Blitz + Excerpt and Giveaway: 50 Hours by Loree Lough

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Release Celebration Blitz for

50 Hours

By Loree Lough

Note from the Author

When Kevin J. O’Neill asked me to novelize his screenplay of 50 Hours, I was beyond flattered. He’s a well-established actor, producer, director, and writer, himself, and knows hundreds of talented authors. To say that he hooked me on the story during our very first phone conversation is an understatement. His enthusiasm was contagious, and once I read the actual screenplay, well, I was RE-hooked! Instantly, my mind started whirling with ideas that could broaden and deepen the storyline and the characters: I saw the hospice center in my mind. Envisioned Franco and Aubrey. Built on the screenplay’s basic descriptions until the main characters were well-rounded, believable individuals with interesting backgrounds…and believable, reader-identifiable flaws. I knew right away that these two would need other characters to interact with, so I invented them. They helped me expose the inner fears, thoughts, and joys the main characters were hiding—from others, and from themselves. (Kevin included a bluejay in his screenplay and I loved it so much that I turned it into a secondary character, and oh, what fun I had writing him!)

— Loree

50 Hours

by Loree Lough
Fiction

Paperback & ebook, 288 pages
June 30th 2017 by Progressive Rising Phoenix Press

Franco Allessi is a broken, lonely man who wants nothing more than to outrun the ghosts of his past. For years, he tries to numb the pain of his wife's death with cheap beer and whiskey. When he's convicted of drunk driving, the judge revokes his license for six months and orders him to serve fifty hours of community service. Franco chooses Savannah Falls Hospice for no reason other than it's walking distance from his dilapidated house trailer. On his first day on the job, he meets Aubrey Brewer, a woman whose time on earth is quickly ticking to a stop. Their unusual connection teaches powerful, life-changing lessons about friendship, acceptance, and the importance of appreciating that precious treasure called Life.

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Advanced Praise

Loree Lough is an exceptional author, and that's why I approached her about writing the novel for my Feature film, 50 Hours. But I had no idea how wonderful her novelization would be until I read it. Loree was able to dig so deep into my characters. She unearthed and richly developed the film’s skeletal characters and give them three dimensional lives. I am so happy with the book! — Kevin O’Neill, writer/director/actor/producer

I defy anyone to start the beautifully written 50 Hours and to put it down or to go on with their own lives as they had before reading about the remarkable, emotional and insightful relationship between dying Aubrey and the lost Franco. As a recent widow myself, the strength, humor and respect between the main characters shot close to home, but delivered so much hope and love that even as I march forward to tomorrow, my perspective has altered---all to the positive. In her last days in this life, Aubrey finally lives out the dreams she's been too browbeaten by her mother and ex-husband to accomplish. She can only do this with help from Franco, who risks imprisonment to see her wish come true. Emerson said, "To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded." Aubrey and Franco succeeded. Believe me when I say, THIS IS THE KIND OF BOOK THAT WINS PULITZER PRIZES. — Catherine Lanigan, Author of Romancing the Stone, The Jewel of the Nile, and over forty-five novels and non-fiction

50 Hours is a moving story about love, loss, friendship, and last chances. It’s a reminder that our lives are precious stories, no matter how long or short. This is a must-read for all of us who have been touched by cancer – victims, caregivers, family, and friends. This poignant and touching tale will inspire hope in the midst of even the darkest hours. — Cerella Sechrist, author of the popular Findlay Roads series from Harlequin

Excerpt

He hustled down the hall and stood beside her. “What’s up, kiddo? Thirsty? Need a pain pill?”

“No, no, I’m . . . I’m so cold.”

She was only using half the bed, so he doubled the blanket and bedspread over her.

“Better?”

When she shook her head, he raced back down the hall to gather up his linens. But even with the extra quilt, Aubrey continued shivering.

“I could pile bath towels and jackets on top of that . . . or get into bed beside you, let my body heat warm you up.”

