Review of Renhala By Amy Joy Lutchen @karmiccandy

Renhala
By Amy Joy Lutchen

Blurb:

Kailey Rooke, timid accountant, dedicated to philanthropic work, finds herself spiraling into a deep depression after she suffers a horrifyingly odd and humiliating assault, to only discover more of these freakish assaults occurring across the globe.

A chance discovery leads Kailey to a meeting with elderly Gunthreon, actual master of persuasion. Gunthreon, who seems to know too much of Kailey's history for her liking, opens Kailey's eyes to a coexisting realm she never knew existed: Renhala, while entrusting her with the knowledge of her newfound power as karmelean, serving as a beacon for karma from the Higher Ones. Kailey slowly starts revealing new talents, and Gunthreon is fascinated with what she starts achieving.

She soon discovers that Renhala is in danger, and this danger has been leaking into her own realm. As she uncovers secrets within herself, and toughens up, she fuses with an unlikely band of fellow travelers (including a dragon, woodsprite, six-hundred-pound greble, her faithful female canine companion, and a "giver"), balances the egos of two very strong males, deals with her sexy and flirtatious best friend’s “issues,” and finds the courage to master a new deadly weapon.

On her mission to save Renhala, Kailey will find herself running from life-threatening disasters, such as greble Tartarin, who likes to remind Kailey that when he catches her, he plans on eating her brains with ice cream; she'll run from the deadly meeples: small cute bunnies with talons and an undeniable thirst for imposing self-destruction on others. Kailey will also run into the possibility that a centuries-old Renhalan rumor is true, that advanced technology existing in Kailey's realm shortens all life spans.

As blood is shed and puzzles near completion, Kailey pulls from deep within herself, conjuring up mystical qualities that enable her to astonish as once predicted at her birth, but despite the newfound strength, Kailey will discover that monsters not only come in ugly packages, but can be easily disguised as those she has come to love and trust.

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My Review:

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

Kailey is trying to get her life back after she was attracted. The attack left her in a very bad place. She lived with her mother for a while until she could heal from her mental wounds as well as from her physical wounds. When she is better and she can get on with her life she goes looking for and finds herself an apartment and she goes back to her work. She also lets her best friend Amber back in her life. Amber takes Kailey out for a night on the town trying to help Kailey get on with her life. She takes her to a bar where Kailey meets a nice gentleman who wants to help Kailey and who knows more about her than someone she doesn't know should know about her and someone has never met before. Her new friend Gunthreon tells her she has a quest to complete. Kailey being very skeptical of anyone after her attack questions what Guntheron begins to tell her about her quest and who she is. I love how honest she is and doesn't mean any harm when she is being honest. Not knowing completely if Guntheron can be trusted because she just met him. She keeps asking him if he spiked her drink. Who can blame her with all that she has been through and that is not even counting what he is telling about her quest.

While Kailey is at Guntheron's place she meets a greeble, named Bu whom she becomes fast friends with. Bu is so ecstatic about having a friend. He has never had a friend before Kailey. Bu becomes Kailey's protector. He sits outside her door at night to watch over her and keep her safe from all the bad things they may come out of the realm of Rehhala and into their world. There are things out there that want to harm Kailey and who also want her dead because of whom and what she is.

Kailey also meets a guy Conner in the park when she is walking her dog, Kitoto. Conner is walking his dog as well. Later her friend Amber meets a new guy that she falls for. Amber and her new friend take Kailey out on a blind date with them one evening to get her out of the house and they are also trying to help Kailey get on with her life. Amber is disappointed when she finds out that the guy she has set Kailey up with is the guy from the park and they already know each other. For some reason unbeknownst to Kailey she feels safe with Conner.

I really enjoyed reading Renhala and following Kailey around when she would go to the other realms or world. Kailey was a very good person and loved that she was Bu's friend. I highly recommend Renhala to anyone who loves a good fantasy and traveling to other realms.

