Readers' Favorite

October 26, 2013

Afternoon eBook Deal 10/26

A short story prequel

...entertains the reader with perfection served with a dash of humour and sadness. ~ Simon Okill


Unwanted Ghost


Thulu & La Fi have inherited an old, furnished Victorian. What they weren’t expecting was that the furnishings included a ghost.

Usually the Thulukans are happy to take on supernatural clients for their detective agency. But there’s something about Darla Redding that bothers La Fi - and with good reason. They discover that Darla has a much darker past than hinted at by her “normal” life. She’s definitely not a ghost they want haunting them. So, if they want to be rid of their unwelcome house ghost, Thulu and La Fi need to solve her murder.


FREE at Amazon





Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Summary and cover are from Goodreads.com. Prices are subject to change without notice, please verify price before purchasing. Want to have your bargain, discounted, or free ebook featured? Fill out this form.



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October 25, 2013

Afternoon eBook Deal 10/25

An easy and exciting read... ~ MET

Edge of the seat suspense to the vey end! ~ Avtanner


The Mystery of Jessica Benson


Jessica Benson is hot, beautiful, bisexual, and dead. Her life and death intersects the drama of a professional football team and the detectives who are on the case. The story takes place in Miami Beach, Florida. The author, C. K. Laurence, has been a student of crime activity and weaves an exciting tale of mystery and intrigue, and creates an unexpected ending to a suspenseful adventure. Ms. Laurence is a long-time rowdy Miami Dolphins football fan and uses her knowledge of the sport to develop a side-story that rings true in football culture. The book moves quickly from hot Miami Beach parties to the football field to the murder scene. Look out! The ending is a shocker!

FREE at Amazon




Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Summary and cover are from Goodreads.com. Prices are subject to change without notice, please verify price before purchasing. Want to have your bargain, discounted, or free ebook featured? Fill out this form.



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Friday Fun: Jazzy Interviews Quanie Miller


Today's post is brought to you by the main character of Quanie Miller's new novel It Ain't Easy Being Jazzy.

I recently discovered that a certain fiction novel called It Ain’t Easy Being Jazzy was being written by author Quanie Miller. I was able to obtain a copy of the book (don’t ask; I have my ways) and I have to tell you; lies have been bequeathed about me. And I don’t take too kindly to bequeathing. First off, I have never in my life put peanut butter under anybody’s door handles for revenge (except for that one time), and I have never been involved in a shoot out (except for that other time), so the lies in this book are just that; fabrications. This has Grandma Dottie’s name written all over it (you will read about her in the novel; her depiction is actually pretty much spot on. Especially the part about her gold tooth gleaming in the light). She actually called and suggested that I do an interview with this Quanie Miller (okay she threatened my inheritance). Yes, me and my family are eccentric but this novel makes us look like we’ve flown the coop. I’m actually thinking of suing Quanie, that heifer, for defamation. And for the record; I chased that idiot Curtis with a skillet not because I wanted to, but because he totally deserved it. And after what he did to me he’s lucky I didn’t go upside his head. Now. Back to this stupid interview.  (I should also say that I tried calling Quanie several times and her phone kept going to voicemail. She has one of those music ring tones with some Barry White wanna be singing about licking somebody up and down all night. Ain’t nobody got time for that.)

When I finally got through and explained the reason for my call she seemed surprised and agreed to the interview. The following is a pretty much verbatim transcript of our interview. I have left out the parts where Quanie yawns.
It Ain't Easy Being Jazzy

First off, how are you?

Fine. I’m actually surprised that you called.

Why is that?

Because I made you up.

I see... So, how is the weather in Charleston?

Hot.

Let us cut to the chase. What made you write these lies about my family and me?

I beg your pardon.

Buy It Ain't Easy Being Jazzy at Amazon

I mean, how’d you come up with the idea for this novel?

