Monday, August 22, 2011

Silver Moon by Stacey Thompson-Geer Blog Tour

Silver Moon
By Stacey Thompson-Geer

After 130 years, you’d think I would know better than to go looking for trouble, but I just can’t seem to help myself. The council wants me to catch a werewolf. I just want to paint my nails. Rose is a bitchy sarcastic vampire that ends up hunting a werewolf in, of all places, Las Vegas. She finds very quickly that things are not going to go as planned.

Links: 

Wicked Nights: 


About Stacey Thompson-Geer

Stacey is a wife and mother of three. She started writing in High School with horror short stories. One of her first is now published through the kindle - Silver Bullet. When she's not dreaming up her next story or novel, she can be found hanging out with her kids or reading one of her favorite authors. She is also an avid Facebooker and Twitter user. Stop by her website to see what she's working on and any of her backlist work. 


My Thoughts:
I really didn't know exactly what to expect from such a little book, how much of a story can 34 pages tell I thought to myself, could it really be a great book?  It will be over before it begins, I love being wrong and man I was wrong, This little book packed a big punch. 

Rose is a 130-year-old Vampire and she has had about all she can handle of the Council. The council has called a meeting, a meeting to ask Rose to help locate and kill a Werewolf, a werewolf that should not have been changed in the first place, but is now killing humans and supernaturals, he must be taken out. To give anymore details would be to give away this wonderful story, and we all know I hate spoilers.

It was a great story, tons of action and suspense, and some really hot steamy sex scenes, I really enjoyed Rose's character, very sassy, smart mouthed, sarcastic, bitchy but funny vampire. Jerry the hottie werewolf, and the Witch, a Fire Witch named Bobbie. This is a book I recommend to all its a great read!!!
I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. :)





Announcing the In Leah’s Wake Social Media Whirlwind Tour—WooHoo!




As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the In Leah’s Wake Kindle edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week.



What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including a Kindle, 5 autographed copies of the book, and multiple Amazon gift cards (1 for $100, 3 for $25, 5 for $10, and 10 for $5 – 19 in all)! Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, August 26th, so you don’t miss out.






To win the prizes:




  1. Purchase your copy of In Leah’s Wake for just 99 cents
  2. Fill-out the form on the author’s site to enter for prizes
  3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book!


And I can win $100 too if you vote for my blog over on the author’s website. The blog host that gets the most votes in this traffic-breaker polls wins, so please cast yours right after purchasing In Leah’s Wake and entering the contests!




The featured events include:



Monday, Blogaganza on Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We’ll ask the writer 5 fun and random questions to get everyone talking. Leave a comment or question in response to the post, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!


Tuesday, Twitter chat with the author! Tweet with us between 4 and 5 PM Eastern Time, using the hashtag #emlyn. We’ll be talking with the author about her favorite books and best writing advice. Bring your questions about In Leah’s Wake and don’t forget to use #emlyn or to follow Terri @tglong. By joining in the tweet chat at the designated time, you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!


Wednesday, Google+ video chat with the author! Join our hangout between 12 and 3 PM Eastern Time to talk with the author and us via video chat. We’ll be gabbing about great books including In Leah’s Wake and about writing. Did you know that Terri is a creative writing instructor at Boston College? She’s got tons of good advice for aspiring writers. By joining in the Google+ video chat at the designated time, you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to visit the author’s blog to enter for the other prizes!


Thursday, Facebook interview with the author! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and ask Terri questions. She’s chosen three of her favorite topics to talk about: writing, parenting, and gourmet cooking. Of course, you’re welcome to ask about In Leah’s Wake too. Leave a comment or question as part of the thread, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget tolike Terri’s Facebook page or to visit her blog to enter for the other prizes!


Friday, Fun & games based on the book! We want to close this whirlwind social media tour with a gigantic bang, which is why we've set-up two interactive book-themed features on the author’s blog. You can take the official Facebook quiz to find out which In Leah's Wake character is most like you and learn how that character ties into the story. Then try out our crossroads story game. Throughout the course of the narrative, you'll have several decisions to make. What you choose will affect the outcome of the story. Play as either rebellious teenager Leah or the trampled peacemaker and mother Zoe. Leave a comment or question on any of Terri’s blog entries, and you may win an autographed copy of In Leah’s Wake. Don’t forget to check out the other give-away contests while you’re on Terri’s blog!