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Spotlight: Indie Authors Naked By Loren Kleinman @VBTCafe @LorenKleinman

           

         

  Loren Kleinman is a writer and poet with roots in New Jersey.  She has a B.A. in English Literature from Drew University and an M.A. in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Sussex. Kleinman is a columnist for IndieReader.com (IR) where she interviews New York Times and USA Today bestselling indie authors. Some of those interviews in IR reappeared in USA Today and The Huffington Post.

Her poetry has appeared in literary journals such as Nimrod, Journal of New Jersey Poets, Paterson Literary Review, Wilderness House Literary Review, Writer's Bloc, Resurgence (UK), HerCircleEzine and Aesthetica Annual. She was the recipient of the Spire Press Poetry Prize (2003), was a 2000 and 2003 Pushcart Prize nominee, and a 2004 Nimrod/Pablo Neruda Poetry Prize finalist. In 2003, Spire Press published her first collection of poetry Flamenco Sketches, which explored the relationship between love and jazz.

Her second collection of poetry, The Dark Cave Between My Ribs, is due to release with Winter Goose Publishing in March 2014. She is currently working on a New Adult romance, This Way to Forever.

Amy Holman Edelman launched IndieReader, the essential consumer guide to self-published books and the people who write them, way back in 2007.  Since then, indie authors have stormed the bestseller lists, been courted by trad publishers and (after all that), finally gained a modicum of respect.

Amy self-published her first book, The Fashion Resource Directory, back in the 80s, long before POD and Amazon and e-readers roamed the land.  Her second and third books (The Little Black Dress and Manless in Montclair), were traditionally published (by Simon & Schuster and Shaye Areheart Books, an imprint of Crown). 

As an author and a publicist with over 20 years' experience, Amy's goal for IndieReader is no less than to make indie a respected and desirable category within the publishing world. This book is just one step in that direction. 

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Book Genre: Non-fiction

Publisher: IndieReader Publishing

Release Date: January 15, 2014

Buy Link(s): TBA

Book Description:

Indie Authors Naked explores and defines the world of independent publishing. 

Comprised of a series of essays and interviews by indie authors, booksellers and publishers, readers will get a look at the many aspects of the indie community, where publishing professionals of all types come together with the simple goal of creating something unique; something that speaks directly to the reader, no middleman necessary.   

Contributors include: James Franco, Hugh Howey, McNally Jackson Books, Sarah Gerard, OHWOW Books, Raine Miller, David Vinjamuri, Toby Neal, Rachel Thompson, Eden Baylee, Christoph Paul, Jessica Redmerski, and more.

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Excerpt:

From the Introduction of Indie Authors Naked by Amy Edelman:

IndieReader was launched in '07, otherwise known as the dark days of self-publishing. Back then, every book was considered a vanity publication, every author a failed writer. Denial ran so high that when the self-pubbed book, Her Last Letter by Nancy C. Johnson hit The New York Times bestseller list, the good folks at the NYT were still saying that they'd never include one! And then there was The Shack, another indie that snuck through the gauntlet to appear on the NYTimes list for an astounding 172 weeks between June 2008 to early 2010 (52 of those weeks at #1).

Flash forward to 2012-2013. With the advent of ebooks, the publishing landscape has completely and irrevocably changed. Bowker, the ISBN people, recently reported that the number of self-published books in 2012 rose 59% over 2011, growing to over 391,000 titles in 2012. That's a lot of indie.

But it's not just availability that has changed the notion of what a self-pubbed book can be. Either the whole "vanity" thing was propaganda on the part of trad publishing-after all, Virginia Woolf famously did it with Hogarth Press-or publishing ebooks makes it easier for talented writers to get their work seen. Either way, over the last couple of years-beginning with the high-profile snagging of Amanda Hocking-at least 50 indie authors (many of them interviewed in this very book) have been courted and won by traditional publishers.

Did these authors' books change from when they were self-pubbed to when they became trads? Or did their appearance on the bonafide bestseller lists (The New York Times, USA Today) just make it easier for the Big 5 to spot them? Not that getting picked up by a traditional publisher is always an indie author's end-game. In fact, a recent survey conducted by The Bookseller noted that only about one-third of the self-published authors surveyed stated that they would consider a traditional book deal. That's a lot of authors who aren't willing to trade the freedom of creation for the chance to have their works packaged by committee.  

