Winners

Happy Hour of the Damned:
Mishel
Abigail (All Things Urban Fantasy)

A Heavenstone Secrets:
April (BooksandWine)

A Different Light:
misskallie2000

Willow:
The Book Owl

Congrats! Please send your mailing info here:
annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prizes.

Cover Discovery

Release Date: April 27, 2010

Also featured on:
Tracy Madison's blog

Kiss of the Rose is the first book in the
Tudor Vampire Chronicles
Release Date: August 3, 2010

Also featured on:
Kate Pearce's blog

This omnibus features the YA books Got Fangs! & Circus of the Darned
Its the beginning of Fran and Ben's story. Around the same time
In the Company of Vampires will be released.
Which will continue Fran and Ben's story, as adults.

Release Date: November 2010

Also featured on:
Katie MacAlister's blog
SciFiGuy.ca

Book #3

Release Date: January 1, 2011

Also featured on:
Nicole Peeler's blog
All Things Urban Fantasy

In My Mailbox [43]

In My Mailbox was started over at The Story Siren.
Here is what I got this week...

Bought:
Black Magic Sanction- Kim Harrison
Master of the Knight- Angela Knight
Velvet Haven- Sophie Renwick
And Falling, Fly- Skyler White

Also in the mail this week I got a few J.D. Robb books from PBS. On Monday I received my LKH Fan Club membership kit. I wasn't gonna rejoin, but they had some cool items this year. Pictured below is what came in the box. It also included an autograph pic and the latest newsletter.

Guest Blog with Sara Taney Humphreys

A big welcome to Sara Taney Humphreys, author of The Amoveo Legacy and the upcoming An Amoveo Heart.

Musical Marketing Muse

Soundtracks for movies and television shows are standard. In fact, a really great movie or show is often instantly associated with kick ass music. Well thanks to my old college buddy and DJ John Campbell...I found the soundtrack for Book 2 in my shifter series.

Actually, I had been in a major writing rut. Completely blocked. Book 2, Amoveo Heart was not coming to me as easily as the first book did. At any rate, John wanted to interview me on his weekly radio show and had gotten some musicians who were willing to let me use their music as an intro for the interview. He sent me the links and the second song I listened to stopped me dead in my tracks. I couldn't believe it. It was as though this song was written just for the heroine in Book 2. Amazing! The combination of the lyrics and her hauntingly beautiful voice were absolute perfection. I immediately contacted the artist and asked if I could use her song for Amoveo Heart's book trailer. Gratefully both she and her record label said yes!

Then I had an idea to take it a step further. Luckily, she is located not far from me and as a new musician is looking for new opportunities for exposure. Why not have her play at my book launch/signing? Gratefully she agreed. Amy played at a couple of my book signing events and it really brought a great bit of texture to the signings.

The song that sparked my creative juices and woke up my muse is called "Honey on the Skin". You can find Amy Petty and her spectacular music on her website: http://www.amypetty.com/

John connected me with another awesome musical muse. The Strike Nineteens. TSN are a band of adorable guys from Scotland. Ladies...think William Wallace/Braveheart accent....yummy. Their music is gritty and intense. These darlings actually wrote me two songs! One of which will be on their new album "Screams for Denver" which will be released this Spring. I look forward to checking them out LIVE when they come to the USA later this year.

You can check out their music at http://www.myspace.com/thestrikenineteens

Cross marketing with music is fun and a little outside the box...just the way I like it.

http://sarataneyhumphreys.com/

________________________________________________________

The Amoveo Legacy- Book #1

Book Summary:

What if everything you knew turned out to be a lie? You find out that you aren’t even human—at least not entirely. What if, one day, you realize your world will never be the same again? These are the questions that Samantha Logan must face in “The Amoveo Legacy”. A dream on her thirtieth birthday compels her to leave her artists loft in New York City and move back to the beach with her Grandmother, Nonie. However, the instant Samantha steps foot on the salty shores of her childhood home, she realizes the landscape has changed.

The moment she encounters the mysterious, arrogant neighbor Malcolm Drew, her life is never the same. Through a seductive courtship, he introduces her to the magical mystical world of the Amoveo. The dream walking, telepathic, shape shifters that he claims are her true heritage. However, Malcolm holds back a secret that could destroy them both. Will he be able to protect Samantha and convince her of the secret legacy buried deep inside of her.



Where to buy:
Amazon
Amazon Kindle
Barnes & Noble
Devine Destines

[ARC Review] - The Highlander's Sword

Title: The Highlander's Sword
Author: Amanda Forester
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: March 2, 2010

I received this book for review from Sourcebooks.

Summary: THE SWORD BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER...

Lady Aila Graham's dreams of a quiet life are shattered when her hand and fortune are pledged in marriage to Padyn MacClaren in exchange for the veteran knight's promise to protect her clan from a vicious threat.

BUT ONLY LOVE CAN BIND THEIR HEARTS

Hardened by a life of violence and betrayal Padyn believes a strong sword arm is all he needs to keep his new bride safe. But a devastating misunderstanding on their wedding night sets off a chain of violent events. Aila and Padyn must thrown caution to the winds if they are to forge the power bond they'll need to save the clan.

