Take a Bite out of First Fruits with Amanda Carney

Happy Writer Wednesday!

I'm happy to welcome author Amanda Carney back to the blog. I'm raising my glass and cheering for her as she has just released her first two novels: Cheers, Amanda! Enjoy that special feeling of a new book baby birthed into the world.

And Amanda is generously offering a free ebook to my readers (see the Rafflecopter at the end of the post). Learn more about Amanda and her fabulous new novels and don't forget to enter the Rafflectoper for your chance to win First Fruits:

Writing First Fruits and Second Coming 

By Amanda Carney

I’m so excited to have finally released my adult paranormal romance novels, First Fruits and Second Coming! These books have been in the makings for a long, long, time, so having them out there in the world is a really magical feeling. When I began First Fruits, it was just that—First Fruits. There was no Second Coming. But throughout the years, the novel underwent so many revisions by not only me, but by my amazing beta readers and dedicated editor, that it evolved into something that couldn’t be contained by only one novel. But long before I ever contemplated hiring an editor or even knew what a beta reader was, it was just me and my laptop in a camper. When inspiration for the novels struck, my husband and I were traveling with his work, so my days were spent wandering the campground with my dog and my nights hunched over my keyboard, whittling vampires and fairies into being with each tap of my fingers. So the story not only grew with me over the course of five years, but it also journeyed from state to state, the words rolling and bumping along just like our tires. We’re back home now, putting down roots once again, and First Fruits and Second Coming have finally ripened on their vines and are ready for harvest. It overwhelms and blesses me daily to know they’re filling people’s heads with visions of romance, treachery, and, of course, fangs.

About First Fruits:

Reading minds can be dangerous. 

Parsley Walker can hear people’s thoughts and it’s made her a target. As a natural born telepath who’s also telekinetic—two things that can be disturbingly lucrative in the wrong person’s hands—she’s learned to hide who she is. To be always moving and never at ease. To run from that inevitable moment of discovery. She’s a nomad in a waitress’s uniform. This is how she survives. 

Until him. 

Jesse Linwood is a vampire with a problem. An automaton with sharp teeth, he was sent to evaluate and ultimately abduct her. What he doesn’t expect is the way her blue eyes turn him inside out. Stalking her wasn’t supposed to make him feel anything. She was supposed be like all the others. He begins to unravel and, in the end, makes the choice to pick a fight he knows he cannot win in order to save her life. 

*PG-13 for erotic scenes and graphic violence.

Purchase First Fruits on Amazon:

First Fruits - Kindle edition by Amanda Carney, Keith Morrill, Emily Horn. Paranormal Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

About Second Coming:

There is no sanctuary without him. 

At last, she has it all. Everything she thought she’d never have. Acceptance. Friendship. Love. Parsley Walker is finally home. Allswell, the magical refuge for supernaturals, is all she’d imagined and more. She’s making friends. Learning not to hide her telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Learning not to fear. And most importantly, planning a future free from that ever present sense of foreboding with the vampire she loves. Her life, the life she was always meant for, is about to begin. 

Then she gets the letter that turns her new world upside down. 

Jesse Linwood has just done the hardest thing he’s ever had to do—turned his back on the only girl he’s ever loved. With Parsley safe in Allswell and believing he’s dead, Jesse returns to his sire, Patrick—the ancient, wicked vampire who lusts for Parsley’s blood—to convince him she’s somewhere he’ll never be able to find her. To eliminate the threat to her once and for all, even at the expense of Jesse’s own life. Because love isn’t about the heart. Love is about the soul and how much of it you’re willing to lose.

*PG-13 for erotic scenes and graphic violence

Purchase Second Coming on Amazon:

Second Coming (First Fruits Book 2) - Kindle edition by Amanda Carney, Keith Morrill, Emily Horn. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com

Amanda Carney grew up barefoot and freckle-faced in the beautiful hills and valleys of rural Ohio. She resides there still with her husband, loyal old dog, and menagerie of beloved cats. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in one hand and a crochet hook in the other. Follow her on Twitter @MandyLovesWords or on Facebook for updates on new releases, appearances, contests, and more.

