Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Spotlight & Excerpt: I Like Your Form by JD Holmes



I Like Your Form
Confessions of a Personal Trainer
by JD Holmes
Adult Audiences
First Published March 21, 2013



Synopsis via Goodreads:


After graduating from high school and working several dead-end jobs, JD lands a job as a personal trainer at a newly opened gym. At first he is inexperienced and shocked at how much money people are willing to drop to train with him. But soon he starts to learn the ropes of the business. It’s not long before JD carves a niche for himself training well-to-do housewives and successful older women. As he gives into these women’s demands, he is faced with an internal struggle: he wants to make money and retain clients, but he knows that what he is doing is wrong. If his girlfriend or one of his clients’ spouses ever found out about this other life he’s leading, everything could blow up in his face and it could mean the end of his career. But for the time being, what’s wrong with enjoying the attention of many attractive, sexy women who seem to be more than willing to please young JD? This hilarious and honest collection of stories includes advice for both personal trainers and clients and a look at the lesser-known-side of personal training.





Grab Your Copy:










JD Holmes is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with over 15 years experience in the health & fitness industry. He holds a master's degree in physical therapy and is a certified athletic trainer. JD currently resides in Tampa, FL. For more information, visit http://jdconfessions.com/

Connect With JD:   Goodreads    Facebook     Twitter     Pinterest     Google+









I’m not gonna lie. I was enjoying the fruits of my labor. My job at Precision Fitness was awesome. I was in the midst of what seemed like an endless stream of women who needed my services. I couldn’t turn my head without running into a client who was hounding me to “hang out” or “get together.” I will be the first to admit that things were quickly getting out of hand, but it was getting so easy that I was beginning to feel like I was on a yearlong tour with Mötley Crüe, complete with all the backstage debauchery one only dreams about. With my managers sending me all the women between the ages of twenty-seven and forty-seven who walked through the doors of the gym, I felt compelled to do what I needed to do to keep this train rolling. I was making great money and having a good time doing it. I wasn’t about to possibly jeopardize all that by turning a woman down and, in the process, possibly stopping my steady influx of women from management. As far as I was concerned, I had built up a reputation and needed to uphold it—like when that order of extra anchovies came in, someone had to deliver. Call it some sort of sick pride thing, but I felt obligated to continue my ways. I had also managed to stay drama-free. The way I saw it, I would continue to steer my present course as long as I didn’t get caught or experience something that would make me look in the mirror a little harder and seriously reconsider my ways.

So how about Mary Ann? Could I possibly make room for one more? I sure could. She fit the description of my typical female client perfectly: Already in shape, check. Very cute, with a golden-brown tan year-round, double check. In addition, Mary Ann was legally divorced, so any extracurricular affairs would be in the clear, triple check.

Tony, one of the sales managers, introduced us. Within seconds of meeting me, Mary Ann completely shifted her focus to me and seemingly forgot that she had just spent the last ten minutes talking to Tony. It was as if Tony ceased to exist. I hadn’t done much more than say hello to her, yet she already had this huge smile on her face. Could she already tell that she would end up in bed with me? When this type of shit happens to an average guy, how could he not think of himself as awesome? Tony just laughed and left us to talk, as he quickly noticed the connection and knew immediately where this was going to eventually lead.

Mary Ann was a petite thirty-nine-year-old Italian woman with a dark complexion that seemed to stay sun-soaked tan no matter what time of year it was. Her hair was a satin-like dark black, and fortunately, she lacked hairy arms, a feature that plagues some Italian women. If there was a trace of a mustache, she must have had that thing well waxed or lasered because I didn’t notice a furry upper lip. She had these thin little legs and weighed no more than 110 pounds. She had long, curly black hair and always wore a little extra makeup to the gym. At first glance, Mary Ann didn’t appear to be in need of a trainer, but who was I to turn away a paying customer?

