Cover Reveal: Sworn to Secrecy By- Terah Edun @GHBTours @TEdunWrites

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Cover Reveal: Mean Boys By Barbie Hall @NereydaG1003

Mean Boys

by Barbie Hall

Release Date: 05/2014

Summary from Goodreads:

“So...you're forcing me to be your slave?” I inhaled deeply even though my body had calmed. “Is that what you're telling me?”

A reformed bully. Two damaged boys. Bound by blackmail.

The only thing Bianca Wilbur wanted was to forget her past and sail through her first and only year at the prestigious Battle St. John Preparatory, by making new friends and maintaining perfect grades. That is until one scandalous raunchy night of Truth or Dare with two of the school's most infamous bad boys, the peculiar Judas and the reckless Zeus, aka The St. John Gods, leads to the unthinkable.

She's intrigued by one and despises the other.

As Bianca is forcibly dragged into their troubled world secrets spill and dirty lies come out.

What happens when the bully becomes the prey?

Mature YA/New Adult. Excessive swearing, sensitive subject matter, and sexual situations.

About the Author

Barbie Hall is a typical girl in her early twenties except she has a deep passion for writing. Particularly young adult! Barbie got her first taste of writing in the sixth grade and has never stopped ever since. She's into Japanese pop culture: including manga, fashion, and dramas. She's also addicted to Youtube (with a Youtube channel of her own), make up, and blogging.

Author Links:

  

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Cover Reveal: Thorn By Intisar Khanani @IntisarKhanani @GHBTours

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Cover Reveal: Forsaken By Kristen Day @kris10_day @GHBTours

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Book Tour: The Eagle's Last Flight by Ron Standerfer @VBTCafe

The Eagle's Last Flight

by Ron Standerfer

Ron Standerfer was born and raised in Belleville, Illinois, a town across the Mississippi river from St. Louis, Missouri. While attending the University of Illinois he took his first airplane ride in a World War II-Vintage B-25 bomber assigned to the local ROTC detachment. It was a defining moment in his life. Weeks later, he left college to enlist in the Air Force's aviation cadet program. He graduated from flight training at the age of twenty and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. Another defining moment occurred early in his career. In August 1957, he participated in an atomic test at Yucca Flat, Nevada. Standing on an observation platform eight miles from ground zero, he watched the detonation of an atomic bomb code named Smoky. The test yielded an unexpected 44 kilotons---more than twice the size of the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. He never forgot Smoky, and the memory of that experience weighed heavily on his mind when he wrote The Eagle's Last Flight, a semi-autobiographical novel about his life as an Air Force fighter pilot during the Cold War. Ron's twenty seven-year Air Force career spanned the Cold War years between 1954 and 1981. During that time, he flew a variety of high performance fighters including the F-100, F-102, F-105, F-4 and A-7. He flew over 200 combat missions during the Vietnam conflict and was awarded two Silver Stars, thirteen Air Medals and the Purple Heart. The latter was received after he was shot down over Tchepone, Laos in 1969. He retired from the Air Force just as the Cold War ended as a full Colonel after tours in the Pentagon and Tactical Air Command headquarters in Virginia. He continued to pursue his passion for aviation after retiring. He was a marketing director for Falcon Jet Corporation, a subsidiary of the French aerospace manufacturer Dassault Aviation. In that capacity, he was responsible for launching the marketing campaign for the Falcon 900, a long-range business jet. Later, he was an owner of an aircraft charter and management company in Elmira, NY and also a marketing consultant. Ron is a prolific writer and journalist. He appeared on WOR TV in New York City during the first days of the Persian Gulf War, providing real time analysis of the air war as it progressed. His book reviews and syndicated news articles are published regularly in the online and print news media, as well as in military journals. These days Ron and his wife Marzenna, the daughter of a distinguished theatrical family in Poland, spend their time in their homes in Gulf Stream, Florida and Warsaw.  

Author Links

Website: www.eagleslastflight.com Blog: www.pelicanjournal.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ron.standerfer Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ronstanderfer

About The Book

Book Genre: Fiction, Military History/Aviation

Publisher:The Pelican Communications Group (A proud Indie publisher)

Release Date: September 9, 2013

Buy Link(s):

http://www.amazon.com/The-Eagles-Last-Flight-Fighter-ebook/dp/B00F3KX5HW/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1382380985&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/The-Eagles-Last-Flight-Vietnam-ebook/dp/B00F48H8LW/ref=tmm_kin_title_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382380985&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/The-Eagles-Last-Flight-ebook/dp/B00F551CMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379367044&sr=8-1&keywords=the+eagles+last+flight+book+three

Book Description:

Skip O’Neill lies dying of leukemia in a New York hospital, determined to live until the new millennium. His wasted body shows scant evidence of the man he once was—an Air Force fighter pilot and decorated combat veteran.  O’Neill’s first assignment as a young lieutenant places him among hard drinking World War II—and Korean War—era fighter pilots who quickly teach him their ways. He almost washes out of pilot training but is persistent and manages to graduate. In Vietnam, he proves to be a skillful and courageous pilot who faces dangers of all kinds with equanimity. But the greatest—and most deadly danger—materializes years after O’Neill volunteers to be an observer at an atomic test site. In the end, O’Neill decides that when his time comes, he will dash at it fearlessly. He anticipates being greeted by departed friends—but what awaits him is something totally unexpected.  

