Q&A with Kat Helgeson and Hannah Moskowitz

Kat Helgeson and Hannah Moskowitz answer questions about their novel GENA/FINN.

Review: The Unexpected Everything

 Today, Claire and Miranda review Morgan Matson's newest book, The Unexpected Everything!



 

#WOBooks Q&A with Author, Louise Gornall #underrosetaintedskies

Meet the creator of #InShadowSelfie, Louise Gornall, author of Under Rose Tainted Skies!

Blog Tour: Elemental Secrets by Elle Middaugh PLUS Giveaway

Today we're featuring ELEMENTAL SECRETS by Elle Middaugh. Take a look at this YA fantasy, read the excerpt, and enter the rafflecopter below!

Elemental Secrets
Elle Middaugh
(The Essential Elements, #1)
Publication date: February 27th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Valerie Moore was a beautiful, headstrong girl with below-average social skills and above-average anxiety (including a flair for over-analyzing).
With her mother long deceased, and her father recently deployed, she ends up being sent to live with her eccentric aunt in a tiny town nestled in the mountains of Pennsylvania. But, being a Navy brat had made her into a bit of a loner, and making friends certainly wasn’t her strongest suit. As if the life of a typical teen wasn’t hard enough.
But Valerie soon discovers she’s not a typical teenager. Not by a long shot.
SECRETS are revealed…
…About her family, about her newfound friends and relationships, and about her whole world… Things that have been kept from her for her entire life…
But the biggest secret of all is revealed when Valerie discovers that she has Elemental powers, and a chain of inexplicable and irrevocable events unleashes throughout the little town…

Excerpt

Just then, Jay leapt from his chair. He froze and cocked an ear toward the tree line. “Did you hear that?” he asked us. “Turn the music off.”

Chase bolted to the speakers, and just as he killed the music, the impossible happened. Suddenly, the entire bonfire snuffed out all at once. No warning, no smoke. Just poof, total darkness.

“Chase!” Holden yelled.

“On it!” he shouted back quickly as the fire rose back up out of the ashes, brighter than before, casting light back through the alcove.  

“Sienna, get her out of here,” Holden demanded as he lifted us out of the chair. He kissed me, then pulled me out of the way of a falling tree limb. “Go! I’ll meet you back at my house as soon as I can.”

More branches fell all around me as I sprinted after Sienna. The world was sloshing around like a drink as I ran. I felt heavy and weightless at the same time, and the ground seemed to latch and loosen around my feet, as if it couldn’t quite decide whether to trip me or not. I nearly fell at least a dozen times, but a sudden gust of wind consistently kept me upright. I might’ve been drunk, but this was the strangest weather pattern I’d ever seen… Global-mother-fucking-warming.

There was an explosion. I stumbled to a halt on my hands and knees and glanced back. Half of the woods were on fire, fueled by a vengeful wind that pushed it wildly through the trees. Holden! I turned to run back, but Sienna grabbed my arm.

“He’s fine, Valerie, I promise! Let’s go!”

“No one is fine, Sienna! The whole damn forest is burning!” The panic overtaking my system was fueled by adrenaline, but it burned through the alcohol in my blood as well. I needed to get to Holden. It was the only thing I knew through the chaos.

Then suddenly, the flames doused out. Hot steam rising from the bark was the only reminder that they were ever alight.

What. The. Hell!?

I had never been more terrified in my entire life. I had no idea how to explain the shit that I’d just seen, except for ‘global warming’, or ‘being drunk’. Or, worst of all, ‘supernatural’ crossed my mind, and what the hell kind of explanation was that?

“Valerie! Run!” Sienna cried as it began to rain.

No, it was pouring, and I could sense that it was freezing cold, even if I couldn’t feel it. In fact, it was freezing. Balls of hail soared to the earth like rockets, as if they weighed more than they should, or like gravity had been multiplied.

Finally, my feet kicked into action. I righted myself and ran once more toward Holden’s house.

When I shot from the woods, I wanted to drop to the pavement and cry, or puke, or scream, but I was too afraid a tree might lean over and pummel me, so I ran until I burst through the front door.

Sienna grabbed my hand and led me upstairs; she didn’t know where Holden’s room was any more than I did, but she kept looking until she found it. Once inside, she shut the door and locked it behind us.

The feel of the room seemed very Holden, like a blustery day at an elegant beach. The carpeting was a sandy tan color and the walls were a pale windy gray. Everything was accented with a crisp white. His bed was intricate and huge, maybe Victorian, and looked soft enough to swallow you up. I wanted to curl up in his sheets, get lost in his cologne, and pretend that everything was normal and fine.