She patted the mattress, then rolled onto her side. “Would you? Please?”

Franco slid under the covers and tucked in close behind her. It took a full five minutes before her breathing slowed and she stopped shaking—he knew exactly how long it had taken, because he’d watched every flick of the glowing blue numbers on the LED alarm on the night table.

Being this close to her was the oddest sensation, because not once in their hours together had she roused sexual feelings in him. She still hadn’t. And yet, he’d never felt this way about any woman, not even Jill. Franco held her a little tighter. With time running out, this was as close as they’d ever be. If only he could share good health and stamina the way he was sharing warmth.

Aubrey moved, and he whispered, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“I’m the most selfish woman on earth.”

“That’s crazy talk.”

“You realize how much trouble you’re in?” was her sleepy reply.

“Trouble?”

“If the cops find us, you might have to serve time. And not just fifty hours of community service.”

Yeah, he knew, and didn’t care. It felt good, felt right, doing these small things for her. The ugly truth was, when he got out of jail—however long that might take—he’d still be alive. And Aubrey? Aubrey would be—

“I’m positively evil, asking you to take such a risk.”

“You didn’t hold a gun to my head. I’m a big boy. Could have said no, if I’d wanted to.”

“I know.”

About the Author

Bestselling author LOREE LOUGH once sang for her supper, performing across the U.S. and Canada. Now and then, she blows the dust from her 6-string to croon a tune or two, but mostly, she writes novels that have earned hundreds of industry and "Readers' Choice" awards, 4- and 5-star reviews, and 7 book-to-movie options. The Man She Knew, #1 in her “By Way of the Lighthouse” series, her 3rd for Harlequin Heartwarming, is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Harlequin.com.

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- 2 winners will win a copy of 50 HOURS (print if US/ebook if international)

- 1 winner will win a $10 Amazon e-gift card

- Ends July 5th

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Cover Reveal: Witch's Wrath by Katerina Martinez

Witch’s Wrath
Katerina Martinez
(Blood And Magick, #3)
Publication date: June 30th 2017
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

A new witch in town, a brutal bloodbath, and I’m out of options.
Evil gathers in the Louisiana swamps, and it comes for the witches of New Orleans. If I had known, maybe I would have kept my guard up; I would have spent more time securing the city instead of spending my time learning about magick, and trying to bring witches and vampires together. But vanquishing the demon-bloods left us complacent, and comfortable. We celebrated, and enjoyed the period of peace that followed.
Now we have no idea of the danger we’re all in.
When unidentified vampires come in the night, swift and deadly, the witches of the city are left scattered, hurt, and broken. Though I’m wracked with grief for the injured and the dead, I have to find a way to lead, but there are those who won’t make that easy for me; those who would rather go back to the old days, where witches killed vampires with impunity, whether they were decent people or not. I can’t allow that to happen. We worked too hard to make New Orleans an inclusive place, and I’ll die before I let someone destroy everything we’ve built.
Inspired by fantastic authors such as Karen Marie Moning, Richelle Mead, and Shannon Mayer, Magick Reborn is the first book in Katerina’s brand-new Blood and Magick series of urban fantasy novels. Like deep mysteries, plenty of steam in your romance, and watching your heroine become a badass? This is the book for you!
THE BLOOD AND MAGICK SERIES
1. Magick Reborn
2. Demon’s Kiss
3. Witch’s Wrath
4. (Coming soon…)

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Previous books in the series:

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Author Bio:

