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Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) has
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New-To-Me Authors
2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.
1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
3) Sidney Bristol
4) Ann Mayburn
5) Thea Harrison
6) Virna DePaul
7) Mary Quast
8) Molly Harper
9) Eleri Stone
10) PJ Schnyder
11) Kait Ballenger
12) Denise L. Wyant
13) Lucy Monroe
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original images by marin & papaija2008 at FreeDigitalPhotos.com
banner designed by Jennifer from Books Make Me Happy
Showing posts with label contest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contest. Show all posts
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration-Winners
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I’m hijacking this week’s Saturday Conversations to bring you a list of the winners from the Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration.
First I’d like to thank each of the readers and commenters that stopped by to participate. I’d also like to thank my guest bloggers and each of the authors (listed below), who contributed a guest post and/or a prize for the giveaway. Finally, I’d like to thank Jennifer from Books Make Me Happy for her awesome contest button design! This was my first time running such a big contest. I feel it was a success and hope to repeat next year.
Now... for the winners... Please note: I need each winner to contact me at twimom227 at gmail dot com and send me your full name and mailing address. The prizes will be mailed by the authors, with the exceptions noted below. Winners must claim their prizes no later than Sunday July 28 at 11:59 PM EDT, or a new winner will be selected.
Jennifer Estep:
Signed copy of Deadly Sting
a Rafflecopter giveaway
ML Brennan:
Signed copy of Generation V
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Darynda Jones:
Winner’s choice signed copy of any hardcover book from series
*Winner please include book selection in your email
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Suzanne Johnson:
Winner’s choice of signed copy of either Royal Street or River Road plus a swag bag
*Winner please include book selection in your email
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Ilona Andrews:
There are four winners... winners listed in order for the following prizes:
1) Copy of Magic Rises and Magic Bites *BOOKS SENT BY PUBLISHER
2) A signed set of Kate books to include: Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, and Magic Bleeds plus Gunmetal Magic *BOOKS SENT BY ME
3) Signed copy of Gunmetal Magic *BOOKS SENT BY ME
4) Signed copy of Gunmetal Magic *BOOKS SENT BY ME
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Kristen Painter:
Signed copy of Blood Rights
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Amanda Carlson:
Signed copy of Hot Blooded
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Cassie Alexander:
e-book copy (Amazon or Barnes & Noble) of either Nightshifted, Moonshifted, or Shapeshifted
*Winner please include book selection and preferred retailer in your email. You do not need to send mailing address, but please email me from account you would like the e-book sent to you.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
PHEW! That is a lot of winners! Thank you ALL so much for participating!
Labels:
Friday, July 19, 2013
Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Sidney Bristol
Today I welcome back one of my favorite peeps, author Sidney Bristol. She’s here today celebrating her new book release, The Harder He Falls, the second title in her So Inked series from Ellora’s Cave. Take it away, Sidney...
Hello, and thanks so much to the ever lovely and beautiful Jen for hosting me ON MY BOOK RELEASE DAY!
I’m sorry, that was a little too much excitement, wasn’t it? I’ll try to tone it down, but I make no promises.
The second book in my So Inked series from Ellora’s Cave releases today. The series focuses on a team of female tattoo artists slinging ink and making a name for themselves in Texas. The Harder He Falls is the second book in this series and follows one of the shops owners, Kellie, as she makes some hard decisions, faces down her worst nightmare and finds love in the arms of a man she never expected to win her over.
But that’s the sales pitch. Why don’t we talk about something fun?
Did you know there are different styles and even schools of art when it comes to tattoos? While most tattoo artists can do all types of tattoos, everyone has something they’re naturally good at. Well the girls at the So Inked tattoo shop are no different!
With The Harder He Falls I wanted to dig into the well-known Japanese elements of tattooing we see everywhere. From t-shirts to phone cases to even your underwear, tattoo art is showing up in all sorts of new places and a lot of it harkens back to the art brought from Japan by artists like Ed Hardy, Yakuza gangsters coming to America, service men stationed in Japan and tourists.
Almost every culture has a history of tattooing unique to them. From geometric designs dating back to the first humans, to markings to denote tribes and designs to evoke the power from the art, tattoos have said a lot about us since the earliest of days.
Japanese tattoos are a language in and of themselves, that isn’t always appreciated by its American audience. Each traditional element can be manipulated, combined and placed to call upon different powers, mean something specific or say a particular thing about the wearer.
