Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Blog Tour: The Hearts of Dragons by Josh Vanbrankle

TheHeartsofDragonsTourBanner

The Hearts of Dragons, book two in the Dragoon Saga, is available NOW. To celebrate, I'm going to be spotlighting both books that kick off this epic new trilogy today!

The Wings of Dragons
From fantasy author Josh VanBrakle comes an epic new trilogy of friendship, betrayal, and explosive magic. Lefthanded teenager Iren Saitosan must uncover a forgotten history, confront monsters inspired by Japanese mythology, and master a serpentine dragon imprisoned inside a katana to stop a revenge one thousand years in the making.
Lodian history declares lefthanded people chaotic, dangerous, and devil-spawned, but Iren, the kingdom’s only known Left, thinks that’s an exaggeration. Sure, he loves pranking the residents of Haldessa Castle, but that’s harmless fun to get a little attention.
When one of his stunts nearly kills Lodia’s charismatic heir to the throne, Amroth Angustion, however, Iren confronts a no-win choice. To avoid execution, he must join a covert team and assassinate a bandit lord. The mission is suicidal, and Iren’s chances aren’t helped when he learns that his new katana imprisons a dragon’s spirit, one with a magic so powerful it can sink continents and transform Iren into a raging beast.
Adding to Iren’s problems, someone on the assassination team is plotting treason. When a former ally launches a blood-soaked plan to avenge the Lefts, Iren finds himself trapped between competing loyalties, and the fates of two nations will depend on his choice.
cover_FINAL_3color - Copy2
Seven months ago nineteen-year-old Iren Saitosan saved the continent of Raa, but victory had its price: his Dragoon transformation left him unable to use magic. In a culture that relies on spells just to open doors, the impairment has crippled him. Unwilling to live dependent on his friend Minawë, Iren departs in search of a cure.

Meanwhile, Minawë faces a greater loss. She had to watch her mother’s murder, and she has yet to overcome her grief.

She will have to find the strength to move on, though, because a ruthless pair is hunting Iren. They know about the Dragoon, and they’ll stop at nothing to gain its power. If they succeed, they’ll plunge Raa into its most devastating war in a thousand years. Only Minawë can rescue Iren before that happens. But even if she finds him in time, a secret from the past may turn him against her.


About Josh VanBrakle:

Josh_VanBrakle_Author
Josh VanBrakle is the author of the perfectly logical combination - to him, anyway - of epic fantasy novels and environmental non-fiction.

Born in Pennsylvania, Josh grew up in Hershey, Chocolatetown USA. He now lives in the rural Catskill Mountains of upstate New York with his wife and two ill-behaved cats.

Josh grew up with a passion for both reading and the outdoors. His parents claim he learned to read using dinosaur books, because all the dinosaur names had phonetic spellings after them. From an early age he was telling and writing stories.

While the ideas for his first novel originated in high school, Josh set them aside to pursue a career in environmental protection. He might never have gone back to writing had it not been for a serendipity moment. He saw a newspaper article advertising workshops hosted by Shannon Delany, author of the 13 to Life series and the Weather Witch series. Thanks to those workshops, two years of hard work, and the incredible support of his family and coworkers, Josh's debut novel, The Wings of Dragons, was born.

Although Josh is now writing more than ever, he continues to work a day job at a local environmental nonprofit promoting rural land conservation. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, kayaking, nature photography, and generally being outdoors wherever and whenever possible.

To keep up to date with the latest in Josh's titles, including the Dragoon Saga, visit his website, www.joshvanbrakle.com, or follow him on Twitter @joshvanbrakle.



INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I grew up in a family where reading and telling stories were ways of life. Living in a setting like that, I knew I wanted to do something with writing. Still, it wasn’t until 5thgrade when my father gave me a copy of The Hobbit that I knew I wanted to become an author. From the moment I read Tolkien’s words, it became my dream to have a book published someday.


