Fantasy Fling in Avenue E

...with a touch of Sci-fi to start.

How would you like a free read today? (Or two? Maybe 3 if you're a winner.)

Read the rest on LightningQuickReads! (And other amazing, free, short stories.)

Ready for the chance to win an awesome book?

Two weeks ago Kurt D. Springs shared with us PROMISE OF MERCY, along with two truths and a lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win a print book and bookmark!  

Kurt's Game:

1. Kurt holds a Bachelor of Arts in Math, a Master of Liberal Arts in Anthropology and Archaeology, a Master of Literature in Archaeology, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology.
2. Both of his parents are retired research chemists.
3. He's never published in Archaeology.

THE LIE: #3. Kurt was recently published in a multi contributor monograph in the British Archaeology Reports International series called Landscape and Identity: Archaeology and Human Geography. He is pleased to be one of seven authors in this peer reviewed work.

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Tara Tyler!!!

Congrats, Tara! 

And now for this week's feature... 

Have you met Misha Gericke? I've known her for years, enjoyed her blogging, and even critiqued for her. (She's definitely one of my favorite Aussie authors.) Her fantasy world is fascinating and her protagonists' struggle? Super awesome. 

Recently she got the rights back for her first book, and with the release of her second one, she's put out book 1 again. I admit it, I geek out about one of her characters, and I'm a rather calm person when it comes to the literary world, so you know he's pretty awesome. Meet Gawain!

About the books:

The Vanished Knight

The entity living inside Callan’s soul orphaned her at age eleven. By the time she’s sixteen, it’s ensured her being shunted from one foster family to another.

Her thirteenth foster assignment should be routine. Except... it's not. A psycho in medieval armor kidnaps her and she ends up in a magical world. There, she accidentally discovers a secret her parents had kept until the day they died.

Both actually came from this magical world, but left before Callan was born. To cover their tracks, they’d lied about everything. Even who they really were.

Driven to find out where she comes from, Callan’s trapped in a race for life and death. Walking away isn’t an option, but if she stays too long, the entity will find its next victim.

In this world where secrets are sacrosanct and grudges are remembered, finding the truth will be near impossible. Especially when Callan has her own homicidal little secret to deal with.

One with a taste for destroying her life.

The Heir’s Choice

After discovering her parents had kept a whole world secret, Callan races to discover her past. Not easy to do with an increasingly agitated entity living in her soul.

Get your copy HERE.

Misha gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win BOTH eBooks.

You have until Tuesday, August 4 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on August 5.

TRUTH OR LIE

1) Misha is theoretically able to speak four languages and understand at least three more well enough to find her way home if she got dropped in the middle of countries speaking them. 
2) Through her mother's side, her family is possibly the only one in existence to have two State Heads on two sides of the same war in their genes. One's Paul Kruger, the other is Queen Victoria. (The Anglo Boer War.)
3) She owns two cats. 

So sleuths, which is the lie? Are you a sci-fi or fantasy reader? Geeked out over any books or characters lately?

Very Inspired by...

If you've been around here long, you know I'm AWFUL at accepting blog awards. I let them collect for months before saying anything, and so it's that magic time to do something about them.

Very Inspiring Blogger Award: Thank you so much Sharon Himsl and Gina Stoneheart for nominating me! (And sorry it's taken 6 months to say that.)

Rules for the Nominees:
1. Thank the person who nominated you, and link to their blog.
2. Display the award logo.
3. Nominate 15 other bloggers (more or less) and provide a link where they may be found.
4. Go to their blog, leave a comment to let them know they have been nominated.
5. Mention three things that inspired you the most during the past few weeks.

My 3 inspirations:

1. I'm just about to finish reading a second book to the kids for summer. We enjoyed The School for Good and Evil, and are now finishing up The Eighth Day. Both are awesome reads. It's been amazing sharing these reading adventures with my littles for so many reasons. First, to watch their reactions and really see first hand what engaging writing looks like. Second, I'm a ham. Do you know how long it's been since I had a chance to act? I really would do pretty well if I decided to become and audiobook narrator. 

2. Cheese. (Enough said.)





3. This:

I wish I could nominate all of you, but tagging would take me a week straight, and let's face it: I have a baby. ;) Regardless, I adore you just as much as the people I nominated today. (Because you're beyond epic.)