Stay in Touch with Amanda:

Amanda Carney (@MandyLovesWords) Twitter

Amanda Carney FB

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Paranormal October: Dissolve into the Paranormal with Andrea Heltsley

Paranormal October continues and today I welcome back to the blog author Andrea Heltsley. Andrea has a new release in the adult paranormal genre and it's part of the Dissolve series. She has given us two nice excerpts to whet our appetite so check them out. And make sure to enter the Giveaway at the end of the post ;-)

Cora is thrilled to leave high school behind and kick start her summer with her boyfriend and best friend, Nessa. In an unexpected turn of events, tragedy strikes and Cora turns to Nessa for help.

Cora and Nessa discover they are not alone and become entangled in things much bigger than they expect. As the two of them meet new allies, it’s obvious that clearing Cora’s name and going home seem like the least of their worries. The further they travel; the more complicated their lives become. Someone is after them and they are just getting started.

Book One in the Dissolve Trilogy

Add to Goodreads

Buy on Amazon 

Excerpt:

Through all the mess, I managed to have a peaceful dream. I dreamed I was an incandescent purple butterfly floating 

lightly through the summer air. I reveled in 

the warm night and the soft breeze that 

encompassed me. Looking up, I took in the 

sight of a gibbon’s moon waning in the inky 

night amongst twinkling stars.

Gentle as the breeze itself, I landed on a 

blade of grass. I was surrounded by an 

entire field of swaying grass, and I sank 

down to the soft earth. Time seemed to stand 

still as I took in the warm peaceful night.

That was when I woke up, and I mean I 

really woke up. I was lying in a meadow, the 

cool earth beneath me. My blue eyes snapped 

open in panic. I soon realized that the moon, 

the breeze, and the grass were no figment of 

my imagination.

Naked and panicked, my mind raced as 

all the thoughts course through it at once. 

Where was I? How was I going to get back to 

the motel? Exposed, I tried to steady my 

breathing for fear of a panic attack. I stood 

up, looking around under the cover of 

darkness. My heart raced and then skipped a 

beat as I saw the motel just off to the left 

of my field of vision.  

1.     Codes and Keys- Death Cab for Cutie

2.     Dark Blue- Jack’s Mannequin

3.     The Creationist- Kerli

4.     Secrets- One Republic

5.     Just Tonight- The Pretty Wreckless

6.     Drown- Carolina Liar

7.     AM/FM Sound- Matt & Kim

8.     Fixed at Zero- Versa Emerge

9.     This is For Real- Motion City Soundtrack

10.   Done- Charlotte Sometimes

11.  What You Want- Evanescence

12.   Saying Sorry- Hawthorne Heights

13.   Northern Downpour- Panic! At The Disco

14.   Firefight- Jimmy Eat World

15.    Make a Run for It- Hit the Lights

16.  This is War- Thirty Seconds to Mars

Cora and her friends encounter one problem after another on their search for the truth. Questions about their genetically altered states and the mass bombings that plague the country, lead them to the place they least expect, and a threat they didn’t anticipate.

As the search for answers grow more complicated, they must learn to trust new allies as well as each other. If only Cora could just dissolve away from this mess, but she’s determined not to leave anyone behind.

With shocking twists, steamy romances, and heart-pounding action, find out what happens when danger is just a step ahead and their fate waits in the shadows. 

Book Two in the Dissolve Trilogy

November 15, 2015

Excerpt:

True panic didn’t set in until I heard screams and gunshots. The loud pops shattered my hold on reality. The only thing I could feel was my need to get away from the awful scene. My body was going to unravel, right here, right now, in front of the agents. This had disaster written all over it, but I couldn’t stop it. It was like a safety mechanism built inside me—run, escape, hide, get away, or flee. I was consumed by these thoughts as they ran on repeat in my fragile mind.

It started at my feet, one foot, and then the other. The shoes I had on, emptied, the transition moving up my legs in a slow tingling feeling. My eyes had involuntarily closed, waiting for the peace of freedom dissolving would bring. This transition was slower than most. I couldn’t concentrate with my mind so busy.

