I was invited to participate in this writing process tour by author Sara Gauldin. Her latest book, The Corporeal Pullis free at the moment on Amazon!  You can find out more about her writing at SEBGwrites.wordpress.com.


1)     What am I working on?

Having just published my third YA action/adventure fantasy novel, Prince of Malorn, on Kindle, I’ve started the process of formatting it for paperback.  Next in line is the fourth book in the Annals of Alasia series, tentatively titled King of Malorn.  It’s been “finished” for a couple years now, but I need to go through and make sure everything ties in properly with Prince of Malorn.  I hope to have it ready to publish in the fall, though.  Then I have a book called The Collar and the Cavvarach, which I drafted last November during National Novel Writing Month.  It needs more polishing, but I’m excited to get that one ready for publication, too, hopefully by the end of the year.

2)     How does my work differ from others of its genre?

My Annals of Alasia series is unique because the first three books take place at more or less the same time (at least, there’s quite a bit of overlap).  They each describe the same major political event: the invasion of the kingdom of Alasia by the neighboring kingdom of Malorn. Prince of Alasia begins on the night of the Invasion and describes what happens to twelve-year-old Prince Jaymin after he is forced to flee for his life.  In the Enemy’s Service tells the story of those who were not able to escape from the Alasian palace when the enemy invaded.  Prince of Malorn begins several months earlier and focuses on the Malornian perspective of the events leading up to the Invasion.  In each of the books, main characters from the others make brief appearances and interact with each other at the point where the time frames and settings overlap.  King of Malorn will be different, though; it takes place five years later and brings together the main characters from all three of the other books.

The Collar and the Cavvarach is unique because it’s hard to even classify it under a specific genre.  The story is set in a world almost exactly like ours in almost every way, except that slavery is legal and widely practiced there.  I’m calling it “speculative fiction”, which is a nice broad term that can encompass pretty much any form of fiction that isn’t strictly realistic.

3)     Why do I write what I do?

I write the stories that come to me.  Realistic fiction has just never come to me.  I think it doesn’t offer my imagination enough freedom.

4)     How does my writing process work?

I always begin by creating an outline.  It starts off as a brief summary of the whole book (a page or two long), then at some point I usually divide it up chapter by chapter, with a few sentences about what will happen in each.  The details change as I go along, and I often end up with more chapters than I originally planned, but I really need that structure to get me started and keep me focused as I write.

When I come to a part of the story where I have to write about something I don’t know, I stop writing for a while and research the issue.  (For example, in Prince of Malorn the main character, Prince Korram, has to live off the land while making a solitary trek through the mountains.  I spent hours researching details about wilderness survival to make sure everything was accurate.  I learned about making wooden spears without steel tools, how to start a fire with rocks, what kinds of edible plants you could expect to find, and what beetle larva tastes like!)  While I research, I type notes right into my manuscript, then when I’ve found out what I need to, I turn the notes into a coherent scene or into bits of information to be used in various scenes.

After I finish drafting a scene or chapter, I let it sit for at least a day.  Then I go back and re-read it, fixing any obvious errors and adjusting the word choice and sentence fluency to make it sound as good as it can.  I go on to the next scene after that, and so on. When I’ve finished the whole book, I read through it at least once, often twice, checking for inconsistencies and making sure it all flows right.  Then I read it aloud to my students and/or send it to beta readers for their feedback.

Because my day job keeps me busy on weekdays, I mostly write on the weekends.  Sometimes I’ll write a little in the evenings if I don’t feel too brain dead after a long day of teaching.  My favorite place to write is at Georg Peck, the tea shop a few minutes’ walk from where I live.  I bring my laptop and sit at one of their little outside tables, sipping one of their teas or smoothies while I work.  There are distractions there, but not as many as when I work at home.

Next Monday, find out about these other great authors and their writing:

Sherry Chamblee lives with her husband, six kids, two dogs, and a cat in southern California. She doesn’t really have free time, so she wrings some writing time out of hours normally meant for sleeping. You can visit her blog and learn more about her family and her books here: www.sherrychamblee.weebly.com.

R.A. Meenan has been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. Her first novel, The Stolen Defender, is the first of a long series and will come out later this year. She lives in Southern California with her husband Joe, and her two cats, Annie and Ziggy.  http://zyearth.blogspot.com

On tour with Prism Book Tours
Welcome to my tour stop for the
A Little Blackmail
Destiny Bay Romances: Sweet Editions
by Helen Conrad
Special Price!
A Little Blackmail is only $0.99 for Kindle from now until Sunday, May 25th!

A Little Blackmail
Destiny Bay Romances – Forever Yours
(Sweet Edition #2)
by Helen Conrad
Adult Romance
Paperback & Ebook, 172 pages
March 28th 2014 by Doorknock Publishing
Sometimes you have to break the rules to right a wrong.
Janet Cardona is usually a by-the-book good girlbut when Matt Carrington won’t give her cat back, she sees red. Rules mean nothing when there’s an animal to be saved. So when she’s caught in a burglary and blackmailed for it, she finds she can’t refuse. Matt only needs her to pretend to be his wife for a day or two so that he can run a scam he’s involved in. But once the pretense gets going, he begins to yearn for the real thing. Now Janet has to decide if she can let herself fall for a con man.
Recipes for Crab Open-faced Sandwiches and Basic Asian Soup included.
Purchase from Amazon.
[Pin, share, or tweet this image for an extra entry in the giveaway.]