Thoughts: For many years now, Aila has been destined for the church, she knows nothing else. But on St. John's Eve she's summoned by her father. He informs her that she will be marrying Padyn MacClaren. Not only that... there will be no engagement period, for she will be getting married today, this moment in fact. Needless to say her world is shaken and her journey takes a different turn with this highlander.

The Highlander's Sword is a lighthearted page-turner. I had a hard time putting the book down. The story is lush in detail from the landscape to everyday life. Amanda Forester weaves an interesting tale. She brings the beautiful and rough Scottish Highlands to life. I thought this was an enjoyable read, I definitely recommend it.

Score: 4 Stars

Author Website: http://www.amandaforester.com/

Interview/Giveaway with Julia Hoban

Today I'm excited to welcome Julia Hoban, author of the YA novel Willow.

Hi Julia, Welcome to Anna's Book Blog! It's great to have here. To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

That question always fills me with anxiety as I never know how to answer --- which is pretty strange considering how narcissistic I am! Still, I don’t know what to say that your readers would find compelling. However, there are two details in my bio that people seem to find interesting: 1) I went to graduate school in Physics and Philosophy. This is true, but if you could see my grades you’d be less than impressed, and 2) I design my own clothes. Again true, but I’m guessing that most of you couldn’t be persuaded to wear them on a bet! (And if you saw the first dress I did, where I put the sleeves on backwards, you’d really be less than impressed!) Anything else about me? I think I’m pretty regular, but those close to me say I’m exceedingly eccentric!

Willow is your newest release, can you tells us a little about it?

Willow is the story of a young woman, a seventeen year old girl, who loses her parents in a car accident, an accident for which she was responsible. She is so overcome with guilt, so isolated and alone, that she feels she has no other way to deal with her pain than by cutting herself.

Sounds pretty grim, I know. But while the above may be the bare bones of the plot, the themes that Willow explores are really not so dire. Willow is really about hope, about redemption, and above all, about the power of love to heal. Now Willow is not the right book for everyone, no question, but I’d like to assure your readers who are a little … let’s say, frightened by the sound of it, that many, many people have told me that they found it to be a very uplifting book, a very hopeful book, and above all a very romantic book

What is your writing day like?

A typical day, or a perfect day? On a perfect day I wake up around eight, walk across the park to my exercise class, then come home and get to work by ten am. I write for about six hours, take a nap, and then go for another walk. After that I make dinner, and get back to work from about eight thirty/nine until one or two am. On a typical day, I oversleep, can’t find my socks, stub my toe, and hop around on one foot swearing, I’m late for my class, and it all goes downhill from there

When you’re not writing what kind of books do you like to read?

EVERYTHING!!! I’m the type of person who can be content reading cereal boxes! I especially love British mysteries, as well as the classics, but for some reason, when I’m writing, I can only read romances!

What inspired you to write Willow's story?

I wanted to write a book for all of us with self destructive urges, a book that would take one person from a place of self harm to a place of healing, and in doing so possibly make people question their own damaging behaviors. I chose to make Willow a cutter because it is a very dramatic and obvious form of self injury, but it could just as easily have been a book about overeating or doing drugs, or even something as innocent as watching too much television.

Did you do a lot of research for this book?

I did a fair amount of reading about the “technical aspects” of the disorder. Steven Levenkron’s book Cutting was very helpful. One thing that may surprise people is the amount of care many cutters take with their wounds. It may seem counter intuitive, why cut yourself and then clean and bandage the cuts? But that’s a real window into the psyche of a self injurer: as Willow says cutting is not a dress rehearsal for suicide. It is most often a way of stuffing down feelings that would otherwise be too overpowering. –- I also read many case studies, some rather harrowing memoirs, and these were invaluable. But as for getting to the depth of Willow’s need – I looked to the challenges I’ve faced in my own life. I have never been a cutter, but I have felt that kind of despair, that kind of desperation, that absolute inability to process pain in the correct way.

Did any real life people inspire the characters in your book?

I always say that Guy is based on my husband, and that’s true! But I need to stop telling people that, as he (my husband) is getting far too conceited by the comparison. There is another person in the book though, who appears for just a few pages, a teacher named Mr. Moston. That character is my small tribute to a special teacher of mine who died just before I started WILLOW.

Since the release of Willow, what has been your most memorable moment/experience?

I’ve had so many! Truly. I never expected to receive so many heartfelt responses, and from so many different places! The other day I heard from two readers, one in Peru, and the other in Hong Kong. This was amazing to me, as I assumed that no one beyond the corner grocery had even heard of me! In any case, when my husband came home I rushed to the door and asked him if he thought that maybe I was an eensy bit famous now? He just looked at me and asked what was for dinner. The fact is though, I have been tremendously moved by the reaction to WILLOW. One type of response that has surprised as well as moved me is that I’ve heard from a fair number of young gay men and women. Some of them have told me that “the emotional honesty” in WILLOW made them decide to come out. There is a fair amount of LGBT literature out there, and I never expected WILLOW to impact people in that way, especially because the story doesn’t touch on any LGBT themes. I can say that I have been tremendously touched, and honored by this reaction.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a book?

