Tour Stop & Giveaway: Declaration by Rachel Wade

BUY LINKS
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
iTunes

SYNOPSIS
Featuring characters from Love and Relativity, a Preservation Series Companion Novel

Carter Montgomery spent most of his life blending in, and he liked it that way. It was always better to be seen, not heard. And while a theatric streak and friendly demeanor might have fooled most people, he knew the truth—he was the shy one. The quiet kid most people forgot about. Some might have considered that a bad thing, but those people all wanted to be in the spotlight.

The only place Carter didn’t mind attention was on stage, with The Hellions. Once content in his comfort zone in Seattle, Washington, he only knew three things: confrontation was to be avoided, keeping the peace was priority, and the moment he lost Kate Parker to Professor Ryan Campbell, he had no clue what to do with his life. Playing gigs, working at Pike Place Market, and watching BBC after the love of his life sailed off into the sunset just wasn’t going to cut it anymore.

Desperate to escape his rut, he takes a cue from Kate and chooses a random place to relocate—a small island across the country, where no one knows his name and memories of unrequited love aren’t found at every turn. Just when he thinks he’s found the perfect place to unwind and sink back into the shadows, in bursts Whitney Sinclair, a saucy firecracker who loves life and refuses to settle for second best. Full of contagious energy, she dares him to be brave, convincing him that it might finally be time to tell the world what he wants.

It might be time to make a declaration.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Blog

PLAYLIST
1. Home - Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros
2. What Did I Ever Come Here For - Brandi Carlile
3. Sweet Nothing - Calvin Harris ft. Florence Welch
4. Fade Into You – Mazzy Star
5. Paint it Black – Rolling Stones
6. After the Storm – Mumford and Sons
7. Mad World –Brandi Carlile Cover
8. Otherside – Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. Trouble - Coldplay
10. Stars - Grace Potter and The Nocturnals
11. Furr- Blitzen Trapper
12. Hang with Me – Robyn
13. Slow it Down – The Lumineers (Carter’s Song)
14. Beverly Hills – Weezer
15. The Lucky Ones - Kerli
16. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn and John
17. Pork and Beans - Weezer
18. Bulletproof – La Roux
19. Phantom of the Opera (Techno Remix)
20. What Makes a Good Man – The Heavy
21. Titanium – David Guetta ft. Sia
22. How to Save a Life – The Fray
23. Living on the Edge- Aerosmith
24. Stubborn Love – The Lumineers (Theme Song)
 

REVIEW
This is book three in the Preservation Series and by far my favorite!! We met Carter in book one, Preservation as Kate's best friend. He had a thing for her, but the feelings weren't mutual. Well this is his story and man what a story it is. I give this one 5 stars, I give this whole series 5 stars!

In the beginning Carter is still licking his wounds where Kate is concerned, he knows he screwed up and now he isn't sure their friendship can survive. Deciding he needs a change a scenery he up and moves to Florida on a whim. Once there he meets some really great people and even though he is completely home sick, he can't deny that Florida is growing on him and that's all because of a green eyed, free spirited girl named Whitney. She gets him in all his geeky weirdness and she actually likes it, she understands.

Both Whitney and Carter have past issues to overcome, they take one step forward just to take three steps back. I love that we get to watch Carter grow into himself and realize what he wants and takes it.

 

Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: Bold Tricks by Karina Halle

BOLD TRICKS
by Karina Halle
Publication Date: October 15, 2013
Genre: Contemporary/Romantic Suspense/New Adult
Digital Original eBook
ISBN: 9781455552214

Summary:
The Faster They Live, the Harder They Fall . . .
Raised by con artists, Ellie Watt has a lot of crazy childhood memories-but none crazier than being scarred with acid by the demented crime boss Travis Raines. Now Ellie is a full-grown woman who lives for revenge, and Travis is a full-blown drug lord who kills for pleasure. The sadistic bastard has kidnapped her good friend Gus as well as her mother, whom he's been holding as prized possessions in his heavily guarded lair. And Ellie has only one chance in hell of getting them out alive-using two dangerous men who love her to death . . .

One is Camden McQueen, a talented tattoo artist who's made a permanent mark on Ellie's heart. The other is Javier Bernal, her fiery ex-lover who's busted more than a few heads in his time. From the crime-ridden streets of Mexico City to the predatory jungles of Honduras, this unlikely trio forms an uneasy alliance in the deadliest game of all-a gun-blazing battle to the finish that will pit enemy against enemy and lover against lover. And Ellie must choose the right man to trust . . . or die.

Excerpt:
Ugh. Sharing a room with Javier would be a nightmare at this point, but Camden did have a point. I didn’t trust Javier and knew he was capable of screwing us over at the first opportunity. Staying in separate bedrooms this early in the game would be the perfect opportunity for him to up and leave us. Javier’s alliance only extended to his sister, not to Gus, and the fact that he was even agreeing to help us at all said a lot. Unfortunately, I didn’t know exactly what it said.