Helen Conrad is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 90 romances (over 15 million copies sold) published under various pseudonyms with Harlequin, Silhouette, Loveswept, and others. She is currently revamping and rewriting much of her backlist—mainly into the Destiny Bay Romances Series. The first six, the Forever Yours Series, are being rewritten as Sweet Editions.
Website – Facebook – Goodreads
A Little About the Destiny Bay Romances: Sweet Editions
From Author Helen Conrad
“The Destiny Bay Romances take place in the sort of beach town I’ve always loved–and now I live in one! But writing about beach towns came first and this series is centered on the rich, influential Carrington family living along the California Coast, and in Hawaii. These are good-looking, fast-driving, hard-hitting men and women whose impulses lead them into trouble every time–and inevitably to fall in love.
The original series includes language and love scenes that aren’t, for the most part, especially harsh and explicit–but some of my readers from my years writing sweets for Harlequin as Raye Morgan have asked if we couldn’t have sweet and clean versions–and I thought–what a good idea! 
These are basically the same stories…but with the conflicts softened a bit, the language cleaned up, and no explicit love scenes. There are still a few adult situations, but they’re muted. Consider these the PG versions. 
I hope you enjoy them!”
Tour-Wide Giveaway
– US Grand Prize: $20 Amazon gift card and paperbacks of Run Run RunawayA Little Blackmail, and Moving Too Fast
– INT Grand Prize: $20 Amazon gift card and ebooks of Run Run RunawayA Little Blackmail, and Moving Too Fast
– 2 sets of ebooks of Run Run RunawayA Little Blackmail, and Moving Too Fast (INT)
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The other stops on this tour:
Run Run Runaway
May 12 – Book Intro
May 13
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima
Christy’s Cozy Corners
Kelly P’s Blog
My Ereader and Me
May 14
I Am A Reader
All That’s Written …
May 15
deal sharing aunt
The Wonderings of One Person
Katie’s Clean Book Collection
May 16
The Reading Diaries
Mythical Books
Tressa’s Wishful Endings
i blog 4 books
May 18
Getting Your Read On
My Love for Reading Keeps Growing
The Written Adventure
LibriAmoriMiei
A Little Blackmail
May 19 – Book Intro
May 20
Kelly P’s Blog
deal sharing aunt
May 21
My Love for Reading Keeps Growing
Tressa’s Wishful Endings
All That’s Written …
I Am A Reader
My Ereader and Me
May 22
The Wonderings of One Person
Mythical Books
May 23
Katie’s Clean Book Collection
The Reading Diaries
LibriAmoriMiei
i blog 4 books
May 25
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima
Getting Your Read On
The Written Adventure
Christy’s Cozy Corners
Moving Too Fast
May 26 – Book Intro
May 27
Kelly P’s Blog
deal sharing aunt
My Ereader and Me
May 28
All That’s Written …
Mythical Books
I Am A Reader
May 29
The Wonderings of One Person
Katie’s Clean Book Collection
May 30
My Love for Reading Keeps Growing
Tressa’s Wishful Endings
The Reading Diaries
i blog 4 books
Jun 1
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima
Getting Your Read On
The Written Adventure
Christy’s Cozy Corners
LibriAmoriMiei
June 2 – Grand Finale

Are you a blogger and want to receive information about new tours? Go HERE.

Are you an author or publisher and would like to have us organize a tour event? Go HERE.
Excerpt:

He looked over at Janet on the bed, her dark hair spilled out in a midnight cloud. She looked like an angel against the white sheets. It had been a long time since a woman had captured his natural male inclinations like this one had. He tried to hide it with jokes and lighthearted banter, but it was there. It never left him.
But he knew better than to make an attempt at seduction.  And when the urge surfaced, he raged at himself silently. She doesn’t trust you. She doesn’t want you. Leave her alone. 
“Tell me, Janet,” he said aloud. “What’s your theory? Why do you think I’m doing all this?”
“To somehow get your hands on Mavis’s money,” she said promptly, then grimaced. How could she be so attracted to a man she suspected of being such a jerk?
He laughed ruefully. Darn it all, in a way, she was right. “So you really think I’m a con artist, do you?”
Janet turned away as he rubbed himself all over with the yellow towel. “If you’re not a con artist, why are you so concerned with keeping her happy and unquestioning?”
“Maybe it’s because I like her. Maybe it’s for her own good.”
“Or maybe it’s for some other reason. Like finding out something about her that you can use for blackmail.” That came off the top of her head, but once she’d said it, she rather liked it.
He laughed aloud. “Is that your theory? What a larcenous mind you have, kiddo. Why did you agree to go along with this little masquerade if you thought I was such a crook?”
“Because you were blackmailing me.  So I figure it might be your go-to con system.”  She lifted her chin and challenged him in the dark.  “The more I can learn about how you do it, the better prepared I’ll be.”
He stepped out of her line of vision and dropped the towel from around his hips, slipping into pajama bottoms.  Then he came back close to the side of the bed. “Not a bad idea, sweetheart. And it turned out you were pretty good at it, didn’t it?” His voice was soft with teasing. “We’re both good at it. Hey, what do you say we team up, travel all across the country . . . Make a fortune.” Without waiting to be invited, he sat down on the edge of her bed.
She glared at him, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell him to move away. She liked having him close like this. “Deceiving people?” she accused.
His eyes glittered in the moonlight. “Sure. We’d be great.”
“Like Bonnie and Clyde?”

