Thursday, February 27, 2014

Be Yourself... And Own It!

I went back and forth about this post. Many times it was so jumbled in my head it couldn't take form. Hopefully I got it right this time.

We live in a world where we are all constantly changing. Who you were at five, isn't who you are at thirty-five. We live in a world of constant judgement also.

If we all actually lived as the people we are supposed to be, what kind of world would it be? We have variety already, but it's all so fake. Assholes are assholes. Sweethearts are sweethearts. But are they?

I spend a good amount of time being what everyone expects me to be, I no longer know who I am. I want to own that! So I will. I can see the good in everyone, literally. I can get along with just about anyone. I also know this is extremely rare.

I've listened to friends and strangers as they cry because they can't be what someone wants. I've felt their pain. I can sympathize and empathize. I've been there. So you're a bubbly person who loves the sun on their face, the wind in your hair. You live for happy music and rainbow dreams. Good for you! Own it. No, not everyone is going to love you, yes, some people will make fun of you and belittle your efforts. Why? Because that is the person they have chosen to be. Assholes and Sweethearts, remember?

I have witnessed people lose their sparkle because of dark hearted people. I have dulled in my life because I have been hurt horribly as well. I'm not going to make everyone happy. I can't make everyone love me. Some people live their lives with the mentality that they don't care if anyone likes them and loves them. And there are people who think those people are so awesome because nothing bothers them. No one's life is so empty that nothing bothers them. But for the Sweethearts of the world, that is not your home.

It really sucks when people can't accept us. A LOT! But, you know what? They don't have to. There are people for the kind hearted. People do and will love you for who you are.

Many people think I'm stupid. I know, ridiculous. I am far from stupid. I know this and yes, I own this. I rather people think I'm dumb and have the upper hand. I know the people in my life. I know who they are and what they stand for. Some will hurt me forever, I just simply stop letting them. I am not a fool. I am not stupid. I see more then people think I do. I OWN THAT! I am a Sweetheart and an Asshole. I am not perfect! BUT, I am realistic and open minded. IF or WHEN it is time, people will always be welcome into my world of understanding. You might not like what I have to say, but you don't have to.

JUST. BE. YOU!


Saturday, February 22, 2014

Author Saturday Spotlight : Melanie L. Moreland *Interview and Giveaway*

Melanie Moreland isn't new to writing, even if Into the Storm is the only book of hers you will find on Goodreads for her. She is however a rising star. Her talent will take her far if Into the Storm is any indication.

Blurb:
She is a woman on the run. Pain, loneliness and terror are what she is leaving. Where she is headed doesn’t matter as long as it’s away from the hell her life has become.

Joshua Bennett is trapped in a prison of his own making by the memories of his past. Traumatized and isolated, he is a reclusive writer, living a quiet, lonely life, his only companion his dog, Bear. It is what he knows, what he has accepted to be his life.

One dark night, one huge storm, and one ice patch brings them together. He finds himself with an unexpected houseguest with no memory. She wakes up a stranger to herself and the man watching her. Even more mysterious is the lack of any sort of identification with her or in her car. She is an enigma to both of them.

Trapped by the storm and isolated from the outside world, they slowly open up, learning to trust and love, until the world once again shows up, threatening the fragile peace of their newly discovered world, and tearing them apart.

There are many twists and turns as they struggle to find each other, overcoming both the mental and physical elements that keep them apart.

A story about overcoming our fears, finding love and learning to live again.

MORE ABOUT MELANIE'S BOOK ON GOODREADS > MELANIE ON GR 

This story will make you laugh, cry and keep you on the edge of your seat. Great engaging plot and characters you will find yourself clinging to and connecting with easily!

Melanie is a remarkable woman. When I asked her if I could do an interview she jumped in and I am so thrilled! Here's a little bit about this great author!

***INTERVIEW***



1.     Becoming a writer to some isn't a choice. Many say the voices made them do it...lol. So, when you took the plunge to embrace the chaos, how did it happen? What made you choose to put yourself out there like this? 

   I have always made up stories in my head about things. People I would see, pictures that interested me. I told a friend of mine about an idea that I had and she told me to write it. I thought she was crazy since I had no idea how to write a book. It would be like a musician who couldn’t read music. But she kept at me and one day I opened a doc and started.  The rest, as they say, is history.


2. If a reader asked you to tell them what you love most about Into the Storm, what would you say?  

The love story of Josh and Rabbit. The way the love for another person helps you to find the strength you need to put them first.

3. Do you have inspirations, a muse? Can you tell us? 

I find inspiration in the strangest places.  A phrase or a song lyric —sometimes even the way someone is sitting and I wonder why they are hunched into themselves and my imagination takes off. Into the Storm happened because my husband and I were caught in a storm and spun out on the road and I kept going over it in my head wondering what if…


4. This question is a dangerous one, and not one that many writers like to answer but I'll give it a go... Do you have a favorite author? Maybe more than one?

