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Five From Tricia Zoeller

Welcome to Five From Friends Friday!

Each week, I’ll share with you five quick and quirky questions and answers

from some of my favorite author friends.

I think you’ll see some familiar faces in here, too.

Quickies from Tricia Zoeller

Tricia is signing this year at Indie BookFest! If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, do it today–they’re on discount for a limited time! And come meet Tricia along with 70 other amazing authors. 

Q: What’s the one nation in the world you’re absolutely dying to visit?

A: France! I feature it in my last novella in The Darkling Chronicles series, Shadow King. My shadowcaster travels through the portal and shadowcasts for a little girl named Celeste. As I was doing research, I got more and more excited about making it happen. It’s definitely on my Bucket List.

Q: You’re on a cruise and Emeril Lagasse is the chef. He offers to teach you how to make any dish you want. What will you and the chef be cooking up?

A: I’m more of a baker than a cook. I’d definitely want him to help me whip up some dessert. Anything with chocolate would be okay by me. Food—any kind of pasta dish would do, but I can’t do spicy.

Q: You strike up a conversation with the bartender in a hotel lobby and he insists on buying you a drink. What will you tell him to pour?

A: A glass of red wine. If it’s something fancy, then a salted caramel martini.

Q: You’re at UtopYA this weekend! A young reader approaches your table and asks what is the one book she should read before she turns 18. What will you recommend?

A: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series or Jana Oliver’s Demon Trappers Series. Also, I’d hope she’d give The Darkling Chronicles a try 😉

Q: Summer of 2015 BEACH question! What’s your favorite beachside activity?

A: I would have to be shaded in a cabana because I have Lupus. I’m like a vampire; I burst into flames in the sun. Seriously, I can’t do the sun at all. I walk along the beach very early in the morning or at night to watch the sunset. Still love to be by the water.

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Shadow Blues

The Darkling Chronicles #1

(Novella)

LOVE

At the age of four, Patrick Benjamin Solomon becomes Anka Rehmling’s human charge. By eight, he can SEE her. At thirteen, he breaks her heart, and by eighteen, she finds herself fighting for his life.

ShadowBlues_ebookAs a darkling shadowcaster, Anka casts shadows in the human world, harnessing some of the earth’s UV light to bring back to Montenai—a world full of darklings, nymphs, satyrs, phantoms, and dragon lords. Her job is crucial to preserving the vitality and balance in her town of Shadowland. However, Anka has trouble following the strict rules set by the Shadowland Council, a ruling body comprised of three dragon lords.

The lords’ decree states all shadowcasters will abide by the rules or face the penalty of harsh punishment, banishment, or death. Torn between her world and Ben’s, Anka must choose to defy the Council or turn her back on love.

Shadow Fire

The Darkling Chronicles #2

(Novella)

COURAGE

As a darkling shadowcaster, Bianca Rehmling works under the three dragon lords of the Shadowland Council, casting shadows for her human charge on the earth’s plane and harnessing energy to bring back for the balance and wellbeing of her kind. She’s always been a law-abiding darkling, as opposed to her younger sister, Anka. When Anka broke shadowcasting rules over the summer, she suffered the wrath of the council, something Bianca never wants to witness again.

To protect her sister, Bianca harbors some dark secrets, ones that could cause the decline of Shadowland. When a deadly illness called Shadow Fever strikes the village, Bianca fears her own rule-breaking has caused a fatal imbalance in the world of Montenai. She hasn’t been doing her job, her duty, and the dragon lords suspect.

Family or duty? With loved ones suffering, and the dragon lords breathing down her neck, Bianca keeps her nymph friends close and her enemies…closer. When an unlikely ally offers to help, Bianca must decide whether to trust him or brave the heat alone.

Shadow Thief

The Darkling Chronicles #3

(Novella)

SURVIVAL

Natcha is a creature of fire, drawing in shadow to cloak herself from the dangers of the world. She has never known what she is or where she came from, but she knows her wings and claws make her different. The sea cliffs of Montenai are her home, the Aglatian Sea her playground, and the phantoms her family.

All her life, she has hidden in the Faunlier Mountains with her sister Nalene. Only the oath she swore as a child to a darkling father to watch over his son draws her toward the turmoil in Shadowland.

When unrest among the darklings, satyrs, nymphs, and dragon lords begins to bleed into her own life, Natcha wagers the welfare of one against the welfare of many. To protect all she holds dear, she must incur the wrath of Shadowland’s leaders and become… the Thief.