So whether an author decides to sell their work to a trad publisher or not-it is clear that indies are here to stay. Their books resonate with readers who really couldn't give a damn if they came through the hallowed halls of a traditional publisher or just via their ereaders. The indie writing community is strong and getting stronger, as are the options for placing their books (been to your local bookstore lately? You may be surprised at the titles you find on the shelves).

Yes, dear readers, this time-thanks to technology and changing perceptions-self-publishing is clearly here to stay. And via interviews and essays, Indie Authors Naked aims to highlight the best of the best.

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Book Tour: The Key By Jennifer Anne Davis @AuthorJennifer @GHBTours

Title- The Key
Series- The True Reign Series #1
By- Jennifer Anne Davis
Publication Date- November 15th, 2103
Published By- Clean Teen Publishing

Blurb-

Within these pages lie kingdoms with castles and princes who fall in love with fair maidens, but make no mistake?this is no fairytale.

His father's kingdom is on the brink of upheaval and at the center of it all is an ordinary girl who could be the key to its undoing. When faced with the ultimate choice, will he choose the girl he's falling in love with or the kingdom he has sworn to protect?

An ordinary girl with an extraordinary past. All she wants is to be free. What she doesn't realize is that freedom comes with a price she can't afford to pay. She's forced to accept the proposal of a prince she despises, even though her heart belongs to someone else . . . his brother.

Seventeen-year-old Rema lives in a brutal kingdom where travel between regions is forbidden, people are starving, and looking at someone the wrong way can mean death. Nineteen-year-old Darmik is the king's son and Commander of the King's Army. He spends his days roving the island, doing his father's bidding and trying to maintain control over the people.

When a chance encounter throws Rema and Darmik together, they share an instantaneous connection, but any sort of relationship between them is strictly forbidden. Darmik's brother, the Crown Prince, notices Darmik's interest in Rema and, in a calculated, political move, blackmails her. Faced with an impossible choice, Rema is forced to sacrifice her heart in order to save her family.

As Rema is taken to the palace with the Crown Prince, Darmik confronts the growing rumor that a legitimate blood heir to the throne exists and is trying to overthrow Darmik's family. In Darmik's quest to hunt down and kill the threat, he discovers that nothing is as it seems. Locked in the king's castle, Rema finds herself a key player in a massive power struggle. When Darmik shows up, she's not sure if she can trust him. The line between friends, enemies, and loyalty becomes blurred. As truths are unlocked, Rema understands that she just might be the key to finding the rightful heir and restoring peace to the kingdom… if she can manage to stay alive long enough.

Excerpt:

Darmik had to talk to her again. He ran to the back of the stables, hoping to catch her alone. He rounded the corner, slamming into her, knocking her to the ground. Big, round sapphire eyes looked up at him.

"I'm sorry," Darmik stammered, reaching down to help her up. "I didn't realize you were there."

"Prince Darmik," she politely nodded, getting to her feet on her own. Her eyes quickly scanned him from head to toe, lingering on his royal markings that covered his neck and shoulders. The black stallion whinnied and ran away from them. Tabitha sighed, exasperated. "What are you doing here?"

"Um," he wasn't usually at a loss of words, but there was something about her piercing gaze that made him forget what he was doing. She cleared her throat and brushed the dirt from her dress.

"Sorry about that," he pointed to her, indicating the collision. Her eyes darted behind him. Darmik glanced back, but no one was there. "Are you looking for someone?" he asked.

"My uncle. He's waiting for me. We just came to deliver this horse." She waved her hand toward the black stallion grazing nearby.

Tabitha certainly was bold, and far more interesting than any of the nobles Darmik had ever met. But then again, she wasn't from the noble class-she was from the merchant class. Still, she stood out like she didn't belong to anyone or anything.

"Tabitha?" He took a step toward her, wanting to get closer.

"That's not my name," she stated.

"Excuse me?" He remembered her band: Tabitha, seventeen years old, niece of Kar and Maya, not yet married or engaged.