 I have many and it depends on the genre.  I love Lawrence Sanders for a good whodunit. Maeve Binchy for anything she writes. Jodi Picoult.  J.R. Ward for a great vampire read. Louisa May Alcott for her epic Little women series. So many different ones.  If I listed them all it would be pages long.


5. Do you write with an outline, wing it? How does the whole thing begin? 

 It usually begins with a thought.  Something that had caught my eye or attention that I can’t stop thinking about and I start building the what-if’s in my head. I’ll keep a document with thoughts and idea and a general outline but often the story writes itself so yes there is a lot of winging.  I often write chapters as they come to me—out of order—which I have been told is strange but it works for me.

6. In Into the Storm, do you identify with any character more than the other, who?

 Hmmm that is a hard one. Maybe Josh with his unwillingness to be part of the outside world and his fears of the unknown. I am very shy in real life and I do tend to hide somewhat. I build my world around the place I am comfortable in.

7. Research is one thing when it comes to writing a book, but do you also use your personal experiences to work a story, or do you refuse to? 

Often my story contains something personal. I think we all draw on personal feelings when writing a character—how we would react to a situation they are facing.

8. What's the hardest part about writing?

 The writing itself. LOL. Sometimes it is all there—right there in my head but I can’t get it out. I type and edit but it isn’t right and I delete, start over, and the same thing happens. Hours can disappear and I have written 400 words I am happy with and discarded 4000.

9. Many writers say their dream it to publish, well, you've done that. What's your next dream?

  To publish another book.

10. If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?

Probably to not be so hard on myself all the time. I tend to expect nothing but perfection and of course usually fall short.  Nobody is perfect. I’d also tell her to embrace life with everything and never let fear stop her from doing something.
 

Of course Melanie is working hard, currently, on another book. So following her career would be VERY WISE! She is sure to release more amazing books like, Into the Storm and get our emotions in a tizzy! (I CAN'T WAIT!)

Now the giveaway is coming but if you don't win but you still want to purchase this GREAT book simply clink the link and purchase, easy peasy! >>> Into the Storm on Amazon

On top of this Awesome giveaway of 1 ebook of Into the Storm, Melanie will be picking 3 YES 3 people who like her authors page on FB and send you an autographed bookmark! EEP! How awesome is she! SO make sure to enter this giveaway and like her authors page!!!!

***GIVEAWAY***

 



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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Book Review for Roads Series by Garrett Leigh

I like when I finish a series and can't find anything I didn't love about it. Well, maybe that it ended...lol. So when I read a series that good I want to tell everyone. Here I am, telling.

It is a 2 book series with 2 short stories. Book 1 is called Slide! Here's the blurb:

Shy tattoo artist Ash has a troubled past. Years of neglect, drug abuse, and life on the streets have taken their toll, and sometimes it seems the deep, unspoken bond with his lover is the only balm for wounds he doesn’t quite understand.

Chicago paramedic Pete is warmth, love, and strength—things Ash never knew he could have, and never even knew he wanted until Pete showed him. But fate is a cruel, cruel mistress, and when nightmares collide with the present, their tentatively built world comes crashing down.

Traumatic events in Pete’s work life distance him from home, and he doesn’t realize until it’s too late that Ash has slipped away. Betrayal, secrets, and lies unfold, and when a devastating coincidence takes hold, Pete must fight with all he has to save the love of his life


Slide is a ride on the emotional roller coaster. Ash is a puzzle and throughout the story you are desperately trying to figure out why he's broken, is he broken or will Pete put him back together?
I did find, I talked to myself a lot when I was forced to put the book down. I asked A LOT of questions, and I will say Garrett Leigh doesn't leave a thread dangling in the wind. EVERYTHING comes together in the end of the series.

Marked is book 1.5, a short story before book 2... Blurb? Okay!

It's been six months since Ash shuffled into Pete's life and turned his world upside down, and six months since they sat in an all-night diner plotting Ash's theoretical solution for Pete's faded, botched tattoo. Pete has just about given up hope of Ash ever fulfilling his promise when one day the end of a long shift finds Ash waiting for him.

Tonight is the night.

Ash is ready, and it seems the time has come for him to leave his mark on Pete in more ways than he ever imagined
 


I happen to really enjoy short stories between books. It's like a peek into what's going on before things get really heavy... and you know it always gets heavy! Marked is perfectly placed and very enjoyable.

Book 2 is Rare... Blurb...

Paramedic Pete Adams lived through the year from hell watching his lover, Ash, fall apart, and the precarious balance between work and home is becoming more strained. His heart is always home, with Ash, but the dark side to his job is weighing him down.

Tattoo artist Ash Fagin is recovering from a nervous breakdown triggered by revelations about his traumatic childhood. His battle with mental illness is far from over, but with Pete by his side, he's feeling good again, so good he doesn’t notice something missing until it walks right into his living room.

Ash believes he’s had enough coincidence in his life, but when a voice from the past comes looking for him, it takes the devastating injuries of the one he loves most to convince him to let a ghost become the family he never knew he wanted
 
 


This book was CRAZY! I mean crazy in a good way. So much happened SO MUCH. Ash and Pete are tested to the max in this book and with everything thrown at them I found myself taking a few drinks just to calm down. Best kinda read there is. I was never bored at all with this book and knowing it was the last full length one in this series, I was turning the pages a little slower. Remarkable book that tied upp any leftover lose end with finesse and raw passion.

Book 2.5 is Freed ...Blurb...

 Crazy events in the recent past have convinced Ash to take yet another step forward with Pete. He picks a special moment and a special place: the roof garden of their new home. Ash sees it as the final piece of their puzzle, but he's not prepared for the feelings it invokes. Peace, belonging, and for the first time in his life, freedom. 

This is the perfect seal to the series. No way you can disagree, shhh if you do! LOL!

I really get nervous when I purchase a series. It's costly, yes. But when I finish a series and say, "I'd totally pay more for that." ou know you have a winner! Really loved this series by Garrett Leigh.
Head over to her GoodReads page and see where you can purchase and her other work > Garrett Leigh on GR  

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Blog Tour for Fix You by Carrie Elks *Interview and Giveaway*

"Richard, we had a baby."

31st December 1999. Seventeen-year-old Brit, Hanna Vincent, meets New Yorker, Richard Larsen; a Columbia student and step-son of scion Leon Maxwell. Divided by wealth, distance and a common language, an unconventional friendship grows between the two.

From London to New York, from 1999 to 2012, Fix You follows the story of quirky, music-loving Hanna and handsome, driven Richard as they fall in love and are torn apart. Their tempestuous relationship leads to an explosive revelation that threatens to destroy them both.

Emotional and touching, this is a story of second chances. Is their shattered love beyond repair?



I am very excited to be a part of this blog tour for Carrie Elk's new book Fix You. I was given the ARC for this amazing story and devoured every word! I posted the review to Goodreads and Amazon of course, but here it is again:

This book is amazing! I tried to come up with words to describe it but it comes in waves. In parts you feel beautifully broken. In others, you're twisted perfection. Carrie Elks knows how to write characters that crawl into your heart and make you literally go through their journey. Fix You is a tale of breaking love and making love. It's not often a writer hits on the realities of the world and mingles it with fiction. Bravo! I highly recommend!  

To buy your own copy of this book simply click this link > Buy Fix You on Amazon  

I was able to "sit down" with the talented Carrie Elks for an interview and I must say it was a lot of fun. So let's begin...




*** INTERVIEW*** 

1. This is an exciting time for you. Fix You is a highly anticipated book in many circles, and the fan base is growing. How do you prepare for a book launch like this?

When you’re self-publishing, at this stage it’s all about getting the book to market. This involves proof-reading and formatting both the paperback and e-book, as well working on marketing the book. I’m very lucky that I’ve got a lot of great people surrounding me who are a real help. I really couldn’t do this without them, and they make my life a very happy place.

What this doesn’t leave me with is much time to really think or worry about things, and that’s good. I’m a worrier by nature, so taking my mind off any anxieties is key.

2. Your characters in this book are all relatable in their own right. What character do you relate to most, and why?

I can probably relate to both Richard and Hanna, but in different ways. Richard is predominantly a good man—he does what is expected of him even if it means having to stifle his own dreams. I think I can be a bit like that, too. Hanna is more of a free spirit, and despite her mistakes I think I’d like to be a little more like her. To sweat the small things a little bit less and just throw myself into the moment. I guess somewhere between the two of them would be perfect!

3. What or who inspires you to write?

Books. Every time I read a good one, it inspires me to go and do my best on my own work. I read a lot—probably 2 or 3 books a week on average—and when I’m not reading I’m usually writing. There’s also those moments of “what if” that I think inspire most writers. “What if the restaurant ceiling fell down?” or “What if there was a girl who walked into an office and told a man they’d had a baby?” Those are the things that send me running for the laptop!

4. Like a painting on the artist can truly interpret the piece. So can you, in your own words tell us what the moral of your story Fix You is?

Fix You is all about second chances. We all make mistakes in life—some big, some small—but the key is to pick yourself up, dust yourself down and try to make amends. That’s what happens in Fix You—we follow Hanna’s journey of self-discovery, and find that in the end the only person who can fix her is herself.