Katerina Martinez is an up and coming author who writes supernatural fiction with a creepy, thrilling, and romantic bent. Though she has been writing for a couple of years, her success recently exploded with the release of “Dark Siren”, the first book in the breakout “Half-Lich” Trilogy which became an instant bestseller in 2016.
She follows the “Half-Lich” series with the “Blood and Magick” series—a story about a young writer who, in the aftermath of a brutal breakup, moves to a magickal new city in the hopes of rediscovering herself. In “Magick Reborn”, we pick up after Madison makes her move to New Orleans and watch her as she settles in, meets the local witches, and discovers a terrible, deadly secret hiding right under her nose.
If you would like to keep in touch with Katerina, learn about her work, and get notified when the sequel to Magick Reborn launches sometime in February 2017, just follow this link, sign up, and don’t be shy to drop her an email: http://subscribe.supernalpublishing.net/authorpage 

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Blitz + Excerpt, Teasers, and Giveaway: Amnesia by Kylie Hillman

Amnesia
Kylie Hillman
(Centrifuge Duet #1)
Publication date: February 27th 2017
Genres: Adult, Psychological Thriller

First, he steals her mind.
Then, he owns her body.
Dr. Jaxon Ray has bided his time. He’s watched Amber St. George from afar, plotting and calculating the best way to get her back, until he realised that the answer was simple…
Steal her mind so he can own her body. Program her to forget then reprogram her as his perfect partner. The plan is foolproof, promising everything he’s ever wanted once it’s executed. Money. Prestige. Her.
Why? Because when you don’t know that you’re missing, it’s not possible for you to be found. Especially when the only person you think you can trust, is the one who’s left you with medically-induced amnesia.

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EXCERPT:

“Welcome home.” My mother greets us in a singsong voice. “I trust you’re both feeling relaxed and recharged from your little break?”
Both sets of parents are waiting in the foyer of our house, apparently ready to celebrate our return from our honeymoon. I lean into Jax, close enough so that only he can hear my comment.
“Somebody’s had her Stepford pills today.”
I can feel his low laugh where it rumbles in his chest below my palm. It calms my fears about returning home. During our flight, I was worried that the connection between me and Jax would be lost. He seemed to grow more aloof the closer we got to home. Tension that hadn’t been in his hard frame during our three-week honeymoon became more noticeable by the minute. It diluted the tenderness I felt for him after such an amazing honeymoon, which made me feel guilty, so I’d spent the remainder of the flight trying to find ways to recapture it with small talk and inane observations.
“Seems someone’s missed hers,” Jax replies loud enough for our parents to hear. He takes a step to the side, putting distance between us and causing me to stumble from the unexpected loss of his body. I right myself, bright spots of embarrassment making my face burn. “I have work to do. Amber, you should rest. We have a battery of tests organised for you first thing tomorrow. It’s time to see if you’re able to live up to your end of the bargain.”
Jax strides out of the foyer in the direction of his office, my father and his falling into step with him. Left alone with our mothers, I look between them to see if they’re going to comment on how my husband just acted. They meet my perusal with deliberate blankness, although my mother does seem to be more nervous than usual.
“Is anyone going to tell me what tests he’s talking about?” Their mouths fall open at my belligerent tone. Internally, I shrug it off. They’re lucky I didn’t stomp my damn foot. I certainly want to. “No? No one?”
I give them my back, extending the handle of my biggest suitcase and tilting it so it will roll behind me. I signal the maid to bring the rest of my bags with her. Jax’s luggage can sit in the middle of the entry until the end of time, for all I can. When I reach the curved staircase, I immediately regret my show of defiance. There’s no way I’m going to be able to pull my bag up there.
“Maria.” My mother snaps her fingers at the maid. “Bring some refreshments to the lounge, then have their luggage taken to their room.”
She sniffs when Maria takes too long to move. “Come now, Amber. Tell us about your trip.”
I follow, with reluctance in each step, sitting on the loveseat closest to the window. It’s a beautiful day outside. Bright sunlight and barely a breath of wind. It’s a day that I could spend with my husband, if he wasn’t a workaholic who barely drew a breath before he dived straight back into his job.
“I think you’re mistaken as to how things will run from now on.” Jax’s mother, Elizabeth, speaks first. I run my gaze over her, taking in the perfectly coiffed hair and her straight unnaturally posture with her hands tucked between her knees. Looks like she had her Stepford pills today, as well. “My son is a very busy man. It’s your job to make his life run as effortlessly as possible. There will be no further allowances made for your delicate state.”
She stands, pacing in front of me. I assume that her “delicate state” jibe is a reference to my ongoing amnesia.
“You’ll take over the running of this house. It is not my place to do so now that he’s married. However, I am happy to provide some tips so that the transition is smooth. The same goes for Jax’s social calendar. That will require close attention so that your influence as the only St. George heir benefits my son from the outset. Once you are with child, Cynthia and I,” Elizabeth indicates my mother with her jutting chin. “will assist you so that you are able to concentrate on your most important duty—providing as many heirs as possible.”
“So, that’s what the tests are for tomorrow?” I slouch in my chair when they both incline their heads in agreement. “Well, I guess I’d better rest then. Wouldn’t want anything to get in the way of my ability to breed.”
“I feel that you would benefit from a lie down.” My sarcasm goes straight over my mother’s head. “It will improve your disposition.”
My feet are in action, removing me from this conversation before I say something I regret. I can’t take this farce, anymore. We’ve been home for less than an hour and my life is already being dictated by the expectations of “society”.
Isn’t that one of the reasons you ran away in the first place?
My stupid heel catches in the corner of the rug when that random though pops into my head. I stumble, steadying myself with a hand on the back of the settee. Balance regained, my shoulder clashes with the person currently entering the room as I restart my hasty exit.
“My apologies.” I give Seb a ghost-like smile as I pass.
He takes hold of the top of my arm to slow me, a shopping bag dangling from that same hand.
“It’s time. Be ready.”

