Avery Olive

I've got a double dose of awesome today for our 10 Book Confessions Monday!  

Writing Partner Duo Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns!

Most notably, they are the creative masterminds behind the Roswell High Series (yes, the books based on the hit TV show Roswell) but they've also got several other novels under their belts and more to come in the future!

So please, give a warm welcome to Melinda and Laura!

 

MELINDA'S CONFESSIONS

1. I'm in three book groups, and one of them meets twice a week. I think I'm addicted. No, I know I am.

2. I have read the novelization of Born Innocent, based on the somewhat infamous 70's movie starring Linda Blair.

3. My grandmother gave me Flowers in the Attic. My mom threw it away. But not before I read it.

4. I got a goodly amount of sex ed from Judy Blume's Forever, including what happens at the gynecologist and that (some) guys name their penises.

5. I read The Exorcist when I was 12, and didn't fully recover until a few years ago. I knew I was okay when I read the 40th anniversary edition and didn't relapse and start having nightmares.

 

LAURA'S CONFESSIONS

 

1. I read Pride and Prejudice at least once a year, and have since I was twelve. (I refuse to do the math on how many times that makes.)

2. I read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy every two or three years, and have since I was ten. (See note on math, above.) I also wrote my college thesis on it—before it was cool! The movies weren’t even in development yet, there was a vague tinge of “those are kids’ books” about the trilogy, and I had to beg my professor to let me do it. Afterwards, he thanked me for forcing him to re-read Tolkien, as he’d forgotten how good the books were.

3. I also thought that all guys named their penises because of Forever.

4. I just read A Little Princess to my kids, and it made me feel like a terrible writer. That book is beautifully written and doesn’t imagine that children need to be spoon-fed a story.

5. I have never read a book by Stephen King. Not one. And this does not bother me.

 

Shay could never do the things her friends could--never try out for sports, never go to parties, never fall in love. Because of the mysterious and incurable blood disorder she was born with, she can barely make it through three days of school a week.

But now, her doctor-turned-stepfather has a brand-new treatment that he thinks will change everything. And it does. As soon as the new blood starts pumping into Shay's veins, she has visions of a different life...Gabriel's life. She sees an orphanage, loss, fangs, blood, and lust that she can't explain.

Is Gabriel real? And if he is, could he really be what she thinks he is?

Amazon Buy Link      Barnes & Noble Buy Link      Goodreads

And the story of Gabriel and Shay continues in the concluding sequel, Sacrifice, which is out now!

Amazon Buy Link     Barnes & Noble Buy Link     Goodreads

 

If you want to learn even more about Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns, or their other amazing novels, including the coming soon YA Thriller, Sanctuary Bay, click on the links below!

Website     Facebook Fan Page     Melinda's Twitter     Laura's Twitter

Posted in 10 Book Confessions, Guest Posts, Roswell Re-Watch, Roswell-Read-a-Thon

Happy Monday. Though I know most of us still wish it were Sunday... But, alas, it's Monday. Not Sunday, which means that I have another installment of !0 Bookish Confession!

LS Murphy is no stranger to the blog, but I'm proud to welcome her as she confesses all things books, and shares with us the cover and blurb for her latest release, Neighbors! And just so you know, I soooo want to stick a 'U' into that title. Neighbours... Because I'm Canadian, but that's a matter for another day! So, Neighbors it is!

Alright, LS, take it away!

 

10 Bookish Confessions

1.      I don’t like to read Shakespeare. *ducks* Yes, I know how revered Shakespeare is, but unless it’s performed, I simply don’t like enjoy the Bard.

2.      I refused to read Harry Potter as it swept the world. The literary snob inside me said, “You can’t read kiddie books.” When Order of the Phoenix was released, I finally jumped on the bandwagon.

3.      I flunked a course on American poets in college, but I still have the text book. It’s one of my favorite poetry collections.

4.      Actually, I flunked out of my first college by writing my first novel. My roommate would come back from a class and steal my notebook to stay caught up. When she’d get to the end of what I’d written, she’d demand to know what happened next.

5.      My mom built me a bookshelf to hold all my Sweet Valley High books. She even painted it a pale yellow to match some of the covers.

6.      I don’t like The Lord of the Rings. Movies or books.

7.      I get more upset when a movie adaptation changes the characters more than the plot. After all, I know these characters. They’ve become a part of me.

