Blog Tour: Collide by Melissa West

Today we're taking part in the blog tour for COLLIDE by Melissa West, published by Entangled Teen. Take a look!

Collide (The Taking #3)

by Melissa West

Release Date: 02/09/15

Entangled Teen

320 pages

Military legacy Ari Alexander has survived alien spies, WWIV, and a changing world order. But when the new leader of Earth uses Jackson—the only boy she's ever let herself care about—to get to her, Ari has no choice but to surrender.

To free Jackson, she agrees to travel to the national bases to train others to fight. What she discovers is a land riddled with dying people. Ari has the power to heal by turning the fighters into aliens—half-breeds like her. If she succeeds, together, they have a chance at overthrowing the alien leader, Zeus. But if she fails, everyone she holds dear will be wiped away forever.

Once again, everything Ari’s come to believe is thrown into question. In a world of uncertainty, loyalties are tested, lies are uncovered, and no one can be trusted. If Ari and Jackson have any hope at survival and at preserving a life for the future, they must fight the final war with their eyes wide open.

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Pre-Order Links:

Amazon│B&N│Kobo

Links to Gravity (Book One):
Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Kobo Books

Links for Hover (Book Two):

Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Kobo Books

About the Author

Melissa West writes young adult and new adult novels for Entangled Teen and Embrace and Penguin/InterMix. She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and a M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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YA Bound Book Tours

Horror Business Blog Tour: Interview with Ryan Craig Bradford

Today we're chatting with fellow Month9Books author Ryan Craig Bradford about his novel HORROR BUSINESS. Grab a seat and come get to know a bit more about Ryan and his book.

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

I grew up in Park City, Utah. My fiction has appeared in Quarterly West, Paper Darts, Vice, Monkeybicycle and [PANK]. I currently live in San Diego where I act as Creative Director for the nonprofit literary arts organization So Say We All. I'm the co-editor of the anthology Last Night on Earth and founder of the literary horror journal, Black Candies.

Tell our readers a bit about HORROR BUSINESS.

Armed with a passion for classic B-grade horror movies, a script co-written by his twin brother, and a wicked crush on his death-obsessed neighbor; hardcore horror fan Jason Nightshade must finish his student film.

But his plans are derailed when the children of suburban Silver Creek start disappearing – his twin brother among them. Battling a possessed video camera, a crazy zombie dog, a monstrous bully, and a frighteningly broken down family life, Jason embarks on a mission to find his lost brother so the two can write an ending for his story.

As an any horror fan knows, saving the day won’t be easy, as Jason finds himself forced to face the real world where death isn’t just a splash of fake blood on a camera lens.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

Horror Business is very autobiographical. I was definitely one of those weird kids in high school who spent a lot of time in a darkened basement, watching scary movies. I think most people grow out of that phase, but I never did. The story is also set in a small mountain town—a very similar setting in which I grew up. I love the notion of the darkness that hides beneath the surface of small communities, and I think that darkness plays a huge, albeit peripheral, role in Horror Business. It's funny: now that I live in a large city, I get nostalgic for that creepiness that can occur in a small (well, smallish) town.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I do both. I usually write the first draft from the seat of my pants—and it's always this amazingly fun, therapeutic process where I try to get as nasty, loud and upsetting as possible. After I get to a point where I think the story is complete, then I plot a story, incorporating elements of the first draft. It's sort of like killing your first draft but allowing the ghost to infiltrate whatever you write next.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Probably all the money, you know? Sometimes it feels like I can't get any writing done because I spend all my time cashing checks!

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Drumsticks. I listen to music for seven or eight hours a day, and there's nothing more cathartic than when you're frustrated and suddenly a great tune comes on—you just air-drum the hell out of it. You look legitimately insane. When the song's over, you politely put the sticks back on the desk and—hey!—suddenly your writing  makes sense.

What are you reading right now?

I've been obsessed with writers who are not afraid to use their literary prowess to be gross, go dark, or create "unlikeable" characters. Juliet Escoria's Black Cloud, Lindsay Hunter's Ugly Girls, Alissa Nutting's Tampa and Laura van den Berg's Isle of Youth are the some that immediately come to mind. Read them. Burn them into your brain.

