Book Blitz + Giveaway: Deadly Secrets (The Secret Societies Collection Book 2) by Kat Nichols

Deadly Secrets (The Secret Societies Collection Book 2)
by Kat Nichols
Publication date: August 18th 2015
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult


Synopsis:

Sophia Morganthal is in over her head. Her struggles with trying to run a corporation and lead her coven cause havoc in Sophia’s personal life — mostly with her boyfriend, Connor.

Amidst the chaos, a neighboring coven is attacked, pushing Sophia to assume her place on the local council. On the brink of a supernatural war, Sophia must take action as some of the coven leaders seem to have their own agenda.

Running out of options, Sophia seeks help from the last group the council wants to involve. Will the risk be worth the reward or will she lose everything she fought so hard to attain?

What is the Secret Societies Collection about?

The Secret Societies Collection is a planned series of books about how various supernatural groups interact with humans and each other in northwestern Illinois. Since the series covers multiple groups, each story is divided into two books or a Set. The first two books, Family Secrets and Deadly Secrets, are the Secrets Set and tell Sophia's story. Book three will move on to a new group and therefore will start a new Set. Each set can be read on its own, but as the characters’ lives intertwine with those you've already read, or those you may meet in the future, it's a good idea to read them in order. 

What are you working on now? 

Right now I'm working on two novels and a short story. The short story will be released to my newsletter followers in December and is a glimpse of Sophia’s first Christmas in Illinois. This comes after Deadly Secrets in the timeline. I’m also working hard on book three in the collection. Tentatively titled, Fool Me Once, it tells the story of Morgan, who is 16 years old and completely oblivious to anything supernatural. Her world is about to be rocked when not one, but two new guys enroll in her school and introduce her to both glamour and danger. I’m not a fan of love triangles, but this book will have a very different take on them which I hope people enjoy! 

Can you give us more information on the love triangle?

I don’t want to spoil it, but let’s just say that not everything is as it seems. It will be obvious to the reader, sort of, but not to the characters themselves. Like I said, I’m not a huge fan of love triangles as a reader, so I really did not want to put one in a book as an author, but it’s integral to the plot and really a different view. 

Have you always wanted to be a writer? 

Yes. Ever since I was a little girl I’ve wanted to write. I have notebooks and folders full of ‘Chapter Ones’ and ‘Story Ideas’ from all through high school and college. These notes were jotted when I probably should have been studying or paying attention to the professor. Oops. 

Will you ever write anything else besides YA or Paranormal?

Actually, the second book I am working on is a NA (New Adult) Contemporary novel about a college senior named Brynna, who is trying to live her life while constantly hiding from almost everyone, including her new love interest, that her father is a convicted serial killer. This one has been a lot of fun to write. It’s definitely been a different experience without a witch or vampire in sight!

I really liked Sydney. You’ve said we’ll see Sophia, but will we see her again too? 

I’ve heard that from several readers which makes me happy. I love Sydney too! So, short answer, yes. Long answer, the Rebel Writers, the wonderful writing group I’m a part of, have discussed putting out an anthology around Valentine’s Day. I think Sydney deserves her chance at some romance!

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? 

You have to get out there and mingle with the blogging/writing/reading world. Join discussion groups, follow Facebook pages, and put yourself out there. It can be time consuming, time you may want to spend writing, but you can meet some amazing people. And then, keep going. Don’t stop writing or reading. If possible, find yourself a good writing group to help keep you sane. They will understand what you’re going through and can support you in ways even your best friends and family cannot.

You’ve mentioned the Rebel Writers. Who are they and how have they influenced you? 

The Rebel Writers is a writing group composed of Alex Tuttle, Caylie Marcoe, Regan Claire, Stormy Smith and Theresa Kay. We met as fans of indie author Rachel Higginson, who is the sweetest person and an amazing author, and we all decided we’d write our first books together. They are extremely talented authors and I feel so lucky to call them friends. If not for them, I never would have finished my first book, let alone two with more to come. They are truly like family. 

How can our readers find you?

I can always be found on Facebook at: www.facebook.com.katnicholsauthor.com. My website is www.katnichols.com. My twitter handle is @Author_KatN and I’m on Instagram as @KatNicholsAuthor. 

For new release info, teasers and exclusive giveaways, sign up for my newsletter on my website.

Kat Nichols was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. The youngest of four children, she'd been known to play for hours with only a cardboard box for entertainment. Her imaginary friends had friends... and family... and even little cities to play in. As she grew older, she began to put some of these stories down on paper, rather than keeping them in her head. 