8.      I trust Oprah’s judgment on books. I discovered some amazing authors that I never would’ve noticed.

9.      The best part about ebooks is that I can sneak more than one book into the day job. J

10.  I’ve started holding off on reading some series because I know I’ll want the next book as soon as I finish the first, and I don’t want to wait a year. So, I just wait until they’ve all been released and hide in my room for an entire weekend.

 

Now let's check out the cover and blurb for Neighbors!

Rena Woods has a great life. She recently landed the contract to decorate the home of basketball wife, Cecilia Hood, her business is growing, and this contract could make her the elite decorator in St. Louis. Rena’s sacrificed her personal life for her company without a single regret. When Staff Sergeant C.J. Riker moves in across the hall, Rena can’t stand to be around him. He may be on the volcanic side of hot, but his attitude sucks. Riker does whatever he can to get under Rena’s skin.

After a massive blow to her business sends Rena on a self-destructive binge, Riker is there to save her from doing something she might regret. Could there be more to Riker than meets the eye? And will he open up enough to Rena to tell her how he lost his leg or shut out love forever?

Amazon Buy Link     Barnes & Noble Buy Link  

 

If you want to learn more about LS Murphy and her other novels (all great!!!) please take a moment to click on the links below, they will magically take you to a land far, far away... Or just to her social media links...

Website     Twitter     Facebook

 

 

If you love 10 Book Confessions on Mondays and you'd love to take part shoot me an EMAIL! I'm always looking for more confessions, and it doesn't matter if your an author, a blogger or just simply a reader! I want to hear from you!  

 

Posted in 10 Book Confessions, Guest Posts

Happy Monday! Welcome to another edition of 10 Confessions, I'll let Angela take over!

Before I bare my soul and all its quirks, I want to thank Avery for having me on her blog today.  She supports so many authors and I know we all appreciate it!

So here they are in no particular order, Ten Confessions, some of which might actually embarrass me if you could see my faceJ

1. I absolutely hate the feel of raw wood and therefore can’t stand to eat popsicles. The sensation is like nails on a chalkboard for me.  I know, weird, huh?

2. I’m the only person I know with a cat-a-torium (an enclosed outdoor area for kitties.)  After one of our cats got out and was eaten by the coyotes that roam the desert behind my house, my husband he surprised me with a cat-a-torium. We’ve had no escapees since.

3. I am a shameless nap taker which works out well because I am a die-hard night owl, especially when I’m working on a bookJ

4. Even though with practice I’m getting better but I still hate killing my characters. I spend so much time with them that when I kill them I feel this weird sense of remorse. 

5. I’m a remodeling junkie. My seventeen year old son makes fun of me because my husband and I love HGTV.  With both a house and small cabin, it seems we are always remodeling something.  Geeky, I know.

6. I’ve been known to get caught singing in public bathrooms…often loudly!  The acoustics are so good, it’s just too tempting.  Plus, I spent most of my young life in choirs so singing makes me happy!  Sorry to everyone who walks in on me.

7.  I still don’t get the Twilight phenomenon.  My hat is off to Mrs. Meyers and I’m happy for her success, but to be totally honest I read all the books and I just don’t get it. 

 8.  I see life differently because I was raised by my father.  For years, I thought stereo wires on the wall were home decor and hamburger helper was a top notch meal.  Turns out Moms are pretty important and home décor is also about art and not just function.  Still, I have to say thanks dad. You did great!

9. When it comes to leading men, I’m a sucker for the boy next door.  I love his down-to-earth, genuine, gorgeousness.  For me, nice guys do finish last!

10. Even after three books I still get giddy when I get a five star review!  The longer I am part of the publishing industry, the more I realized what a miracle it is that I get to write books alongside so many talented people. I never take that for granted and when out of millions of books, someone loves mine…I get giddy with excitement.

 

Thank so much for stopping by and confessing! Now, let's check out Becoming Bryn, which I happen to know is a pretty awesome book!

For months, Jesse has been envious of her twin sister Bryn and even has a crush on Bryn’s gorgeous, popular boyfriend, Quinton.

When Jesse awakens from a coma to learn that everyone thinks she IS Brin, the option of actually taking over her sister’s life is beyond tempting, but there’s a downside. She’d have to give up her relationship with Ethan, her best friend and the only person she trusts.

Could she actually live s Brin for the rest of her life? And if her family and friends found out, would they ever forgive her?