Well, one day I sat down to write a novel about a nanny who discovers that the children’s new stepmother is a sinister woman with mystic powers. But when I starting writing something odd happened; this humorous voice took over and it was so funny that I was laughing out loud. I had to take a step back; did I want to make the nanny story humorous or take that voice and write another story? I decided to write another story. I’m glad I did because you and your family were a hoot to write!

So you wanna go on record and admit that you made all of this up?

Next, question, please.

What traits if any, do you share with me, your absolutely delightful main character, who, by the way, has never, as you depict in this novel, hurt her lower back from one too many booty pops?

I grew up around sassy and really funny women and that really kept me on my toes. And I don’t mind making fun of myself. Like when funny things happen to me I just sort of roll with it. Like in the book when you got banned from Macy’s—

Moving on! Did any of your inspiration for this book originate in your real life experiences besides spying on me and my family?

Yes! Jazzy (well, you) work for a software company in Silicon Valley and I actually did that one summer. In one of the scenes you’re requested by your boss to constantly wind a broken grandfather clock, and that’s something that I actually had to do. And I also had someone fall asleep mid sentence during a job interview (but I won't say who!).

How is your dutty wine?

It’s alright. Not as good as yours but I’m working on it.

Are there any specific authors whose writing styles or subject matter inspired your book? 

When it comes to humor my main influences are my family (when I was growing up we used to sit on my grandmother’s porch for hours and tell funny stories), Dave Barry, and sitcoms like The Golden Girls, Living Single, and Girlfriends. Anything with funny women running amok!

Do you have another fiction novel in the works?

The phrase fiction novel is redundant.

Just answer the question, Ms. Fussy Pants.

Well, I have an upcoming novel called The New Mrs. Collins that will be published under the name Shaquana M. Miller. It is the story that I tried to write when I wrote It Ain’t Easy Being Jazzy.

How much is Grandma Dottie paying you to write this book?

I can’t disclose that.

I guess that about does it. Thanks for chatting with me today.

You’re welcome.

And take that damn licking music off your phone.

Goodbye, Jasmine.

About the Author

Quanie Miller grew up in New Iberia, Louisiana. She fell in love with reading at an early age and spent most of her time at the Iberia Parish Library discovering new authors like R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike (she was often found walking back home from the library with a stack of books that went up to her chin). She holds degrees from Louisiana State University and San Jose State University. She has been the recipient of the James Phelan Literary Award, the Louis King Thore Scholarship, the BEA Student Scriptwriting Award, and the Vicki Hudson Emerging Writing Prize. She loves writing humorous stories about strong willed, sassy women who can’t keep themselves out of trouble. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her husband and is currently, as always, working on another novel. To find out more about Quanie and her works in progress visit quanietalkswriting.com.
website  *  Twitter  *  Facebook  *  Goodreads


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Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate;  a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the above link. The views, opinions, and beliefs of contributing writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Girl Who Reads.




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October 24, 2013

Afternoon eBook Deal 10/24

...thrilling, filled with suspense, plot-lines that made me laugh, tear up and cringe, not to mention, fall in love with Ryan's writing style as well as her characters. ~ Carey Decevito

The ending was explosive, and kept me on the edge of my seat. ~ Paula Legate



Saved by the Rancher


From the moment rancher Jack Turner rescues Jenna Caldwell Merrick, he is determined to help her. Soon, he is doing more than tend her wounds; he is mending her heart. Jenna is a woman on the run—hunted down by her ex-husband, David Merrick, from the day she left him, taking part of his company with her, to the second she finds herself in the safety of Jack's ranch. More than just a haven, Jack's offering the love, family, and home she thought were out of reach.

Jack's support will give Jenna the strength she needs to reclaim her life. The hunted will become the hunter, while David gets what he deserves, when they have an explosive confrontation in the boardroom of Merrick International. But not before Jack and Jenna enter into a fight … for their lives.

99 cents at Amazon and B&N




Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Summary and cover are from Goodreads.com. Prices are subject to change without notice, please verify price before purchasing. Want to have your bargain, discounted, or free ebook featured? Fill out this form.