2. What is your favorite book?

I have to name ONE? Well, for sheer number of times read, I would say my favorite is Raptor Red by paleontologist Robert Bakker. Bakker wrote this novel back in the nineties (right after Jurassic Park came out) about a dinosaur living in dinosaurian times. There are no humans in the book; the story is told from the perspective of a Utahraptor. I read the book first as a kid, and every couple years I pick it up again. The cover is torn, the pages are frayed, but each time I read it I discover something new.

  
3. How much of your own life do you put into your stories if any?

I draw a lot on my life experiences for my books, in particular for settings. By day I work as a forester, so I have some background knowledge of forest types, what grows in them, and how they function. I put that knowledge to work in my books to make my settings more realistic. It’s all in the background; the Dragoon Saga isn’t an environmental novel-in-hiding. But throughout the saga you’ll find reference to different forest types from around the globe.

For my characters, I don’t put as much from my own life into them. There are aspects of me or other people in them, but I don’t base my characters on actual people. I don’t want to lose a friend because their character does something they don’t like…or dies.

  
4. What is your dream location to live and which of your characters or characters from you favorite books would you take with you? 

I would love to live at the ocean. Forester though I am, nothing relaxes me quite like the sound and smell of the beach. As for who I’d take with me, that’s tough. From my own books, I think Minawë would be fun to hang out with. She knows how to laugh and have a good time, but she’s also a true friend who will help you out no matter how difficult the situation is. As for other authors’ characters, two that come to mind are Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Dr. Watson. They’re both kind of nerdy, but also willing to help others and passionate puzzle solvers. That pretty much sums me up too. I think we’d get into all sorts of trouble together.

  
5. Who are the authors that have inspired you?

I could list a lot of people here, so I’ll limit myself to two. The first and most obvious is Tolkien, because his books are what first got me interested in fantasy and publishing. The second and more important is Shannon Delany, author of the 13 to Life series and the Weather Witch series. She’s my role model, mentor, and dear friend. In 2011 she hosted a series of 10 writing workshops that I attended, and it was those workshops that got me back into writing and convinced me I could become a professional author. Even long after they ended, she’s continued to support and encourage me every step of the way.

  
6. What has been the best part of your self publishing journey?
The feedback from readers. I think a key part of growing as an author is hearing what others think of your writing. Before Kindle and the self-publishing revolution, that feedback was almost impossible to get, at least from someone who wasn’t biased (“my mother loves all my books; I must be an amazing writer!”). Thanks to self-publishing, I was able to hear from total strangers what they liked and didn’t like about my work, and I used that feedback to become a better writer. I don’t know if I would have been able to become traditionally published had it not been for the feedback I gained and the lessons I learned from self-publishing.

  
7. Do you know how your stories will end or does it come to you as you go?
Six months ago, I would have told you that I know how my stories will end. Before I write a draft, I outline the major plot turning points: what happens a quarter, midway, and at the end of a book. Because of that outlining, I had a good idea how both Wings and Hearts would end. But with Flames (the last book in the Dragoon Saga), it ended in a way I didn’t expect. I thought I knew from my outline how the series would wrap up, but then my characters went off and did something totally different.

  
8. From your own list of characters do you have a favorite?

I think Rondel is my favorite. She’s so complex, with such a long, deep, and tragic backstory. She wears so many masks that even I have trouble figuring out who she really is underneath them. Although the Dragoon Saga’s main character is Iren Saitosan, I feel like in many ways it’s a trilogy about Rondel and discovering who she is.

  
9. What other books do you have in the works? Can you give us a short description? 

Sure! I have two titles that I’m working on. The first is The Flames of Dragons, which will be the final book in the Dragoon Saga. That book is in production now, and it will be released sometime in 2016 (we haven’t nailed down a release date yet). I’m also working on a non-fiction book about forests inspired by my day job as a forester at an environmental non-profit. That will be my first “traditionally published” book; it’s being published by Countryman Press. We’re still nailing down the final text for it, but the tentatively titled Your Woodland: A Hands-on Guide to Doing Right by the Land You Love is also on the 2016 schedule.


Giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive a signed paperback of both The Wings of Dragons AND The Hearts of Dragons! Enter below
The Hearts of Dragons Blog Tour Giveaway

Cover Reveal: Iconic by Xavier Neal



Title: Iconic 
Author: Xavier Neal 

Genre: Romance 
Photographer: Jessica Anhalt












Infamous McCoy brother Madden, has had a life time of burying secrets and brothers. He's denied himself the right to picture a better life, especially with the long legged, foul mouth girl he's loved since he was six. When the inevitable moment to take down the Drug Lord responsible for much of his pain approaches, will Madden just become one more headstone in their graveyard or will he rise to the occasion and become Iconic?



Xavier Neal lives in Texas where she spends her time getting lost in writing, reading, or fandoms she recently discovered. Whether she is enjoying books or movies, she continues finding inspiration at every turn to bring more exciting stories to life. She also enjoys eating cupcakes, watching Netflix, and pretending to have Oprah interview her!





Twitter: @XavierNeal87





Cover Reveal: Broken Pieces Series: Part 1 & 2 by Stephanie Gresham


RE-COVER REVEAL
TITLE: Broken Pieces Series: Part 1 & 2
AUTHOR: Stephanie Gresham
PUBLISHER: Booktrope Publishing
RE- RELEASE: Dec 1st, 2015

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000037_00026]
synoposis2
What would you do if your life was ripped away from you?
Fayth grew up with a huge secret. One that she was too ashamed to let anyone else know. Tyler is the one person in her life that she wants and feels she is not good enough to have. That is until something tragic happens.
Tyler wants nothing more than to be Fayth’s one and only, but he knows that she is hiding something from him. After his tragic accident, Tyler has to find a way to become himself again.
Will they both be able to overcome their problems? Will it lead them back to each other?
about-the-author2
Stephanie is a transplanted Yankee from New Jersey who grew up in the mountains of East Tennessee. The middle child of three siblings and recently married to the love of her life.
Growing up she thought her life would be that of a CEO of a Fortune 500 company but she turned to the life of saving people’s lives as a paramedic.
Writing came from a co-worker inspiration. Never thinking she had a story to tell but here she is expressing thoughts of real life happenings embedded in her fictional world.

Release Blitz: Drakon by Revaca Beauragard



Title: Drakon
Author: Revaca Beauragard

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours



Blurb:
Scarlett Kingfin was forced to run when her life went up in flames, literally. Her home was scorched, and her sister was missing. She was armed with nothing more than a set of coordinates and a fierce temper.
Her twisted path led Scarlett right into the lair of Draxton Drakon, the ruling alpha dragon shifter of the Drakon Clan. His kind owned the seas. Sailing through mystic barriers, they often returned home with their spoils—to the home Scarlett had forgotten. Much like she had forgotten she was his mate, the missing half to his fiery soul.
Strife, tension, and undeniable magnetism stand between the lovers when they’re face to face again. Her presence not only represents a broken royal vow, but also spurs a wicked prophecy of a lethal war between the immortals. Explosions, kidnappings, unveiled truths, and twisted rivalry shroud Draxton and Scarlett's every step. Their dragons deep within are invincible. Will the hearts of the man and woman be strong enough to survive the hell their rise will inflame?



The fun non boring Bio :)
I'm an obsessive daydreamer. Lover of loud alternative music. Addicted to Red Bull. I love to laugh until it hurts. Fall is my favorite season. Black is my favorite 'shade.' Strong believer in the saying: there is a reason for everything, therefore I search for 'marked moments' every moment of everyday...and I find them. Life is beautiful!
Boring one....
Jamie Magee has always believed that each of us have a defining gift that sets us apart from the rest of the world, she has always envied those who have known from their first breath what their gift was. Not knowing hers, she began a career in the fast paced world of business. Raising a young family, and competing to rise higher in that field would drive some to the point of insanity, but she always found a moment of escape in a passing daydream. Her imagination would take her to places she'd never been, introduce her to people she's never known. Insight, her debuting novel, is a result of that powerful imagination. Today, she is grateful that not knowing what defined her, led her on a path of discovery that would always be a part of her.





