Lance Erlick's Rebel Series

Tour Page and Schedule

THE REBEL WITHIN (264 pages)

Action packed first book in Rebel series.

Annabelle (16) faces adult dilemmas and a fight for her life. Orphaned at age three when the military took her parents, she’s a tomboy who rebels against her conformist society, which pushes her to become a cop intern to catch escaped boys. Then she’s forced to choose between joining the elite military that took her parents or being torn from her beloved sister and adoptive mom.

The Rebel Within turns our male dominated world upside down. After the Second American Civil War, the Federal Union pursues a utopian society without men by rounding up the remaining males, and enforcing Harmony. Central to their plan is EggFusion Fertilization and Female Mechanized Warriors.

In this world, Annabelle faces a cop intern boss who hates her, a military commander who demands too much, and an amazon bully who won’t leave her alone. She meets a handsome boy who escapes prison. As she tries to survive rigorous military training and hunt for her imprisoned birth mother, Annabelle must choose between capturing the boy and helping him escape, while she wrestles with the consequences of her actions.

  Goodreads |  Amazon | Amazon INT

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 THE REBEL TRAP (259 pages)
 

Voices in 16-year-old Annabelle’s head aren’t God or signs she’s going mad—yet.

The Rebel Trap sweeps readers into a haunting world with no privacy. Written as a standalone story, it also follows Annabelle’s adventures from The Rebel Within.

Auditory implants and contact cams allow her military commander from the unit that took her parents to watch her 24-7. A boy she helped to escape hacks her implants to plead for her help. She’s forced to be a cop and military spy investigating her police captain as well as capturing escaped boys. Observed constantly, Annabelle has to dance between helping the escaped boy she likes free his brother from a heavily guarded geek institute, her job to capture him, and the feud between her military commander and the police chief she’s expected to spy on.

A pawn in a bigger game, no one believes she can handle this, which may be her greatest asset.

 Goodreads | AmazonUS | Amazon INT

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REBELS DIVIDED (286 pages)

Rebels Divided is a fun thrill ride written as a standalone action story, but also part of the Rebel series, three years later.

The first time Geo sees Annabelle, they meet as enemies and she doesn’t kill him. That’s worth something. Geo (19) is a rugged frontiersman who hungers to see more of the world than the impoverished Outland glen where he and his pa hide from local Rangers. Annabelle (19) is a tough yet fragile tomboy who lost her parents at age three to the Mech Warriors. Then she’s forced to become a Mech.

After the Second American Civil War, the nation divides into two ‘utopias’. The Federal Union enforces Harmony and an all-female society protected by Mechanized Warriors. The Outland promotes rugged individualism, but Thane Edwards holds a monopoly of power with his Rangers. The Union’s Tenn-tucky governor and the Outland warlord conclude a secret deal, pledging Annabelle to the warlord to provide heirs, and putting a bounty on Geo and his pa.

Hunted by military from both sides, Geo and Annabelle struggle to overcome mutual distrust in order to work together to rescue her sister and gain justice for the murder of his father.

Goodreads |  Amazon US | Amazon INT

 

About the Author:

Lance Erlick grew up in various parts of the United States and Europe. He took to stories as his anchor and was inspired by his father’s engineering work on cutting-edge aerospace projects to look to the future. He studied creative writing at Northwestern University and University of Iowa.

He writes science fiction, dystopian and young adult stories and likes to explore the future implications of social and technological trends. He is the author of The Rebel Within, The Rebel Trap, and Rebels Divided, three books in the Rebel series. In those stories, he flips traditional exploitation to explore the effects of a world that discriminates against males and the consequences of following conscience for those coming of age. Erlick lives in the Chicago area with his family.

Find learn more about the author and his stories visit his website at LanceErlick.com.

 

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Giveaway:

(2) $25 Amazon Gift Cards (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Storms of Lazarus by Karen Kincy ~ Cover Reveal and Giveaway

Today we're bringing you the cover reveal for Storms of Lazarus by Karen Kincy.  This is the second book in the Shadows of Asphodel series.  This is a new adult dieselpunk romance and releases in July.  Check out this stunning cover and then enter the giveaway!