Author Bio:

Kylie Hillman is the Australian author of the Internationally Bestselling Black Shamrocks MC series, Amazon #1 Bestselling NA/Sports novel, Brawl (Black Hearts MMA #1), and the recently completed Centrifuge Duet. She's currently working on the highly anticipated spin-offs to the Black Shamrocks MC series, writing the rest of the Black Hearts MMA series, and plotting her upcoming psychological thriller, Blood Oath.
She's also wife to a Harley-riding, boating and fishing, four-wheel driving, quintessential Aussie bloke and mum to two crazy, adorable, and eccentric kids. A Crohn's Disease sufferer and awareness campaigner, as well as an avid tea drinker, metal head, and math nerd, Kylie is known for lacing everything she says with sarcasm and inappropriate innuendo. 

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Cover Reveal + Teaser, Giveaway, and Excerpt: Bound for Life by Alexis Abbott

Bruno:

I gave up everything for her, and she never even knew it. When I saved her from the mafia, I traded my freedom for hers. I’ve never regretted it. Never looked back. I cut her out of my life to keep her safe. I did everything I could to protect her from the retribution of the Italian Mafia, but it wasn’t enough. They’re after her again, and all that’s standing between her and the darkest fate imaginable is me.

Serena:

It’s scary the things you can close your eyes to. Even after I was rescued from men who wanted to do the worst things to me, I went on with my life. I forgot all about the threats of the mafia, about what they forced me to do, and even the man who saved me from them. But now, my hero has returned, and just in a nick of time. Because the mafia is coming for me, and this time, I don’t know if we’re going to get out of this alive.

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Excerpt:

