Help Raise 1,000 books for charity and enter to win $200, signed books and swag!

Posted on October 4, 2012 · 5 Comments

We are excited to share about an ambitious blog tour—Fiction Frolic for All Hallow’s Read—where ten authors from several genres are working hard to raise 1,000 books in three weeks for Books for America.

From October 1st to 19th, donate a new book (or books!) and earn extra bonus points in a huge giveaway that these authors are hosting.

Two winners will each receive the following PRIZES!

  • $100 Amazon G.C.
  • 5 signed books from the authors hosting the event
  • A swag bag
  • Plus—in honor of All Hallow’s read, gift a signed copy of one of our books to a friend!

With a total of $200, 12 signed books (including the gifted books) and major swag, what better way is there to raise books for charity and celebrate All Hallow’s Read?

Each author participating is also donating signed copies of their books to Books for America, an awesome charity that is officially sponsoring their event and excited to be involved with All Hallow’s Read. In 2011, Books for America donated more than $800,000 worth of books and materials to DC area schools, shelters and dozens of other educational programs and organizations.

The authors are blogging throughout the event at The Fiction Frolic Blog

  • 10/1 – 5 Read about how books shaped their love for reading and writing.
  • 10/8 – 12 Read their scariest, funniest or craziest Halloween experiences, or learn about their favorite Halloween themed book or movie, or favorite work of “dark” literature.
  • 10/15 – 19 Enjoy some flash fiction, short stories and novel excerpts.

So donate, share, and look for daily ways to enter to win. Donate to charity for bonus points!

*****

This event is sponsored by:
Eleanor T Beaty, author of the YA paranormal Veiled Mist
Brewin’ author of the supernatural horror, The Dark Horde
Andy Gavin, author of the fantasy horror, The Darkening Dream
Laxmi Hariharan, author of the YA fantasy, The Destiny of Shaitan
Kimberly Kinrade, author of the YA paranormal thriller/romances, Forbidden Mind & Forbidden Fire
Richard Long, author of the supernatural thriller/horror, The Book of Paul
M.C. Mars, author of the mind-bending novel, Burner
Melissa McPhail, author of epic fantasy Cephrael’s Hand
Sheryl Steines, author of She Wulf & Days of First Sun
Pavarti K Tyler., author of the Lit Fic Shadow on the Wall and the erotic horror Consumed by Love

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Filed Under: Giveaway

Blog Tour w/ Giveaway: The Candidate by Paul Harris

Posted on September 25, 2012 · Leave a Comment


The Candidate
by Paul Harris
Publication Date: July 20, 2012
Publisher: Vantage Point
Source: TLC Book Tours

*****

About the Book

The novel begins with an assassination attempt. On a freezing winter’s night Jack Hodges, a little-known U.S. presidential candidate, speaks at a sparsely-attended town hall meeting in Iowa. It is a few weeks before the Iowa caucus, the first contest in the nomination process to be a candidate for President.

Hodges is a charismatic former general with a dedicated team of believers including campaign staffer Mike Sweeney. But the campaign is a disaster. Ignored by the media, his candidacy barely registers in polls. Everyone assumes the established frontrunner, Virginia Governor Harriet Stanton, will easily win.

But that single night in Iowa transforms the race. A female assassin waits for Hodges to take the stage. As he speaks a shot rings out. She misses but the incident propels Hodges – who heroically shield his wife from the gunfire- on to the front pages. Yet no one knows the identity of the shooter. Police arrest a mysterious dark-haired woman but she refuses to say a single word. Her name, age, even her nationality, is a mystery.

Finally people pay attention to the Hodges campaign. Guided by his outspoken and outrageous campaign manager, Dee Babineaux, Hodges becomes a passionate, outsider rebel candidate pitted against Stanton, the lifetime career politician. Crowds now flock to his rallies inspired by his powerful message of hope and change.