For example, a Koi fish depicted swimming up water means that the person is overcoming something. Combined with other flowers, elements or symbols, it can become more specific, speaking to the fragility of life, persevering through a rough time, etc.
While a lot of the American tattoo culture revolves around images and embracing your own meaning, Japanese tattoos come with a rich culture, even a heritage of being part of that language. I’ve always admired the Japanese style tattoos, but could never settle on something that spoke to me and meshed with the tattoos I currently have.
Tattoos are often a love them or hate them choice. Which side of the line do you fall on? Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of the first book in the So Inked series, Under His Skin!
About the Author:
It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.
GIVEAWAY: Ms. Bristol is offering one (1) a digital copy of the first book in the So Inked series, Under His Skin to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. To enter, please leave a comment answering Sidney's question “Tattoos are often a love them or hate them choice. Which side of the line do you fall on?" Contest is open to anyone, except where prohibited by law. Contest open from July 19, 2013 until July 25, 2013 at 9:00 PM EDT. One (1) winner will be selected at random from the comment entries. Prize will be emailed to winner directly by author. I am not responsible to items lost in the mail/email system.
The Harder He Falls, So Inked #2
The Harder He Falls, So Inked #2
Ellora’s Cave; Coming soon to Barnes and Noble & Amazon
A woman who doesn’t have time for love…
A hot night full of hotel-destroying sex was all Kellie wanted from her client-turned-sex god. Between family and work, there isn’t room for love, just hot, sweaty lust. An arrangement for mutual gratification is exactly what Kellie wants, but every kiss, each mind-blowing orgasm twines her heart around a man she cannot have.
A man building a new life…
Quinton’s assumptions about the So Inked shop owner are turned on their head after one session under her tattoo machine. Kellie’s not the vandal he’s looking for, but she’s the woman he wants. In his bed, on the desk or under the stars, he’ll take her any way he can get her. But Quin has secrets and someone is out to destroy him. Someone who has their sights set on Kellie now.
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Excerpt
Kellie shifted on the wooden bench, still restless. The evening breeze was cooler than normal thanks to a cold front blowing in. It was ridiculous that dropping into the nineties was considered a cool spell, but in the height of Texas summer, you took what you got. She swept her hair up into a knot and tipped her head back. The slight dampness of her skin, courtesy of the ever-present humidity, was a small price to pay for being able to sit outside. She’d shed the formfitting dress for jeans and a tank top and felt more like herself for it.
“How hot does it get here?” Quin plunked down their dinner and sat on his side of the picnic table. Behind him the food truck was starting to pack up.
“Can’t handle the heat?” It was too much to ask that the man be able to cope with everything. He’d sat through the tattoo yesterday without complaint, being a heat weenie wasn’t terrible.
His brilliant blue eyes stood out in the dim illumination of the parking lot light. “When you have A/C, why should you?”
“You do realize that it’s going to get at least ten degrees hotter and stay there, don’t you?” She unwrapped the tacos and inhaled the spicy aroma of peppers and onions mixed with tender beef.
Quin made a show of wiping his forehead with a napkin. “I’m going to melt.”
“Why the hell are you still here then?”
He hefted his burrito and wrapped the tortilla tighter. “Family.”
She nodded, understanding that reason above all others.
They descended into companionable silence while they ate. The garbled sounds of a Tejano station melded with the distant sounds of Highway 75 and the light street traffic up and down Greenville Avenue.
“What are you so wound up about, doll?”
Her head snapped around. Quin watched her with one brow arched.
“What?” she asked.
“Your knees are bouncing and you keep looking around. Are you expecting someone I don’t know about?” He glanced over each shoulder.
The bubble of anger swelling in her breast burst. It wasn’t Quin’s fault she was suffering from a case of bitchitis.
Instead of snapping at him, she put her taco down and massaged her temples. “No, I’m just sitting on too much energy and not enough time to expend it.”
“Ah.” He nodded as if he understood. “We used to call that the fight or fuck stage.”
It was her turn to quirk a brow at him. She shivered despite the heat. He had a point; one or the other would help. “Fight or fuck stage? What did you used to do?”
“First I was in the Marines, then I used to fight MMA, semipro.”
Her eyebrows crept upward. Mixed martial arts? She saw Quin in a whole new light, and when she looked at him in this proverbial light, he looked damn good. Fighters came with their own set of issues, but as an MMA hobbyist herself, Kellie had to admit that her bad boy draw was sitting across from her. Growing up around the gym meant she’d become more than competent in a few martial art forms. As an adult, branching out into the grappling, wrestling and more violent aspects had given her a much needed outlet.