About In Leah’s Wake: The Tyler family had the perfect life – until sixteen-year-old Leah decided she didn’t want to be perfect anymore. While Zoe and Will fight to save their daughter from destroying her brilliant future, Leah’s younger sister, Justine, must cope with the damage her out-of-control sibling leaves in her wake. Will this family survive? What happens when love just isn’t enough? Jodi Picoult fans will love this beautifully written and absorbing novel.




An interview with Terri Giuliano Long, author of In Leah’s Wake






Terri's book was voted the 2011 book club pick of the year by the BookBundlz staff and community!



Author Terri LongAbout Terri:



1. If you could have coffee with any 3 authors, living or dead, who would they be?

This is a tough question. Let’s see: Joan Didion – I love her work. The Year of Magical Thinking is a powerful book. I’d like to have coffee with her because she’s a brilliant, courageous woman, a true pioneer, and she’s led a varied and interesting life. I’d love to hear her stories.

Cormac McCarthy - although I’m not a fan of his early work – too macho for my taste - he hooked me with No Country For Old Men. I enjoyed the novel so much that I taught it in one of my classes. The Road is the most moving novel I’ve ever read. The man says to his son: "You have my whole heart. You always did.” That line has stayed with me – as have so many stark, tender moments. I’m in awe. I think I’d be too dumbstruck to talk. I’d probably just sit there.


Alice Hoffman – I love her work and I admire her ability to write a bestselling novel, year after year. It took me several years to finish In Leah’s Wake. To produce a book a year requires tremendous determination and discipline. You’ve got to be willing to sit down and write, whether you feel like it or not. That discipline helped her overcome breast cancer, after which she established the Hoffman Breast Center at the Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA. She’s also written screenplays and children’s books. And friends who know her say she’s a lovely, giving person.


2. If you could only take one book, food item and drink with you to a deserted island what would they be?

Oh, goodness, another tough question! If I had to choose one book, I’d take the Bible. The stories are fascinating, with so many layers of meaning, and the imager and language are captivating. You can read the stories over and over and never grow tired. For nourishment, champagne and dark chocolate – I’d be tipsy and fat, but I would be smiling.


3. What are your secret indulgences?

Travelling and trying new foods - my husband, Dave, and I have had the great fortunate of visiting many beautiful, interesting places. I love ethnic foods and I’m fairly gutsy when it comes to trying new dishes. In Beijing, a few years ago, we went to a tiny restaurant with two students we met. The restaurant was a local spot, as opposed to a tourist trap, the menu written in Chinese, so they ordered for us. When the steaming bowl arrived, I dipped my chopsticks into the stew – and pulled out a frog. The head was gone, thank goodness, but the body was fully intact. I realize that a lot of people eat frog; this was actually green. I thought Dave would gag when I ate it. To his credit, he didn’t.


4. What about you would surprise your readers?

When they meet me, people almost always assume I’m in my thirties, so they’re surprised to learn that I have adult children and grandkids. I was 18 when I married Dave and he’s the love of my life. Like all couples, we’ve had our ups and downs, but we still enjoy each other’s company, we have fun, and we love being together. This surprises people.


5. What is your perfect day as an author?

Being in a quiet place, with beautiful scenery, and no phone or Internet. A few years ago, we spent a heavenly winter in Stowe, Vermont. I would sit at my desk, looking out at the mountains. Dave would be working in the other room, so I wasn’t alone; we’d work all day, then have dinner together, maybe a glass of wine by the fire. Now I’m actively involved with social media, which I really enjoy, but I long for a quiet day with no interruptions, no distraction.


6. If you could be any fictional character who would it be?

Sara Paretsky’s PI, V.I. Warshawski – I have a special place in my heart for police officers. They risk their lives for us, every day, and they’re the connectors, the glue that holds communities together. I’ve always admired Gail Mullen Beaudoin, a police officer in Chelmsford, MA. Gail brings strength, dignity and grace to a very difficult job. In a fictional character, V.I. is the closet I can come to Gail - two very strong, caring, centered women. Theirs are very big, wonderfully feminine shoes to fill.


7. What are the book(s) you are reading now?

The Trust, an engaging, fast-paced legal thriller by Sean Keefer, and A Walk in the Snark, a wise, sexy, very funny nonfiction read by Rachel Thompson, and Take One Candle Light a Room, an insightful, gorgeously textured literary novel by National Book Award finalist Susan Straight.