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

Shape-shifting, maybe. I would love to be able to look like younger version of me and convince people that I'd been transported into the future. I would constantly remark on the wonders of technology and make people feel really cool about being on their smartphones all the time.

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

I can't really think of a weird google search, but my favorite is "[animal] birthday." Dogs, cats, owls, mice, it doesn't matter. If a google image search brings up an animal wearing a birthday hat or in front of a birthday cake, then I'm into it.

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

Shivering and scared of the world.

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

First and foremost: my wife, Jessica. My mental health well being would be shot without her sense of humor, intelligence, and ability to call me out on my shit when I get too full of myself. I would not have any career in writing without her support and patience. Props to everyone in a relationship with a writer, because we are the worst.

Thanks to my family, of course! My gratitude for would fill and spill out of the internet.

Thanks to my agent Rebecca Podos at Rees Literary. She's fought so hard on behalf of my writing in ways that I didn't think were possible.

Thanks to Georgia McBride at Month9Books for taking a chance on publishing Horror Business and all the editors who whipped it into shape.

Thanks to Justin Hudnall and everyone who's ever been involved with So Say We All—you've made San Diego a place for writers. Most writers aren't as lucky to have a community like this.

And thanks to all the people who've published me, or who I've published, or who've read my stuff. There are too many to name off the top of my head, but you're all in my heart.

Book Blitz: Taking Chances by Rita and TJ Webb + GIVEAWAY

Today we are happy to feature Taking Chances, a NA Paranormal Romance and the second in the Paranormal Investigations series by Rita and TJ Webb.


Taking Chances by Rita Webb and T.J. Webb
(Paranormal Investigations #2)
Publication date: January 7th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal Romance

How far would you go to save a friend?

People are going missing in Kodiak, Alaska.

The evidence: bloody bear prints larger than any bear Jason or Emma have ever seen and black ooze that can eat the flesh from bones.

Bears don't wander into busy shopping districts, turn off security alarms, and break into stores. When Emma’s friend goes missing, Jason and Emma realize the cops aren't up to handling the situation.

Something’s wrong in the paranormal world. Can Jason and Emma fix things before someone else gets hurt?

           

EXCERPT

I wake to the sound of buzzing in my ear. It zips around my head, first landing on my pillow, then on my nose, before flitting over to Emma lying beside me. My eyes still closed, I listen to the pattern of its movements, and then with inhuman speed, I snatch it out of the air.

Opening my eyes, I peek into a small crack I make in my hand. A creature even smaller than a pixie with pale skin and blue hair and eyes the color of a stormy sea glares at me. She’s wearing a tunic made from thick, white material trimmed in purple fur. Delicate butterfly wings protrude from her back, quivering slightly as if a wind stirs them, but trapped inside my hand, there’s no wind.

“Emma.”

She mumbles something and rolls away from me.

“Emma,” I whisper a little louder.

“What?”

“We seem to have a visitor.”

Emma rolls back toward me and peeks at me through a slit in her eyes. “Huh?”

“It’s too small to be a pixie. What’s smaller than a pixie?”

“You let me go at once.” The voice is as tiny as the creature, and a foot kicks at my fingers.

“Stop that. It tickles.”

“Let me go, monster. Or I eat you.”

I laugh. “How do you speak English? The other pixies in the forest only spoke in squeaks.”

“I’m not pixie.” She pulls herself up to her full height of – what, two inches? — and lifts her nose in the air. “I’m smarter.”

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Our adventure started with a camping trip and a bottle of whiskey. Apparently Rita is a scary monster, and TJ needed liquid courage to give her that first kiss.

When not fighting over who gets to read our favorite books first, we’re swapping kisses, plot ideas, and movie quotes in the kitchen.

Together, we home-school our three girls, who keep us busy with art, science projects, books to read, dance classes, and walks about the park.