The orange afternoon sun is on my back when I bring my car to a stop about a block away from the well-to-do little store on the corner of the street. When I turn my ignition off, I lean back and just stare at it, letting out a deep breath. How long has it been? The light playing off the glass window panes make it impossible to see inside the shop, but the sign outside is clear as ever: Bathing Beauty. I feel a smile on my face. As many mixed memories as it stirs up in me, there’s something comforting about knowing it’s still there, unchanged as ever. Maybe even a little nicer. All thanks to her. I catch a glimpse of myself in the car mirror. I’ve changed so much over the years. It feels like a lifetime ago that I was just a teenager, freshly landed in America. I kept my hair cut short back then, and my face was clean-shaven. I run a hand through the long locks that hang nearly to my shoulders now. It’s grown out thick and wavy. Even I have to admit it’s unkempt, and the short, coarse black beard on my face matches. My voice sounds different, too. I think back to the thick accent I had in those years that I was still learning English, fresh from the old country. I’m so used to it now that English almost sounds as natural as my native Italian on my tongue. I might as well be a different person. Better that way, I think. When I look into that mirror, I’m not sure I even see myself anymore. What I do see is the face of a man who’s done terrible things. A “made man,” they call us in this country. Mafioso. What are you really doing here, Bruno? My mind flashes back to her face, that gorgeous face that’s kept me going all this time. A bright candle in the darkness. That face doesn’t need to know fear ever again. It doesn’t need to know me. So why am I here, coming to risk dragging the past back? I don’t dare turn the ignition and drive off. I’ve made my decision, and I’m a man of my word. After all, I tell myself, I’m not here just to see her, to remind myself that she’s alive and living happily, that what I did for her was all worth it. I’m here to make sure she’s safe.

Author Biography:

Alexis Abbott is a USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author who writes about bad boys protecting their girls! Pick up her books today and find yourself transported with super steamy sex, gritty suspense, and lots of romance. She also writes as Alex Abbott for her erotic thrillers and contemporary romance. She lives in beautiful St. John's, NL, Canada with her amazing husband.

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Blitz + Excerpt, Giveaway, and Teaser: Shades of the Gods by Erin Hayes

Shades of the Gods
Erin Hayes
(Elysium Legacies #1)
Publication date: September 27th 2013
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Mythology

Caught between life and death, all Callie wants is to live again.
Homicide detective Callie Saunders knows that death isn’t all pearly gates and angels. After being hit by a bus, she finds that it’s the ancient gods and goddesses of Greek mythology who are in charge of everything.
So when Hades offers her a deal, she accepts. If she wants to be brought back to life, she’ll have to figure out who is trying to kill his son. But if she fails, both her soul and the world will be destroyed.
With the odds mounting against her, it’ll take everything she has within her to wake up from death. But the rules are constantly changing. And someone wants her to stay dead.
(This book was formerly titled Death is but a Dream. The covers and titles have changed for The Elysium Legacies, but the content is still the same.)

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EXCERPT:

“You’re blackmailing me,” I sneered at him, fury raging within me at the realization. “You want me to do something in return before you allow me to wake up.”
He raised his hand in a gesture of supplication. “Not blackmail,” he assured. “I’m looking to employ you for a time.”
I recoiled. “Employ me? As what? Muscle? Is this the Underworld’s version of the Mafia?” Now that I thought about it, Hades did remind me of a mob boss. He even looked like some I knew. “I don’t play that, sorry.”
Hades grinned. “I want to make a deal with you, Callista. You find out who is trying to kill my son. Give me a name and a motive. And I’ll restore you to life.”

Author Bio:

Sci-fi junkie, video game nerd, and wannabe manga artist Erin Hayes writes a lot of things. Sometimes she writes books.
She works as an advertising copywriter by day, and she's an award-winning New York Times Bestselling Author by night. She has lived in New Zealand, Hawaii, Texas, Alabama, and now San Francisco with her husband, cat, and a growing collection of geek paraphernalia.
You can reach her at erinhayesbooks@gmail.com and she’ll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.

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Trailer Reveal + Teaser: Prophetess by Desy Smith

COVER TO BE REVEALED ON AUGUST 2ND!