But as Hodges’ campaign climbs in the polls, Babineaux realises it is vital to discover the identity of the mysterious woman who tried to kill him. She gives the task to Mike Sweeney, a true believer in Hodges’ cause. He must find out the woman’s name and history before anyone from Stanton’s campaign or the media does. As Sweeney uncovers more and more information, Hodges’ campaign, guided by the ruthless genius of Babineaux, goes from strength to strength. By the time Sweeney finds out the true identity of the would-be assassin, he faces a choice that could effectively determine who could be the next President of America.

Paul Harris, who has spent almost a decade covering American politics for The Observer and The Guardian, uses his own experience of reporting on the campaign trail to shine a light into the too-often murky world of American politics. His real world insights take the reader right into the heart of a fight for the White House.

*****

My Review

Coming Soon!

*****

About Paul

PAUL HARRIS is a US Correspondent for The Observer, a British weekly that is the oldest Sunday newspaper in the world, and also its sister daily paper The Guardian. He has been based in the US for the past nine years covering all aspects of American political and cultural life from Hollywood stars to Washington politics. He is currently covering his third presidential election having previously reported on George W. Bush versus John Kerry in 2004 and John McCain versus Barack Obama in 2008. His experiences covering those races, especially the epic battle between Obama and Hillary Clinton for the 2008 Democratic nomination, were the inspiration for The Candidate.

Prior to his posting in the US, Harris was a journalist based in Britain and Africa. He has covered wars and conflicts in Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, South Africa and Sierra Leone. His first novel, The Secret Keeper, was set in Sierra Leone against the backdrop of that country’s brutal civil war. He lives in New York (but fantasizes about living in France).

*****

Giveaway

I have one copy of THE CANDIDATE to give away to a reader in the USA or CANADA!

Please enter your name and e-mail address in the Contestmachine widget below and you are entered to win! The giveaway will end on October 2, 2012 at 11:59pm EST.

*****

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Giveaway

Back-in-School, Back-in-Time with J.T. Ellison (w/ International Giveaway!)

Posted on September 10, 2012 · 2 Comments

From August 27th through September 10th, various authors will be stopping by my blog here at Crazy-for-Books and over at my friend Lori’s site at Lori’s Reading Corner to share a guest post highlighting their best (and sometimes worst!) first-day-of-school experiences. Along with the post, the authors have graciously agreed to give away at least one copy of their latest releases! On some days an author will write a post for both blogs featuring both a best and worst first day of school experience. On other days, we will each feature a different author with different giveaways, so be sure to check out both of our blogs every day! We will also be sure to link to each other’s blog every day so you don’t forget!

The participating authors have provided us with at least one copy of their books to give away. When an author is posting on both blogs, the giveaway entry form will be the same for the contest. You may enter on one blog, or you can double your chances and enter on both blogs. Check the bottom of this post for full list of the authors that will be sharing their school experiences during our Back To School, Back in Time feature!

*****

The Best First Day of School
by J.T. Ellison

My bad first day makes me remember a best first day – when I left the wilds of Colorado for the urbane, sophisticated Washington, D.C. suburb of McLean, Virginia, and Langley High School. Still tall, I was willowly now, an athlete, volleyball and basketball and track, and a little more confident in my height since my teams had been putting it to good use. But the first day of school in a new state – high school at that – is enough to rattle even the most confident of teenagers.

I suck in a breath and entered the school, and was immediately accosted. “Emily!” a voice shouted from behind me. “Emily, wait up. Wait up!” I ignored the calls, until someone grabbed my elbow. I turned and the girl said, “Oh, you’re not Emily. But wow, you look like her. She’s tall too.” And she was – another Amazon with bobbed blond hair, but one that was hugely popular, a friend to all. The mistaken identity happened all day, and by the end of the day, I’d met most of the kids in my class, all of whom were incredibly kind to the newcomer. I had nothing to fear after all.

*****

About the Author

J.T. Ellison is the bestselling author of eight critically acclaimed novels, multiple short stories and has been published in over twenty countries. Her novel THE COLD ROOM won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original of 2010 and WHERE ALL THE DEAD LIE was a RITA® Nominee for Best Romantic Suspense of 2012.