“Much classier than that. Matt and Vanessa. And no bloodshed.” He pretended to shudder. “Nothing so messy and common.”
Today it’s my pleasure to spotlight a young adult fantasy novel by my author friend Peggy McAloon.  Make sure you enter the giveaway at the bottom!
-Annie

The first book in my Elle Burton SeriesElle Burton and the Reflective Portals, is now available!  Click here for more information and to view it online.  It’s also available in paperback from Amazon.com and from other retailers and bookstores.  

 About the Book:

Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals is a delightful fantasy about a young girl recruited by winged creatures from another dimension to help them protect the children of Earth.
As a Guide to the Fiorins, Elle experiences tremendous loss, joy, and incredible evil as she struggles on her crusade to protect other children.
Her journey to adulthood begins in book one as she discovers magical foot lockers, spider elevators, an enchanted bronze pendant, and the beloved Pegasus.
Elle struggles with the loss of her father, who was stationed in Afghanistan. She is challenged to address bullying, abuse, and other issues that children everywhere encounter on a daily basis. Journey with her as she faces the three challenges predicted in the ancient writings of the prophet of Fiori. Will Elle turn out to be the child who will change the world as predicted in the sacred scrolls? Will she complete three challenges by her 11th birthday? She is aided on her quest by the Fiorin warrior Amadeus.
Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals is true fantasy, written in a language that will make sense to today’s youth. With secret friends, winged creatures that resemble guardian angels, talking animals, spider elevators, a magic pendant and flowers as big as tractor tires, this book contains everything to capture the imagination of children everywhere.
Elle Burton will inspire children to reach their highest potential and to protect themselves from the real and imagined dangers that exist in the difficult world we live in.
Q: Why did you decide to write a fantasy for children?
A: As a person who suffered abuse as a child, it was my vision to write a delightful story that kids would enjoy; a story that would empower them to seek help if being hurt. I also wanted to inspire those children who enjoy a safe and loving environment to be able to recognize kids in trouble and attempt to help them. The statistics on abuse and bullying are staggering. It was time to develop a story about a child who exhibits the kinds of behavior that every parent wants their child to develop. Elle is a modern day role model who has faced her own challenges and recognizes the problems that her friends face on a daily basis.
Q: Who does this book appeal to?
A: My intent was to provide an engaging fantasy that would be enjoyed by children from age 10 – 19. Elle is only ten as book 1 begins, but the series will follow her to adulthood. What has amazed me with beta readers is mothers and grandmothers have enjoyed the book as much as children ages 11-13 who have read it. One grandmother told me she cried while an 11 year-old laughed animatedly as she talked about Jimmy Backus the class bully.
Q: When will the next book be available?
A: I have about 120 pages of book 2 already written. The editing process took much longer than I had envisioned on book 1, but I expect book 2 to be available by the end of 2014. There will also be short story additions to the book on my website plus Elle is writing a cookbook. She has already released two chapters of the cookbook to people who have registered at my website:  http://peggymcaloon.com/
There will be a free pdf version of the book available on my website for a limited period of time, starting the end of May, 2014.


About the Author
Peggy Mound McAloon is a recognized watercolor artist who has received national awards for her efforts in the conservation of water resources. Her journey through child abuse, depression and a debilitating car accident elevated her desire to help children cope with their challenges.
She attended the University of Northern Iowa on Scholarship from the Miss Washington Pageant. The majority of her career was spent as the National Account Manager for a division of the National Association of Credit Management, helping commercial credit managers through trainings, seminars, and an array of services. Her previous book, The Art of Business Credit Investigation was published under the name Peggy Mound and is now out-of-print. (Highlighted in Inc. Magazine)
In addition to watercolor, she enjoys an array of crafts and is an avid reader. She has been a contributor to Fox , NBC, and ABC News. She as served her local community as a columnist to the Dunn County News for many years and is active in efforts to raise scholarship funds for young women. She is a founding member of the Women’s Giving Circle of the Community Foundation of Dunn County.
Connect with Peggy M. McAloon:
Blog: http://peggymcaloon.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/peggymoundmcaloon
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/peggymcaloon 
Twitter: @peggymcaloon
Now, enter to win a $20 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of “Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals!
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I read a great book recently, which I’d like to share with you! 

http://cache.smashwire.com/



Book Description:
What begins as a simple mission to recover lost comrades in the Martian desert quickly turns deadly as Tyke and the others find themselves stranded on the Red Planet, with only the slimmest of chances to ever make it home.

After several members of the group are badly injured during attacks by soldiers loyal to Colonel Burns, the murderous dictator of the Martian colony, it begins to seem that all hope is lost.

But things are not quite what they seem, and sometimes hope comes from the most unlikely of sources. Because even though he doesn’t know it yet, Tyke has a destiny to fulfill; one which has been hundreds of years in the making.

If he has the courage to accept it.

My Review:

This was an interesting story. My favorite thing about it is the way the author sounds as though he actually knows what it’s like on other planets and moons. He doesn’t describe them like a sci-fi writer, he describes them like a traveler who’s been there. A traveler who’s knowledgeable about science and can explain why and how the gravity, different gases in the atmosphere, etc. affect the characters and what they do. At times I felt almost as though I was reading a real person’s journal – the descriptions were so realistic that I felt I really understood what it would be like to try to breathe on Mars or take a flying leap into the sky of Deimos. There’s just enough actual science mixed in with the science fiction to make it seem quite believable.

If you haven’t read the rest of the series, I would recommend reading them first. I hadn’t (though I’ll probably go back and read them now), and so some things in Elysium were hard to understand.  However, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction. If you’ve ever wanted to REALLY picture what it’s like on another planet, Elysium will take you there! 