Purchase links for Shadow Blues (Novella 1)

Amazon/Barnes & Noble/Google Play/Smashwords/Apple/Kobo

FREE this weekend!

 

Tricia Zoeller writes fantasy stories filled with mystery, magic, and mayhem. After a decade of working as a speech-language pathologist, she succumbed to the voices in her head andtzoeller wrote her first book, urban fantasy FIRST BORN, published in May 2013. FIRST BORN is a paranormal mystery about a shapeshifter in Atlanta. It is the first book in the Lily Moore Series.

THE DARKLING CHRONICLES is her young adult series that delves into alternate planes, portals, and mystical creatures.

She lives in Marietta, Georgia with her husband, Lou, her little yappy dog, Lola Belle, and her big orange mutant cat, George. Her two stepsons, Joseph and Robert, make stopovers as well, making sure to keep life an adventure.

Writing has always been a part of her life—like breathing and chocolate. For more information about Tricia and her books, visit:

Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

Five From M.H. Soars

Welcome to Five From Friends Friday!

Each week, I’ll share with you five quick and quirky questions and answers

from some of my favorite author friends.

I think you’ll see some familiar faces in here, too.

Quickies from M.H. Soars

I’m excited that Michelle is going to be one of our featured authors at Indie BookFest 2015! Come and meet her in August, but for now, get to know her here.

Q:  It’s June! When you were a kid, what was your favorite part of the end of school?

A:  Not having to stress about homework anymore (I was a very responsible kid).

Q: You’re working for NASA, putting together a space pod that will be launched into outer space. You must choose 3 books that best define the human experience. Which three will you choose?

A:  Man, this one is hard. Let’s see, Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and let’s throw Perfume: The Story of A Murderer by Patrick Süskind in the mix (so the aliens who find the pod can see how messed up humans can be and think twice before trying to invade Earth)

Q: A rich uncle leaves you his very successful restaurant in his will. The only caveat is that you must come up with a brand new signature dish to serve. What will it be?

A:  Ha! The only thing I can cook that it’s edible is my ham and cheese lasagna. So that will be my signature dish.

Q: Your significant other surprises you with a trip: your choice of a week in Napa Valley tasting wines, in Tennessee tasting whiskeys, or Wisconsin and St. Louis tasting beers. Where’re you going?

A: Napa Valley, babe.

Q: Beach question! What sand toys are absolutely necessary to bring to the beach?

A: Bucket and a beach ball.

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The Prophecy of Arcadia (Arcadian Wars Series Book #1)

Would you sacrifice friendship and love in order to save your planet?

Being a teenager is tough, especially when you have to pretend to be something you’re not, and you’re in love with someone you The Prophecy of Arcadia New Version A2shouldn’t. 115 years ago, a small planet called Arcadia was invaded by a vicious alien race and nearly destroyed. Cut off from their resources, the Arcadians turned to Earth for help. A group of Arcadian explorers discovered a Prophecy that claimed their salvation lay in the hands of two children from Earth. To ensure their safety, the Arcadian Council sent their most gifted youngsters to Earth to act as protectors. Samantha is one of them.

To succeed in her mission she must learn to control her Arcadian powers and keep her true identity from her best friend, and the girl she swore to protect, Alexia. But Samantha will soon realize that nothing is as it seems. Someone is trying to prevent the Prophecy from taking place and the prophecy boy hasn’t been found yet. There is also a new drug circulating at school that is turning students into freakishly strong menaces.

To make matters worse, distractions keep getting in her way. Such as her love/hate relationship with her “cousin” Matthew. Or her confused feelings toward popular and mysterious Julian. She wants nothing more than to be free to live her life. But the survival of Arcadia depends on her and her friends. Free will is not an option.

Buy Links:

Amazon/Nook/Smashwords/iBooks

M. H. Soars always knew creative arts were her calling but not in a million years did she think she would become an author. With a background in fashion design she thought she would follow that path. But one day, out of the blue, she had an idea for a book. One page turned into ten pages, ten pages turned into a hundred, and before she knew, her first novel, The Prophecy of Arcadia, was born.

 M. H. Soars resides in Florida with her husband and baby daughter. She is currently working on the Arcadian Wars series, theMHSoars Pic Headshot Elements series, and the Love Me, I’m Famous series.

 Arcadian Wars is a YA Paranormal/SciFi Romance series. It follows the life of a group of teens who possess incredible powers and have a very important mission: save their planet and in the process, save Earth too. The first book, The Prophecy of Arcadia, and the novella, The Fall of Arcadia, are already available. The second book, The Phoenix Shadow, will be published in the summer of 2015.