Kellie grabbed her drink, the cup covered in condensation, and gulped it down to get moisture back in her dry mouth.
“Why’d you stop?”
“I got hurt. Fractured a few vertebrae. Everyone was amazed I could walk after that. Realized there was little to no chance of me coming back from the injury, so I switched over to training. I like it.”
“Do you train around here?” An invisible fist clenched her heart. There had been a time when she would have known the different gyms, who trained where, which ones were worth going to and so forth.
Quin didn’t answer immediately. He chewed his food without haste and took a drink before replying. “I’m transitioning locations. Parting with someone. It’s a little messy.”
Her nose wrinkled. “Yeah, I’ve been there. I’m lucky to have Mary as my co-owner. The guy I worked with before her was a man-child.”
He snorted. “Man-child?”
“Yeah, you know. Frat boy types.”
He tilted his head back and laughed. “That’s a good one, doll. Man-child. I’ll have to remember that.”
The pet name slid over her nerves as if it were sandpaper. “Do you have to call me that?”
“What?” He blinked as if he had no clue what she was talking about.
“Lay off the doll crap already.”
He shrugged. “You look like a doll.”
Her scalp itched and her hand balled into a fist. “You think I look like a whore?” she growled. Moments like these she felt as if she were a passenger in her own body. The urge to do something, or even the man across from her, had her muscles too tense and her nerves strung too tight.
Quin jerked his face away from his cup. “What? No. That’s not what I meant. You’re attractive and exotic-looking. You look more like a doll than a real person.”
Heat crawled up her neck and she was thankful the parking light was their only illumination. It was the most convoluted compliment anyone had ever paid her, and it turned her on even more. She folded her taco wrapper into a neat square.
“You realize the term china doll is what men called Asian prostitutes and war brides?”
“The fuck—no. No, that’s definitely not what I meant. Hey, guys probably hit on you all the time. I figured I had to be a little creative.”
She rolled her eyes. “At least you don’t talk to my boobs.”
His gaze dipped to her chest and her nipples perked up at his inspection. She squeezed her thighs together. This was ridiculous. She was not an animal in heat ready to throw herself at some random guy.
“Well, in their defense, most guys probably only come up to your chest, so it’s not entirely their fault.” One side of his mouth kicked up in a roguish smile.
She chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, blame it on me because I’m tall.”
“It’s not your fault you’re tall. It’s their fault they’re short.”
Her phone buzzed against her hip. Conversation forgotten, Kellie dug it out of her pocket and unlocked the screen. The home-care provider always texted her when Grandma finally went to bed. She breathed a sigh of relief when nothing else was mentioned, which meant the day had passed without incident. She had all night before she would need to go home and face those troubles. For now she was her own woman.
“Everything okay?”
She glanced up from the phone. “Yeah.”
“Good.”
“So you moved here for family. Wife? Girlfriend?”
“None of the above.”
He was unattached and available. She went very still, the possibilities running through her head.
Quin cleared his throat. “My schedule right now doesn’t lend itself to dating.”
Even better. She laid her palms on the rough wooden surface of the table. “Neither does mine.”
His stillness echoed hers. A predatory awareness came over him, but she wasn’t prey. “That’s a shame.”
She looked him over, even as he did the same. He wouldn’t be the first client she slept with, she wasn’t a saint. But neither did she know him.
“Excuse me.” The food truck cook had walked up on them without either noticing. “I need to load the table, sorry.” He smiled and wiped his hands on the dirty apron.
Kellie swiped the napkin across her face. Had she really inhaled the burrito? Judging by the sad remnants left, yes she had.
“That’s fine. Thanks for the food.”
She rose, gathered up her trash and tossed it in a recycling bin, then leaned against the front of Quin’s truck, out of the way while Quin lent a hand to their cook and helped load the table. Too many thoughts spun around in her head, she needed a minute to get her head screwed on straight, but she wasted those watching Quin’s arms and the way his t-shirt stretched across his back. She pretended she hadn’t been staring when he headed for her, perching her elbows on the hood and leaning back. The truck’s grille pressed into her back but with her elbows perched on the edge, it thrust her breasts out. As if she needed to draw any more attention to them.
Quin’s gaze roved freely over her body and she could already anticipate his strong touch. He would be an energetic lover, but would he be gentle? Or rough? Did he always have to stay in control? Because sometimes she liked to put a man through his paces.