The Prophetess
by Desy Smith
Genre: NA Fantasy Romance
Floebe Publishing

Summary:

High up in the heavens, righteousness faces off against the greatest dissenter of all time, and in the crossfire, an angel loses his wings…

Fallen from Heaven and forced to live amongst the humans in exile, angel Ezekiel bares the tragic fate of a disgraced angel. Having overheard the rebellious Lucifer’s plans to rise up against the sanctuary of Heaven, Ezekiel remains silent, and for his inaction, he is cast from the pearly gates and onto the unforgiving lands of the mortals. Two thousand years pass with a cold and hollow wind at his back, and for a moment, Ezekiel resigns to his fate.

However, in the year 2016, the winds of fate begin to change, and redemption comes in the form of his brother, Gabriel, who bares great news. Ezekiel is given a chance to return to Heaven, but only once he has taken down Molach, an evil demon on the rise. If Ezekiel can stop Molach from helping Lucifer return, he will be welcomed back into Heaven. However, there is more than just a demon in his path, Ezekiel must uncover what else fate has in store for him, including a lovely solitary Prophetess named Isabelle and the endless possibility for joy and whimsy she offers. Can Ezekiel rise once more to the great destiny that awaits him? Or has he been amongst the fickle mortals for far too long?

Book Trailer:

About the Author

A long time fan of a good story, Desy Smith grew up creating and shaping stories of far-off kingdoms and hero princesses. Having written her first novel at the tender age of 13, her lifelong career in writing took off. With her Bachelors’ degree in English, Desy is currently studying for her Masters in Creative Writing, honing all of her skills, energy, and effort into pursuing her dreams as an author. Staying true to her roots, Desy writes almost exclusively for the fantasy/romance/drama/science fiction genre. When she isn’t writing profusely or working on her next project, Desy can be found sneaking a sweet or two. A lover of baked goods, candies, and a happily ever after, Desy can still be found in her native land of Texas.

For more information on Desy and all of her latest projects, please follow her on Facebook @ Floebe Publishing, Instagram: Floebe_publishing, Personal Website:floebepublishing.com

  

Blast + Giveaway: Transformation by James Gunn

Transformation by James Gunn

Planets at the edge of the Federation have been falling mysteriously silent. The arrogant and recalcitrant bureaucracy running the Federation grudgingly allows two transcended humans, Riley and Asha, to investigate. They join forces with the Earth's Pedia, a global A.I., along with Tordor, a Dorian representative of the Federation, and Adithya, a member of a splinter group vowing to destroy the Pedia. No one on the team trusts one another.

They must find a common ground and the answer to the planetary silences in order to confront an enemy more ancient than the Transcendentals and more powerful than any Pedia.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for TRANSCENDENTAL

“Jim Gunn doesn’t publish a new novel very often, but when he does it’s a whopper. Transcendental is his best yet, and in it he demonstrates his possession of one of the most finely developed skills at world-building (and at aliens-creating to populate those worlds) in science fiction today. Read it!” —Frederik Pohl, bestselling author of Gateway

“James Gunn, after a long, stellar career in science fiction, is a master of the narrative art—as he shows in this Chaucerian pilgrimage through the galactic future.” —Robert Silverberg, bestselling author of Lord Valentine’s Castle

Praise for JAMES GUNN

“Reads more like a collaboration between Heinlein and Asimov. The concept is pure, classic science fiction.” —New York Times Book Review on Star Bridge

“Its characters, at least the protagonists, are drawn with psychological depth. The charm and vividness of Gunn’s prose, plus his deft hand at keeping his plot moving, will keep readers on board through the end. The recent saga of Occupy Wall Street and the other Occupy movements around the country makes many of the events and actors of Kampus feel very current.” —Fantastical Andrew Fox

“One of the very best portrayals of contact with extraterrestrial intelligence ever written.” —Carl Sagan on The Listeners

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JAMES GUNN is the Hugo Award–winning author of Transcendental, Transgalactic, and The Listeners, and the coauthor, with Jack Williamson, of the classic epic SF novel Star Bridge. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas, where he is professor emeritus of English at the University of Kansas. He is the founding director of the university's Center for the Study of Science Fiction. Gunn is also one of the last living Grandmaster Award winners from the golden age of science fiction. www.sfcenter.ku.edu