"Aren't you the commander of the King's Army?" she asked. Darmik nodded. "Don't you have an army to run? Or do you only hunt and mosey about, pretending to be of use to the kingdom? I thought King Barjon would manage to keep you busier."

Was she serious? Nobody had ever spoken to him in such a manner.

"Well," he began to answer, but she started laughing.

"I go by Rema." She held out her hand in greeting.

Darmik never shook hands with anyone. Even though he was the commander of the army, he was also a prince, and his men addressed him as such. Shaking hands was for commoners. Her pale hand remained suspended in air, waiting for him.

His hand slid into hers. "Prince Darmik," he responded, shaking her warm hand, eager for the chance to touch her again.

"I got that part," Rema smiled. Her breath smelled sweet like apples. She tried pulling her hand from his, but he refused to release her.

"Let me escort you inside the stables." Darmik put her hand on his arm. She seemed reluctant at first, but he pulled her along toward the front of the stables, not giving her a chance to refuse. "Do you live nearby?" he asked.

"Yes."

When she didn't elaborate, he forged on. "I haven't seen blonde hair very often. Does your mother have the same coloring?" As soon as he asked the question, he knew he'd made an error. Her body tensed. He looked down at her, remembering her band said she lived with her aunt and uncle. Rema shook her head, refusing to answer.

Afraid he'd offended her, he continued on. "I've traveled to Emperion. Almost everyone there has blonde hair and blue eyes."

"You've been to Emperion?" she asked, squeezing his arm.

"Yes. For training."

Rema's eyes widened. "Tell me about it," she demanded. Darmik smiled in response to her excitement.

"Rema!" a stablehand yelled.

"I forgot about my uncle," Rema said. "He's waiting for me. I have to go." She jerked her hand away from Darmik's arm and spun around, heading back the way they came. Rema glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him. Then she rounded the corner and disappeared.

Not ready for her to go, Darmik jogged after her. Nearing the corner, he heard the boy say, "We'll miss seeing you Rema." Darmik turned the corner and saw the stablehand holding a pitchfork, his face bright red. "You have such a way with the horses," the boy stammered.

"I'm getting married, not dying." She smiled mischievously. "You'll see me again."

"Rema," Darmik couldn't help himself. "You're engaged?" The stablehand dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

Rema's smile vanished. Standing just behind her next to the stables was an older man. The elderly man's eyes moved from Darmik to Rema and back again. His face lost all color as he knelt on the ground. Darmik assumed this was Rema's uncle.

Rema's eyes bore into Darmik's. "Yes, Prince Darmik," she answered, kneeling before him. "I am engaged," she replied softly. "The signed contract was delivered to Lord Filmar today. My band is going to be marked tomorrow."

Darmik was about to reply when a flicker to his left caught his attention. His brother, Prince Lennek, stood just inside the stables with a devious smile. Darmik prayed he hadn't drawn any attention to Rema. Lennek leaned against the wall, watching.

"You're dismissed," Darmik said, trying to sound nonchalant. He moved past Rema, into the stables. Seconds later, Darmik heard the sound of a wagon pulled by horses, and Rema was gone.

Lennek sauntered over to him. "She was beautiful, in a wild sort of way," he mused. "She looks like a bit of a challenge." He cocked an eyebrow. "Might be fun though. And you know how much I love a challenge."

Darmik had the urge to punch that smirk off his brother's face. Lennek always knew which buttons to push. Anytime Darmik was interested in something, Lennek had to have it, whether he wanted it or not, just to prove he was better.

Darmik drew in a deep breath, smelling horse sweat and sweet hay. He couldn't dismiss Rema-Lennek was too smart and perceptive. "Blonde hair is so rare that I found her appearance interesting. Not my type though. Not only is she a commoner, but she's engaged."

Lennek's eyes sparkled. "Definitely a challenge."

"Laws are laws, Lennek. Some not even you can break."

"No," he laughed, "but there are always ways around them." Lennek strolled out of the stables.

