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The Singing River by R.K. Ryals

11/30/2014

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I discovered the wonderful writing of Mrs. Ryals in the Hot Summer Nights anthology.  Her short on River and Haven was nothing short of amazing.   It was beautifully written and made me want to run out and devour The Singing River.  As luck would have it R.K. Ryals was attending an author event in August 2014 so not only did I get my hands on a copy of The Singing River but I got it autographed!  We both attended the Believe Hope Live event and fate placed her table directly behind my own (I was attending with author Kristin Clark).  There was a squealing, jumping up and down moment when I realized R.K. Ryals would be sitting back to back with me.  If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting her let me tell you; this woman oozes southern charm and sophistication.  She is adorable!!!!  Enough fan girling from me, let's get down to the review.

Check out the book trailer @ http://youtu.be/9JL6YAcqxWA

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Title:  The Singing River
Author: R.K. Ryals
Published: 2013

Available @
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Smashwords
ITunes ~ KOBO

In Mississippi, there's a legend about a Singing River, a tragic love story that ended with an entire Indian tribe singing a death chant as they marched stoically into the Pascagoula River to die ...

At eighteen, Haven Ambrose isn't just a high school graduate. In her head, she's an aspiring writer, a traveler, a chef, a slayer of injustice, an astronomer, an archaeologist, and the love child of a famous, rich musician. But reality is harsher. Reality is overdue bills, a crumbling trailer, an absent father, an old addiction, and a hot, crushing summer that may end in disappointment.

For twenty year-old River Brayden, life seems good, but appearances can be deceiving. The oldest son of a wealthy family, he has finished his first year at Harvard to return home for the summer only to discover his younger brother headed down an unforgiving road.

They will be drawn together by a song. For during the late summer, they say the Pascagoula death chant can still be heard near the Singing River. Its call is haunting, its chant a testament of love and sacrifice. It calls to some ... beckoning.
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MEET THE AUTHOR 



"Books carried me through my childhood. They carried me through cold nights and hot days, through hunger and fear. I grew up under the poverty level, and my family spent a lot of time telling each other stories to pass the time. I was awkward, clumsy, and different. I was quiet and bookish. I had the same problems as all teenagers. I often felt inadequate and insecure. I was bullied quite frequently. Words carried me. They gave me wings and helped me fly. They brought me through grief and despair, through the death of both of my parents and through the journey that came afterward. With time came knowledge and acceptance, and my love for words grew. Stories mean different things to different people. I tell stories because, through them, I grow as a person and as a writer. Remember, life isn't always easy. There are never guarantees, and we are all different for a reason. Embrace your awkward. Be unique. Change your fairytale. Because what makes you different makes you beautiful."

~R.K. Ryals~

Connect on Twitter ~ Facebook

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~~~MY REVIEW~~~
5 Stars

This book flowed like a river.  It had moments of soothing calm, churning rapids and still pools as it mimicked the characters' lives.  R.K. Ryals paints a beautiful picture.  She has a way of connecting you to her characters.  You almost feel the sweat on your brow from the hot Mississippi sun. You are tethered to the pain and sorrow felt by the Brayden's as well as the Haven's love for her mother.

This story is so much more than just falling for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks.  Haven is a relatable character and also my favorite.  Despite having struggled her entire life, she is a proud and decent person.  Haven is not ashamed of where she comes from.  Life dealt her a crappy hand.  But rather than letting it break her, she embraced it and made the most of it.  On the other side, the Braydens were born into the perfect family with their lives planned out for them.  The sudden and violent murder of River and Roman's dad throws a big kink into that plan.  You learn that no matter where you come from and what you have everyone struggles from time to time.  The book has so many stories intermingled within it.  Haven's relationship with her mom, the Braydens dealing with the death of their father, finding a murderer, and the haunting tale of the Singing River.  It is all woven together into an amazing story.

My favorite line from the book....
After River drops and breaks a clock he says to Haven, "Now, this moment, this exact moment, is frozen forever. No matter what happens after this, we have this moment." 

Le Sigh.  Such a swoon worthy moment.

I love R.K. Ryals' writing style.  She reeled me in with her prose and touched my soul with her characters.  I cannot wait to devour her other books.

~~~Lynn's Review~~~

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Christy Sloat's Who We Were Blog Tour

11/30/2014

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It's no secret WE LOVE CHRISTY SLOAT!  Who We Were has been spotlighted previously, but we could not pass up a chance to be a part of the official blog tour.  Who We Were is currently on sale for just 99 cents and the author has a giveaway planned once the book gets 100 reviews.  You don't want to miss out!

~~~Our Reviews~~~ 

5 Stars from  Lynn

I have had the pleasure of following Christy Sloat’s writing career and it astonishes me how much she has grown as writer.  Who We Were speaks volumes to that statement.

Who We Were is a story that everyone can relate to no matter if you are 15 or 45.  It is so easy to put yourself into Sadie Peter’s shoes and immerse yourself in her life.  High School is tough.  Your world is changing.  You are growing up and expanding your horizon.  Sometimes this journey leads you to new people and experiences as you out grow and leave behind others.  Sadie is learning this first hand during the summer before her senior year.  As Sadie attends summer school to lighten her class load for next year, she decides to meet new people and reinvent how she and others see herself.  Of course this doesn’t happen without creating ripples in her existing pool of relationships.  That summer turns out to be a life altering experience for Sadie and those around her. 

Who among us hasn’t been through a similar situation?  This story takes a realistic view at growing up, growing apart, and growing into the person you were meant to be.  This book has staying power.  It will never go out of style.  Who We Were deals with such a relevant topic; you will be able to recommend it for generations. 

With Who We Were, Christy Sloat has shown the publishing world that she has what it takes to be a writer and contender in multiple genres. Christy has grown as a writer and it clearly shows in her latest work.  I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this writer.

5 Stars from Cheree

This book was not what I expected! This book is amazing! This is no story, this is a life changing experience. I beautiful, funny, sad and happy story we all can relate to in one way or another. And has the most amazing book boyfriend of all time! :D Sadie makes a choice on who she wants to be, and that choice sets her life in motion. A must read!

5 Stars from Angie

I am in awe of how Christy can write a story that speaks to my heart. Sadie is a girl who embodies the very meaning of endurance. From wanting to rescue what's left of a friendship to falling for someone who may disappear like the lazy summer days. It's a story of empowerment, self direction, and love in every way possible. A must read... get your tissues ready, you're going to need them.




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Presented by:
Sparkle Blog Button book info who we were cover gifTitle: Who We Were Author: Christy Sloat Audience: YA Genre: Contemporary romance Formats: E-book and Paperback Cover by: NajlaQamber Designs Editor: Melanie Williams Pages: 330 pages ISBN: 978-0692289952 ASIN: B00N980WYO Date Published: 15 September 2014    
blurb
“Who we were had washed away with the summer. Who we are was yet to be seen.” Summer school at Alcott High was only supposed to gain Sadie Peters extra credit, nothing more. Her goal wasn't to make friends, or gain the attention of the most popular football player, yet she managed both. Her life was cruising along on course ... until that summer. Could a simple stint in a different school change her identity completely and introduce her to love for the first time? How would that affect her relationship with Lily, her best friend? Hopefully their friendship was strong enough to make it through the tumultuous summer. Sadie learns that great things come with change, but sometimes memories of the past are hardest to part with.
book links
Amazon / Goodreads / Barnes and Noble / Smashwords / ITunes
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Excerpt
Excerpt 1-
I killed the engine and grabbed my new bag. I refused to go to summer classes with my junior year backpack. No way! I had purchased all new items for the next four weeks. This was a new school and a new chance to actually become someone different. A clean slate. No one here knew me, so my past history was erased. I would be Sadie Peters, popular and outgoing, instead of Sadie Peters, a shy nobody that no one pays any attention to. I looked up at Alcott High’s newly rebuilt entrance. It was the town’s oldest school, but it held the most history. It was the very first school built in Laurel Lakes when it was a small town. Now that the town has grown immensely, they needed a new school built, and that’s how Ridgeline High, my school, was built. While I liked my school for various reasons, I loved the history of Alcott. To me it held hope and immense change. After a complete and utterly disastrous junior year, I could only see promise staring me in the face.
Excerpt 2
“Three weeks, Sadie. They didn’t even show up to my doctor’s visit to get the final results.” That made me so sad to hear. How could they do that? He made a fist and hit the dashboard, not hard, but enough to make himself feel better. I placed my hand on his and squeezed, letting him know I was here and I wasn’t going anywhere. “Do you ever feel invisible?” He asked looking out the window. I laughed. Did I ever. My mom worked so much I hardly ever saw her, and my dad wasn’t home anymore. Cara was off to college, and she just thought of me as the silly kid sister. No one at Ridgeline knew I existed, even though I passed them in the halls every day. But instead of giving him that answer, I gave him the one I really felt was true. The one that I felt right then in that moment. “Not anymore.” I turned to look at him, and he met my eyes at the same time. wwwad
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Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epO5s90xeYI
Character Bio's
sadiebioNash Bionolanentry
 
