Showing posts with label Author Spotlight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Author Spotlight. Show all posts

Monday, October 14, 2013

Celebrating Authors (Part Duece) Featuring Amy Harmon,Autumn Doughton and Tara Brown


It's about that time for THREE More authors to walk to Book Bliss Plank..Those Authors for this week                                                                 are..Drumroll please... 


                           AMY HARMON,TARA BROWN and AUTUMN DOUGHTON

This is My Weekly post to celebrate Authors who have left me in book bliss and begging for more. You know the ones that make you ugly cry and the ones who you want to stalk to make sure they never stop writing?Yeah those authors.YOU.ALL.FREAKING.ROCK. Being a blogger has given me the awesome opportunity to meet and read for some amazing authors and this is what that post is about.Celebrating those awesome authors.Each week a different THREE will be chosen.Now sit back and enjoy the awesomeness that these Authors are and grab some of their books..I guarantee you will NOT be disappointed.Oh and these awesome authors have NO Idea I've chosen them..SHHHH..::tip toes off the plank::


  The First Author to walk to Plank is ...Amy Harmon.


    Amy Harmon is the Author of several books.Those include A Different Blue and her Up Coming Release Making Faces more are linked below.Amy has constantly left me in Book Bliss with A Different Blue and Running Barefoot.She writes so passionately and it flows in her writing.She is one of those authors who I am constantly checking up on to see what she has in the works.Amy is on my list of books that never fail me.She is guilty of making me Ugly cry.Yes.She is.Did I mention she is  New York Times Bestselling Author and deems me worthy enough to talk too?Me..a mere blogger.She's awesome.Go check out her books..you really will not be left disappointed.








Amy Harmon's Book's
TBR/Available for Pre-Order


LINKS

Personal Links:

About Amy Harmon:



  Amy Harmon knew at an early age that writing was something she wanted to do, and she divided her time between writing songs and stories as she grew. Having grown up in the middle of wheat fields without a television, with only her books and her siblings to entertain her, she developed a strong sense of what made a good story. Amy Harmon has been a motivational speaker, a grade school teacher, a junior high teacher, a home school mom, and a member of the Grammy Award winning Saints Unified Voices Choir, directed by Gladys Knight. She released a Christian Blues CD in 2007 called "What I Know" - also available on Amazon and wherever digital music is sold. She has written five novels, Running Barefoot, Slow Dance in Purgatory, Prom Night in Purgatory, the New York Times Bestseller, A Different Blue and coming October 20, Making Faces.



My Second Author to walk the plank is...AUTUMN DOUGHTON

Have you Heard of the Amazing Autumn?She is the Author of In This Moment,I'll be Here and On the Edge of Glass.Now I will start off by saying how happy I was the day I found her and read her books.I hugged my kindle to my chest and sighed.I wanted to hug Autumn.Her books left me filled with giddiness knowing true love exists and its not always perfect but finds its way home.I was lucky enough to Beta Read In This Moment and I can honestly say it was amazing even in Beta form.You know a writers full of awesomesauce when She can leave you in book bliss and book hangover with a book still in Beta form.People.You.Must.Check.Her.Out.  Her books never lead me wrong and that's a wonderful feeling.




About Autumn Doughton

My first love is reading. My second love is pizza.


Currently, I live in Gainesville, Florida and I write books. Fun books for you and your sister and your best friend and your hairdresser, etc. I think of writing as a sort of therapy, and the results tend to be feel-good odes to my lost youth, which is exactly how I like it.



When I'm not working or chasing after my two daughters, two dogs, two cats, three ducks, and one lovely husband, I can be found skulking around the movie theater or local bookseller. Generally with chocolate somewhere on my person, because I never leave home without a treat.


LINKS:
Personal Links:




My Third and Final Author to walk the plank...who is shaking in her books probrably after watching Amy and Autumn walk the plank is...
Tara Brown

My first introduction to Tara Brown's books was The Lonely.Simply put I was blown away.I then ventured on to her other books and have continued to be blown away.I love being blown away.Tara is so very talented.I laughed my way through My Side and was unable to move when I was reading The Lonely. It was worse during the Born Trilogy..I was at the edge of my seat continuously.Why does She does this to me? Because she can and she has that ability and that way with her writing skills...and She has some pretty nifty writing skills if I do say so myself.Go check Tara out..You will be thanking me once you do.






Be Sure to Check out The links below for her FULL list of books.
LINKS:


Oh and Tara has some of her books FREE right now :)
Cursed Is Free!!!
Death(Book 5) is FREE 
Personal Links:

About Tara Brown


I am not going to talk in the third person. It feels weird.