8. What was your favorite book as a teenager, and why?

Please don’t laugh – The Exorcist. By today’s standards it’s tame; then The Exorcist was a shocking literary sensation. I was a bit of a rebel when I was younger. I didn’t use drugs or take the risks Leah takes in my novel, but I hated being told what to do. Although I’ve always loved reading, I never got the full enjoyment from the classics we were forced to read in school. That The Exorcist was forbidden gave it a wonderfully sweet edge. I also loved Exodus, a glorious book by Leon Uris, about the birth of the nation of Israel. It was, to my mind, the first truly important book I ever read.


9. (Aside from your own) What book(s) have you read that you think are perfect for book clubs?

Elizabeth Strout’s heartbreaking novel Abide With Me would make a terrific book club selection. Her Pulitzer Prize winner, Olive Kitteridge, is one of my favorite books. Abide With Me, a moving story about a young minister struggling to raise two small children after the premature death of his wife, is so real and relatable on so many levels, and it raises thought-provoking questions about family and life.



About In Leah's Wake:




10. Where did the inspiration for your book come from?

Years ago, I wrote a series of feature articles about families with drug and alcohol-addicted teens. The moms talked candidly about their children, their heartbreaking struggles. Those stories stayed with me.



My husband and I have four daughters. Most families struggle during their children's teenage years. We’re no different - though, thank goodness, we experienced nothing remotely akin to the problems and challenges the Tylers face in the book. As a parent, I knew how it felt to be scared, concerned for your children’s welfare and future. These were the primary forces driving me to write this story.

My work with families, my personal experiences and core beliefs – all these things played on my conscious and subconscious mind, and ultimately emerged as this book.



11. They say every book written is the author telling a personal philosophy. What personal philosophy are you trying to get across?

The epigraph, from The Grand Inquisitor, says it best: “everyone is really responsible to all men for all men and for everything.” Hillary Clinton famously said that it takes a village to raise a child. I believe we must all do our part, be supportive members of the village. The Tyler family is far from perfect, but they love one another. Our flaws make us human and that humanity connects us. I very much hope that readers feel this sense of connection—and hope.



12. Writers are often surprised by something that happens in their book. Perhaps a character says or does something you did not think they would, or something you thought would only be a couple of paragraphs turns into 10 pages. What surprised you about your book?

The challenges Leah faces in the aftermath of her sexual awakening. In the first draft, she lost her virginity; in the context of her rebellion, that felt right. In later drafts, darker incidents emerged. As a mom, I found these scenes hard to write, but they felt very true to Leah’s character and experience.




About Terri's Writing Process:



13. What is your writing process like?

With the first draft of In Leah’s Wake, I had no idea where I was going – in writing programs, this sort of organic writing is usually encouraged. In the revision process, I looked for and developed themes. In Leah’s Wake is character driven, so outlining would have produced a different book. I think it’s helpful to know who we are, as writers, and what our goals are. For literary fiction, the goal is to develop and understand character. I hope I’ve done this adequately.

My novel-in-progress, Nowhere to Run, is a psychological thriller, so I’m approaching that differently. I’ve mapped a partial outline - plot points to use as markers - and writing the sections organically. While I recognize the benefits of outlining or plotting, sticking firmly to either feels limiting. Giving myself this freedom allows for possibilities. Of course, it also makes for a messier process.


14. What gets you in the mood to write?

When I first sit at my desk, especially if I’ve been away for a few days, I often feel blocked, the nasty editors on my shoulders heckling: A writer? Are you crazy? Nine times out of ten, I dig in; the writing may be choppy at first, but eventually I regain fluidity. If the demons are too loud to ignore, I read. Reading, like meditation or yoga, settles my mind, calms me. Soon I find my mind wandering to my story, and I can’t wait to start writing.


15. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Believe in yourself. I know wonderful writers whose first, second or third books, really good, strong books, were rejected. To deal with the rejection, boot your computer, day after day, when it seems as if no one cares, the stars misaligned – or to indie publish in a world that still privileges the traditionally published - you have to believe in yourself.

Writing is a lonely profession. Most of the time, we’re alone with our work. The loneliness can wear on you, and cause you to question yourself. A few supportive writer friends, supporting and encouraging you, can make all the difference.

Hold onto your dreams. You can make them happen. Don’t ever give up!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Giveaway Winners


Giveaway winners for Paradox-The Angels Are Here:

Babs
Nikki
Natshane
Yadkny
Thank you everyone who entered. Enjoy!!! Everyone has been emailed and has 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner(s) will be chosen.




Giveaway winners for Bloodletter by Angel Haze:
Anaavu, has been emailed and has 48 hours to claim her prize or someone else will be picked. Thank you to all who entered.