I need a sketch pad, since I map out the various plot lines and themes that run through my work. I need the right music, although I won’t tell you what that is, each character has a theme song. And finally I need flowers. I like to have orchids, although I must confess, I have a black thumb!

What is up next for you?

Thank you for asking. I’m at work on my next project now. I won’t say what it is, I truly hope that doesn’t sound pretentious, it’s really just superstitious. In any case, I hope to be done VERY soon!!!!

Thanks again Julia for stopping and doing the interview.

__________________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Meryl M. Moss Media Relations I have copy of Willow to giveaway to one lucky winner. To enter leave a comment along with an email address. Open to U.S. & Canada. The winner will be announced on February 28th. Good Luck!


Willow is now available in paperback
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Borders

Book Summary:
Seven months ago on a rainy March night, Willow's parents drank to much wine at dinner and asked her to drive them home. But they never made it--Willow lost control of the car, and both of her parents were killed.

Now seventeen, Willow is living with her older brother, who can barely speak to her. She has left behind her old home, friends, and school. But Willow has found a way to survive, to numb the new reality of her life: She is secretly cutting herself.

And then she meets Guy, a boy as sensitive and complicated as she is. When Guy discovers Willow's secret, he pulls her out of the solitary world she's created for herself, and into a difficult, intense and potentially life-changing relationship.

For the UK release the title has been changed to Scarred.
Comes out March 18th.
Amazon.co.uk ~ The Book Depository

[Review] - Willow

Title: Willow
Author: Julia Hoban
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: April 2, 2009

I received this book for review from Meryl M. Moss Media Relations.

Summary: Seven months ago on a rainy March night, Willow's parents drank to much wine at dinner and asked her to drive them home. But they never made it--Willow lost control of the car, and both of her parents were killed.

Now seventeen, Willow is living with her older brother, who can barely speak to her. She has left behind her old home, friends, and school. But Willow has found a way to survive, to numb the new reality of her life: She is secretly cutting herself.

And then she meets Guy, a boy as sensitive and complicated as she is. When Guy discovers Willow's secret, he pulls her out of the solitary world she's created for herself, and into a difficult, intense and potentially life-changing relationship.

Thoughts: This was the first time I read a story that involved cutting and I wasn't sure I wanted to read a book on this subject. It just seemed too sad and depressing. But I decided to read a few chapters to see what it was like and before I knew it I was 100 pages into the book. I was definitely hooked. Seeing Willow come out of the darkness and start to live again was quite beautiful.

Willow is honest. An emotionally driven read. Beautiful written. I think for most readers once you start you'll have a hard time putting this book down. Ms. Hoban has created such complex and wonderful characters in both Willow & Guy. I was hoping for the ending to be a little bit more than it was, but I think that's a feeling with all good books. While cutting plays a big part in this story, it is also about forgiveness, love and hope.

Score: 4 Stars

Author Website: There is no website, but you can find info at the links below.
Fantastic Fiction
GoodReads

Upcoming Releases:
Willow- February 23rd (paperback)

[Promo/Giveaway]: V.C. Andrews & Mariah Stewart

Thanks to Simon & Schuster I have (1) copy of The Heavenstone Secrets by V.C. Andrews and (1) copy of A Different Light by Mariah Stewart to giveaway.

I'm doing this giveaway a bit differently. To enter please fill the form below. Entries left in the comments will not be valid. Open to U.S. & Canada. Winners will be announce on February 28th. Good Luck!

Book Summary:

SECRETS ARE AT HOME HERE . . .

The Heavenstone sisters live with their mother and father in a grand old mansion in bluegrass Kentucky. Semantha, the younger and prettier one, is afraid of so many things— darkness, strange noises, mysterious whispers in the night. But nothing frightens her more than her sister, Cassie. She is older and wiser, and always telling Semantha what to do, what to wear, and how to behave around those wicked boys at school. Semantha has her eye on one special guy—but Cassie has other plans for her. In the Heavenstone house, big sister knows best.

. . . AND THERE’S NO ESCAPE.

When tragedy strikes like a lightning bolt from heaven, Semantha’s life becomes a living hell. Under Cassie’s constant, watchful eye, she feels like a prisoner—a helpless pawn in her sister’s cruel game. When Cassie begins wearing their mother’s clothes and vying for their father’s affections, Semantha realizes she must bring their twisted sibling rivalry to an end . . . before a new generation is born.

V.C. Andrews

Book Summary:

Dear Reader:

I can hardly believe that A Different Light, one of my earliest novels, is available again at long last! And while the story is still the same, I've added new scenes and fleshed out the characters, making the novel richer and more contemporary. I've written twenty-three novels since A Different Light was first published, and I like to think I've brought the experience of the years to make this sparkling new edition even more compelling than before.

Throughout these years, the character of Athena Moran has stayed with me. In her New Jersey town, beautiful, vibrant Athena is well known as the young widow of a police officer slain in the line of duty and as the daughter of a beloved former city councilman. But when she meets Quentin Forbes, a tough newspaper reporter, emotions that she believed died along with her husband start to stir again. Then she is asked to run for mayor, and the political contest that follows will test her newfound feelings to the breaking point, teaching her that things are not always as they appear, and much of what she's believed is more smoke than substance. The new direction Athena chooses tests her strength and courage, and ultimately leads her to see herself and everyone she knows in a totally new and different light.

