had begun to lose their leaves yet, and the stark contrast chilled me to the bone. Once you were able to move past the layer of brown leaves and the overgrown stone path that used to be a driveway, the main attraction took your breath away.
The Victorian style manor was extremely out of place on an island of beach homes. Its majestic wraparound porch had been warped by the destructive forces of nature, but it still looked to be intact. Ruthless vines of ivy were devouring the entire house inch by inch, and most of the light gray paint had been peeled back from the exterior from years of relentless salt, wind and sand.
Several dormer windows were perched on the third floor overlooking the dreary landscape. The suffocating darkness and mass of vines drenched the house in mystery; hiding its secrets from the world. It looked…patient. As if waiting for something. Or someone. I felt a gentle push from behind.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Bits of Cargill

Bits of CargillBits of Cargill by Michael Cargill

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to author Michael Cargill for sending me a copy of his book to review and for offering such a generous giveaway. Up for grabs is 5 smashwords coupons for your choice of formats for his book.

This is one of the most unusual collections of satires, vignettes, and short stories that I have ever read. This collection covers a bit of everything from Beiber bashing to how the casserole dish wishes for more out of life. Some of it is a bit out there, like beetles that cover soccer matches, but all is in good fun. If you are looking for something a bit unusualand defintely humerous this is the one to read. There is definetly something for everyone in this collection.



View all my reviews

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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Escape



A domina’s only purpose is to birth vampire children for the Quiet King. Brie has been

a domina for two years. After witnessing the slaughter of babies, she plans to escape and seeks help from Samuel, a vampire known for aiding many out of slavery.
However, Samuel has only one policy. He won’t help dominas run away from the king. The penalty is too high and their blood triggers powers in him that he doesn’t want released. So Brie is forced to lie and Samuel is lured in by her blood. Something emerges within them that they can’t deny, overwhelming their every cell and igniting an all-consuming hunger that neither can escape.
Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing
Date of Release: January 2013

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Embrace




Title: Embrace
Author: Stacey Rourke
Publisher: Anchor Group
Pages: 194
Blurb:

Whether she likes it or not, eighteen year old Celeste Garrett has come to terms with being the Chosen One. She knew having a “normal life” would be tricky, between intense training sessions and epic demonic battles, but she didn’t know at what cost it would come. That is, until a dear friend is harmed by the malicious forces hunting her.

Now, she’d like nothing more than to retreat into a hermit lifestyle to prevent anyone else from getting hurt. But startling revelations, amazing new abilities, and mortifying moments in front of insanely hot guys won’t allow time for that. Soon, Celeste finds herself surrounded by darkness and wondering who she can trust—if anyone.

A Part To Play




Title: A Part To Play
Author: Jennifer L. Fry
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Pages: 261
Book Blurb:

When fifteen-year-old actress Lucy Carter loses her older sister in a car accident, her mother shuts down and her father can’t hold the family together. Their only choice is to ship Lucy off to the Edmond School for Performing Arts. But boarding school is no cure for Lucy’s grief. With failing grades, wooden stage performances, and curfew violations, Lucy is threatened with expulsion. For the once talented Lucy, it feels as though she has nowhere to turn.

One night, Lucy hears mysterious music drifting through the school’s old heating system. The music leads her to a troubled but passionate songwriter whose brilliance gives her the strength to perform like never before. Yet their intense relationship puts Lucy in a precarious position: if she follows her muse, will she lose herself? And if she breaks it off, can she stand on her own again?

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Interview with Marta Stahlfield

Thanks for letting me interview you and for stopping by The Cotton Patch.

Please tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m eighteen years old and I just started my first year at college at Wisconsin

Lutheran College with plans of being an English major. My hobbies besides writing include Irish dance and watching a lot of movies. My favorite movies are Lord of the Rings. I read mostly fantasy fiction novels.

How long have you been writing and have you always been interested in YA fantasy?
I started writing Darkwoods when I was twelve, and I finished the rough draft when I was about thirteen. I have always been interested in YA fantasy, primarily because I find that genre the most entertaining to read.

Wow! You started at 12. That's very impressive.

Is there a certain place that you prefer to write? Or draw inspiration for your writing?
I just like to write where it’s quiet. There really aren’t many places where I draw inspiration for my writing from; however, when I was twelve, I got the chance to visit the Normandy Beaches on a family vacation. Visiting that site was what prompted parts of the story of Darkwoods.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Spookhouse


Synopsis:


There are some places in this world that go far beyond any normal definition of “haunted.” These places are so evil, so diabolical, that they become gateways to Hell itself. The Fuller Farm is one such place.

It is said that old man Fuller conducted unspeakable acts, blood rituals and human sacrifices, all in an attempt to gain the ultimate knowledge, the ultimate power. And then, he was killed–horribly murdered on his own lands, leaving the house to stand as a vacant monument to his wickedness. But once a door is opened, it can never really be closed.