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Book Blitz: Angel Fire (Sedona Trilogy #3) by Christine Pope




Angel Fire
The Sedona Trilogy #3
by Christine Pope
Adult PNR
Expected Release: July 30, 2013

Synopsis via Goodreads:

As winter closes in on Kirsten Swenson's hometown of Sedona, Arizona, and the world moves toward the solstice, strange forces begin to converge on the quiet desert city, seeking to bring about the destruction of everything she knows and loves.

Desperate to save her family and friends, Kirsten accepts the assistance of a mysterious Man in Black. He helps to awaken the powers that have lain dormant within her…and also compels her to expose the shocking secrets buried in her past. But Kirsten soon learns that giving her heart might not be enough, and that the confrontation with the alien forces may demand her to make the ultimate sacrifice. (Book 3 of the Sedona Trilogy)


Grab Your Copy of 1 & 2:
Buy Link For Angel Fire Not Live @ The Time Post Was Created - Will add when it's live












A native of Southern California, Christine Pope has been writing stories ever since she commandeered her family’s Smith-Corona typewriter back in the sixth grade. Her short fiction has appeared in Astonishing Adventures, Luna Station Quarterly, and the journal of dark fiction, Dark Valentine. Two of her short stories have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

Her first published novel was Fringe Benefits, a contemporary romance released by Pink Petal Books in April 2010. Next up was a paranormal novella, Playing With Fire, which was published in August 2010. In December 2010, Sympathy for the Devil, a paranormal romance novel, was released. 

 In 2011, Ms. Pope decided to strike out on her own as a self-published author, giving herself more freedom to explore a variety of genres. Her first self-published work, Breath of Life (June 2011), is a novella that takes the classic Beauty and the Beast story and sets it in a far-future Gaian (Earth) colony where the "beauty" is a colonist's daughter and the "beast" her family's alien neighbor. That book was quickly followed by Bad Vibrations (July 2011), a fast-paced but lighthearted paranormal romantic suspense novel with alien conspiracies, government cover-ups, and a hunky ufologist hero.

 Releases for 2012 included No Return, a contemporary retelling of the Phantom of the Opera story; Heart of Gold, a steampunk adventure romance; Blood Will Tell, a space opera/science fiction romance set in the same universe as Breath of Life; All Fall Down, the first of the Tales of the Latter Kingdoms series; and Dragon Rose, the second book in the Latter Kingdom series. Her release schedule for 2013 is just as full, with a follow-up to Bad Vibrations in January and the final book of the trilogy in July, Binding Spell (Book 3 in the Latter Kingdoms series) in March, and then the third book in the Gaian Consortium series (The Gaia Gambit) and the fourth in the Latter Kingdoms series (Ashes of Roses) due out in the second half of the year.

Christine Pope writes as the mood takes her, and her work encompasses paranormal romance, fantasy, horror, science fiction, and historical romance. She blames this on being easily distracted by bright, shiny objects, which could also account for the size of her shoe collection. After spending many years in the magazine publishing industry, she now works as a freelance editor and graphic designer in addition to writing fiction. She fell in love with Sedona, Arizona, while researching the Sedona Trilogy and now makes her home there, surrounded by the red rocks. No alien sightings, though…not yet, anyway!





Connect With Christine:  Goodreads    Facebook    Twitter    Website   





Monday, July 29, 2013

Review: The Gingerbread House by Nell Carson

The Gingerbread House
by Nell Carson
Adult Romance
Published April 6, 2012 by Avalon Books
*Print Copy obtained directly from the author in exchange for an honest review*



Synopsis via Goodreads:


After a tumultuous past, Greta Kendall has focused mainly on her bridal shop, located on the first floor of her beloved Queen Anne Victorian near Aspen. For two years she’s fought to save her house from Stephanie Harwood of Harwood Development, who is intent on razing her home to build a new mall. But now Greta’s running out of time. The town council is about to approve the final plans for the mall.

When Gray Daniels walks into her shop, Greta is immediately attracted to his rugged good looks and midnight blue eyes, until she learns he’s Stephanie Harwood’s fiancé. She’s furious to find they’ve tricked her into a publicity stunt aimed at garnering support for the mall. So now her little war has a new front: Gray Daniels. If only she could also fight her growing attraction to him.

