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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Guest Post and Giveaway: Run by Gillian Zane


I'm delighted to have Author Gillian Zane with us today! Welcome!! I thought we'd chat about what is it about New Orleans that attracted you to it as a location for your story?


New Orleans. The perfect background for my series.

Why? The easy answer is: I was born in New Orleans. Raised in New Orleans. And will die here, in New Orleans. It is just how these things go.


Before we go deep though, let me introduce myself. I'm Gillian Zane and I decided to write a zombie series, based in New Orleans, that features a VERY strong romance within the survival sequence. When I first began to write, or really, when I first began seriously writing fiction...a mantra that went through my head, enforced by English professor after English professor and random blog posts, was "Write what you know." But, I wanted to write about happily-ever-afters and zombies, vampires and other fun paranormal creatures. I love those things. Always have. Unfortunately, I've never met a real vampire or zombie, so I didn't really know those things. I do know New Orleans, though. So, to give it a REAL feeling, I placed my series in New Orleans. 

I wouldn't have placed it anywhere else, but I did think about it. I've lived in a few Texas cities and a brief stint in NYC. I probably could have written about those places and made it believable. But, there is no place like New Orleans. The city is the perfect backdrop for a paranormal series. It usually showcases more decadent paranormals, witches, vampires and a ghoul here or there, but it is also perfect for the not so decadent. The paranormals you RUN from. 

As a New Orleanian, at the back of my mind is always the water that surrounds us. The lakes, the river, the marshes and the power that they wield. I live on the Mississippi River, I moved there after my last house flooded. You have to have a contingency plan living in a city like New Orleans. Food storage, ax in the attic for quick escapes and a generator for when we lose pow-er. There will be another hurricane, there will be flooding, there will be no power for weeks at a time. To think another way is silly, like living in Kansas and saying, "I'll never experience a tor-nado." 


 This thought process and love of the paranormal led me to zombies (okay, I'll blame my Walking Dead obsession too) and how I would survive a zombie apocalypse. Because of my own crazy ideas, thoughts and escape plans - I formulated a best case scenario that inspired the NOLA Zombie series. So, to answer your question, I couldn't have used any other city, but my own, my New Orleans.

Images stock photography from kozzi.com and hurricane katrina image from WikiCommons no-aa image.


Fantastic!! Thank you so much for hanging out with us today!! Hope you all enjoyed it as well! Find out more about RUN below and remember to add it to your TBR List or better yet, BUY IT! Links are below! You can learn more about Gillian below as well and find out where to stalk her I mean find her as well! Don't forget to enter the fabulous giveaway!! 


Run
(NOLA Zombie, Book #1)
by Gillian Zane

Blurb: 
Zombies are on the loose in New Orleans and of all the End of the World scenarios, Alexis Winter wasn’t prepared for this one. But, an apocalypse is an apocalypse and she should have this covered. She has been “prepping” for the last three years. The problem is location and timing. She’s stuck downtown and she has to get to her house on the outskirts of the city so she can get her supplies and bug-in (for the “non-preppers” this means hole up and stay safe).

Agreeing to work on a Saturday is now coming back to bite her on the ass big time. Hopefully, it won’t be a literal bite by the walking dead.

Luck favors the prepared, and as luck would have it, it comes in the form of the ridiculously hot Blake Miller. Former military man, current mercenary, Blake Miller, the man with the plan, his goal: steal a boat and trek up the Mississippi until they find safety. Alexis thinks this is a great plan and she decides to team up with Blake. The two team up in unexpected ways as they find they can’t keep their hands off of each other even when the world is falling down around them.

Can Alexis and Blake survive the end of the world, and if they do make it through the night, find a place that is safe and secure? Can their newfound attraction lead them down the road to love or heartbreak?

Zombies, sex, romance and carnage…you can’t get any better than this.


Available for purchase at 

      



Book Trailer: 




About The Author

Gillian Zane has been writing fiction stories since she was first able to put pen to paper. She has 
published a few non-fiction books in her field of study, which is Art, but finally, after all, these 
years her first fiction novella is being released. Gillian is obsessed with anything that gives her a 
thrill and feels adding romance to any storyline is a good thing. She was born and raised in New 
Orleans, Louisiana and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. She lives with her husband, too 
many animals in a little house that has way too many books.

         


Giveaway



Hosted by Parajunkie

Gift Ideas for the Book Lover #33





Found some cute items for this week's "Gift Idea For The Book Lover"!  Scroll down below and check out this week's items and let me know which is your favorite? 





Alice in Wonderland, Notebook, If you don't know where your going, Journal, gift, Sketchbook, Cheshire Cat, Quote, Personalized, Book Quote
$8.00 (plus S&H)


Perfect for Alive in Wonderland Fan.

WHAT'S INCLUDED
One "If you don't know where your going" Notebook with Lined or Blank Pages

* If you would like the phrase shown at the bottom, Please put name for personalization on journal in "Message to Seller" at checkout! If no name is given the phrase will not be used. 