 Elements is a new YA Paranormal Romance series. It focuses on two sisters who hold the key to stop a full-blown war between elemental beings and humans. Look for the first book by the end of 2015.

 Love Me, I’m Famous is a NA Contemporary Romance series and each book will be a standalone focused on different characters. As the name of the series suggests, at least one of the characters in each book will be somewhat famous. The first book is slated to be published later in 2015.

Follow M.H. here: Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram/Google Plus/Goodreads/Website

 

Five From Emily Cyr

Welcome to Five From Friends Friday!

Each week, I’ll share with you five quick and quirky questions and answers

from some of my favorite author friends.

I think you’ll see some familiar faces in here, too.

Quickies from Emily Cyr

 

I met Emily last year at Indie BookFest, where she attended as a reader. Since that time, she’s published several books and I’ve been fortunate to run into her at a few other book events. She stopped by today to share a few quickies!

Q: Your fairy godmother appears and grants you a day to do whatever you want—no kids, no responsibility, no writing. What will that day look like?

A: I would put Queen on and dance. After my dance party I would likely go paint something. Besides writing I enjoy painting as a creative outlet. I don’t often have time for it though. 

Q: You win a trip to eat dinner at any city in the United States. Where will you go?

A: Wow, that’s a tough one. I think something rustic with lots of snow. Maybe Colorado. I live at the beach so something completely different would be awesome. 

Q: You’re being sent into outer space for the next twenty years. You’re permitted to bring 3 books. What will they be?

A: This isn’t a fair question! Only three?  Through the Looking Glass would have to be one. A Hunger Like No Other By Kresly Cole; Got to get a little sexy Scotsmen up in there. Last, Shadow Fever By Karen Moning. I could never leave Barrnons behind. 

Q: Chris Hemsworth approaches you in a bar and offers to buy you a drink. What adult beverage will you ask him to order?

A: Amaretto sour and my hotel key. Now, I’m not sure if that last bit is a drink or not but I could make it one! 

Q: Since our theme this summer is Beach Lovin’, tell us about your favorite beach in the world!

A: I have always lived near a beach. But, it would have to be Tybee island. It’s my home. 

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Lightning Prophecy

TheLightningProphecyebookDelaney Hagen’s power to control lightning is unique, even among witches. That uniqueness has caused her to run and hide from her kind – and the other supernatural beings in the world. Finally, after years of running, she feels safe enough to settle down. But her life’s calm is completely destroyed when her best friend is murdered. Delaney teams up with the mysterious and sexy Reid Jamison to figure out just what is going down in her world. Delaney will have to make a choice between her life and love. Will she be the product of a prophecy or will her fate be changed?Reid Jamison knew this case wouldn’t be easy. But, with the money the Coven was throwing at him, how could he say no? When he met Delaney Hagen, his whole world began to unravel. Faced with a prophecy, murders, love and betrayal, will Reid be able to hang on to this new world? Or will it slip away?

Amazon FREE ON KU

Emily Cyr is a stay-at-home mom turned writer. She holds a degree in middle grades education with certification in English and social science. She has always had a love of all things paranormal and fantasy, but it wasn’t until Emily’s husband said the me!words, “Why not?” that she considered putting her thoughts and ideas into writing. Writing has turned into a passion for Emily. Emily has always been an avid reader. Through reading came her love of writing. The more she read, the more she knew she wanted to create her own world. Many of her first works were fan fiction. Emily and her family currently reside in Jacksonville, Florida. She has an incredibly supportive husband who is also an officer in the United Sates Air Force. They have two sons, ages 2 and 3. Somehow, even with the demands of being a parent to two little boys, she finds time to escape to her fantasies and write them down.

Follow Emily here: Facebook/Twitter

I’m Reading the One Week Girlfriend Series by Monica Murphy

<12345>You know my latest reading trend has been New Adult sports romances . . . I tore through Cora’s Rusk University books, Sarina’s Ivy Years, Kristen Callihan’s Off Campus books. . . and my next logical step was Monica Murphy’s series.

To be honest, as I always am with you, it took me a while to get into book 1. I didn’t feel like I could relate to either character until about halfway through the book. I’m happy to say I persevered and was glad to see improvement in all areas in the subsequent books.

Last night I made it to Four Years Later. I wasn’t sure how I’d like it, but wow! It was my favorite yet, and I just fell totally and absolutely in love with Owen and Chelsea. I couldn’t put it down.