Ellison grew up in Colorado and moved to Northern Virginia during high school. She is a graduate of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and received her master’s degree from George Washington University. She was a presidential appointee and worked in The White House and the Department of Commerce before moving into the private sector. As a financial analyst and marketing director, she worked for several defense and aerospace contractors.

After moving to Nashville, Ellison began research on a passion: forensics and crime. She has worked with the Metro Nashville Police Department, the FBI, and various other law enforcement organizations to research her books.

Her short stories have been widely published, including her award winning story “Prodigal Me” in the anthology Killer Year: Stories to Die For, edited by Lee Child, “Gray Lady, Lady Gray” in the anthology Surreal South ’11, edited by Pinckney Benedict and Laura Benedict, “Killing Carol Ann” in First Thrills, edited by Lee Child, and “The Number of Man” in the forthcoming anthology Thriller 3, edited by Sandra Brown.

Ellison is a member of several professional writing organizations, including International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America and Romance Writers of America. She has an active following on Twitter under the name@Thrillerchick, and a robust Facebook community.

She lives in Nashville with her husband and the ghost of a poorly trained cat, and is hard at work on her next novel.

*****

Giveaway

We have TWO paperback copies of A DEEPER DARKNESS to give away to anyone in the world!

About the Book

A Deeper Darkness (Samantha Owens, Book 1)
by J.T. Ellison
Publication Date: April 17, 2012
Publisher: Mira

As a medical examiner, Samantha Owens knows her job is to make a certain sense of death with crisp methodology and precision instruments.

But the day the Tennessee floods took her husband and children, the light vanished from Sam’s life. She has been pulled into a suffocating grief no amount of workaholic ardor can penetrate—until she receives a peculiar call from Washington, D.C.

On the other end of the line is an old boyfriend’s mother, asking Sam to do a second autopsy on her son. Eddie Donovan is officially the victim of a vicious carjacking, but under Sam’s sharp eye the forensics tell a darker story. The ex-Ranger was murdered, though not for his car.

Forced to confront the burning memories and feelings about yet another loved one killed brutally, Sam loses herself in the mystery contained within Donovan’s old notes. It leads her to the untouchable Xander, a soldier off-grid since his return from Afghanistan, and then to a series of brutal crimes stretching from that harsh mountainous war zone to this nation’s capital. The tale told between the lines makes it clear that nobody’s hands are clean, and that making sense of murder sometimes means putting yourself in the crosshairs of death.

The Rules:
1. One entry per person.
2. The giveaway will end September 24th at 11:59pm EST.
3. The two winners will be contacted once the giveaway concludes and will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification email from Contestmachine. Failure to respond in the allotted time will result in forfeiture of the prize and selection of another winner.
4. Books will be mailed directly from the author/publisher. Please allow 4-6 weeks for prize delivery.
5. Neither Crazy-for-Books, Lori’s Reading Corner, nor any participating author or publisher is responsible for lost or misdirected prize shipments. It is the winner’s responsibility to submit accurate mailing information within the allotted 48 hour time frame.

How to Enter:
Enter your name and e-mail address in the form below! Then head on over to Lori’s Reading Corner to read J.T.’s WORST first day of school post and enter for another chance to win A Deeper Darkness!

*****

Participating Authors:
August 27 – Carla Stewart
August 28 – Spencer Quinn and Kaye George
August 29 – Krista Davis and Matthew Dicks
August 30 – Sheryn MacMunn
August 31 – Jane Myers Perrine, Charles Martin
September 3 – Denise Swanson
September 4 – Christa Black
September 5 – Joanna Campbell Slan, Josie Brown
September 6 – Reyna Grande, Nancy M. Griffis
September 7 – Cathy Lamb, D.E. Johnson
September 8 – Cleo Coyle
September 9 – Kristina McMorris
September 10 – J.T. Ellison

*****

Filed Under: Feature, Giveaway, Guest Post Tagged With: ,

Back-in-School, Back-in-Time with Kristina McMorris (w/ Giveaway!)