Now, the stars are right. The gateway is ready to once more unleash unspeakable horror upon the town of Harmony, Indiana. And this will be one Halloween that they will never forget!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Arc of a Writer's Life

The arc of a writer’s life.
By
Paul Clayton

Thanks to author Paul Clayton for this most interesting guest post. Clayton is the author of White Seed: The Untold Story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke You can find my review of this book here


The end is near! Sorry, this post is going to be a bit of a lament. But I will try to leaven it with some humor so you can enjoy it. Back when people read newspapers, a bearded, sandal-wearing ‘John the Baptist’-type character carrying a sign reading, The End is Near, was a staple in the comics section. So there is certainly a precedent for this kind of piece. This piece isn’t about the end of the world, like when the Mayan Calendar times out this December 21st, the day before I’m scheduled to retire from my job. No, this piece is about the end of an era (and the birth of a new one). So hang in there. I promise you won’t be searching for the hemlock or an asp. As a former mid-list writer who’s been pounding the keys for over forty years, I have some perspective on the writing scene, and I see the end coming. Not the end of my life as a writer, and not the end of books or publishing, novels, memoirs, etc., but the end of something else, the end of the romantic notion of ‘the writer’s life,’ and, more personally, the end of a dream. Let me say before I go any further, that there are a lot of new writers that will laugh at my quaint notion of what a writer’s life is or was, but this is my piece and so I will say it.

I will put this ‘end of a writer’s life’ in the same trunk with other dreams I’ve had which I now know will never come true, or at least not in the form I originally envisioned them. And to put what I just stated in perspective, these are minor, fanciful dreams, not really important ones, like: I want to be a scientist and cure cancer, or I want to be a benevolent dictator and force everybody to love everybody else, or else. For example, I’ve always wanted to drive a Cadillac. When I was a boy, rich successful men, usually in their later years, drove Cadillacs, not Chevys or Fords, Mercurys, AMCs, Pontiacs, Studebakers, Oldsmobiles, Packards, Hupmobiles, DeSotos or Nashes, but Cadillacs. But now I’ve come to accept that when I retire in two or three years, they probably won’t even make them anymore. Or if they do, they’ll probably all be little boxes made in China, in which case I will refuse to buy one (I’m an American and I buy American made if I can, ensuring the money stays in America. Another quaint idea; I know, but forgive me.) Now, and understandably more so in five years, wealthy successful men (and women) drive Mercedes or Lexus exclusively. So given my bias against foreign cars, which is probably some kind of hate crime now, I won’t do that.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Wastes of Space


Thanks to author Darcy Town for stopping by the Cotton Patch and leaving us this great excerpt from her book Wastes of Space and offering a great giveaway.

Giveaway Details:
This is a tour wide giveaway. There are ten (10) eBook copies and five (5) print copies of Wastes of Space (Book One). There are five (5) eBook copies and five (5) print copies of Wastes Away (Book Two) and also five (5) eBook copies and five (5) print copies of Waste Not, Want Not (Book Three). The eBooks are International. The print books are US and Canada only!


Title: Wastes of Space
Author: Darcy Town
Published: Self-Published - December 14th, 2011
Genre: Science Fiction
Word Count: 142,000
Content Warning: Mature - language, sex, graphic violence, drug use/abuse, prostitution

Synopsis:
In the early 21st century, the Cold War between the American and Chinese Empires slogs on in a stalemate. There's a ceasefire in effect, but the peace is artificial—secretly enforced by an alien blockade that surrounds the planet. Earth is caught in a territory struggle between two warring factions: the Empire and the Resistance. Lacking harvestable talents, both groups classify Earthlings as Wasters.

Hidden among the Wasters is an alien girl with the power of moving spaceships. She teams up with Rake, a drug-addicted ex-Astronaut, to join an intergalactic war that Earth did not know existed…but first Rake has to realize he's travelling with an alien to begin with.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads

Gratitude Giveaways Hop


This hop is specifically to say thank you to the followers for making our blogs a success. Up for grabs is my copy of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. This is an ARC copy that I won from Popcorn Reads. I'm showing a little gratitude to them for the win of this awesome book by passing it on to someone else who can also enjoy it. It is an ARC copy so it doesn't look like the pic I have of it but the book is the same. This giveaway is open internationally to thank everyone who stops by for making this a great year.


You can check out my review here

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Pasadagavra

Pasadagavra (Book 2)Pasadagavra by Marta Stahlfeld

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.

This is the second book in the Darkwoods series and it picks up right where the first one leaves off. The war with the Darkwoods Foxes continues and its escalating. All the other woodlands creatures are uniting to try and defend Pasadagavra.

There is so much going on in this series that occasionally its hard to keep up. It reminds me of Narnia melded together with the Lord of the Rings. It is a great war of good verses evil. And like in all wars, not everything is as it seems. Those you think are with you actually have their own agendas. Those you think are your enemy, may not actually be.

There are several side stories taking place amongst the main tale of the battle. Zuryzel has her own quest to undertake and we meet many new characters and say sad farewell to some old ones. The animosity between the River Otters and the Sea Otters is continuing with Anamay in the middle with her love for Mollusk.

This is a great series for middle grade age kids especially or even for those of us that enjoyed Narnia. With promises at the end that there is more to continue, I look forward to continuing this series.



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