“I’m staying with you,” I quickly said to Javier. I didn’t bother putting on an act, smiling or acting coy. He’d see straight through me anyway. He always did.

He raised his brow. “Is that right, angel? And to what do I owe your angelic company?”

“Because you’re both the same,” Camden filled in. He stepped forward and quickly swiped a key out of Javier’s hand. “You’re meant for each other.” He took off for his room, his back straight and proud. My heart both lurched and ached at his words, how badly he was brushing me off, how I’ll he thought of me.

Javier was surprised and loving it. He turned to me, mouth slightly agape. “Wow. Something tells me he was trying to be insulting.”

I couldn’t even fake a smile. “Which one is our room?” I asked, feeling sick as the words came out.

He grinned at me, all snake, no conscience. “Whichever one I choose, angel. Have you got all your belongings?”

Normally I would have brought out everything from the trunk, but there were an awful lot of lives in there, an awful lot of stuff. With me keeping an eye on Javier all night, it was probably safe.

I shook my head. “It’s fine.”

He smiled again, especially as Camden shut the door to room number one.

“Let’s take numero tres, sí?” Javier asked. “More privacy.” He grabbed my hand and led me toward it, though there was nothing gentle or warm in his touch. Just like that, those days were over. I was back to dealing with the spurned Javier, the hunter and the sadist.

He opened the door and flicked on the lights. A few cockroaches skittered underneath the bed, and moths darted to the threadbare light fixture hanging from the ceiling. The room was as run-down as I’d ever seen, and for one twisted second I was glad I wasn’t sleeping there alone. In the next second, though, I was reminded that the company of insects was preferable to his.

He closed the door behind us and put his hand at my neck, holding me there, and leaned into my ear. “Do you want top or bottom?”

I stiffened for a moment then rammed my elbow back into his gut. “Fuck you.”

He let go of me and coughed loudly, still trying to smile. “You should be glad I’m giving you the option, angel.”

“You’re a sick pig.”

He straightened up and shrugged. “It’s what you liked until about, oh, twelve hours ago. Tell me, angel, what is it about that boy that makes you forget who you really are? Is it the tattoos, because you know I have those.” He quickly shed his linen shirt and stood bare-chested before me, the tattoo of his mother’s name on his inner arm. He turned around slowly, making sure I saw the large cross going down his spine. “Or is it those horrible glasses of his? You know, I can look like a fucking idiot if I really wanted to.”

I narrowed my eyes, keeping far away from him like wary prey. “He sees the good in me.”

He laughed. “The good. Of course. The good. So, is that why you’re spending the night with me? Because I looked into that boy’s eyes tonight and there was no good in there left for you.”

My gaze locked with his, a war without further words. His eyes shone yellow-green in the light, looking more inhuman by the moment. Deep in his insanity, he was making some sense. That’s what I hated most about Javier, that there was always a kernel of truth to his words, a truth that made you fall for the lies.

I sucked back my breath and nodded at the sagging bed. “You better get a good night’s sleep.” Then I grabbed one of the pillows and the top sheet and brought it over to the thin Mexican rug that ran along the foot of it.

“You’re serious?” he asked as I started making my bed on the floor.

“Good night,” I told him, lying down on top of the sheet. I didn’t trust the cleanliness of the floor and it was too hot to have a sheet on top of me anyway. I rolled over so I was facing away from him. He was still standing near the bed.

“Come now,” Javier said. “Sharing a bed with me isn’t that bad. You’ve been doing it for the last week. Is the inevitable sex too distracting?”

I ground my teeth together but didn’t say a word.

Suddenly he dropped to the ground on top of me, flipping me over so I was on my back, pinning both of my arms to the ground, his face just inches from mine. Wild strands of his hair partially obscured his feverish eyes.

“I’ll scream,” I said hoarsely, fear pulsing through my veins.

He grinned. “You know I love that.”

Authors Social Networking links:
Blog: http://khalle.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @MetalBlonde

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karina-Halle/140649372629593

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle


Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bold-Tricks-Artists-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00DG8ZYA4

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bold-tricks-karina-halle/1115703328?ean=9781455552214

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bold-tricks/id663040422?mt=11


Author Bio:
The daughter of a Norwegian Viking and a Finnish Moomin, Karina Halle grew up in Vancouver, Canada with trolls and eternal darkness on the brain. This soon turned into a love of all things that go bump in the night and a rather sadistic appreciation for freaking people out. Like many of the flawed characters she writes, Karina never knew where to find herself and has dabbled in acting, make-up artistry, film production, screenwriting, photography, travel writing and music journalism. She eventually found herself in the pages of the very novels she wrote (if only she had looked there to begin with).

 Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently splits her time between her apartment in downtown Vancouver and her sailboat, where a book and a bottle of wine are always at hand. She’s hard at work on her next novel.