But it wasn’t, and Holden was still out there. The fear churning in my gut was making me nauseous, so I started pacing. “What the hell just happened, Sienna?”

She had slunk to the floor and was now leaning with her back against the white bedroom door. She thoughtfully pursed her lips as she looked away. “I’m not exactly sure.”

“Not ‘exactly’?” I repeated with narrowed eyes. “So you do, at least, have an idea?”

She grimaced, but glanced at me softly. “Yes.”

I threw my hands in the air as I wore a path into the carpet. “Then please explain this shit! The bonfire went out like a light, then flipped back on just as easily. The trees were on fire, and then they just suddenly weren’t! Tree limbs were falling everywhere. Rain turned into hail—in September! I mean, what the hell!?”

Her mouth opened, then closed, and she shook her head. “I…can’t.”

“You sound just like Cade!” I shouted angrily.

“I’m sure I do!” She stood and plopped down in Holden’s desk chair. “I don’t want to make a case for the guy, but you have to understand, Valerie. Some things, inexplicable things, are forbidden to be revealed or explained.”

“Well I guess somebody screwed up on the ‘revealed’ part, huh?”

“Yeah, your boy Cade.”

“I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about; Cade was nowhere to be seen!”

Sienna pointed a finger. “Seen being the operative word.”

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:
Elle Middaugh is a newly published author, born in the sticks outside of Clearfield, Pennsylvania. After moving around the east coast a number of times, she now lives in her hometown with her husband and three children.
Reading has been a favorite past time since Elementary School and choose-your-own-adventure books. Writing has been her dream since Middle School when she first began penning her own material. Being published is the most awesome achievement in her writing career so far, but she hopes for more exciting landmarks and stepping stones in the future!
She’s a proud Navy wife; a frazzle-brained mother; a homebody who dislikes cleaning; a fan of tennis, and fitness in general; a lover of hot tea, mountain dew, and all things fiction; and she’s a bigger My Little Pony fan than her children.

Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!

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#Win $250 - Summer Dreaming Giveaway

Summer Dreaming

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June 21st to July 15th

An awesome group of bloggers and authors have joined with me to bring you one fabulous prize!

One lucky winner will receive…

$250 Amazon.com Gift Code or $250 in Paypal Cash



Thanks to these fabulous Sponsors!!



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Cover Reveal: Daybreak Rising by Kiran Oliver

On September 21, 2016, the F/F fantasy DAYBREAK RISING will be arriving to an e-readers near you from Torquere Press! Today, we get a first look at the amazing cover, designed by the amazing artist Kris Norris over at Torquere.

Here’s a bit about DAYBREAK RISING:

22-year-old Celosia Brennan spent sixteen years being raised as the heroine her nation needed. A dual-touched Elementalist with both the power to conjure fire and see glimpses of her future, Celosia was the best hope at overthrowing the oppressive Council in a mission called Daybreak, an attempt to secure justice for the massacre of her people and so many others. There’s just one problem: she couldn’t. Celosia broke down after realizing the enormity of her task, and is struggling to make things right while the blood of her fellows stains her hands.

Now branded a failure, Celosia desperately volunteers for the next mission: taking down the corrupt Council with a team of her fellow elementally-gifted mages. Leading the Ember Operative gives Celosia her last hope at redemption. They seek to overthrow the Council once and for all, this time bringing the fight to Valeria, the largest city under the Council’s iron grip. But Celosia’s new teammates don’t trust her—all except for a powerful ice Elementalist named Ianthe who believes in second chances.

With Council spies, uncontrolled magic, and the distraction of unexpected love, Celosia will have to win the trust of her teammates and push her abilities to the breaking point to complete the Ember Operative. Except if she falters this time, there won’t be any Elementalists left to stop the Council from taking over not only her country, but their entire world.

So here it is...The moment we’ve been waiting for...

You can add DAYBREAK RISING to your GoodReads TBR shelf today, and pre-orders should be live from Torquere soon! Be sure to sign up to Torquere Press’s newsletter to be the first to know when DAYBREAK RISING is available for pre-order.

About the author:

Kiran Oliver is a Southern New Hampshire University graduate having majored in Communication with a PR focus. He currently attends Free Code Camp in the hope of earning a certificate in Full Stack Web Development while working as a freelance technology journalist. When he’s not writing for work, he’s creating novels such as DAYBREAK RISING for fun.

When not daydreaming about lesbian pirates, queer lady paladins, or dragons, Kiran can be found at the gym or playing MMOs. He resides in New Zealand with his wife Elizabeth, their cat, Ember, and soon to be a puppy named Zephyr.