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5 Topics to Blog About

Do you want to increase the traffic to your blog? Do you want optimize your site for search engines? You might need to increase your posting frequency. If you post only reviews, then you may not be able to increase your output as you are limited by how quickly you can read.

To keep your ranking high in search you need to post at least 3 times a week. For increasing traffic you may need to post daily or even more than once a day. My blogger stats took a dive this summer after reaching highs of 1,000 views daily. When I looked into the difference, I noticed that int he spring I was posting multiple times a day. I started twice a day postings again in September and I've built my numbers back up.

Authors who blog often ask me what topics to write on. Authors especially ask when working on posts for a blog tour. In my ebook Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour, I included 10 broad blog topics for authors. While those topics can also be used on their own blogs, or even by bloggers, there are other topics you can explore on your own blog.

Publishing News

What's coming out, books that have been optioned for TV or film, award winners, etc. all make great topics for book bloggers. If you are already being pitched review copies from major publishers, you are receiving press releases about new books. You can also find press releases from publishers online. Simon & Schuster and Random House have some of theirs available online. You can also go to your favorite authors' websites and blogs to look for news.

Many bloggers and authors took up the topic last week about Kobo pulling self-published titles. Before that there were posts about the DOJ suit regarding ebook pricing. There is always something going on in the industry that can be of interest to your readers. It may also encourage discussion on your blog.

Covering bookish events in your local area or highlighting events that are coming up (such as Book Expo of America or the Texas Book Festival) is another possibility for news. Consider doing weekly highlights about the movers and shakers of the best seller lists.

Holiday Recommendations

Halloween is just around the corner and you will find a number of blogs doing Halloween themed posts. If you are just starting to branch out from reviews, then this is a great place to start. Feature your favorite books for the holiday. You can do a daily or weekly post featuring a different book. Not ready for that kind of commitment? Then try Top 10 Halloween Reads.

You don't have to stick with the conventional holidays. There is a holiday every day of the week (sometimes there are multiple holidays for any given day). October 25 is Punk for a Day Day - perhaps feature an author or book from one of the punk genres.

Genre Discussions

The Indie Revolution has the lines between genres blurring as well as creating whole new genres. Commentary on what you love or hate about a genre again can be a great discussion started as others chime in with their opinions and book suggestions.

Bookish Games

I had a lot of fun with the recent Name That Book games I ran on my blog. I've seen blogs do face offs with paranormal pairings or which hottie is the hottest. Compare book covers from different countries, especially if the book isn't released and the covers show different scenes you can offer speculation.

Tips and Tricks

When I started Tips on Thursday, I didn't know if anyone would care what I had to say or even if I had enough knowledge to keep the series going. You don't have to be an expert to share what you have found helpful in your blogging. Maybe there's a website where you find the best book deals or you found a useful app to keep track of your blog schedule. Don't be afraid to brainstorm and ask questions in your post. One of my more popular posts was more of a "thinking out loud" kind of deal than a concrete post.

Takes Work

I'm not saying reviews aren't a lot of work, but once you read the book you pretty much have your material. To blog about other topics, you might have to do a little more work. Thankfully the internet makes research a bit easier. Because there is work involved I recommend starting out slowly. Perhaps start with one additional weekly post that is not a review. Weekly features are great traffic boosters. Lists are also pretty easy to do, so why not put together 5 Books to Read This Weekend and post it on Friday?

For topics that might take a bit more time to put together, you might want to start out only doing them monthly - New Releases for November. I find a "holiday shopping guide" with recommend books to give as gifts (and who they would be great for) to always be popular. I post mine each year on Black Friday and promote it right up to Christmas.

Don't Give Up

Play around with what works for you - both in terms of your time and what your readers want. It may take a little time find the right branch to follow. You might want to try a few different types of posts. Track the numbers, but also ask your readers to weigh in on what they want to see.  I recommend giving it 4 weeks if it is a daily post, 6 - 8 weeks for weekly features, and 3 to 4 months if only posting once a month.

Do you only post reviews or do you write about different topics? What topics have you found to be most interesting to your readers?




Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the blogger behind Girl Who Reads and author of the how-to manual Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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October 23, 2013

Afternoon eBook Deal 10/23

...heartwarming and heartrending, and utterly engrossing. ~ Kaitlin, Coffeetime Romance & More 

This novel brings us on a thought provoking journey of rediscovering what is really important and taking hold of what is rightly ours! ~ Mrs Mommy Booknerd 


Forgotten


Emma Tupper is a dedicated lawyer with a bright future. But when she takes a month-long leave of absence to go on an African vacation, she ends up facing unexpected consequences. After she falls ill and spends six months trapped in a remote village thanks to a devastating earthquake, Emma returns home to discover that her friends, boyfriend, and colleagues thought she was dead--and that her life has moved on without her.

As she struggles to re-create her old life, throwing herself into solving a big case for a client and trying to reclaim her beloved apartment from the handsome photographer who assumed her lease, everyone around her thinks she should take the opportunity to change. But is she willing to sacrifice her job, her relationships, and everything else she worked so hard to build?

In "Forgotten," Catherine McKenzie tweaks a classic tale of discovering who we really are when everything that brings meaning to our lives is lost.

$1.99 at Amazon and B&N




Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Summary and cover are from Goodreads.com. Prices are subject to change without notice, please verify price before purchasing. Want to have your bargain, discounted, or free ebook featured? Fill out this form.



10 Questions with Lori Foster



Where did you grow up/live now?

Cincinnati, Ohio

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A teacher! I have great respect for motivated, caring, inspiring teachers who positively impact children’s lives. But as it turns out, while I love kids, I’m terrible when trying to teach anything. It’s a good thing I’m a writer instead.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

There was no one defining moment. It sort of crept up on me, at first telling me I was a daydreamer, and later telling me I was too introspective, and maybe fanciful. I started by creating stories in my head. Yeah, you can imagine what most thought of that. ;-) And then I wrote a few longhand, just for my own entertainment with no real thought of ever trying to sell.

I think it was when I attended a small local writer’s conference. At that time I’d written about 4 books. They were terrible – definitely not something I’d want in print. But without realizing it I was teaching myself to write. Anyway, at this conference I talked to some unpublished writers – several who had been working on a single book for years.  I had that “wow” moment, and thought maybe I had what it took.


Where/When do you best like to write?

I prefer my desk at the lake house and I write from the morning, say around 10 am (after I’ve finished emails and online stuff) until 5 or 6pm. When I’m under a close deadline that expands with me starting earlier and going later in the day.

I’m only at the lake house during mild/warm weather though, and I like my office space at home too. At the lake house, my desk overlooks the lake, and at home my desk faces French doors that lead to the pond. Water inspires me!

Do you have any interesting writing habits or superstitions?

I write well with chaos. If the house gets too quiet my mind wanders away from my book. I usually have the music playing pretty loud (and yeah, I sing along and bounce in my chair) with a few candles burning and my many pets bugging me every few minutes. My desk at home faces the pond so I can see the fish jump and the occasional hawk snag a meal.

My desk at the lakehouse faces the lake so I can see the fishermen go by, the skiers and boaters... I like water and find it very inspirational.

How does a new story idea come to you? Is it an event that sparks the plot or a character speaking to you?

For me, I sit down to write and things happen. I’m usually as surprised as readers are with how things work out. For Rowdy, I knew Pepper (heroine from RUN THE RISK) had a brother. When he showed up, I realized who he was and what he wanted... he showed me his background at the same time he showed it to you – to all of my readers. In one scene, he walked into a bar – and there was Avery. I didn’t plan her, didn’t know she’d be there, but boy, Rowdy sure took notice. J I know that makes me sounds nuts, but that’s how the writing process goes for me! I like to be surprised.

Buy Getting Rowdy at Amazon

Is there a message/theme in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I don’t really think in terms of sharing a message. I write what I enjoy reading, the way my characters tell me to write the story, without much in mind except entertaining. However, my characters are all about protecting children, being honorable, protecting others, etc... Oh, and you know, I guess there is a message!