Storms of Lazarus (Shadows of Asphodel #2)

Sometimes escape is impossible. Sometimes love isn't enough.

1913. Christmas Eve. Ardis hardly expects a quiet holiday with Wendel, between fleeing Constantinople and hiding from an ancient society of assassins. And they owe a debt to a certain archmage.

In Königsberg, Prussia, they work with Konstantin on the next evolution of Project Lazarus. Wendel once called Königsberg home, the city now besieged by the Russians and their clockwork engines of war. This may be Wendel’s last chance to save his family and find redemption, but he's tormented by nightmares and tempted by laudanum. Ardis fears her love isn’t enough to save Wendel. Her hands are full piloting the automatons, and she's terrified to tell him a secret of her own. Will they—and their love—survive the storms of war?

Goodreads

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Shadows of Asphodel (Shadows of Asphodel #1)

She never asked for the undying loyalty of a necromancer.

1913. Austria-Hungary. Ardis knows better than to save a man on the battlefield. Even if he manages to be a charming bastard while bleeding out in the snow. She hasn’t survived this long as a mercenary without some common sense.

When she rescues Wendel, it isn’t because he's devilishly handsome, but because he's a necromancer. His touch can revive the dead, and Ardis worries he will return from the grave to hunt her down. Besides, a necromancer can be useful in this world on the brink of war.

A gentleman of questionable morals, Wendel drops to one knee and pledges his undying loyalty to Ardis. She resists falling for him, no matter how hot the tension smolders between them. Especially when she discovers Wendel's scars run much deeper than his skin, and it might be too late to truly save him from himself.

Goodreads | Amazon

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About the Author: 

Karen Kincy (Kirkland, Washington) can be found lurking in her writing cave, though sunshine will lure her outside. When not writing, she stays busy gardening, tinkering with aquariums, or running just one more mile. Karen has a BA in Linguistics and Literature from The Evergreen State College.

Find the author: Website | Twitter | Facebook 

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Giveaway:

Prize one:  signed paperbacks of Shadows of Asphodel and Storms of Lazarus. US only

Prize two: ebooks of Shadows of Asphodel and Storms of Lazarus. Open worldwide

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions

Smoulder by Kelbian Noel ~ Cover Reveal & Giveaway

I'm excited to share the cover for Smolder, book three in The Witchbound series by Kelbian Noel.  This is a YA urban fantasy series and the first two books are Roots and Sprung.  Check out the gorgeous cover and then enter to win a $25 gift card!

Smolder (Witchbound #3) by Kelbian Noel

About Smolder:

Calida Cevallos has never been special. In fact, as far as she’s concerned, there isn’t an exceptional bone in her body. But, this summer, she’ll discover extraordinary literally runs through her veins.

I’ve always been a burden. The girl people put up with, the one they tolerated. When I finally found someone who actually wanted me around, I couldn’t have be happier. But lately something’s been bubbling at the surface. Something wants to break free…and I’m afraid it’s me.

I love him. And, for a time, I thought I needed him. Now I’m not so sure. These days, I get the feeling I’m the one who’s needed. By whom? I’m about to find out.

Goodreads 

Roots (Witchbound Book One) by Kelbian Noel

288 pages

Seventeen-year-old Baltimore Land just wants to be normal, but magic has other plans.

I don’t consider myself a witch, that’s my parents’ thing. I’ve never really believed in magic either. Sure, I tried it a few times. Fell for the whole “magic happens” thing. But it didn’t happen to me. No amount of rhyming stopped my parents from moving me halfway across the country. Not one spell stopped me from being labeled the town freak.

And worst of all, no matter how many times I begged the Universe to bring my twin back, I was ignored. Until now.

He’s back all right. And in a magical bind of his own. Not the magic-won’t-work-for-me kind either. In fact, it’s working a little too well. Too dark. Too deep.