About the Author (in his own Words):
I’m an author of young adult and middle grade adventure novels with a Christian flavor, including the Last Werewolf Hunter series and other books.

My books are mostly fantasy, and sometimes science fiction. I like to make my readers laugh, and sometimes give them some food for thought along the way. Quite a few readers have commented that my stories are unlike anything else they’ve ever read, which I take as a compliment.

I’m told that my stories often have a southernish, Huckleberry-Finn type atmosphere in some ways. They’re usually set somewhere in the South, primarily Texas, Louisiana, or Arkansas, which is my own home turf. Every place in the world has good things to offer, and I like to display all the good things about this place that I love.

The Christian aspect of my work is upbeat and sunny, the kind of thing that appeals even to non-Christians. It’s meant to be an integral part of the story, not just something tacked on.

I love to hear from fans who enjoyed my work, so if you’d like to make a comment or ask a question, please feel free to message me. And thanks so much for reading my work!         

To download your copy of Elysium for just 99 cents, click here.
To view William Woodall’s other books on Amazon, click here.


Welcome to the Cover Reveal for the third book 
in the YA/NA Urban Fantasy Descendants Series:

Reign of Shadows

By Melissa Wright

Brianna can see her future, but it’s the past that haunts her. Plans laid in place centuries ago are threatening not only her and her sister, but all of the Seven Lines. As the shadows plot their way to old rule, the visions shift again. Her power has led to some hard choices and the occasional stab wound, but this set of futures holds nothing but darkness.
Unable to bear the idea of losing the footing they’ve so recently gained, she turns the soldiers of the Seven. But with shadows hidden among the ranks, can she overcome the path they’ve set in place, or is she blindly following their lead?


The other books in the Descendants Series

Shifting Fate
(Descendants #2)
by Melissa Wright

Summary

According to prophecy, Brianna Drake was born to save the world. The trouble is, she doesn’t have the slightest idea how. Her visions should have given her the answer, but they’re beginning to shift, making the danger too unpredictable, even for a prophet.


If she can just help her sister restore their hidden powers, she might be able to stop what’s coming. But an old enemy returns, and he’s got plans for Brianna and her visions.

What neither of them knows is that fate has given a stranger one chance to find her. He was trained to protect the chosen, but if he fails, the future will crumble.


Shifting Fate is the second book in the Descendants Series (following Bound by Prophecy) and focuses on Brianna and Logan.

There is a teaser posted here and the first chapter posted here, but beware, it’s full of spoilers from the first book.

Purchase from Amazon , Barnes and Noble, and the Book Depository. Can also purchase in audio at iTunes and Audible.

Bound by Prophecy

(Descendants #1)
by Melissa Wright



Summary

Twenty-two-year-old Aern is done watching his brother destroy the only thing that matters. He never wanted to take Morgan’s place among council, never wanted to rule their hidden world. But when the key to the prophecy is found, a young girl named Brianna whom Morgan will destroy, Aern knows he has to take action.


What he really wants, is for things to go back to normal. But now he’s kidnapped a girl, and his brother’s men are after him. His only hope is to join with the Division, but they have plans of their own, and it’s the last thing Aern is willing to do.


Emily just wants her sister back. She doesn’t care about the prophecy, or realize what’s at stake. But when she goes after Aern, the truth of the matter uncoils, and Brianna isn’t the only one who’s in danger.


Suddenly, they’re at the center of a secret war, and unless they can work together, they’ll both have a sacrifice too big to make.


You can read an excerpt of Bound by Prophecy here.


Get the ebook for FREE on Nook and Kindle. Can also purchase from the Book Depository, and in audio at iTunes and Audible.


About the Author

Melissa Wright is the author of the Frey Saga and the new Descendants series. Melissa spends her time working on novels, but when not writing she can be found on Goodreads and Pinterest.


Website 
Blog  
Goodreads  
Twitter  
Pinterest  
Google+

Want to have some fun? Play this online matching game with Melissa’s covers! 

Giveaway


$25 Amazon Gift Card
Open internationally.
Ends May 25th. 

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UnraveledBy Heidi McCahan

About the Book:

Blind-sided by her questionable fiance, Lauren Carter returns to the one place she’s been avoiding, the place she used to call home. As she’s forced to look into the eyes of her past and even worse, her unraveling future she discovers that running only leaves you out of breath on a dead end street. Will she choose to unveil the secrets that haunt her? Or will she bury them once and for all and embrace a new life so different from the one she once held dear? Blake Tully, wildly successful and breathtakingly winsome owner of a new rafting business, finds Lauren’s unexpected reappearance confusing. As he torments himself with what if’s and what should’ve been’s, he can’t mistake the feeling that crawls down his spine every time he looks at her. Although she broke his heart once, he longs to give his childhood sweetheart another chance, but can he convince her to stop running away when life gets tough? And can he forgive her when he discovers the reason she’s been hiding? Follow the story of these two shattered hearts as they discover the beauty of grace and forgiveness.

LINK to KINDLE | LINK to PAPERBACK

2013-03-003

Heidi McCahan was blessed to spend her formative years in Alaska, where she met many interesting people who frequented the lodge her parents owned and operated. Heidi’s unique upbringing, coupled with Alaska’s breathtaking scenery, fueled her active imagination and loosely inspired her debut novel, Unraveled. Heidi graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington and then earned a Master’s Degree in Athletic Training from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. After a brief career as a Certified Athletic Trainer, Heidi married her husband, Steve. They live in North Carolina with their three active little boys. When Heidi isn’t stepping on Legos, chauffeuring the boys around suburbia or folding laundry, she loves to write heartwarming romance set in unique locales.