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Character Bio:

First up, Rema!! Spunky, sassy, and a bit of a wild one, Rema is seventeen with blonde hair, blue eyes, and is fair skinned. She looks "different" from everyone else on the island. She grew up with her aunt and uncle who are horse breeders. She has always dreamed of traveling and seeing the world instead of being stuck in her small village living a sheltered life. Everything changes the day she crosses paths with Prince Darmik.

Darmik, like everyone else on Greenwood Island, has dark hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. Even though he's only nineteen, he's been appointed Commander of the King's Army. His older brother hates him and his father could care less about him. He roams the island doing his father's bidding, trying to maintain peace. Only he discovers there are rebel forces amassing and they plan to overthrow the king. He is singularly focused on his task until he crosses paths with Rema. Then everything changes!!

Then we have Prince Lennek, Darmik's brother. Lennek looks similar to Darmik, only a bit softer. He prefers lounging around the castle and entertaining women, as opposed to anything that requires physical exertion.

King Barjon. What's there to say? He's evil, malicious, and Darmik's father.

Dream Cast:

If I could choose anyone to play my characters in a movie, this is who I'd pick:

First up, Rema!! Spunky, sassy, and a bit of a wild one, Rema is seventeen with blonde hair, blue eyes, and is fair skinned. She looks "different" from everyone else on the island. A perfect actress is Amanda Seyfried.

Next up, Darmik. Darmik, like everyone else on Greenwood Island, has dark hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. He's the commander of the King's Army so I picture him having a hard edge to him. A perfect match is Chase Crawford.

Then we have Prince Lennek, Darmik's brother. Lennek looks similar to Darmik, only a bit softer. He prefers lounging around the castle and entertaining women, as opposed to anything that requires physical exertion. Douglass Booth would make the perfect Lennek.

King Barjon. What's there to say? He's evil, malicious, and Darmik's father. Gabriel Byrne has the exact look I'm going for.

Rema's chambermaid is Cassie. Cassie, like everyone else, has dark hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. Mila Kunis has Cassie's look.

And last, but certainly not least, Darmik's friend and fellow soldier, Neco. Liam Hemsworth fits Neco perfectly!

Book Soundtrack:

Rolling in the Deep (Adele)

Burn It Down (Linkin Park)

Set Fire To The Rain (Adele)

Papercut (Linkin Park)

Someone Like You (Adele)

In The End (Linkin Park)

Rumor Has It (Adele)

Numb (Linkin Park)

Turning Tables (Adele)

Leave Out All The Rest (Linkin Park)

Since the story is from two different POVs, I always listened to Adele when writing Rema, the female character. I'd listen to Linkin Park when writing Darmik, the lead male character.

About the Author:

Jennifer graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she married her high school sweetheart, worked as a legal assistant, and taught high school English. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids' creativity.

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Cover Reveal: ORENDA By Ruth Silver @writeawaybliss

Title: Orenda
Author: Ruth Silver
Expected Publication: Spring 2014
Publisher: Patchwork Press
Genre: YA, Fantasy

Synopsis:

A sword wielding girl, an eternal suit and an alternate universe.

Lil has a gift, one she never thought possible as she finds herself awake after a strange dream with the tell-tale sign that what she dreamt was in fact real. The dreamscape, was more than just a premonition it happened. She'd been momentarily tossed into another dimension. Where most would consider her crazy, not her best friend Bray.

In another reality, one similar and yet slightly different Willow has been kidnapped by the sorceress turned demon, Eilith. Rawlie, Willow's friend and companion crosses to our universe for help and brings Lil into his world. Filled with frightening creatures and magical elements, Lil demands to go home, until she discovers Bray has been taken by Eilith as well. Unable to watch her best friend die, she joins forces with Rawlie, Jamie and the others to hunt down Eilith and rescue those they care about.

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About the Author

Ruth Silver attended Northern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication in the spring of 2005. While in college, she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, Deuces are Wild, which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories. Her love of writing led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading, photography, traveling and most of all writing. She loves dystopian and fantasy young adult stories. Her debut novel published by Lazy Day Publishing and Patchwork Press, ABERRANT, was released April 2013. The second novel in the series, MOIRAI, continues the saga. ISAURA, is the final installment in the ABERRANT trilogy. Ruth has been actively writing since she was a teenager. She currently resides in Plainfield, Illinois.