“I can’t tell what you’re thinking and I’m dying to know.” He stopped less than a foot away.
She smiled slowly, already having a pretty good idea what his answer to her question would be. “I was wondering if you would like to get a room?”
Friday, July 12, 2013
Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration-Cassie Alexander
Welcome to the Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration here at That’s What I’m Talking About!!
original images by marin & papaija2008 at FreeDigitalPhotos.com
banner designed by Jennifer from Books Make Me Happy
The celebration runs from July 1 through July 12, 2013, with guest posts, author and series spotlights and lots and lots of GIVEAWAYS!! In fact, each day there is a new post, there is new giveaway to enter! CLICK HERE for more information.
Today my special guest is blogger, Lori from Romancing the Dark Side, who is here sharing her thoughts on the Edie Spence series by Cassie Alexander. In addition, I am donating one (1) ebook copy (either Amazon or Barnes & Noble) of either Nightshifted, Moonshifted, or Shapeshifted for the giveaway, details below.
Take it away, Lori...
The Uncommon Heroine in Urban Fantasy
I love a kick ass heroine in urban fantasy as much as the next girl, but what happens when the heroine in the book lacks supernatural abilities in a paranormal world? Well, I recently picked up a series where the heroine is just that, a human with a very “normal” career. Meet Edie Spence, a nurse who works in a hospital with a secret paranormal wing.
The Edie Spence series by Cassie Alexander
The self-titled series follows Edie Spence and her nights at her new job, a nurse at County Hospital’s Y4, a secret wing who’s patients include vampires, werewolves, shifters and zombies. I’m sure Edie saw her fair share of gore and blood in nursing school, but nothing in the world could prepare her for shifts at County Hospital! When she’s not giving blood transfusions to vampires, treating weres with silver allergies or flirting with zombies, she’s running from fire breathing dragons on Y4. If that weren’t enough drama, she has a brother who’s a recovering addict, a mom she hardly sees and a non-existent love life. Think your day job sucks? Think again!
I have to admit I kind of judged the series by their covers (yes, I’m a cover hussy!) before I read them and was a bit hesitant to start them but am glad I did! The Edie Spence series starts off a little slow but quickly picks up and delivers an original dark, paranormal world with a leading lady who’s worthy of her urban fantasy counterparts. Each installment is full of action, humor, suspense and the story line is never predictable. A must read for any fans of urban fantasy, especially those looking for a different kind of heroine. Now that I’ve gone on rambling about the series I’ll share a couple more reasons I love its heroine…
My Top Five Reasons for Loving Edie’s Character:
- Her mortality, she has no special abilities, no supernatural status but manages to survive in the midst of paranormals.
- She makes mistakes (including bad choices in men), but usually learns from them…LOL
- Edie will go to any lengths to protect her loved ones and keep them safe.
- She’s imperfect, has crazy relatives and flawed relationships…like most of us!
- Her dedication to nursing is admirable, even when she’s on the verge of being killed she’s always a nurse first and will try to save a life if she can!
Edie Spence is like the human version of Rachel Morgan from The Hollows series; just when you think she can’t get herself into any more trouble she proves you wrong! This is one series that gets better with each installment and never lacks excitement! ;)
Reading Order:
Nightshifted
Moonshifted
Shapeshifted
Deadshifted - December 31, 2013
GIVEAWAY:
I have one (1) electronic copy of any of the Edie Spence series titles to give away here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Winner can select his/her choice of: Nightshifted, Moonshifted, or Shapeshifted from either Amazon/Kindle OR Barnes & Noble/Nook. To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter form, below, and leave a comment at the end of today’s post telling us the best “day job” a lead character has worked (book, TV, movies, etc.). Winner will be selected randomly from eligible entries. CONTEST IS OPEN anywhere US Amazon/BN will deliver an ebook; void where prohibited by law. Contest open from July 12, 2013 until June 19, 2013 at 12:00 AM EDT-midnight. If you have problems with the Rafflecopter form, please email me at twimom227 at gmail dot com.
Be sure to check out the other UF Summer Reading Celebration Giveaways going on now!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration-Amanda Carlson
Welcome to the Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration here at That’s What I’m Talking About!!
original images by marin & papaija2008 at FreeDigitalPhotos.com
banner designed by Jennifer from Books Make Me Happy
The celebration runs from July 1 through July 12, 2013, with guest posts, author and series spotlights and lots and lots of GIVEAWAYS!! In fact, each day there is a new post, there is new giveaway to enter! CLICK HERE for more information.
