Thursday, December 1, 2016

Blog Tour & #Giveaway for Young Knights of the Round Table


BOOK INFORMATION
TITLE – Young Knights of the Round Table: The King’s Ransom
SERIES – Book I
AUTHOR – Cheryl Carpinello
GENRE – Middle Grade Arthurian Legend
PUBLICATION DATE – 2016/2012
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 120 Pages
DISTRIBUTOR – Bublish, Inc.
PUBLISHER – Beyond Today Educator
COVER ARTIST – Berge Design
Formats – paperback, ebook


BOOK SYNOPSIS
Answer the hero's call to Adventure with the Young Knights of the Round Table on their Quest.

Three friends. Three quests. Three mysterious predictions.

In medieval Wales, eleven-year-old Prince Gavin, thirteen-year-old orphan Philip, and fifteen-year-old blacksmith's apprentice Bryan are brought together in friendship by one they call the Wild Man. When an advisor to the king is killed and a jewelled medallion is stolen from the king's treasury, the Wild Man is accused of the theft and murder. Filled with disbelief at the arrest of the Wild Man, the three friends embark upon a knight's quest to save their friend's life. To succeed, the three must confront their fears and insecurities, and one of them will have to disclose the biggest secret of all. Join Gavin, Philip, and Bryan on their quest and share the adventures that await them in the land of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

BUY & TBR LINKS


AUTHOR BIO
I am a retired high school English teacher. A devourer of books growing up, my profession introduced me to writings and authors from times long past. Through my studies and teaching, I fell in love with the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. Now, I hope to inspire young readers and those Young-at-Heart to read more through my Tales & Legends for Reluctant Readers set in these worlds.




AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS










EXCERPT

Prince Gavin

Gavin’s gaze was drawn back to the castle’s battle-scarred walls and the heavily armed guards. The evil emanating from the structure surrounded and held him captive, like a lone deer surrounded by hungry wolves in the dead of winter, unable to move, its eyes glassy with fear, its limbs frozen by the hypnotic gleam of the wolves’ yellow eyes. Even knowing its life was ending, the deer wouldn’t break and run. So Gavin sat frozen in front of the castle.

The enormity of his quest enveloped Gavin and he sighed. Continuing on meant he might save the Wild Man, but he might put himself in danger as well. King Edward was his father’s enemy and possibly responsible for Aldred’s murder. If Gavin were caught, Edward wouldn’t treat him kindly. The young prince summoned his courage and focused on the Wild Man. It had seemed so simple last night in the company of Bryan and Philip.

********************





Thursday, October 6, 2016

Blo Tour Buried Alive


Monica wakes. It’s cold, damp. She feels confined…trapped…alone, and doesn’t know where she is or how she got there. Then panic sets in…clawing, feeling the dirt falling onto her face, Monica realizes she’s been buried alive. Escape may not be easy, it may not even be possible. She tries to remember what happened, how she became trapped inside this box, who it was that did this to her, and then the truth becomes crystal clear. Soon they will learn, when you kill someone, you better make sure they’re actually dead.

The links for Buried Alive are as follows-

Jeremy Simons lives with his wife and three young daughters in Grayson, Louisiana.  He writes constantly in his spare time.  His dream is to someday be able to write full-time.
Jeremy has had stories appear with Carnage Conservatory Aphelion, Psychopomp, Voices from a Coma, The Horror Zine, Hellfire Crossroads Volume 4, Deathlehem Revisited, Short-Story.Me, Massacre Magazine, and three separate anthologies from Horrified Press (October’s End, the X3 Anthology, and Midnight Ghosts).  His novella (Buried Alive) and debut novel (Untold Tale) are both under contract with Celestial Waters Publishing and are available on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million.


Two small clips
Monica steadied her breathing, as best she could, and tried to ignore the dirt still trickling in, little by little. Her attention became focused on freeing her hands from their bounds. It would have been difficult before, but now with the dirt caving in atop them, it was damn near impossible.
She was losing her edge…losing control of the situation. She had known he might have a few tricks up his sleeve, seduction being the most obvious, but she hadn’t expected being caught off-guard by it. And it wasn’t just that, she was taken back by his sincerity. She had loved him once, still did; the possibility that he could talk himself out of whatever dastardly plan she had in store crossed her mind. She could not—would not—allow that.


Guest post
I loved writing this book for several different reasons. For one, it’s loosely based on true events; it was fun to take something real and embellish it while keeping it an empowering story. Starting it was difficult, but it was interesting to try and pour my own emotion—my own fears and reservations—into trying to climb out of a grave.
This was also the first time I’ve ever really led with a female character, and going from victim to assailant is no easy feat. I only hope I did it justice.