Best,

Mariah Stewart

Mariah Stewart

CONTEST CLOSED!!!!

Legend of the White Wolf Winners

and the winners are...

Lori
SiNn

Congrats!!! Please send your mailing address here:
annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prize.

[Series Spotlight/Giveaway] - Amanda Feral

This is one of my favorite series. Ms. Amanda Feral is wonderful character. I love both the humor and gore of this series. You'll never look at zombies the same way again. I highly recommend this series.

Book Summary:

Alive, ad exec Amanda Feral worked hard to wring enjoyment out of her days. Now that she's a zombie, it's a different story. Turns out, Seattle is home to glamorous undead of every description, and Amanda—stylish and impeccably groomed even in the afterlife—is swigging cocktails and living large (so to speak) among its elite. But there are downsides. Not being able to stomach anything except alcohol and human flesh, for instance. And the fact that someone is targeting Seattle's otherworldly inhabitants for their own sinister reasons.

Preying on the undead is seriously uncool. The only option is for Amanda and her zombie BFF Wendy and gorgeous gay vampire pal Gil to unearth the culprit among the legions of Seattle's bloodsuckers, shapeshifters, reapers, succubi, and demons—before they all meet a fate a lot worse than death. . .

My review of Happy Hour of the Damned can be found here.

Book Summary:

Celebrity party girl Amanda Feral is back from the dead, and hungrier than ever for a good time. With her zombie gal pal Wendy and vampy gay sidekick Gil, this stone cold fox is dressed to kill, on the prowl, and ready to take a big juicy bite out of Seattle's supernatural nightlife. But what's a zombie chick to do when her "Mommie Dearest" gets sick? If you're Amanda Feral, you can either ignore the wicked old witch-or bury the past by visiting Ethel before she kicks it. Amanda's not thrilled about the idea of crossing three states just to be criticized. But Wendy, who's always looking for fresh meat, is up for the adventure. And Gil, who just launched his "luxury" resurrection business, needs to disappear because a pissed-off client is out for his blood.

First, they pack their stiletto pumps and plasma into a skeevy rattrap on wheels that used to be a Winnebago. Then, with a little help from a Korean-ghost hood ornament, a masochist named Fishhook, and a slew of "moderately accurate" psychics, they hit the highway-their way. Of course, they'll have to navigate past some neo-Nazi skinheads, a horny dust devil, a hunky werewolf cop (who could pass for an underwear model) and an unsightly horde of Kmart shoppers. But for this glamorous gang of ghouls this trip is about to take a dangerous detour that could give road kill a brand new meaning . . .


Release Date: February 23rd
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders

Book Summary:

In Seattle's undead circles, Amanda Feral is one of the beautiful zombies. Of course, when you're socializing with werewolves, devils, and rampaging yetis, there's not that much competition. Still, Amanda has a stylish rep to maintain, which is getting tricky now that her tanking ad agency is obliterating her finances. The fastest way to make some cash: appear on a new reality show, American Minions, hosted by lecherous wood nymph Johnny Birch. Classy? Maybe not, but a girl's gotta eat.

With zombie gal pal Wendy posing as her bitchy agent, Amanda settles in to "Minions Mansion," crowded with 24-7 video cameras and undead fame whores. When Johnny is found incinerated in a locked room, Amanda decides to channel her inner Miss Marple (minus the fugly cardigans) and find out who's responsible. Was it Hairy Sue, the white trash stripper yeti? Tanesha, the glamorous trannie werewolf? Angie, the Filipino vampire with a detachable head? Unveiling the culprit in a heart-stopping finale won't just save the show from cancellation, it might just keep Amanda alive—or as close as a ghoul can get...

Author Website

___________________________________________________
GIVEAWAY

I have two copies of Happy Hour of the Damned (mass market) up for grabs. To enter:

• Leave a comment along with an email address
• Extra entries- Blog/Tweet about the giveaway
• Open to U.S. & Canada
• Winners will be announced on February 28th

Save Amanda Feral!
To learn more click the graphic.

In My Mailbox [42]

In My Mailbox was started over at The Story Siren.
Here is what I got this past week...

Review:
Numbers- Rachel Ward (Thanks to Big Honcho Media)
Poetry Speaks: Who I Am- Elise Paschen & Dominique Raccah (Editors) (Thanks to Sourcebooks)

Paperback Swap:
Glory In Death- J.D. Robb

Bought:
Token of Darkness- Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Pleasure of A Dark Prince- Kresley Cole
The Dangerous Book For Demon Slayers- Angie Fox
Battle of the Network Zombies- Mark Henry
Promises In Death- J.D. Robb
Innocent In Death- J.D. Robb
Salvation In Death- J.D. Robb
Shift- Rachel Vincent

Royal Blood Winners

and the winners are...

Yan
Karen W
Sandy Jay


Congrats!!! Please send your mailing address here:
annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prize.