 

Add to Goodreads

Pre-Order Detour on Amazon

1. Somethin’ Bad - Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood

2. Begin Again - Taylor Swift

3. Carry the Fire – Automatic Loveletter

4. Cruel World – Lana Del Rey

5. Hysteria – Motion City Soundtrack

6. My Racing Thoughts – Jack’s Mannequin

7. Never Gonna Let You Down – Colbie Caillat

8. Pumpin’ Blood - NoNoNo

9. Shatter Me – Lindsey Stirling and Lizzy Hale

10. Waiting for a Friend – The Pretty Reckless

11. Warpath – Ingrid Michaelson

12. Whitecoats – Foxes

13. Give Me Back My Hometown – Eric Church

14. Loved – Lucy Hale and Joe Nichols

15. Immortals – Fall Out Boy

16. This Nothin’ Town – Jason Aldean

17. Mission Bells – Matt Nathanson

18. Hold My Hand – The Fray

19. Hope – Natasha Bedingfield

20. Line of Fire – The Veronicas

 

About the Author:

Andrea Heltsley is a new adult and young adult author. She started writing in 2012 and hasn’t stopped since. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two Italian Greyhounds. Ice cream, coffee and candy are a few of her serious addictions. 

When writing, Andrea loves to listen to all kinds of music and always has a candle burning. Her dogs curl up in a nearby chair and burrow in a blanket most of the day. She has more book ideas than time to write them. Andrea is fascinated by the paranormal, supernatural, shifters, love triangles and romance. Her books reflect that. 

When she’s not writing, you can find her nose in a book. 

Her ideal forms of entertainment are: 

She reads mostly Indie authors including: Alyssa Rose Ivy, Ednah Walters, Molly McAdams, Rachel Van Dyken, Shelly Crane, Addison Moore, J.L. Weil, Stephanie Hudson, Amy Bartol, Amelia Hutchins and Chelsea Cameron are just a few.

A few NYT authors she reads: Rachel Vincent, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Chloe Neill, Richelle Mead, Rachel Caine, Kim Harrison, Sophie Kinsella, Kelley Armstrong, Kiera Cass, L.J. Smith and Alyson Noel.

She loves listening to Shakira, Taylor Swift, Andrew McMahon, Death Cab for Cutie, Kerli, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Lana Del Rey, Marina and the Diamonds and The Pretty Reckless.

TV shows she loves are The Vampire Diaries, The Walking Dead, Bitten, The 100, iZombie, Under the Dome, Graceland, The Originals and Orphan Black.

Movies that are her must watches: P.S. I Love You, Elektra, The Host, Veronica Mars, The Underworld Movies, The Terminator Movies, The Resident Evil Movies, Coyote Ugly, Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton's), Nicholas Sparks movies, Sweet Home Alabama and Salt.

 

Follow her blog at Andrea Heltsley Books
Follow Andrea on Twitter
Like Andrea on Facebook
Follow Andrea on Pintrest
Andrea's Goodreads Author Page
Andrea's Amazon Author Page

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Writer Wednesday: Into Dusk with Amy Durham

Author Amy Durham

Please welcome the lovely and talented Amy Durham to the blog this Writer Wednesday. Amy writes stories for young adults and is the author of the Sky Cove series (Once Again and Once and For All).  Today Amy introduces us to her newest release, Dusk, a young adult paranormal romance.

"Not all who wander are lost" - J.R.R. Tolkien

I love quotes from famous people. I love how little nuggets of wisdom are contained in just a sentence or two. This quote from J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings and more, is so simple yet so profound.

Tolkien lost his father when he was 4 ... his mother at the age of 12. An orphan then care for by the Catholic Church, many would've considered the young boy "lost". I'd like to think it was his imagination that sheltered him, nurtured him, and gave him not only the strength to survive the difficulties and tragedies of his childhood, but also the skills to succeed as an adult. Clearly, his imagination served him well, both as a boy, and as a grown man who became one of the best-loved authors of all time.

Reading is such a gift, because it allows our minds to wander. It allows us to imagine and envision. Books are another world, just waiting to be opened!