WEBSITE: http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/bio.htm
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3033685.James_Edwin_Gunn
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/James-E-Gunn/113265985355642

Photo Credit: SF Center

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Tour + Review: War Queen by J.M. Robison

Fantasy

Date Published: Oct 2016

Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing

300 years ago, the people dethroned their king and queen to prevent another tyranny. Now instead, the people nominate a State Head every three years and Altarn is the first female to hold the position. She’s used to tolerating the biases of men but Kaelin, the State Head of his territory, has declared her incompetent and has even, according to Altarn, threatened to steal her land – she believes he wants to make himself king. Believing she must “dethrone” Kaelin, Altarn rides to her last ally to ask for aid in the war against Kaelin she knows is coming.  But in her absence an army launches an attack… and it’s not Kaelin’s.

Taking advantage of the startling situation, Kaelin kidnaps Altarn so he can take her land without her in the way. Soon realizing he needs her help to fight this army instead, he releases her and, since Altarn’s army is too small to win the war alone, she is forced to accept his help, but payment for his help will be her land. No one believes Kaelin is secretly trying to make himself king, so after the battle is won, alone in her knowledge and lacking allies, Altarn must become the War Queen of legend to dethrone another king… though she unexpectedly dethrones his heart instead.

Review:
I was thoroughly impressed with War Queen by J.M. Robinson. I didn't really know what to expect from this book when I saw the opportunity to read it, but it sounded and looked interesting, so I decided to give it a shot. And I am glad that I did.

War Queen was such a well-written and intriguing story. It is full of action, adventure, and romance; with a strong female lead. But Altarn isn't a perfect character, she has her flaws and struggles, and that is why she is so likable and relatable. I also really loved the romance that developed throughout the story - I thought that Robinson did a great job of including that into the story.

This book hooked me from the very beginning, and overall I was really impressed. I would highly recommend this book if you are interested in fantasy books, because you might enjoy this one.

About the Author

J.M. Robison is a fantasy historian who chronicles the events which force heroes to reveal their  mistakes, lead rebellions to dethrone tyranny, and unearth ancient secrets to free the oppressed. Having joined the U.S. Army at 17 with a deployment to Afghanistan and Romania, and currently working as a Deputy Sheriff, J.M. Robison has seen a lot of people and been to a lot of places; the evidence of which frequently bleeds into her writing. She loves and uses essential oils. She makes her own shampoo, lotions, laundry soap, face wash, and toothpaste.

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Tour + Giveaway and Guest Post: Shattered Minds by Laura Lam

Shattered Minds by Laura Lam

She can uncover the truth, if she defeats her demons

Ex-neuroscientist Carina struggles with a drug problem, her conscience, and urges to kill. She satisfies her cravings in dreams, fuelled by the addictive drug ‘Zeal’. Now she’s heading for self-destruction – until she has a vision of a dead girl.

Sudice Inc. damaged Carina when she worked on their sinister brain-mapping project, causing her violent compulsions. And this girl was a similar experiment. When Carina realizes the vision was planted by her old colleague Mark, desperate for help to expose the company, she knows he’s probably dead. Her only hope is to unmask her nemesis – or she’s next.

To unlock the secrets Mark hid in her mind, she’ll need a group of specialist hackers. Dax is one of them, a doctor who can help Carina fight her addictions. If she holds on to her humanity, they might even have a future together. But first she must destroy her adversary – before it changes us and our society, forever.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for FALSE HEARTS

“Riveting.” ―F. Paul Wilson, New York Times bestselling author

“A multilayered, suspenseful thriller, False Hearts explores themes of identity and power in a breakneck plot that keeps the pages turning.” ―Ilana C. Myer, author of Last Song Before Night