Love makes everything better. J

On a Friday night, what are you most likely to be doing?

Depends on the time of the year. If it’s warm weather, I’m either taking a boat ride, a walk with hubby, or settled down to watch a DVD movie. If it’s colder weather, odds are it’s the TV. We hit up the movies just about every Friday, but earlier in the day to avoid the crowds. J

What's the best writing advice you have ever received?

At a local conference, before I’d ever sold, I met Stella Cameron. We hit it off and she was so kind that she offered to look at my work. I drove home (squealing all the way) and snatched up a manuscript, then drove back to the conference hotel. Stella sat on the bed in her room and read through several pages with me anxiously watching, my stomach in knots. And she said something life-altering. I don’t remember the exact words, but she told me I would definitely sell, that my voice was special, and that she was impressed.
That was really welcome praise, considering I’d been working on selling a book for 2 years. It had been revised, then revised again... and each time I sent it off I had to wait another 6 to 9 months.

Later that same day she sort of trapped a Harlequin editor in the elevator and asked if she was going to buy my book. (At that point the editor had had the revised manuscript for over 8 months.) When the editor waffled, unsure, Stella said she would just give my manuscript to her own editor with her recommendation – and the Harlequin editor said, “No, I’m buying her.”

I still smile when thinking of that. After waiting all that time, Stella got an editor to commit to me in an elevator at a conference hotel.

How could I not revere that woman?

Oh, and besides all that, Stella is an AMAZING author! I still love her work.

What was your favorite book as a child?

Well, sadly, I wasn’t much of a reader until after I’d had 3 kids and my sister introduced me to the joy of romance novels. Before that I read a lot of my grandma’s “True Romance” magazine stories.

I do remember reading “The Contender” but I don’t remember liking it more than those magazine romance stories.

About the Author

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a Waldenbooks, Borders, USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. She also received the Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy and Contemporary Romance.

Lori believes it is important to give back to the community as much as possible, so she routinely arranges events among authors and readers to gather donations for various organizations.

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate;  a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the above link. The views, opinions, and beliefs of contributing writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Girl Who Reads. 




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October 22, 2013

Afternoon eBook Deal 10/22

I love Heather Huffman's books. I haven't read this one yet, by all the ones I have read are great.


Tumbleweed

In this long-anticipated prequel to international hit THROWAWAY, Heather Huffman takes her readers on a journey of friendship, love and family ties. The message is clear: Never stop fighting for the life you believe in.

Longing for a fresh start and a place to belong, Hailey leaves behind her city life, trading her cubical for a struggling horse ranch in the Ozark Mountains. With her young son at her side and her family's skepticism echoing in her head, Hailey is faced with more work than she ever could have imagined and a troublesome neighbor. In the midst of it all, the last thing Hailey needs is romance - despite the undeniable, growing attraction for her handsome and charming boss, Ethan.

Just as Hailey finds her dreams tantalizingly within reach, her new world is devastated in a cruel twist of fate. She must find the strength to rebuild all she’s dreamed of - or risk forever drifting through life like a tumbleweed.

Heather Huffman fans will not want to miss this heart-warming introduction to Ethan and Hailey, beloved owners of the Tumbleweed Ranch featured in THROWAWAY and RING OF FIRE!

99 cents at Amazon and B&N





Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Summary and cover are from Goodreads.com. Prices are subject to change without notice, please verify price before purchasing. Want to have your bargain, discounted, or free ebook featured? Fill out this form.



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Teaser Tuesday: Broken Allegiance by Mark Young

I got a new book in the mail last week and I'm excited to get started on it. I first learned of Mark Young's writing when I reviewed Revenge. I haven't had a chance to read the rest of his titles, but when he sent me a request to review his newest book, Broken Allegiance, I couldn't say no. Here are the opening lines...