Find Kiran on social media:

Twitter - @coliver_writes
GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14011102.C_K_Oliver
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorCKOliver

Ceruleans Print Party @megantayte

Author Megan Tayte is releasing her Ceruleans series in print! And to celebrate, she's hosting a giveaway. First, a little more about the books.

IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF DEATH, SHE’LL FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE. 

The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books, one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint? 

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. But suicide? It makes no sense. 

Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to an isolated English cove with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need. 

As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power. 

What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death. 

To believe the impossible.

Buy links

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Megan-Tayte/e/B00TDH4XLS

http://www.amazon.com/Megan-Tayte/e/B00TDH4XLS

About the Author

Once upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy princess fireman. ‘Write, Megan,’ her grandmother advised. So that’s what she did.

Thirty-odd years later, Megan is a professional writer and published author by day, and an indie novelist by night. Her fiction – young adult romance with soul – recently earned her the SPR’s Independent Woman Author of the Year award.

Megan grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in the village of Standish, Greater Manchester. She lives with her husband, a proud Scot who occasionally kicks back in a kilt; her son, a budding artist with the soul of a palaeontologist; and her baby daughter, a keen pan-and-spoon drummer who sings in her sleep. When she's not writing, you'll find her walking someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen as she pursues her impossible dream: of baking something edible.

You can find Megan online at:
http://megantayte.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13478850.Megan_Tayte
https://www.facebook.com/megantayte
https://twitter.com/megantayte
https://www.instagram.com/megantayte/

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Author Interview & #Giveaway RACE GIRL by Leigh Hutton @XpressoTours

_________

Race Girl by Leigh Hutton
(The Go Girls Chronicles #3)
Publication date: April 3rd 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Fresh on the heels of Michelle Payne’s historic Melbourne Cup win, comes a blockbuster Australian story about a Queensland girl and the ‘race that stops a nation’ . . .
Tully Athens has always dreamed of following in the footsteps of her hero Michelle Payne. Of living up to the Athens name and becoming the third generation of women from her family to rule the track. But Tully’s never been sure she’s got the nerve, and when her mother is killed in a racing accident, her whole world is shattered.
Six months later, in the heat of a Queensland summer, sixteen-year-old Tully is ready to face her fears. But getting back in the saddle leads to a whole lot more than she bargained for, with an out of control crush on the boy from their rival thoroughbred farm – the gorgeous but cocky larrikin Brandon Weston – and a forgotten filly with stardom in her eyes . . .
When faced with the most difficult decision of her life, will Tully choose to train and race her new filly in Melbourne? Or will she sacrifice it all to fight for love on the land that feeds her soul?
It’s only when tragedy rips everything from her that Tully finds a strength and courage she never knew she had, in this action-packed novel of passion, adventure and determination.
RACE GIRL is the highly anticipated third book in The Go Girls Chronicles – bestselling stories of gutsy girls in action sports, by Leigh Hutton!

*A PORTION OF EVERY #RaceGirl book sold goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, and to horse-welfare charity, Equine Action Qld*

 

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/race-girl/id1099017067?mt=11

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Hi, Leigh! Welcome to We Do Write. Tell us a bit about yourself.  

Thanks so much for having me!

My name is Leigh Hutton, I'm a former Courier-Mail journalist, dirt bike racer and horse show jumper. I was born in Canada and live on rural property in southeast Queensland, Australia, with my husband and three young children. When I'm not writing, managing the relocation and restoration of historic 'Queenslander' homes, wrangling the kids or swilling coffee, I love to read, watch smart TV and movies, ride my motorbike and daydream about gorgeous horses. My family spells racehorses at our property and making friends with each one is also a favourite pastime of the children and I. I'm also especially passionate about promoting the growing number of girls and women in all action and equestrian sports, and I'm thrilled to be drawing on my experiences to bring you the exciting novels of The Go Girls Chronicles . . .

Tell our readers a bit about RACE GIRL. What’s the story about?

Tully Athens has always dreamed of following in the footsteps of her hero Michelle Payne. Of living up to the Athens name and becoming the third generation of women from her family to rule the track. But Tully's never been sure she's got the nerve, and when her mother is killed in a horse racing accident, her whole world is shattered. Six months later, in the heat of a Queensland summer, sixteen-year-old Tully is ready to face her fears. But getting back in the saddle leads to a whole lot more than she bargained for, with an out of control crush on the boy from their rival thoroughbred farm - the gorgeous but cocky larrikin Brandon Weston - and a forgotten filly with stardom in her eyes ...