It turns out our entire family’s magical roots run just as deep and my brother didn’t end up where he is by accident. So I’m going to help him. But magic isn’t really on my side. Nope. Once I finally get the craft under control, I’m expected to abandon the one person in the world who’s closest to me, just to save myself.

Amazon | Goodreads | Book Trailer

Sprung (Witchbound Book Two) by Kelbian Noel

336 pages

Since she discovered magic, seventeen-year-old Skye Jackson’s life is almost perfect. Almost. Even perfect has its glitches.

What happens when the one with all the power makes the biggest mistakes? Welcome to my life.

Four months ago, I couldn’t have been happier. When my parents got divorced, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. Especially when Mom married a guy half her age. But then I found out I wasn’t the average Joana. Discovering magic existed and, best of all, I could use it, made everything easier to deal with. That is until I got a little too spell happy. But what girl wouldn’t defend her best friend against a world-class creep? Now I’m stuck in a nightmare, forced to make life and death decisions I never dreamed I’d face.

Love the magic, hate the responsibility.

Book Trailer

Amazon | Goodreads

About the Author:

Kelbian Noel was born on a warm June night in Moncton, New Brunswick. From a very young age, she loved to read. She found herself engulfed in novels by Janette Oke and L.M. Montgomery, but never seemed to find herself in the pages. At the age of 11 she declared she would simply have to rewrite them, and become the youngest author in history. But life was full of baseball, homework, BFFs and boys. Decades later, having studied writing in college and pursued it as a career, she rediscovered her hobby. She is excited to introduce The Witchbound Series to the world with hopes someone will love this story as much as she does. Kelbian lives in Toronto, Ontario with her two children (where, thanks to a thick layer of smog, Junes are much warmer than they used to be).

She is the founder of www.diverse-pages.com and blogs there often, in the company of some pretty cool people.

Website | Goodreads Author Page | Amazon Author Page | Twitter | Facebook 

 Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions

Heidi Garrett's The Girl Who Believed in Fairy Tales

The Girl Who Believed in Fairy Tales

Sub Genre: Magical Realism

Release Date: June 23, 2014

Heather Baker believes in fairy tales, and she turns to their timeless wisdom whenever life gets difficult. 

Again and again, the playfulness, symbolism, and deeper meaning in fairy tales have filled Heather with hope, nurtured her spirit, and fired her imagination. Sometimes touching, and sometimes humorous, these tales capture the three most transformative experiences in her life: 

—Heather reframes her childhood sorrow in “The Girl Who Watched for Elves” 

—She embarks upon a life imbued with meaning in “The Girl Who Dreamed of Red Shoes” 

—And after taking several wrong turns, she finds the place where she belongs in “The Girl Who Couldn’t Sing” 

The Girl Who Believed in Fairy Tales chronicles the journey of someone who was willing to change the way she viewed the world... and never stopped believing.

The Archetypal Fairy Tale Journey

Many adults love fairy tales as much as children do. Why is this so? And why are fairy tales and their retellings so enduring?

In every fairy tale, five things always happen to the fairy tale character: She leaves home, she gets lost in the woods, she faces obstacles and/or tests, she overcomes these challenges, and she finds her happily ever after.

That journey, the fairy tale character’s journey, is archetypal because it involves the task of discovering and committing to the true Self. Since each of us yearns to connect with the true Self, the archetypal fairy tale journey is compelling in the tips and clues it offers about such an undertaking.

1.

Leaving Home

Fairy Tale Character’s (FTC’s) leave home. The impetus for the departure varies; curiosity, duplicity, parents who are invasive, stepparents who are envious, a call to duty and/or sacrifice—something—ousts the naive child from their secure, loving environment.

2.

Getting Lost in the Woods

The FTC always stumbles and falls psychologically, metaphorically, and literally in the first stage of her journey. Her naiveté, fear, and inexperience lead her to make poor choices that inevitably heighten her dire situation.

3.