Follow Heidi McCahan
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Enter below to enter a $50 amazon gift card, sponsored by author Heidi McCahan! a Rafflecopter giveaway This book blast is hosted by Crossreads. We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!

Prince of Malorn, the third book in my Annals of Alasia trilogy, is now available!

About the Book:
One major obstacle stands between seventeen-year-old Prince Korram and the throne that is his birthright: Regent Rampus.  Temporary ruler of Malorn, Rampus has no intention of giving up his position when the crown prince comes of age – or of allowing the prince to live long enough to reach that age. 
                              
Desperate to build an army of his own to stand against the regent, Korram treks into the Impassable Mountains to try to recruit the one segment of Malornian society not under Rampus’s control.  But can he lead a band of untrained hunters and gatherers to victory against the full might of the Malornian military?  Or will they all be crushed by the grasping hand of the regent before the prince can claim his rightful throne?
Q: What makes this trilogy unique?
A: The books don’t take place one after the other; instead, their time frames overlap.  They each describe the same major political event: the invasion of the kingdom of Alasia by the neighboring kingdom of Malorn. Prince of Alasiabegins on the night of the Invasion and describes what happens to twelve-year-old Prince Jaymin after he is forced to flee for his life.  In the Enemy’s Service tells the story of those who were not able to escape from the Alasian palace when the enemy invaded.  Prince of Malorn begins several months earlier and focuses on the Malornian perspective of the events leading up to the Invasion.  In each of the books, main characters from the others make brief appearances and interact with each other at the point where the time frames and settings overlap.

Q: Do you recommend that readers start with your first two books before reading Prince of Malorn?
A: Not necessarily.  The books can be read in any order, and each one can stand on its own.  But each of the three fills in gaps in the others’ stories, and their different perspectives on the same events and characters will make for a richer reading experience overall.

Q: Will there be more books in the Annals of Alasia?
A: Definitely! I’m nearly done with the fourth book, tentatively titled King of Malorn. It takes place five years later and brings together the main characters from all three books in the original trilogy. There may eventually be other books in the series too; I have lots of ideas!


About the Author


Annie Douglass Lima considers herself fortunate to have traveled in twenty different countries and lived in four of them. A fifth-grade teacher in her “other” life, she loves reading to her students and sparking their imaginations. Her books include science fiction, fantasy, YA action and adventure novels, a puppet script, anthologies of her students’ poetry, and Bible verse coloring and activity books. When she isn’t teaching or writing, Annie can often be found sipping spiced chai or pomegranate green tea in exotic locations, some of which exist in this world.

 Click here to view her other books on Amazon.





Connect with Annie Douglass Lima:

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Zondervan’s YA Imprint Blink launches…
The Blink Tour!


Each stop on the five-city tour will feature a combination of seven prolific YA authors, including Golden Heart finalist Carey Corp and HonestlyYA blogger Lorie Langdon (DOON); Christy Award finalist Lisa T. Bergren (REMNANTS); co-founder of readergirlz Lorie Ann Grover (FIRSTBORN); Robert Treskillard (THE MERLIN SPIRAL series); Christy Award winner Jill Williamson (THE SAFE LANDS series); and Jonathan Friesen (AQUIFER), whose first YA novel Jerk, California received the ALA Schneider Award.

Events will feature a reading and Q&A, tons of swag up for grabs, and even bigger prizes to win in the grand prize giveaway at every stop.

Can’t make it in person?  
Meet the authors on the virtual Prism Tour!
Enter to win copies of each featured book…

Sunday, May 11 – Tour Launch Blitz
Contact [email protected] to share this post!
Monday, May 12

 – Tressa @ Tressa’s Wishful EndingsLorie Langdon & Carey Corp: Doon (Doon #1)

Carey Corp  Doon (Doon, #1) Lorie Langdon
Tuesday, May 13

– Meet the authors in person at School Events in the Atlanta Area

– Kathy @ I Am A Reader:  Lisa Tawn Bergren: Season of Wonder (Remnants #1)

  Season of Wonder (The Remnants #1)  Lisa Tawn Bergren
Wednesday, May 14 
– 6:00 pm at THE BOOKSELLERS AT LAURELWOOD, 387 Perkins Road Extended, Memphis, TN 38117. Robert Treskillard,  Lorie Anne Grover ,  Jonathan Freisen
– Amber @ The Wonderings of One PersonRobert Treskillard The Merlin Spiral Series: Merlin’s Blade, Merlin’s Shadow, Merlin’s Nightmare
Robert Treskillard
Merlin's Blade (The Merlin Spiral, #1) Merlin's Shadow (The Merlin Spiral #2) Merlin's Nightmare (The Merlin Spiral #3)
Thursday, May 15 
– 7:00 – 9:00 pm at SALT LAKE CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY, 210 East 400 South, Conference Room A, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.  Lorie Ann Grover,  Jill Williamson,  Jonathan Freisen,  Lisa T. Bergren
– Bonnie @ A Backwards Story: Lorie Ann Grover: Firstborn

Lorie Ann Grover   Firstborn
Friday, May 16 

– School Events in the Phoenix Area
– Laura @ ColorimetryJill Williamson: The Safe Lands Series: Captives & Outcasts

Captives (The Safe Lands, #1) Jill Williamson Outcasts (The Safe Lands, #2)

Saturday, May 17

– 4:00 pm at CHANGING HANDS, 6428 S McClintock Drive, Tempe, AZ 85283. Lorie Ann Grover, Jill Williamson, Jonathan Freisen,  Lisa T. Bergren.