How did the idea of the story come to you?

The book was inspired by the incredible female jockeys risking their lives every day for the horses and the sport they love. Also the beautiful valley we live in near Dayboro, Queensland (Australia) and the gorgeous thoroughbred farms near Beaudesert - we pass them often when travelling down to northern NSW and I've always wanted to set a story there.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Plotter all the way.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Making the time!

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

A device connected to the internet. For research of course *lol*

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Supreme foresight.

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

OMG . . .

Probably what a concussion feels like (research for Race Girl)

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

Hanging with our kids and my hubby, or digging through a demolition yard searching for bits and pieces for the old Queenslander homes we renovate.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

My awesome family.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog!

Thanks so much for having me!! xx

AUTHOR BIO:

Leigh Hutton is a former Courier-Mail journalist, dirt bike racer and horse show jumper. Leigh was born in Canada and lives on rural property in southeast Queensland, Australia, with her husband and three young children. When she isn’t writing, managing the relocation and restoration of historic ‘Queenslander’ homes, wrangling the kids or swilling coffee, she loves to read, watch smart TV and movies, ride her motorbike and daydream about gorgeous horses. Her family spell racehorses at their property and making friends with each one is also a favourite pastime of Leigh and her children. Leigh is especially passionate about promoting the growing number of girls and women in all action and equestrian sports, and is thrilled to be drawing on her experiences to bring you the exciting novels of The Go Girls Chronicles . . .

Book one, REV GIRL, OUT NOW!

Book two, JUMP GIRL, OUT NOW!

Book three, RACE GIRL, out April 3rd, 2016!

Giveaway:

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

• $20 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the rest of the tour here:

 

The BackWords Book Challenge

In today's video, Miranda and Claire shake things up a bit by playing The BackWords Book Challenge, dropping some of their favourite YA book titles!

Author Interview with Allison Whitmore #Giveaway

_________

Book & Author Details:

Forget Me Not by Allison Whitmore

Publication date: September 14th 2015

Genres: Historical, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Theodora “Teddi” Donovan and Calvin Wynne have always hated each other. They didn’t have a choice after Teddi’s bootlegger father killed Calvin’s and left them both orphaned. The scandal has fueled gossip in quiet, quaint Brookhurst, New York, for over a decade. 

When a friendship develops between them as teenagers, they are ridiculed and shunned by the strict society that dictates life in their town. As they grow older, friendship turns into love, and Teddi and Calvin have to choose between their future and the scepter of their past. 

Spanning continents and decades, Forget Me Not is a coming-of-age story about truth, self-reliance, and the freeing power of love.

 

Hi, Allison! Welcome to We Do Write. 

Tell our readers a bit about FORGET ME NOT. What’s the story about?

It’s essentially a star-crossed lovers’ story set in the 1930s and 1940s. It is about the main characters journey into adulthood as well as the secrets of their families’ pasts they unearth. In the end, the secrets lead them to understand a great deal about the world and each other.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

I wanted to write a story about a hypocritical town and two people caught in the middle of that.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I am a plotter who turns into a pantser as soon as I start writing. The story just goes its own way. I do plot because I will write myself into a wall. However, I end up just letting the story flow, and feel it’s good to have some direction to reign myself in. I definitely started out as a pantser only when I first started writing.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

When I am not writing as much as I’d like to on a scheduled day. It gets frustrating. Once, I am writing, then it’s great.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Other than the internet open for research and YouTube playing (seventy-five percent of the time), I like to have books around me. Notes, not as much. I usually write them and only pull them out when I’m trying to get going or revising.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

It used to be teleporting, but now I’m going to say super speed. It would be great to be able to get a lot of stuff done very fast.

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

I don’t know. Maybe a cat fashion show when I was laughing at that scene in Anchorman and wondering if people really did those. They do. LOL!

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably thinking about ...

writing or fangirling about Arrow...

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Thank you to my family, Erin Virginia and Grace Arden (writing partners and friends), Kenya Cooper (publicist), Rachel Miller (editor), and Amalia Chitulescu (cover designer)

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog!

AUTHOR BIO:

Allison Whitmore started her first novel, Forget Me Not, one icy morning in her dorm room in Southampton, NY. After many years of teaching high school English, she came back to the novel to rewrite it. Allison comes from a family who loves history and enjoyed immersing herself in the research that brought Teddi and Calvin’s world to life. She lives in her hometown, Los Angeles, California. You can find her on Twitter @alli_whitmore and her website: allisonwhitmore.com.

    

 

Giveaway:

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

• $40 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the rest of the tour here: