Celebrate the small things

This is the weekly meme hosted by Viklit @ Scribblings of an Aspiring Author.

Instructions: Each Friday, share things you wish to celebrate.

*My ten-year-old made the all-stars baseball team. So happy for him! He's a busy boy, between playing on two teams, and making all-stars. But he loves it and always has a smile on that cute face. :)

*I saw Shinedown again with my best friend. This time, it was an acoustic show, and just as amazing as ever.

*I've written a little over 6K so far with my current WIP, a new adult contemporary romance. Woot!


What celebrations do you have for the week? Have a wonderful weekend!

Express Yourself Meme - Music in your WIP or LIFE

The Express Yourself Meme question of the week that Dani and I would like to know.... 
What Band, Singer, or Group would be featured MOST in your WIP and/or Life?

I couldn't choose just one. And since I'm only a few days into my current WIP, this might be subject to change or added to, but for now, the bands are:

Shinedown 
Papa Roach
Maroon 5 (of course :D )

What band/s influences your writing or every day life?

Release Event: Fixed On You

I'm so excited for the release of one of my CP's fabulous books!

Fixed On You by Laurelin Paige

Stalking and restraining orders are a thing of Alayna Pierce’s past. With her MBA newly in hand, she has her future figured out – move up at the nightclub she works at and marry the manager, David. He’s perfect for her because, although he’s attractive, he doesn’t get her all turned inside out and upside down like some other men have. It’s a safe plan, one that assures she’ll remain in control of her obsessive love disorder. 

       But what Alayna didn’t figure on is Hudson Pierce, the new owner of the nightclub. He’s smart, rich, and gorgeous – the kind of guy Alayna knows to stay away from if she wants to keep her past tendencies in check. Except, Hudson’s fixed his sights on her. He wants her in his bed and makes no secret of his plans to seduce her. Avoiding him becomes impossible after he offers a business proposition Alayna can’t turn down and she’s drawn further into his universe, unable to resist his gravitational pull. 

       Soon Alayna’s charmed by Hudson in every way possible and the control over her old behaviors slip. When she learns Hudson has a dark history of his own, she realizes too late that she’s fallen for the worst man she could possibly get involved with. Or maybe their less than ideal pasts give them an opportunity to heal each other and finally find the love their lives have been missing.

Author: Laurelin Paige

Publisher: Mandevilla Press

Release date: June 24, 2013

Genre: Contemporary romance

Age Group: Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Mad Men and the Walking Dead, or dreaming of Adam Levine. She is represented by Bob Diforio of D4EO Literary Agency.

Author social media links: 

Website 

Facebook

Goodreads

Twitter: @laurelinpaige 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Celebrate the small things...

This is the weekly meme hosted by Viklit @ Scribblings of an Aspiring Author.

Instructions: Each Friday, share things you wish to celebrate achieving for that week.

My celebrations:

• Started my New Adult WIP this week! I'm so excited to delve into new characters.
• Finished reading an ARC. Now I have two more to go.
• Wrote my first book review. I was so nervous because I've never done it before, and I wanted to do the book justice. Now, I need to write more reviews of some amazing books I've read. :)

What celebrations do you have for the week?

Express Yourself Meme - what questions do you get asked time and time again?

 For the Express Yourself Meme this week, Dani and I would like to know.... 



What are some questions that you get asked time and time again? 




The questions I get asked over and over...

What's wrong? Nothing. Why? Because you're not smiling. 
(ugh! This one frustrates me to no end. Why do people think if you're not smiling, that you're unhappy? And the worst is when they put the spot-light on you and ask it in front of a bunch of people. Normally, if I'm not smiling, it means I'm content. Or thinking. Or enjoying life. I don't need to go around smiling like a lunatic. If I did that, then there'd be something wrong with me. :D :D :D )

Were you trying for a girl? (My hubby and I have four boys, but for some odd reason people feel the need to ask this. The answer is no, we weren't trying for a girl. We were trying for a baby. :) We're honored that God blessed us with four sons and wouldn't want it any other way. ^_^ )

Are you guys done having kids? (Sometimes, to be a stinker, I'll tell them that we're just getting started. Hehe)

Are they twins? (Our two middle sons have red hair and are the same size, but are actually 2 1/2 years apart.)