Cover Reveal: Dare To Love by Carly Phillips

Blurb:
New York Times Bestselling Author Carly Phillips turns up the heat in her newest sexy contemporary romance series, and introduces you to the Dare family... siblings shaped by a father's secrets and betrayal.

Since finding out his father had another family on the side, Ian Dare swore to be the upstanding, responsible man his cheating parent had never been. When it comes to his relatives, he gives his all but in relationships he offers the bare minimum. But one glimpse of sensual Riley Taylor arouses his dominant and protective instincts and Ian is entranced. He will do anything to possess her ... and does. But any future with Riley must include him extending an olive branch to the half-brother who is a constant reminder of the pain he'd rather forget.

Independent and always in control, Riley Taylor makes no apologies for choosing men carefully. Relationships have never been a priority and she believes herself hardened to domineering men - until she meets charismatic Ian Dare. He manages to turn a simple kiss into an all out assault on her senses and when he takes control in the bedroom, she's stunned to discover she likes it. As their affair heats up, they soon realize they complete each other in ways neither imagined. But Riley's past is closer than she cares to remember, and her struggles with Ian's dominance might just cost her everything.

 

News from Carly:

Dear Readers,

I know I’ve been teasing everyone for a while now about some exciting news that I have in the works. And I now have the official go-ahead to tell the world what's coming next for me! Are you ready? I’m so ready to share. I’ve been DYING to shout from the rooftops and have had a hard time keeping the news to myself. But here you go:

I’m going Indie.

That’s right. Instead of publishing my next series of books with a traditional publisher, I’ve decided to self-publish the series. Don't worry, I'll explain what this means for you. But first ...Why am I making the switching to Indie you ask? Well after a lot of research and many debates with myself, I made the decision to self-publish my next series for one primary reason: YOU, my readers. The rise and success of self-publishing has obviously made a huge impact on the industry, and many of my readers have reached out to me personally, encouraging me to make some changes.

Although my publishers have always been very good to me and I’ve very much enjoyed working with them, there is a good reason for me to make the switch. More control. Making the move to indie is giving me more control over my books. I’m no longer tied to a specific word count set by a publisher. I have more control over the editing process. I can make the final decisions on covers, release dates, blurbs and content. And the most important factor: I now sets the price points of my books. Making the switch to self-publishing is giving me total control to make both myself and you, my readers very, very happy.

Now the answer to WHAT'S NEXT ... The first book in my brand new Dare to Love series (also titled Dare to Love) is set to release on November 18th 2013.


Coming soon, you can pre-order DARE TO LOVE exclusively at iTunes. On the day of release, you can find the books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo. In addition, the book will be available in paperback too! Of course I’ll send a newsletter, but be sure to follow me on social media (links below) in order to get the most up to date information as it happens! For my paperback readers: This bears repeating: YES these books will available in paperback as well as eBook! 

Tour Stop & Giveaway: Out From Under by Selene Chardou

"I have always been strong, independent and wanted a life that belonged to me. It's the very reason why I chose to attend Stanford because it is away from the small-town life that seems more Twin Peaks than charming. Secrets are a dangerous commodity and Pine Bluff has them in spades. So do my parents, and the dirtiest secret of all is my brother, Trey. Sergeant at Arms for the Demon's Bastards, a criminal, a felon, and perhaps the catalyst for the tragedy that destroyed my life just days before I was supposed to leave for college.

"Now I am on the run because my life is in danger and I could be next. I don't want to live my whole life looking over my shoulder and I don't want to live my life shrouded in despair. Anxiety has me in a death grip, unable to let go. I pop Xanax to get through the day and were it not for my famous cousin, I would probably be dead already.

"My name is Trista Lennon, and I am tired of being afraid."

Linx Carter never thought he could help anyone when he could barely help himself. He is hanging on by a thread after a tough, six-month Gods of Rock Tour with his band, Winter's Regret, and Scarlet Fever. He has a greedy ex-wife, two sons and all he wants is to put the pieces of his life back together.

Linx knows there is something special about Trista from the moment they meet. She's wounded, in desperate need of a friend yet feminine, feisty and no one's charity case. She is the strongest woman he has ever known.

Through their friendship, they will find the strength to heal themselves and love one another but a feud between two gangs is brewing. Trista is caught in the crossfire, and by proxy, so is Linx. What they discover might not only cost them the love they have for one another but their lives too.