Today I’m here to share my love for the Jessica McClain series by Amanda Carlson. In addition, I’ve got a signed copy of Hot Blooded for giveaway, details below.
The Jessica McClain series takes place in a world full of paranormal creatures, hidden from human eyes. Our heroine, Jessica, was the only female born to a werewolf, and after living twenty-six years, she unexpectedly experiences her first change--a full ten years late. Now she is the only female full-blooded werewolf ever, and that makes the other wolves and supernatural factions very nervous. There are a few prophesies that suggest Jessica may be the savior or destruction of the paranormal community; either way - she’s full of power.
Jessica does have a few friends, including her father (the pack Alpha/leader), her brother twin Tyler, a shifter friend Danny, a human named Ray, and her mate, Roarke. They also take on a couple of vampire guides in the second book, Hot Blooded. The first book focuses on Jessica’s transformation and fitting in while avoiding letting others know she’s changed. The second book is a journey of sorts, as the group needs to rescue someone close to Jessica.
Jessica is a wonderful urban fantasy heroine. She has come into her own; she is assertive and aggressive but caring. She is smart, witty, and she embraces her new role and powers with confidence.
Currently there are two published full-length titles and one novella in the Jessica McClain series, with the third book due out October 8, 2013.
Reading order (click title for review):
Up next... Cold Blooded
(Orbit books, expected publication October 2013)
Jessica arrives back in town to find her best friend missing and the most powerful witch in the country is blaming her for it. But before they can move to save her, the group is attacked.
On the run, Jessica and Rourke head to the mountains. Several surprises await them, but in order to save her father they are forced to leave for New Orleans early.
Arriving on the Vampire Queen's doorstep unexpectedly, and bringing trouble on their heels, the Sects are thrown into an all out war. The vicious skirmish ends up forcing the vamps and Jessica to fight on the same team.
The Vamp Queen ends up owing Jessica, but what Jessica doesn't realize is just how soon she'll have to cash it in...
GIVEAWAY:
I have one (1) signed copy of the most recent title in the Jessica McClain series, Hot Blooded, to give away here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Amanda Carlson for sponsoring the giveaway. To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter form, below, and leave a comment at the end of today’s post telling us your favorite shifter mythos (book, TV, movies, etc.). Winner will be selected randomly from eligible entries. CONTEST IS OPEN US Mailing ONLY, and prize will be mailed by the author. Contest open from July 11, 2013 until June 18, 2013 at 12:00 AM EDT-midnight. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. If you have problems with the Rafflecopter form, please email me at twimom227 at gmail dot com.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Be sure to check out the other UF Summer Reading Celebration Giveaways going on now!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration-Kristen Painter
Welcome to the Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration here at That’s What I’m Talking About!!
original images by marin & papaija2008 at FreeDigitalPhotos.com
banner designed by Jennifer from Books Make Me Happy
The celebration runs from July 1 through July 12, 2013, with guest posts, author and series spotlights and lots and lots of GIVEAWAYS!! In fact, each day there is a new post, there is new giveaway to enter! CLICK HERE for more information.
Today my special guest is blogger, Jennifer from The Book Nympho. Jennifer is here to share her love for the House of Comarré series by Kristen Painter. In addition Ms. Painter is donating a signed copy of Blood Rights to give away, details below.
Take it away, Jennifer...
Full disclosure: I’m part of Kristen Painter’s House of Pain Street Team. But that doesn’t sway my feelings about this series. I started reading before the street team was born.
The House of Comarré series by Kristen Painter is an Urban Fantasy series with a mix of supernatural creatures; Fae, Fallen Angels, Varcolai (shifters), ghosts, Comarré and vampires. All these creatures live in secret from the humans.
What the heck is a Comarré?
They’re a human hybrid species especially bred to serve the blood needs of the noble vampire race.
There are different vampires with Painter’s world.
Noble Vampires - Powerful vampire race that are born of fallen angels
Anathema - noble vampires that have been outcast.
Fringe - a lower race of vampires.
Series Setup
There is a bond that forms between a vampire and a Comarré. The vampire is known as a patron, a noble vampire that buys the blood rights of the Comarré. Once patron bond is formed they are the only vampire with the rights to feed from that Comarré.
Comarré need to release their blood or they can become sick. Their bodies produce large amounts of blood so if the do not have a patron they must bleed themselves.