Is your book published yet? (Le sigh)

What's taking so long to get your book out there? (The only way I think non-writers would understand this industry is if they tried to write a book, and then tried to pub it, whether it be indie or traditional. That's truly the only way they will understand how this all works. But writing a book isn't easy, and some just don't see it for what it is... hard work but so worth it.)

What questions do you get asked a lot? Do any get on your nerves? Or do you welcome the questions?

Triangles Book Blitz Tour

Triangles
by Kimberly Ann Miller
Release Date: 06/18/13
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Summary from Goodreads: 
A cruise ship. A beautiful island. Two sexy guys. What could possibly go wrong?

In the Bermuda Triangle—a lot.

Hoping to leave behind the reminders of her crappy life--her father's death years ago, her mother's medical problems, and the loser who’s practically stalking her--seventeen-year-old Autumn Taylor hops on a ship with her sister for a little distraction. When she wakes up in the Bermuda Triangle, she fears she's gone nuts for more than one reason: that loser’s suddenly claiming they're a happy couple... a hot guy is wrapping his arms around her and saying "Happy Anniversary"... and suddenly, she’s full of bruises, losing her hair, and getting IV medication. Autumn visits the ship's doctor, hoping for a pill or a shot to make the craziness go away. Instead, she's warned that these "alternate realities" could become permanent.

She just has to ask herself one question—how the hell is she going to get out of this mess?

  

***Excerpt***

“Are you all right, honey?”

I opened my eyes. An attractive young woman with red hair and brilliant

green eyes was looking at me. What I thought was salt water from the

ocean must have been tears because my face was the only one nearby that

was wet. 

I glanced at her concerned expression and smiled. “Yes, thank you. I’m fine.” 
I swiped away a tear with my finger. “Just…everything’s fine.”

She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “This cruise will change

your life. Nothing will be the same when it’s over, but it will be worth it.

You’ll see.” Her emerald eyes twinkled, and she nodded her head once.

I forced a laugh to be polite. “Thanks. Enjoy your cruise.”

What a weirdo. What did that even mean? How could a cruise change

my life? I moved from my spot to avoid more weirdness from her and

found a less populated area at the back of the ship. New York and New

Jersey disappeared behind us as we charged toward Bermuda and away

from the mess my life had become.

A cloud covered the retreating sun, sending shivers through me. A

white-haired lady dropped her purse and lots of change tumbled out. A

penny hit my foot and landed on tails.

My cell phone buzzed. I pulled it from my pocket. I had thirteen

messages and thirteen texts. How would Nisha survive the next five days

without hearing from me? I took care of the messages and told her I’d call

her when we got back to Jersey.

Even though I was not very superstitious, a bad feeling crawled into

the pit of my stomach and took up residence.

I knew what I was leaving behind, but what was I floating toward?

Kimberly
Miller received Bachelor's degrees from Georgian Court University and Rutgers
University and a Master's degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey. She is an avid reader and particularly enjoys true crime and
young adult novels. She grew up in New Jersey and currently resides in Monmouth
County with her husband and three cats. When she’s not writing, she loves to
travel to sunny islands where she snorkels by day and stargazes by night. She
always takes her Nook with her. 

Website│Twitter│Goodreads│Facebook│Tumblr

***GIVEAWAY***

(2)
$10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Spencer Hill Press is also doing a giveaway for a cruise!  Click HERE
to enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Express Yourself- Movie time and Celebrate the small things 6-14

What makes you tick? What inspires you to write? How does the outside world influence you? Whether it be a quote, a list of favorite things/people, a question, a song, etc. each week, Dani and I will find different topics to post for the Express Yourself Meme. It'll correlate with writing, blogging, and life in general. Then, we hope, you’ll follow suit and post, too.

This week, Dani and I would like to know... 

What are the last two movies you've watched?

I haven't been to the movies in a while, but the last two I've watched on TV were

Grease 2 and Step Brothers. 