Excerpt:

Skip never forgot his experience at Camp Desert Rock. Years later, he ran into

a Marine at the officers club who had participated in one of the tests and the two of them compared notes about what they had experienced.

‘‘It was the damnedest thing,’’ the Marine said, ‘‘There we were, almost at ground zero. I mean we were sitting in trenches, three miles away. Three miles! Not on some piddley-assed platform eight miles away, like those Air Force and Navy pussies.’’

Skip let that comment pass, based on his longstanding belief that arguing with a Marine who has been drinking, was not a smart thing to do.

‘‘And get this…right after the blast we were supposed to leap out of the trenches so we could be moved up to a point three hundred yards away.’’

‘‘Three hundred yards?’’ Skip exclaimed. ‘‘Why so close, for God’s sake?’’ ‘‘Why? To set up a mock defensive perimeter against anyone who theoretically

might have survived the attack.’’

‘‘Yeah right…like anybody would.’’

‘‘Exactly. When we moved into position, there was nothing to see, much less to defend against. I mean nothing, just a few piles of molten metal here and there. And, oh yeah, the charred flesh of sheep that were used in the test.’’

‘‘Sheep?’’

‘‘Yeah, sheep. There I was with my men, tromping around in this fallout shit…you know…that white ash that crunches under your feet?’’

‘‘Fallout at three hundred yards, that stuff had to be big time radioactive.’’ ‘‘Right, but of course I wasn’t afraid, because afterwards we were gonna get

brushed off with brooms and hosed down. I mean, brooms, man. How dumb could we have been?’’

‘‘Anyway,’’ he continued, ‘‘about the same time, this guy shows up over the top of the hill, all dressed out in some kind of shiny, silver, protective suit with a ventilator and face mask. When he sees us, he comes roaring over, like someone lit a rocket in his ass. What are you guys doing here? Where is your protective gear? He yelled. All the time he’s talking, he’s pointing this Geiger counter thing at us, which is going click, click, click.

I yelled back, we’re just doing some reconnoitering, getting ready to kick some ass.

Well, you guys shouldn’t be here, he replied. Are you crazy?

Well, yeah. I told him. We are crazy. I mean…we’re Marines, which is basi- cally the same thing…right?

It turns out this dude was some kind of technician from the Atomic Energy Commission. They were the guys who were supposed to be running the tests. And, get this…he didn’t even know the military was operating that close to ground zero!’’

‘‘No way,’’ Skip said.

‘‘Yep, and when I got him settled down, I found out that he wasn’t pissed at all. He was just scared…for us. That should have been my first clue.’’

‘‘Don’t take this the wrong way,’’ Skip said, ‘‘but it sounds to me like the gov- ernment was using you guys as guinea pigs.’’

‘‘Guinea pigs?’’ The Marine snorted derisively. ‘‘We should have been so lucky. The laboratory animals they used in those tests were washed down with soap and water afterwards, and their health was carefully monitored. It’s been fif- teen years since that test and nobody has asked me shit about my health. It’s like it never happened!’’

‘‘Or like you guys were expendable, so it didn’t matter,’’ Skip offered

‘‘We were all expendable. You, me, and the 250,000 or so troops who partici- pated in all those years of testing. And that, my friend, is the way it is.

 

Author Interview

What inspired you to write the Eagle's last flight?

After I retired from the Air Force I learned that people seemed to enjoy hearing my stories about the life I led as a fighter pilot. Many described me as a " good storyteller" and some even went so far as to suggest that I write a book about my experiences. This sounded like a very crazy idea to me at first but eventually, I said to myself why not write a book? Being retired I had more than enough time on my hands to do it and so I thought to myself why not give it a try? The rest is history.

When or at what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?

To be perfectly honest with you, I'm not sure I consider myself a writer even to this day., I am still a good story teller that's for sure, but a writer, that's another story (excuse the pun).

What is the earliest age you remember reading your first book?

My parents tell me I was an early reader. I really don't remember. For sure I was deep into books by high school and definitely in college. I probably read a few books even in junior high school.

What genre of books do you enjoy reading?