Excerpt:
The motorcycle clubs, and the violence they brought with them, was the major reason why I wanted to leave this place. I couldn’t take the biker gangs and the casinos, the whores and the drug trade any longer. I was sick of it and how our whole lives were affected by it. My parents owned their own accounting firm, but it was mostly a front to do the books for the Lucifer’s Saints MC and every illegitimate businessman come tax time.
Like most men, my father was a contradiction. He didn’t want his children to be involved in a life of crime though he and my mother were neck deep in it. I suppose it made me feel slightly better they’d been bullied into their position as accountants mainly for a biker gang but they also had to take some of the blame. We could have moved to another town, another state but perhaps they were just as greed-driven as the average adult and could only see working for the MC as an end game toward early retirement.
We lived comfortably but I couldn’t disguise my quiet disgust at how our lifestyle came at the cost of lives lost, ruined and destroyed. They dealt with unsavory people and washing dirty money clean didn’t make me feel any better, no matter how comfortable my life was as a result of my parents’ profession.
Of course, I was a walking cliché myself. I had secretly been the girlfriend of an MC prospect for over a year, Tristan dated a woman with direct ties to a rival MC and Trey was in the MC. I needed to get away because I didn’t want this kind of life. I certainly didn’t want to bring children into this kind of environment, no matter how charming Pine Bluff and its proximity to Lake Tahoe were. Underneath the town lurked a rot and filth that marred our beautiful surroundings and vaguely reminded me of the show, Twin Peaks. Like that idyllic town, nothing was as it seemed and it was the same for the nearby towns of Birch Tree, where the Saints ruled, and Black Oak, the town where the Knights had placed their claim.
“Earth to Trista, how are you and what are you doing here?”
I turned towards Tristan’s voice before I smiled and walked over to embrace him and Taryn.
“I’m great, although to be honest, I can’t wait to get out of this po-dunk town,” I said, before I sipped from my drink.
Tristan glared at me with harsh sky-blue eyes. “What’s that? Coke? You better not be drinkin’. Mom and Dad would have my ass if they found out their perfect daughter was caught at a Bastards’ party with this many drunk and fucked up people running around. What they hell is wrong with you? If anyone can understand how out of control these events can become, it’s you.”
“Well,” I said as I placed my hands on my hips. “If you have any ideas on how I am supposed to spend my New Year’s Eve, especially in our little hole in the wall town, I’m all ears,” I replied in a sarcastic voice.
“Maybe you should spend some time at home for a change. Take Clooney with you—he’ll make sure you get home safe and sound.”
I laughed out loud. “That can’t happen. Trey would go postal if he knew I was alone with Clooney. He told me I had to leave with you two when you decide to go home or he would have another prospect drop me off. He’s demanded I cut any and all ties to the MC before I leave for Stanford.”
“He’s right, you know,” Taryn replied in her soft, barely-there Northern Irish accent. “You’ve been surrounded by this whole sordid scene since you were a wee child and it’s not healthy. I was so happy to get the hell out of Belfast, I didn’t know what to do. Of course, I miss me Ma but do you know what it’s like to attend high school and university in a normal environment? No bombs exploding and not having to worry about being a Catholic?”
She paused and wrapped her arms around Tristan’s waist. “That’s why I love your brother so much. He loves me for me and it doesn’t hurt that he’s one of the most fit men I have ever met.”
My brother looked at her before he kissed her lips softly. “I love you too, babe.”
I smiled at both of them before I pursed my lips and left the clubhouse. I sat outside on a wooden bench and watched a few revelers in more than close-for-comfort positions while I drank my SoCo and Coke.
The sheer need to leave this place had become an all-consuming obsession and I couldn’t wait for the New Year. As far as I was concerned, it couldn’t come fast enough.

About the Author:
Selene Chardou is a world traveler and the alter-ego of Elle Chardou.

Ms. Chardou’s writing is all about hot romance and exciting times with the wild, damaged, out of control and/or rich and famous set in the New Adult realm.

She is currently working on Rock My Heart, the first novel in the Scarlet Fever Series, which concludes the story of Kasper “Kaz” Gillian and Sydney Lundvik; she is also working on In Too Deep, the conclusion to The Lovers Duet. She also has a pop stars series planned and an MC series planned that chronicles the issues between Lucifer’s Saints and Demon’s Bastards motorcycle clubs.

Ms. Chardou has lived abroad in Stockholm (Sweden), Manchester (England), Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Blog: The Realm of Selene Chardou located http://selenechardou.blogspot.com/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ellechardou/out-from-under-a-novel/
Follow Selene Chardou on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/ellechardou
Like Selene Chardou on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Selene.Chardou.AND.Elle.Chardou

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Lilly of the Valley by Sarah Daltry

You met them in Forget Me Not. Now, hear Jack’s story.

Plagued by a dark past, Jack sees college as a way out. Desperate to escape the area where he grew up, the people who know his secrets, and his own family, he deals with his problems through alcohol and sex.

When he first sees Lily, she’s the epitome of everything he hates. Yet something about her makes Jack rethinks everything he knows and assumes about other people. Now, with the help of his best friend and lover, Jack has to decide if he wants to pursue something that he knows will only end badly.

Can Lily be one of the few people who can see Jack for who he really is – or will his darkness be too much for her to handle?