My nominees:

Randi Lee--Whose optimism and kind words are like fresh air.
Krystal Jane--I'm not sure any blogger gets me laughing quite so hard. (Love you, Krystal!)
Ian AKA Botanist--Ian's deep thoughts really register with me, not to mention he put out an AMAZING Sci-fi book.
Elizabeth Seckman--If my blogging circle had a heart, Elizabeth would be it. Sweetest. Blogger. Ever.
Amy @ Involuntary Smiles--Amy has her priorities exactly where they belong. She's my hero.
Kristin Smith--I love her attitude, her sense of design, her hair. (Two thumbs WAY up.)
Jennifer Hawes--I don't know what it is, but I felt like I connected with Jennifer right away. Maybe it was the curls. Friends for life.
Robyn Campbell--Oh, Robyn. She has been through the ringer these last couple months, but she inspires me with her attitude, her friendliness, and her continued encouragement of others--despite her own struggles. You're a light, Robyn.
Liz Blocker--I love this woman. We kind of met over a disagreement (or that was my first memorable conversation with her), but Liz is the very essence of awesome, and beyond accepting. I couldn't imagine the blogosphere without her.
Sharon K. Mayhew--I think this woman has edited more people's books for free than I have hairs. She now does it professionally, but I love that she's always ready to give of herself.
Linda R. Young--A total multi-tasker, I applaud Linda. Here's a woman after my own heart.

Ready for the chance to win an awesome book?

Two weeks ago Laura Masiano shared with us SCHISM, along with two truths and a lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win an eBook!  

Laura's Game:

1. Laura got lost on the side of a mountain in Japan during a monsoon at night and hitchhiked back to her hotel.
2. She's eaten live octopus where the tentacles were still moving and the little suckers really do stick inside your teeth.
3. As a waitress, Shaq sat at her table and asked her advice on which concert to take his girlfriend to (Rickey Martin or Enrique Iglesias).

THE LIE: #2. Laura saw this on Amazing Race and decided she'd never do that. She'd end up losing.

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Sandra Cox!!!

Congrats, Sandra! 

And now for this week's game... 

It is twenty-five years after the events of Price of Vengeance. Deirdre and her sisters have returned to their home planet of Etrusci after completing their training with the Finnian Shock Forces. Their homecoming plans are disrupted when their mother, High Priestess Celinia, and other leaders of the clergy are taken hostage, and their father, Colonel Liam O’Connor, disappears. In their desperate search for their father, they discover that the Rebellion is secretly building weapons that could end civilization as they know it.

Meanwhile, Liam has been befriended by a Rebel war criminal, a woman Deirdre has sworn to kill. Will Deirdre cast herself into the role of judge, jury, and executioner, or will she discover the promise of mercy?

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author? 

Kurt D. Springs is presently an adjunct professor of anthropology and archaeology in New Hampshire. He holds a PhD. in anthropology from the State University of New York at Buffalo, as well as a Master of Literature in archaeology from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and a Master of Liberal Arts in anthropology and archaeology from the Harvard University Extension School. His main area of interest is megalithic landscapes in prehistoric Ireland.

Kurt also writes reviews on Kurt's Frontier for Invincible Love of Reading.

Professor Springs currently lives in Manchester, New Hampshire.

You might run across this guy eating Kerry Gold’s Dubliner late at night. (Call it a guilty pleasure.)

Kurt gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win a print book and bookmark for PROMISE OF MERCY. (U.S. and Canadian residents only.)

You have until Tuesday, July 29 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on July 30.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Kurt holds a Bachelor of Arts in Math, a Master of Liberal Arts in Anthropology and Archaeology, a Master of Literature in Archaeology, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology.
2. Both of his parents are retired research chemists.
3. He's never published in Archaeology.

So sleuths, which is the lie? What has inspired you lately? Do you think blog awards are fun, or a pain?

5 Snacks for Reading

Well technically since you're not burning that many calories, I suggest saving the snacking for exercise, but here are my top five would-eat-if-I-didn't-have-to-get-up-and-stop-reading foods.

5. Carrot sticks. There's something about carrot sticks that goes so well with paper. Erm, but don't eat the paper. "What?!" you say? Why be so healthy? Well I tried pretzels, but I had to get up every couple minutes to get another cup of water, then to use the restroom, then to get more pretzels. Very distracting.

4. Fine, we'll jump off the health wagon. DOUGHNUTS. Especially doughnut holes. Yummy! (Keep wet wipes on hand--unless you're on an eBook and have mastered the art of elbow swiping.)

3. Dried apples. So delicious and zany without pushing you over the sugar threshold. 

2. Licorice. 'Nuf said.

1. And I bet you'll never guess what I'm going to say for the top snack?

Now gather up your snacks and pick up something truly worthy of reading...like the Maiden of Time books. 

Get your copies NOW.

   

Follow the blog tour for some amazing reviews and a juicy snippet:

Kristine @ Hall Ways for another totally unique excerpt.