Giveaway winner for Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch
Phoenix, has been emailed and has 48 hours to claim his prize, thank you to all who have entered. 






Giveaway winner for Pulled by Amy Lichtenhan:


Justanotherfaceintheworld, you have 48 hours to claim your prize. She has been emailed and another winner will be picked if the prize is not claimed.  




Thank you everyone who has entered in the giveaways, keep watching I have more giveaways coming really soon!! 

Review: Waterfall, Cascade and Torrent by Lisa Tawn Bergren




Lisa Tawn Bergren's new YA series, River of Time, is romantic, historical fiction in which the plucky heroine doesn't have to fear a vampire's bite but must still fight for her life.

In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

My Thoughts:

What do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in another time?

I have read Time Travel books before and for some of them I found it difficult to keep up with the story, they traveled to much, and the flipping back and forth seemed to have me lost or going back to re-read as I thought I had missed some piece of information, I felt confused. I was a little fearful going into the book that would be the case and I not be able to keep reading it.  Well I am very happy to tell you that was not the case with Lisa'a book Waterfall: A Novel (River Time Series).  I fell in love with this book, with both books.  It has totally captivated me in ways I didn't think it would. 

Gabirella (Gabi) Betarrini and her sister Evangelia (Lia) are on their summer vacation with their Mom who happens to be an Archaeologist as was their father who had recently passed away.  They are bored beyond bored, it's hot, dusty and they are upset that they have to spend another summer on one of their parents digs, all they want to do is see Italy and all the hot guys that go with it.  When exploring one day where they should not be, they find handprints in one of the ancient tombs, Gabi touches it and she is surprised to find it warm to the touch, Gabi urges Lia to touch it and see how it feels when she does, and it's the same, when they place their hands there together this is when their adventure begins and they are both thrown back in time and end up in the middle of a battle between a lot of knights in the 14th Century Italy.

When Gabi arrives she is very startled and can't believe her eyes when she leaves the tomb, she is captured by the very dreamy Sir Marcello the youngest son of Lord Forelli.  Marcello takes Gabi back to his home and she is offered their protection and assistance after telling them she has been separated from her sister and mother, when they leaped back into time Gabi and Lia had gotten separated. In order for to not be considered a spy, she spins a tale of being separated from her Mother and sister and all their possessions stolen from them, they also come from Normandy not 700 years in the future.

Lady Rossi is the betrothed of Sir Marcello and Gabi has a funny feeling about her, after being around Marcello and his family, she is finding it very hard not to have feelings for him and making the right decision of not falling in love with Marcello.  It makes it even harder when he is funny, kind, protective, and it really doesn't hurt that he is the hottest she has ever seen.

I haven't fallen in love with a Historical Romance like this one in a very long time.  This book has reminded me of some of my favorite books by Beatrice Small who has always captured my heart with her Historical Romance's.  As I have said, I wasn't sure what to expect when I started to read the first book, but it totally sucked me in and had no intentions of letting me go.

For me this book has everything I look for in a great novel, action, details but not so many that you get confused by them, a great flowing story, a plot that makes sense and characters you can not only fall in love with but you can relate to them, feel for them, cheer them on, feel their pain.  This had all that for me. When you figure out that Gabi is starting to fall for Marcello I found myself hoping they would fall in love with each other, their relationship is so pure and intense and as the book comes to a close they are so in love with each other they can't bear to be apart.

The characters Lisa has created are superb, Gabi, the kind hearted, wanting to do the right thing by not interfering with Marcello and Lady Rossi's upcoming marriage, she is strong and willing to fight for the right thing, and she can wield a sword like no other woman they have seen in the 14th Century.
Lia (Gabi's sister) younger than Gabi, Lia is the artistic sister but can wield a bow and arrow better than any man, she is also strong when faced with fighting for her life or that of those she loves.
Marcello, the youngest son of the Lord of the Manor, fighting for his family and to keep all those within his walls safe from the enemy, who falls deeply in love with Gabi despite his arranged marriage to Lady Rossi.
Luca, so handsome, funny, he will make you smile all the way through this series, he's handsome (sufer dude handsome) and he can't help but fall in love for Lia. I can't wait to see if their affection for each other take's off. Will be interesting to see in the next novel.
All the other characters will hold some piece of your heart they all flow so well together. There are twists and turns and things you didn't expect to see. If you have not picked up your copy of Waterfall yet, you better get one or you will be missing out on an amazing book. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have, it is a real page turner you will not be able to put down!!!!

Here is the trailor for Waterfall. Enjoy!!