Excerpt:

The girl sitting on the couch looks like everyone else at this fucking school. Blonde, clean cut, dressed in clothes that probably cost more than my grandmother’s house.

“Lost?” I ask.

It’s her eyes that get me. I don’t even know what color they are. They seem to swim across the entire palate of blues and greens, no color enough to own the eye completely. There is something else in those eyes. A strange innocence mixed with a subtle sensuality that I bet she doesn’t even know she possesses. I can’t look away from her.

“I’m waiting for my boyfriend.” She gestures to the hall. I guess she’s saying this boyfriend is in the bathroom or something. It figures she has a boyfriend. Something about her, though, is causing things to happen that I don’t understand. The voice in my head knows how poorly this could go and I try to act cool, to distance myself from her.

“Innocent thing like you? I wouldn’t let you out of my sight.”

That was not cool and certainly not distant. I’m standing here flirting with this girl who probably thinks I’m a creep. I see in her face a wary curiosity, but girls like her think of guys like me as nothing more than a challenge. Anything that could happen after this moment would just turn out bad, likely with a lot of anger and her calling upon the aforementioned boyfriend to kick my ass. I don’t even have to see him. I know his type.

She meets my gaze and her mouth turns up in a wry smile. “I’m not that innocent.”

The challenge is there and I would love to test it. This girl looks like she’s just one wild night away from becoming an entirely new woman. I wouldn’t mind being the guy to help her out, to give her that one wild night. I’m tempted to touch her, to play with her damp hair, to see how she’d react if I kissed her right here. Her challenge would surely result in me being slapped, though.

“Sweetheart, I am sure we have very different understandings of the term.”

“That wouldn’t surprise me, but I don’t know that I mind being your idea of innocent.”

AUTHOR BIO:
Sarah Daltry writes erotica and romance that ranges from sweet to steamy. She moves around a lot and has trouble committing to things. Lily of the Valley is her third full length novel, although she also has several story collections and two novellas available. Her other novels are Forget Me Not, the story that tells Lily’s version of events, and Bitter Fruits, which will be released by Escape Publishing in December. When Sarah isn’t writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window.

AUTHOR TOP TEN & INTERVIEW INFO:
Author’s Favorite Video Games:
· Borderlands 1 and 2
· Fallout 3
· Persona series
· Silent Hill series
· Final Fantasy series
· Skyrim
· Dragon Age series
· Mass Effect series
· Fable series
· Bioshock series
· Magic: The Gathering
· Perfect Dark
· Heavy Rain
· LA Noire
· Catherine
· Zuma

Author’s Favorite Bad Boys:
· Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights
· Jake Barnes from The Sun Also Rises
· Will from Infernal Devices
· Lord Byron
· The Scarecrow in Batman Begins
· Lucifer from Supernatural
· Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice
· James Dean
· Damon from Vampire Diaries
· V from V for Vendetta

Interview with Sarah:
· What inspired you to write your book?

I had written a short story about Derek and Lily and their first time called “Her Brother’s Best Friend.” It was just supposed to be a short erotic story. But it sold well, so I thought about writing more about the two of them. However, as I started writing Forget Me Not, the story would not work for me. Until I found Jack. And then the novel was over and there was just so much more to his story, so Lily of the Valley was born.

· How did you come up with the title?

Forget Me Not and Lily of the Valley are both flowers, and the series is called Flowering. The reason is that it is about love, sexuality, and growing up – sort of blossoming into the person you will be. Forget Me Not also addresses the idea of leaving your life behind and moving on. And Lily is the main female character, so hence Lily of the Valley.

· Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

People are complicated, as are relationships. The things we think we want sometimes turn out not to be what we want. In addition, the people we think we understand may surprise us. We can’t assume anything about love or each other. They are too complex.

· What books have most influenced your life most?

The Catcher in the Rye, because it was the first time I understood that other people felt like me and it also said it was okay to be different. And The Sun Also Rises, because there can be beauty in suffering.

· If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Hemingway. I know he’s dead, but he knew how to write true.

· What are your current projects?

I am writing Scandal, a contemporary romance about a teacher and an actor who find each other after they are both ruined by rumors, and I am waiting to release Bitter Fruits, a New Adult paranormal/urban fantasy romance in December through the publisher. I am also working on Immortal Star, the second book in that series.

· What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Jack’s experiences and emotions are really closely tied to my own and it was hard to write some of his scenes.

· If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?

Aubrey Plaza. She has the same type of biting sarcasm that I do.
· If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with the time?

Travel the world and write.

· What kind of people do you dislike?

Anyone who is cruel to other people or creatures. People who assume their own reality is the only reality. And people who don’t read.