Buy Links:
Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1ShdLEg












Cover Reveal: Murder of Crowes A Shadow Series Novel by Addison Kline




Title: Murder Of Crowes 
Author: Addison Kline 







When the life of a family dies, what happens to their secrets? Are the memories of their vitality stamped out by the darkness? Are their heirlooms and photographs stowed away, hidden from view? Can the flicker of a candle’s flame reveal the secrets of a bygone life? Or will the damp and the darkness squelch the truth forever? 

The Elkhart Bugle called it A Murder of Crowes. It was a clever play on words. A sinister spin on the traditional meaning of the phrase. A murder of crows - three crows gathered in unison. The trio are seen as an omen, a threat. The three stand in judgment over their peers. Self-declared kings of paupers. But on November 22, 1967, one journalist cloaked the phrase in further darkness when Ellis Crowe and two of his adult sons, Warren and Jasper Crowe, were murdered just moments after they had finished their evening dinner. 

There were witnesses who had watched the ordeal play out and all evidence and accounts, all but one, led straight to Nathaniel Crowe. He was the youngest son of Ellis and Victoria Crowe. After his arrest, Crowe Towers was emptied of its residents for the first time since the grand estate was erected in 1754. It would not stay empty though. Like a sadistic case of whisper down the lane, the story changed. The truth was altered, shrouded by local lure, and those that believed the stories couldn’t deny the pull Crowe Towers had over them. They didn’t know that the truth was far worse than the tales that they believed. 

Now thirty-six years after Nathaniel Crowe was first sent to prison, the State of Pennsylvania is preparing him for his release. The citizens of Elkhart are on edge. Nathaniel himself is uneasy. All he has known for the last thirty-six years have been the walls of Pennington Prison. But when a triple homicide occurs on the very night he is released from prison, one can only ask, “Is history repeating itself?” Or is there a copycat aiming to make sure Nathaniel never tastes the sweet nectar of freedom again? 













Addison Kline is an award winning, best selling novelist who writes mystery,

psychological thrillers and romantic suspense novels. She lives in

Pennsylvania with her husband, their sons and two rambunctious dogs.

Addison has had a love affair with the written word since before she

entered school. Her grandmother taught her the glory of taking an

adventure in the pages of a book. When Addison isn’t writing, you can

find her reading, going for an adventure with her sons, or traveling

with her family.









Cover Reveal: Keeper's Fate by Sabina Bundgaard



Title: Keeper’s Fate
Author: Sabina Bundgaard
Genre: Dark Fantasy/Urban fantasy/paranormal Suitable for YA/NA

Release Date: Nov. 20th, 2015

Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours


Blurb:

I thought the worst was over after the demon had killed three other Keepers.
I was wrong.
Two of my friends are missing and rumors about the Hidden Keys of Fate are resurfacing.
When the director of Protection of the Supernaturals Police asks me to help locate one of my friends, I jump at the chance.

My name is Anna Carringthon, and I’m the Keeper of the Invicto.
I’m on my way to Egypt to change Fate.


Sabina Bundgaard lives in Denmark with her husband and their two children. By day she races around the countryside, delivering mail and packages to people. By night… Well, that’s a different story.
While drinking one of her many flavors of tea, she delves into the mysterious realms of her imagination. Writing about everything from Elves and Dragons to Romance and Erotica, she tries her wings to see where they will take her.
Her favorite pastime when not writing is reading, making jewelry and speaking to her friends all over the world, celebrating their victories and happy times.

Author Links:

Buy Links: (Keeper’s Challenge)










RELEASE DAY BLITZ: CHROME - CAROLINA BAD BOYS #4 BY RIE WARREN


Title: Chrome: With a Heart Forged In Steele
Series: Carolina Bad Boys #4
Author: Rie Warren
Genre: Erotic MC Romance
Release Date: November 3, 2015


Boomer Steele is big. He’s bad. He’s the Retribution MC pres. He’s been dealt the worst hand imaginable and bears the scars inside and out. Not that anyone knows it. He’s watched his younger brother and sister hook up and hitch up with the loves of their lives, and now he’s the last Steele standing alone. Maybe he should keep it that way.

Then one feisty honey makes him feel, gets in his grill, pisses him off.