Book Nerd Bookmark, book nerd, book accessory, literature gift, quote bookmark, book lover, bookworm, literature, handmade, gift for her
$18.00 (plus S&H)

For the book lover, this "book nerd" bookmark is the perfect gift! The pendant is printed on archival quality paper, and sealed to preserve the ink. It is topped with a solid glass dome which gives it great substance and slight magnification and set inside an antiqued brass bookmark setting. 

Cabochon Size: 20mm
Bookmark Size: 85mm x28 mm

✦We use only the highest quality materials in each of our special pieces

✦Each item is packaged individually in a gift box for easy gift giving.





Alice in Wonderland - Book on the bag - Lewis Carroll - bag - Canvas - messenger bag - Cheshire Cat - Mad Hatter - brown
$33.99 (plus S&H)

"Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Caroll

Quote:

“You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.” 

In details:

100% cotton canvas
14-oz.
Heavy enzyme-washed
Cotton webbing straps
Front flap with antique brass turn-buckles
Inside hanging zippered pocket
12"W x 16"L x 3.5"D
Strap max length is 45-46 inches (adjustable)

It is a handcrafted item so it can have some flaws like, for example, ink intensity irregularity or lines shifted or not aligned perfectly. We do our best to avoid it but it's done by hand so every piece is unique... Please keep this in mind! And if you're not completely satisfied - please, let us know.





Narnia Lamp Post Brooch - Narnia Jewelry - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis - Gifts for Book Lovers
$22.00+ (plus S&H)

Handmade Narnia Lamp Post Brooch inspired by The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe from the Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis. 

Featuring an illustration of the Narnia lamp post surrounded by a page of text from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, this charming silver brooch is the perfect piece of book page jewelry for readers who can't get enough of the beloved Narnia books by C. S. Lewis. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DETAILS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Materials: Silver - plated pewter, resin, ink, paper
- Dimensions: Approximately 1.75" (45.7 mm) tall by 1" (28.4 mm) wide
- Fastens with locking brooch pin
- Finish: Antique Silver

The Narnia Lamp Post Brooch can also be worn as a pendant with the addition of an optional 18-20 inch (46 – 50 cm) silver - plated brass chain.






If items are no longer available, please contact the seller to request further information. 




Click here to see more gift ideas!!
Visit us every Wednesdays for more awesome gift/present ideas for you or the 
Book Lover in your life!!! 

Cover Reveal Blitz: Exposing the Heiress by Jennifer Apodaca


Exposing the Heiress 
(Once a Marine series, Bk #3)
by Jennifer Apodaca

Blurb:
This Marine will protect her at all costs…

When wealthy heiress Alyssa Brooks finds out her stepfather has been paying her fiancé to marry her, she's humiliated and betrayed. She quickly breaks the engagement, only to be blackmailed by her now ex-fiancé, who threatens both Alyssa and the son she gave up for adoption. With nowhere to go, she turns to the one man she can trust.

Former Marine sniper Hunter Reece's lethal skills could save Alyssa's life. But his little sister's best friend has turned into a woman, who is an irresistible mix of secrets and sexiness. And while Hunter can trust himself to protect her, he can't trust himself to keep his attraction hidden...or even pretend to be the man that Alyssa remembers. 

Because the only way to keep the lovely heiress safe is to become the one thing he knows she could never love...a killer.


Release Date: 
August 8th 2015 

Published by Entangled Publishing: Ignite




Once a Marine Series

















Available for purchase at 

            




Available for purchase at 


          



About the Author 


Award winning author Jennifer Apodaca grew up in Southern California and met her very own hero at the dog pound. She worked there, he came in on business, and it was puppy love. They married and had three wonderful sons.

While her husband worked on his master’s degree, Jen did the mom thing by day and went to college at night with the intention of pursuing a marketing degree. But her true passion was writing. With time at a premium, she had to make a choice.

Choosing writing, and with the full support of her husband, she poured herself into her dream. A mere eight years later, she published her first book DATING CAN BE MURDER. In her career, Jen has written a fun and sexy mystery series and a variety of contemporary romances. Taking the pen name of Jennifer Lyon, she also created a dark, sizzling paranormal series, and most recently, The Plus One Chronicles, an emotional and sexy adult contemporary series.

Jen has achieved many of her dreams except for attaining a self-cleaning house, a latte delivery service, and finding the holy grail of nonfattening wine and chocolate. She can live with those disappointments as long as she can keep writing the stories she loves to share with readers.

Find Jen at:

    

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Release Day Blitz: Cold Fear by Toni Anderson


Cold Fear 
(Cold Justice #4)
By Toni Anderson 

Blurb:

A relentless FBI profiler hunts a vicious killer.

When old evidence turns up on a fresh corpse, ASAC Lincoln Frazer is determined it won’t delay the execution of a convicted serial killer. But when more young women are brutally slain, it becomes clear—this new killer is intimately familiar with the old murders.