Posted on September 9, 2012 · 1 Comment

From August 27th through September 10th, various authors will be stopping by my blog here at Crazy-for-Books and over at my friend Lori’s site at Lori’s Reading Corner to share a guest post highlighting their best (and sometimes worst!) first-day-of-school experiences. Along with the post, the authors have graciously agreed to give away at least one copy of their latest releases! On some days an author will write a post for both blogs featuring both a best and worst first day of school experience. On other days, we will each feature a different author with different giveaways, so be sure to check out both of our blogs every day! We will also be sure to link to each other’s blog every day so you don’t forget!

The participating authors have provided us with at least one copy of their books to give away. When an author is posting on both blogs, the giveaway entry form will be the same for the contest. You may enter on one blog, or you can double your chances and enter on both blogs. Check the bottom of this post for full list of the authors that will be sharing their school experiences during our Back To School, Back in Time feature!

*****

The Worst First Day of School
by Kristina McMorris

When my parents announced we were moving just before my junior year in high school, contrary to the norm I wasn’t disappointed. I was thrilled. Not because I didn’t enjoy my previous school, but because I had watched enough After School Specials to know that being the “new kid” nearly guaranteed celebrity-level popularity. You know the kind; where classmates are fighting over who gets to sit next to you in the cafeteria, right before they invite you to all the coolest parties.

Above all, during a period of life when it is virtually impossible to do so, this was a golden opportunity to reinvent myself. I could be whoever I wanted. My life was a clean slate. To better  understand the appeal, I should probably mention that for most of my life I had grown up in the public eye. In addition to working as a weekly TV host since age nine, my entrepreneurial parents were well known in the community. While I can certainly look back and appreciate these assets as an adult, I found myself in a constant battle to disprove any negative presumptions from other kids. Blending, of course, was everything. So, when news of the move arrived, I seized the chance.

Aware that the new school was ruled by a powerhouse football team, I decided to try out for the fall cheerleading squad over the summer. I was delighted when I made the cut, and had a great time at our summer training camp. All was going so well.

Until…

A week before the start of the term, the local paper published a full-page story about a real estate development my father had spearheaded in their community—and, oh by the way, his daughter was transferring to their high school. Ugh. Although my family was fortunate to live very comfortably, the article made us out to be the Rockefellers.

If that wasn’t bad enough…my sad, tin can of a first car died around the same time. To tide me over until I could purchase a new one, my parents lent me theirs, which happened to be, yes, a BMW. Now, while the make of the car might sound terribly impressive, the actual used, outdated, boxy model with constant mechanical problems was, um, not.

Regardless, I spent my first day of junior year amid whispers and scrutinizing glances; after all, I was the Rockefeller girl with the BMW. Needless to say, no one was fighting to sit beside me at lunch. Thankfully, time passed, the whispers faded, and to this day, I find great comfort in knowing I never, ever have to repeat those challenging high school days again.

*****

About the Author

Kristina McMorris is the recipient of nearly twenty national literary awards. A host of weekly TV shows since age nine, including an Emmy® Award-winning program, she penned her debut novel, Letters from Home (Kensington Books, Avon/HarperCollins UK), based on inspiration from her grandparents’ wartime courtship. This critically praised book was declared a must-read by Woman’s Day magazine and achieved additional acclaim as a Reader’s Digest Select Editions feature, a Doubleday/Literary Guild selection,

and a 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Historical Fiction. Her second novel, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, has received equally glowing reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews, among many others. Named one of Portland’s “40 Under 40″ by The Business Journal, Kristina lives with her husband and two sons in the Pacific Northwest.

For more, visit http://www.KristinaMcMorris.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kristina-McMorris/206963412668555
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!/KrisMcmorris
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4384611.Kristina_McMorris

*****

Giveaway

We have TWO paperback copies of BRIDGE OF SCARLET LEAVES to give away to readers in the USA!