A full moon cast shadows of burnt-ochre over acres of dying vineyards. Giant oaks stood like towering sentinels in the gathering darkness along the edges of the vines. As Toby trudged past the tree line and moved into the open, he spied it dead ahead. An abandoned winery, blackened by fire and broken by age, valiantly stood its ground in the middle of yellowing grape vines like a wounded warrior waiting for the end to come.


Broken Allegiance

Before Travis Mays, before Gerrit O'Rourke--there was Tom Kagan.

Police gang detective Tom Kagan has been seeking justice for more than ten years, leaving him a broken man. His only reason for living--the woman he loves and the badge he swore to uphold. When a man is brutally killed in a vineyard on the outskirts of Santa Rosa, California, it sparks a series of events that test what's left of Kagan's resolve to protect and serve. Secrets from the past thwart Kagan's efforts to unravel a series of killings sanctioned from within the walls of California's highest security prison.

From the lush vineyards of Sonoma County to the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe, the detective must outsmart a killer who is moving in for one epic killing spree. Leaders of the notorious Nuestra Family prison gang are fighting for power, a struggle that spills out onto the streets of California. Kagan joins forces with Special Agent Hector Garcia, a feisty supervisor of the Special Services Unit for the California Department of Corrections; Diane Phillips, a beautiful and hard-charging prosecutor; and Mikio Sanchez, a former gang member marked for death. Through the eyes of cops and gangsters, readers are able to glimpse the seldom seen workings of the gangster underworld.

Broken Allegiance is about treacherous lies, broken promises, and shattered lives--about life, death and a man's honor.

Buy Broken Allegiance at Amazon


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate;  a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. 



October 21, 2013

Afternoon eBook Deal 10/21

...pulls you into another world entirely in the most natural way. ~ Brenda Perlin


Best thing since Harry Potter.. ~ Mr. Magoon


Unikra Revenge

Who Really Knows? This story is not about love, it is not about evil, nor power. Although this story required all to be told, the story is not about the legends and fables of a time long past, but rather it is about a man. His story becomes vivid in the days of adventure, real, well told and shared among the people. One man, a legend among his people, his actions will decide the fate of a king and the land he rules. This empire, the story and the people reveal the place I call home.


$2.99 at Amazon





Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Summary and cover are from Goodreads.com. Prices are subject to change without notice, please verify price before purchasing. Want to have your bargain, discounted, or free ebook featured? Fill out this form.



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10 Fun Facts About K. B. Hoyle



I’ve done a lot of author interviews in the past couple of years, and I thought for this post it would be more fun to give some random fun facts about who I am. So here, in no particular order, are 10 Fun Facts about K. B. Hoyle:

1. I have traveled to every continent in the world except for South America and Antarctica. I was able to check one more off my list when my publisher flew me to Australia just this past May.

2. When I was in Kenya during the summer between my junior and senior years in High School (summer of 2000), I was almost fatally bitten by a black mamba snake. I did not know it was a venomous snake when I was playing with it (actually, I was trying to catch and pick it up), or obviously I would not have been touching it. It was also a baby black mamba, which means it’s venom was about 3x concentrated, and there is no way a bite would not have delivered a lethal dose. It tried to bite me several times before a local ran up and killed it. We were about 3 ½ hours from the nearest hospital. This was not the smartest moment of my life.

3. I am a direct descendant of Isaac Allerton, who was one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact, through my father’s side. He was my 12th great grandfather.

4. I have three sons between the ages of 6 and 17 months. My 17-month-old is named William Allerton. William for William Wilberforce, the great English reformer who abolished the slave trade in England, and Allerton for my 12th great grandfather.

5. Because my mom chose a German spelling for my first name – Karin – everybody used to mispronounce it when I was little. It IS pronounced CARE-in (common pronunciation), but people used to call me CAR-in (as in vehicle) all the time. When I was 5, my mom gave me the option to choose which pronunciation I preferred, saying she would honor my wishes. After much careful deliberation, I chose to stay with CARE-in.