I particularly enjoy autobiographies and historical novels, especially written about people and places of previous times. There is so much to learn from books like that, things that somehow or another I manage to apply to my own life.

What is your favorite book?

That's like asking someone who is their favorite child or grandchild. There are so many books on my favorite list. Anything written by Hemingway is at the top of my list, especially For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Sun Also Rises, and the Snows of Kilimanjaro which in my opinion is the best short story ever written. These days I still read and reread The Alchemist and the Fifth Mountain by Paolo Coelho.

You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?

Obviously my answer is Ernest Hemingway. I like his clean, crisp narrative style which I suspect he developed in Paris in the 1920s writing as a reporter for the Herald Tribune.

If you could travel back in time here on earth to any place or time. Where would you go and why?

My first choice would be Paris in the 1920s hanging out with Hemingway, Fitzgerald and all the other famous writers and artists. I can only imagine the times they had and what it was like to live their lifestyle. My other choice would be flying for the Flying Tigers in China as a mercenary in the early 1940s.

When writing a book do you find that writing comes easy for you or is it a difficult task?

Difficult does not even begin to describe the agony I go through when I write. To begin with, I am a perfectionist which is not good for writing a first draft. The problem is when I get two or three sentences down on paper I looked at them and decide they are not right and begin to correct them. This makes for it extremely tedious process when you're writing whole paragraphs and pages.

Do you have any little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or a cat? Or any pets?

All dogs and cats are my friend. Unfortunately, my wife and I travel too much to own a dog or cat but, I do have my ways of borrowing pets just to have them around. As I am writing this, for example a lovely little Boston Terrier named Greta is lying on the rug near my feet looking up at me admiringly. Well, maybe not admiringly, but let's just say we're both very happy at the moment. Greta belongs to a friend of mine. And she is welcome in my house any time

What is your "to die for", favorite food/foods to eat?

I try to watch my diet, but occasionally I like a good steak with baked potato and a glass or two of strong robust malbec red wine. I don't do that often but when I do, I tend to make it a celebration.

Do you have any advice for anyone that would like to be an author?

Yes, I have a lot of advice for beginning authors, more than I have room or time to write here. To begin with, writing is hard work, and you have to be organized and tough to succeed. You also have to believe in yourself and not listen to other writers who have had some small success writing, and for that reason only, try to convince you that you will not succeed like they did. That is nonsense. Secondly, I would avoid the large self publishing companies like the plague. They generally offer more services than you can possibly use, and in the end you will pay tons of money just to get the book on the market. And during the process, you will have almost zero artistic control over your book and eventually end up becoming an independent writer anyway.

     

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Book Tour: Kojiki By Keith Yatsuhashi @KeithYatsuhashi @GHBTours

Title: Kojiki
By Keith Yatsuhashi
Published: April 19th, 2013
Published By: Musa Publishing
Word Count: 109,000

Blurb:

When eighteen-year-old Keiko Yamada's father dies unexpectedly, he leaves behind a one way ticket to Japan, an unintelligible death poem about powerful Japanese spirits and their gigantic, beast-like Guardians, and the cryptic words: "Go to Japan in my place. Find the Gate. My camera will show you the way."

Alone and afraid, Keiko travels to Tokyo, determined to fulfill her father's dying wish. There, beneath glittering neon signs, her father's death poem comes to life. Ancient spirits spring from the shadows. Chaos envelops the city, and as Keiko flees its burning streets, her guide, the beautiful Yui Akiko, makes a stunning confession--that she, Yui, is one of a handful of spirits left behind to defend the world against the most powerful among them: a once noble spirit now insane.

The Earth itself is at stake, and as Keiko fights to save it, strange, dormant abilities stir within her. She suspects they are vital to her world's survival, but to summon them, she must first unlock the mysteries within herself and a past shrouded in mystery.

Goodreads | Musa Publishing | Amazon | Kobo

Excerpt:

Yui knelt on the tatami mats of her father's study, Matsuda's staff cradled in her hands. She came back to the room shortly after Vissyus reappeared, watching as long as she could before emotion overcame her. Tears still spilled from her eyes. Tokyo was as much her home as this castle. It was part of her, and now it burned. Why did her father have to take so much from its people in order to save them? Maybe surviving would be enough for them.

It wasn't for her.

Her Searching transported her to the heart of the city. Shinjuku's proud skyscrapers were a pile of ash, Tokyo Tower now little more than twisted metal. She ghosted down Chuo Dori. Ginza Station had disappeared beneath a toppled building. The intersection where she'd lost Keiko was a tangle of melted wire, soot, and shattered neon tubes. The acrid scent of charred wood and chemical fires blended with the coppery tang of blood. Their monks did their best, but she never expected them to save everyone. Her father tried to hide that from her, and now she understood why.