Facing Obstacles and Tests

As more trouble is heaped upon the FTC, she is driven to experiment. She must embrace her innate strength, courage, and/or cleverness; and she must make wiser choices in regards to her relationships and who she trusts. Otherwise, she’ll be fated to eke out a meek/mean/meager/impoverished existence… or die.

4.

Overcoming the Challenges

Once the FTC comes into her own, i.e. once her consciousness has evolved to the point where she has become her own authority, she can achieve mastery over the trials that face her.

5.

Living Happily Ever After

Living in accordance with her true nature, and following her true path, is the FTC’s ultimate living happily ever after. Partnering with the beloved is a function of her matured Self.

Throughout our very real lives, we cycle through these phases again and again and again. Fairy tales, presumably the province of children, can be quite effective in spurring adults toward believing in themselves—and Happily Ever Afters—as well.

That is the enduring power of the archetypal fairy tale journey.

About The Girl Who Couldn’t Sing:

She began to meditate upon "The Ugly Duckling” for she'd always imagined herself as a misplaced swan. But with all the changes, and her sadness shedding like the skin of snake, she'd stare in the mirror and whisper, “Perhaps, you're not even a bird."

Heather Baker struggles to find the balance between fantasy and reality in her everyday life. Enticed by Neptune, the planet that rules everything hazy and glamourous--she's desperate to become the next indie singer/songwriter sensation. Dogged by Saturn, the planet that rules obstacles and everything practical--she's confronted with the limitations of her abilities and talent.

Which planet will win?

“The Girl Who Couldn’t Sing” is free on Amazon June 23rd-27th!

Author Bio

Heidi Garrett is the author of the contemporary fairy tale novella collection, Once Upon a Time Today. In these stand-alone retellings of popular and obscure fairy tales, adult characters navigate the deep woods of the modern landscape to find their Happily Ever Afters.

She's also the author of the Daughter of Light series, a fantasy about a young half-faerie, half-mortal searching for her place in the Whole. Heidi's latest project is a collaboration with Billie Limpin. They're cooking up a yummy paranormal romance!

Signup for Heidi's newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/wWKUj for discounts on all new releases!

Heidi was born in Texas, and in an attempt to reside in as many cities in that state as she could, made it to Houston, Lubbock, Austin, and El Paso. She now lives in Eastern Washington state with her husband, their two cats, her laptop, and her Kindle.

Being from the South, she often contemplates the magic of snow.

Website/Blog

Facebook for Heidi Garrett

Facebook for The Magic Cupcake Series

Giveaway:

5 lucky people get a signed copy of The Girl Who Believed in Fairy Tales and a happily every after bracelet 

US only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions

Leanne Pearson's FRACTURED

 

To celebrate the release of Fractured we have a teaser tour for you all to go along with a great giveaway! Fractured is a New Adult Contemporary Romance by Leanne Pearson.  It just released June 1st, 2014.

Fractured by Leanne Pearson

For twenty three year old Katrina Smith, the events of one day irrevocably changed her life. Life in Christchurch, New Zealand, couldn't have been better. She was in love with a wonderful man, had a job she enjoyed, and had her life mapped out before her... What dawned as a typical summer’s day, changed into a day of devastation and overwhelming loss. An insidious danger lay beneath the benign land surface, seismic tension, like a ticking time-bomb, was counting down to a catastrophe. And Kate and her boyfriend, Daniel, were in its path. It took mere seconds for the world to be ripped out from under her. Suddenly, Kate was deluged by a vortex of Post Traumatic Stress, guilt and crippling anguish. Dominic Dell’Antonio, an American marine working in New Zealand, was a man hiding from his own demons which lurked behind depthless blue eyes that read so much, yet yielded so little. He kept himself aloof and isolated. Nightmares regularly plagued him. As Kate slipped under a suffocating wave of heartache, she blocks out the world behind self imposed walls, drowning in the torrents of grief. Quiet, yet commanding, Dominic connects with Kate on some inexplicably deeper level. He wants to protect her. He wants to make her his. Two damaged and guarded souls drawn together through tragic circumstances. Two lonely hearts drawn to one another to find comfort.

Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes

TEASER:

 He leans across the table and moves the hair out of my face to touch my cheek. I inwardly cringe; my ugly scar now fully exposed.

"So easy to coax a blush outta this gorgeous face, ain’t it?" he murmurs.

My cheek tingles where his fingers brushed across it and butterflies take flight in my stomach. Oddly, I have the urge to cry though, as his touch stirs memories of a forgotten longing: The yearning to be touched intimately. Held. Comforted. That must be it. I'm lonely. It's the only logical explanation for the confusing feelings I’m experiencing around this man.

"My face is scarred, Dominic. It's an ugly reminder I have to look at every day."

Dominic takes my hand in his, and my breath hitches. He pins me with his eyes.

"It's not somethin' I even notice, sweetheart. It's invisible to me. What I do see is an exquisitely beautiful woman who has experienced unimaginable loss and hurt, but she survived. Don't allow this to define you. Every time you look in the mirror, let that scar be a reminder that you've been given another chance at life."

"I can't, Dominic. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of what I've lost."

About the Author:

Leanne Pearson grew up in Durban, South Africa. She later immigrated to New Zealand, where she now lives with her husband and two children. During her down time, if she's not reading, she can be found relaxing outside, sipping on an apple cider, soaking up the sights and sounds of rural New Zealand. Leanne has had a few feature articles published in the newspaper over the years and has had a flair for creative writing from a very young age.

Connect with the Author:

 Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Lars Guignard's Zoe & Zak and the Tiger Temple ~ Audiobook Review & Giveaway

Tour Page and Schedule

 

Zoe and Zak and the Tiger Temple by Lars Guignard  
Read by Sonja Field
Genre: Middle Grade Magic, Fantasy Adventure. Ages 8-13

About the Book:

Zoe and Zak have learned some things since their first semester at Moonstock Himalayan Academy in India:

#1 Don't trust the parrots. 
#2 Don't eat the food. 
#3 And most importantly . . . don't stick around if something crawls out of the lava hole beneath your school.

Last semester, Zoe and Zak returned the first lost Noble Truth to its rightful home. Now, the seventh graders are back in India for their second semester at Moonstock, their boarding school high in the Himalayan mountains where impossible things seem to happen on a regular basis. School kicks off with the Activity Week Challenge in the tiny mountain kingdom of Bhutan where the students must deliver medical supplies. Things take a turn for the worse when Zak becomes deathly ill after an encounter with a strange floating bubble. On returning to Moonstock, Zoe and Zak discover that a creature has come through the lava hole far below their dormitory. When Zoe and Zak follow the creature, they soon learn what they must do. They have been tasked with finding the second lost Noble Truth--the Tiger Eye of Justice. Finding the Tiger Eye sounds like an impossible mission, and it's only made more confusing when Zak discovers that he has been given a powerful gift to help with the task. But Zak's new gift is a double-edged sword, and if Zoe and Zak don't find the Tiger Eye quickly, Zak's time will run out. The Tiger Temple takes Zoe and Zak deep into an exotic world of magical enchantment and heart-pounding action. It promises to be the most thrilling Zoe and Zak adventure yet.

Audio sample is under the cover on the audible page if you want to sample it.

Audible |  iTunes | Amazon  | GoodReads

Review

If you've been following us for sometime, then you may remember our review of Zoe and Zak and the Yogi's Curse. If not, you can read it here. 

Zoe and Zak is an action packed, adventure series for middle grade students ... or even adults such as myself. The series is often compared to the Percy Jackson series. Lars has done a wonderful job at building the characters in the series. I've loved watching them grow and mature ... well, that may be pushing it for Zak! Sonja has the perfect voice that brings you right into the story. Her voice is young and fun loving.

 

  About the Author:

Prior to writing novels, Lars Guignard wrote for film and television. As a teenager he attended boarding school in the Indian Himalayas and his experiences there provided the inspiration for the Zoe and Zak series which now include: Zoe and Zak and the Ghost Leopard, Zoe and Zak and the Yogi’s Curse, and Zoe and Zak and the Tiger Temple.