Top ten favorites
Favorite Book:  probably It by Stephen King.
Favorite Movie:  Maximum Overdrive
Favorite Band:  Metallica
Favorite Song:  I don’t know about of all time but right now is probably Jekyll and Hyde by Five Finger Death Punch
Favorite Food:  Cookies-n-cream ice-cream
Favorite Saying:  “Don’t take life too seriously…you’ll never get out alive.”
Favorite Author:  Stephen King
Favorite Hobby:  Writing of course, but a close second would be playing basketball
Favorite Sport:  Basketball









Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Book Blast Makai United & Giveaway



Book blurb
In the depths of the ocean a war is brewing. Ka Moho-ali, ruler of the sharks, has joined forces with the ruthless Lua Pele to destroy Queen Tessa and the city she loves and protects. But Queen Tessa holds a secret that could change everything. Will revealing this knowledge be enough to pierce the darkest of hearts?

Evil permeates the sea and threatens the very survival of those who call it home. The time has come for Queen Tessa and her friends to stand and defend their city once and for all. How much will the ocean queen be willing to sacrifice to save the souls of those she holds dear? She is about to find out.



Author Bio
Dr. Fairfield is a licensed psychologist with her doctorate from Northern Arizona University.

Tara grew up in Southern California and loves being near the ocean. Some of her fondest childhood memories are of swimming and snorkeling around Catalina Island. She has three grown children, three grandchildren and four dogs. Life is good!

When she's not writing, you'll find her having fun on the ocean, playing with her dogs or just hanging out with family in the Pacific Northwest.  










Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Blog Tour for Maggie



Have you ever wondered what it would be like to share your home with an unearthly spirit who can’t find closure? Living on the edge of a cemetery with souls dating back to the 1700s would be enough to spook anyone, but Naomi finds it oddly romantic, and becomes inspired to write her next novel. Why not, when her muse, Maggie, calls to her from beyond her own window? 




After all, the story couldn't possibly be as complicated as Naomi's own love life. Torn between Ryan, the mysterious and seemingly perfect man she just started dating, and Bryce, the sexy single dad who recently moved in next door, Naomi must navigate the tangled web of dating—all while trying to solve the mystery of Maggie's death.


When things turn dangerous, Naomi quickly learns whom she can trust and, more importantly, whom she can’t. Will she be able to write Maggie’s story and finally give Maggie the peace she deserves?


Buy links


Author Bio


Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of a boxer, Destiny, and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.

Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya is currently working on her ninth novel.





 Social Media







Character  Interview for Naomi

DDB- Hi Naomi. It’s a pleasure having you with us today. Let’s get started. Can I just say that you’ve had a very busy time lately! Tell us about it.

Naomi- Hi there. Thanks for having me here. Yes, I guess you could say I’ve been pretty busy. I don’t want to give anything from the story away, but let’s just say that I have recently finished writing the most amazing story AND I helped some amazing people get the justice they deserved.
DDB-  So you’re a writer?
Naomi- Yes, and this particular story will stay with me forever. The past several months have been frightening, heartbreaking and beautiful, if you can imagine that.  Maggie’s spirit came to me, begging me to help solve a cold case and give her peace and closure. How could I resist? Maggie is a beautiful but tortured soul. I simply had no choice but to help and I couldn’t stop until I gave Maggie the justice she deserved.

DDB-  Sounds fascinating. I’ve heard that you met someone recently and fell in love. Is that true?

Naomi- Oh, that’s true. I met someone very special but it took me a while to figure things out. Let’s just say I was confused about the men in my life for a while.

DDB- Oh, come on. Who is it? Don’t leave us hanging like that!

Naomi- Sorry, if you want to find out, you’ll just have to read the story.
DDB-  Wow- you have been busy! Dealing with ghosts, a love triangle and helping to solve a cold case?

Naomi- Well, yes.

DDB- I hope you have a chance to relax now that your book is written and all.

Naomi-  Oh, I don’t think so. I’m starting to find out when you live on the edge of a cemetery, there’s not much chance for relaxing.

DDB- Wait- are you saying there’s more to the story?

Naomi- Let’s just say there might be a little bit more I have to add to my story now.

DDB- Are you saying that you’re working on a sequel to Maggie?

Naomi- (winks)

DDB- I can’t wait to hear more about that. For now, try to take some time to relax and enjoy that new boyfriend.  It’s been wonderful having you here.

Naomi- I’ll try. (laughs)  Thanks again for having me. 