[Review] - Dead, Undead or Somewhere In Between

Title: Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between
Author: J.A. Saare
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: February 7, 2010

I received this book to review from the author.

Summary: One bad corpse can ruin your whole day. No one knows that better than Rhiannon Murphy.

She’s left behind the flash and sass of Miami for the no-nonsense groove of New York City, eager for a clean slate and a fresh start. A bartender by trade, a loud mouth by choice, and a necromancer by chance; she’s managed

to keep her nifty talent hidden from those around her – until now.
The deliciously good-looking vampire Disco knows her secret, and when he strolls into her bar to solicit help investigating the mysterious disappearances of his kind from the city, she discovers he’s not the kind of person that appreciates the significance of the word no.

But in a world where vampires peddle their blood as the latest and greatest drug of choice, it’s only a matter of time before the next big thing hits the market. Someone or something is killing vampires to steal their hearts, and unlike Rhiannon, this isn’t their first stroll around the undead block.

Thoughts: Rhiannon is a necromancer that works at a Gentleman's Club as a bartender. Her night started off good. Whiny drunks, exotic dancers hissy fits, a complaining boss... she can handle. But when delectable vampire, Disco shows up demanding to talk to her she knows her night is about to go down hill.

Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between was a fast, and exciting read. Ms. Saare was created a gritty and sexy world. She does a wonderful job of weaving the paranormal into an urban setting. Rhiannon is definitely one of my favorite highlights in the story. She's my kind of girl. Blunt and doesn't take crap from anyone or anything. The end was also something of a surprise, I wasn't expecting that. I'm looking forward to see what happens in the next book.

Score: 4 Stars

Author Website: http://jasaare.com/

Where to Buy:
Eternal Press
Amazon (paperback)
Amazon Kindle
All Romance eBooks
Drive Through Fantasy

Upcoming Releases:
Crimson Moon- June 25, 2010
The Renfield Syndrome- TBA

[Giveaway] - Wherever Nina Lies

Wherever Nina Lies
By: Lynn Weingarten

Book Summary:

Nina was beautiful, wild, and adored by her younger sister, Ellie. But, one day, Nina disappeared. Two years later, everyone has given up home that Nina will return, but Ellie knows her sister is out there. If only Ellie had a clue where to look. Then she gets one, in the form of a mysterious drawing. Determined to find Nina, Ellie takes off on a crazy, sexy, cross-country road trip with the only person who believes she’s got a chance—her hot, adventurous new crush. Along the way, Ellie finds a few things she wasn’t planning on. Like love. Lies. And the most shocking thing of all: the truth.




Author Website
Book Website

GIVEAWAY

In celebration of the paperback release of Wherever Nina Lies, I have
3 copies to giveaway!

To Enter:

• Leave a comment along with your email address
• Only open to U.S. residents (International readers can enter if they have a friend in the States who can accept their prizes by mail.)
  
• Winners will be announced on March 2nd
  

Guest Blog & Giveaway with Terry Spear

Today I'm excited to have Terry Spear at my blog. Legend of the White Wolf was the first book I read by Terry, and I just loved it. This is one series I would definitely recommend.

Welcome Terry!!!

Why Wolves?

Where There’s a Wolf, There’s a Way!

Wolves are described as cunning, clever, curious creatures, and they are. I enjoyed seeing pictures of wolves eating their first pumpkins at Halloween at a wolf reserve and how they played with the unfamiliar fruit, poked with their noses, smelled, and sniffed, then finally began to eat them.

I was reading about wolves during the time of the buffalo when Native Americans hunted the buffalo, and how they observed the way of the wolf on a hunt, and used their techniques as well. The buffalo paid no attention to the wolves lying about in the meadow in amongst the herd. They didn’t worry about the wolf if he was walking through the herd if he kept his head up, ears perked, as if he owned the world. He was just passing through then, not in hunting mode.

But when he went into his hunting stance, he ears would flatten, head lowered, no longer were his ears visible against the horizon. Now the buffalo grew nervous. They watched him. They knew. He was on the hunt. Looking for the young or injured or old.

Why not go after the healthy buffalo? An injured wolf can’t survive long either. So their preference is for the easier targets.

Some of the Native American tribes copied the way of the wolf, and some even wore wolf skins because the buffalo weren’t afraid of the wolves, unless they recognized they were in hunting mode.

In Legend of the White Wolf, I mention the ancient Cree in the Canadian Arctic, who believed that wolves were divine creatures that came down from the aurora borealis. Since Arctic werewolves had moved into the area, the ancient Cree welcomed them, revered them for their hunting prowess, for staying together as a family, just like they had honored wolves.

With werewolves, like wolves, they don’t believe in giving up. Oh, sure, if the prey is too difficult, the wolf will move on and look for something that is easier to catch. Yet if he’s already got his meal, it’s like the proverbial dog with his bone.

With werewolves, they’re just as tenacious, and if he or she is driven to accomplish something, he or she will find a way. So when Cameron MacPherson and Faith O’Malley stumble onto a mystery of murdered bodies and a case of his missing partners, they team up to learn the truth, only the truth in this case will not set them free. Instead, they will be linked forever together in a way neither ever could have imagined.