This is the weekly meme hosted by Viklit @ Scribblings of an Aspiring Author.

Instructions: Each Friday, share things you wish to celebrate achieving for that week.

My celebrations:

• I finished another revise. Woot! 
• I celebrated my birthday this week. :) My family and friends spoiled me and made the day so wonderful! 
• Received this amazing book- made by Dani, and my co-worker made this floral bouquet and put a pic of Adam Levine in it. <3 *sigh* 
• One of my sons baseball team sang happy birthday after the game and gave me the game ball. So sweet!

What celebrations do you have to share for the week?

Triangles Blog Tour

TRIANGLES by Kimberly Ann Miller

A cruise ship. A beautiful island. Two sexy guys. What could possibly go wrong?  

In the Bermuda Triangle—a lot. 

Hoping to leave behind the reminders of her crappy life--her father's death years ago, her mother's medical problems, and the loser who’s practically stalking her--seventeen-year-old Autumn Taylor hops on a ship with her sister for a little distraction. When she wakes up in the Bermuda Triangle, she fears she's gone nuts for more than one reason: that loser’s suddenly claiming they're a happy couple... a hot guy is wrapping his arms around her and saying "Happy Anniversary"... and suddenly, she’s full of bruises, losing her hair, and getting IV medication. Autumn visits the ship's doctor, hoping for a pill or a shot to make the craziness go away. Instead, she's warned that these "alternate realities" could become permanent. 

She just has to ask herself one question—how the hell is she going to get out of this mess?

My review of Triangles...

This is such an amazing read! Kimberly Ann Miller takes you on one heck of a ride in her debut novel, Triangles. The MC, Autumn, has a lot she’s had to face in life, and in such a short time, which makes her withdraw from her loved ones. She goes on a cruise, and as the different realities unfold, we watch her grow and accept things, instead of retreating, which is what she normally does.

Kimberly’s writing had me mesmerized. I couldn’t help but root for Autumn to get out of the Bermuda Triangle, as well as cheer for the guys who were vying for her attention.

I'm looking forward to reading more books by Kimberly!

Oh, and some awesome news? Kimberly's publisher Spencer Hill Press is having a cruise giveaway. Yeah, you read that right. A CRUISE GIVEAWAY! Go HERE for the deets to enter.

Triangles is available for preorder at Barnes and Noble here: B&N

Triangles is available for preorder at Amazon here: Amazon

Click on links below for Kimmy's hangouts:

Twitter @KimberlyAnnNJ

Writers by the Shore

Her Website

Goodreads

Heroes & Villains Blogfest

Hello, Bloggerville! It's Heroes & Villains Blogfest time. 
I'm co-hosting this fun hop with Dani @Entertaining Interests.

Sign up in the linky below and tell us about your favorite heroes and villains. It'd be pretty cool, but not mandatory, if you'd tweet us your info and use the hashtag so we can check out your posts!

Dani: @danibertrand

Jackie: @jackiefel

#H&Vfest

MY TOP HEROES

Daryl Dixon: He's from The Walking Dead TV series. And he is THE man. Is there a Walker around the bend? Don't worry. Daryl has your back with that trusty crossbow. He's also a tracker and hunter, feeds babies, and rides a motorcycle. He is for sure someone you need during any kind of apocalyptic type future.

Fave line: People in Hell want slurpees.

<---photo cred: Dani

Iron Man/Tony Stark:  Yes, he's narcissistic and snarky, but I love that about him. He's also a genius and protective of those he cares for. Robert Downey, Jr was the perfect choice to play him on the big screen. 

Fave line: When C. Everheart says: You've been called the Da Vinci of our time. What do you say to that? T. Stark says: Absolutely ridiculous. I don't paint.

<-- This is my comic. Yes, Iron Man is my fave superhero. 

MY TOP VILLAIN

The Joker: He is certifiably crazy. And morals? He has none. Zilch. Nada. He simply does not care. I thought he was coo-coo in the comics, but Heath Ledger dug deep to make The Joker even creepier. He was the perfect counterpart for Batman. 

Fave line: How about a magic trick?