“An ingenious premise, and Laura Lam executes it flawlessly. Gritty and wise, your own pulse will be racing as you get caught up in this exciting tale.” ―Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of Red Planet Blues

“A taut futuristic thriller, set in a San Francisco where everybody is beautiful... and nobody is exceptional. Two unusual sisters are caught in a war for control of a society that quietly suffocates its outsiders, rebels, and the damaged. Taema and Tila are all three, and their strange past and unique bond make False Hearts a difficult book to put down.” ―A. M. Dellamonica, author of Child of a Hidden Sea

“A smart debut from someone who's clearly got what it takes.” ―Peter F. Hamilton, author of the Commonwealth Saga

Guest Post: What were some Struggles faced writing Shattered Minds?

Shattered Minds was one of the hardest books I’ve written. It’s my first book told in third person. It’s my first book with 3 points of view. Plus, just to make things a bit more interesting (read: difficult) for myself, I have two separate flashback narratives. It was the best way to tell this story, but holy hell was it difficult. Like a puzzle piece with bits missing or edges that wouldn’t fit. None of the characters are much like me, so I did a lot of research. I’m not a serial killer who is addicted to drugs, nor am I a Native American trans man, nor am I a power hungry, twisted villain. I love research, but there was a lot of it. Shattered Minds is also very reliant on technology, corporate hacking, and espionage. Google was my friend, as well as a few nonfiction books and interviewing my cousin who owns a white hat hacking corporation.

Even so, when I finished the first draft, it felt broken, and I felt broken. Editing was when I fell in love with the story. My editor found a simple way to make my protagonist and antagonist’s relationship more compelling—that Roz, the villain, is the reason why my protagonist Carina wants to kill everyone around her. She did a brain experiment that went wrong. Roz now wants to find Carina not only to protect her company but because she is the failed experiment that must be eliminated. It did mean rewriting about half of the book and it basically becoming a Frankenstein retelling. I’m now really proud of the end product, but 40,000 words into the first draft, I really wondered if I’d ever finish it. I remember thinking that once you write a book, the next one would be easier. Nope. Each time is, in a way, like writing a book for the first time again. You’re always trying something new, trying to level up and push yourself and your craft. It definitely keeps things interesting.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Lam was born in the late eighties and raised near San Francisco, California, by two former Haight-Ashbury hippies. Both of them encouraged her to finger-paint to her heart’s desire, colour outside the lines, and consider the library a second home. This led to an overabundance of daydreams.

After studying literature and creative writing at university, she relocated to Scotland to be with her husband, a boy she met online when they were teenagers and he insulted her taste in books and she insulted his right back. She almost blocked him but is glad she didn’t. She is now a dual citizen, but at times she misses the sunshine.

While working a variety of jobs from filing and photocopying endlessly at a law firm to library assistant to corporate librarian, she began writing in earnest. Her first book, Pantomime, the first book in the Micah Grey series, was released in 2013, which was a Scottish Book Trust Teen Book of the Month, won the Bisexual Book Award, was listed a Top Ten Title for the American Library Association List, and was nominated for several other awards. Robin Hobb says “Pantomime by Laura Lam took me into a detailed and exotic world, peopled by characters that I’d love to be friends with . . . and some I’d never want to cross paths with.” The sequel, Shadowplay, followed in 2014, as well as several the Vestigial Tales, self-published short stories and novellas set in the same world. The third book in the series, Masquerade, will follow in 2017.

Her newest book is False Hearts, a near-future thriller released in June 2016 by Tor/Macmillan and in three other languages. Peter F. Hamilton calls False Hearts “a strong debut from someone who’s clearly got what it takes.” Another thriller, Shattered Minds, will be released in 2017.

She is still hiding from sunshine in Scotland and writing more stories.

WEBSITE: http://www.lauralam.co.uk/
TWITTER: @LR_Lam
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5806077.Laura_Lam
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/lauralamauthor

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lr_lam/

Photo Credit: Elizabeth May

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