Have you ever done something that ended up changing your life forever?

Thanks so much for having me, Anna!

LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF

IN STORES FEBRUARY 2010

Award-Winning Author introduces the next installment of her paranormal romance series A 2008 Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year Award Winner! Night Owl Romance Reader Choice Award for Best Paranormal 2008

In this fourth in Spear's series, Private Eye Cameron MacPherson and Faith O'Mallery are both on quests that lead them into the world of magical wolves...

Cameron arrives in the Canadian Arctic to search for his partners in his P.I. business who are late returning from a hunting trip. Faith is there to discover what her father had seen in the same area years earlier that had made him lose touch with reality—man-wolves, he called them.

The two tumble into an icy world of enemies bent on destroying the lupus garou kind. As they turn into lupus garou themselves, and bond with the pack that only they can rescue from destruction, Cameron and Faith find their soul mates in each other.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry Spear has an MBA from Monmouth College. As an eclectic writer, she dabbles in the paranormal, historical and true life stories for both teen and adult audiences. She is the author of Winning the Highlander’s Heart and The Vampire in My Dreams (young adult). Spear lives in Crawford, Texas.

You can find Terry at the following places:
http://www.terryspear.com
http://www.wickedlyromantic.blogspot.com/
http://casablancaauthors.blogspot.com
http://fierceromance.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/home.php?ref=home
http://shapeshifterromance.wordpress.com

You can read my review of Legend of the White Wolf here

__________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Sourcebooks I have 2 copies of Legend of the White Wolf to giveaway. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to U.S. & Canada. The winners will be announced on February 21st

Fennell Winners + Cover Discovery

The winners of Catch of a Lifetime are:

Cybercliper
D.L.

Congrats!! You have 5 days to claim your prize. Send
your mailing information here: annasbookblog@gmail.com
___________________________________________________

COVER DISCOVERY

Release Date: July 6, 2010

Also featured on:
Nalini Singh's blog
SciFiGuy.ca
Literary Escapism
Leontine's Book Realm

Release Date: August 1, 2010

Also featured on:
Elizabeth Hoyt's website
Babbling About Books and More
Lovin' Me Some Romance

Release Date: August 24, 2010

Also featured on:
All Things Urban Fantasy
On Our Minds @ Scholastic
SciFiGuy.ca
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Release Date: August 31, 2010
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Release Date: October 2010

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Happy Valentine's Day!!!

[ARC Review] - Demonfire

Title: Demonfire
Author: Kate Douglas
Series: The DemonSlayers
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: February 23, 2010

I received this ARC for review from the author.

Summary: Since time began, the Earth has served as a balance between the world of darkness that is the Abyss, and the paradise known as Eden. Now the battle between good and evil has reached a tipping point, and survival depends on one fallen demon— and the woman he can't resist...

Newspaper reported Eddy Marks thinks she knows everything about her quite hometown. She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out Evergreen, California, is the site of a vortex that allows demons to cross over to Earth, and the only one who can stop them is an unbelievably sexy fallen demon named Dax who has just crashed into Eddy's life.

Thoughts: Raise your hand if you'd like to find a hunky guy in your garden shed... yeah me too! That is exactly what happens to lucky girl, Eddy Marks. She discovers Dax, who is a demon on her property. From that very moment he shakes her world up in more ways than one.

Kate Douglas has created wild and exciting new world. A world of yummy demons and good vs. evil. Demonfire is a fierce ride. Sexy and dangerous. This was a wonderful read, I loved the legend that went along with the story. Readers will eat this one up. I think fans of Kate Douglas will find this new series just as erotic and outstanding as her Wolf Tales series

Score: 4 Stars.

Author Website: http://katedouglas.com/

Upcoming Releases:
Sexy Beast VIII- March 30, 2010
Wolf Tales X- June 29, 2010
Hellfire- August 31, 2010

In My Mailbox [41]

In My Mailbox was started over at The Story Siren.
Here is what I got this week...

Review:
Strange Neighbors- Ashlyn Chase (Thanks to Sourcebooks)
Tall, Dark and Wolfish- Lydia Dare (Thanks to Sourcebooks)
The Wolf Next Door- Lydia Dare (Thanks to Sourcebooks)
Willow- Julia Hoban (Thanks to Meryl M. Moss Media Relations)

Paperback Swap:
The Selkie- Melanie Jackson
Naked In Death- J.D. Robb

Bought:
Flirt- Laurell K. Hamilton
All Night with a Rogue- Alexandra Hawkins
Steamed- Katie MacAlister

I have already finished both Flirt and Willow. Flirt I thought was a pretty good story, I enjoyed it more than I did the last book. I will be posting my review for Willow soon. :)

[Giveaway] - Royal Blood

Royal Blood by Rona Sharon
Out Now

Book Summary:
In the Tudor Court of 1518, your friends and enemies can be one and the same...