Amazon Buy Link     Barnes & Noble Buy Link

To learn more about Angela, and her other novels, Unbreakable Love and Shackled, click the links below!

Website     Blog     Twitter

 I'm always looking for more confessions, so if you'd like to have your turn, please email me!

 

Posted in 10 Book Confessions, Guest Posts

I've decided that Book Confessions are one of my favourite things. I mean, here we have another stellar example of a reader/author, who has many things she needs to get off her chest, and I find myself nodding my head and smiling, because secretly I do the same things too!

It's a great way to get into the heads of readers! And don't forget to read to the end and learn about Heather Van Fleet's new book, A Long Time Coming!

So, without further ado...

Heather Van Fleet’s ten book confessions

10. Sometimes, I secretly skip ahead in a book and read the first sex scene. If it’s well written…I start from page one and read on. If It’s not, I have a tendency to pass on the book altogether. (Is that wrong of me? Eep!)

9. I hoard bookmarks like it’s nobody’s business. Nobody knows about my collection. I have this box that I secretly stash away in a closet downstairs just because I can. lol

8. I bookmark/highlight pages on my Kindle that I completely swoon over (first kisses, etc) and then when the book is over, I go back and re-read those particular scenes so my book hangover isn’t so terrible.

7. I read the final Twilight book (Breaking Dawn) eleven times. Yes. Eleven. No shame.

6. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I almost always have to read at least a chapter or two of a book I’m on, just so I can fall back asleep.

5. When I walk into a book store, I literally cannot stop smiling. I call it my paperback high.

4. One day I spent three hours at a Barnes and Noble stalking the YA book shelves. Oh heck, who am I kidding? I do this at least once a month.  

3.  I have to be alone to read sexy time books. No hubby, no kids (obviously) and definitely no television blaring. I call it my sexy book zone.

2. My three year olds name is Isabella. We call her Belly because I don’t want people to thing we named her after Bella from Twilight. (Not really book related, but I like to get that out there front and center for everyone to know)

1. My number one confession? I have 1,330 books on my Kindle or in my Kindle File on Amazon. I’ve read every. Single. One. J

 

You can learn more about Heather by stalking her on the Internet! Click any of the links below.

Website      Twitter     Facebook

 

 

 

Abigail Orson has a problem. A love problem to be precise; and she has absolutely no idea how to go about fixing it.

For years now, she has been chasing her best friend’s brother—demanding things from him that he’s never wanted to give. For one? A real relationship that surpasses well beyond that dreaded ‘just friends’ zone. You see, David Anderson is her idea of perfection to a T. The one and only guy who has ever had the ability to make her heart beat faster; make her toes curl with the simple blink of his long, girly lashes. But David is also a recovering amputee, and the only thing he really wants from Abigail is to be left alone. Abigail is a fighter though, and losing the one guy who has ruined her for every other is no longer an option.

A guy with one leg who has lost his motivation to live—to love—to actually be a man. David believes he’s a waste of space. If only the beautiful girl of his unattainable dreams would get that through her perfect, blonde, stubborn head! He’s not the right guy for Abigail. He’ll never be worthy of what she deserves. However, staying away is almost impossible, especially when he’s just as in love with her as she is with him. But Abigail has a life ahead of her, one that’s definitely livable without a nineteen–year–old gimp like him holding her down. What makes her want to stick around is beyond questionable to David’s mind.

Choices will be made. Lines will be drawn. And together, they will face challenges that nobody saw coming. David and Abigail may have had almost fourteen years to fall in love, but the thing is, timing and love have never exactly worked in their favor.

It has been years in the making, and definitely A Long Time Coming for David and Abigail. Let’s hope they don’t screw it up before they actually have the chance to get it right…

Buy link for A Long Time Coming

 

Posted in 10 Book Confessions, Guest Posts

I was sitting down to lunch with Mr. Olive the other day, and asked him a favour. Now, most often he likes to stay behind the scenes when it comes to my authorly life, so this was going to force him to step in front of the light.

Honestly, I was pretty sure he'd say no, but I asked anyway. I asked if he'd like to partake in my 10 Book Confessions Blog Segment. You see, Mr. Olive is an avid reader, and he loves me, so of course, he always surprises me! He gets brownie points for this, definitely, and continues to be the world's most awesome husband.

So, as a special treat, here are...

Mr. Olive's 10 Book Confessions!