Giveaway
 
about
clip_image012Christy Sloat is a SoCal born girl who resides in New Jersey currently with her husband, two daughters and Sophie her Chihuahua. Christy has embraced the love of reading and writing since her youth and was inspired by her grandmother's loving support. Christy passes that love of reading, writing, and creativity to her daughters, family, and friends. When you do not find Christy within the pages of a book you can find her being mommy, wife, crafter, and dear friend. She loves adventurous journeys with her friends and can be known to get lost inside a bookstore. Be sure to venture into her Past Lives Series, The Visitor's Series, and watch for many more exciting things to come. Check out her website www.christysloat.com    
media links
Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon / Instagram
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Follow the tour
Tour Schedule – Two Week Blog Tour for Who We Were by Christy Sloat from Dec 1 to Dec 18 2014
Dec 1
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! - Promo
http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com
Dec 2
Deal Sharing Aunt - Promo
www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com
Hope To Read - Promo
http://hopetoread.com
Queekie Girl Reads – Promo & Review
http://thequeekiegirl.blogspot.sg/
Dec 3
Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog - Promo
http://fictionalrendezvousbookblog.blogspot.com/
Coffee Books & Art – Characters bio’s
http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/
The MissPhyre Library – Promo & Review
http://themissphyrelibrary.wordpress.com
Dec 4
Books, Authors, Blogs – Promo & Author Interview
http://therightbook4u.blogspot.com
Movies, Shows & Books - Promo & Character Bio’s
http://moviesshowsnbooks.blogspot.com/
Dec 5
The Reading Table – Promo & Review & Author Interview
http://www.readingtable.weebly.com/
Eclipse Reviews - Promo, Author Interview & Character Bio’s
http://eclipsereviews.weebly.com
Dec 8
2 Girls & A Book – Promo & Characters Bio’s
www.2girlsandabook.weebly.com
Portals to New Worlds -  Promo & Character Bio’s
http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com
Dec 9
A Cauldron of Books – Promo & Characters Bio’s
http://acauldronofbooks.info
The Phantom Paragrapher – Promo & Review
http://www.thephantomparagrapher,blogspot.com
Dec 10
The Avid Reader – Promo & Author Interview
http://the-avidreader.blogspot.com
Cajun Book Lover - Promo
http://www.cajunbooklover.blogspot.com
Dec 11
The Idle Musings of a Writer's Mind – Promo, Author Interview & Characters Bio’s
http://theidlemusingsofawritersmind.blogspot.com
Dec 12
Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom - Promo
http://bookyramblingsofaneuroticmom.blogspot.co.uk/
Dec 15
Angee's After Thoughts - Promo
www.angeesafterthoughts.com
Dec 16
Shayna Varadeaux - Promo
http://www.shaynavaradeauxbooks.blogspot.com
Kelly P's Blog – Promo
http://kellyatx.blogspot.com/
Dec 17
The Little Bookworm Reviews - Promo
http://thelittlebookwormreviews.blogspot.com/
Word to Dreams- Promo & Character Bio’s
http://wordtodreams.blogspot.com
Dec 18
What Shall We Blog About Today? -  Promo & Character’s Bio’s
http://kenowinsky.blogspot.com
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Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sales

11/26/2014

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Here you will find the latest and up to the minute weekend sales for several great authors.  check back daily as new promos are added!  (Buy Links are in BLACK)

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Click each group to get the latest link to Anchor Group's Cyber Monday Sales Event.  Fantastic deals from authors like Stacey Rourke, Christy Sloat, Elizabeth Kirke, Cindy Springsteen and Wendy Nystrom to name a few!
YA/NA Authors           Kids/Lil Anchors



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Author Delphina Henley has a free gift with purchase.
The first 25 people who buy her book - Unless You Can Be A Unicorn - get a choice of Semester Abroad or Carved In Cherry from Elizabeth Kirke.  See her FB page 
Delphina Reads Too Much 

Check out Christy's Amazon page for all her deals:  Christy Sloat/Amazon 
Want a signed book from Christy?  Send her a PM on Facebook!
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It doesn't get any better than FREE.  
See all of Alicia Michaels' sales on Amazon.

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Kristin Clark's The Chosen.  Catch up now before the release of Book 2.  Available for $0.99 on Amazon.

Get kids adventures from Wendy Nystrom!
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Award winning author Elizabeth Kirke is having a HUGE sale

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Stacey Rourke's Sacrifice is #FREE!!!!!

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$0.99 Sale from Stephanie Witter

Check out all her sales on Amazon.

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Rain Murphy's Forgiveness

11/14/2014

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Meet Rain Murphy

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Rain Murphy was born on the west coast, and now lives on the east coast. Writing is not a job or career to her it is a passion. She is the Author of "DECIDING ISLAND SERIES" & "Saints! LOL or Are They?" Her books are geared toward adults, young and old, with the sexual passages being implied. It will appeal to lovers of fiction, fantasy, and magical happenings. 
Forgiveness, is book one in the Deciding Island Series. Saint Valentinus, What in the VAMP were you thinking? is book one in the Saint Series. 
There are minimal to no cliffhangers each book can stand alone. 
When Rain is not writing, reading, or promoting her two series she is spending time with her children and grandchildren. They like to camp, kayak, spent time on the beach and have fun plotting her next book.

  • Print Length: 285 pages
  • Publisher: Anchor Group/Rising Tides (July 27, 2014)
BUY LINKS~ 

www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Rain-Murphy-ebook/dp/B00M6FU9O4
www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Rain-Murphy/dp/069226468X/ 
www.smashwords.com/books/
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forgiveness-rain-murphy/1120028814… 
www.amazon.co.uk/Forgiveness-Rain-Murphy-ebook/dp/B00M6FU9O4
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The Tree of Life ~Desloce #6~ From Lucian Barnes

11/14/2014

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Mounting created Bloggif



The time has come to unveil the cover of Lucian Barnes' The Tree of Life (Desolace #6) - coming Dec. 21, 2014, but before we do let's make sure the lights are on and our fears are tucked safely in bed.

Synopsis

In his insatiable lust for power and world domination, the Black Knight has deployed an entire army of mechanical monstrosities to eradicate any who stand in his way. Despite his best efforts to exterminate Edward the White and his friends, they continue to be a thorn in his side. The Black Knight thinks he has the upper hand when the small band of his adversaries seemingly flee to the south in order to escape the wrath of his regiment of machines, but somehow they keep managing to elude him. Little does he know that Edward has an agenda of his own.

Employing the use of his new servant—who although younger than the Black Knight's former slave, is essentially a carbon copy of the headhunting serial killer—the demonic entity tracks the troublesome party of humans. Using George as his scout, he witnesses the growth of Edward's group as they gain allies on their trek southward. When he begins to figure out what the group is up to, the Black Knight decides to take matters into his own hands.

One thing is certain: failure is not an option. Will the Black Knight succeed to claim what he feels is his rightful seat upon a dais at the Throne of the Gods? Or will Edward and his friends thwart the attempt yet again?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23267661-the-tree-of-life




Don't delay, catch up with the gang today!

FREE!!!!!!




ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I spent most of my youth in rural Ohio and began writing stories at an early age. Many of these early attempts at story-telling were inspired by mysteries, such as those found in the old Hardy Boys books and the cartoon antics of Scooby Doo. As I entered my teenage years I began to drift away from writing stories, instead picking up my pencil to compose lyrics for heavy metal songs because my new dream was to become a musician. That vision remained hopeful for many years after my high school graduation, but like most dreams of this nature it died out as I became older.

After working several menial jobs through the years that followed, my thoughts again began to turn toward writing books. Inspired by my favorite author, Stephen King, I took an online creative writing course and slowly began to develop my skills. In late 2010 I was given a violent shove, both by the job market (which was horrible to say the least, and still is) and by the persistent encouragement of close friends, to pick up my pen and begin writing again.

In early 2012, I gave birth (that's almost what it felt like) to my very first published book, Desolace. Finally having a completed novel in my hand was the best feeling in the world for me, giving me a sense of accomplishment I had waited a lifetime for. Since then it has gotten easier for me with each book I have published. Since the initial release of Desolace, I have published four more novels in the series. My latest work is a futuristic horror book titled, EL-204.

STALKER LINKS

https://www.facebook.com/lucianbarnesauthorhttps://twitter.com/LucianBarneshttps://plus.google.com/u/0/105467232944920071958/postshttp://lucianbarnes.wix.com/author#

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Kristin Clark's The Chosen Blog Tour

11/6/2014

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Presented By
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2 Girls & A Book is proud to present Kristin Clark's The Chosen Blog Tour.  We love helping new authors spread the word about their books.  Kristin is a talented author from Anchor Group Publishing.  The Chosen is her first published novel.


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Title: The Chosen

Author: Kristin Clark
Genre: YA Fantasy / Urban Paranormal
Formats: E-book, Paperback
Date Published: January 21, 2014
Publisher: Anchor Group
Cover By: Katie Cowen
Editor: Melissa Ringsted and Christine Lairson
ISBN-10: 0615957870
ISBN-13: 978-0615957876
ASIN: B00HZTSW8Q

Synopsis
Chloe Caledone is a typical High School Senior counting the days until graduation when she can finally escape her boring small town life and experience the world. She has purposefully managed to go through life unnoticed, and has only seen the world through other’s eyes. On her eighteenth birthday, Chloe, awakes to a complete surprise, unaware that she has been Chosen and is the Descendant of the most powerful bloodline in history. Chloe will now embark on her true life’s destiny turning her world upside down with secrets, lies, danger, and an unanticipated love triangle, while she and five other Descendants of the original Chosen, fight to destroy a dark and powerful immortal.


Buy Links
Amazon ~ B&N ~ KOBO

Meet the Author

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Kristin is a country girl from Texas who grew up in Maryland and has a love for coffee, photography, movies, music and good books. She currently lives in a small town in Maryland with her three beautiful daughters and spoiled rotten dog. She holds a degree in Paralegal Studies and has been a Paralegal for seven years. She is currently pursuing her degree in Healthcare Management at University of Maryland. An avid sports fan, Kristin sticks by her favorite teams, the Oriole's, Redskins, and the Caps. She is an avid reader who considers herself old school, preferring a paperback over e-book version. As a Pisces with a passion for writing, she loves to escape reality and dive into her characters world. The Chosen is her first novel in The Chosen Trilogy published by Anchor Group and she has several other novels in progress.

Connect with Kristin on  Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Web


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Reviews

5 Stars from Lynn
"This isn't how I expected death to be. I imagined it cold, dark & lonely. This is nothing of the sort. It is warm & light. I feel everything except alone. I feel brave & strong. And loved." excerpt from The Chosen

The fairytales are true. Witches and warlocks are not just lore. And you hold the power to prevent evil and darkness from controlling the world. You are The Chosen One.

Meet Chloe, your average high school senior just trying to navigate through school and escape small town
"This isn't how I expected death to be. I imagined it cold, dark & lonely. This is nothing of the sort. It is warm & light. I feel everything except alone. I feel brave & strong. And loved." excerpt from The Chosen

The fairytales are true. Witches and warlocks are not just lore. And you hold the power to prevent evil and darkness from controlling the world. You are The Chosen One.

Meet Chloe, your average high school senior just trying to navigate through school and escape small town life. Then on her eighteenth birthday everything changes. Suddenly she looks a little different. Her reflexes have quickened. She meets a mysterious guy in the school parking lot and instantly feels a connection to him. Oddest of all, she swears she sees a man watching her from the woods while in class. Nathan, Heather, Sean, and Olivia are like Chloe. Their lives all changed when they turned eighteen. From them Chloe learns that they all have special powers and are descendants from the Originals. She is the Chosen and possess powers of the elements. Nathan can hear other people's thoughts. Heather can bind the will of those around her. Sean can turn into any animal and Olivia can see their future. There is one additional member of the Descendants, Ethan, who is the guardian/protector of The Chosen One. The villain of this tale, Aden, has kidnapped Ethan in order to get to Chloe and the others. Aden's goal is to destroy them and take their power. Chloe and the others must use their gifts to track, locate and free Ethan all while learning where their ancestors came from and why after centuries is the Originals bloodline needed again.

For the author's debut novel, this reviewer thinks she knocked it out of the park. I was swept up in the first paragraph of the prologue. Kristin Clark took me on a journey with Chloe. Her depiction came alive and danced in my head. I absolutely look forward to reading future works by the very talented Kristin Clark.

5 Stars from Cheree
This book! It starts with a character I can relate to so much! Strange things start to happen for Chloe, but will she be able to figure it out in time? Will she make the right choices? Will her heart lead her and her friends in the right direction? I loved this story! But man talk about your cliff hanger! My heart is aching for the next addition to this series! Cannot wait to find out what happens!!  

Excerpt



Drake got up from the table and walked over to me, putting my face between his hands as he always did. I looked sternly into his eyes.

“Chloe, I love you more than life itself. I will do everything in my power to get your life back to normal, but you have to trust me. I can’t tell you just yet. It is better this way, I promise. I will leave you alone so you can try to gather back some of your normal life again. There is no place for me in your world. I want you to be happy and safe. I promise I will make it better for you from a distance. This will all be over soon, and then you can get on with your normal, teenage life.” He was adamant; I could see that. I didn’t want to let him go, but I couldn’t handle anymore than I already had.

“Why can’t you just tell me what you know? How can you say you love me but want to leave? I want you – all of you. Please don’t do this. We belong together. I know it, and you know it.” I was crying on the outside and screaming on the inside. Why wouldn’t he fight for me?

“You deserve so much more than I can give you right now. Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.” Drake wouldn’t look at me in the eyes anymore.

I knew him well enough to know that meant he didn’t want this. It was hurting him and killing me. I did have feelings for Ethan, but they didn’t compare to the burning flame that was inside of me for Drake.

“Look at me, please. We can make this work; I know we can. When this is all over, we can be together and be a normal couple.” I grabbed his face and pulled it toward me. “Promise me you’ll come back for me. I don’t care what it is you have to go and do, just promise me, Drake. Say you’ll come back.” I couldn’t talk behind the tears anymore. I closed my eyes and prayed through all the tears. He kissed me on my forehead and lifted me up to face him.

“Chloe, if it is at all possible, I will come back for you. You know that. If I don’t, it is because I am not able to.” The look in his eyes when he said that sent chills through me and turned my stomach upside down. I knew what he meant now. He had been trying to tell me all along. If he couldn’t, it’d be because he was not able to. If he was not able to, that means he was not alive. I burst into tears in his arms. “I want you to live a long and happy life without me. I would prefer it to be with me, but you can go on without me. I always told you I would never let you get hurt. I will die for you, if there is no other way. If it means you are safe and protected, than that is what I will do.” His bravery was unbelievable. “Chloe I will destroy Aden. I won’t stop till it is finished.”

“I won’t let you die for me.” I watched his expression change from pure menace to upset and slowly back to the kind, caring Drake I had known.

“It has to be this way. Please just stay here where you are safe. Don’t go out there and do anything that could get you killed. I promise it will be over soon.” He kissed me.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you more than you could ever know.”

With that kiss, we said good-bye. I memorized his face and burned it into my memory. I felt that would be the last I saw of him. The feeling in my heart told me so, but it wasn’t him that wasn’t coming back; it was me.