6. I worked as a night security guard in college. Since I am a smallish woman, people often don’t believe me when I say this until my husband backs up the claim with the statement, “Oh yeah! You should have seen her mentally stun that police officer in training that one year. It was hilarious!” True story. I do know how to mentally stun. No, it is not via telepathy. One time a girl I was busting bit me. I kind of wish I had mentally stunned her.

7. My favorite book ever is The Lord of the Rings, which I DO treat as one book, as Tolkien intended. The year I met my husband in college was the same year the first movie came out. He and I went to see the movie (kind of our first unofficial date), but he didn’t know I was testing him. He’d never read the book before, so if he loved the movie, we were good to go, if he didn’t, the budding relationship probably wouldn’t work out. As you can probably guess, he loved it, read the books (beginning with The Hobbit, as everyone should!), and ten months later wrote his marriage proposal into the front cover of a collector’s edition of The Hobbit that he gave me as a gift. I said yes.

Buy The Scroll at Amazon

8. I wrote my senior thesis in college on C. S. Lewis, of whom I am also a huge fan. When I got to take a trip to England that year and see Lewis’s grave in Oxford, I stood over it and cried. I also cried when I saw the Magna Carta in the British library on that same trip . . . but that might just be because I’m a big nerd.

9. I am a historian. I specialized in Latin and South American history in college, but I ended up teaching Ancient, Classical, and Medieval history at the school at which I still teach creative writing. Because it is a classical school, I didn’t have to work with some cookie-cutter government curriculum, but I had the freedom to create my own curriculum based on the primary sources already laid out for the course. So, in addition to writing YA fantasy novels, I’ve also written classical history curricula. My favorite source to teach was The Histories by Herodotus. I love The Histories so much I almost got giddy every time that time of the year came around. That is why there are a couple references to Herodotus and the Persian Wars in my books.

10. I began writing my first fantasy novel when I was eleven. At first it was called The Quest (original, right?), but then I later renamed it The Seventh Kingdom (meh… little bit better). I picked at it all the way through Junior High and High School, and finally finished it sometime in college. Then, because I’m apparently delusional, I tried to get it published. After many well-deserved rejections and some good advice from a writer friend, I realized it was a ridiculous, no-good, mishmash of a story that needed to be appreciated only for what it was – practice. I shelved it and told myself I would write a new book, and I would do it the right way – with planning, preparation, and purpose. My next project became The Gateway Chronicles.

About the Author
K. B. Hoyle is an author, a creative writing teacher, and a former classical history teacher who uses her knowledge of the ancient and medieval worlds to pen fantasy tales for young adults. She has been married since the age of twenty to the love of her life, with whom she has three wonderful little boys. Her quest to write inspiring fiction began at the age of eleven when she started her first fantasy novel. The pen truly is mightier than the sword, and K. B. has always viewed her writing as a way to introduce truth, beauty, and goodness into the hearts and minds of young people.
K. B. is currently writing the Young Adult Fantasy series The Gateway Ch r on icle s, and Breeder, the first in her New Adult Dystopian trilogy, and she never stops brainstorming all the stories she plans to write in the future.




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Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate;  a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the above link. The views, opinions, and beliefs of contributing writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Girl Who Reads. This post is part of a GWR Publicity promotional tour paid for by the author.




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Blog Tour: The Ivory Tower by Kirstin Pulioff





Tour Schedule

Oct. 21 Sarah Aisling  Review & Top Ten List
Oct. 22 Mom With A Kindle Book Promo
Oct. 23 To Taste Life Twice Review & Top Ten List
Oct. 24 Down the Rabbit Hole Review & Character Interview
Oct. 25 OlgaNM Character Interview
Oct. 26 Larkin's Book Bloggers Top Ten List
Oct. 27 Cabin Goddess Weekly Shorts & Brooke Blogs Review & Top Ten List
Oct. 28 Girl Who Reads Author Interview
Oct. 29 Jenn's Review Blog Review

About the Book

277 –the number sewn into Simone’s shirt. The number that dictates her life at the protection camp. Regulated by a system of ringing bells, fortified cars, and rations, the survivors are protected from residual contaminates on the other side of the wall.
Breaking the monotony of the highly structured camp, Simone and her friend skip school to enjoy one of the last nice days of fall.  An afternoon game leads them to a new part of the forest, uncovering more than they expected.  All thoughts of protection and rules are shattered by the appearance of the ivory tower.  A tower riddled with a history of danger and death.
When her friend shows up with a bruised face and thinly veiled threats, Simone has to decide how much she is willing to risk to find out the truth of the tower.