A knock on the door brings a return of old danger, and Greta must now put aside her anguish over the house to discover if she’s at last capable of looking the past in the eye and overcoming it—and if she’s finally free to love again.



Grab Your Copy:



About the Author:

I was born in Philly but grew up primarily in Seattle where I quickly learned to appreciate the sun!

After moving to L.A. my senior year in high school, I graduated from the College of Creative Studies at UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Literature.

I now live in SUNNY Denver, Colorado with my husband Ben, our Italian Greyhound, Kelby and a fickle cat named Oliver.

When I'm not writing or bored at my day job, I like to cook, garden and work on the endless renovations of our 1922 bungalow.  



Connect with the Author:   Goodreads    Website 



My Review:

When I first accepted this novel for review, I wasn't really sure what to expect. The synopsis is intriguing but the cover reveals nothing. This novel was a very clean, heartfelt read. You become attached to the characters in chapter 1. The prologue is a mystery to you until you're further into the novel and realize the significance of the home.

I adored each main character. Even Stephenie - she has her reasons for doing what she does even though I believe she had to have lost herself along the way. Gray was a good male lead and Greta was precious. She was strong, yet didn't see her strength. And Adele - love her. Adele is beginning to suffer from Alzheimer's and it breaks my heart when she's there one minute and gone the next.

The story moves along at a good pace - very easy to read and flows well. Honestly, this novel could've been the basis for a much longer, more thorough novel. I enjoyed the characters and although the situation was upsetting, I would've loved to continue reading!

I would definitely recommend this read to anyone looking for a clean romance about the importance of family and family heirlooms. If those things are important to you, you will definitely connect to the characters and enjoy their journey. 






Now, the drama that comes about with Greta's ex-husband was unexpected. That really threw me for a loop (a good one) and I was gripping the pages while waiting for him to do his worst. Although it didn't get as bad as I expected, it made for an interesting plot twist and climactic point in the novel. 

The ending, although very unexpected and so insanely sweet, was definitely fairy tale material. I can't imagine the surprise ending (prior to the epilogue) working out as positive in real life as it did in the novel. However, that's the point of reading right? We all want that surprise that you would rarely see in real life. :) I LOVED the ending and thought it was perfect for Greta, Gray, and Adele.

My only negative would have to be the cover. It's sweet and I understand now that it's a part of the house... but it doesn't really portray the actual novel enough for me. Had I seen it on the shelf, I would've passed it right by - which would've been regretful.


Overall Rating: 4 Stars
Cover Rating: 2 Stars
Characters: 5 Stars
Plot: 5 Stars
Climax: 4.5 Stars
Ending: 4 Stars


Saturday, July 27, 2013

Books & Broomsticks Summer Author Blitz: Guest Post & Giveaway - Author Dean Wilson




Summer Author Blitz!

 Click on the image above to see the entire schedule!


As part of Books & Broomsticks' Summer Author Blitz, 
I'm happy to have Author Dean Wilson joining us at Kayla's Place today! 


 Dean F. Wilson was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1987. He started writing at age 11, when he began his first (unpublished) novel, entitled The Power Source. He won a TAP Educational Award from Trinity College Dublin for an early draft of The Call of Agon (then called Protos Mythos) in 2001.

He has published a number of poems and short stories over the years, while working on and reworking some of his many novels. The Call of Agon is his first published novel.

Dean also works as a journalist, primarily in the field of technology. He has written for TechEye, Thinq, V3, The Inquirer, and VR-Zone.

Connect With Dean:  Goodreads Website Twitter Facebook


Want to know a little about Dean's latest work? 
Here you go!


The Call of Agon
The Children of Telm #1
Fantasy
Published March 1, 2013 by Dioscuri Press


Synopsis via Goodreads

THE LAST LINE. THE LAST WORDS. THE LAST CHANCE.

Ifferon is one of the last in the bloodline of the dead god Telm, who mated with mortal women, and who imprisoned the Beast Agon in the Underworld. Armed with a connection to the estranged gods in the Overworld and a scroll bearing Telm's powerful dying words, he is tasked with ensuring the god's vital legacy: that Agon remain vanquished.