She felt their Spirits- lifetimes and memories forever lost to the world. A battle wasn't some game; she understood that now. The ruined city was proof enough for her. So much destruction with so little effort. What would happen when Vissyus unleashed his full power?

Shivering, she hugged Matsuda's staff and lowered her head. Where was his strength when she needed it?

Book Soundtrack:

Well, I wrote it while listening to a mixture of Giant Robo, The Animation (an anime favorite of mine), Godzilla, and--brace yourself--Phantom of the Opera. I spent 10 years as a competitive figure skater, so music is very important to me. Even after all these years, I still think in terms of choreography, how music tells and embellishes the story. For Kojiki, I'd go big, emotional, and majestic.

Character Bios:

Keiko Yamada

Keiko Yamada is an eighteen year old Japanese American whose soul holds a secret unknown even to her. Alone and afraid, Keiko travels to Tokyo, determined to fulfill her father's dying wish. There, beneath glittering neon signs, her father's death poem comes to life. Ancient spirits spring from the shadows. Chaos envelops the city, and as Keiko flees its burning streets, her guide, the beautiful Yui Akiko, makes a stunning confession--that she, Yui, is one of a handful of spirits left behind to defend the world against the most powerful among them: a once noble spirit now insane. Keiko must decide if she will honor her father's heritage and take her rightful place among the gods.

The Great Spirits

"Of all the elements, the strongest were always the most basic; Air and Water; Earth, Fire, and, Spirit, and to a lesser extent, darkness and light. There were others as well, though not nearly as powerful. Their interests were in the creatures that lived on the world and not the living world itself - birds and beasts, trees and flowers. The former group became known as the Great Spirits of the world, beings that took physical form and walked the planet, shaping it and watching over it as it blossomed into paradise. Casting their thoughts back into the void, they called out for helpers, Spirits nearly as old as they and with elemental powers complementing their own. These became the Guardians, servants and partners, bound to their Master or Mistress by what is known as the Law of Binding Trust; an oath sworn by the Guardian to protect and to serve, and to carry out the will of the Great Spirit who had summoned it. Out of respect for the Guardians' voluntary servitude, the new Lords of the world swore never to strike directly at a Guardian or allow it to be harmed by anything other than its own kind. It was a relationship so strong, that it survived even when Vissyus broke with all tradition and did the unthinkable." - Takeshi Akiko

Aeryk Tai- Banshar/Eric Aeronson, The Lord of the Air, Commander of the Winds, and King of the Heavens

One of only two Great Spirits not trapped within the Boundary, Aeryk spent the long years since the last battle reshaping the world. From his hidden sky fortress of Hurricane Point, a massive castle wreathed in the clouds of the western Atlantic, he watches over the growth of the human race, slipping into it time and again to influence the course of events. Once Yui Akiko sounds the alarm, he throws off his disguise, openly proclaims himself, and heads immediately into the Caribbean to free another of the Great Spirits, Seirin Bal Cerranon, from the mysterious prison that has held her since the end of the last war. The years haven't diminished his love for her, nor the guilt those feelings resurrect. In his heart, he feels responsible for the catastrophe the world now faces--Vissyus, Aeryk's friend, the strongest of all Spirits, insane because of him.

Seirin Bal Cerannon Queen of the Oceans, Mistress of the Waves, and Lady of Water

The most beautiful woman the world has ever known, and second only to Vissyus in strength. Impatient to know Aeryk's love and to start a family with him, she turns to Vissyus, asking him to conduct forbidden experiments on her behalf. Despite the law, despite multiple warnings, she ignores law and custom with disastrous results.

Takeshi Akiko, Lord of Spirit

Of all the Great Spirits, Takeshi Akiko is the wisest, his control and understanding of Spirit unique. He is strong and enigmatic. As events around the Spirits unravel, Takeshi develops the strategy that will save the world from ruin, even if it means manipulating everyone he loves, including his own daughter, Yui.

Yui Akiko, The Lady of Spirit

Daughter of Takeshi Akiko, Yui is the youngest of the Great Spirits and the only child born among them. Trained exclusively by her father for war, Yui is recklessly headstrong, determined to prove her worth to her father and thereby earn his love and pride. Once she and her father begin to see the signs of the Boundary's failing, Takeshi sends her out into the world as a sentinel, a scout who will report back at the first sign of danger. Her time among the humans gives her a unique empathy for their struggles, one compounded by an unrequited love a human disciple named Matsuda Yamanaka.

Roarke Zar Ranok, Lord of the Earth

Roarke is a big mountain of a man, the tallest of all except for Vissyus. Like Seirin, he remains locked inside the Boundary until the Aeryk and Takeshi can free him.