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Cover Reveal: The Revealed By Lara Henley @laraisadiva @Tantalizingblog

Misty Scott's life was destroyed the moment her boyfriend, and father of her child, landed in jail. The only family she knew was lost due to lies and deceit. Where would her life take her now?

Drake sits behind bars battling a secret that will surely destroy his and Misty's relationship. While Sean, the bad boy brother who is use to getting any woman he wants, finds himself helping Misty piece her life back together, and falling more and more in love with her every day.


Who will Misty choose? The golden boy who has given up everything for her, or the bad boy who is after his brother's girl and her heart?


Dive into The Revealed

Click HERE to watch

I originally from Oklahoma, but have lived several places in my life. I began writing in 2009 when I had a dream about a little girl traveling with her grandmother. In essence that is how Jessie Discovers Christmas was born. I then ventured out into YA and adult romance. I hold a bachelors degree in Fashion Marking and a Masters in Administrative Leadership. I love all things creative and hope to a full-time writing career.

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The Unknown (Flawed Series #1)

Misty found out early in life that things just don't come easy. She has learned to trust no one, and that you can't depend on anyone but yourself when the chips fall. Finally free of the states clutches she sets out on a whirl wind adventure called LIFE....
But she never expected Drake....

Drake... is Use to being in the lime light just graduated from college. Wondering what's next? Misty is a welcome surprise. So different from his everyday mundane experiences..

Can two completely different people share a journey that could change both of their lives forever? Or will they end up destroying each other in the process?

Escape to The UnKnown

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Sale: P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy By D.T. Dyllin @DTDyllin @1laureezy3

Got Dragon?

Get the entire P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy in a boxed set on sale from Jan. 22 through Jan. 29th

You may just find you like to get burned.

 

The P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy (#1-3)
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Tik Tok Press
Cover Artist: Lindsay Tiry
Interior Book Design: The Eyes For Editing
Trilogy Logo Designer: Eye Of The River Media Design
Buy on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1fda5Eb

The P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy anthology contains the following books:

~Hidden Gates (Book 1)~

For P.J. Stone, being a "Seer" who has never seen anything is less than fun. And P.J. isn't known for her patience.

To make matters worse, she must choose a suitable mate to continue the Seer bloodline. Duty always comes before her heart…at least that's what her parents taught her. When she finds herself wanting someone who is considered off-limits, P.J. is forced to question everything she believes.

As if navigating her love life isn't complicated enough, P.J. finally receives a vision-of a threat to her world that only she can perceive. But no one will believe a fledgling Seer's warnings. With nowhere else to turn, she may decide to trust a stranger with her life, her world, and maybe even her heart.

~Broken Gates (Book 2)~

P.J. Stone is a Seer who saw too little, too late.

In the past, her biggest worries were boys and school-but war has a way of changing things. Now, the alien Riders are trying to overrun the world. As the last of their kind, P.J. and her friends must find a way to save humanity before there's nothing left to save.

After choosing a mate, P.J. hoped she'd have time to enjoy her love life. But with everything changing so quickly and major secrets revealed, who knows what the future will bring?

~Open Gates (Book 3)~

Bryn is gone. Jenna isn't herself. And the world has been taken over by the alien Riders. The only constant in P.J.'s life is Khol. But even he might not be able to help her pick up the shattered pieces of her existence.

 P.J. finally gets the answers to all her questions, but will she be able to handle the truth? And will she be strong enough to face her own destiny when the time comes?


About the Author

D.T. Dyllin is a Bestselling Romance Author who writes in both New Adult and Adult genres. She is a member of the RWA (Romance Writers of America) and also her local chapter, the MCRW (Music City Romance Writers).

D.T. was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two spoiled GSDs.