She goes by the name of Rayce. And that’s exactly what she does on her motocross bike when she’s not busy getting her hands dirty with her fellow grease monkeys as the only female mechanic at Stone’s Garage. She’s into fixing bikes, racing hers, and making Boomer’s life a living hell just for the fun of it. Oh, and she hates being treated like a girl.

Sparks flying? That’s an understatement where these two are concerned. Yet when Rayce needs a place to live, and Boomer offers her a room in his house, their unquenchable attraction wins out over antagonism. Sometimes. Rayce’s crappy upbringing makes her think love is for stupid fools asking for heartbreak. She’s not willing to go there for any man. Not even Boomer Steele.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
 

I waited an amount of time that almost did my head in. The idea of Rayce, in the same house, half-dressed . . .

I climbed the stairs. They were so delicate and fucking dainty I felt like a giant. At the landing, I hooked left, and immediately ran into Rayce exiting the bathroom on a cloud of total hotness.

The hallway was so small she banged up against me, but not before my eyes spun with the vision of her in a dress, and my tongue must’ve rolled out cartoon-style.

“Boomer!” She spread her palms across my chest where my heartbeat thundered.

She had on some sort of number that ended just above her knees, and it was curve-hugging until it flared at the skirt. The gray and cream pinstriped dress with a deep red belt looked vintage, classy, and I just didn’t have enough mother-lovin’ adjectives to describe it. A floral pattern overlaying the stripes echoed the charcoal-colored tats on her arms. Her tits overflowed the top. Her hips rounded out below the slim waistline. And her legs?

Shit.

Fishnet stockings. And, for the first time, high heels. Make that ankle-length black leather high-high-high heeled boots with metal designs on the toes.

Her perfume dazed me.

Her dress goddamn amazed me.

She snapped her fingers in front of my face. “You in there?”

“You’re wearing a dress.”

Genius, Boomer. You are truly a genius.

Rayce pivoted around, astoundingly graceful. The skirt flipped up to reveal seams on the backs of her stockings. “Like it?”

Liked it so much I was considering banging her against the bathroom door. “Yeah.” I rubbed a hand over my mouth. “You could say that.”

Then she did something entirely feminine, a side of her I’d never truly seen before, and performed a little twirl that lifted the skirt up her firm thighs before she stopped in front of me, her face glowing.

I started sweating, right then and there. “Jesus. You’re gonna give me a heart attack.”

“Serves you right, old man.”

“I wanna be your old man.” Growling, I scooped her into my arms. “Been missing you.”

I wouldn’t say I was at an impasse with Rayce, but I’d hardly seen her in several weeks. That was going to end tonight, after I watched Hunter either crash and burn or end up a happily married man.

My lips slid up the curve of Rayce’s neck, and her skin tasted like hot womanly sweetness. I licked the shell of her ear, ghosted to the corner of her mouth, and touched the point of my tongue against the seam of her lips.

She parted them with a gasp.

I looked down at her with heavy eyelids, our mouths separated by just a breath of space. “Been dreaming about kissing you. Feeling your lips on mine.”

“Why don’t you?” she asked, all throaty and sultry.

“You don’t want it enough yet.” I backed away from her.

She looked at me with glazed eyes, her lips moist and glistening.

Placing my hands against the wall behind me, I curled my fingers, desperate to touch her. “Is JB ready, because if she’s not I’m about ten seconds away from spreading your legs and getting my face on your pussy.”


“Chrome and Steele mixed with grease and a tomboy mechanic that rides a motorcycle…what about that scenario doesn’t get the blood pumping? Once again the amazingly talented Rie Warren creates a world of alpha male deliciousness, humor and sizzling heat with her latest in the Carolina Bad Boys series.” ~Twin Sisters Rockin’ Book Reviews

“I've been following the Bad Boys of Retribution MC series and was looking forward to Boomer's story. Being a big fan of Rie Warren books, I will read anything she writes. I was very excited and surprised to discover that even though this book is from the Carolina Bad Boys series, the main character is the President of Retribution MC andhe's a Steele brother. I'm so glad I didn't accidentally miss out on it by getting my series mixed up. The characters in both series seem to be overlapping and intermingling and it's a win/win for all.” ~Rosa from iScream books


The Tattooed Moose was no more than a noisy, loud, crowded wood shack with a tiny front porch just on the wrong side of the tracks in downtown Chucktown.