Writing a novel had always been a dream for her, perhaps an item on her bucket list, but it wasn't until she joined a writing group with other aspiring writers that she finally got to work.When not writing, Kat is reading or driving her son to and from practices and wishing she was reading.It depends on the day. 

Kat still lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her wonderful husband, their hilarious son and their sometimes adorable and sometimes annoying cat.

To learn more about the author, please go to www.katnichols.com.

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Book Blitz + Giveaway: How to be a Mermaid (Falling in Deep Collection) by Erin Hayes

How to be a Mermaid (Falling in Deep Collection)
by Erin Hayes
Release Date: July 7th 2015

Synopsis:

All Tara ever wanted was to be a mermaid. 

So she takes a year off between high school and college to don a fake tail and tour aquariums across the country in a professional mermaid troupe.

Everything's great until she meets a gorgeous real-life merman named Finn. Suddenly, what she thought was a dream turns out to be a nightmare -- she's turning into a mermaid herself. For real.

Yet when she returns to the sea to seek out Finn and reverse her transformation, she finds herself in the middle of an impending war between the land and sea. Tara may have always wanted to be a mermaid, but now it's sink or swim. In order to survive, she has to learn how to be one, too.

***

Summer 2015, award-winning, and best-selling authors will bring you romantic tales of mermaids, sirens, sprites, and other creatures of the deep! Keep in touch as we reveal each title in our collection!

What is your favorite mermaid story or myth?

I’ve always loved Disney’s The Little Mermaid, but when I read the original Hans Christian Andersen tale, I fell in love with it. It’s a dark, sad tale that still gives me chills. If you haven’t read it, you should pick it up and read it! You’ll never watch the animated movie the same way ever again.

What was the inspiration for How to be a Mermaid?

I stumbled upon the Weeki Wachee mermaids, a professional mermaid troupe based out of Florida. I wondered what would happen if one of those mermaids ever met a real-life merman and the story flourished from there.

Cast your characters. If How to be a Mermaid was made into a movie, who would play your main characters?

Tara: Katie McGrath is a bit older than Tara in the book, but I think she’d be perfect. I’ve seen her in comedy and I’ve seen her act, and she looks the part too! She’s been in a few things, but I imagine we’re going to see a lot more of Katie McGrath in upcoming movies.

Finn: Liam Hemsworth. Sighs. Imagine him with a mer tail and that’s him!

What was most challenging thing writing about mermaids? 

The most challenging part, actually, was trying to get a behind-the-scenes perspective of professional mermaids. I went to the Georgia Aquarium to see the Weeki Wachee mermaids in action and did a backstage tour to see how the aquarium worked. After that, I was able to incorporate what I saw into the story. 

Ursula or Ariel? 

Ursula. Sea witches always have more fun. 

What else should we know about How to be a Mermaid? 

Pay attention to the character Jordyn – her character is getting her own story coming up!

by Erin Hayes

Below is a list of songs that I listened to while writing How to be a Mermaid. Each of these songs helped to get me into the right mindset in order to pretend that I was a mermaid! 

1. Go – Grimes featuring Blood Diamonds

2. Can’t Hold Us – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

3. Never Let Me Go – Florence and the Machine

4. What the Water Gave Me – Florence and the Machine

5. Start a Riot – Jetta

6. Believe – Mumford and Sons

7. I Will Wait – Mumford and Sons

8. Dirty Paws – Of Monsters and Men

9. Anything Could Happen – Ellie Goulding

10. Part of Your World – Jodi Benson from The Little Mermaid ß No mermaid soundtrack would be complete without that song!

Sci-fi junkie, video game nerd, and wannabe manga artist Erin Hayes writes a lot of things. Sometimes she writes books, like the fantasy mystery novel Death is but a Dream, the sci-fi middle grade book Jacob Smith is Incredibly Average, and the Her Wolf paranormal series.

She works as an advertising copywriter during the day, and she moonlights as an author. She has lived in New Zealand, Texas, and now in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, cat, and a growing collection of geek paraphernalia.

You can reach her at erinhayesbooks@gmail.com and she'll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL):

A mermaid care package to help you be the best mermaid:
A signed copy of How to be a Mermaid
Tara's necklace
Two Mermaid Mix soaks
A mermaid mirror compact
Six starfish hairpins
A mermaid wallet
Mermaid perfume
Mermaid Tail Nail Polish
A mermaid makeup bag
Four Little Mermaid Buttons
And one mermaid handbag to carry all your dinglehoppers

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Release Day Launch: Under the Spotlight (The Jamieson Collection #3) by Angie Stanton

We’re having a release day launch for Angie Stanton’s Under the Spotlight! I am so excited about this young adult romance!! Angie is sharing an excerpt and fantastic giveaway with us, so be sure to check out all the festivities!