A dedicated emergency physician hides a dark secret.

Former Army Captain Dr. Isadora Campbell helped her mother hide a terrible crime. After her mother’s death, Izzy resigned her commission and returned to the Outer Banks to raise her rebellious teenage sister. But it doesn’t take long for Izzy to suspect that someone knows exactly what she did, all those years ago.

If they work together, maybe no one else will die.

With pressure mounting to reopen the old case, Frazer will use any means possible to catch the killer. Thrust together during the investigation, he and Izzy find themselves reluctantly attracted to one another, and begin an affair. Meanwhile, the killer is much closer than they think. Izzy’s confession of her secret drives Frazer away as he struggles with her deception. By the time he realizes he’s fallen in love with the stubborn woman, the killer has her. Now the race is on to save Izzy, and any chance of a future they might have together. 



Available for purchase at 

            


 Excerpt


Izzy grabbed sheets, towels and comforters, battling with the towering pile as she headed toward the door. The sound of Kit’s sobs drove nails of grief through her heart but she kept moving. Izzy was used to stressful situations and coped with disaster by keeping busy. Maybe that’s why she’d gravitated toward emergency medicine. Maximum chaos, minimum time to think.
She grabbed the keys off the rack next to the door. “If the Feds can help catch Helena’s killer this has to be a good thing. Tell them everything you know.”
“But I don’t know anything,” Kit wailed.
With one exception Izzy was a big believer in following the rules, which had made her a damn good Army officer. She opened the door and there stood the federal agent, Frazer.
He was one of those individuals who was so ridiculously handsome you could barely look at him. Worse, he knew it.
“Kit,” she shouted. “The FBI is here, baby.”
Barney came to meet the newcomer. Izzy expected the man to be too self-important to greet the dog but he went down on his haunches and gave Barney a good scratch on the neck. After a few moments of mutual adoration the guy stood. The blue of his tie matched the ocean in his eyes. “What’s his name?”
“Barney—or barmy, depending on the day.” She held his gaze, and he took it for the challenge it was. “You can talk to Kit alone, but if she decides she doesn’t want to speak to you anymore she doesn’t have to.” She called over her shoulder. “Did you hear that, Kit? I’ll be at the cottage. If you get uncomfortable with Agent—” She turned back to the guy. “Sorry, what was your name again?”
“ASAC Frazer.” His eyes glinted, obviously not used to women forgetting details. Or maybe knowing she’d lied about the fact to give herself a little power when she felt so powerless.
“If you don’t want to talk to ASAC Frazer, come over to the cottage and get me, okay?”
Kit mumbled something that could have been anything from “bitch” to “sure.” It certainly wasn’t “thank you” or “I love you.”
Her sister’s lack of appreciation and general sense of entitlement was staggering and Izzy swallowed the hurt and the resentment. Their mother had spoiled the younger girl, and Kit’s lack of consideration for others drove Izzy crazy. Another reason she’d spent so much time away from home.
The sharp-eyed Fed didn’t miss her momentary loss of composure. She buried her reaction, something she’d always been good at, but the military had honed the skill into a mask no one could penetrate. It made for a hell of a game of poker. “Upset her and you’ll find out where I conceal my weapon.”
His eyes creased at the corners, but he didn’t fool her for a moment. “Left shoulder holster, so you’re right-handed. Looks like a Glock-17, but tricky to say for sure without getting a better look.” The guy’s gaze slid over her chest with glacial indifference, but suddenly she knew that was an act too. A wall. His own defense mechanism.
His eyes landed on her mouth, on the mole that sat just above the left side of her upper lip. She resisted the urge to touch her face self-consciously. Warmth filled her, and she knew she was blushing. As a physician and a former soldier, blushing was not in her repertoire. She moved past him, heart beating frantically as she went out the door.

Emotions were high, that was all. She was not attracted to this guy. She’d rather date Hank, and he’d given up asking her months ago. Her dog stayed behind, and she left them to it. She wanted ASAC Frazer to find the killer and leave them alone. She had enough problems in her life without adding a tall good-looking federal agent into the mix.


About The Author


New York Times and USA Today international bestselling author, Toni Anderson, writes dark, gritty Romantic Suspense. Her novels have been nominated for the prestigious Romance Writers of America® RITA® Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence, and National Readers' Choice Awards in Romantic Suspense. Some of her books have been translated into German & Romanian.

A graduate of Marine Biology from the University of Liverpool, and the University of St. Andrews, Toni was a Post-doctoral Research Scientist for several years, and travelled the world with her work. After living in seven different countries, she finally settled in the Canadian prairies with her Irish husband and two children. Now she spends her time talking to the voices in her head and making things up. Toni has no explanation for her oft-times dark imagination, and only hopes the romance makes up for it. She’s addicted to reading, dogs, tea (never travels without it), and chocolate. She loves to hear from readers.

Toni donates 15% of her royalties from EDGE OF SURVIVAL to diabetes research--to find out why, read the book!




You can find Toni at 

            





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