Lon-Shan, Lord of Shadow

Among the weakest of the Great Spirits in terms of strength, Lon-Shan's power is most potent wherever the light fails. He is perpetually jealous of the others' superior prowess, so much so that his envy eventually results in a darkening of his own heart. Secretly, he begins planning against the other Spirits in their war, cloning a personal army for his eventual conquest of Earth. In order to succeed, he sacrifices his friends to Vissyus, believing that once the others are defeated, the Fire Lord will move on and leave the Earth behind.

Vissyus Sar Furcan, Lord of Fire

Vissyus is the strongest and most intelligent of all the Great Spirits. His natural abilities, his power and the force of his will dwarf those of any other. Only his love for Seirin surpasses his power. When she comes to him for help, he immediately accepts, ignoring the danger to himself and the world in order to make her dreams come true.

Paitr Norwoska

Drawn to the dark depravity in Paitr Norwoska's soul, Lon-Shan seeks out this one-time member of the Romanian Nobility, specifically sending his Guardian through the Weakening to recruit him. His power is second only to his lust for power, a lust he shared with his Dark Master. Once inside the Boundary, Paitr becomes an integral part in Lon-Shan's strategy to rule the world. Doing the unthinkable, the Shadow Lord tampers with young man's Spirit, granting him a portion of the Great Spirit's power and naming him a disciple, one of the few who would rule nations in the name of Lon-Shan. Ordered into the military at a young age, he acquired a keen insight into the intricacies of battle, one that even surpassed that of his Master.

Dream Cast:

If ‘Kojiki’ was made into a movie, who would you cast?

Nozomi Sasaki as Keiko

Meisa Kuroki as Yui

Richard Armitage as Aeryk

Delta Goodrem as Seirin

Ken Watanabe as Takeshi

Russell Crowe as Vissyus

Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje as Roarke

Kenneth Brannagh as LonShan

David Tennant as Paitr Norwoska

About the Author:

Keith Yatsuhashi was born in 1965 in Boston, MA. He graduated from Northeastern University in 1989 and is currently the Director of the U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

Keith was a competitive figure skater for ten years, winning the U.S. National Junior Dance Championships in 1984, a bronze medal in the 1983 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, and a silver medal in 1984.

In addition to his love of writing, Keith enjoys many hobbies such as golf, reading, and playing football and hockey with his sons. Keith currently lives in Norfolk, MA with his wife, Kathleen and three children-Caitlin, Jeffrey, and Justin.

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Review of This Morning I Woke Up Dead By Mindy Larson @RABTBookTours @LarsonMindy

This Morning I Woke Up Dead

By Mindy Larson

Date Published: 11/12/2013 - Re-Launch

Paranormal Romance

What would you do? What rules would you break to be with your soul mate? This morning Hadley Christensen and Dominic Morris woke up living their dream lives. They are engaged and each has promising careers in the  medical field. They are happier and more fulfilled than they have ever been, and they are ready to begin their happily ever after.

Sadly, on her way to work, Hadley is in an accident. Before taking her last breath, she realizes she is already dead - and everyone on Earth is too. Now Hadley and Dominic must each find a way to live without one another. How do they continue when they are two parts of one flame?

Hadley is given permission by the Masters to contact Dominic in the hopes he will also realize he is already dead. If Dominic can open his mind to hear Hadley they can be together forever. Is Dominic ready to give up life the way he knows it? 

Favorite Quotes

1-"So, you're probably wondering how did I die? Well, the better question might be: when did I realize that I was never alive?"

2-"Think of Earth as one enormous waiting room. On Earth, we can do all the things needed to learn and grow for the next cycle of life. Life on Earth is a practice run. A dress rehearsal. While we're on Earth we can play. Love. Find our talents. Those who are smart, use them. It's a pity that not near enough of the population do. Most waste their time on Earth gossiping, arguing, spending too much money, worrying about anything and everything. We cause pain. To ourselves and others. The opposite of living. Why? I don't know. What I do know is that love, being happy, and feeling gratitude for everyone and everything is all its really about."

3- "Logan steps over and around the bugs but through the kids, making the red head shiver. Seems sort of backwards to me, avoiding bugs in favor of passing through children. But who am I to judge?"

4- "I feel like I'm living in a science fiction book where every one hundred and nine minutes I must push a button or the Earth will explode. But that button is pushing a bottle or some other kind of baby food into Ruby's mouth."

5-"A chill passes over me. I physically wince, wondering what is going on. Why does this keep happening? Maybe there is an air conditioning vent above me. I look up and there isn't one that I can see."