About the Book

Bridge of Scarlet Leaves
by Kristina McMorris
Publication Date: February 28, 2012
Publisher: Kensington

Los Angeles, 1941. Violinist Maddie Kern’s life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto. Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo. Her brother’s best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants. Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent. In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy.

When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Juilliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost.

Skillfully capturing one of the most controversial episodes in recent American history, Kristina McMorris draws readers into a novel filled with triumphs and heartbreaking loss–an authentic, moving testament to love, forgiveness, and the enduring music of the human spirit.

The Rules:
1. One entry per person.
2. The giveaway will end September 23rd at 11:59pm EST.
3. The two winners will be contacted once the giveaway concludes and will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification email from Contestmachine. Failure to respond in the allotted time will result in forfeiture of the prize and selection of another winner.
4. Books will be mailed directly from the author/publisher. Please allow 4-6 weeks for prize delivery.
5. Neither Crazy-for-Books, Lori’s Reading Corner, nor any participating author or publisher is responsible for lost or misdirected prize shipments. It is the winner’s responsibility to submit accurate mailing information within the allotted 48 hour time frame.

How to Enter:
Enter your name and e-mail address in the form below! Then head on over to Lori’s Reading Corner to read Kristina’s BEST first day of school post and enter for another chance to win Bridge of Scarlet Leaves!

*****

Participating Authors:
August 27 – Carla Stewart
August 28 – Spencer Quinn and Kaye George
August 29 – Krista Davis and Matthew Dicks
August 30 – Sheryn MacMunn
August 31 – Jane Myers Perrine, Charles Martin
September 3 – Denise Swanson
September 4 – Christa Black
September 5 – Joanna Campbell Slan, Josie Brown
September 6 – Reyna Grande, Nancy M. Griffis
September 7 – Cathy Lamb, D.E. Johnson
September 8 – Cleo Coyle
September 9 – Kristina McMorris
September 10 – J.T. Ellison

*****

Filed Under: Feature, Giveaway, Guest Post Tagged With: ,

Back-to-School, Back-in-Time with Cleo Coyle (w/ Giveaway)

Posted on September 8, 2012 · 6 Comments

From August 27th through September 10th, various authors will be stopping by my blog here at Crazy-for-Books and over at my friend Lori’s site at Lori’s Reading Corner to share a guest post highlighting their best (and sometimes worst!) first-day-of-school experiences. Along with the post, the authors have graciously agreed to give away at least one copy of their latest releases! On some days an author will write a post for both blogs featuring both a best and worst first day of school experience. On other days, we will each feature a different author with different giveaways, so be sure to check out both of our blogs every day! We will also be sure to link to each other’s blog every day so you don’t forget!

The participating authors have provided us with at least one copy of their books to give away. When an author is posting on both blogs, the giveaway entry form will be the same for the contest. You may enter on one blog, or you can double your chances and enter on both blogs. Check the bottom of this post for full list of the authors that will be sharing their school experiences during our Back To School, Back in Time feature!

*****

The Best and the Worst – A School Memory
by Cleo Coyle co-author Marc Cerasini

**

My best first day of school would probably rank as most folks’ worst, which tells you how freeky-deeky (and kind of geeky) a writer can be, even at an early age.

So, I’m in sixth grade and I hate school.

Hate it.

Bottom line: I’d rather read stories than do homework, and I found school very boring.

The day in question began with my plan to liven things up. It involved a hidden water balloon, my intended target (school buddy John Name Redacted), and the actual teacher, whom I actually hit with said water balloon.

FYI: Most teachers don’t take a drenching well.

Okay, so that was bad, and right up there with anyone’s worst day. But that isn’t the story. My punishment’s the tale. I received solitary confinement for ten school days—in the school library!

I saw no other student all day, nor was I permitted to speak with anyone but my teacher, who brought me the course work in the morning and left me alone. At noon a cafeteria lady brought me lunch. At three o’clock teacher returned to check my papers, tests, and such, and sent me home with everyone else at three-thirty.