5. Has being a writer always been your dream? Yes, no, why?

I’ve been a writer since the day I picked up my first pencil. From about the age of 8 I was writing short stories and trying to write novels. In my teens I had so many failed attempts that I ended up burning a stack of manuscripts and later regretting it. Now I write most days, even if for a short while, and it makes me very happy.

6. If you could give your younger self any advice, what would it be?

Have you tried giving advice to teenagers? I probably wouldn’t have listened anyway! Seriously, I have very few regrets. And those things I did that I now see as wrong hopefully shaped me to be a better person in the long run. So I probably wouldn’t change a thing.

Plus I’m a believer in the butterfly effect. If I changed one small thing in my past, who knows where I’d be today? That thought scares me.

7. Do you have any future projects in the works? Can you tell us about them?

I’ve got two finished manuscripts that need to be edited into novels, plus a third that I’m currently halfway through. For me, the writing is the fun bit. The editing is hard work, but SO worth it in the end.

All being well, I hope to get at least two of them published this year, and the third early in 2015. One is a New Adult romance, the second is a Contemporary romance and the third is historical. I’m enjoying stretching my wings and trying different things.


8. Fix You is by far one of the most emotional books I have read in a long time... As a writer myself I get immersed in my characters emotions. Sometimes it takes its toll... Do you ever have to deal with that?
If no, how do you avoid it?
If yes, how do you decompress?

Yes, I definitely get caught up in the emotions of the characters. One of the best things I ever did was a one-year course on counseling. During the course they taught me to be empathetic, but also to realize the difference between my emotions and those of my client. That training definitely comes in useful for writing, because it enables me to get out of the zone when the emotions run too high.

FAST FIRE QUESTIONS:


1. Coffee or Tea? Coffee
2. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
3. Books or Movies? Books
4. Day or Night? Day
5. Wine or Beer? Wine
6. Winter or Summer? Summer
7. Soup or Salad? Salad
8. Exercise or No exercise? Exercise
9. Favorite color? Red
10. Sports or no sports? Sports


Now, before the giveaway I have a few other goodies for you! A little something to wet your appetite... I give you an excerpt from this amazing book... Enjoy




EXCERPT

Prologue



May 12th 2012
Richard had filled out nicely since she had last seen him. The thin cotton of his shirt clung to his biceps, skimming his taut abdomen as it tucked into his dress pants. His hips were still lean and tight, and she closed her eyes as she tried not to remember how they had felt between her thighs, as he had moved inside her, breathing softly in her ear, as she had moaned and whimpered and—
She shook her head. She wasn't standing in his large, oak-panelled office just to take a trip down memory lane, as pleasant as that might be. She had flown here, over three thousand miles, to tell him what he deserved to know.
Inappropriate laughter bubbled up in her throat as she considered the ridiculous melodrama of the situation. Her 17-year-old self would be rolling her eyes, wondering how this 29-year-old woman had managed to turn a seemingly promising life into a soap opera.
She glanced up at his face, looking at his lips, which had turned down into a deep scowl. His eyes had narrowed beneath his brows, and his straight, patrician, nose was slightly crinkled in response to her presence.
The contempt he felt toward her was radiating from him.
Hanna tried to keep her breathing steady, reminding herself that although she was in his office, on the penthouse floor of his building, this was her show.
She was in control.
If he viewed her with contempt now, God only knew how he would feel once he'd heard what she had to say. He had been an integral part of her life for so long—as a friend, a confidante, even a lover—but never before did he have the power to break her.
"As nice as it is to see you," he drawled, the tone of his voice making it patently clear that her being in his office was anything but nice, "I have a meeting in five minutes. Exactly what is it that you want?"
He had no idea, but this was it. Time to open her mouth and tell him what he needed to hear. Her arms suddenly felt heavy, and her fingers trembled; a physical manifestation of her nervousness. Her laughter was replaced by something more unsettling, as she tried to take in a deep breath and form the words that she had travelled all this way to say.
Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. She watched his gaze move down to her mouth, staring at it with dark eyes, as her teeth drew in her bottom lip.
"Richard." Her voice was surprisingly strong. She could do this. She could tell him the truth, and then get the hell out of here.
Back on a plane.
Back home.
Back to him.
"Richard, we had a baby."


About the Author:

 


Carrie Elks lives near London, England and writes contemporary romance with a dash of intrigue. At the age of twenty-one she left college with a political science degree, a healthy overdraft and a soon-to-be husband. She loves to travel and meet new people, and has lived in the USA and Switzerland as well as the UK.
An avid social networker, she tries to limit her Facebook and Twitter time to stolen moments between writing chapters. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can usually be found baking, drinking wine or working out how to combine the two.
  To find, follow and keep up with all her work and happenings, here are the links to her Facebook, Twitter and Goodread's accounts:



 
 




You truly are missing out if you don't make this book a part of your reads. Now... on to the giveaway!!!

***GIVEAWAY***

   a Rafflecopter giveaway