 

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'Wolves In The Woods' Audio Book Release Day

11/5/2014

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We are excited to be part of the Audio Book Release Day for this amazing first book in an intense Dystopian/Post Apoc. Series, Wolves In The Woods by the lovely Brea Behn and are honored to have this exclusive author interview! And make sure you enter the giveaway at the bottom.
Wolves In The Woods......

BLUB
Meet Braelin, a young woman in the year 2056, whose life is soon to be changed forever by a virus known as C47-a virus that wipes out much of the world, including her parents and her twin.

Now alone, Braelin is forced to learn to take care of herself. By fate and good luck she stumbles across a sanctuary hidden deep in the woods of Wisconsin. Here she learns the hardest lessons of survival yet. Along the way she meets Aravon and Timber, both of whom fall hard for Braelin. Filled with suspense, passion and excitement, Wolves in the Woods keeps Braelin fighting for her life and for her love until the very end.

Get your copy of Wolves In The Woods here......     

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW

2 GIRLS- Good afternoon Brea, thanks for joining us today! I know you’re super busy with the new release!

BREA- Hi Cheree, I am here!! Running a little late. I homeschool my kids, I guess it is a good thing when they LIKE what I am teaching and want to look more into it LoL

2 GIRLS- I here that! I homeschool too and understand how schedules run crazy! Okay, so as this is your first novel, what inspired you to write Wolves in the Woods. I know you have dedicated this in memory or your twin brother right?

BREA- Correct. I started writing at age fifteen when he died. I could not find a book about the specific loss of losing a twin brother, so I wrote one. That took me about ten years. When I was done I realized how much I loved to write and wanted to write something for fun!

2 GIRLS- WOW! Did you ever do anything with what you wrote? Or is it more like a personal journal? Emotional release?

BREA- Yes. I rewrote it three times since then. As I learned from my grief, I changed/revised it. The finished product is called Death Sucks, Life Doesn't Have To and it will be coming out this February.

2 GIRLS- EXCITING! I will definitely have to check that out! There are some pretty emotional scenes in Wolves In The Woods with Braelin and Timber, those must have been hard scenes to write, and to see Timber battle the good and evil inside of himself. Was it hard writing those scenes and not ending them sooner, but allowing those things to happen? 

BREA- No it wasn't hard to write, but yes it was intense. When I write it all comes pouring out of me in bursts which sometimes shock even me.

2 GIRLS- I love hearing that from authors! It's like the story writes itself and you are the seed and the portal....

BREA- It really is!

2 GIRLS- Who was your favorite character to write about?

BREA- That is a hard question. Braelin was hard to write, because she is a reflection of all of the hard things I have faced in my own life. It was almost painful to write about her. To be honest, Timber was the most interesting for me. He was a challenge. I wanted him to be a bad guy that you can't help but like.

2 GIRLS- And he very much was! I found myself rooting for him at times, and then get mad at myself for it! Lol  Will there be any surprise appearances in book 2?

BREA- Yes...several in fact. Book 2 is called Wolves in the City and you will meet several new characters as well as visit all the same characters again.

2 GIRLS- OOO all of them! Excellent! There are a few characters that really intrigued me and hope to hear more about! Any tidbits about book 2 you want to give us? Pretty please?

BREA- Wolves in the City takes place in the fictional city of Chiwaukee. Aravon disappears in the city and Braelin leaves the Big Woods to find him. It is a different perspective on how those in the city survived the virus and the fallout afterwards.

2 GIRLS
- Oh no! He disappears! It's always so scary waiting to see if a character I love is going to die!

BREA- One of my characters does die, but not until book four, which I am writing now....

2 GIRLS- WHAAAAA NOOOOOO!

BREA- Don't worry. It is not any of the original characters. This is one of the characters that shows up in book two.

2 GIRLS- Oh good! phew! Moving on from that heart attack, who is your favorite author, and what is your favorite book?

BREA- My favorite author is Stephen King. The original dystopian master. My favorite fiction book is a series. The Tower series by Stephen King. My favorite non-fiction book is The Secret.

2 GIRLS- Stephen King is scary to me, a little to “horror” lol Although, I do love all the movies they make from Stephen King’s books, he is the master! But don't remember if I have finished one of his books. ‘It’ ruined me, scarred me for life!

BREA- I don't like horror either except for him. Which I only read in the day time. LoL The Tower series though is less horror and more dystopian. Same with The Stand.

2 GIRLS- Good call on the daytime reading! And that's what I have heard about the Tower Series, all great things, but I'm not gonna lie, you line those books up....that's intimidating! Who is your biggest inspiration? Not just as an author, but in life?

BREA- My mom. She is the strongest person I know. She has severe asthma and is a two-time cancer survivor. She was told she would not live past thirteen, never be able to have children and would never be able to work for a living. She just celebrated her birthday, had four kids (including us twins) and was a nurse for 29 years. She is the person who I get my strength from, that is for sure.

2 GIRLS- WOW! Yah, that is some woman! Don't tell her she can't aye? That is awesome! Impossible to not be inspired by that!

BREA- You got it. Especially doctors, lol.

2 GIRLS- And the loss of a child would do me in!

BREA- It almost did. She was diagnosed with breast cancer one month after my brother died. It has been a journey. It changed us all forever. I keep telling her she needs to write a book.

2 GIRLS- I couldn't even imagine how that must have been for you and your family. I'm so sorry Brea!! That is a hard place to continue from J  So, last question and then I will let you get back to life and kids. Do you have any other WIP, separate from this series, and aside from the one we discussed coming out in Feb.?

BREA- Oh yes. I have a middle grade book done about a boy with nonverbal autism that goes on adventures in his mind, called The Colors of a Mind. I have a children's picture book called Ants Are People Too, and I just started a YA fantasy book called Adams & Eves about a teenage girl who dreams about the Garden of Eden her whole life and realizes she was actually from there and tries to find it. I am always writing something.

2 GIRLS- ohmygosh! WOW! Are those all available?

BREA- Not yet. I am still deciding how I want to publish them. If I want to continue working with a publisher or self-publish them. It is a tough decision for me.

2 GIRLS- I would love to get some of those kids books! I have decided I do not want my kids reading on a kindle! Kids these days are losing the love of books, I can't allow that. Will your kids books available in paper or hard back versions?

BREA- If I self-publish them yes they would be available as paperbacks. My books will always be available as hardcovers, because I completely agree with you. There is nothing like holding it and reading it.

2 GIRLS- I agree! Thank you so much for your time today Brea, and I am excited for the audio release! I want to get it so my hubs can listen to it on our next road trip!

BREA- Thank you so much for your time Cheree! We will have to chat about homeschooling adventures soon.

Check out the Wolves In The Woods Audio Book Release Day party on Facebook
**HERE**

5 Star Review from Cheree
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So intense!! This is such a tragic story of strength and survival! In a future that is desolate and destroyed, the reality of how people will choose to survive by taking from others, taking anything and everything. I devoured the last 50% of the book in just a few hours, with my heart pounding and my emotions everywhere!! When it was finally over I just had to close the book and absorb. This book wraps up nicely with no cliff hanger, but definitely open for future books! I hope that is the plan! I would love to see what comes after.

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About the Author:
Brea Behn is very passionate about reading and writing in all genres. She started writing at the age of fifteen, when she wrote a memoir for her twin brother. Currently, she writes fiction of several genres, nonfiction, and is building her career as an author and public speaker.

When Brea is not writing, she is reading, usually several books at the same time. She also volunteers at her local humane society, gardens, and homeschools her children.

Brea lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their two children.


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'The Gambit' Cover Reveal

11/4/2014

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Title: The Gambit
Author: Allen Longstreet
Cover by: Aaron Tallman - Graphic Artist
Release Day: December 7, 2014

Owen Marina is a name well-known in Washington, D.C. It is synonymous with freedom, liberty, and truth. He is co-founder of the Convergence party; a third party dominating the benchmark polls in the historic 2016 election.