6- "With my next few steps towards the Disneyland gates, I decide that my name is now, Scott, Scott Salisbury. I am an art teacher. I nod a couple of times, pleased with my choice. It's relaxing and low key being an art teacher. I play Jack Johnson in the classroom and blow bubbles over the student's heads. Pass out candies. The kids adore me. They even come to me with their silly high school problems and I guide them through it. Scott doesn't see crazy old guys. No one tells Scott that he is already dead. Scott isn't mourning anyone."

7- "The point of life. Or death," he adds sarcastically. "Is to be loving, grateful, peaceful, and do what you love to do, to find fulfillment. You love Dominic. You are grateful for his presence. You found fulfillment with him. So," Logan draws out the o sound. "It would appear, Hadley," his tone changes slightly. He is jealous, I think. "That you get to interfere. You get to help him discover the truth: that he is dead, too. And if it goes well." Logan pauses, cocks an eye brow and says, "They are willing to consider allowing you to help others realize this as well."

8-Dominic shakes his head again. He can't see me. Not exactly. He can't hear me. Not exactly. He can't feel me. Not exactly. But he knows, on some level, that I am here. I know he knows."

9-"Learn a word. Lose a memory. As time passes, some begin to remember things with a feeling of déjà vu or through dreams. Memories are forever cemented to your soul. They cannot make you forget."

10-"I actually had vague gossamer thin memories of my Pre-Earth life. Thanks to my dreams and the assistance of some rather reoccurring kooky Déjà vu I was able to remember. Most people dismiss both but not me. I always loved the bone chilling apprehension that I experienced whenever recalling my dreams, whenever I had déjà vu, I immediately tried to understand why and what I was remembering exactly."

11- "They are all lost to me. I must make peace with that, and yet I will forever be knitted to them. I am gray colored yarn. Dominic is chocolate brown. Harper is light blue. My mother is emerald. My father is sapphire. Together, we make a beautiful tapestry. Apart we are loose ends, waiting, hoping to be woven together again."

12- "I like not knowing the time. It's so nice to just enjoy a moment or two without worrying about the time, whether I need to be somewhere or to do something."

13-"Hearts do no beat. Lungs do not need oxygen. If one listens, they can hear the gentleness of thumping, thumping, thumping of a heart, and the whooshing of air being passed in and out of their lungs. It's all relative. Each individual will, at some point, come to the realization that nothing is as it seems."

14- "She laughs again and this time it's so sexy. She has a million laughs. Different keys to different parts of our song."

15- "Hours later, we're all exhausted and in bed, drifting off to sleep. My body remembers the gentle rocking of the waves and quickly lulls me into sleep. Just before I finally give in, I feel a familiar cool presence against my backside, chilling my raging sunburn so much so that I can sleep. Sleepily, I smile all knowingly that she is with me."

16- "He lost his fiancée recently. And I lost mine. But," Em pauses and laughs high pitched and loud and very manically. "And, sometimes," her eyes widen, "We still see them."

!7- "Alone I can keep it real. As real as I choose to. My mind takes me back and forth. I saw her. I dreamed of her. I saw her. I dreamed of her. A see-saw. Unfortunately, I am not ready to get off this ride. Not yet. For now, no decision has been made as to whether or not I saw her. I can cling to the sea-saw for a while."

18- "Hot water runs down my back, scorching me. I grab the soap and lather up my body. Turning the dial all the way to cold, I shiver as goose bumps assault me, reminding me that I can feel. If you're dead, you cannot feel such things. I don't think. There is no nervous system in place. No working brain to receive the messages even if there was. I settle on warm. Luke warm. Not alive. Not dead. That's exactly how I feel, somewhere in between life and death."

19- "Those few gentle spirits, we all know at least one -who avoid stepping on any and all bugs, and instead, they carefully catch those that had wandered innocently into their homes to dispose of them in the out of doors- had been right to not torture a living thing." 20- "Dominic Morris," I tell her. Suddenly I am smiling. Out of embarrassment, I cover my lips with my hands. I think about how he's such a good kisser and my lips tingle. He does things to me. Even when we're not together, I react. When I realize that I am still grinning like an idiot, I attempt to stop. But I just can't."

My Review

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Hadley is on her way to work one morning when she is in an accident. When she wakes up she can remember the accident and watching the SUV coming towards her and then thinking I am dead. I am no longer alive. When she realizes that she is dead she is then given permission by the masters to try and convince her fiancé that he is dead as well. If she can make him believe that he is dead too then they can be together forever.

After the death of his fiancée Hadley whom Dominic missed so much that sometimes he thinks he see, hears and feels her with him. Sometimes he can feel her running her fingers through his hair the way she did when she was alive. He has dreams of her where she is trying to tell him he is dead too. But upon wakening he is not real sure or can't exactly remember what it was he had dreamed that she was trying to tell him. Dominic has had a hard time with accepting and believing that Hadley is really gone and that he will never see her again.