Kurt D. Springs is at Melissamfrye.com with his review of SOULLESS

Barb Taub posts her 40 cents on SOULLESS

And be sure to enter the 

Rafflecopter

for your chance to win some amazing prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

See that waggly tail? Yup. The pony is on the move, running off to check out what our tour friendlies are saying about SOULLESS. You should join them. Unless you don't like ponies. Or being happy. ;)

What are your favorite reading foods? Do you crave it when you read about food? 

Giveaway and How I Found the Write Path

Are you ready for a boatload of awesomeness?

Today I'm participating in a hop/endeavor I hope will benefit writers, or really anyone in their journey. I've given permission for this piece to be published in a book to help up and coming authors, but I think you'll find the advice applies to anyone with a life-long goal. 

Sprinting Vs. Jogging

Dear Past Self,

I know you're excited about this publishing thing, I mean, you did it! You finally finished writing a novel. That is by far the hardest step. BUT, before you jump off a proverbial bridge make sure you've got a bungee cord attached, because you're going to do a TON of springing back and forth. I hope you're ready for the emotional roller coaster that comes with the rest of the journey, although I know there's no way you can be.

If I told you you've got another 11 years before your first book is published, and this won't be it, would you be discouraged? If I told you you're going to write six more books before you get published, would you give up? If I told you you're going to completely rewrite THE book 7 times and go through over 100 minor drafts, learning a new principle with each one, would you grow too agitated about the road ahead? 

What if I told you about the amazing critique partners you will meet? About the way your heart will break with each well-meaning suggestion as you learn how to take criticism? About the the wonderful bloghops and online support groups you will come to know? About the beta readers who will cheer you? About the literary agent who will encourage you to keep going? About the contests you will enter and lose? About the queries for short stories that will end in rejection? About other literary agents who will kindly refuse, not so kindly refuse, or not answer at all? 

And after all that, life will get in the way. You'll look for fulfillment in other ways, but you'll always come back to your writing. 

Regardless, here's what I really want to tell you: enjoy this path. Once you cross the finish line, you'll find there's another line over the next hill, and another, and another. The race never ends once you're officially entered, and all this jogging beforehand will give you the stamina, skills and fortitude to press through the downpours and steep inclines ahead. They will get steeper. The demands will feel nearly unbearable. You'll watch friends pass you by on all sides. You'll question why you can't be more like them, what you lack, and how you can possible do better. 

Persist, and you will find that golden moment of triumph. 

You have a difficult and long road ahead, but it's a journey worth taking. I hope you know that, and I think you do. Don't rush. Savor each step. Be patient with yourself and your circumstance. You'll never be in this place again. Face the trials bravely, and when all else fails, eat cheese and be happy. 

Sincerely,

Crystal Collier

Author of the Maiden of Time Series

Find all the participants HERE. 

Are you ready to meet a new author and enter to win an out of this world book? 

Last week, the genuinely nice Kurt Springs shared PRICE OF VENGEANCE with us, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win a $5 Amazon giftcard.

Kurt's game:

1. Kurt originally wrote a fantasy novel entitled the Queen of Thieves. 

2. He doesn't like beer, but not for a lack of trying. 

3. He loves tequila. 

And the lie is: 

#3. Kurt thinks that tequila is vile stuff. 

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Le&ndra Wallace!

Congrats Leandra! 

And now to today's feature:

When Callie Rycroft wakes to purple flames on the ceiling, she discovers that not only does the Faery realm exist, but she is the human who must save it. Chosen as Champion by the Faery Queen, Callie is tasked with finding the Cordial, a magical elixir needed to prevent a dangerous curse from bringing war to the Human and Faery realms.

The upside? Reece Michaels, the boy she's been crushing on for years, is assigned as her Guardian. Callie hopes by spending time together, he'll start to see her as more than just his best friend's sister.

The downside? She's in a race not only against time, but another Champion and Guardian-a Guardian who stands to threaten her developing relationship with Reece.

Magic, mistaken identities, and hidden agendas are the least of Callie's worries when she learns the Cordial requires a sacrifice. Will Callie be willing to risk all, even Reece, to complete her task as Champion, or will she let the curse free?

Faery Marked releases this summer! Add it on Goodreads HERE.

Now let me introduce you to the sweet and very cool author: 

Mary Waibel lives with her husband, son and two cats. When she isn't twisting fairytales, she enjoys reading, playing games, watching hockey, and camping. Her Princess of Valendria series (Quest of the Hart, Charmed Memories, Different Kind of Knight) are available from MuseItUp Publishing and other major retailers. Her Faery Marked (book 1 in the Faery Series) will be available from BookFishBooks this summer.

She loves all kinds of cheese (except Swiss which she only likes in fondue) and will eat it anywhere she can, but enjoys it most when sharing with the good company of family and friends. 

Mary gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat to win one of these books*: 

(All rated 4 star and up by me.)