Come play a little hooky with us by getting our first book for free on our website: 

    

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Book Blitz: Exaltation by Jamie Magee + GIVEAWAY!

Exaltation by Jamie Magee
Publication date: February 10th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

Fate is a twisted b*$#@, at least his was.

Was one soul worth the lives of millions? The quandary was one that Rydell King had no choice but to face. No matter the answer, the truth remained—innocence was created to destroy him. She was beautiful…extinguishing her to save his people seemed impossible, and maybe it was. As an immortal, his focus was to destroy the curse upon his people, as he devoured the emotion that bore him—exaltation, no matter the cost. She made him question everything.

Mercy had never been crueler.

EXCERPT

Raven was not known for having a long attention span and apparently the Veil did not hinder her virtue, or curse, depending how you saw it. She heard music, a guitar.

Raven took a step toward it and as she did she felt a wave of electrical energy come over her. Her entire body was humming. She felt like she was waking up from a thick, languid dream. Like she was coming home. She had to get closer. Needed to get closer.

Right as she started to move toward a wicked cool looking house her father clasped her elbow.
“Raven. Focus. Any more questions?”

“Can I find the dead musician? Oh. My. God. Is Elvis in here?”





If there was one thing Raven could do it was make her father laugh. She loved doing that. But right then she was doing it so she could slowly edge toward that sensation she was feeling. It made everything move slower yet intensified everything. She had butterflies for the first time in her life and she had no idea why. Yearning, it was so rich that it almost hurt.

“All right let’s practice getting out. Think of home.”

Raven didn’t want to go home. She had to chase this feeling. “But—I.”

“Show me you can get out,” he said with a raised brow.
Out Raven thought with a pout on her face.

As soon as Raven left the Veil the feeling left. She was never a fan of reality before but it had never felt as heavy as it did then. This blows.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jamie Magee has always believed that each of us have a defining gift that sets us apart from the rest of the world, she has always envied those who have known from their first breath what their gift was. Not knowing hers, she began a career in the fast paced world of business. Raising a young family, and competing to rise higher in that field would drive some to the point of insanity, but she always found a moment of escape in a passing daydream. Her imagination would take her to places she’d never been, introduce her to people she’s never known. Insight, her debuting novel, is a result of that powerful imagination. Today, she is grateful that not knowing what defined her, led her on a path of discovery that would always be a part of her.

                 

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Excerpt: The Wicked Awakening of Anne Merchant by Joanne Weibe @jruthwiebe

Today we're taking a look at an excerpt from THE WICKED AWAKENING OF ANNE MERCHANT by Joanne Weibe. First, here's the 411 on the book:

The Wicked Awakening of Anne Merchant
by Joanne Weibe
Book Two in the V Trilogy
Young Adult Fiction
Date Published: January 20, 2015



Life and death, light and dark, spirit and flesh-on Wormwood Island, the lines are always blurred. For Anne Merchant, who has been thrust back into this eerily secretive world, crossing the line seems inevitable, inescapable, destined.


Now, as Ben finds himself battling for the Big V and Teddy reveals the celestial plan in which Anne is entwined, Anne must choose: embrace her darkly powerful connection to a woman known as Lilith and, in doing so, save the boy she loves…or follow a safer path that is sure to lead to Ben’s destruction at the hands of dark leaders. Hoping the ends will justify the means, Anne starts down the slippery slope into the underworld, intent on exploring the dark to find the light. But as the lure of Lilith proves powerfully strong, will Anne save others-only to lose herself?

Excerpt:

First it’s black and then it’s bright. I’m running.

Someone has me by the hand. He’s shouting for me to hurry as he drags me over tangled roots and under sharp branches.

I realize I’m back in this world before I know I’m racing up from the shores of Wormwood Island, between its craggy trees, and toward its dark, beating heart: the Cania Christy Preparatory Academy, a stately campus of mossy stone buildings veiled in ocean mist and secrecy.

Oh, God. I’m back.

My heart’s pounding at double time.

I’m staggering. Lumbering. In bare feet.