I am a Canadian author of Paranormal Romance, Post Apocalyptic and Fantasy novels. Mostly because I think I have Writers ADD, I like to call it WADD. It might be a real thing.

I write New Adult, my books have sexual content (Heck yes) and Swearing. You have been warned. Now enjoy!


I have a beagle named Buster, a husband who I force to read everything I write and two girls who want so badly to be a character in my books. And not in that order.



I am mid thirties so be prepared for the chick lit novel this year. I am calling it my Ode to my Midlife Crisis. 

I have been writing since I was old enough to lie. So for some time.


Welcome to my world. Please enjoy the ride.



This Concludes this weeks Authors..Stay tuned to next week to see who walks the plank in Next!





I want to take a minute to thank Everyone for reading this and the AMAZING AUTHORS for all their hard work.Writing isn't easy,It takes so much hard work and they make it look so easy and that in my book is an awesome Author.This one is for you and how simply amazing you are.You all get 2 Thumbs up from me!






Monday, February 25, 2013

*Author/Book Spotlight!*Witness By Maria Rachel Hooley

Author:Maria Rachel Hooley
Publicaton Date August 2012
         
 What happens when you witness the unthinkable?

For two years, sixteen-year-old Cee Cee Montgomery has had a crush on David Johnson, and she’s been waiting for him to notice her, and he does—at a party that Cee Cee wasn’t supposed to be at. But she is. She’s there when David is stabbed and no one calls for help. She’s one of the silent witnesses who bears the guilt of his death, and it’s tearing her apart. Not even Stacy Eddings, her best friend, can help her through it.

Stacy is a silent witness of a different sort. He’s been in love with Cee Cee since he met her, but she never saw past David, and while at first he doesn’t know she went to that party, he does realize that something is wrong, that sometimes, no matter how painful, the truth has to come out.


EXCERPT



"What have we here?" the creep asked.  Stepping closer, his eyes darted back and forth between David and me.
"Trouble, that's what you've got," David said, somehow managing to keep his voice even.  "This isn't your party or your crowd, so you might want to think about leaving."
"And miss all the fun?  I don't think so."  He smiled at me, and I shuddered.
Although David didn't look at me, I know he must have felt me shivering as he gently guided me to hide behind him so he was in between the thugs and me.  Desperate, I kept staring beyond them at the bonfire, wishing madly that someone would come over.  I didn't care who it was.  I wanted to feel others knew trouble was brewing.
"Expecting someone?" the Adams jock asked, forcing my attention. 
"Lots of friends up there.  I'm willing to bet before long a few of them will be coming down here."  David was still cool, but the tension in his hand belied what he didn't say.
The creep laughed, and his buddies joined in, the sound of it hard and rough in the night.  "I don't think so, quarterback.  They're too busy getting drunk to worry about you two lovebirds." 
He sauntered around slightly to get a better look at me.  "You do remember me, right, chica?  I'm the guy you dissed earlier."
David shifted, making it harder to get close to me.  "Leave her out of it--and get the hell out of here."  His voice was cold, sounding of fury, but even I knew the odds weren't good.  The music was still blaring, and no one else was around.
"What did you say to me?"  The creep stepped closer, and that was when everything went south.
Beth suddenly appeared in the darkness, close enough to see trouble might be at hand, but not sure.  "Cee, is that you?"
"Get Scott!" David yelled as two of the others moved closer, one of them grabbing him.
The creep laughed, stepping closer to David's back.  I didn't understand what was happening, not until David made a sort of grunting sound, and I felt him tense several times.
"David?" I whispered.  He looked at me, his eyes confused, and I didn't understand, not until I saw a knife in the Hispanic  thug's hands, dark with blood.
"We're even now," the creep said, stepping toward me as David fell, his hand releasing mine.
David blinked two or three times as he staggered to his knees, wobbling unevenly.  His mouth opened as he grabbed his side, lifting his hand to find it drenched in blood.
"Cee?" he whispered, reaching.
I wanted to help him, but my body wouldn't move.  It was like the whole world had suddenly shifted into low gear.  In the distance, there was silence now.  David's lips kept moving, but I couldn't tell what he was saying.  He managed to grab my wrist with one bloody hand, smearing it all over me.
The creep was pointing at the blood running down David's side.  "It's beautiful.  You want some?"  He waved the stained blade at me.
In terror, I screamed and ran backwards almost falling.  He was laughing now; they all were.  It sounded so loud, and the world was tilting at funhouse angles, threatening to capsize with me in it.  He lunged at me, and I took off, afraid of what would happen next.
I couldn't see where I was going or if anyone followed.  I ran and kept running as the world turned to screams, probably most of them mine.  Ahead, I saw the sanctuary of trees, and I fled there.  My feet stumbled over raised tree roots, and I tripped, slamming my head against one of them as I hit the ground. 
Lying there, I saw the others converging where I'd left David, and all I could think was, somebody help him.  Somebody help me.  And don't let the others find me.
Then the blackness swept me away.
  

About Maria Rachel Hooley


Maria Rachel Hooley has written over thirty novels, including New Life Incorporated and When Angels Cry.  Her first chapbook of poetry was published by Rose Rock Press in 1999. While her novels typically venture into different genres, the one constant is the theme of redemption.  She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three children.  If she's not writing, she's probably teaching English to high school or college students.
http://www.mariarachelhooley.com/

Le'BookSquirrel's Review

5 STARS


   This is the story of what can go wrong and happen if someone is hurt and everyone knows but no one helps. Cee Cee has a Crush on David and sneaks away to a party where something horrible happens to David.Cee Cee saw what happened but due to certain circumstances did not say anything.No one who was at the party said anything.
   I have always,and I mean ALWAYS said that the sign of an amazing Author will make their book seem way to short and that it ends way to soon.Maria Hooley has such amazing talent that I felt Witness was way to short!(It wasn't) But I did not want it to end.There are books that just pull you in and you look up from reading and realize hours have passed,but you were unaware since you were so deeply enchanted by what you are reading.I could have kept reading on about Cee Cee and Stacy(Stacy is Cee Cee's Best friend,Who is a guy).I felt for Cee Cee and what she was someone I could Commiserate with what she was going through.Overall I absolutely adored Witness.I strongly suggest it to all my YA lovers.It is one you definitely DO NOT want to miss!




Thank you Maria for being a part of This Author/Blog Spotlight!It has been an honor.Everyone go and Read Witness you will not be disappointed!Maria is simply amazing!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

*Book/Author Spotlight!!!*The Forgotten Ones By Laura Howard

  
Allison O'Malley just graduated from college. Her life's plan is to get a job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She doesn't have room for friends or even Ethan, who clearly wants more.

When Allison's long-lost father shows up, he claims he can bring her mother back from the dark place her mind has sent her. He reveals legends of a race of people long forgotten, the Tuatha de Danaan, along with the truth about why he abandoned her mother.


                                    Now for the FIRST TIME EVER!!!

                            An Exclusive Excerpt From,The Forgotten Ones By Laura Howard.

                                      





Sean jogged over with the bat and held it out for me, grinning. “Pick your pitcher, Allie-O.”

The smirk on Ethan's face was a challenge, and I couldn't resist. “Ethan has the ball, he can pitch to me.”

He made a big show of stretching and winding up before he finally tossed the ball at me.

I smacked the ball over the pool house, and Sean started shouting and cheering, making me smile. Ethan shook his head, but he was smiling. He clearly thought I would be an easy out.

I made it all the way to the final round, kicking Sean and Jeff out of the game. I'd played softball and run track all through school to pad my transcripts.

“You gonna let her win, E?” Jeff called, winking at me from the picnic table where he sat drinking a beer.

Ethan chuckled, showing off those damn dimples. He looked down at the ball in his hands and back up at me with a grin. “If I do, will you let me take you out?”

I snorted, trying to look braver than I felt. “Not a chance.”

“Wait a sec. I like this. Let's make a wager,” he said.

The guys were all hooting and hollering at me, my face was no doubt crimson.

“What do I get if I win?” I bit my lip, feeling all their eyes on me.

“I'm thinking, hang on,” He held up his finger, his brow furrowed in thought. His eyes widened with excitement, and I knew I would regret whatever he had to say.

“If I win, I get a kiss.” If it was possible, my cheeks grew even redder. They were all laughing and making cat calls now.

“And, if I win?” I looked up at his face.

He looked at me for a second, considering. “If you win, I won't ever ask you out again.”

This earned a chorus of “Yeah, right” and “No way” from the guys.

My mouth fell open, I had not been expecting that, but his face was sober. The laughing around us fell away for a second, and I could only stare at him feeling the color drain from my face. His expression remained solemn, and he met my gaze head on.

I nodded stiffly, and swallowed. “All right.”

His grin came back in full force. “Oh, and Al?”

I raised my eyebrows at him.

“I won't lose.”


Author Bio:Laura Howard

 


 Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.
  





Le'BookSquirrel wants to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Laura for deciding to join Le'BookSquirrel on our Author/Book Spotlight.It is an Honor to have her here and I am super excited about this book.She is definitely a New Author you are going to want to watch out for!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

*Author Spotlight* Sporadically Inspired By Ashley Demi




                                                                Synopsis:

Sometimes, in a small town, it can be difficult to find reality in big dreams. Samantha can't wait to get out of town to start her life and move on from sad memories. Morgan isn't learning from the past, and Charlotte may be forced to make make a hard choice over following her dreams. It's Cali's story from which the girls find their inspiration. They believe her story is a fictional cult classic that each have read over and over. It encourages them to follow their hearts.In the end, however, it could be Cali who needs the most help turning her sporadic inspirations into reality. . . again.




                                                                     Bio:


The story of my life is one that’s still being written, it’s about a girl named Ashley that had to go through a few chapters before she learned how she wanted to live the rest of the story. I could take you through moment after moment that got me to where I am now; in fact I’d have to take you through every single one. So instead I’ll just give you some highlights. Around May 2009 after seeing 17 Again at the movies it inspired me to pick up writing. I couldn’t tell you what it was about that one movie that was different from the tons of others I had fallen in love with over the years that finally shined light on what I had been trying to figure out since I was first asked what I wanted to be when I grew up; but there it was…my dream realized. It’s funny how after you reach that moment, you can’t believe you didn’t think of it sooner…I’ve loved movies since I was a kid and played The Little Mermaid on repeat, and had always been a daydreamer who loved coming up with a good story. I started writing my ideas in script format for movies and then decided to try one of my ideas as a book.

I’m just a girl from a small town with a big dream. Classic story…think you’ve heard it a thousand times…well I’d like to think mine’s unique. Maybe not extreme or extravagant to everyone; but to me…to me it’s a fairy tale. Oh don’t get me wrong it’s also a comedy, a horror film (you know how bad hair days can be lol), one with action, love, tears, and inspiration…but it’s my story, and it’s one of kind.
I use to think dreams were…well just that, dreams; nothing but thoughts and wishes that you kept stored away for a day you didn’t know would come or not. But then I thought why should it be like that? Seemed like a tragedy really, to keep all my dreams in my head instead of experiencing them for real. So instead I decided I wanted to live my dreams and make them my reality…make them my ‘normal’…if there is such a thing a normal lol . It won’t be easy, who knows where it will take me, or how long it will take to get there…but I can promise one thing…it’ll be one amazing ride!
Forever Inspired

 Le'BookSquirrel Would like to Thank Entwined Publishing for Letting me have Author Ashley Demi here.I very much look forward to reading Sporadically Inspired by Ashely Demi.It looks wonderful.Congratulations to getting your books out Ashley!!!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

*Author Spotlight* Shannon McCrimmon

Excerpt From The Year I Almost Drowned

Chapter 1


The sound of a police siren blared from behind me. I looked in my rear view mirror and saw flashes of blue and red whirling in a circular motion. My heart thumped wildly, and my sweaty hands gripped tightly onto the steering wheel. I'd never been pulled over by the police. Not once. Not ever. I glanced in the rear view mirror again and saw that it was Cookie, one of Graceville's oldest police officers, shuffling my way.
Everyone called him “Cookie” because he sputtered things out that sounded like they had been stolen from a Chinese fortune cookie. Cookie was a Graceville institution of sorts and probably should have retired years ago, but since Graceville's crime rate was dismal, he was able to keep his job on the force. He and my grandfather had met in elementary school and had been friends ever since. They played bingo together, and Cookie was a regular in the diner. I liked Cookie even if he did say strange, philosophical things that didn't seem relevant to the discussion. He was a kind, trusting man and probably should have chosen another line of work.
I felt a sense of relief seeing that it was him coming my way. I knew if he was pulling me over, once he saw it was me, he'd give me a warning for whatever it was that I did and tell me to go on about my business.
The relief was short lived. I peered into the rear view mirror one more time and saw another police officer approaching my car. This one was well-built, tall, and much, much younger than Cookie. I didn't recognize him. My heart started to beat a mile a minute.
Cookie peered down in my window and motioned for me to roll it down. “Hi, Finn,” he said. He spoke slowly and enunciated every single syllable with a long southern drawl. A toothpick hung out of the corner of his mouth. Cookie was very thin and appeared older than he really was. Lines and creases inundated his face, his skin loose and sagging. His white mustache covered his thin upper lip. There was very little hair left on his small oval shaped head. “Confucius once said 'Be slow in your words and earnest in your conduct,' Finn.”
Whatever that meant, I'm not sure. I had to keep myself from rolling my eyes at him. The other police officer lowered his head to the window, his caramel-colored eyes met mine. A subtle five o'clock shadow showed on his youthful face. He was a little older than I thought, maybe in his mid twenties. Golden streaks blended in his short light brown hair. “License and registration, please,” he said in an authoritative tone.

Excerpt From The Summer I Learned to Dive   Chapter 2

The cab smelled like onions and stale cigarettes. It was putrid, over powering. I tried breathing out of my mouth to take the strain off my nose, but the smell was too strong. It permeated the air. The driver looked at me suspiciously from the moment he picked me up. I could tell he questioned the motives of a teenage girl hailing a cab at midnight on an isolated street. I'm certain he thought I was a runaway. Why wouldn't he? It did look suspicious: I was carrying a suitcase hailing a cab in the middle of the night headed to a bus station.
We drove the entire way to the bus station in silence. He kept looking at me through the rear view mirror. His glances made me shudder, making me doubt the decision I had made. I tried to smile at him, but it didn't stop him from looking at me distrustfully.
The outside of the bus station felt dark and isolated. I instantly felt fear and regret for being there. I was scared and felt alone, questioning if I had just made the biggest mistake of my life. I thought about asking him to take me back home but stopped myself. I needed to do this, to meet the grandparents that had been stolen from me. He stopped the car and looked at me through his rear view mirror again, this time indicating with his dark eyes that we were there.
"Fourteen dollars," he said.
I handed him the cash and started to open the door. "I have a daughter," he said, still looking at me through the rear view mirror. I questioned him with my eyes, wondering what he meant by that statement.
"I would not want her to run away," he said, turning his head back toward me.
I shook my head instantly. "I'm not running away. I'm going to meet my grandparents," I said.
He looked at me skeptically. "It's late to be meeting them," he said.
"The ticket was less expensive at this time," I said quickly and closed the door. Getting into a deep conversation about my reasons for late night travel was not on my priority list. He said something else, but I ignored him and kept walking.


Shannon McCrimmon's Favorite Quotes!

Favorite quotes from The Summer I Learned to Dive:

"A sunrise shows a new day has started, that whatever happened before is the past."

"When you just dive right in without thinking, it's near perfect."

"You can't have expectations. You just have to do it. If you go into it expecting something, then you'll always be disappointed."


Favorite quote from The Year I Almost Drowned:

"He leaned down and placed his lips on mine and gave me the most delicious kiss of my entire life. I saw fireworks light up the night sky. My heart beat like a drum."

Want to know about the Characters Do you?Thought so!!!

Here's Jesse (played by Jeremy Sumpter)



http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1998438144/nm0838911

Jesse Quinn:
Former cook at Lilly's Diner
Current occupation: Firefighter
In love with Finley Hemmings.
Enjoys hiking and moonlight swimming.
Loves Jazz music - favorite musician is Nina Simone
Favorite beverage: chocolate milk


 

 

 

Finley Hemmings:
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3506208768/nm1391252
(played by Haley Ramm)

In love with Jesse Quinn
Enjoys reading, baking, and diving
Favorite beverage: Coke
Works at Lilly's Diner
Has a head for business.
Was Valedictorian of her high school.
Moved to Graceville SC from Tampa, FL at the age of eighteen.


 

 

Let's talk with our stomachs..FOOD!!CAKE!!YUM!!

Nana In this series is an amazing cook and here is Her Coca Cola Chocolate cake!Thank you Shannon for Sharing with us Nana's Recipe!

COCA - COLA CHOCOLATE CAKE
Printed from COOKS.COM

2 c. unsifted cake flour
2 c. sugar
2 sticks butter
2 tbsp. cocoa
1 c. Coca-Cola
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
Sift together the flour and sugar. Heat to boiling point the butter, cocoa and Coca-Cola. Add to the flour and sugar mixture. Stir to blend. Add buttermilk, soda, eggs, salt and vanilla. Stir with a spoon until well blended. Pour into a greased and floured oblong pan (Pyrex dish). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Batter will be thin. Ice while hot.
COCA-COLA ICING:
1/2 c. butter
6 tbsp. Coca-Cola
1 box confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. cocoa
Heat to boiling point the butter, cocoa and Cola-Cola. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; stir to blend. Using a fork, make holes in the hot cake and pour the hot icing over it.

 Shannon Can be found hanging around these area's

shannonmccrimmon.com
www.facebook.com/shannonmccrimmonauthor
pinterest.com/crimms

The Summer I Learned to Dive is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
The Year I Almost Drowned is available on Amazon only.
 
 
Thank you SO very much Shannon for Participating in this Author Spotlight and for taking the time to be involved.You are an amazing woman and author.I cannot express just how great Shannon's books are.If you have not had the chance to read them take the time.You will NOT be disappointed!