Under the Spotlight (The Jamieson Collection #3)

by Angie Stanton

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release date: May 5th 2015

Age: YA

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

After an embarrassing stint on a reality TV music competition years ago, Riley Parks vowed never to sing again. Now she's working at the prestigious Sound Sync recording studio and life is looking up. But then Garrett Jamieson, the oldest brother in the famous band Jamieson, crashes into her world.

Garrett has hit rock bottom and is desperate to reinvent himself. After calling in a few favors, he ends up working at Sound Sync Studio to learn the ropes of record producing. And he can't believe his luck when he discovers that Rilely is an amazing singer. But Garrett is forced to use every trick in his arsenal to persuade Riley to record.

Sparks fly as Garrett finally meets his match. Dealing with the feisty redhead ranges from frustrating to thrilling, and in the heat of the moment, one stolen kiss changes everything.

Read my review for Rock and a Hard Place (The Jamieson Collection #1) by Angie Stanton

Read my review for Snapshot (The Jamieson Collection #2) by Angie Stanton

Chapter 1

Garrett’s head pounded, and not from the hangover that would greet him with the sunrise, but from being slammed against the wall. Or maybe it was from the few punches that came later when he crashed to the floor of Ye Ole Boston Brew Pub and knocked his head on the beer-stained tile.

He rubbed his unshaven face, and dried blood flaked into his hand. Great. He needed a shower and an aspirin, but the Boston city jail offered neither. Where the hell was Peter? It had been over an hour.

The sharp edge of the narrow bench he lay on cut into his back, making his already battered body even more sore. He only hoped the other guy felt worse. The jerk had the audacity to call him washed up. For Christ’s sake, he was only twenty-two. He’d accomplished more in the last five years than that asshole would in a lifetime.

Reaching for his phone, he remembered the cops had taken it, along with his wallet and keys. Damn it.

“Garrett Jamieson,” a bored cop with thinning hair announced, unlocking the cell. “You’re free to go.”

“About damn time,” Garrett huffed, rising slowly. He tugged his shirt into place, smoothed back his hair, and followed the officer down a long corridor past several cells with other perps. He couldn’t wait to get away from this hellhole. The officer opened a solid metal security door, and Garrett walked through, relieved to be free.

In the far corner of the waiting room, studying the Most Wanted posters, his brother waited, wearing faded jeans and a gray T-shirt.

“Hey Peter,” he called. “See anyone you know?”

Peter turned with a smirk on his face and his hair still ruffled from bed. “Just checking to make sure your ugly mug isn’t up here.”

Garrett sneered. “It wasn’t my fault.”

“Never is.” Peter sighed. “You realize this is becoming an annoying habit. You’re lucky your Jag is still in the shop from your crash last week, otherwise you might have added drunk driving to your record.”

“Stop acting like an old woman.”

“You have more to worry about than me. Dad isn’t going to be happy about this.”

“No reason Dad needs to hear about it.”

“You’re kidding yourself if you think you can keep this under wraps. A couple of photographers are outside. You’re busted. Again.”

Garrett stepped to the counter and signed his discharge papers.

“At least I know how to live a little. You’re tied down to a ball and chain.”

His brother grinned with a smile that melted millions of young girls’ hearts. “Well, I happen to have the hottest ball and chain on the planet.”

Garrett rolled his eyes as he collected his personal effects. Peter was so in love it made Garrett ill. It’s not like he wasn’t glad for his brother, but Peter and Libby were so damned happy all the time, he wanted to puke.

“Yeah, and you’re missing out on the best years of your life,” Garrett snapped.

“How’s that? I’ve been watching you drink yourself into oblivion, rack up speeding tickets, and pick a fight every chance you get. You don’t look too happy to me.”

“You ever think that maybe you’re to blame?”

“How do you figure that?” Peter asked, opening the door to exit the police station and ducking his head as cameras flashed.

“Seriously?” Garrett stopped suddenly. “You’re the one who broke up the band.” 

Angie Stanton never planned on writing books, she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in a rural setting with her brothers' 4-H pigs as pets, dance didn't work out. Instead she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head she began to write them down and the rest is history.

She loves dipping french fries in chocolate shakes, natural disaster movies and Broadway Musicals. When not writing, Angie is concocting ways to make more dreams come true, whether it be tickets to a Broadway show or convincing her family they should rent an RV and travel the country. She's still working on that one.

Angie is a proud double finalist of the 2011 National Readers Choice Awards for Love 'em or Leave 'em, as well as a finalist for the Golden Quill Awards.

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