A love of reading and creativity is the reason I became a writer. My latest young adult paranormal romance, Dusk, is now on sale. It's a story of forgiveness, grace, and second chances ... something I think everyone can relate to. The following excerpt shows the heroine, Zoe, meeting the hero, Adrian, for the first time. She's at her locker, looking for her best friend, Vivian, when Adrian steps into her vision. It's a scenario I think we can all appreciate!

Looking to my left, I saw Viv making her way down the hall. And then he stepped into my vision, blocking out Viv and the rest of the chaos in the hallway.

         Umm, wow. He was even better up close. The ability to speak left me.

         “Hey,” he said, and considering he was standing so close, I knew he was talking to me.

         I looked up. Way up. He had to be over six feet tall. And looked straight into the most gorgeous set of baby blues I’d ever seen. The deep green shirt he wore today accentuated the color of his irises.

         Black hair and blue eyes were totally hot together.

         “I saw you yesterday,” he continued, unaffected by my stunned silence. “I’m Adrian.”

         Adrian. It suited him. His name was just as beautiful he was.

         I should talk. Say something. Introduce myself. Wipe the drool from my chin.

         “Zoe,” I squeaked, cringing at how stupid I sounded. “Zoe Gray.”

         “Adrian Shaw.” He stuck his hand out, waiting for me to shake it.

         I stared at his hand. He wanted me to put my hand in his, and even as I told myself it was just a simple greeting, the thought of feeling his skin against mine left me frozen.

         Snap out of it! Act like you have a brain, not just raging hormones!

         I gripped his hand. His fingers closed around mine, and everything inside me went still, calm… right. The noise around me stopped. The bustle of the kids in the hall faded away. And I found myself lost in the feeling of my hand in his, drowning in the way his eyes searched mine.

DUSK

Zoe Gray lost her father ... in more ways than one. Angry and bitter, Zoe spends the summer before her senior year of high school doing everything she can to forget, legal or not. But a close call triggers a reality check, and Zoe decides to put her life back together, a task that proves a lot harder than she thought.

Adrian Shaw shows up on the first day of school, creating quite a stir with his striking good looks and gleaming black motorcycle. But Adrian is much more than a "biker boy", and as Zoe discovers, he may just hold the key she needs to put her life back on the right path.

But as they do battle with evil forces that want nothing more than to destroy Zoe's chance at a normal life, will their feeling for one another make them stronger, or be the reason Zoe's happiness slips away forever?

And will Zoe learn to forgive before it's too late?

Learn more about Amy at the following places:

www.amydurham.com

www.facebook.com/AuthorAmyDurham

www.twitter.com/Amy_Durham

Find DUSK:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Dusk-Young-Adult-Paranormal-Romance-ebook/dp/B00HQ28IWW/ref=la_B00728PDLY_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389124694&sr=1-3

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dusk-amy-durham/1117992952?ean=2940148293873

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/dusk-8#readThisOn

Amy Durham discovered her love of writing in the sixth grade. What began as a love of writing poetry soon turned into stories scribbled into school notebooks. In the eighth grade, her English teacher told her she was good at it and encouraged her to continue to put pen to paper. At that moment, the die was cast, and writing would forever be a part of her life.

As an adult, Amy focuses her efforts on writing Young Adult Fiction... adventure, romance, and life-lessons... woven together as imagination and escape for young readers. Amy holds a firm belief that books are not only entertaining, but have the ability to transform young lives. A book can educate. A book can teach compassion and kindness. A book can spark interest. A book can be a companion. Simply put, books can accompany and guide young readers as they try to navigate their way through the twisted, confusing roads of adolescence.

She lives in Kentucky, where she is a middle school teacher. She and her husband are raising three wild, intelligent, and creative boys, giving her plenty of fodder for the love and adventure she enjoys putting in her stories!

Writer Chat Wednesday: Addison Moore!!

Welcome to Writer Chat Wednesday on Nat's YA. Today I welcome YA-Indie-Paranormal-Romance-Fabulous Writer Addison Moore, a bestselling author - and more!

NATALIE WRIGHT (NW):  Addison, you’re the author of the very popular Celestra series. For readers not familiar with it, can you fill them in?

ADDISON MOORE (AM): The Celestra Series follows Skyla Messenger as she and her family move to Paragon Island. Skyla discovers her unique ability to read minds stems from the fact she has Nephilim heritage.