Sunday, May 18 

– Lisa @ Bookworm LisaJonathan Friesen: Aquifer

Aquifer Jonathan Friesen
About Blink: Blink brings true stories and fiction to YA readers. The literature published by Blink is a positive reflection of what is inspiring and heartening while maintaining a tradition of imaginative and exciting storytelling that will bring readers to the edge of their seats, immerse them in a heartrending love story, or engross them in a story of a life well-lived. Readers will see themselves in all facets of Blink’s literature and will find new levels of entertainment that enrich and uplift. For more information please visit http://blinkyabooks.com/ or visit us on facebook and Twitter.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/blinkyabooks

Tour-Wide Giveaway
May 11 – 27, 2014
Must be old enough to enter (see Rafflecopter). USA/Canada only. 6 Winners!!
Merlin’s Blade, Merlin’s Shadow, and Merlin’s Nightmare (Paperbacks)
Captives & Outcasts (Paperbacks)
Doon (Hardcover)
Firstborn (Hardcover)
Aquifer (Hardcover)

Season of Wonder (Hardcover)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Intro to Run Run Runaway
From Author Helen Conrad
Run Run Runaway is the Sweet Edition of My Little Runaway, the story of Reid Carrington and Jennifer Thornton.

They say you can’t go home again—but Jennifer’s going to try.

It’s not her idea. In fact, she fights it—but she’s always been in love with Reid Carrington and she knows how much he wants her to make the attempt—so she takes the leap, risking her own happiness. Meanwhile, Reid thinks he’s going to make her come back to face her responsibilities, but he ends up learning a few things about himself—and about Jennifer—that change his life for the better.
This sort of story always appealed to me. It’s actually a story of self-sacrifice. We all have times when people we love don’t understand why we do things we feel we have to do. Jennifer leaves home so she won’t have to tell her parents a truth they don’t want to know about her brother. They see it as selfish willfulness. She knows it’s really just the opposite. But her sacrifice is worth it to preserve their peace of mind. And once Reid fully understands her motives, he loves her more than ever. Still, it isn’t easy getting there!
Run Run Runaway
Destiny Bay Romances – Forever Yours
(Sweet Edition #1)
by Helen Conrad
Adult Romance
Paperback & Ebook, 169 pages
March 28th 2014 by Doorknock Publishing

It seemed like a good idea at the time.
The trouble is, when you run from your problems, you often find out your biggest obstacle is along for the tripit’s you! Reid Carrington realizes that when he finds Jennifer and recognizes the quiet desperation in her eyes. Can he save someone who doesn’t want to be saved? Or like a lifeguard rescuing a swimmer, will she pull him down into the undertow in the end?

Recipes for Jennifer’s Mango Salsa and Tilly’s Bruschetta included.
Purchase from Amazon.

Excerpt:

“Jennifer Thornton, when are you going to grow up?”
Her head shot up at the familiar voice, but the late afternoon sun was behind him, wrapping him in a mantle of light spears. All that stood out was a set of very wide shoulders and the vague outline of dark glasses hiding his eyes.
“Who says I have to grow up?” she asked lightly, reaching under her chin to unclip the strap on her helmet, then pulling the hard hat from her head and shaking her full head of chestnut curls free. “I learned long ago that grownups never have any fun.”
She peered into the shimmering light, trying to see his face. That voice was so familiar.
“There’s a lot more to life than fun,” he said softly. “You must be twenty-three years old by now. Haven’t you learned that yet?”
“Twenty-four,” she corrected automatically. She knew who it was now. Leaning back, she let loose the natural smile that so many called irresistible.
“Reid Carrington,” she said, letting out a long sigh as she said it.  It had been ages since she’d said that name aloud, but she’d never forgotten it. It was written on her heart.  A bubble of happiness rose in her throat. “You always were trying to teach me something, weren’t you?”
“Was I?” He stepped closer, and she could see the outlines of his handsome face. “The way I remember it, you were the one trying to teach me.”
Despite herself, Jennifer blushed, then bent to hide her smile. If he was going to bring up the silly way she used to chase him when she was a kid, she’d deny everything.
What a crush she’d had! Every summer, she’d spent the long, lazy days mooning over the handsome older boy next door. She must have made his life miserable.
“It has been a long time,” she said, wishing she could see him better. “Almost five years.”
“You look the same.” His voice had a curiously emotional quality, and she frowned, wondering why. “Just the same.”
“You look different.” She pulled herself up to stand before him, and now she could see his face clearly. All of it except the blue eyes. They were still covered by the dark glasses.
“You look very Junior Chamber of Commerce, now.” She grinned, examining his wrinkle-free slacks and the expensive pale blue shirt with the little polo player over the pocket. “Or is that an insult? Should I say Junior Stockbroker?”
She laughed softly, enchanted with seeing him again. He brought back all the good memories of the past. The ugly stuff that she tried so hard to blot out had nothing to do with Reid. She’d often wondered over the years how he was doing.