Playlist

  1. Jar of Hearts – Christina Perri
  2. A Thousand Years- Christina Perri
  3. To Make You Feel my Love- Garth Brooks
  4. The Air that I Breathe- The Hollies
  5. Fire and Rain- James Taylor
  6. Your Wildest Dreams – The Moody Blues
  7. Someone Like You- Van Morrison
  8. Street of Dreams- Rainbow
  9. Against All Odds
10. If – Bread


xcerpt/Spoltligh



EXCERPT #1
“He scooped her up and placed her on top of the large rock. Following suit, he climbed up the slight incline and joined Maggie. Kissing her again, he cupped her head in his hands. Moments later, his hands smoothed over her body.
Maggie stiffened, pulling away. He sat back, eyes wide. “What is it, Maggie? What the hell is the problem now?”
“I’m just not ready.”
Placing his head in his hands, he sighed dramatically. “You’re not ready.” His laugh was sharp.
“Why not? Didn’t I just tell you I love you?” His tone rose in agitation.
Was that why he had declared his love for her? Her face must have given away her thoughts.
“Are you kidding me? You think that’s why I shared my feelings with you?” He stood and paced on the boulder. “Let’s go. Time to go.”
What had just happened here? How had everything deteriorated in a matter of mere minutes? And how much of it was her fault?

“No. Don’t. Sit down. Please.” Her eyes looked up at his height, pleading for him to stay.
“I don’t get you, Maggie. I have to be honest here with you. You’re kind of driving me crazy. Pushing my limits, you know?” His face flushed red as he paced.

How was she pushing him? “Sit, please just come back and sit beside me.” Maggie patted the spot beside her, her lip trembling. She didn’t know why he was so upset, only that she wanted things to return to how they were prior to this walk by the river.

“Fine.” He plopped himself beside her, leaving at least a foot between them.
Maggie reached over for him, taking his hand in hers. He didn’t
move closer but didn’t pull away either.

“Maggie. You’re killing me. I love you. I freaking love you, and I feel you not returning my feelings.”
“I…”
“Let me finish. I open up to you, try to show you how much I love you and I’m met with a slam of the door.” His hands moved dramatically. Maggie leaned back so that he wouldn’t swipe her as he spoke.

“No response from you, telling me that you love me back, and now I can’t even show you how I feel.” He was upon her, grabbing her face, his eyes intense.
It was true. She hadn’t said she loved him back. She hadn’t been ready. What she definitely wasn’t ready for was showing him. The words slipped out of her mouth before she could think. “I love you, too.”

Tears sprang from his eyes as he kissed her face over and over. “Oh Maggie, you have no idea how happy you have made me.”

Maggie’s shoulders slumped. Uneasiness washed through her. It was almost as if she had been bullied into saying the words. Then again, she had always had the tendency to overanalyze her thoughts and actions.
Maggie bit her lip and kissed him.


EXCERPT- #2

Sky high cliffs, the serene Hudson River, and blue skies surrounded them. Seagulls screeched overhead as they made their way up the wide, winding path. Maggie jumped out of the way as a cyclist whizzed past.
“Oh!”
He grabbed her waist, holding her tight.  “You need to watch out for those guys. They can be relentless around here.”
Didn’t she know it.  The local roads were dominated by the cyclists in the warm weather. More than once in the past few weeks, Maggie had to pull over to the side of the road to allow them to pass.
“This is nice.” Maggie followed the sound of the gulls’ cries overhead. Not a cloud in the sky.
“It is, but then again, anything would be nice with you by my side.”
“Thanks.” She snuggled her head against his shoulder for a moment as they walked hand in hand further up the path.
Walking in a companionable silence, Maggie was happy. This was nice, being here with him.  
“Would you look at that?” He pointed up toward the edge of the cliff. Maggie could just about make out the tiny figures of two people. She swayed slightly. They had to be nuts to get that close to the edge. They had to be nuts period.
“Yeah, well if you ask me, they’re crazy.”
“Crazy? How do you figure?” His eyes bore into hers.
“Going way up there? They must have a death wish.” Maggie nearly shivered even though the temperature was mild.
He stopped her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You’re afraid of heights?”
“No, don’t be ridiculous.”
“You are, aren’t you?” His eyes lit up.
“If I’m not mistaken, it seems as if you’re deriving some kind of sick pleasure from this,” Maggie mumbled, head down.
“No, honey. No.” He wrapped his arms around her as more cyclists scurried by. “I didn’t mean to react that way. It’s just that in my eyes you’re perfect. I didn’t imagine you’d have a fear in the world.”
If only he knew. She had plenty of fears, but Maggie figured most people did.
“Really? That’s nice of you to say. Untrue, but nice.”
“Come on. Say, what’s your greatest fear? Top fear of all time?”
Strange turn in conversation. “Where are you going with this line of questioning?”
He blew out a hearty chuckle. “Come on, it’s all in good fun. I’m just trying to get to know you.”
“Okay. Heights. My top fear is heights.” She wished to change the subject but wondered what his own fears were now that the topic was on the table.







 Maggie