NW: This series has been very popular and you recently had some exciting news. Can you share that with us?

AM: Recently the Celestra series was optioned for film with the intent of turning it into a TV series, by 20^th Century Fox. This has been both an amazing and humbling experience. I’m thrilled to go on this adventure and see what the future holds for Celestra!

NW: We all want the details! Do you know when the series will begin to air and who will be in it and - well, anything you can share with us about it?

AM: I know, right? Lol! Me, too! I don’t have any details yet, but as soon as something trickles my way I will gladly share whatever details I’m able to obtain. I’m hoping to hang out at casting. I think more than anything else seeing the characters that are so alive in my mind come to life will be amazing.

NW: You have self-published the Celestra series. Do you want to or plan to work with a major publishing house on this series or any future works?

AM: I am self-published I don’t have anything traditionally published but I do have a literary agent. Strange, I know. You see, I signed a contract with my fab and brilliant agent in January of 2011 and decided to make a U-turn and self-publish in March of the same year. Rachelle has been nothing but supportive of my endeavor, but that’s as far as she’s delved into the Celestra Series. My husband and I do all of the cover work, I upload and format the books myself with the exception of Smashwords, I have a formatter for that platform. I also have a professional editor that goes through each manuscript with me. *Hi Sarah!*

 As for traditional publishing, I don’t know. I’ll be honest I would love distribution for paper books. I don’t have any paper books right now, so distribution isn’t an issue, but one day it would be nice to see my books in the bookstore. On the other side of the coin there are e-book rights. Those, I am loathe to part with, so that might be the traditional deal killer for me. We shall see what the future holds there as well. 

NW: So you went straight from self-publishing to a T.V. series without a publishing contract?! Just goes to show how things are shifting and changing in the world of media. Did you try to get a publishing contract for the Celestra series or did you go straight to self-pubbing?

AM: I self-published at the end of last March (2011). After I put out ETHEREAL then I began TREMBLE the next book in the series. I never really looked back. Just before I put out the third book in the series I received a call from my literary agent and she informed me that 20^th Century Fox was interested. It was quite a thrill. I think it’s safe to declare all barriers for indie writers are virtually no more. Readers decide what they pick up, they vote with their dollars. You no longer need the marketing machine of a big house behind you to find your niche or your readers. 

NW: How long have you been a writer?

AM: Like forever. Seriously. As far as keeping regular hours and being consistent with my work I would have to say over twelve years. More than twelve actually, but there were sporadic breaks and lots of children were involved.  

NW: Do you have a "day job" in addition to being an author?

AM: After earning my Bachelors degree I worked on a locked psychiatric unit for seven years. It was a learning experience that seasoned me in ways I could never have imagined. I learned a lot about people, compassion and group dynamics and how important it is for everyone to have a great support system in place. Eventually the unit closed and I was fortunate enough to stay home with my 4 kids.

NW: Well if you have 4 kids, you definitely have a day job – okay a 24-hour job! I don’t know how you have time to be such a prolific writer with 4 kids?! You’re an example of it you want to do something badly enough, you find a way to make it work (I’m channeling Tim Gunn right now – “Make it work people.”)

Okay, besides the Celestra books, do you have any other projects in the works or upcoming titles?

AM: Yes! I’m working hard on the first book in The Countenance, EPHEMERAL. I always thought it might be fun to learn a little more about the Counts and what makes them tick. The Countenance are another faction of angels featured in the Celestra Series. I have yet another series outlined and will be starting that one in February.     

NW: For any aspiring or newbie writers out there, what advice would you give them?

AM: Read everything in your genre. Write every single day if you can. Just those two acts alone will bring you further than you can image.

Also, Dream big.

Great advice Addison! Thanks again for stopping by my blog as best of luck with the T.V. series. If you enjoy paranormal romance, you should definitely check out the Celestra series.

          

Here's how you can connect with Addison:

Facebook

Blog

Twitter

Addison Moore
Author of the Celestra Series
AddisonMoorewrites@yahoo.com
http://addisonmoorewrites.blogspot.com/


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