 

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Image of Helen Conrad
Helen Conrad is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 90 romances (over 15 million copies sold) published under various pseudonyms with Harlequin, Silhouette, Loveswept, and others. She is currently revamping and rewriting much of her backlist—mainly into the Destiny Bay Romances Series. The first six, the Forever Yours Series, are being rewritten as Sweet Editions.
A Little About the Destiny Bay Romances: Sweet Editions
From Author Helen Conrad
“The Destiny Bay Romances take place in the sort of beach town I’ve always loved–and now I live in one! But writing about beach towns came first and this series is centered on the rich, influential Carrington family living along the California Coast, and in Hawaii. These are good-looking, fast-driving, hard-hitting men and women whose impulses lead them into trouble every time–and inevitably to fall in love.
The original series includes language and love scenes that aren’t, for the most part, especially harsh and explicit–but some of my readers from my years writing sweets for Harlequin as Raye Morgan have asked if we couldn’t have sweet and clean versions–and I thought–what a good idea!
These are basically the same stories…but with the conflicts softened a bit, the language cleaned up, and no explicit love scenes. There are still a few adult situations, but they’re muted. Consider these the PG versions.
I hope you enjoy them!”

Tour-Wide Giveaway

– US Grand Prize: $20 Amazon gift card and paperbacks of Run Run Runaway, A Little Blackmail, and Moving Too Fast
– INT Grand Prize: $20 Amazon gift card and ebooks of Run Run Runaway, A Little Blackmail, and Moving Too Fast