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A GWR Publicity promotional event paid for by the author. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. 
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October 20, 2013

Sunday Sale Page 10/20

Need more books? Of course you do, especially at these bargain prices. Happy Reading!
(Remember to check back every afternoon for a new ebook deal)


Deja Dead


Bones fans get the book the TV show is based on!
$1.99 at Amazon and B&N



For Keeps


Contemporary Romance
99 cents at Amazon and B&N



Gingerbread Man


A Halloween Read
99 cents at Amazon and B&N


The Seduction of Lady Phoebe


Regency Romance
FREE at Amazon and B&N


Untethered


YA Paranormal
FREE at Amazon



Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above. Summary and cover are from Goodreads.com. Prices are subject to change without notice, please verify price before purchasing. Want to have your bargain, discounted, or free ebook featured? Fill out this form.



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7 Questions with Danielle DeVor

by Donna Huber

Danielle DeVor is the author paranormal horror novel, Sorrow's Point. She is currently making the blog rounds to promote her new release - just in time for Halloween. Get a little insight to Danielle DeVor and be sure to enter the giveaway at the end.

Do you have any interesting writing habits or superstitions?
For some inexplicable reason, I write best on a story first longhand using sparkly gel pens. Yes- they must be the sparkly type. It doesn’t matter the color. If I don’t use the pens, the words don’t flow for me. 

How does a new story idea come to you? Is it an event that sparks the plot or a character speaking to you? 
Sometimes it is as simple as a dream. In the case of Sorrow’s Point, I went through this period of watching exorcism movies and got to thinking with all of the issues in the Catholic church these days, what if a defrocked priest was approached to perform an exorcism? The idea grew from there.

On a Friday night, what are you most likely to be doing? 
Watching Bellator MMA on TV. I am a huge Mixed Martial Arts fanatic. My favorite fighter is Eddie Alvarez.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Hanging out with friends. I also crochet, sometimes play the harp. If my body decides to cooperate, I will pull out the ballet shoes and dance a little.

Do you have a bucket list? What are some of things on it? 
Yes! I would love to travel to Romania and see the REAL castle that belonged to Vlad Tsepes. It is currently in ruins on the top of a mountain. I would also like to have a world tour for pointe shoe factories- almost every country has their own shoes. I would love to travel to India because of the culture and the food. I wouldn’t mind if I got to meet Robert Downey Jr., Robert Pattinson, and Jack Nicholson.

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What was your favorite book as a child? 
Oh, gosh. There are so many. But the one that stands out- that is still up there as one of my favorites today is Blood Thirst by L.A. Freed. It is a vampire paranormal romance before they were really popular.

If your book was turned into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters? 
I would love for Robert Downey Jr. to play Jimmy Holiday. Jimmy has such a sarcastic wit, I think Mr. Downey would be great. Daveigh Chase would have been great for Lucy when she was younger. (She was the actress that played the Ring girl when she was a kid). I can see Kathryn Morris as Tor. And, finally, Gaspard Ulliel as Will.

About the Author

Danielle DeVor spent her early years fantasizing about vampires and watching “Salem’s Lot” way too many times.  After living briefly in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she moved back to her hometown to write.
When not writing and reading about weird things, you will find her hanging out at the nearest coffee shop, enjoying a mocha frappuccino.
Twitter  *  Facebook  *  Blog  *  Goodreads


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Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate;  a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the above link. The views, opinions, and beliefs of contributing writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Girl Who Reads. This post is part of a GWR Publicity promotional tour paid for by the author.




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