“Come on!” Teddy hollers at me. I recognize his voice at the same time my eyes adjust to the bluish light. Sunlight through the trees. Sunlight trapped in swirls of low-hanging fog. I trip, and he yanks me back to standing, to running. “Wake up, Anne, before it’s too late. Before we’re there.”

Teddy. Teddy brought me back here. He was next to me in California only moments ago—or what seems like moments ago. And he was taking my blood, doping me, telling me—what was he telling me? My mind feels stuck back in that damn hospital bed, back with my body, back where I’m supposed to be. Remember. Think.

Ben helped me. Ben risked it all to help me escape Wormwood Island.

Ben Zin.

I’m back here, where Ben is. A silver lining I’ll think about later. After. After I wrap my brain around the here and now.

“Can’t you move any faster?”

“Teddy?”

“Good. You’re alert. Now hurry. He’ll be here any minute.”

“Teddy,” I repeat and stop suddenly.

He jerks my arm like it’s the leash of a disobedient dog. I pull back. He yanks again, harder. I free myself from his hold, stumble away, and stop cold against a tree. My feet sink into the chilly, wet earth of the forest floor. Standing here, feeling the ground beneath my feet, makes this all real.

My efforts with Ben were for nothing.

Flashes of last night—God, was it just last night?—strike me like furious fists. The glowing interior of Valedictorian Hall. That short-banged girl named Hiltop P. Shemese transforming into Villicus, and Villicus revealing he’s none other than Mephistopheles, the not-so-fictional devil who makes exchanges with humans. And then came Pilot Stone, my very own Judas, to help the devil do his dirty work. I see the vials—his, mine, beautiful Ben Zin’s—glinting in the firelight; I see myself grab them and flee, in flames, into the rain, up to the cliff. And then…and then Ben joins me, holds me, frees me. Kisses me. We jump. I vanish. Wake. And then Teddy…

“I need a sec,” I tell Teddy.

“I didn’t say we could stop!”

“I’m not asking.”

He’s panting when he halts to glare at me with those pale eyes of his. This demon-boy.

Behind him, the woods double and conflate. I brace myself against a tree, clear my head. I know what’s happening. I know I’ve just been vivified, created anew. I know Teddy’s got vials of my blood in his satchel.

I know all those things.

But I can’t intellectualize away the fact that I feel like my body, mind, and soul are bricks that have yet to be cemented together.

“Don’t give me that look,” I growl his way. “You’ve ruined everything.”

“Everything? You had nothing. What’s to ruin?”

“I was awake. After years in a coma, I was awake.”

“You’re not needed in California. I need you here. So does your    mom.”

Teddy told me I had a purpose on Wormwood Island. Over the racing beep of my heart rate monitor and the slow drip of my IV, he said I should trust him, that my mom trusted him. My deceased mom. How could he know my mom?

Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.ca/Wicked-Awakening-Anne-Merchant/dp/1940363292/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396627213&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=wick+awakening+of+anne+merchant

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wicked-awakening-of-anne-merchant-joanna-wiebe/1118939767?ean=9781940363295

Books a Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Wicked-Awakening-Anne-Merchant/Joanna-Wiebe/9781940363295?id=5966236509588

IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781940363295

Indigo: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/the-wicked-awakening-of-anne/9781940363295-item.html?ikwid=the+wicked+awakening+of+anne+merchant&ikwsec=Books

BenBellaBooks: http://shop.benbellabooks.com/The-Wicked-Awakening-of-Anne-Merchant.html

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Book Blitz: How to Unbreak Up by Rebekah L Purdy

Today we're taking part in the HOW TO UNBREAK UP book blitz. Take a look at this YA romance by Rebekah L. Purdy.

How to Unbreakup

by Rebekah L. Purdy 

Release Date: 02/10/15

Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

First rule of breakups: There’s no going back.


For three years, seventeen-year-old Grace Evers has regretted breaking up with Sage Castle.

That day, she lost her boyfriend and best friend. And let's be honest, it's impossible to just be friends with the one person who gets you, faults and all, and loved you anyway. It's impossible not to think about how it felt to be held by him, or the way he looked right before he was about to kiss you with the most perfectly yummy kiss goodnight.