He lives in the Pacific Northwest where he dodges bears and cougars while hiking and skiing the magnificent Coast Mountain Range.

For news about new releases, please join his email list here: Zoe&ZakAdventures@gmail.com

He can also be reached at the following places:

Website: www.larsguignard.com

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

About the narrator:

Sonja Field combines her life-long passion for reading with her skill as an actress to bring audiobooks to life! A dynamic and versatile narrator, she has logged hundreds of hours recording textbooks with an organization called Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic. She loved recording the action-packed Zoe and Zak and the Yogi’s Curse because of its wealth of colorful, quirky, and memorable characters.    

 

 

 

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

This tour was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

A is for Apocalypse, an anthology edited by Rhonda Parrish ~ Cover Reveal & Giveaway

 Welcome to the cover reveal for A is for Apocalypse, an anthology edited by Rhonda Parrish.

Often bleak, sometimes hopeful, always thoughtful, if A is for Apocalypse is as prescient as it is entertaining, we're in for quite a ride.” - Amanda C. Davis, author of The Lair of the Twelve Princesses

What do you get when you take twenty-six amazing writers, randomly assign them a letter of the alphabet and give them complete artistic freedom within a theme?

A is for Apocalypse

A is for Apocalypse contains twenty-six apocalyptic stories written by both well-known and up-and-coming writers. Monsters, meteors, floods, war–the causes of the apocalypses in these tales are as varied as the stories themselves.

This volume contains work by Ennis Drake, Beth Cato, Kenneth Schneyer, Damien Angelica Walters, K. L. Young, Marge Simon, Milo James Fowler, Simon Kewin, C.S. MacCath, Steve Bornstein and more!

A is for Apocalypse

Edited by Rhonda Parrish

Poise and Pen Publishing

ISBN-13: 978-0993699016

ISBN-10: 0993699014

Cover Designed by Jonathan Parrish

Editors Website | Goodreads | A is for Apocalypse Mailing List

To celebrate we have a Q and A for you with some of the contributors!

As a contributor to this anthology you are privileged to have been able to read a proof copy of it already. Aside from your own story, which one is your favourite? No spoilers, please :)

Michael Kellar - "U is for REDACTED" got to me early on, and ended up being a perfect little glimpse of what would be important when facing the end of the world.

Marge Simon - That’s really, really a hard question to answer. But I’m picking Damian Angelica Walters’ moving “U is for REDACTED”. It reminded me much of one of my top favorite dark sf stories, “Testament”.

Sara Cleto - I'll admit that I haven't read through the entire anthology yet (it will be my reward when I finish this semester's grading!), but I adore Brittany Warman's story- as always, her images are haunting, powerful, and full of wonderful folkloric resonances.

Beth Cato - I loved R. It's one of the longer stories in the anthology, I think, and it's a unique take on events leading up to the apocalypse. The whole vibe is creepy and gritty.

Blurbs:

“Editor Rhonda Parrish gives us apocalyptic fiction at its finest. There's not a whimper to be heard amongst these twenty-six End of the World stories. A wonderful collection.” -Deborah Walker, Nature Futures author.

Editor Bio:

“Rhonda Parrish is a shapeshifter with talents to match her every incarnation- magpie tenacity for picking the shiniest submissions, nightingale notes for crafting tales, and bright, feline eyes for seeking out her photographic subjects. She balances on the knife-edge of darkness and light, a sorceress of both realms.” - Sara Cleto

Giveaway:

Three ARC copies of  A is for Apocalypse. These are physical copies but I am willing to ship them to anywhere in the world. The Rafflecopter draw will run from May 12th to May 19th. On May 20th I will choose three winners and email them in order to get their shipping address. Anyone who doesn’t respond by May 27th will forfeit their prize and I will choose a new winner to receive it.

Fill out the rafflecopter to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.