He wasn’t always a celebrity. He was just a regular, booze-drinking post grad of Georgetown University, working for the EPA as a field chemist. That was until the Confinement—the most heinous act committed by the federal government in history. He was assigned District 1, as was Cole Pavich, who would become the co-founder of their party. For them District 1 was not only a prison-camp, but a breeding ground for unorthodox ideas, and solutions to the problems that plagued American politics. With his new found popularity, women wanted him, men wanted to be him, but—life as a workaholic was lonely. At 27 he was single, lived alone, and had a performance street bike as his only companion.

At the final debate, just weeks before the final election, there is a terrorist attack; the pipe-bombs kill a dozen, and injure many more. He awakes in the hospital, to discover Cole in the ICU, in critical condition. Later that day, it is revealed on the news that the main suspect is deceased, and the other suspect is him. Owen Marina is the most-wanted fugitive in the United States. How will he expose the truth? When the media is against him, the interconnected actions of a brave few might be his only hope.




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 Allen Longstreet is a fiction author who resides in Hickory, North Carolina. Now at 21, he has been writing ever since he was a child, and novels have always been the goal. With a background in Botany and Ecological sciences, he has a preference in Post-Apocalyptic and survival. Allen has a strong interest with contemporary issues and problems society faces in this day and age. He plans on writing across a broad-spectrum of fiction, creating characters and stories we all can become attached to.

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAllenLongstreet

Website:
http://www.allenlongstreet.com

Twitter:
@allenlongstreet 
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K.C. Finn's The Synsk Series Blog Tour

