Ednah Walters Book Tour!

Please help me welcome the talented Ednah Walters and her new release Betrayed. This book sounds amazing! Here’s the blurb:
Lil has come to terms with her life as a Guardian/demon hunter and the wielder of the Nephilim most powerful weapon-the Kris Dagger. She trains everyday to master her growing powers, gets along with her Guardian trainee friends, most of the time, and cherishes the time she spends with her human friends.
Just when she feels she belongs, her nature-bender father contacts her and warns her about a betrayal by someone close to her. Then Bran, the boy she loves, starts to act strange and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability. While Lil struggles find a connection between these three things, she begins to realize that someone is manipulating her and will stop at nothing, including hurting those she loves, to lure her to the dark side.
She’s also provided her awesome BOOK TRAILER!
This book sounds amazing, Ednah. Thank you for sharing. Now, some fun questions!
What’s your favorite Disney Movie?
Mulan—I love kick-ass heroines.
Oh, good one! Who’s your favorite villain either from a book or a movie?
Megamind—how could anyone not love him?
You got me there! So true. Where’s the one place you’d love to visit?
Italy
What genre do you love to read but would never write?
Steampunk-the research would be mind-boggling.
Yes it would, but so worth it. Name one thing on your bucket list that would surprise people. Why?
Go parasailing. I have pathological fear of heights, so that would be a major feat for me.
I think I’ll keep my fear of heights. Where’s the one place you’d love to live?
France
Who’s the one person you’d love to meet?
Nelson Mandela
What book do you read over and over again?
Whitney my Love, by Judith McNaught
ME TOO!!! I’ve read it at least 50 times! Twice this year. I LOVE Clayton. Do you prefer to read a book written in first person or third person?
First person
Do you prefer to read stand alone books or a series?
A series—I always love to catch up with my characters.
Thank you for sharing, Ednah. Congrats on the book, it sounds awesome. Ednah has brought along an excerpt for us.
Instead of heading toward the entrance, Bran stopped. “I’m taking you home so I can search for Remy and the others.”
“Why?” Scowling, I faced him. I hated when he used that arrogant tone, like he knew what was better for me.
He pointed back at the alley. “Remember that? Demons are after you, Lil. I had no idea how badly until tonight. Soon, Valafar won’t have Dante on the sidelines watching over you. He’ll send Dante to come for you, and there’s no way I’m letting that happen.”
“You? But you saw what I can do. What we can do together. I’m stronger and keep getting better at controlling my powers every day. The demons don’t know that. Even Valafar’s people don’t. That’s why they keep acting like I’m helpless, like I’m someone who needs to be protected all the time. I don’t expect that from you, too,” I griped in an uneven tone, so annoyed I could zap him. He needed to stop treating me like a helpless person.
Bran took a deep breath and winced. “Forgive me for seeing you as the girl I love first and the Chosen One second.”
He didn’t fight fair. When he winced again, I reached for his arm. “You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine.”
“The dagger is healing me, Bran. Maybe if we blended our energies, just this once, we can share its healing power.”
He took a step away from me and shook his head. “No. We can’t.”
I blinked, throat thickening at the rejection. “Why can’t we link or blend our energies. What’s going on?”
He just forked his fingers though his hair and grimaced. “I can’t make you understand.”
“Try me,” I retorted.
“Not now, Lil,” he said impatiently, glancing around.
I took a deep breath, anger churning inside of me. Why couldn’t he tell me what was going on? Blending energies was the purest form of connection, especially for him and me because our energies matched. It was more intimate than kissing or anything we’d ever done. I clamped down on the anger and the pain.
“You know what, Bran? Fine,” I snapped. “Keep your stupid secrets.”
“Thank you,” he answered flippantly.
I can tell you, this is one you don’t want to miss! Purchase now at Amazon ~ Smashwords and Ednah is hold the official release party HERE on July 31 where she’ll have great giveaways and a great time!
Ednah has graciously offered one lucky poster an arc (paperback) copy of Betrayed so leave a comment below as well as an email address to be entered to win.
Also, Ednah would love to hear from you. You can visit her at her Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
And as an added bonus this week, Ednah is part of the Treasure Quest Blog hop so visit her  Blog as well as the others for a chance to win some other great prizes.
About the author:
I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries, before I graduated to Mills & Boons (starting with Janet Daily's Shutter the Sky) and the rest is history.
I enjoy good love stories, tingly mysteries and wondrous adventures. When I finished my college and decided to be a stay-at-home mother, I devoured books, until reading just wasn't enough. So I started to write.
I've written picture books, contemporary and romantic suspense, biracial/multicultural books, and finally YA fantasy. AWAKENED is the first YA book in The Guardian Legacy series. It was released in September 2010. BETRAYED, book 2 in the series, will be out August 1^st 2011. I also write adult contemporary romance. SLOW BURN, book 1 of the Fitzgeralds, was out May 1^st 2011, MINE UNIL DAWN is due July 1^st. Book 3, KISS ME CRAZY, a contemporary romance, is with my editor. I'm presently working on book 4, Faith Fitzgerald’s story and book 3 of my YA Guardian Legacy series.
When I'm not writing, I do things with my family, five children or my darling husband of 19 years. I live in a picturesque valley in Utah, the setting for my YA series.
 