(*US participants only. If the winner lives elsewhere, I have two alternate ebooks the winner may choose from.)

You have until Tuesday, May 27, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on May 28.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. When Mary was little she got her head stuck in the fence around the White House, and although they were able to get her out without issue, it makes for a great story.

2. She has a ton of useless facts stored in her mind that make for interesting conversations at the dinner table. (Like the reason weddings are in June is that was when everyone took their yearly bath.) 

3. She wanted to be a nurse until she learned you had to work in the ER and decided she couldn't handle seeing someone she knew come through the doors.

Sign ups are still open for the

(This is just a logo.)

cover reveal. (Book 2 in the Maiden of Time Trilogy.) 

Sign up HERE for any day the week of July 14-19.

(Revealers will have first dibs on ARC's as soon as they're available, and one lucky participant will win their choice of $10 to Amazon or a signed copy of MOONLESS.) 

Which is the lie? Are you running the race and feeling discourage/encouraged? What major goal are you trying to reach? Are you going to help with my cover reveal? Are you as excited as me about Faery Marked? 

Out of this World Announcement, Writerly Wednesday, and a Laugh

HUGE NEWS!!!! 
(At the end of the post, but first...)

Kiren is being interviewed at Kimber Leigh Wheaton's place.

And...

A laugh for you today--if you get into a dry and somewhat sadistic sense of humor: Portal 2, the most hilarious game I've ever seen. You wake up in testing center where humanity is dead and all that's left are the machines running the place, one of which is arguably evil. This is the song from the end credits, and it totally cracks me up. (The lyrics, oh the lyrics...)

Have you played/seen any video games that make you chuckle?

Are you ready to meet a new author and enter to win an out of this world book? 

Last week, the fabulous Medeia Sharif shared SNIP, SNIP, REVENGE with us, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win a Kindle copy of her awesome new book.

Medeia's game:

1. Medeia used to be terrified of the Wicked Witch of the West. 

2. Her favorite number is eight and she counts everything in eights. 

3. Her first unfinished drawer manuscript was about a magical Rubik's cube. 

And the lie is: 

#2. As cool as counting 8's would be, it's just not true. 

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Mason T Matchak!

Congrats Mason! 

And now to today's feature:

What is the Price of Vengeance? One could understand why Liam was angry. He was orphaned at a the age of two by a group of giant carnivorous insects called the chitin. Taken in by High Councilor Marcus and his wife, Lidia, Liam was raised with their older son, Randolf in New Olympia, the last remaining city on the planet Etrusci. As an adult, Liam becomes a soldier. After being cut off from the city, Liam finds that there is an alien intelligence behind the chitin. To defeat it, he must discover who he is and how to use his powers. Then, Liam discovers that a traitor, responsible for his birth parents’ deaths, had murdered his beloved foster parents. Will the price he has to pay in his quest for vengeance prove to be an even more unbeatable foe?

Pick up your copy HERE.

I had the opportunity to review this book, and I really really enjoyed it. See my review HERE. Now let me introduce you to the wonderful and genuinely nice author: 

Kurt D. Springs is presently an adjunct professor of anthropology and archaeology in New Hampshire. He holds a PhD. in anthropology from the State University of New York at Buffalo, as well as a Master of Literature in archaeology from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and a Master of Liberal Arts in anthropology and archaeology from the Harvard University Extension School. His main area of interest is megalithic landscapes in prehistoric Ireland.

Kurt also writes reviews on Kurt's Frontier for Invincible Love of Reading.

Professor Springs currently lives in Manchester, New Hampshire, where you might run across him consuming mass quantities of Kerrygold Dubliner while tucked discretely away in his kitchen. 

Kurt gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for a chance to win a $5 gift card to Amazon. You have until Tuesday, May 20, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on May 21.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Kurt originally wrote a fantasy novel entitled the Queen of Thieves. 

2. He doesn't like beer, but not for a lack of trying. 

3. He loves tequila.

ANNOUNCEMENT!!! 

The day has come. It's time to break out the cover reveal for

(This is just a logo.)

book 2 in the Maiden of Time Trilogy, 

and I'd love your help! Sign up HERE for any day the week of July 14-19.

The post will be prewritten in HTML and easy to adapt, but it's more than a "cover reveal." Each participant will receive an exclusive FUN FACT, SINGLE LINER, or UNEXPECTED DETAIL at the end of their post. Revealers will also have first dibs on ARC's as soon as they're available, and one lucky participant will win their choice of $10 to Amazon or a signed copy of MOONLESS. 

So what are you waiting for? Go sign up! (After you guess the lie.)

Which is the lie? Have you played any laugh out loud games? Are you going to help with the cover reveal? What do you think makes a really great cover? Any favorites? Do you like Sci-fi?