AUTHOR BIO:
Lisa T. Bergren is the author of over thirty books that have sold more than two million copies combined. She’s written fiction of all sorts (romance, historical, contemporary, suspense, YA), nonfiction and children’s books. She divides her time between writing, editing, traveling and co-parenting her three children (16, 13, and 8) with her husband, Tim. The Bergrens reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

AUTHOR CONNECTIONS:
http://www.LisaBergren.com (author web site)
http://www.theworldiscalling.com (the Bergrens’ travel web site)
Facebook: “Lisa Tawn Bergren” and “River of Time Series
Twitter: @LisaTBergren






Cascade: A Novel (River of Time Series)Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”
Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.
But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.

My Thoughts:  

What if you not only fell back through time, but fell in love too?

Ok so if you have read Waterfall, the first novel of this series, hopefully you had the second book Cascade ready to go when you were done, I did and thank goodness I did.  The way Waterfall ended would have drove anyone crazy if you had to wait for the second book.  As the second book begins the sisters get back to their own time, find their mother and try to explain to her what had happened.  At first she doesn't believe them, but when they take her to the tombs she starts to wonder if it's really possible.  So off they go, back to the 14th Century, where Marcello has left a note and some clothes for them.  


If you thought it was action packed in the first book, the second book will knock you off your chair with action, and the love story with Lia and Luca heats up as well, I was very happy to their budding relationship progress.  Marcello and Gabi are still as deeply in love as ever and Marcello has broken his betrothed with the Lady Rossi so he may be with Gabi, now that's true love if I ever saw it, but because of how important it was for the two families to become one the Lady Rossi was then betrothed to Marcello's older brother and heir Lord Fortino, his part in this book was not as prominent as the first book and he was a little bit colder than usual, but none the less I still was happy to see him there. 

Gabi and Lia's mom totally rocked in this book, I loved that she got skills with her new weapon of choice, It was clear to see where her daughters got there spunk from.  The girls were nicked named the She-Wolves of Siena,  and once again the battle was raging on. It was awesome to see the amount of detail Lisa poured into this book as well, it made me feel like I was right in the story, I could hear the horses pounding down the roads, feel the fear as they were trying to escape only for Gabi to be captured.  I could almost see the hillsides and the valleys, the castles the knights on their horses.  

Again the characters took my breath away and pulled me into the book yet again, I am just waiting very anxiously for the third book Torrent, it's driving me crazy not having it right now, the cliffhanger at the end of Cascade had me gasping and my mouth hanging open hoping their was be an excerpt from the next book, but sadly there wasn't.   I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I did!!! This series is truly a MUST READ :)

Here is the book trailer for Cascade:




AUTHOR BIO:
Lisa T. Bergren is the author of over thirty books that have sold more than two million copies combined. She’s written fiction of all sorts (romance, historical, contemporary, suspense, YA), nonfiction and children’s books. She divides her time between writing, editing, traveling and co-parenting her three children (16, 13, and 8) with her husband, Tim. The Bergrens reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

AUTHOR CONNECTIONS:
http://www.LisaBergren.com (author web site)
http://www.theworldiscalling.com (the Bergrens’ travel web site)
Facebook: “Lisa Tawn Bergren” and “River of Time Series
Twitter: @LisaTBergren

Review of Torrent book 3 of the River of Time Series:

*Sigh* What and ending to such a wonderful series. Torrent is the last book to the Waterfall series, and what a book it was.  I started to read this series and right from the first page of the first book Waterfall, it had me captivated. All three of these books are filled with action, suspense and a love story like no other.  It was impossible for me to put these books down.  Any one from any age group would love this series and would not be disappointed one bit. It made me laugh, cheer for the good guys, and shed a little tear when a character I liked had died.  I think most of all the love story that unfolded between Gabi and Marcello made me swoon.  Gabi's sister Lia also has fallen more for her love interest Luca, who is sooooo in love with her. Gabi and Lia's mom and dad played a more prominent part in this book and I was happy to see that, I loved their mom, so strong and willing to fight to the death for her daughter's and what they believed in, not only that willing to fight to the death for those family's whom her daughter's loved.

Going back in time to see if they could rescue their father from his tragic accident left me breathless, I lost my dad 4-years ago and I would have given anything to do that, I felt their hurt and pain over losing him, so to see him saved brought tears to my eyes and warmed my heart. I hope at some point Lisa will tell more of Lia and Luca's love story, I would love to read more of them.  Such a vast love this family has for each other. If you want to read a great love story, I urge you to pick up this series, you will not be sorry you did. Lisa Bergren creates a world of suspense, action, love and reaffirms that family is the most important thing that matters.