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Book Blitz: The Skinwalker's Apprentice by Claribel Ortega @Vonnegutss @NereydaG1003

The Skinwalker's Apprentice

by Claribel Ortega

Release Date: 02/24/14

Summary from Goodreads:

"Welcome to The Empire State, where banshees, witches, and skinwalkers wait…"

Margo Pennyfeather is being hunted. The 16-year-old witch has always been an outcast, in her home back in England, and now in the village of East Hampton New York where her family has settled. No one but her family has ever cared for Margo, but now the most important witch in the magic world wants her as an apprentice, giving her a chance to bring her family out of poverty.
Before long, Margo realizes things aren't what they seem, least of all, what kind of witch she really is. Now, the young witch must face a terrifying monster on her own, and the reverberations will reach farther than she could have ever imagined.

More than three hundred years later, in 1984 Emerald Kipp is a high school senior in New York City. A troubled teen with a rebellious streak, Emerald can't seem to figure out what to do with her life, and unfortunately for her, "witch" isn't one of the available career choices in her guidance counselor's office. As she struggles to figure herself out, Emerald is faced with the threat of being stuck in school and missing her final summer with her three best friends. Her last year of high school is turning out to be the worst yet, and Emerald thinks it can't possibly get any worse. Unfortunately for her, she's dead wrong.
And there's something else, something far more sinister stirring in Emerald's world, and she'll have to believe in herself if she wants to get through it alive.

Two witches, three hundred years apart, one inescapable fate.

The Skinwalker's Apprentice is a prequel to the upcoming novel, Emerald Kipp and The Riddle of The Timekeeper, a terrifying magical scavenger hunt through the gritty streets of 1980's New York City,set to a killer soundtrack, and perfect for fans of Harry Potter and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Part of The Empire Witches series.

*Available February 24th, 2014 on Smashwords,iBook, Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and more!
(Pre orders available Jan. 20th)

Excerpt:

" Emerald slid one sneaker off with her right foot and kicked it in the air, then did the same with the other, not bothering to check where it landed. They'd put themselves away, she thought. Since her room was the only place she could use magic, she used it freely, enchanting every last thing from her socks to her wallpaper. Her walls were covered with posters of her favorite bands, and they all came to life as she entered the room. One drummer in a black and white poster twirled his drumsticks in an infinite loop, while the guitarist shredded his guitar midair, legs splayed out to his sides. The little wallpaper that was showing from underneath her posters, swayed as if the flowers were in a breezy meadow instead of an apartment in downtown Manhattan. Her mint colored robe laid lazily on her bed, its fluffy sleeves turning the pages of her precious Vive Le Rock magazine as if it could actually read, or see for that matter. Emerald shook her head and smiled, just as her slippers plodded out from underneath her bed, stopping at her feet.

"Not yet," she dismissed the slippers, and they shuffled back into the darkness underneath her iron wrought bed. Records lined the shelf to the right of her bed, and a record player sat on the sill of the bay window that looked out into her backyard.

She looked at her record collection and twisted her mouth in thought. Before she could make up her mind what to play, a record flew off the shelf, slipping out of its sleeve and floating over to her stereo set. The needle settled on the vinyl disk, and "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops," began to play.

About the Author

Claribel Ortega is a graduate of the SUNY Purchase journalism program, and got her start writing for the school's Independent Newspaper. There, she quickly rose the ranks from editing the student's often times hilarious ads and ramblings on the back page of the paper to staff and feature writer.

After graduation, Claribel worked as a reporter for The Rivertowns Enterprise, a local paper in lower Westchester County, New York. As a reporter, she enjoyed going to board of education meetings and texting the town mayors about the line at Starbucks.

Today, Claribel works for The Combined Book Exhibit, a book marketing company in Westchester NY.

She lives in New York with her really awesome boyfriend, her suspiciously intelligent yorkie Pancho Villa and is surrounded by an impenetrable fort of books she gets from her job.

"The Skinwalker's Apprentice" is her first book, and cheese is her favorite food.

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***GIVEAWAY***

Prize pack: (US only)

Forever 21 Mint green Handbag 

Forever 21 Emerald glitter nail polish 

Forever 21 Cat charm bracelet 

Forever 21 Pink heart gold necklace 

iTunes Playlist of all the songs in "The Riddle of The Timekeeper" (Playlist attached) 

Bookmarks and ebook of The Skinwalker's Apprentice

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