The main character, Chrysabelle is on the run for killing her patron. This leads her to meeting Malkolm, a Anathema vampire. He is cursed to hear the voices of all the humans he has killed. After he was cursed any human he killed becomes a ghost to haunt him, so he will not drink from anyone so that he will not kill them.
The two decide, after much heated debate, to work together to bring down the big bad of the series and to release Malkolm from his curse. All the time the two are fighting their attraction for each other.
If you like your urban fantasy with detail rich world building and a broody alpha vampire and a chick that knows what she is going with a sword then you should check out Kristen Painter’s House of Comarré series.
Reading Order:
Blood Rights - TBN Review
Flesh and Blood - TBN Review
Bad Blood - TBN Review
Out for Blood
Last Blood - releases July 30, 2013
GIVEAWAY:
I have one (1) signed copy of the first title in the House of Comarré series, Blood Rights, to give away here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Kristen Painter for sponsoring the giveaway. To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter form, below, and leave a comment at the end of today’s post telling us your favorite vampire mythos (book, TV, movies, etc.). Winner will be selected randomly from eligible entries. CONTEST IS OPEN US Mailing ONLY, and prize will be mailed by the author. Contest open from July 10, 2013 until June 17, 2013 at 12:00 AM EDT-midnight. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. If you have problems with the Rafflecopter form, please email me at twimom227 at gmail dot com.
Be sure to check out the other UF Summer Reading Celebration Giveaways going on now!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration-Ilona Andrews
Welcome to the Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration here at That’s What I’m Talking About!!
original images by marin & papaija2008 at FreeDigitalPhotos.com
banner designed by Jennifer from Books Make Me Happy
The celebration runs from July 1 through July 12, 2013, with guest posts, author and series spotlights and lots and lots of GIVEAWAYS!! In fact, each day there is a new post, there is new giveaway to enter! CLICK HERE for more information.
Today I’m here to share my love for the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews (the writing team of Ilona & Gordon Andrews). In addition, I’ve got LOTS of Kate books to giveaway! The prizes are listed below, so keep reading.
The Kate Daniel series takes place on an alternate Earth where there has been a “magic apocalypse,” and now magic battles technology for dominance. Magic comes in “waves,” and during those times, technology doesn’t work too well. This has caused the destruction of much of the modern world; things like skyscrapers have crumbled, cars and phones are not reliable, and mechanized weapons quit working while magic is up.
The series features a sword wielding, kick-ass heroine named Kate Daniels. As a human among shifters, witches, necromancers and other paranormals, she can fight with the best of them. She seems to attract trouble where ever she goes. Currently, Kate is mated with the king of the shifters, Curran, and she runs a detective agency to help solve those "interesting" crimes no one else will tackle. Her best friend, Andrea, has her own book and plays a critical role in the overall storylines.
Currently there are six published full-length titles, three novellas, a short short and a handful of snippets rewritten from Curran’s POV in the Kate Daniels series, with the seventh book due out July 30, 2013. Note: Gunmetal Magic, the sixth book, is from Andrea’s POV and not considered a “Kate Daniels” book, per se. However, it is critical to the series and reading order, so I lump the all together!
Reading order (click title for review or more info):
Questionable Client (free for a limited time, short story, prequel to the series)
Magic Mourns (Raphael and Andrea novella)
Magic Dreams (Jim and Dali novella)
Magic Gifts (novella)
GUNMETAL MAGIC – Andrea’s book
MAGIC RISES – release date July 30, 2013
About Magic Rises
(Ace, July 30, 2013)
Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.
Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.
Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…
Book Tour Schedule
July 31 Murder by the Book – Houston, TX @ 6:30pm
August 1 Book People – Austin, TX @ 7pm
August 3 Mysterious Galaxy – San Diego, CA @ 2pm
GIVEAWAY:
I have a great line up of books for you! There are four (4) chances to win!
Thank you to ACE/Penguin publishing for the first giveaway:
- One (1) copy of the upcoming title, Magic Rises and one (1) copy of the first title in the Kate Daniels series, Magic Bites.
Thank you to Ilona and Gordon Andrews for the next three giveaways:
- A set of Kate books to include: Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, and Magic Bleeds plus Gunmetal Magic
- Two (2) additional copies (two winners) of Gunmetal Magic
To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter form, below, and leave a comment at the end of today’s post telling us your favorite kick-butt heroine (book, TV, movies, etc.). Winners will be selected randomly from eligible entries. CONTEST IS OPEN to US MAILING only. The first prize listed will be mailed by the publisher and the other three prizes will be mailed by me. Contest open from July 9, 2013 until June 16, 2013 at 12:00 AM EDT-midnight. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. If you have problems with the Rafflecopter form, please email me at twimom227 at gmail dot com.