Trivia Tuesday–Matrimonial Mayhem

I have the honor and privilege to be involved in a very special project with five of my fellow Astraea Press authors. We've collaborated to create a Wedding Anthology titled Matrimonial Mayhem to help the Alabama families who suffered at the hands of the deadly tornadoes in April 2011. Proceeds from the sale of this awesome eBook go to benefit those victims, so pass the word along and jump over to one of the buy links and help out.
This week, I thought I’d feature, well, me and my story The Ballad of Brenda and Willard. This story is based on a true urban legend. The third time was the charm in the wedding tale of my mom and dad, but exactly what date their anniversary should be celebrated is anybody's guess. Read the story to find out!!
Now, the trivia part of my blog!!
Who’s the one person you’d love to meet? Robert Redford all the way!
What’s your favorite Disney cartoon? I love Finding Nemo, but I also really like Toy Story 3.
What book do you read over and over again? Ok, I have four books that I read at least once a year. Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught and Forever, Forever and Always, and Always by Jude Deveraux.
Who’s your favorite villain either from a book or a movie? Hehe, I have to go with Kirk Douglas as the villain in the movie The Villain. LOVE him!!!
Thank you so much for stopping by. Please take the time to help out a worthy cause and read a great book! Matrimonial Mayhem can be purchased at Amazon for $5.99 ~ Barnes & Noble for $5.99 ~ Astraea Press for $5.
And, right now you can check out my paranormal romance Wayward Soul for $.99! Amazon ~ Astraea Press ~ Barnes & Noble
Thank you so much for stopping by and for your support!
Happy reading!
~Kim

Five Question Friday will Rachel Firaseck

I'm so happy to have Rachel Firasek visiting my blog today to talk about her new release Passion of the Soul: Piper's Fury. I love your cover. An amazing effect and the eye - WOW! How did you come up with the title?

Well, the book is about Piper. She's mad a lot. So, it was naturally Piper's Fury as a working title. Then, I changed it to Passion of the Soul: Piper's Fury when I realized that I needed a series name. The book was just too big for one story.

Oh, so we get to see a lot more of Piper. Awesome!

What's the most rewarding thing about being a published author?

I'm not sure yet, I've been a published author for less than a  month. I guess I'm still settling in. If I had to say right now what is the most rewarding, it would have to be the reaction of my family. I swear it's like we wrote the book together and  I guess we did. :)

I can relate, totally. What's the hardest thing about being a published author?

Learning to graciously accept praise. It's not that I'm ungracious, but I'm an introvert. When strangers come to tell you how much they love your book most would beam and say thank you. Not me, I draw a line in the dirt, drop my head and hunch away. I'm learning how to fight that impulse and just smile and say thank you.

I have a feeling you'll fall into it better than you think:) Give it another book or two. Okay, now for the important questions.

Elvis Presley or Justin Bieber? 

Elvis, baby, he was the king of hot! I used to watch his movies on the Saturday matinees when I was a kid. Loved the King.

You said it! Robert Redford or Brad Pitt?
Brad all the way. I never could stand RR. Don't know why. Maybe it was the hair. The strawberry blond male never did it for me. lol.

Okay, those are fighting words. Robert Redford is my dream guy. If your book wasn't so amazing, I'd have to hurt you! LOL! Just kidding (kind of).

Bahahaha, that's what makes us all so different. In all honesty I think my dislike for him came from my Momma making me watch his movies at a time when all I wanted to watch was Johnny Depp on 21 Jumpstreet. lol. Now there is a man that makes me shiver. I know, gross right? lol

No, not at all. I was a Johhny Depp/21 Jumpstreet fan myself. Okay, you're totally redeemed.

I hope you've brought along your book blurb and an excerpt.

BOOK BLURB:

It's an empath thing...

Using your "powers" to help the Dark Hills Police Department hunt down serial killers doesn't leave much time for dating. Not that Piper Anast is complaining. The last thing she needs is some guy brushing up against her and pumping his pornographic thoughts into her head.

When she meets Bennett Slade, a sexy, tormented vampire, Piper stumbles headlong into a telepathic connection with his missing daughter. She can't leave the kid to the evil surrounding her unwanted visions, nor can she resist her draw to Slade. He's the first guy she's been able to touch vision-free in, well, forever.