And now that things are over between them, they've become strangers to one another. Sage won’t even look at Grace, let alone talk to her!

Breakup life sucks and Grace is utterly miserable, doing whatever she can to ease the pain of losing Sage. She's spent the better part of high school pretending to be something she’s not and hanging out with people who probably wouldn't notice if she wasn't there. Crappy dates, backstabbing friends, and Sage's cold shoulder have taken their toll.

So when her parents propose going away to their house on Lake Michigan for the summer, Grace is thrilled. No more massively bad dates with horrible kissers or lunch with frienemies. Just three months of swimming,

hiking, and relaxing before senior year starts.

But when Grace learns Sage and his family will be joining them, she readies herself for a totally awkward family vacation of disastrous proportions. How can it be anything but awful if Sage won't even acknowledge she exists?

This is it, Grace's last chance to get Sage back and unbreakup.

Excerpt:

I stood, walked over to my window, and glanced outside at our

pool. Sunlight glittered off the surface, sparkling like jewels. I leaned my forehead against the window. Had I lost myself in our relationship? Everyone referred to us as “Grage.” We weren’t singular anymore. Everything I did was with him or for him. We’d become inseparable. But was I ready for that kind of commitment, that kind of pressure? I mean, I was only thirteen, almost fourteen. Maybe I needed to take a step back. Tears streamed down my face. But I don’t want to lose him. He’s my best friend. He gets me like no one else.

But you’re not ready for all

this.

Everything was fine until Rori opened her mouth. I just had to let it go. The more I thought about it though, the more I doubted things. Who stayed in a relationship this long when they were in eighth grade? No one. I mean, most of the girls had a different boyfriend every week. Or didn’t have boyfriends at all. But I couldn’t do this to him. It’d hurt him. I sat on the edge of my bed. My stomach tightened. I felt like throwing up. This was stupid. Why was I doing this to myself?

Because you’re not ready. My fingers clenched my blanket. I needed my space. To figure things out. I had to be my own person. A while later my cell blared with Sage’s ringtone. My hand trembled as I picked it up. “Hey,” I said. “Hey. I thought you were gonna get online so we could chat.” “Sorry. Just didn’t feel like it.” I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to keep them from welling over. “Um, okay. So, I came up with a cool play we can try during our basketball game tomorrow.” “I-I’m not coming now.”

“Wait, what?” “I can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry.” “Are you talking about the basketball game or us?” A lump lodged in my throat and I couldn’t breathe. “I’m not ready for a boyfriend. I thought I was. I don’t want to hurt you. You’re my best friend.” “I see,” his voice broke. “Did I do something wrong?” My hand covered my forehead as I attempted not to sob. I didn’t want things to end like this. “No. It wasn’t you. This is me. I’m just not ready.”

“I don’t understand. What changed? You seemed fine earlier … ” “Please don’t make this harder than it is. Just … I can’t do it.” “Grace—I-I,” he stammered then got quiet. “Okay, i-if this is what you want.” “I still want us to hang out like before. It doesn’t mean I don’t want you in my life.” “Listen, I think I’m gonna head to bed now. Maybe we can talk tomorrow,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.” I cried as he hung up.

I fell back on my bed, my head buried in my pillow. This wasn’t how things were supposed to end. Not like this. Sage was my best friend. My boyfriend. Exboyfriend now. Maybe things would still be the same. Then again. Maybe not.

Buy Links:

Amazon

About the Author

Rebekah Purdy grew up in Michigan, where she spent many late nights armed with a good book and a flashlight. When not hiding at her computer and getting lost in her stories, she enjoys reading, singing, soccer, swimming, football, camping, playing video games and hanging out with her kids. She loves the unexplainable like Bigfoot, the Dogman, and the Loch Ness Monster (lots of good story material)! She admits to still having all the books she bought throughout her childhood and teen years, and she may or may not have an obsession with anything chocolate…

Author Links:

   



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