So, bloggers, who are your ultimate heroes and villains?

Sign up and visit other bloggers today! :)

IWSG post #12 and EYM

Insecure Writer's Support Group hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh is a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds. 

To join, click on the links and post on your blog the first Wednesday of every month. Sign up and meet some awesome people!

I'm feeling "eh" lately. I think it's because I have so much going on. Between my fam, the boys ballgames, writing, work, revising and editing, trying to maintain the house, critting, and blogging, I don't know which end is up sometimes. But I LOVE all of those things. I just need a time-out.

The thing that comes to mind to try to help me get out of the "eh" ness.... Dory's mantra....

Check out other bloggers at Insecure Writer's Support Group.

For Express Yourself Meme of the week, Dani and I would like to know...


What could you eat every day and not grow tired of it?

• mushroom, tomato, and green pepper pizza
• chips and salsa
• popcorn
• trail mix: banana chips, cashews, dried pineapples, raisins, and almonds
• cereal: Fruity Pebbles
• I do love chocolate, but not sure I'd actually want to eat it every single day. 

How about you? What could you eat every day and not grow tired of it?

And don't forget to join the Heroes and Villains blogfest tomorrow - Thursday, June 6. Come share your favorite hero and villain. They can be from comics, TV shows, movies, books, or even real life. Your choice. The main thing? Have fun! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!!!

Cover Reveal - This Time Next Year by Catherine Peace

I'm so excited for this cover reveal for my girl, Lex, aka Catherine Peace. She's a fellow QTer and just an all around sweetheart. 

BLURB for This Time Next Year by Catherine Peace:

Ever since surviving the vampire attack that killed her parents, Moira Curran has dealt with the resulting nightmares and abandonment issues the only way she could—by throwing herself into her education and then her biochemistry career, preferring a life of hermitude in her lab.

Kiernan Shaw has never forgotten the night twenty years ago when his maker killed a six-year-old girl’s parents in front of her. He’s spent the better part of the last two decades searching for her in order to make amends.

Madame Eve has managed to bring the two together. When they finally meet, will Moira be able to give Kiernan what he needs? Will Kiernan put her fears to rest? Or will old fears and guilt keep them apart?

EXCERPT

     For a moment, he thought back to Madame Eve’s email. If she trusts you, she will tell you her name. He understood the power of names, and so did Madame Eve. Something insignificant to a mortal meant everything to a vampire, in whose world names were both salvation and control. Remind a vampire of his humanity, or steal it away by forcing him to do something horrific, like watching a little girl’s parents be eviscerated right in front of her.

     “Kiernan Shaw.” Swallowing hard, he found his way back onto the coffee table. “And yours?”

     Would she tell him her name? Would she allow him that kind of power? 

     She took a deep breath, as though considering the same questions. “Moira Curran.”

     He rolled the name on his tongue and loved the way it felt. “Beautiful.” He reached to stroke her cheek, but she flinched. “Moira, I won't hurt you. I could never hurt you.”

     “I'm sorry,” she muttered. “Old habits, I guess.”

     He nodded, unable to speak at first. The cloying scent of her fear, like overripe peaches, almost strangled him. “Why did you ask me to stay?”

     “I don't know.”

     Neither did he, but he wouldn't leave until she asked him to.

     “I don’t want to be alone, Kiernan. Isn’t that pathetic?”

     He warmed at the sound of his name on her lips. His mouth watered at the thought of kissing her, exploring her, making his name come out of that gorgeous mouth again and again. He tamped down his desire. Nothing good would happen if he moved too fast. “Not in the slightest.” Willem had all but guaranteed him a life alone. Like he approached a scared animal, he moved next to her on the couch. She uncoiled, but didn't relax. “Talk, Moira. Please.” The silence hurt his ears as much as any scream.

     She shook her head. “It's too hard.” Tears spilled but she didn't move to wipe them away.

     Time to be bold, I guess. He brushed a hand against her cheek again. Instead of flinching, she eased into his touch. “I want to ease your hurt,” he said. “Will you let me?”

Doesn't it sound amazing?! I cannot wait for this book to come out. Congrats, Lex!