As she and Slade close in on the evil creature holding his daughter, Piper's powers morph into a deadly fury. To save Slade's daughter-and herself-Piper must face down demons she never knew she had and trust the one thing she keeps from everyone.

Her heart.

EXCERPT:
I climbed the stairs two at a time and at the top, he glanced over my shoulder. “Alone. Sorry, man, it can only be the two of us. Your energy could mess with the magic.”
“I...very well.” Slade’s mouth curled into a frown, he hesitated at the three steps up and turned with a snarl. His neck tensed, the muscles knotting under his shirt. So, he didn’t like the thought of me up here with Luke alone, well good.
We entered the bedroom Luke used. He ripped the comforter and sheets from the bed. “Lay down.”
“What?”
“Look, this goes a lot smoother if you quit asking the infuriating questions, which by the way make you sound like a moron, and just do what I say.”
Immediate rage, a rage I couldn’t control leapt from my skin and knocked him against the closed door. I held him pinned, levitating a foot from the floor. He gasped while I forced my energy into him.
He gritted an incantation. The energy shifted on me. The return blast lifted me up, launching me the last few feet to the bed. Air burst from my lungs on the landing. His body followed the energy, covering me with his weight.
“Learn how to control yourself, or I will teach you how to in a way you won’t like. I will not tolerate your abuse anytime you get pissed at me. It’s going to happen and unlike Slade, I will not temper my words.”
I panted from the exertion and the raging anger at having my power used on me. “Get off me. I don’t like to be touched.”
“Maybe you haven’t been touched by the right person--yet.”

Okay, I'm hooked. Thank you so much for stopping by today. Congrats on the new release and wishing you many more. For those of you who were hooked after reading the excerpt, here's the buy link:

Amazon

Welcome Chynna Laird

I want to welcome fellow Astraea Press author Chynna Laird on my blog today. She's here to showcase another wonderful cover by our amazing cover artist, Elaina Lee.

Chynna, your book cover is awesome!

What does it say about your book? It says that are dark issues we face on our life's journey but that each of us has something positive to turn to in tough times to get us through. Payton, the main character in my book, is surrounded by untreated mental illness, drug abuse and chaos but instead of becoming a statistic, he turns to his gift of music. I love how the piano appears to have a light shining on it.

What special feature does it point to that tells the reader to snatch this up right away to read? The black lacquered grand piano and the blackbirds. Oops! That's two! The piano is a central part of the story. It symbolizes where Payton's courage and strength to go on come from. The blackbirds hint to the strong Beatles reference in this story.

What was your first impression of your book cover when you saw it? I actually teared up. The cover artist captured exactly what I'd hope to in the cover. In fact, I thought the cover gave a wonderful little synopsis of my book. The artist is a gifted talent indeed. 

Can you tell us about your cover artist? Her web page link? Absolutely! My cover artist is Elaina Lee. She is an author and artist working with Astraea Press in creating beautiful covers like mine. Her website is www.forthemusedesign.com. Not only is she talented but she's super sweet too. She will go far, I'm sure.

If your book was made into a movie - what actress would you want to play your heroine? I really like Ellen Page from 'Inception'. She's pretty close to the 'Alicia Silverstone' type I described her as in my book.

If your book was made into a movie - what actor would you want to play your hero? Michael Pitt would be a great fit. So would Jason Gordon-Levitt. But the actor I envision would have to be dark super tall and lanky. But he's also brooding at first so I'm sure any of the hot young actors from the vampire shows would be good too. ;)

COOL! I'm very intrigued by the cover, now I'm dying to know more. Can you share the book blurb with us?

Sure:  

Fifteen year-old Payton MacGregor is a musical prodigy. To him, though, his music is merely a way for him to escape from the chaos that surrounds him. All of his life, he’s had to care for his mother, who copes with her bipolar disorder with booze instead of turning to her own musical talents. He refuses to become a statistic. Then he’s thrown a curve ball.

His mother suddenly dies, leaving him to be cared for by his aging grandparents.  As much as they love him, they decide to send him halfway across Canada to live with his father, Liam—the man Payton always believed abandoned him and his mother. Payton isn’t making the relocation easy on anyone until he finds out he's going to attend the prestigious School of the Arts for musically gifted youth. Any second thoughts he has about his new life are erased when he meets Lily Joplin. Their connection is instantaneous.

Lily is a talented singer, but her struggles with drugs and bipolar disorder hit too close to home for Payton’s comfort. And when her issues become all-consuming for Payton, he wonders if his music will be enough to carry him through.

Congrats on the new release! Blackbird Flies looks and sounds amazing! Chynna will be back to visit my blog when her books releases. I can't wait!