1. Part A. I read the Twilight Saga because my wife asked me to. They weren't horrible, but they weren't great.

1. Part B. I read the Mortal Instruments and The Hunger Games Trilogy because my wife asked me to, and I'm sure she'll ask me to read many other books.

2. If a book is really good, I'll read it again. And maybe again after that. I've read Frank Herbert's Dune series a few times.

3. I own all the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan Series, in hardcover, 15 so far. I've yet to read them all though.

4. I've read and own all Anne Rice's Vampire Novels before Vampires came back in popularity. That's right. Vampires were way cooler before they sparkled.

5. I was one of the only kids in my high school class that read books for fun.

6. Once I was given an English assignment to write a 14 Page essay on one of the novels I had read. I summed up the entire novel in 14 paragraphs and called it good. I was always a reader, but never a writer. I think I might have failed that paper.

7. The first real chapter book I read was White Fang by Jack London. I was 10 or so. And to this day it's still one of my favourites.

8. The worst book I read was Music of the Spheres by Elizabeth Redfern. I still own it. Which means I suffer through bad books but refuse to get rid of them.

9. When I read paperbacks I barely open them. I DO NOT crack the spine. When I'm done reading them, they're still in mint condition. On my shelf you can't tell which ones I've read or not. But you can tell which ones I've lent out. Some people are forever banned from borrowing my books.

10. I might be the only guy that asked for a really big dictionary for Christmas. For my library of books. I got one.

11. My wife has published 2 books and has written countless others. I've only ever read one so far... That probably doesn't make me look very good does it?



If you'd like to participate and share your own 10 Book Confessions, I'm always in need! Just shoot me an email, I have tons of dates open for you to confess your bookish sins!

Posted in 10 Book Confessions, Guest Posts, Mr. Olive

So, it's officially Janary! I'm sure we all know it's Monday, and don't need to be reminded...

Please welcome Pippa Jay to the blog for her 10 Book Confessions!

 

 1. My earliest memory of writing is badgering my dad to show me how to spell my rather long and complicated name so I could sit and copy it until I had it perfect (if you’re curious, it’s Philippa Jayne).

2. I’ve never read, nor ever intend to read, a Stephen King book. I know he’s supposed to be one of the greatest writers ever, but I read the first page of It once because my sister made me, and I hated it. >.<

3. My first published novel was only the second book I’d ever actually completed. The only one I’d finished before that was a Doctor Who story I wrote when I was eighteen. (And I received a very nice rejection letter for it from the then publisher of the Doctor Who novels, which I still have).

4. I wrote fantasy until the age of eight, when I was seduced away by science fiction after the first televised showing of Star Wars: A New Hope.

5. I was reading Alexander Kent , Ian Fleming and Barbara Cartland books before I reached my teens because I couldn’t buy new books as fast as I could read them, and so resorted to stealing my parents instead. However, it was several years before I…em…understood what some of the scenes in the books actually meant. *blushes* (Dear parents, please don’t let your children do this).

6. My first email address was a character from a Star Trek book written by Janet Kagan – Uhura’s Song. I bought the book because it had a picture of a feline alien on the front, and I LOVED cats.

7. At school, I would read all the assigned books for English before the first week of the school year was out.

8. I was bottom of my spelling class at primary school despite being able to read books like Lord of the Rings.

9. As a teenager, I would sit and read the thesaurus and the dictionary to help me learn new words.

10. The older I get, the harder it is to find books that hook me. If a book doesn’t grab me by the end of the first chapter now, I put it aside as a DNF (Did Not Finish). I’ve had too many books that I’ve tried to finish despite disliking them that I no longer bother. There’s too many other excellent books out there to try to waste time on the ones I don’t like.

 

Outcast. Cursed. Dying. Is Keir beyond redemption?

For Keirlan de Corizi--the legendary 'Blue Demon' of Adalucien--death seems the only escape from a world where his discolored skin marks him as an oddity and condemns him to life as a pariah. But salvation comes in an unexpected guise: Tarquin Secker, a young woman who can travel the stars with a wave of her hand.

But Quin has secrets of her own. She's spent eternity searching through space and time with a strange band of companions at her back. Defying her friends' counsel, Quin risks her apparent immortality to save Keir. She offers him sanctuary and a new life on her home world, Lyagnius.