UF Summer Reading Celebration Giveaways:
7/8: Suzanne Johnson, signed copy of winner's choice Sentinels of New Orleans book + swag
7/5: Darynda Jones, signed copy of winner's choice Charley Davidson book
7/3: ML Brennan, signed copy of Generation V
Monday, July 8, 2013
Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration-Suzanne Johnson
Welcome to the Urban Fantasy Summer Reading Celebration here at That’s What I’m Talking About!!
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original images by marin & papaija2008 at FreeDigitalPhotos.com
banner designed by Jennifer from Books Make Me Happy
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The celebration runs from July 1 through July 12, 2013, with guest posts, author and series spotlights and lots and lots of GIVEAWAYS!! In fact, each day there is a new post, there is new giveaway to enter! CLICK HERE for more information.
Today UF author Suzanne Johnson is here to talk about the paranormal citizens from her Sentinels of New Orleans series. In addition, Ms. Johnson is donating a signed copy of your choice of Royal Street or River Road in an author swag bag. Open internationally, details below.
New Orleans’ Population is Growing (and I Don’t Mean Humans)
I’ll say it up front—I love a paranormal multiverse. You know, where there are all kinds of species milling about and creating mayhem usually right under the noses of unsuspecting humans. So when I set out to create the world for my Sentinels of New Orleans series, I considered any species fair game…as long as I gave them a good old New Orleans twist. A little something extra—what we in NOLA call lagniappe.
So in Royal Street, when Hurricane Katrina tore down the metaphysical borders between the human world and the Beyond, where most of the preternaturals lived and played, I opened the floodgates to a hidden world we’ve only begun to plunder.
In Royal Street, in addition to a voodoo god come to life, we were introduced to:
*WIZARDS. The wizards, who mainstream with humans as long as they don’t reveal their powers, are divided into four congresses, depending on what kind of magic they wield. The series heroine, DJ Jaco (short for Drusilla Jane, which she understandably avoids using), is a Green Congress wizard, the geeks of the wizarding world. I like to think of her as Severus Snape with a ponytail and a slightly better attitude. DJ is also a sentinel—sort of a paranormal border guard, keeping the preternatural species (the pretes) in line and off human radar. And as she learns in the book, she also has quite a bit of elf DNA back in the old gene pool, although we don’t meet any elves. Yet.
*SHAPESHIFTERS and WERES. There are true shifters, who can transform at will into an animal—what animal depends on the shifter. This is a hereditary trait that often skips many generations. Shifters are born, not made. Weres are another matter—part virus, part magic. In Royal Street, we meet both a canine shapeshifter and a Louisiana loup-garou, which is a violent, loner breed of werewolf. They’re big, bad-tempered, have no respect for pack rules, and often have to be killed if they leave the Beyond. They’re closely monitored in the human world.
* THE HISTORICAL UNDEAD. These are not undead in the sense of vampires. In fact, they look just as human as the rest of us…except they’re not. These are famous people given immortality in the Beyond by the magic of human memory. So in Old Orleans, the kind of wild-west border town between modern New Orleans and the Beyond, you might see famous New Orleanians such as Marie Laveau, Louis Armstrong, Tennessee Williams, or the infamous early 19th-century pirate Jean Lafitte. Only now that the borders are down, the Historical Undead can just stroll right on into town, which is how Louis Armstrong and Marie Laveau achieve small roles in Royal Street—and how Le Capitaine Jean Lafitte became a major series character. (He’ll live forever because, as he’s quick to point out, he’s quite unforgettable.)
In River Road, the world expanded a bit further. We hear mention of vampires and weregators, and get up close and personal with a few other species:
* MERPEOPLE. Mers are actually aquatic shapeshifters in the Sentinel world. Mermen and merwomen (they don’t much like being called “maids” anymore, being a modern sort of folk) mainstream easily into human society. Most of the mers in Louisiana are descended from the French-speaking Acadians driven from Nova Scotia by the British in the 1700s—today, we call them Cajuns. Our Cajun mers can shift partially into classic half human merfolk form, or they can fully shift into big fish. Really big fish. Ironically, most of them make their living in the busy Louisiana fishing industry. They tend to be kind of prickly, especially where wizards are concerned, and are very fond of fighting, food, and sex.