Fear forces Ifferon to abandon his duty, but terror restores his quest when the forces of Agon find his hideaway in an isolated coastal monastery. Weighed down by the worries of the world, but lifted up by the companions he encounters along the way, Ifferon embarks on a journey that encompasses the struggles of many peoples, the siege of many lands, and discoveries that could bring hope to some—or doom to all.

Grab Your Copy:








Why Writing is a Form of Personal Therapy

As a form of self-expression, writing is naturally a therapeutic medium, in much the same way recovering alcoholics might be encouraged to take up art to help them work through their issues. Writing, by its very nature, helps get whatever is in the mind, potentially eating away at the psyche, out onto the page, where it can be dealt with, even if how it is addressed ends up being a purely “fictional” exercise.

“A problem shared is a problem halved,” as the old saying goes, and while writing is typically a solitary art, the sheer act of putting one's thoughts down on paper can go a long way to limiting some of the potential emotional turmoil in our lives. This is often the reason why people keep journals of their everyday events, as it helps them process and deal with whatever might be frustrating them.

Of course, a writer generally does not actively sit down to write about their problems, but anything that is eating them up inside may find itself expressed in words, even if the issue itself is deep-rooted and not even recognised by the author. Likewise, people who keep diaries often don't take up the pen as a form of therapy, but the end result can be extremely therapeutic.

An author has a distinct advantage when dealing with characters in a book, because he or she can live the characters' lives vicariously, experiencing their ups and downs while still being able to step away at the end of the day and not become so emotionally attached that it becomes a problem (though obviously this differs from author to author). This allows an author to gain insight into a potentially harrowing experience without having to go through it directly, while those authors who have had painful experiences can begin or speed up the healing process by addressing the issues in what is, or at least feels like, a safer environment: the realm of fiction.

The same can be said for readers, as they equally get to experience the lives of others from a safe distance. They might be able to feel the love, anger, joy, hurt, or pain of a character, which can tap into their own empathy, or perhaps their own issues, and yet they can close the book and step away from that world, giving a kind of safety mechanism for working through problems.

We like to think of people as having one personality, but the reality is often much different. Who we are to our spouse is very different to who we are to our boss, our friends, or our kids. We act differently to a parent than we do to a peer, sharing a different facet of our personality. In many ways the characters of a novel could be seen to be the many facets of an author's personality, or at least how the author views certain people or issues, as a character in a book can never be crafted without it coming through the prism of the author's mind. Thus each character and what they go through can give greater insight into an issue, or perhaps work through it on a subtler, perhaps subconscious, level.

I will finish with a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, which helps highlight not only the multi-faceted aspects of authors, but of human beings in general, and how the written word is such a powerful way to actively engage with, communicate with, and showcase these aspects, that they might, in some manner, be addressed.

“Writers aren't exactly people ... they're a whole bunch of people trying to be one person.”





Author Dean Wilson is giving away 1 Print & 1 Ebook Copy of his novel "The Call of Agon"

Use the Rafflecopter below to enter for your chance to win!
Open Internationally!
Good Luck Everyone!

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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Hop!




I love taking part in these giveaway hops! Let's see...let's see... What book can I giveaway? 

I know! I know!

Alrighty, I'll giveaway one KINDLE ebook copy of:

Passion & Pain
(Dancers & Divas #1)
by Kathy Petrakis

 Synopsis via Goodreads:

Does passion and desire guarantee success? Can friends really be trusted? Can true love be found beneath lust and deceit?

These are questions tenacious street dancer Elena Martinez faces as she struggles to compete against the most talented students at New York’s top Performing Arts High School. Along with her best friend, the carefree and mischievous Sebastien Duval, they are determined to make center stage.

But the singing diva Letitia has other plans. Beautiful, talented and popular, her desire for revenge could ruin everything for Elena and Sebastien. Now, they must fight against prejudice, treachery and deceit as Letitia sets out to destroy Elena’s friendships, her romance, her dignity and her dreams. Can Elena win the battle for true love, happiness and success?