During the annual celebration of the Order of the Garter, Sir Michael Devereaux arrives in King Henry VIII's court on a mission for his benefactor. The celebration's endless feats and sumptuous women delight the charismatic newcomer, who becomes captivated by the enigmatic Princess Renée of France. But evil, it seems, has followed Michael to the court. Shortly after his arrival, an unknown killer claims several victims, including the Queen's lady-in-waiting, and the powerful Cardinal Wolsey asks Michael to help with the investigation. As he searches for the killer, Michael is haunted by disturbing images of the victims—flashes of violence that lead him to doubt his own sanity. Michael soon realizes that the key to solving the crime is connected to both the Pope's Imperial vault in Rome and a mystery from Michael's own past—revealing a secret that is so damning, it could forever alter the future of mankind.

Author Website




GIVEAWAY:
Thanks to Rona Sharon I have 3 signed copies of Royal Blood to giveaway.

To Enter:

• Leave a comment along with your email address
• Extra entries If you are follower or blog/tweet about the contest
• Open to U.S. & Canada
• Winners will be announced on February 19th

[Review] - Wherever Nina Lies

Title: Wherever Nina Lies
Author: Lynn Weingarten
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: February 1, 2010

I received this book for review from Big Honcho Media

Summary:

HAVE YOU SEEN NINA?

Nina was beautiful, artistic, wild...and adored by her younger sister, Ellie. But one day without any warning, Nina disappeared. Two years later, Ellie can't stop thinking about her sister Although everyone else has given up hope that Nina will return, Ellie just knows her sister is out there, somewhere. When Ellie finds a clue in the form of a mysterious drawing, she sets off on a road trip with her crush, determined to find her sister.

Along the way, Ellie finds a few things she wasn't planning on. Like, Love, Mysteries. Lies. And something far more shocking... the truth

Thoughts: It has been two years since Ellie's sister, Nina went missing. Ellie still doesn't have a clue to what happen to her. The loss is forever on the surface, no matter how much her mother and best friend wish she would just move on. So, when any type of clue comes along she must she it through to see if it will lead to Nina.

Wherever Nina Lies is a book that takes a hold on you. This is one good suspenseful read. Every new clue will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's intriguing and real. This story could belong to any of us. The story was much more than I thought it would be. With danger, mystery and romance I think this book will appeal to alot of readers.

Score: 5 Stars

Author Website: http://www.lynnweingarten.com/

Ecstasy Unveiled Winners

Randi
Tracy
Caitlin
Barbara
Sidhevicious

Congrats!!! You have 5 days to claim your prize.

Please send your mailing address here:
annasbookblog@gmail.com

Interview/Giveaway with Judi Fennell

Today I'm welcoming back Judi Fennell, to celebrate the release of her latest Mer book, Catch of a Lifetime.

Hi Judi, Welcome to Anna's Book Blog! I'm glad to have here again. To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

Sure and thanks so much for having me back, Anna!

I started reading at an early age, and writing followed shortly thereafter. I haven't put a book down since. In the early days before cable television, I was in a car accident and partially paralyzed for nine months. Books, and every re-run of I Dream of Jeannie, The Addams Family, Bewitched and Gilligan's Island were my best friends. These days I don't have as much time to read, but at the moment I have 14 books on my nightstand (yes, I did just count them). I love books and I love to read. That's why, after my editor called to tell me they wanted to buy my Mer series, I cried and hugged my family and then I grabbed a romance novel, laid on the sofa, and read. I figured that I should celebrate becoming part of that world by being part of that world.

Catch of a Lifetime is your newest release, can you tell us a little bit about it?

Catch of a Lifetime is as different from Wild Blue Under as Wild Blue Under is from In Over Her Head. It's Angel's story, Rod and Reel's younger sister who loves all things Human. But Rod hasn't accepted that his little sis has grown up and knows her own mind. When she sets out to prove it to him, well, then things don't go according to plan--his or hers.

Logan Hardington is trying to deal with a surprise son who popped up out of nowhere with nothing but a bag of clothes, a few tattered books and a raggedy stuffed toy raccoon, and juggle his high pressure job with single parenthood. All he wants is Normal.

A mermaid is anything but Normal.

What is your writing day like?

Sadly, no day is like another. I have kids who have schedules. Doesn't matter if Mom has a schedule, though. My semi-routine involves getting everyone to their respective schools/buses and hitting the gym a few days a week for an hour and a half workout, then home, shower, catch up on email/blogs, then get to writing until they come home or have to be picked up from activities. That's the ideal.

The reality is that I'm shoving loads of laundry in whenever possible, my living room is a permanent clothes-folding room, the dogs are constantly wanting to go out and chase the feral cats in the field (or the mailman), the kitten is digging up any one of my plants, some delivery person or service/repairman is showing up, or my mom will call to ask my opinion about what color potholders she should get for her kitchen, or my sister will call, or the dishwasher will overflow, or the phones will stop working, or a neighbor will have locked herself out of her car/left her stove on…

Somehow I get the stories written. Usually it's on the days when my husband tells me to go to Borders and HE handles the catastrophes. Have I mentioned he's my hero?

When you're not writing what kind of books do you like to read?

I love to read pretty much anything. I focus on paranormal because my reading time is so limited these days and I want to see what's out there for the readers. But I love Romantic Suspense, or a funny contemporary. Or some of my favorite historical authors… So many books, so little time.

Since becoming published, what has been your favorite part of the process?