Prism Book Tours
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My third novel, Prince of Malorn, is being published in less than a week!  In honor of the occasion, I’ve decided to interview the title character.
http://www.earthrangers.com/
I have arranged to meet Prince Korram in a grassy meadow on one of the lower slopes of Malorn’s Impassable Mountains.  He and another young man, both dressed in deerskin and holding homemade spears, are keeping an eye on a large flock of goats.  Korram comes over to talk to me while the goats graze.
How old are you?
“Seventeen and a half.”
What’s your favorite food or drink? 
“Now?  This might sound odd, but I think my favorite food is roast goat.  I never had it back in the palace – actually, the first time I tasted it was just a few days ago, after I got back from a very difficult mission.  The Mountain Folk family I’ve been living with killed one of their goats for the celebration feast, which they only do when something really important happens.  It was a great honor, and I think I enjoyed the meal more than any banquet I ever had back in the palace.  I know I’ll never taste goat again without remembering that sense of accomplishment, as well as the pride the others all felt in me.  I was exhausted, bruised, and scraped all over from what I’d been through, but it felt so good to sit with them round the campfire in the open air, licking the grease off our fingers while I told the story of my adventures.”
What makes you angry?
“Feeling helpless.  And talking to Regent Rampus.  The two are pretty much the same thing.”
Tell me about your family.
“Well, Father died four years ago, so there’s just my mother, my little sister, and me.  Mother – Queen Aleris – is a strong woman; she could rule the kingdom on her own if it were allowed.  She always knows what to do and how to deal with almost any kind of problem; I’ve learned more from her over the years than I ever did from Father.  She can be overly controlling, though.  I think sometimes she forgets that I’m not a little boy anymore.  Even when I’m king, I’m certain she’ll still remind me to comb my hair before I go out and not slouch on my throne.  To be honest, it’s been a relief to be off by myself in the mountains these last few months and not have her looking over my shoulder telling me what to do.  Of course, I’ve found myself missing her and wondering how she would suggest dealing with some of the problems I’ve faced.
“My sister Kalendria is eleven; she’s prim and proper and likes her fine clothes and jewelry and for everything to be clean and perfect.”  Korram chuckles.  “I can’t wait to tell her about some of the things I’ve been through up here.  Eating beetle larvae to keep from starving, for example; and sleeping on the ground, being chased by a bear, going weeks without bathing.  She’ll be horrified – but at the same time, she loves a good story, so she’ll enjoy the tale.  She always enjoys Arden’s stories, especially the ones full of danger and adventure.  I can’t picture her ever having an adventure herself, though.
“And Arden.  He isn’t technically a member of the family, but he might as well be.  He’s been a good friend to all of us, and it’s hard to imagine life without him now.  He almost always joins Mother and Kalendria and me when we sit down to discuss what Rampus has been up to or how to make sure we’re safe, and he has very good ideas.  There’s something about the way he plays his malute that just makes it easier to think and make plans.  His music is odd that way – I’ll never understand how it works, but it’s as though he can use it to make people feel certain ways or want to do things that they otherwise wouldn’t.  I wish he had come with me up here to the mountains, to be honest; but he’s needed back in the palace more.  Who knows what Rampus might be plotting in my absence, and there’s no one else I could trust to look after Mother and Kalendria.”  
What would you change about yourself if you could?
He grins sheepishly.  “I’d like to be a little taller.  It’s embarrassing for a future king to be at least half a head shorter than everyone else my age.  I’d like to have the kind of imposing stature that inspires admiration and respect in people.”
Do you prefer cities or the countryside? Warm weather or cold?
Looking conflicted, Korram stares out at the snowy peaks that surround us on every side.  “I enjoy the mountains very much now that I’ve learned to survive in them – at least, as long as I can stay down on the lower slopes where it’s reasonably safe.  I love looking up and seeing all the rugged peaks and the open sky, and not having people and buildings all around me.  But my life has never been about what I prefer.  I’ll have to spend almost all my time in the city again once I’m king.  I must admit that the warmer weather down there will be nice, though.  I have no desire to ever weather another blizzard.  I’m content to enjoy the snow from a distance now, thank you.”
What do you hope to accomplish?  What keeps you from achieving your goal?
“Well, considering who I am, it’s probably obvious that I hope to become king.  Legally I should be able to in a few more months, but Regent Rampus is standing in my way.  He’s been ruling Malorn since my father died, and if I know him, he’s going to do anything it takes to stay in charge.  That’s why I’m here in the Impassables in the first place.  If I can’t recruit my own army, I don’t stand a chance against him.”
I hear that Rampus stopped you right as you were setting out for the mountains.  What was that about?
“He wanted to assassinate me.  That is, he invited me in for breakfast and to wish me success on my journey, but I know him better than that.  He tried to send guards with me, supposedly to protect me on my trip, but I’m certain that the moment we left the city and there were no witnesses, they would have surrounded me and killed me.  And of course I had to pretend not to suspect anything, or he would probably have had them turn on me then and there in the inn.  But finally I managed to convince him that my mission – which he thinks is to recruit Mountain Folk soldiers for Malorn’s regular army to help protect us against Alasia – wouldn’t work if I brought guards along.  He did insist on sending a servant, Trayven, whose real job I think was to guide me to places along the way where assassins would be waiting.  But I set my own route and never went any of the ways Trayven suggested, so I’ve managed to stay alive so far.  And he’s gone now anyway, so I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
You’ve been living with the Mountain Folk for quite some time now.  Most Malornians would say they’re dangerous; ignorant; dirty savages.  What made you decide to seek their help in the first place, and what’s your secret to getting along with them?
“Kalendria would say they’re dirty, that’s for certain; but so am I, now.”  Korram gestures at the deerskin tunic and breeches he’s wearing, stained all over with mud, grass, grease, and what might be hints of blood.  He spreads out unwashed hands to show me how grubby they are.  “Hot baths and soap don’t exist up here in the Impassables, and there are no servants to do the laundry.  Oh, the Mountain Folk do wash their clothes and themselves in the streams now and then, but that isn’t very practical when the weather is this cold – and really, what’s the point?  You just get dirty again.”  He chuckles.  “I suppose my personality is better suited to mountain life than palace life.  Not that I would let that keep me from my responsibilities,” he hastens to add.  “But back to your question.  I decided to seek their help because they’re the only segment of Malornian society Rampus doesn’t control in some way.  They’re nomadic and they live in an area very hard to access from the Lowlands, so he can’t tax them, bribe them, threaten them, or manipulate them.  They don’t live in fear of what he might do if they displease him, and they have nothing to gain by siding with him.  Who better to recruit to help me?  And as for the ‘secret’, it really isn’t a secret at all.  I just had to demonstrate that I respected them and wasn’t here to take advantage of them as so many Lowlanders try to.  I joined them in their daily tasks and asked them to teach me what they knew.  And I’ve come to understand that although their culture is different, they’re no less kind, intelligent, or even civilized – in their own way – than anyone else.”
Finish this sentence: I have never told anyone this before but….
Korram hesitates.  “I feel angry with my father a lot.  I know it’s stupid, considering that he’s dead.  But back when he was alive, he was always so busy that he never spent much time with me.  I’m not saying he should have taken time away from his responsibilities as king, but I wish he had bothered to show me more of how it worked.  I mean, my tutors taught me all about the ins and outs of Malornian government, but I didn’t get to see much of it in action.  You would think a king would want his only son to see how he rules, but I never got much of that.  It wasn’t until after his death that I started attending High Council meetings, for example.  I suppose Father probably thought I was too young and that he had the rest of his life to teach me what I needed to know about ruling a kingdom.”  Korram’s voice is bitter.  “Well, the rest of his life wasn’t very long.”
What is your idea of success?
“If I can convince enough Mountain Folk to join my army, then I’ll be able to stand against Rampus.  I’m not sure if that will involve actually fighting him and the regular army, or if simply seeing that I’m protected will be enough to keep him from trying anything.  But either way, my first goal is to raise an army, my second is to stay alive until my eighteenth birthday, and my third is to remove Rampus from the picture and become king of Malorn.  If I can do all three, I will have succeeded.”
After you become king, do you think you’ll ever return to the mountains?
“I hope so.”  But Korram looks sad.  “To be honest, though, I doubt it.  Oh, maybe a day trip into the foothills now and then, but probably not much more than that.  The Impassables are too far from Sazellia, and a king can’t just leave his responsibilities for weeks at a time to go traipsing through the wilderness.”  He gazes around at the snow-clad peaks rising above us and sighs.  “But the mountains will always be part of me now.  I’ve changed and learned so much here that leaving the Impassables behind will be like abandoning a piece of myself.”
Have there been any times since you left the city when you were certain things just were not going to turn out right?
“Quite a lot of times.”  He grins.  “The third night on this trip I just returned from, for one.  I hadn’t had much to eat for the last couple of days and I thought I was going to starve – but little did I know I would come much closer to starvation later.  There was a terrific thunderstorm that night, and I was drenched to the bone and had nowhere to take shelter.  I was cold, hungry, and miserable; I couldn’t sleep and thought I’d never live through the night.  But things got better in the morning – and then of course they got worse again.  Much worse.  I nearly died several times: from hypothermia, starvation, dehydration, and between the jaws of bears and a snowcat.  But I kept thinking how thrilled Rampus would be if I never returned, and that gave me the strength to keep going.  And the good thing is, no matter what hardships I face through the rest of my life, I know they’ll be no match for me now.  Not after the difficulties I’ve already faced and conquered.  I’ll be a better king someday because of what I’ve been through.”


Click here to find out about Prince of Malorn, the third book in the Annals of Alasia, and read more interviews with the characters in it.

Click here to read my interviews with characters from my book In the Enemy’s Service.