Ten days alone in a library…What were they thinking? Didn’t they notice how many books I had hidden in my desk, volumes that had nothing to do with school?

I’m sure “Teach” had no clue that what followed would be the best two weeks of my elementary school education. I finished the course work in two hours and by lunch I was deep into one of the books off the stacks. By the end of Day Two, I was sad to see three o’clock roll around.

Over the course of my “punishment” I read Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London; War of the Worlds and The Time Machine by H. G. Wells; A number of short stories by O. Henry; and The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. I’d only just started Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea when I was paroled for good behavior and released a day early. (Ironically, I have yet to complete that novel.)

I earned pretty good grades that year, but I don’t remember any of my courses. The stories I read that week are what stuck with me for the rest of my life.

*****
About the Authors

Cleo Coyle is a pseudonym for the popular husband-and-wife writing team of Marc Cerasini and Alice Alfonsi. Like their 11 Coffeehouse Mystery novels, their 5 Haunted Bookshop novels (written under the name Alice Kimberly), are national bestselling works of amateur sleuth fiction for Penguin. Their latest hardcover release, A Brew to a Kill, is a Mystery Guild Featured Alternate selection, a “must-read” mystery of the month by Barnes & Noble, and a featured production of AudioGo (BBC America audiobooks) in both CD and digital formats. When not haunting coffeehouses or hunting ghosts, Marc and Alice are New York Times bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, and MGM. Alice is a former journalist and author of children’s and young adult books. Marc is an author of military nonfiction and thrillers. They live and work in New York City. To find out more, visit their online coffeehouse at http://www.coffeehousemystery.com.

Friend Cleo Coyle on Facebook

Follow Cleo on Twitter

*****

Giveaway

We have TWO personally-inscribed copies of A BREW TO KILL to give away to readers in the USA or CANADA!

About the Book


A Brew to Kill
by Cleo Coyle
Publication Date: August 7, 2012
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover

Coffee. It can get a girl killed.

A shocking hit-and-run in front of her Village Blend coffeehouse spurs Clare Cosi into action. A divorced, single mom in her forties, Clare is also a dedicated sleuth, and she’s determined to track down this ruthless driver who ran down an innocent friend and customer. In the meantime, her ex-husband Matt, the shop’s globetrotting coffee buyer, sources some amazing new beans from Brazil. But he soon discovers that he’s importing more than coffee, and Clare may have been the real target of that deadly driver. Can ex-husband and wife work together to solve this mystery–or will their newest brew lead to murder? Includes recipes.

The Rules:
1. One entry per person.
2. The giveaway will end September 22nd at 11:59pm EST.
3. The two winners will be contacted once the giveaway concludes and will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification email from Contestmachine. Failure to respond in the allotted time will result in forfeiture of the prize and selection of another winner.
4. Books will be mailed directly from the author/publisher. Please allow 4-6 weeks for prize delivery.
5. Neither Crazy-for-Books, Lori’s Reading Corner, nor any participating author or publisher is responsible for lost or misdirected prize shipments. It is the winner’s responsibility to submit accurate mailing information within the allotted 48 hour time frame.

How to Enter:
Enter your name and e-mail address in the form below! Then head on over to Lori’s Reading Corner to read the other half of this husband/wife duo’s post – Alice Alfonsi! And enter for another chance to win!

*****

Participating Authors:
August 27 – Carla Stewart
August 28 – Spencer Quinn and Kaye George
August 29 – Krista Davis and Matthew Dicks
August 30 – Sheryn MacMunn
August 31 – Jane Myers Perrine, Charles Martin
September 3 – Denise Swanson
September 4 – Christa Black
September 5 – Joanna Campbell Slan, Josie Brown
September 6 – Reyna Grande, Nancy M. Griffis
September 7 – Cathy Lamb, D.E. Johnson
September 8 – Cleo Coyle
September 9 – Kristina McMorris
September 10 – J.T. Ellison

*****

Filed Under: Feature, Giveaway, Guest Post Tagged With: ,
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