I felt so bad for Dominic and Hadley after her death with them not being able to be together. While I could understand Hadley loving Dominic so much that she needs and wants to be with him all the time and hates being apart from him for any amount of time. Sometimes I kind of thought she was kind of being a little selfish trying to get Dominic to realize he was dead too. I can understand loving someone so much that you can't stand to be away from them. I understand and know or I believe that I know how it feels to have found your soulmate. Hadley and Dominic never cared what they were doing or not doing as long as they were doing it together.

When I first read the title "This Morning I Woke Up Dead" being in the frame of mind that I am at the moment with zombies and the undead being my favorite genre I thought oh fantastic "zombies". And after reading the summary I was like soulmate? Oh cool zombies that have lives and fall in love. How cool is that? Boy was I wrong. But hey no worries it was a great read still. I really loved it. There were parts of it that I or my husband has said or discussed before. I even asked him if he had wrote a book and never told me about it. But of course he laughed and said no.

I enjoyed reading This Morning I woke up Dead so well that I recommend it to anyone who loves reading about life, love, being happy and death or just an all around great book. Oh there may be times when you will need a couple of tissues, one for crying and one for laughing.

Mindy Larson

Mindy Larsen has always had a vivid imagination that has only improved with her love of reading and writing.  She spent much of her childhood entertaining her three younger brothers with her stories and today she is bringing her imagination to life in books.

When not writing, Mindy enjoys spending time with the love of her life and four children while playing disc golf, cooking, baking, traveling and exploring.

Author Links

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog

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During the months of November & December - 1% of the gross sales of all novels with Lavish Publishing, LLC will be donated to the Lupus Foundation of America.  The donation will be made in May 2014 in honor of AA Pencil and National Lupus Awareness Month.

This Tour is brought to you by Reading Addiction Book Tours

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Promo Blitz: Sliding into Black By T. L. Kitae @TLKitae @LiteraryNook

Sliding into Black
Book 1
By T. L. Kitae
Publication Date: October 30, 2013

Amazon Createspace

Synopsis:

During the cultural revolution of the 1960's and '70's, the war in Vietnam continued, daily casualties calmly reported on the evening news. Shaw, a brilliant ex-Navy Seal, has managed to come home alive after two tours in Vietnam and is now involved in black ops with Naval Intelligence, stationed in the exotic Hawaiian Islands.

The revolution had evolved into social and anti-war protests, rock 'n roll, drugs, feminism, burn-your-bras, and casual sex, arriving in Hawaii as tradewinds of change.

An unorthodox romance springs up between Shaw and Marie, his boss's daughter. From the moment they meet, sparks fly and the erotic heat between them runs as hot as the lava streaming from Hawaii's volcano, Kilauea.

Thus, the first installment of the Sliding into Black trilogy begins.

Excerpt:

"Out of the gloom, I saw a tall man coming toward me from behind the bar, at last - the bartender! I felt him stop in front of me and without glancing up from digging in my purse for some money, placed my order. The man cleared his throat, I looked up and caught my breath. My god what a gorgeous man! Tall, about six foot four, with a honed physique (every muscle defined under his thin white t-shirt), thick, blue-black hair pulled into a ponytail and blue eyes, the color of deep water - maybe royal blue or indigo, glittering mischievously at me. Wow, immediate sparks.

The bartender said, "Lady, I think you are in the wrong establishment. I would prefer that you leave before there is any trouble." I looked at him, then scanned the room as well as I could in the twilight. I replied, "Look, mister. This is 1970 and ladies go where they choose. And this lady would like a double rum and coke, double-quick."

He glared at me and said dangerously, "My name is Shaw, not mister. I own this bar, and I can damn well invite you to leave." Sharply he yelled, "Ben - get your ass over here and escort this 'lady' out, please." In the background, I could swear time stood still.

And I also heard, "Stupid haole moe ipo," rough translation, stupid white slut. Ohhhh, that pissed me off!

To hide my embarrassment, I said nonchalantly, "Well, now, Shaw, I'm sorry if I somehow got off on the wrong foot with you, but I've been taking care of myself for a long time, and I normally don't cause problems. So, how about that drink?"

Shaw stopped, looked at me sharply, waved Ben off and grim-faced, made my double rum and coke. He brought it around the counter and leaned next to me, a little closer than I care for, and replied, "This bar can be a dangerous place, a lot of merchant seamen on leave come in here, not to mention soldiers and sailors on R & R, along with some druggies and a smuggler or two - all really horny - and they'd love to have a taste of a babe like you."

"Isn't that so, Kam?", he directed to the white haired Hawaiian at the other end of the bar, who nodded emphatically.