Hearing from readers. Hands-down, best part. I sit in my office and conjure up these people (or talking animals) in my head and put them on paper. I have no idea if the stories are any good until someone else reads them. I have no idea if they're worth anyone's time until someone reads them, which means I don't know if I've just wasted my time.

So hearing back from readers that they enjoyed the stories, or that I made them laugh--or cry, as one woman told me--that makes me happy and keeps me going. Shows me I'm not wasting my time.

And it's nice to know I'm not the only one out there with a screwy sense of humor.

What type of research did you do for the Mer/Tritone series?

Google Earth is a godsend. There are very few pictures of specific parts of the ocean, but Google Earth gives me the topography of the floor, so I can "see" the world I'm creating. YouTube, also, is marvelous. Thank God there are people who like to scuba dive and film it. I've been to Bermuda so many times on my laptop, I don't think I even need to go (but let's not tell Hubs that. I'm still angling for a research trip there). There's a NJ dive site that was of immeasurable help when I was figuring out how to get Erica and Reel to hook up in In Over Her Head, and the drawing feature on Google Earth was invaluable for me to plan the chase scene in Catch of a Lifetime.

I don't know how writers wrote before the invention of the personal computer, and, specifically, the Internet. I can order research books online and have them delivered to me; I can search some books' content, enough to find what I need. I can see the street view of downtown Columbus Ohio for Rod and Val's trek… I recently got an iPhone and one of the first apps I loaded on it was Google Earth. That should tell you how much I value that program.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a book?

My laptop. :) LOL.

I need either quiet or white noise so that I can immerse myself in the story.

I need a clean, orderly desk. I know, that's a sign of a sick mind. What can I say? I can't work in chaos, although I do really well making order out of chaos. But when I open the laptop to start writing, the desk has to be clean.

A bottle of water. Writing makes me thirsty. I have no idea why, but there it is. Even when I go to a bookstore or coffee shop to write, I have to have water.

A few places I have seen the series mentioned as a Trilogy. Is this the end of the series or do you hope to write more stories in the Mer world?

The series never had an official name, though I've seen people calling it the Tritone Trilogy. I didn't want to call it that, because, as I've told my editor, it's a big ocean out there. I've got all sorts of ideas for more stories, and have built a world in each of the five oceans. There are two more Tritone siblings who are clamoring for their stories. Mariana's is started. I'm hoping to get to write more of them, just as I'm hoping I get to continue my genie series beyond the three I've contracted for. Now all I need is the time to do it!

What inspired you to write about an underwater world and mermaids? Are any of the characters based on real people?

What inspired me was the movie, The Little Mermaid. I was working on a series of fairy tales with a twist (my tag line): Cinda Bella, Beauty and The Best, Fairest of Them All, and thought, "What fairy tale can I twist next?" I'd always loved Ariel and thought I'd give that a go. The easiest way to twist that story was to make him the Mer. Once it was written, the idea for the rest of the stories came to me.

As for the characters being based on real people--if you know any Mers please point me to them. LOL. The only one who is close to being a real person is Erica. She has my idiotic, irrational fear of the ocean. Reel has some of Matthew McConnaughey's character from Failure to Launch in him, but other than that, nope. They're all fictitious. Even if I did borrow a few names...


What's up next? Can you tell us about your next project?

Yep, I sure can. I Dream of Genies is with my editor and will be released in January 2011 (10 months from now!!!), to be followed by Genie Knows Best and then Leave It To Genie. These were pitched as "I Dream of Jeannie meets Indiana Jones," so that ought to give you an idea of what they're about. I have to admit, even I didn't see where I Dream of Genies was going to take me. It was a fun ride to write!

CATCH OF A LIFETIME
BY JUDI FENNELL—IN STORES FEBRUARY 2010!

She’s on a mission to save the planet…
Mermaid Angel Tritone has been researching humans from afar, hoping to find a way to convince them to stop polluting. When she jumps into a boat to escape a shark attack, it’s her chance to pursue her mission, but she has to keep her identity a total secret…

When he finds out what she really is, they’re both in mortal danger…
For Logan Hardington, finding a beautiful woman on his boat is surely not a problem—until he discovers she’s a mermaid, and suddenly his life is on the line…

The third novel in Judi Fennell's mermaid series, a fresh, exciting, and different entry in romance fiction!



About the Author
Judi Fennell is an award-winning author. Her romance novels have been finalists in Gather.com's First Chapters and First Chapters Romance contests, as well as the third American Title contest. She spends family vacations at the Jersey Shore, the setting for some of her paranormal romance series. She lives in suburban Philadelphia, PA. For More information, and a chance to win a romantic ocean getaway, visit http://www.judifennell.com/.

My review of Catch of a Lifetime can be read here.

____________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Sourcebooks I have 2 copies of Catch of a Lifetime to giveaway. Open to U.S. & Canada. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Winners will be announced on February 14th. Good Luck!!

Cover Discovery

Release Date: April 27th

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Release Date: May 4th

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Release Date: May 25th

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Babbling About Books and More

Release Date: May 25th

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Release Date: June 1st

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Release Date: June 29th

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Updated U.S. Cover
Release Date: August 3rd

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