11/3/2014

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Today on the blog we are pleased to showcase K.C. Finn.  The Synsk Series takes you into the mind of the Synsk, a psychic mind that can see through the eyes of another. This series not only takes you on a paranormal journey, but also  a view of the real life heart ache and struggles families had to experience in Europe around WWII.  Be sure to check out Cheree's reviews!

~~~Reviews~~

5 Star Review on The Minds Eye by Cheree

LOVED this book! Was a little leary at first, as this is not my typical read at all. I love paranormal, but this doesn't stack up to what people think when they think paranormal, no vampires, weres, witches or the like. But alas this is an amazing story! A sad but realistic tale that really makes you think, the paranormal aspect aside, about what people must have gone through in those days during the war. But how fascinating and amazing it would be to have Kit's talent of going into another persons mind, and seeing what they see and feeling what they feel! This book, the characters, the situations, they all feel so real! You feel for all these characters, even the ones you don't like very much, you care for all of them and what happens to them. The book is written in a different kind of speech and at first it really threw me. But after a while, I found it neat, kind of like listening to someone from another country talk, fascinating. The book definitely leaves you with and ohmygosh! moment, but not at a cliffhanger! The story closes beautifully without heartbreak, which I was so happy for!! I fell in love with these characters and can't wait to go start the next book right now!

5 Star Review on Leighton's Summer by Cheree
5 Stars

Absolutely fantastic! I was a little nervous at first thinking he is a young boy, the story might not hold my interest, and saddened that I wasn't going to be following Kit around again. NOPE! This story was so amazing! So much excitement and sadness and adventure. It is sad to know what people are capable of! I love how K.C. Finn manages to mix the real and the fiction into such a beautiful and believable story! Can't wait to read book 3!
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K.C. Finn Reveals…

 Favorite Moments From My Books:

The Mind’s Eye, available now and FREE to download:

“Your Doctor Baxendale’s an idiot.” Bickerstaff hardly looked at me when he spoke. “He doesn’t know his ilium from his olecranon. Now, I want to see you stand. Get up.”

He said it like it was an easy thing to do. The blonde sat back in his chair expectantly, making it quite clear that he wouldn’t be giving me a pull to help me to my feet. I steeled myself, reaching both hands out to grip his desk ready to make the effort. When my feet found the ground, I could already feel the pinch where the skin around my ankles was swollen, and when I pressed a little weight onto them the sensation was like somebody inserting a screwdriver right into the joint and twisting it hard. I cried out at the first sharp moment of pain, looking at the doctor viciously.

“I can’t,” I said through gritted teeth, “I’m sorry Doctor, but I can’t.”

“Get up,” he repeated.

Leighton’s Summer, available now:

“Where is she?” I demanded with desperation, “Where are you hiding her?”

My control of the situation was short lived. Though Vic wasn’t built like his only son he still had twenty more years’ experience of fighting than I did. He took my wrists and twisted them to breaking point until I released his jacket from my grip, kicking at me with legs that sprung like a cricket until he had enough purchase on my chest to fling me off him like a ragdoll. I flew a few feet and thumped hard into the wall, hitting my head so forcefully that the whole room flickered in and out of blackness. I slunk down to the floor as my body grew heavy, feeling the flat-cap I had worn roll off towards the exit door. A moment later I was shrouded in shadow as Vic Webb got to his feet, standing above me as he dusted off his clothes.

“You’re a very rude young man,” he commented idly.

In seconds he had put his shiny shoe to my throat, pressing on my windpipe so that I had to gasp just to gain enough air to breathe.

A Place Halfway, available now:

When the song was over, Jake didn’t receive the wild reception that Tommy had elicited, but he seemed really happy with the moderate applause that he did get. I was outraged that he hadn’t gotten more out of the crowd, since it was clear that he and Tommy were both evenly matched for natural showmanship. The first chance I had, I raced over to the bar to congratulate him with a huge, enthusiastic grin.

“Didn’t I tell you?” I asked, not waiting for an answer. “You were brilliant. No boos, no shotguns, just talent.”

“And you were right,” Jake replied, his chest still heaving with nerves. “Even if I don’t make it any further, I got up there and I sang it for Dad.”

“You’re going to go further,” I promised him with glee. “Nothing’s going to stop you now.”

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Synsk Series 2



the minds eye covergifTitle: The Mind’s Eye
Series: Synsk #1
Author: K.C. Finn
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal/ Historical/ Romance
Formats: E-book and paperback
Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing
Cover by: Marya Heiman for Cleen Teen Publishing
Pages: 350 pages
ISBN: 1940534380
ASIN: B00JDPXCWG
Date Published: April 1st 2014
 
blurb
A girl with a telepathic gift finds a boy clinging to his last hope during the war-torn climate of Europe, 1940.
At fifteen, Kit Cavendish is one of the oldest evacuees to escape London at the start of the Second World War due to a long term illness that sees her stuck in a wheelchair most of the time. But Kit has an extraordinary psychic power: she can put herself into the minds of others, see through their eyes, feel their emotions, even talk to them – though she dares not speak out for fear of her secret ability being exposed.
As Kit settles into her new life in the North Wales village of Bryn Eira Bach, solitude and curiosity encourage her to gain better control of her gift. Until one day her search for information on the developing war leads her to the mind of Henri, a seventeen-year-old Norwegian boy witnessing the German occupation of his beloved city, Oslo. As Henri discovers more about the English girl occupying his mind, the psychic and emotional bonds between them strengthen and Kit guides him through an oppressive and dangerous time.
There are secrets to be uncovered, both at home and abroad, and it’s up to Kit and Henri to come together and fight their own battles in the depths of the world’s greatest war.


book links
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excerpt
We spent Henri’s birthday under a tree drinking orange pop and trying to talk about subjects that didn’t lead back to the war. The news of Clive and Ieuan had shaken Leigh out of his selfish reverie, so if one good thing had come from the darkness it was the fact that my brother had finally actually gotten to know Henri. He even sang Happy Birthday in what he called ‘The Proper English Way’, laughing so hard he could barely get the words out for lack of breath:
“Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you; you look like a monkey and you smell like one too!”
Henri laughed for the first time in what seemed like forever and a warmth settled in my chest, like things were finally going to get back to normal. When Leighton went to get more pop, Henri came to the tree and sat down beside me, putting a long arm around my shoulders and pulling me in. He kissed the side of my head gently, his warm breath sinking into my hair. He hadn’t tried to kiss me properly again even when there had been opportunity for it, and I was sort of grateful for that. As much as I wanted to feel that tingling, only-us-in-the-world sensation again, right now the atmosphere just wasn’t right. But we were always close to one another when we had the chance, I had gotten so used to his arms around me that it felt like some part of me was missing when he wasn’t there.
“I’ll have to go into the village tomorrow,” he whispered, “to pass my enlistment papers to the right people.”
An invisible blade sank slowly into my fragile heart, but I had always known this day was coming.
“It’ll take them a while to process it,” I said hopefully, “I bet they’ve already got loads of boys waiting to go to basic training.”
“Perhaps,” he said softly, his lips still resting against my head.
I turned sharply to face him, searching his deep brown eyes. “I don’t want you to go,” I said, racing to find his hand to hold it tightly.
“I won’t really be gone,” he replied, “You’ll always be able to find me.”
“That’s not the point,” I said, my curls shaking as I trembled, “This is dangerous Henri, this is war.”
“You forget where I’ve been already,” he said, turning his face away to focus hard on the distance. He kept a firm hold of my hand and gave it a good squeeze. “You came to my head in the quiet times, the safe times. But I’ve already seen the destruction, the danger and the death, Kit. I think there are two types of people during war: those who see the horror happening and run away, never looking back, and those who want to do something about it.” I felt his other arm pull me in closer against his strong body. “You know which type I am, so you know I have to go.”
I couldn’t say anything, because it was all true.


book trailer
Link: Youtube
: 


character bios


clip_image002[4]Catherine ‘Kit’ Cavendish, age 15
Kit is the central character of The Mind’s Eye, a girl with secret psychic abilities who can step into other people’s heads, look through their eyes and feel their emotions. She suffers from what was known in 1939 as Still’s Disease, which is actually a form of juvenile arthritis. This means that she has suffered a period of physical deterioration, so when we see her at the start of the book she is bound to a wheelchair and wishing that her life could be very different to the situation she’s trapped in. The Mind’s Eye is just as much about Kit’s war with her body as it is about the actual war surrounding the story. Kit’s condition is based on my own debilitating long term physical illness (M.E.) which presents a lot of very similar symptoms and difficulties in my everyday life. My dream cast pick for Kit is Georgie Henley, famous for playing Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia movies. I chose her because she has a subtle but classic beauty that could easily sit in the period of the 1940s and she is a youthful teenager rather than a mature-looking one.


clip_image004Henri Haugen, age 17
When Kit first connects her mind to Henri’s she finds him in Oslo, Norway on the day that the Nazis first arrive to take control of the city. Henri is a kind and brave soul but he can be impetuous and make snap decisions without thinking; not a clever move to make when you’re surrounded by the occupying forces. Kit takes it upon herself to counsel Henri through his troubles and eventually help him to escape the terror in Oslo so that he can do his part for the war effort. During this time the two youngsters develop a strong bond of friendship and romance. I was inspired to create Henri’s character after visiting the Resistance Museum in Oslo, Norway whilst on a holiday cruise. I was amazed by the stories of very young men who took it upon themselves to traverse the frozen mountains of Norway in order to cross the sea and join the British Army via Scotland. My choice for Henri is a bit of an obscure one since he’s not actually an actor, but here I present Aljaz Skorjanec, star of ballroom dancing show Strictly Come Dancing! He has a typically European look (although he is Slavic rather than Nordic) but his cute little dimples and flyaway hair made him a perfect candidate for Henri.