I hope you all will pick up your copies, and I hope you all will enjoy reading them as much as I did. These are books that I will keep on my shelves and re-read again and again.  Congratulations Lisa on such an wonderful, amazing set of novels.










 


Friday, August 12, 2011

BlogAThon Authors books and Interviews

To Kick off the BlogAThon, one of the books up for grabs is Scorpio Rising by Monique Domovitch, here is a preview of her new book and I had the pleasure of having a one-on-one with Monique.


Scorpio Rising (The Scorpio Series)  Monique is giving away a copy of Scorpio Rising AND a copy of the sequel The Sting Of The Scorpio which is yet to be released!

Scorpio Rising is about Alexander Yvanov, a man who has ambitions so great, that to achieve them, he will have to put everything else aside. Born in Brooklyn from an embittered mother, he climbs his way to a better life in New York.
Scorpio Rising is also about beautiful Brigitte Dartois, a thousand miles away who also has big dreams and raging ambitions.
This is the story of two people whose single minded obsessions are put to the test when they meet. 
Will they choose love, or success?


Monique, welcome to the Purple Jelly Bean Chair Review and thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me. Please have a seat in the Purple Jelly Bean Chair and make your self comfortable. 

What is your name and where do you call home? 
My name is Monique Domovitch and I was born in Ontario, Canada, in a small town called Hearst, which nobody ever heard of. I am the oldest of ten children, which means I told a lot of bedtime stories to my brothers and sisters when I was growing up. You could say that was how I first became attracted to writing. Nowadays, I write on my laptop, which makes it possible for my husband and I to travel as much as we do. When we aren’t travelling, we and our three dogs, share our time between our homes in California and British Columbia, Canada.

What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
Scorpio Rising is the story of the rise of Alexander Ivanov, an ambitious Scorpio, and the climb to success of Brigitte Dartois a beautiful French artist. It is also about the thin line between lust and love and ambition and greed, and what happens to two people forced to choose between love and career. The sequel, The Sting of the Scorpio, will be available in September, and I’m now debating a third instalment which I would call The Son of Scorpio.

Do you have plans for a new book?  
I've just signed a three-book contract with Obsidian—an imprint of Penguin US—for a murder-mystery series which I am presently writing under the name Carol Ann Martin. I also have one novel in the hands of my agent and a second one which I’m also working on. My poor husband has had to take up cooking otherwise he was in danger of starving to death.


At what age did you know you wanted to become a writer?
I've always known I wanted to write, but it took me a long time to gather the courage to pursue it professionally.

What or who inspired you to write?
I was always an avid reader. I remember hiding under my blankets with a flashlight after lights out at night. Writing was just the next step in my love affair with books. 

Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
Yes, I love to gift books. I hope to expand my readership and will gladly gift books to readers.

When you start to write a new novel, what is the process for you, do you start with a small idea and when you sit to write is that when the story starts to flow, or, before you start to write do you already have the whole story worked out?
I’ve tried a number of processes and I wish I could say I’m very organized in my method of writing, but the truth is that I start with a small premise. What if a person found out that...? And I go from there, starting with developing the main character, then building the story loosely, by which I mean a beginning, middle and an end. Other than that, I pretty much let the characters tell the story themselves. Sometimes they surprise me and take the story onto a different path. I love when they do that, even though that usually causes me a lot more work.

When you write, do you write from start to finish, or in the middle, or at the end first?
Oh, I can’t seem to do it any other way than in a straight line. Whenever I try to pre-write some scenes, I only have to rewrite them entirely later. So there’s no point. But, having said that, I always seem to have a hundred notes ahead on my manuscript. Don’t forget to mention this... Don’t forget to have her say that...

Have you based any of your characters on someone you know, or real events in your own life?
 I like to think that all my characters are made up of elements stolen from many people. I might like the voice of one person, the mannerisms of another, the aloofness of a third...and so on. In Scorpio Rising, one of my favourite characters is the movie star and she is a composite of about a dozen Hollywood stars from the sixties.

What books have most influenced your writing most and why? 
Every writer I read influences me. I pick up something from each one. The only thing I deplore is that now, reading has become partly homework. I can’t pick up a book and read without putting on my critic’s hat. I look at how that writer develops his plot, how he unfolds the story and so on. 

Is there an Author that you would really like to meet?
Today, I’d have to say Kate Morton. Yesterday it was Jodie Picoult. It depends on whom I’m reading at the moment.