Romance?

Maybe not. But the food was un-freakin’-believable.

It was a little quieter on the porch than in the bar, so I snagged the first empty table and got Rayce settled in her seat before I moved mine right next to her. Large outdoor heaters spaced between the tables fought off the January chill.

“This okay?” I reached for her hand and rubbed across her knuckles, smiling when I noticed the engine oil she hadn’t quite managed to scrub off.

“Is there beer and food?”

“Some of the best of both, I guaran-damn-tee it.”

“Then it’s okay by me.” Pulling my hand up to her face, she gently licked and kissed the center of my palm.

I kid you fucking not, the feel of her lips made my cock go full throttle just like that.

This softer side of Rayce was something else.

The seductive side?

Goddamn hypnotic and horny as hell.

I returned the favor of turning her on by licking and nuzzling her neck while we waited for our orders. I was bound and determined to give her that orgasm tonight. Hopefully in my bed, but I could work it out in the truck, or hell, even in the nearest deserted alley.

Rayce moaned under her breath when I bit down on her earlobe, and I decided that would do for now.

She looked at me with wide, dazed, dazzling eyes. She hadn’t even noticed the beers had arrived.

Job well done on my part.

I pecked her on the lips then lifted my glass.

She broke out of the sex-spell and muttered a low string of words I didn’t quite catch but went along the lines of evil man . . . all worked up . . . sits there smirking.

Then she clinked my glass with a, “Bottoms up.”

“We can get to that later too, if you want.” I took a glug of beer.

She choked on hers, hitting me on the shoulder.

After she managed a swallow without spewing beer across the table, she turned to me. “How can you just say stuff like that?”

“Because I’ve been thinking about it?” I shrugged.

“But I haven’t—” She shook her head and lifted her drink again.

I scooted closer and whispered in her ear, “Haven’t had a hard cock inside your perfect ripe ass?”

She shivered as my lips caressed her earlobe, and she swallowed hard.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Laying my palm on her thigh, I skimmed up it until I butted the center seam of her jeans. “Some women think it’s really hot, especially with the piercings. Really gets ’em going.”

Her nose skimmed my cheek as she turned her head. Her lips nearly collided with mine. “And just how many women have you done it with?”

“Well, that doesn’t matter, princess, because none of them mattered.” That may have sounded crass but it was true. I’d had my fair share of fucks—none of them lasted.

My lips brushed hers. “But you matter, make no mistake about it. It’s just a thought if you wanna give it a shot. I’d make sure you like is so much you come crawling back for more.” Sitting back, I crossed my arms over my chest, my big thighs spread in obvious invitation.

All for her and only her.

She stared at me, her cheeks growing more and more flushed until, groaning, she buried her head in her arms.

I gave a rough low laugh, reaching over to caress the back of her neck and the tiny buttercup tat.

She peeked out at me. “You’re a very naughty man.”

“Your naughty man.” I kissed her cheek and she sat up with a huff.

Rie is the badass, sassafras author of Sugar Daddy and the Don’t Tell series–a breakthrough trilogy that crosses traditional publishing boundaries beginning with In His Command. Her latest endeavors include the Carolina Bad Boys, a fun, hot, and southern-sexy series. 
A Yankee transplant who has traveled the world, Rie started out a writer—causing her college professor to blush over her erotic poetry without one ounce of shame. Not much has changed. She swapped pen for paintbrushes and followed her other love during her twenties. From art school to marriage to children and many a wild and wonderful journey in between, Rie has come home to her calling. Her work has been called edgy, daring, and some of the sexiest smut around. 
You can connect with Rie via the social media hangouts listed on her website https://www.riewarren.com. She is represented by Saritza Hernandez, Corvisiero Literary Agency. http://www.corvisieroagency.com/Saritza_Hernandez.html

 

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