Owen is a flawed character for sure–the younger brother of the female lead from One Week Girlfriend. Owen’s messing with drugs, drinking too much, letting his grades slip and getting suspended from the football team–and lying to his big sister about their no-good mother showing up again in his life. Still, we know Owen cares; he’s struggling to do the right thing, even when it feels way too hard.

As I’ve said here before–girls in college, if you want to get yourself a hot athlete boyfriend, be a tutor. Because once again, that’s how uptight and super-smart Chelsea–a girl with secrets of her own–meets Owen. She knows he’s not what she needs, but that doesn’t matter–because he’s what she wants.

They go through the typical ups and downs, but as always in these books, there’s a healthy realism. Chelsea and Owen struggle with their demons, but ultimately, they realize that they’re stronger together. (Everyone now, say it: awwwwwww . . .)

Now I did discover there is a follow-up book to their story, called Five Days Til You. I’m not sure I can handle it–I don’t like more angst for my people after they’ve made it to their happily-ever-after. But you know I’ll read it anyway.

If you haven’t delved into any of these series, I encourage you to check them out–great writing, awesome stories and amazing characters. What more can you ask?

Five From Ruth Cardello

Welcome to Five From Friends Friday!

Each week, I’ll share with you five quick and quirky questions and answers

from some of my favorite author friends.

I think you’ll see some familiar faces in here, too.

Quickies from Ruth Cardello

Last fall, I was so surprised and flattered when Ruth Cardello messaged me, telling me that she’d seen an ad for BEST SERVED COLD and had shared it with her readers. I was even more excited when she invited me to visit her wonderful special group of readers, who were so warm and welcoming to me. Ruth is an example of what all indie authors SHOULD be–she’s nurturing, smart and professional, and I learn so much by watching her example. Thanks, Ruth–and take it away!

 

Q:We’re on the cusp of summer. Where is your preferred vacation spot this time of year–beach or mountains?

A:I love to be near water. There is an island near Rhode Island where my family tries to spend a week or two each year. We also love to drive down to the ocean as soon as the weather is warm enough. There is something so peaceful about walking barefoot down a beach and listening to the sounds of the waves crashing.

Q:It’s the time of year for big backyard barbecues! So what’s your favorite–hamburgers or hotdogs? And bonus–favorite side dish at a cookout?

A:Hamburgers and Dynamites. Dynamites are a Rhode Island spicy version of a sloppy Joe. Okay, it’s really much better than it sounds. You’ll have to come here and try one. Every family has their own recipe. {Note from Tawdra–YES, I’d love to try dynamites!}

Q:A mysterious benefactor offers to gift you the first edition of any book you choose. Which will be taking the place of honor on your shelf?

A:Jane Eyre. It’s one of my old favorites.

Q:Confession time: do you make your bed every morning?

A:My husband does it for me. He’s a retired Marine. He can’t go to sleep unless it was made nicely. I, on the other hand, could sleep just fine either way.

Q:You’re on an airplane, in first class, about to take off on a trans-Atlantic flight, and the flight attendant is here to take your drink order. What will you enjoy as you fly over the ocean?

A: You know, I’ve never flown first class. When I fly I’m always with a group–my husband, our kids, my assistant.  It would probably be a very unexciting glass of water 🙂  But I’d be just as happy. Flying in coach with everyone I love trumps flying in first class any day–no matter what beverage they serve.

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Somewhere Along the Way (The Andrades, Book 4)

SomewhereAlongTheWayLuke Andrade: Wealthy, talented, fiercely loyal. He’s the glue that holds his family together, but every man has a breaking point. When he heads to Ohio to attend a funeral, he does so with the intention of taking time off to clear his head. The very last thing he expects to do is meet a woman.

Cassie Daiver: Scarred, but not broken. She’s recreating herself in a small town far away from her painful childhood.

He’s angry with the world and himself. She finally has something she’s afraid to lose. They couldn’t have met at a worse time.

Luke and Cassie are about to discover love often happens somewhere along the way, and usually, when one least expects it.

Preorder on Amazon!

Ruth Cardello is a New York Times and USA today bestselling author. She was born the youngest of eleven children in a small city in northern Rhode Island. She lived in Boston, Paris, Orlando, and New York before coming full circle and moving back toRuth Cardello Headshot Rhode Island, where she lives with her husband and three children. Before turning her attention to writing, Ruth was an educator for twenty years, eleven of which she spent as a kindergarten teacher. She writes primarily about rich, alpha men and the strong women who tame them. She also dabbles in cowboy romances. 

Follow Ruth here:

Website/Facebook/Facebook/Twitter