Now...how do you enter? Easy-Peasy! 

Go follow my blog via BlogLovin' or by email (see the right side bar) and leave a comment letting me know which method you used and your email address! 

That's it! 



Make sure you check out the other open giveaways I have going on right now! 
You can win signed copies of novels by Debra Smith AND signed copies of Gary Taylor Posters by going to THIS POST
Only a few more days left to enter so go now :)





Monday, July 22, 2013

Win a Kindle Fire - YA Bound - Sizzling Summer Giveaway - Guest Post: M.R. Polish, Author of Wolf Spell



Click on the image above to go to the kick off post & see what other blogs are participating!



 Author M.R. Polish, author of Wolf Spell, 
is joining us today at Kayla's Place! 

I'm super excited to be a part of YA Bound's Sizzling Summer Giveaway & stoked that M.R. Polish is stopping by!

First, I'll tell you about M.R. Polish, then I'll tell you about Wolf Spell, and then I'm opening the floor to her so she can tell you about her dream cast for Wolf Spell if it was ever optioned for a film! Fun!!! 



M.R. Polish was born in Idaho, a long, long, long, maybe not that long time ago.... Writing has always been there for her. Growing up, her mind was filled with stories, some she shared and others she filed away to write down later in life. It wasn't until 2011 that she decided to publish her stories for everyone to enjoy. Her first award and when writing became more than just an idea was in the 5th grade. She won the scary story contest for the school newspaper. It is one story she still has tucked away for memories. Her teacher told her she could be anything she wanted and that she had a talant for writing, being creative and drawing people into her stories. M.R. took that to heart and continued to write, although mostly in secret until recent years. 
Now you can find her enjoying life with her family - wrangling her four kids, setting traps in the house with toys for unsuspecting victims (aka, her husband) and writing down all her crazy and fun stories.







 Wolf Spell
(Wolf Spell #1)
by M.R. Polish
YA PNR
Published December 27, 2012



Synopsis Via Goodreads

With a death starts a new beginning...

Eighteen-year-old Esmerelda thinks she’s just a normal girl, but all of that changes the day of her mom’s funeral, when a warlock, intent on using her special powers, kidnaps her. Powers she didn’t know existed. Thrown in the middle of a magical battle, Es struggles to learn her magic while fleeing both vampires and warlocks, at the same time, hunting for the witches that can help defeat her adversary. The only problem is that they are dead.

Thankfully, she has the help of Jarak—her Guardian—who quickly captures her heart, but she wonders if she can win his? Just when she thinks Jarak is the one for her, Ian appears with daggers drawn to save Es from a vampire attack. Ian is cocky and rude, but there is something magnetic about him—something that attracts her to him. With her heart torn between two men, she faces the foes that are out for her blood. Can Es do the unthinkable and awaken them from their graves before time runs out?





   Grab Your Copy of Wolf Spell:  Kindle     Nook      Paperback





 



So, I have thought about it... a lot... I mean really, how cool would it be if Wolf Dream was made into a movie, let alone get the actors/actresses I would love!?!? That is what I am doing, a dreamcast, a cast of those I personally would love to see play my characters. (I in no way own any of these photos)

Esmerelda:
If I had my choice of actresses it would be Debbie Ryan. I totally love her attitude, and she is soooo pretty! She acts/looks just like how I pictures.







Ian:
Okay, so probably not who you would imagine, but I can see Ian as Kenny Wormald... I know! Surprised me too! Besides, he can dance ;)







Jarak:
I have always seen Jarak as Zac Efron. I mean wow! He would be perfect!






Ailaina:
Oh, Ailaina, how much fun is she!?!? Honestly? She is totally Bridgit Mendler. All the way!







So yes, if Wolf Spell were to ever become a movie, this would be MY dreamcast!!!



 



Use the Rafflecopter below to enter for your chance to win one of the following prize packs:
1 - Kindle Fire HD with NA/Adult e-book prize pack (shown)
1 - Kindle Fire HD with YA e-book prize pack (shown)





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