Do you prefer eBooks, paperbacks or hardcover?
I love my Kindle. I can get a book downloaded in seconds. How great is that? But I will always also love traditional books.


Are you a self published (Indie) Author?
Yes, I am. My recent book, Scorpio Rising, is my first novel, written a couple of years ago, and which I decided to self publish after signing my three-book deal for a completely different genre from my Scorpio series.

What is the best advice that you can give to aspiring writers?
Sit down and write. You won’t get anything done if you wait for inspiration. Just like anything else, becoming a good writer is ten percent talent and ninety percent hard work—in this case you can define hard work as rewriting about ninety times.


Cats or dogs?
I am totally a dog person. My husband worries every time we drive anywhere near the SPCA. I can’t set foot in the place without falling in love with yet another dog. I have three already and if I had a lot of money, I’d open my house to every dog that needs a home.


Where can your readers follow you? 
My website, Moniquedomovitch.com is scheduled to be up and running any day now.
My blog: http://monique-domovitch.blogspot.com/

My facebook page: Monique Girouard Domovich

My Goodreads author page:

Twitter: Moniquedomovitc



Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Scorpio-Rising-ebook/dp/B005EJGXZ8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1312924435&sr=1-1

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world.  I hope you share this interview with your friends.  Nattie





Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Purple Jelly Bean Chair Reviews Receives some AWARDS Yay!!!!

I have some exciting news everyone, here at the Purple Jelly Bean Chair Reviews I have been given some awards, yes some, not one, not two....... but seven, I know right, seven, I would have been happy with just one, but I am completely over the moon with seven. I would like to send out huge hugs to my friend Cambria over at http://theunlockeddiary.blogspot.com who nominated me for this award, and you must check out her blog as well it ROCKS!!!  Now some of the awards come with rules, so here they are:

1. Tag the person who nominated you. ( I just did above)
2. Give 7 facts about yourself and answer the Favorites Questions
3. Pass these awards to 15 Bloggers. (I will try but prob won't hit 15)
4. Notify the bloggers of their awards

Now, before I get to the facts about myself and answer the questions let's all have a look at my pretty new awards:








Ok so here are 7 facts about me you might not know:

1.  I use to work in retail for 25 years before I decided to go back to school which I graduated with Honors and a Diploma in Medical Office Administrative Assistant, I was 37 years old.  

2.  Besides reading being my number one passion, I enjoy doing crafts, I love to work with Plastic Canvas, I can knit......only scarves lol, but I would love to learn how to crochet. I can also cross stitch. 

3. I adore horses, they have to be the most beautiful animal ever.  So fast and powerful, some day my dream is to have my own ranch (which will be called the Republic of Paul lol) with horses, chickens, cows and maybe a goat baaaahaaaa. :)

4. I have two boys, who are heart, they will be 20 in August and 16 in September, all 3 of our birthdays are 7 days apart, its funny but a very expensive time lol. 

5. I have the most amazing boyfriend, best friend anyone could want, he is the other half of me, my soulmate.  Paul is the love of my life the light of my heart. :)

6. Well if you haven't already guessed, I am obsessed with the color Purple, not sure what it is about that color but it just draws me to it, any shade of purple draws me, it's a very soothing color I find, a very passionate color. Well enough about my obsession with that lol. 

7. Someday I would like to write a book.  I am not sure what yet, but someday I would like to.

Answers to the Favorites Questions:

1. Name your favorite colors.
     Oh well Purple is my favorite color lol, but I do like some shades of pink and orange.

2. Name your favorite song.
    I have a lot of favorite songs, I guess it kinda depends on my mood, If I am in a dancing mood it would be On the Dance Floor by Jennifer Lopez, if Im in a romantic mood it would be God Bless the Broken Road by Rascell Flats, love that song, it says a lot of my journey in finding Paul.

3. Name your favorite dessert.
    Seriously, my favorite dessert! OMG there are so many out there that I love, well I guess I would have to say Cheesecake, that is probably something I would stand in line for, but we have a pastry shop here called "Two If By Sea" and they make the best Almond Caramel Croissant I have ever tasted, Yummy!!

4. What pisses you off.
     I would have to say I am a nice person, and I would do pretty much do anything I could to help someone else, and want nothing in return, I love to put a smile on someone just to see them smile, but what pisses me off is when they pretend to be your friend and only call you when they want something and couldn't be bothered with you any other time. That pisses me off.