"I just don't want to see you hurt. With that body and face of yours, you will undoubtedly attract attention, probably the kind you don't want. And, I'm busy and don't have time to worry about you."

Smashwords Interview:

Interview with T.L. Kitae

What are your five favorite books, and why?

Tough question! I am an avid, maybe even rabid book reader! So here goes, not in any particular order, and not any favorite over the other.

1) The Bone Bed, Patricia Cornwell. I love her characters, how they seem to stand in front of you, and the intricate details that she weaves into every book.

2) Bonnie, Iris Johansen. Ms. Johansen's work fascinates me and Eve is an irrestible character.

3) Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb. Love, love, love everything that Norah Roberts aka J.D. Robb writes. All of her characters are ultra-cool and the plots well defined.

4) Feastday of Fools, James Lee Burke. Mr. Burke has a unique writing style that is amazing in it's descriptiveness and detail. Every word leaps off the page and a picture starts forming immediately of each character, location, and each action.

5) A Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin (all 4 books). Epic story telling, like watching a movie in your head.

These are just newer books, there are many, many other authors and classics that beguile me.

How do you approach cover design?

This is a great question because personally, the cover of a book will attract me first as I am a visual person and learner. First the cover needs to pull me in and second, I like interesting pictures or drawings and hope that they give me a hint of what's inside. For Sliding into Black, it was imperative to show a Hawaiian beach, then hopefully a Shaw and Maria. It came together well!

What do you read for pleasure?

Fantasies, Science Fiction, Mysteries and Erotic Romances.

What is your e-reading device of choice?

Right now, a Kindle Fire. Love it!

Describe your desk

My desk is a mess. But don't touch it! Each stack means something and only I know what it is!

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?

I was a semi-military brat, lived all over the U.S. and Hawaii. So far, there is nowhere that has beat Hawaii for overall climate, beaches, things to do and see, and wonderful warm people! Hawaii has influenced my life more than anyplace I lived, except for twenty years on a horse and cattle farm. I loved writing the first book of the Sliding into Black trilogy with Hawaii as the setting - so romantic!

When did you first start writing?

I started writing as a child, mostly diaries and journals. As I progressed through school, several teachers told me that I should consider writing as a profession. But life happens. Now I have the chance to write books and am loving every minute of it.

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?

Sharing thoughts, ideas and introducing people to new places or bringing back memories for them. Of course, there is always a release. Writing can be cathartic.

What do your fans mean to you?

My fans are why I write. They let you know what they like and what they don't pretty quick and I love the feedback - take every bit to heart and apply to the next book. You can't grow without praise and constructive criticism. I appreciate every fan!

What are you working on next?

Book 2 of the Sliding into Black trilogy. What's going on with Shaw? What will Marie do? So much fun!

What inspires you to get out of bed each day?

My family, my cat and my horses!

About the Author:

T.L. Kitae is a retired journalist and magazine publisher residing in Asheville, N.C. Unable to sit still for long, she writes and attends school full time to obtain her long awaited Registered Nursing degree and license.

She is married to her long time sweetheart, enjoys riding her two horses, has a silly cat, and loves spending time with her daughter and son-in-law.

Currently she is working on Book 2 of the Sliding into Black Trilogy.

Connect with T.L. Kitae:

Facebook Twitter Blog Goodreads Smashwords profile page

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Cover Reveal: Synchrony (Destiny #2) by Cindy Ray Hale @cindyrayhale @NereydaG1003

Synchrony (Destiny #2)

by Cindy Ray Hale

Release Date: 2014

Summary from Goodreads:

When her parents discover she's been sneaking out with Isaac Robinson the forbidden Baptist boy, Mormon girl Destiny Clark decides it's time to keep their relationship quiet. As their relationship moves to shakier ground, Destiny discovers that Isaac has a terrible secret, and she is left completely shattered.

The moment Destiny feels all hope is lost, Preston Nelson, her longtime church friend and Isaac's bitter rival, arrives like a beacon of light. It isn't long before two separate disasters strike for Preston and Destiny's best friend, Hannah. As Destiny helps them through their issues, she discovers that sometimes the best way to forget about your own problems is to help a friend in need.

Just as her heart begins to mend and her friendship with Preston begins to heat up, Isaac walks back into her life, threatening to rekindle the feelings she'd hoped to bury forever. Will Destiny and Preston find the synchrony they so desperately need, or will she find a way to forgive Isaac and return to his outstretched arms?

Link to Book One:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Cindy Ray Hale lives in Tennessee with her husband and four children. In addition to being a writer, she's an avid reader and a social media junkie. At the age of 17, she wrote a short story, "Instant Harmony" which later appeared in the April 2000 issue of "New Era," the official magazine for the youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Destiny is her first book and will be available for purchase November 5, 2013.

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