When Keir mistakenly unleashes his dormant alien powers and earns instant exile from Quin's home world, will she risk everything to stand by him again?

 

EXCERPT | Available at... Lyrical Press Inc. | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Amazon US | Amazon UK | The Book Depository |Book Strand | All Romance eBooks |

 

Learn more about Pippa by checking out the links below!!!

Website – http://www.pippajay.co.uk

Blogs –

Adventures in Scifi - http://www.pippajay.blogspot.co.uk

Spacefreighters Lounge - http://www.spacefreighters.blogspot.com

Romancing the Genres - http://www.romancingthegenres.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/pippajaygreen

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5054558.Pippa_Jay

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Pippa-Jay-Adventures-in-Scifi/114058821953752

Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/pippajaygreen/

Google+ - https://plus.google.com/u/0/101080630877126516448/posts

SFR Brigade - http://www.sfrcontests.blogspot.co.uk/

Posted in 10 Book Confessions, Guest Posts

Wow, December 30th already. Where did the time go! It's Monday, which means 10 Book Confessions. I've got fellow author, Heather Jacobs on the blog!

10 Book Confessions – Heather Jacobs

(1)    I hated reading Little Women and therefore didn’t read Little Men or Jo’s Boys.

(2)    Ironically A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott is my favorite book.

(3)    My mother is going to hate me for this but when I was younger (as well as more recently) she told me to stop buying books. Granted she worked at a library and encouraged me to check them out rather than buy them. She wants me to read, but save money too.

(4)    In middle school and high school I was fascinated with the occult and when I’d get to go to the bookstore and pick out books I’d buy books about them. I once bought a book about black magic that had my mother thinking I was practicing magic. I wasn’t practicing, but just fascinated with the history.

(5)    Like Karen Y Bynum I sniff library books, but I don’t stop just there. I sniff ALL books. My father worked in a magazine printing press for over forty years. He would come home from work smelling like ink and paper. It’s my favorite smell in the world.

(6)    I read Fifty Shades of Grey and I liked it. I have no desire to head for the Red Room of Pain, but I like me some Christian Grey.

(7)    I also read The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Ann Rice, published under her pseudonym A.N. Roquelaure. It was unnecessary and gratuitous and I haven’t been able to finish the last book in the series, Beauty’s Release. It was the last Ann Rice book I’ll ever read after her lashing out at reviewers.

(8)    I love military history books.

(9)    I often buy and read books that people have rated one star’s because I want to know why they exactly hated it. I recently did that with September Girls by Bennett Madison. I haven’t finished it yet. We’ll see if I rate it one star too.

(10)I used Cliff Notes in High School and College. Most notably for Moby Dick and Wuthering Heights. Two books I still have not read to this day.

Coming soon from Heather Jacobs, is her novel, We the People due out sometime in Early 2014 from Pandamoon Publishing.

Imagine a United States where a duly elected President leads a coup and declares himself Emperor. Overnight, the world’s most celebrated democracy becomes a dictatorship.

United States citizens have lost their rights and their ability to fight back. The Army of the American Dynasty makes sure of that. Citizens are told what to do and where to live. Reilly Grant is one of the lucky ones. She was given a coveted position in the Army even though she secretly did not buy into their ideals. Taking a huge risk, she defects and joins a band of rebels determined to overthrow Emperor Ronson. But even rebels can have hidden agendas. Who can Reilly trust? The rebels whose cause she believes in or the government that wants her back?

And here is a little more on Heather!

Heather Jacobs was born in St. Paul, MN. She received her Bachelors of Science in Sociology and Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin--River Falls. It was during her coursework that she developed a passion for politics and law enforcement.

When she isn't working ,Heather enjoys spending time with her family and friends She is the mother to a furbaby named Titan, a shih tzu full of personality and attitude. Heather has a love for good television shows like Grimm, True Blood, Nashville, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Doctor Who and so many others. Her love of TV led her to be named Grimm's first ever "Grimmster of the Week" and had her picture on TV.

The idea behind Heather's debut novel, We the People, came about during the 2012 presidential elections. She is currently working on Self-Evident Truths, Book Two in her dystopian trilogy, as well as a new book about time travel.

Website  Goodreads  Facebook  Twitter  Email

If you've come to the blog looking for the 18 Days of Christmas Giveaways, the contest is over and all winners will be announced January 1st, so please remember to check back!

Posted in 10 Book Confessions, Guest Posts