5. When you are upset you.
    I vent to Paul or call a friend, but my house gets really clean really quickly lol.

6. Favorite Pet.
    I am a huge lover of most all animals, I have 2 black cats named Bubba and Jacob, and I have a yellow lab name Buatoo, we call him two for short, he is the most well tempered dog I have ever seen, so gentle. We love them all.
7. Black or White?
    Black, it more slimming lol and I spill stuff when I m wearing white to much lol

8. Biggest Fear?
    Snakes, they really freak the hell out of me.

9. Best Feature?
    My eyes I think, Paul says I have doe eyes. :)

10. Everyday attitude:
     Treat others as you want to be treated, make someone smile, it doesn't cost you a thing, try to do at least one Random Act of Kindness a week if you can, you'd be surprised how good it makes you feel. :)

11. What is Perfection:
      Being wrapped in a hug from Paul or my kids.

12. Guilty Pleasures:
      A big glass of ice cold milk and a beautiful eclair.

So there you have it. More than you ever wanted to know about me!
Now the blogs I nominate for these awards are:















Phew, that's a lot of people.  So thank you to Cambria from The Unlocked Diary for nominating me and Congrats to all of the blogs that I have nominated.  :)



Sunday, August 7, 2011

Review and Giveaway: Pulled by Amy Lichtenhan



PulledSynopsis by Goodreads 
For nine years, they drift through life, unable to forget the one who holds the strings to their hearts. In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side. 
Now, when their lives intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago.
But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and do they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart?
Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of destiny and duty, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have.



My Thoughts:


I was offered by the Author Amy Lichtenhan a copy of her book in exchange for a review, and just by looking at the beautiful cover I wasn't really sure what to expect.  To me I just thought it was going to be another romance novel like so many others I have read and enjoy to read, there is nothing better than a juicy romance.  Well I am here to tell you now, this is absolutely NOT your average romance book.  I haven't been on an emotional roller coaster like that in such a long time.  


Melanie and Daniel met as teenagers and fell in love at first site, the kind of  deep love where you can sense when the other is hurting even if your not in the room with them, they were inseparable as most soulmate's are.  After a tragic car accident one night, Melanie and Daniel's lives took a turn neither one of them had ever thought would happen.  When trying to put their lives back together after this horrible accident, and many whisper's in Melanie's ear, she thought it would be best for all if she moved back with her mother.  


After many misunderstandings Melanie left and moved to Chicago to start over and try to forget the past events that led up to her leaving and put her life back together the best she could.  The fate of Daniel and Melanie was destined not to be over and the book takes us through the journey as they find their way back together being "Pulled" by Destiny.


This is one amazing book, as soon as I started to read it, I was sucked in so fast I didn't even realize it until I was half way through it.  I could not put it down at all.  The emotional ride Amy takes us on is to say the least incredible.  It can be a hard book to read at times especially if you have gone through some if not all of the things as the main character Melanie has gone through.  I have not gone through all of it, but, I could relate with some of it. Melanie had gone through a lot of mental and verbal abuse and then later on physical abuse at the hands of her husband.   The book was beautifully written, it made me cry, laugh, cheer on Melanie and Daniel when things were heating up, oh yes and the steamy love scenes *sigh*  Now if I go on and tell you much more, I will have given you spoilers, I can't do that to you so I won't say anymore. :)


This is a MUST READ novel for anyone wanting to read a true love story of two people trying to overcome and beat all odds.  I believe in the power of love and how if your love is true and strong enough you can make it through even the toughest of times.  I also believe every thing happens for a reason, even though you don't know why at the time, all will be revealed in the end.  I loved this book, it will make you cry tears of sadness and tears of happiness, it will make you go "no way, she did not just do that" it is as the title of the book says you will be "Pulled" in and will not be able to put this book down until the end.  I hope you will all enjoy this book as much as I did, and I cannot wait to read what Amy has in store for us next!!!! 


About the Author:  


Amy Lichtenhan first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends, and with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel, Pulled.

Amy resides in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three beautiful children, where she enjoys the freedom of working from home. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves. 



You can find her here at any of these links:




Giveaway time!!!!!! Ok so I love giveaway time and Amy has been wonderful and is giving away 2 ebooks of her novel "Pulled".  Here are the rules to enter and have a chance to win.
1. Be a follower on my blog, and leave a comment with your email address
2. Be a follower on Amy's blog and show her some love to. :)

Thank you to all of those that enter the contest, I will be picking the winners at the end of this week, so it will be August 13th and I will announce on August 14th.  Good luck to you all. :)