There’s actually a YouTube video from Strictly Come Dancing where you can see Aljaz dancing with model Abbey Clancy to the song Dear Darlin’ by Olly Murs. To me this performance really captures the spirit of Kit and Henri’s relationship and the song was very influential in channelling the kind of love they share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riXwYKM-ggY


clip_image006[5]Blodwyn Price, age 20, and Steven Bickerstaff, age 29
Blod is not a character I expect you to like the first time you meet her, but I hope that as you read on in The Mind’s Eye you will come to understand her attitude and the life events that have shaped her into the moody, guarded young beauty that she is. Doctor Bickerstaff forms a kind of enemy for Kit at the start of the tale, his harsh words and unsmiling attitude aren’t what she needs when she’s struggling enough already… or are they? Blod and Bickerstaff are my secondary main characters and I genuinely love the way their story unfolds as Kit learns to understand why they behave the way they do and discovers secrets about them she never thought possible. My dream cast picks for them are Dominique Swain for Blod (star of the Jeremy Irons version of Lolita) and Dan Stevens for Bickerstaff (whom you will all recognise as Matthew in Downton Abbey). I chose Dominique for Blod because I think she is a natural beauty and a typical teenage temptress. I picked Dan for Bickerstaff because I really needed someone who could still look sexy when he was miserable!
 
Synsk Series 2


 
leightons covergifTitle: Leighton’s Summer
Series: Synsk #2
Pages: 308 pages
ISBN: 1940534666
ASIN: B00JOZSRPM
Date Published: April 14, 2014
blurb
A teenage boy with something to prove gets caught up in a web of crime and deceit in England, 1945.
In the weeks leading up to his sixteenth birthday, gifted psychic Leighton Cavendish finds himself suddenly packed off to Blackpool, a glittering, teenage paradise filled with plenty of opportunities for amusement—and trouble. With only a preoccupied grandmother to keep an eye on him, Leighton’s desperation for adventure leads him out into a world of holidaymakers, candy, and carnival rides—the ideal place to spend six weeks away from home.
But Leighton’s psychic visions are encroaching on his fun, trying to warn him of the danger that lurks beyond the shimmering lights of the Golden Mile. Who are the mysterious thieves Leighton sees in his head, and what do they want with the children they seek? A girl called Faye holds the answer, but she has enough problems of her own.
Amid the climate of a tourist town recovering from the impact of the Second World War, two lost teenagers will discover a shocking truth about human greed. Together, they will try to fight against it. For Leighton and Faye, this will be a summer to remember—one filled with challenges that must be overcome.
A summer that turns a boy into a man.


book links
Amazon / Goodreads / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords / Itunes
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character bios


imageLeighton Cavendish, age 15
Charming, cheeky and full of mischief, Leighton has grown into a handsome young man by the time the war ends. He has also learned how to use his psychic skills to get exactly what he wants from life. In Leighton’s Summer, his easygoing nature and carefree smile attract all the wrong kinds of attention from Sid Webb and his criminal counterparts. Whilst Leighton struggles to save face without caving in to peer pressure, he realises that being a bad boy isn’t as cool as it looks, and that the girl of his dreams isn’t interested in getting mixed up with the wrong kind of lad. My dream cast choice for Leighton would be Freddie Stroma (famed for playing Cormac McClaggan in the later Harry Potter movies). His tousled blonde locks and charming face make him a perfect candidate for a young man who can be both strong and sensitive.


clip_image002[6]Faye Cartwright, age 15
Obsessive, nervous and truly unique, Faye is an orphan who has been through an extensive array of children’s homes because of her strange behaviour. A powerful psychic at a tender young age, Faye finds it hard to balance her emotions alongside her incredible mindreading powers. When she meets Leighton, Faye has a deep desire to trust him, but her analytical nature forces her to examine his whole persona, unpicking the layers of pride and bravado to find the boy beneath them. Another Harry Potter actor makes the cut for my dream cast, as Evanna Lynch has all the ethereal and peculiar qualities to her look that Faye
possess.


clip_image004[4]Sidney and Victor Webb, age 18 and 36
The villainous father and son team of Victor and Sidney Webb provide the darkest elements of the story of Leighton’s Summer. Sid’s brutal desire for status and control forces Leighton to do things he regrets, whilst Vic Webb is brewing up a truly evil scheme as children go missing in the quiet seaside town of Blackpool. Will Poulter is my dream choice for Sid, because he brings a thuggish kind of charm to the bad boy persona. As for Victor, nobody could compare with the menace and savagery that Robert Carlyle would bring to this role.


Synsk Series 2


a place halfway covergifTitle: A Place Halfway
Series: Synsk #3
Pages: 325 pages
ISBN: 1634220315
ASIN: B00NJSVHUC
blurb
A struggling psychic girl steps out into the big wide world amidst the murky depths of racial segregation in England, 1961.
As a teenage psychic, Josephine Fontaine knows what it’s like to be different. At Peregrine Place, a school full of youngsters with gifts just like hers, sixteen-year-old Josie is growing tired of her life and looking for more excitement in the world beyond the grand manor house’s walls. When an opportunity arises to work in a local music bar, Josie jumps at the chance, learning to balance her new job with the pressures of studying the ways of the Synsk.
There she meets the charming Tommy Asher, a fellow psychic with a talent for music, and Jake Bolton, a handsome, surly stranger with coffee-coloured skin. Throw in the return of her old crush Dai Bickerstaff, and Josie finds herself embroiled in a drama much bigger than she could have imagined, especially when certain parties take issue to her developing a friendship with a boy who isn’t white-skinned. When a mysterious record mogul offers Josie help to improve her psychic gifts, her world turns totally upside down and Josie begins to question everything she thought she knew about the world, her family and even herself.
Coming of age was never so intense as it will be for Josie in the winter of 1961.


book links
Amazon / Goodreads / Barnes and Noble
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character bios



clip_image002[8]Josephine Fontaine, age 16
Josie’s story takes place in 1961, and this is a girl who has already decided that the psychic life doesn’t suit her. Struggling to master her powers at school Jodie longs to step out into the wider world and experience the kinds of things her heroes croon about on the radio. An avid music fan and follower of sixties fashion, Josie yearns to leave her obligations behind, but she doesn’t yet realise how dangerous the outside world can be for a girl of just sixteen. Doctor Who’s Karen Gillan would be a perfect choice for this feisty teen, since she can deliver the conflicted emotions that Josie feels, whilst also presenting a pretty, but naïve and vulnerable girl to the big wide world.

 
clip_image004[6]Jake Bolton, age 16
Growing up as a mixed raced child in 1961 is a tough task, and Jake Bolton has already grown bitter with the way life is treating him. His secret dreams of being a famous singer have only got him as far as washing dishes in a local music club, where he’s not allowed to show his face when white people are partying on the other side of the wall. A recent and terrible tragedy has sent Jake into a downward spiral, and it’s only his new friendship with Josie that can pull him through. Spending time with a white girl, however, might get him into more trouble than he’s bargained for. Alfred Enoch is currently finding fame as the lead in the ABC drama How To Get Away With Murder, and his double-sided character portrayal has inspired me to choose him for the role of Jake in this dream cast.

 
clip_image006[7]Tommy Asher, age 15, and Hanne Haugen, age 14
The loveable sidekicks to Josie and Jake are Tommy and Hanne, whose luckless puppy love plagues their young lives. Tommy is a confident musician who dreams of instant stardom, but he can’t put his money where his mouth is when it comes to telling a girl how he feels. Hanne Haugen is Kit’s eldest daughter, and she’s been raised to be a diligent student and a well-behaved girl, but her crush on Tommy is driving her to distraction. Will her father Henri’s influence keep these young lovers apart, or will the power of music unite them in the end? Game of Thrones’s Thomas Brodie-Sangster is just the cutie needed to bring Tommy Asher’s charm and talent to life, and the stunning Abigail Breslin could play Hanne’s role with all the teenage crisis it deserves.

playlist
8 Great Songs to hear with a copy of The Mind’s Eye
A selected playlist of songs which inspired me during the writing of The Mind’s Eye.
Listen to it in full at: http://8tracks.com/kim-finn-986/the-mind-s-eye (or grab the code and embed it to your blog!)

1. Wish Me Luck (As You Wave Me Goodbye) – Vera Lynn
Give me a smile I can keep all the while
In my heart while I'm away
Till we meet once again, you and I
Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye
As anyone who has already read The Mind’s Eye will know, this song is the one that the children being evacuated from London start to sing on the train. This song is taken straight from British History as an anthem of the Second World War so it’s the perfect introduction to the atmosphere of the tale and the wartime spirit of Keep Calm and Carry On that all the characters in the novel try to stick by.

2. Under The Weather – K.T. Tunstall
And it's simply irrational weather
Can't even hear myself think
Constantly bailing out water
But still feel like I'm gonna sink
The lyrics of this song really represent a lot of things about the main character, Kit, at the start of the novel. Just like the world around her, Kit feels like she’s trapped under a black cloud because of her physical disabilities and she’s struggling with feelings of frustration and sadness. These are only exacerbated by having to move from the bomb-target city of London to the safe but isolated world of Bryn Eira Bach in North Wales.

3. More Than Useless – Reliant K
I'm a little more than useless
And when I think that I can't do this
You promise me that I'll get through this
And do something right
Do something right for once
Kit and Henri are both young people trapped by oppressive forces (in Kit’s case, her disability, and in Henri’s case, the Nazi occupation of Oslo). They both carry feelings of uselessness in the early stages of the story but it is by working together and trusting one another that they can both overcome the challenges they face. I love this song because it’s a combination of feeling quite fierce and powerful but also having a deep-set fear of not being valued, which is definitely a huge part of Kit’s character.

4. Dear Darlin’ – Olly Murs
Dear darlin’, please excuse my writing.
I can’t stop my hands from shaking
'Cause I’m cold and alone tonight.
First of all if you’ve never heard this song, watch it as part of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riXwYKM-ggY. I was watching this couple on Strictly Come Dancing (the show that Dancing With The Stars is based on) a lot whilst I was writing The Mind’s Eye and the male dancer here (Aljaz Skorjanec) actually became my model for Henri’s look. I think this song is a perfect representation of long-distance love and waiting for that person to come again; an ideal song for wartime!

5. Run – Leona Lewis
Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear
One of the most important things for a soldier facing the horrors of war is to know someone back home is waiting for them to return with arms wide open. Kit’s psychic abilities allow her to communicate with Henri more often than most sweethearts would get to talk to their fellas, but all the same it’s her voice in his head that keeps Henri brave, strong and able to face all the challenges that his time in North Africa brings him.

6. Lonely Teardrops - Jackie Wilson
Just give me another chance, for I'll romance
Come on and tell me that one day you'll return
'Cause every day that you've been gone away
You'll know why my heart does nothing but burn crying
I absolutely love the rock and roll era of the late 1950s and early 1960s, so you weren’t going to get through this playlist without a song from that time popping up! This emotional classic from the great Jackie Wilson tells you everything you need to know about those left at home during the war: the wives, mothers, girlfriends, young children and elderly people who all had relatives out there in danger and struggled to carry on with their normal lives despite everything. In The Mind’s Eye, everyone who lives at Ty Gwyn faces this harsh reality every day.

7. The Voice Within - Christina Aguilera
Young girl, don't hide
You'll never change if you just run away
Young girl, just hold tight
And soon you're gonna see your brighter day
One of the most important things about The Mind’s Eye is that it is a book about personal strength and overcoming your inner struggles in order to deal better with the outside world. This song is an inspirational anthem from my own teen years and it still speaks to me when I think about Kit and the personal strength she develops during the action of The Mind’s Eye.

8. Greatest Day - Take That
Tonight this could be the greatest night of our lives
Let’s make a new start,
The future is ours to find
Can you see it, can you see it in my eyes
If you’ve never heard this song, please go listen to it! Of course this playlist has to end on a high note and Greatest Day is the perfect up-beat feel good song about looking to the future and hoping for a bright new sunrise. Whilst there is plenty of darkness and tragedy in The Mind’s Eye, there is also a strong sense of hope for the future fuelled by love, family and personal belief.


dreamcast
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soundtrack
Book Soundtrack: All The Songs Featured in ‘A Place Halfway’
Listen to it in full at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-XQ26KePUQ&list=PLXc1AfJ5pirVEee5jd6XQUYFAkEC2qQos

1. Save The Last Dance For Me – The Drifters
Baby don't you know I love you so?
Can't you feel it when we touch?
I will never, never let you go
I love you oh so much
The song Josie sings at the very opening of the book, when she’s outraged that her teacher Miss Cartwright thinks that studying is more important than the charts.

2. Cupid – Sam Cooke
Now, I don't mean to bother you
But I'm in distress
There's danger of me losing all of my happiness
For I love a girl who doesn't know I exist
And this you can fix
Josie receives this record from Hanne for her sixteenth birthday. It’s also the song that she hears Jake singing later on when he’s washing dishes. She says he sounds exactly like Sam Cooke when he sings.

3. Cathy’s Clown by The Everly Brothers
I've got to stand tall, you know a man can't crawl
For when he knows you're telling lies
And he lets them pass him by
He's not a man at all
This is ‘the one about the clown’ that Claudette, Josie’s mother, really likes. Mother and daughter bond over this tune before Josie goes out and finds her job at the music club Halfway To Paradise.

4. Johnny B Goode by Chuck Berry
His mother told him someday you will be a man,
And you would be the leader of a big old band.
Many people coming from miles around
To hear you play your music when the sun go down
This song is playing at Halfway on the day that Josie first meets music mogul Vincent Walsh. They bond instantly over their mutual appreciation for Chuck Berry’s stylings and awesome guitar playing.

5. Peggy Sue by Buddy Holly
I love you Peggy Sue
With a love so rare and true
Oh, Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh, well, I love you gal
Yes, I want you, Peggy Sue
Tommy Asher treats Josie to a secret rehearsal of this song, which he sings at his audition for Halfway’s music contest. Hanne is a huge Buddy Holly fan, and she melts when she hears Tommy play this song.

6. I Feel So Bad by Elvis Presley
Sometimes I want to leave here
Then again I want to stay
Yes, I got my train fare
Pack my grip and ride away
Josie and Jake have their first true bonding moment over their appreciation for Elvis’s latest chart hit. They listen to the song again later in their relationship with fond memories of that first proper conversation.

7. Hound Dog by Elvis Presley
When they said you was high classed,
well, that was just a lie.
You ain't never caught a rabbit
and you ain't no friend of mine.
Jake reminisces that this was his father’s favourite song. Later in the story, he brings the house down with his own rendition, singing it as though his father can hear him from Heaven.

8. Splish Splash by Bobby Darin
They was a splishin' and a splashin'
Reelin' with the feelin'
Moving and a groovin'
Rockin' and a rollin'... yeah!
You may missed this one when you were reading, but it’s the song Jake sings when he’s washing up, as V.W. and Josie listen in from outside the kitchen, discussing his potential.

9. Jealousy by Billy Fury
Jealousy,
Was only through jealousy
Our hearts were broken
And angry words were spoken
The song that Tommy sings the next time he competes in the competition. Josie says of him: “Every time he hit the stage, he was getting more accomplished, strumming out a note-perfect accompaniment to the pianist behind him as though they had rehearsed together for years.”

10. Halfway To Paradise by Billy Fury
Bein' close to you is almost heaven
But seein' you can do just so much
It hurts me so to know your heart's a treasure
And that my heart is forbidden to touch
Just as a little bonus track to close the playlist, this is the song that the music club Halfway To Paradise is named after. I think it’s lyrics really sum up the two romantic relationships of the novel, and how romance in general was portrayed by the music of the 1960s.
 
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Goodreads Book Giveaway

A Place Halfway by K.C. Finn

A Place Halfway

by K.C. Finn

Giveaway ends November 28, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win

 

about the author

Born in South Wales to Raymond and Jennifer Finn, Kimberley Charlotte Elisabeth Finn (known to readers as K.C., otherwise it'd be too much of a mouthful) was one of those corny little kids who always wanted to be a writer. She was also incredibly stubborn, and so has finally achieved that dream in 2013 with the release of her first three novellas in the four-part Caecilius Rex saga and her time travel adventure The Secret Star.
K.C. Finn has also recently been welcomed into the fold at Clean Teen Publishing as a debut Young Adult author for 2014, beginning her run of publications with the paranormal/historical series SYNSK. 2015 will see K.C. release her epic urban fantasy series Shadeborn with Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Press.
As a sufferer with the medical condition M.E./C.F.S., Kim works part time as a private tutor and a teacher of creative writing, devoting the remainder of her time to writing novels and studying for an MA in Education and Linguistics.

media links
Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon / Pinterest / Instagram / Google +
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follow the tour
Tour Schedule - One month Tour for The Synsk Series by K.C. Finn from Oct 27 to Nov 27, 2014.
Oct 27
Word to Dreams - Promo & Author Interview
http://wordtodreams.blogspot.com
Night Owl Reviews - Promo
http://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Blog
Oct 28
Books, Authors, Blogs - Promo
http://therightbook4u.blogspot.com
Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom - Promo, & Top Ten
http://bookyramblingsofaneuroticmom.blogspot.co.uk/
Oct 29
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!- Promo
http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com
Shayna Varadeaux - Promo
http://www.shaynavaradeauxbooks.blogspot.com
Oct 30
Coffee Books & Art - Promo, Dream Cast, Playlist, Top Ten
http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/
What Shall We Blog About Today? - Promo, Dream Cast, Character Bio's, Book Soundtrack & Playlist
http://kenowinsky.blogspot.com
Oct 31
MI Bookshelf - Promo
https://www.facebook.com/MIBookshelf2
Book Club Sisters - Promo, Book Soundtrack & Playlist
http://bookclubsisters84.blogspot.com
Nov 3
Deal Sharing Aunt- Promo
http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com
2 Girls & A Book - Promo, Dream Cast, Character Bio's & Top Ten
http://2girlsandabook.wordpress.com/
Nov 4
Lindsey Gray - Promo & Character Bio's
http://lindsey-gray.blogspot.com
Nov 5
Sweet Treat Reading Reviews - Promo & Dream Cast
http://strreviews.blogspot.com/
Nov 6
Babu's Bookshelf - Review All
http://babusbookshelf.blogspot.com
Beckstar Reviews - Review All
http://beckstarreviews.com
Nov 7
Bookworm for Kids - Review - Book 1 - The Mind’s Eye
http://www.bookwormforkids.blogspot.com
Nov 10
JeanzBookReadNReview - Promo, Author Interview, Dream Cast & Playlist
http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.co.uk/
My Book Fairy - Promo, Character Bio's, Book Soundtrack & Guest Post
http://mybookfairy.blogspot.com/
Nov 11
A One-click Addict's Book Blog - Promo
http://aone-clickaddictsbookblog.blogspot.com/
Book Lovers Life - Promo & Top Ten
http://okloverslife.blogspot.ie
Hooke On Books Forever - Promo, Dream Cast, Character Bio's, Playlist & Book Soundtrack
http://hookedonbooksforever.blogspot.co.uk/
Nov 12
Pretty Little Pages - Promo & Top Ten
http://prettylittlepages.blogspot.com
Avid Reader Amy's Reviews - Promo, Dream Cast & Book Soundtrack
http://avidreaderamy.blogspot.com
Nov 13
Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog - Promo
http://fictionalrendezvousbookblog.blogspot.com/
Nov 14
Kelly P's Blog - Promo
http://kellyatx.blogspot.com/
The Wonderings Of One Person - Promo, Author Interview & Playlist
http://thewonderingsofoneperson.wordpress.com
Nov 17
Cajun Book Lover - Promo
http://www.cajunbooklover.blogspot.com
Nov 18
A Little Bit of R&R - Promo, Dream Cast, Character Bio's & Playlist
http://alittlebitofrnr.com/
Nov 19
Portals to New Worlds - Promo, Character Interview, Dream Cast, Character Bio's, Playlist & Book Soundtrack
http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com
Nov 20
Eclipse Reviews - Promo, Author Interview, Dream Cast, Character Bio's, Playlist & Book Soundtrack
http://www.eclipsereviews.weebly.com
Nov 21
A Cauldron of Books - Promo, Top Ten, Dream Cast, Character Bio's, Playlist & Book Soundtrack
http://acauldronofbooks.info
Nov 24
Angels with Attitude Book Reviews - Promo, Top Ten, Book Soundtrack & Playlist
http://angelswithattitudebookreviews-joelle.blogspot.com
Nov 25
Dalene's Book Reviews - Promo, Review All, Dream Cast, Character Bio's, Playlist & Book Soundtrack
http://dalenesbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Nov 26
The Avid Reader - Promo, Dream Cast, Character Bio's, Book Soundtrack, Playlist
http://the-avidreader.blogspot.com
Veduny Writer - Promo & Review - Book 3 - A Place Halfway
http://vedunywriter.blogspot.com
Nov 27
The Idle Musings of a Writer's Mind - Promo, & Author Interview, Dream Cast, Character Bio's, Book Soundtrack, Playlist
http://theidlemusingsofawritersmind.blogspot.com
B.A.S.E.D. Press - Promo & Review All
http://basedpress.blogspot.com
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