* NYMPHS. One would think nymphs could mainstream more easily into human society than merfolk, but the nymphs in the Sentinels series have a bit of a problem. They don’t understand why their new escort service in the French Quarter is problematic, for example. I mean, they’ve even added a few satyrs to the payroll to draw in female customers. What’s the problem? Well, the wizards worry that the nymphs will eventually draw unwelcome attention from someone like, say, the vice squad. And the Satyrs’ goat-pupils limit their ability to mingle.
* ELVES. We get our first look at an elf in River Road, albeit a short one (the look, not the elf). We know they have some forms of mental powers, and the member of the Elven Synod that DJ runs into on her dinner date with Jean Lafitte (don’t even ask) just about sucked the brain out of her head with a single touch. We’re starting to suspect that elves are Bad News.
Now, as we get ready for Elysian Fields to come out next month, it’s time to introduce—or further illuminate—our paranormal world. Some things to look for:
* NECROMANTIC WIZARDS. A rare skill among wizards is necromancy, the ability to raise the dead. They can raise zombies, who are basically shambling, uber-strong puppets that do the wizard’s will. But what happens when a necromancer raises a member of the historical undead—himself a sentinel being with a will of his own? And what if this sentient zombielike being happens to have been an infamous serial killer in his human life? Uh-oh.
* ELVES, AGAIN. We’ll really meet the elves in Elysian Fields. Interesting species, elves. They can easily mainstream with humans but have chosen not to do so up until now because they’re incredibly arrogant. But now they know that our girl DJ can do a bit of elven magic and has been claimed by one of the elves’ ancestral staffs. DJ definitely has their attention, and let’s just say one really does not want to capture the elves’ attention. Elves are not exactly bad. They just aren’t exactly good, either.
* VAMPIRES. The vampires have quickly taken advantage of the borders dropping between worlds and the Regent of Vampyre from the Gulf South has already set up a swanky bar, L’Amour Sauvage, in the French Quarter, along with a vampire tour company called Tour Blood. But are the vampires allies of the wizards? Or are they forming their own alliances against the wizards?
As the book winds up, we’ll find some new wrinkles in our magical world that will test the straining alliances. Who knows what species we might meet next?
Do you have a favorite paranormal species? Leave a comment for a chance to win your choice of a signed copy of Royal Street or River Road in an author swag bag (which also might feature…books!) Open internationally.
Thank you to Suzanne for stopping by and sharing more about your wonderful Sentinels of New Orleans series. Currently there are two published full-length titles in the series, with the third book due out August 13, 2013.
Reading order (click title for review):
About Elysian Fields
(TOR Books, August 13, 2013)
The mer feud has been settled, but life in South Louisiana still has more twists and turns than the muddy Mississippi.
New Orleanians are under attack from a copycat killer mimicking the crimes of a 1918 serial murderer known as the Axeman of New Orleans. Thanks to a tip from the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, DJ Jaco knows the attacks aren’t random—an unknown necromancer has resurrected the original Axeman of New Orleans, and his ultimate target is a certain blonde wizard. Namely, DJ.
Combatting an undead serial killer as troubles pile up around her isn’t easy. Jake Warin’s loup-garou nature is spiraling downward, enigmatic neighbor Quince Randolph is acting weirder than ever, the Elders are insisting on lessons in elven magic from the world’s most annoying wizard, and former partner Alex Warin just turned up on DJ’s to-do list. Not to mention big maneuvers are afoot in the halls of preternatural power.
Suddenly, moving to the Beyond as Jean Lafitte’s pirate wench could be DJ’s best option.
GIVEAWAY:
I have one (1) signed copy of winner’s choice of Royal Street or River Road in an author swag bag (which also might feature…books!), to give away here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Suzanne for sponsoring the giveaway. To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter form, below, and leave a comment at the end of today’s post answering Suzanne’s question: Do you have a favorite paranormal species? (book, TV, movies, etc.). Winner will be selected randomly from eligible entries. CONTEST IS OPEN INTERNATIONALLY, and prize will be mailed by the author. Contest open from July 8, 2013 until June 15, 2013 at 12:00 AM EDT-midnight. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. If you have problems with the Rafflecopter form, please email me at twimom227 at gmail dot com.
UF Summer Reading Celebration Giveaways:
7/5: Darynda Jones, signed copy of winner's choice Charley Davidson book
7/3: ML Brennan, signed copy of Generation V
7/2: Jennifer Estep, signed copy of Deadly Sting
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