GOODREAD LINK FOR LILY OF THE VALLEY: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18231760-lily-of-the-valley

GOODREAD AUTHOR LINK: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7012679.Sarah_Daltry

LINK TO AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:http://sarahdaltry.com

LINK TO AUTHOR’S FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/SarahDaltryErotica?fref=ts

LINK TO FLOWERING SERIES ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/FloweringbySarahDaltry

LINK TO TWITTER:https://twitter.com/SarahDaltry

PINTEREST:http://www.pinterest.com/sarahdaltry/boards/

TUMBLR:http://sarahdaltry.tumblr.com/

Playlist Link:  http://hypster.com/hypsterPlayer/MPL?media_type=playlist&playlist_id=6720577&us_id=4993560#q9PEPbYLcm8sXB3i.18

Trailer Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePlLhVNfyLE

PURCHASE LINKS:LILY OF THE VALLEY (FLOWERING, 1.5):
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Lily-Valley-Flowering-1-5-ebook/dp/B00F5MN7H6/ref=la_B00BVV0F5W_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380664042&sr=1-1

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lily-of-the-valley-sarah-daltry/1116282455?ean=2940148601609&itm=1&usri=sarah+daltry

ITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lily-valley-flowering-1.5/id702447714?mt=11

KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/lily-of-the-valley-flowering-1-5-2

READER STORE (SONY): https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/sarah-daltry/lily-of-the-valley-flowering-1-5/_/R-400000000000001119706

FORGET ME NOT (FLOWERING, 1):
GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18162260-forget-me-not

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Forget-Me-Not-Flowering-ebook/dp/B00DXM4YBI/ref=pd_sim_b_1

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forget-me-not-sarah-daltry/1116049899?ean=2940148433125

READER STORE (SONY): https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/sarah-daltry/forget-me-not/_/R-400000000000001091006

HER BROTHER’S BEST FRIEND (FLOWERING,0.5)
GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17698151-her-brother-s-best-friend

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Her-Brothers-Best-Friend-ebook/dp/B00DV6J5ZG/ref=la_B00BVV0F5W_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380664228&sr=1-8

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-brothers-best-friend-sarah-daltry/1114999122?ean=2940148255239

ITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/her-brothers-best-friend/id671854447?mt=11

KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/her-brother-s-best-friend-1

READER STORE (SONY): https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/sarah-daltry/her-brother-s-best-friend-flowering-0-5/_/R-400000000000001025334

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Stop & Review: Torn by Kim Karr

Prologue of TORN

Connections #2 by Kim Karr
© 2013 by Kim Karr
Published by the Penguin Group
Release date: October 1, 2013

Colorblind
Close your eyes and you can imagine what it was like. Hot, sticky, crowded. Smoke, flashing screens, and lighters flickering. Fans screaming, laughing, clapping, and crying. Bodies pushing, shoving, trying to catch a glimpse. Everyone wanting to see the stage—the lights, the equipment, the musician himself.

He was running back and forth singing, headbanging, and playing his guitar. The lyrics were jumbled. His movements out of sync. The sound of the bass thumped through the crowd so loud my body vibrated with every wrong note played. I just wanted it to end.

Nick Wilde had opened for the Counting Crows at the Hollywood Bowl. It was his second chance— and he blew it. The crowd was exhilarated at the start of his first song and he owned the stage but it didn’t last long. By the third song he was improvising, pulling notes, and forgetting words. He was lost in his own trance, soaked in alcohol, and no one could help him…not Xander, not my mother, and definitely not me. “Mr. Jones” started playing before he even finished his fourth song…and he never played onstage again.

Music was his soul. Music was in all of our souls. When we were younger he taught us everything he could…how to play, to sing, the right way to command a stage. We knew every song by every artist. We traveled to concert after concert. Music was his life and it became ours.

But he wasn’t happy just playing. He had a dream—he wanted to be famous. And somewhere along the way his dream became an obsession. I’ll give it to him, he got further than most do. By the age of nineteen he had been signed by a label and cut his first album. But after a disappointing run they released him. He spent the next fifteen years working the circuit—clubs, churches, weddings, birthday parties, as he waited for another big break. And then, just like that, he blew his golden opportunity.

Everything in our life changed after that. The drinking got worse, Grandpa came around more to check on us, and Mom went back to work. Every day left another kink in his chain as he lived in his own world. I was sixteen when his plan A became my plan B and, just like him, at a young age, I cut my first album. But unlike him I had Xander. He wasn’t going to let me fail. The band’s album had a slow start but after a year of touring, it started to gain popularity.

I remember the first time the Wilde Ones graced a real stage. We were restless. We had been sitting around for hours waiting. When we were finally up we strutted confidently across the stage like we had in rehearsal, but, really, we were nervous as hell. The lights were much brighter and the audience so much bigger than we were used to. When the guys started to play, soft, barely audible words flew out of my mouth so fast I forgot to breathe. The band was drowning me out and I knew it. Looking around, I adjusted the microphone height and took in the crowd. They were cheering me on with such enthusiasm that my voice finally soared over them. It was the same voice I’d grown up with, the one my dad had fostered. It was raw and present and soulful, and, in that moment, my music came alive. The crowd went crazy and just like that my life changed again.

Xander struck while the iron was hot. He arranged to go on tour. That was the beginning of the end for me. We started out small. Smaller venues, shitty hotels, crappy food, and a lot of drinking. We opened for band after band and the relationships I made…they kept me going, that and being up on that stage doing what I loved…it kept me going, wanting to make my dad proud…yeah, that, too.

But touring was a constant infringement on my personal space. I hated the cramped quarters, lack of privacy, constant strict schedule, never being in the same city for more than two nights, people following you everywhere, people always wanting something from you. Even the girls throwing themselves at you got old. It was the longest year of my life, but I did it for him because somewhere along the way his dream morphed into mine. What I came to realize was that his dream wasn’t mine—my dad thought being on tour meant you had made it. His dream was about being famous. Mine is about the music.

As the venues got bigger so did the crowds, the fanfare, and I could see how you could get lost in it, caught up in it—but I was determined not to end up like my father. He was addicted to the fame. I’m addicted to the creative process. I hope that difference between us is enough. The tour ended and we wrote, we played around LA, and as time passed life was good. But I had managed to put off cutting another album long enough. This time I was doing it for the band and for my brother and for me—because I love the music. Cutting the album—that’s the fun part. It’s the promoting I dreaded, at least until the day I saw her through the glass. The girl who inspired our song “Once in a Lifetime,” the girl Xander always referred to as my muse, the girl who stole my heart one night and then crushed it at the very same time.

She was as beautiful as I remembered and with one glance she took my breath away. She walked my way, pulling a suitcase behind her, and my heart skipped a beat. I knew immediately she was the one sent to interview me and suddenly any negativity I had about doing press was gone. I couldn’t help but watch her. I wanted her unlike anyone I had ever wanted before. I had to stifle a laugh when her briefcase fell off the top of her suitcase and she glanced around to see who saw. I wanted to yell, “Only me and don’t worry because everything about you is sexy as fuck.”

I rushed to grab the door for her, but she pushed it forward and fell into me—not that I minded in the least. I’d catch her over and over. There wasn’t a thing about her that I didn’t remember from the first time we met and even the awkwardness of the moment brought me to full attention. When her body pressed against mine, I knew in that instant…this time I wasn’t letting her get away so easily. I’d go on a thousand tours to have her in my life—there was just something about her, a light in her eyes that made everything wrong feel right. And just like my dad, I got a second chance—it was her. But unlike him, I wasn’t going to blow it.

When she extended her hand and said, “Hello, I’m Dahlia London from Sound Music. I’m so sorry I’m late,” I knew she had to be mine.

Review:

So now that I have read both Connected and Torn I can honestly say that Torn is my favorite of the two. I loved Connected, but Torn just did something to me. It woke up all kinds of emotions. There was loss, hate, misery and anger! I also felt the love and romance along with some pretty steamy scenes as well.

There were so many times I wanted to jump into my Kindle and smack Dahlia. Inside I screamed you are making a mistake!!! Even though she never intentionally meant to hurt anyone, it seems that she still did. My poor River had to deal with so many things that could have been avoided, but on a side note, Dahlia did too after she met River’s hot new producer (I swear, all I could picture her looking like was the “new” Miley Cyrus, lol….such a villain!).

Oh, and remember the HUGE cliff hanger from the end of book 1??? We get to jump back into that in book 2 and ride the crazy roller coaster the whole way through the book. In book 1 I really didn’t think I liked Ben, there was just something off about him. After book 2 I know I DON’T LIKE HIM!!! Always go with your gut ladies, it will not steer you wrong, lol.

I am thrilled to get the conclusion we got to this excellent book. There are more books in the series, but from what I understand they will focus on other characters and the chapter of River, Ben and Dahlia is now closed. If you read book 1 you seriously must read this one. It is more enthralling and will captivate your mind if you love drama.

Author Interview:
1. What inspired you to write Connected and Torn?

The night The Voice premiered on NBC in April 2011, I watched it and fell in love with the show and Adam Levine. I started to think about his journey with Maroon 5 and the number of years it took him to gain fame. I had been thinking about writing a book but hadn’t come up with a storyline that intrigued me enough. For some reason, that night the story of Dahlia, River, and Ben came to mind. The name of book was different as well as character names, but the plot never veered. I always intended for these two books to be a duet and the ending of Connected was the very first thing I wrote.

2. Discuss your inspiration for Dahlia, Ben, River. How did they transpire?

Character inspiration for Connected evolved as soon as the concept of the book came alive in my mind, I knew I wanted a strong heroine and two heroes that loved her but in different ways. I created the characters from within, who they were, and then conveyed their personalities and appearances to the reader. 


In my head, Dahlia had to be strong to weather the circumstances life threw her way, but I wanted her to be funny and loving with quirks and habits. 


Ben’s personality, as well as his name, actually transpired from a character on a TV show I used to watch years ago. The character on the show was an avid basketball player and swimmer, but since Dahlia and Ben lived near the beach, I decided he should be a surfer. A surfer who has difficulty expressing his feelings, hasty in decision making, temperamental, and contemplative, somewhat of a contrast to Dahlia. But, Ben has true depth and sensitivity that Dahlia admires.

River’s character didn’t transpire as much—he just happened. He is who I would consider to be the perfect guy. I took all the traits I love and admire about men and lumped them into him.

3. Did you plan for your first book to turn into a series?

Yes I did. Just as I planned Connected and Torn to be a duet, my original plan was The Connections Series would consist of three duets for a total of six books. I have since changed my mind and the remaining books in the series will be stand alones. Of course they are part of a series and all characters will appear in all books.

4. You left Connected hanging with a major cliffhanger—will you do that in your next books?

Since I wrote the end of Connected before I wrote the beginning, I don’t regret the ending. Would I do again—absolutely! Would I write another book with a cliffhanger hanging—that I’m not sure about!

5. Do you have a specific writing style?

I think all writers do. We have a certain flow and sentence structure that rarely varies book to book. I have already plotted out the remaining books in the Connections Series and I’ve written the endings for each one.

6. What book are you reading now?

I try to keep up the latest releases as well as read releases in my favorite series. When I’m writing it’s hard to read but I try to set aside at least an hour a day.

7. What current project are you working on?

I am writing Mended. This is Xander’s Wilde story and his brother does make an appearance.

8. What can readers look forward to in the future?

My plan is finish Mended then decide if The Connections Series will consist of 5 or 6 books. I am considering cutting one. The book after Mended is Frayed and I have already started that story. It was actually suppose to be released before Mended but I changed my mind.

9. Please explain the importance of music to you in books. You said something in your Author's note about how important it was to you in writing and that the chapter titles have significance.

All chapters in my books are named after songs that inspired me. Bob Marley said, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” As a listener, I couldn’t agree more. As a writer, I think it’s better to say music is what feelings sound like when those feelings are written in print.

Music and writing are different, yet similar arts. They both tell a story. They both convey emotion. Yet, one can be heard and the other seen. If you can write a story and put music behind it, I believe you can convey feelings in a more impactful, raw, and emotional way. When trying to express written emotions, the tone of a certain song can allow the reader to feel the sentiments that the character is feeling.

I chose to have each chapter be titled by a song that best represented the events occurring within. My goal is that the reader will listen to the song before reading each chapter so they will feel the full impact of the scene. 

In the words of Billy Joel, “I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” I couldn’t agree more. Listening to the lyrics of a song and truly understanding them tells such a beautiful story. So, combining this with an emotional novel just helps bring it to life.

10. Do you have any advice for other writers?

My advice to new writers: plan out your story before you begin. It is so much easier to fill in the chapters than sit there with a blank screen trying to figure out what to write. Also, reach out, make friends, share your work, find a support group, and always have faith in your work.

CONNECTION SERIES:
I have had many questions about the series so this should help answer your questions. Please know I have planned this series out and any unresolved issues in TORN will be resolved by the series end - I promise! But if anyone chooses to not read past TORN they should be happy with the ending.

Connected - River and Dahlia
Torn - River and Dahlia (and Ben)
Mended - Xander and Ivy
Frayed - Ben and Bell
Flawed - Zane and Aerie
Perfected - A giant epilogue with a twist of course

Cover Reveal: My Beautiful by Alicia Rae

Title: My Beautiful (The Beautiful Series #2)
Author: Alicia Rae
Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+
Publication Date: October 29, 2013
Cover Design: Okay Creations
Event Organized by: Literati Author Services
, Inc.

Synopsis
Still trying to recover from a tragic loss, Lily’s worst fear is falling in love. Distancing herself from everyone is the only way she can keep heartache away.

Deep down though, Lily realizes that living without Kyle is too painful. She finds strength in Kyle’s arms, and he gives her the courage to face her past. With every step forward, Lily continues to nurture and mend her damaged heart.

Just when Lily feels closure within her grasp, secrets from the past finally catch up with her, and Lily will discover that more than her heart is on the line. 

Will love be enough to save Lily?

Add to Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18157126-my-beautiful
 About the Author
Alicia Rae is a Contemporary Romance Author who lives in Dekalb, Illinois, with her husband and three beautiful boys. Alicia has a passion for reading all types of romance, writing to bring a story to life, and photography.

Thank you to my dear sister, Kels, who showed me a few years ago how much I truly missed reading. And to my loving husband, for not throwing away my Nook, and planting the seed of writing into my mind. I am forever grateful. Xo

Readers, words cannot thank you enough for supporting me along this incredible journey. I hope you enjoy my novels as much as I do writing them. I thank each and every one of you.

Believe in yourself and follow your dreams...

Connect with the Author: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads