Arbitrate by Megan Thomason - Excerpt!

It's one year later. And everything has changed. 

Remember The Second Chance Institute (SCI). Earth’s benevolent non-profit by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. They’ve stepped up their game on Earth and on Thera—infiltrating political parties, preying on the downtrodden, and planning offensive maneuvers. The SCI’s abuse of their charter leads to Arbiter oversight and bitter consequences.

Remember Kira Donovan. Broken, burdened, and evading those who wish her harm, Kira enlists the Arbiters’ help when forced to return to the clutches of the SCI and her angry, estranged love.

Remember Blake Sundry. Exiled, determined, and packing an agenda, Blake seeks assistance on Earth and Thera to use his newfound knowledge to bring down the SCI.

Remember Ethan Darcton. Overworked, emotional, and holding a grudge, Ethan hunts down his stolen property, but finds himself in awkward territory, stuck between the Arbiters and the SCI.

Full of action, competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, arbitrate is Megan Thomason’s third installment in the award-winningdaynight series after daynight and clean slate complex (a daynight story).

Excerpt!

The assailant dragged me to the main room and hefted me onto the table. I was paralyzed, unable to move, but still alert. My eyes were still open, yet my vision was blurred. I saw enough to see my attacker was a middle-aged, balding male. Taller than Blake, but shorter than Jax.

The perpetrator moved into the kitchen. I heard water run at the sink. Scrubbing. Jostling of tools? I tried to eke out some words to ask what he was doing…what he had planned for me, but my vocal cords were frozen along with the rest of me.

He moved back over to the table with a tray, but I couldn’t see what was on it. I heard a ripping sound and then he secured my arms and legs to the table with duct tape. Why he bothered when I couldn’t move wasn’t immediately apparent. Then he lifted my shirt to expose my abdomen.

Amazon

Praise for arbitrate:
"There are a lot of books I finish and feel happy, this one I finished and my head is swirling, in a totally awesome way! Not only does it have a great story with characters that you like (and some you just hate as they are the enemy) but the book also gets you thinking, thinking about the implication of effects of different actions and courses in life. This story has action, fighting, plots and plans, romance, love triangles, family, betrayal - has it all." --Emily Barton, Emmy Mom One Day at a Time blog, 5 stars

"You have hit this one out of the park" --ARC Reviewer

"For the record, I LOVED Kira's choice!! And the whole thing just blew me away! Very, very well done!! Now when can I get my hands on generate?! Can't wait " --ARC Reviewer

"Read my ARC of Arbitrate and consider my mind blown! I started it the minute it was sent and couldn't put it down." --ARC Reviewer

Jawbreaker by Jolene Stockman

You have created yourself every second since the day you were born. Bit by bit, layer by layer. You are a million moments. You are your gift to the world. You are a jawbreaker.

This exciting new non-fiction book for young adults is a guide to exploring who you are, and deciding who you want to be. Get ready to:
- Find and fuel your fizzing center spark.
- Tune in to personal guidance techniques.
- Unleash your absolute uniqueness.
- Develop a cutting edge brand from scratch.
- And so much more!

Packed with tools and jewels to navigate the new world, Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse (17,000 words) will let you build on your strengths, and show you your story in a whole new way.

 It’s time to uncover the world’s best kept secret: You.

iTunes * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords * Amazon

  ***Book Blast Special #1

Get your Kindle copy of Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse for 99c!

Amazon

***Book Blast Special #2

Jolene’s YA non-fiction, Total Blueprint for World Domination shows you how to design your dream world and make it happen! And it’s free for a limited time:

iTunes * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords

***Blogger Special Fill in the form to get free e-copies of Jolene’s books to review!   Parents, educators, and teen readers have called Jolene’s books inspiring, empowering, powerful, and life-changing. If you’re looking to get motivated, love your life, and explore who you are, Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse is for you!

Author Jolene Stockman

Jolene Stockman is an award winning writer, speaker, and an expert for Girlfriend Magazine Australia. She is a Master of Neuro Linguistic Programming, and one of the youngest in the world to achieve the Distinguished Toastmaster Award. Jolene lives in New Zealand, and is the author of motivational non-fiction Total Blueprint for World Domination, and contemporary fiction The Jelly Bean Crisis. Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse is her latest book.

Website * Goodreads * Twitter

Facebook * Blog

Shades of Pink: A Romance Anthology!

As you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For this occasion, 33 authors have allied for 1 cause: fundraising for research. Their gift to everyone who makes a donation? A romance anthology (ebook) titled Shades of Pink, totaling over 200.000 words / about 500 pages as a PDF.

I know it is November, but it's not too late!!

The suggested donation is $5. Funds are raised via Stayclassy.org and all proceeds go directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Readers can also donate to the charity organization of their choice (with a focus on breast cancer) and email their receipt to receive their copy of the anthology in either PDF, ePub or mobi (kindle).

Who: Kate Baum, Brei Betzold, Jean Booth, Catherine Bowman, Perci T. Brooks, Rose Caraway, Bethan Cooper, Sarah Daltry, Vivien Dean, JJ Ellis, Rachel Firasek, Sabrina Garie, Amber Green, T. Hammond, Lisa M. Harley, Susan Harris, K. R. Haynes, Ellie Heller, Laura Hunsaker, Jennifer James, Torie James, Kallysten, K.A. Linde, C. Deanne Rowe, DJ Shaw, Madeline Sheehan, Eden Summers, Gill Taber, J Annas Walker, Matthew Welch, Kristin L. Wilson, Zoe York, Angela Yseult

When: October through November 15th.

What: 33 short stories, including…

·      30 M/F, 1.5 M/M, 1.5 M/F/M

·      4 paranormal, 2 sci-fi, 19 contemporary, 3 historical, 1 BDSM, 9 fantasy, 3 YA (some stories have more than one genre)

·      4 spicy (ménage or kink), 15 sexy (explicit sex scenes), 14 sweet (no sex)

·      A handful of vampires, about four dozen humans including fighters, cursed humans, reincarnated souls, footballers, time travelers, bosses, secretaries, writers, rock stars, teens, witches, soldiers, wives, husbands and fiancés, 1 succubus, 1 genie, 1 extra-terrestrial princess, a few gods and goddesses, a pack of werewolves.

·      Pink, pink and more pink, including cherry blossoms, jewelry,  flamingoes, silk, a leather collar, assorted flowers, hair, a car, lip gloss, champagne, a hair ribbon, a hippo, various clothing items, lemonade and a toy.

Where: Kallysten’s blog

Here you’ll find teasers for all the stories, interviews of the authors posted during all of October, and of course the link where you can donate and help this worthy cause.

Jack Templar and the Lord of the Vampires by Jeff Gunhus

Jack is back.

After his adventures at the Monster Hunter Academy (which included fighting a goblin army, befriending an ancient werewolf, and battling two fire breathing dragons), Jack Templar was hoping for a rest. No such luck. In Book #3 of the Jack Templar Monster Hunter series, Jack embarks on a quest to track down and acquire the first of the five mythical Jerusalem Stones, an ancient power found by his ancestors the Templar Knights. Only the reunited Stones can stop Ren Lucre, the Dark Lord who holds Jack’s father hostage and prepares for an all-out war against an unsuspecting human world. But each Stone is held by a different Creach Lord and recovering them will not be easy. Jack and his friends begin their quest by seeking out one of the most powerful and dangerous keepers of the Stones, the Lord of the Vampires. The fate of the world rests on Jack’s shoulders and he will be tested like never before. But true monster hunters always do their duty…come what may.

Jack Templar and the Lord of the Vampires.

Amazon

Excerpt!

One thing you learn early on as a monster hunter is that the Creach are everywhere. They blend in with regular people. They can be policemen, teachers, shopkeepers, anything you can imagine. Hiding in plain sight, they bide their time, waiting for the Creach war to come when they will be in position to strike against us all at once.

But even though they can be anywhere, the ancient places of the world are crawling with them. I’m not sure why. Maybe monsters feel more comfortable surrounded by old stone buildings and cobbled streets as a reminder of a simpler time, back when superstition kept them safe and hunting was easier to do unnoticed.  There are too many cameras in the modern world for an army of monsters to hunt and feed without making a mark. And that’s the last thing they want.

Not yet, anyway.

So, the challenge for any monster hunter is to balance the desire to seek out the Creach to battle them with the understanding that it’s possible to overstep, be too aggressive and find yourself in over your head. One or two monsters, depending on the type, are something most first-degree hunters can handle. But multiply that a few times over and you’ve got a real fight on your hands. In some of the older cities of the world, that number can swell to the hundreds before you can say, “Your mother was a mug-wump.” And then you have huge problems.

These were my thoughts as I watched the sun rise over the ancient Moroccan city of Marrakech. Low, square buildings stretched out in a ramshackle maze punctuated by the spires of dozens of mosques. In the early morning light, the red sandstone of the old city walls glowed a deep ruddy color showing why Marrakech had long ago earned the nickname the red city.

I imagined I could have stood on this spot a thousand years earlier and seen pretty much the same sight before me. Well, almost. Satellite dishes sprouted from most roofs like mushrooms in a field, and the tangle of power lines that crisscrossed the buildings looked as if a manic army of spiders had spent the night spinning metal webs.  Still, even with those obvious signs of the modern world, the weight of history hung in the air.

Miles to the north, there were parts of Marrakech with modern skyscrapers, nightclubs and Internet cafes. But we were in the Medina, the ancient center of the city, filled with souks with their haggling merchants, taverns with rough, dangerous characters, open squares packed with performers, merchants, beggars and thieves. And, most important to our mission, thousands of hiding places existed for all kinds of men and monsters that wanted to be forgotten by the rest of the world.

I couldn’t help but feel the pull of the city. The idea of disappearing into its deep underbelly and losing myself in its honeycombed streets seemed for a second like the only reasonable thing to do. Gone would be the weight of the quest to find the Jerusalem Stones and save my father. Gone would be the fear that at any minute my friends would be killed because of the danger I’d put them in. Gone would be the impossible responsibility to stop Ren Lucre and the coming Creach war. I could leave all that behind and be a normal fourteen-year-old kid simply by going for a long walk and never looking back.

I let out a deep breath and let this fantasy go with it on the morning air. Behind me I heard the others stirring in our single, cheap hotel room we’d straggled into late the night before. After two long weeks on the road where we’d kept away from civilization as best we could, we were due for at least one good night’s sleep. Compared to camping out in abandoned houses and in fields throughout the south of France and into Spain, the threadbare beds seemed like the height of luxury.

The road from the Monster Hunter Academy had been uneventful compared to events before we left. Standing on the balcony, I thought back to the awful day when the Creach attacked. After the Cave of Trials, battling dragons, fighting off the goblin hoard, and watching the black wolf Tiberon transform back into human form and disappear into thin air, I hoped we would have at least a little time to recover before it was time to leave. But it didn’t happen.

The morning after the goblin battle, Aquinas summoned me to her tent. I made my way through a small tent city that had sprung up near the gates to the Citadel to temporarily house the students.  The dorms had burned to the ground. Outside the Academy walls, a student work party shoveled dirt over the bodies of the two dragons I’d killed. Aquinas wanted a deep burial where no Regs (non-hunter humans) would find them. Her tent was easy to spot. It was large and round with a pointed center, like a miniature version of a circus tent. The leather flap covering the entrance was open, so I crouched down and stepped inside.

Discovery by Brina Courtney

Nine months ago, Teagan Matthews' boyfriend disappeared and took her sense of stability with him. But when the opportunity to live with her aging grandmother in Salem arises, she decides it's time to get on with her life. A new home, new job, and new friends are adding up to a beautiful summer...

 ...until a young girl's body shows up one night in town, wearing a pentagram necklace exactly like Teagan's.

Now a guy, looking remarkably like her missing boyfriend, has arrived in Salem along with a mysterious stranger, who may have some answers that Teagan has desperately been searching for. Teagan must now decide who to trust. It's a matter of life... and her death.

Purchase on Amazon

Cerberus by P.K. Gallagher - Excerpt!

Paranormal YA Fantasy

For Kaeden Parish, life in Solace has always followed certain rules—everything makes sense, everything can be planned for, and everything is as it seems. Unfortunately, the secret harbored by his gorgeous, albeit guarded girlfriend is about to shatter all of that.

After a successful attack on his life opens his eyes to a world of war, shadows, and supernatural creatures—a world he didn’t plan for—Kaeden finds himself resembling the sort of monster he has always feared. As he desperately struggles to resist a new temptation, danger draws ever nearer, threatening the ones he loves most. A prophecy tells of a final battle and great destruction, and Kaeden must decide which side he is on, a choice that could mean the end of the world.

In Book 1 of the Solace Series, P.K. Gallagher pulls readers into a realm where good and evil are at war, and the outcome of it all rests on one young man’s decision to either go and live...or stay and die.

This is where the story of Parish begins.

Amazon * BookRix

Excerpt!

Something clicked in Kaeden’s mind, and the pain instantly dulled. It had not physically abated, though; it was more like it just didn’t matter anymore. His eyesight, previously blurred by pain, sharpened, and he felt his canines extend as a single thought bloomed in his mind: not today.

His arm seemed to move of its own volition as he grasped the dryyd’s wrist and, in a single motion, extricated it from his chest and then twisted until a sharp snapping sound resounded. She yelped as he shoved her away, but that smile remained etched on her face.

“Ooh,” she said, voice laden with derision. “Scar-y.”

In the back of his mind, Kaeden was surprised when a growl made its way past his lips. It was an animalistic sound, but he found that there was something about the bestial nature of what was happening that pleased him. Something he held dear was being threatened, and he was protecting it in a way he’d never been able. Base as it was, he liked it. “I’ll show you scary.”

He charged the dryyd, but when she prepared to fend off Kaeden’s head-on attack, he slipped behind her and brought his knee up into the small of her back, simultaneously pulling back on her head so that she was folded nearly in half over his knee.  Before any vertebrae could begin snapping, however, the dryyd flipped her legs over, executing a perfect summersault and kicking Kaeden in the face in the process, forcing him to release her. She stumbled away, robbing Kaeden of the chance to get a hold of her again. She was still smiling.

“The outcome here doesn’t matter,” she sang. “You lose regardless.”

Kaeden, remembering what Caleb had said about not listening to sadistic dryyds, didn’t respond. He feinted to the side, trying to create an opening, but she didn’t fall for it, and his follow up blow to her face merely glanced off. She laughed.

“We know who you are now,” she said unfazed. “We can easily find out what—and who—is important to you. The question isn’t whether you’ll win or lose; it’s how much you’ll lose in addition to your life. Maybe the people whose scents are clinging to you now? I’m be doing you a favor by killing you first. At least this way, you won’t see us rip out those people’s hearts. I understand it’s a very unpleasant thing for a loved one to witness.”

“Touch anyone in my family, and I’ll kill you all.” He was surprised to hear those words come out of his mouth. He hadn’t said them in an especially menacing way, but they hung icy and matter-of-fact in the air between them. They rang like a promise. He, Kaeden Parish, had just promised to kill someone. “Would you like to be first?”

Egypt Rising by Stan Schatt

Some ancient secrets should remain buried.

An American teenager in Cairo finds herself in the middle of the Egyptian revolution fleeing militant Islamic extremists. She leads her worst enemy and the boy she thinks about much too often on the adventure of a lifetime. When she discovers an ancient artifact that was buried for thousands of years, she learns that very powerful people will stop at nothing, including murder, to learn the secrets of a long-dead civilization.

  

Amazon

Praise for Egypt Rising

From the first page, and quite possibly the first sentence, I was hooked on this refreshingly different YA read that is suitable and enjoyable for all ages! ~Dii

Cerberus: Book 1 of Parish by P.K. Gallagher

Paranormal YA Fantasy

For Kaeden Parish, life in Solace has always followed certain rules—everything makes sense, everything can be planned for, and everything is as it seems. Unfortunately, the secret harbored by his gorgeous, albeit guarded girlfriend is about to shatter all of that.

After a successful attack on his life opens his eyes to a world of war, shadows, and supernatural creatures—a world he didn’t plan for—Kaeden finds himself resembling the sort of monster he has always feared. As he desperately struggles to resist a new temptation, danger draws ever nearer, threatening the ones he loves most. A prophecy tells of a final battle and great destruction, and Kaeden must decide which side he is on, a choice that could mean the end of the world.

In Book 1 of the Solace Series, P.K. Gallagher pulls readers into a realm where good and evil are at war, and the outcome of it all rests on one young man’s decision to either go and live...or stay and die.

This is where the story of Parish begins.  

Amazon * BookRix

 

Author P.K. Gallagher

Shades of Pink: A Romance Anthology for Cancer Research!!

 As you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For this occasion, 33 authors have allied for 1 cause: fundraising for research. Their gift to everyone who makes a donation? A romance anthology (ebook) titled Shades of Pink, totaling over 200.000 words / about 500 pages as a PDF.

The suggested donation is $5. Funds are raised via Stayclassy.org and all proceeds go directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Readers can also donate to the charity organization of their choice (with a focus on breast cancer) and email their receipt to receive their copy of the anthology in either PDF, ePub or mobi (kindle).

Who: Kate Baum, Brei Betzold, Jean Booth, Catherine Bowman, Perci T. Brooks, Rose Caraway, Bethan Cooper, Sarah Daltry, Vivien Dean, JJ Ellis, Rachel Firasek, Sabrina Garie, Amber Green, T. Hammond, Lisa M. Harley, Susan Harris, K. R. Haynes, Ellie Heller, Laura Hunsaker, Jennifer James, Torie James, Kallysten, K.A. Linde, C. Deanne Rowe, DJ Shaw, Madeline Sheehan, Eden Summers, Gill Taber, J Annas Walker, Matthew Welch, Kristin L. Wilson, Zoe York, Angela Yseult

When: October through November 15th.

What: 33 short stories, including…

·      30 M/F, 1.5 M/M, 1.5 M/F/M

·      4 paranormal, 2 sci-fi, 19 contemporary, 3 historical, 1 BDSM, 9 fantasy, 3 YA (some stories have more than one genre)

·      4 spicy (ménage or kink), 15 sexy (explicit sex scenes), 14 sweet (no sex)

·      A handful of vampires, about four dozen humans including fighters, cursed humans, reincarnated souls, footballers, time travelers, bosses, secretaries, writers, rock stars, teens, witches, soldiers, wives, husbands and fiancés, 1 succubus, 1 genie, 1 extra-terrestrial princess, a few gods and goddesses, a pack of werewolves.

·      Pink, pink and more pink, including cherry blossoms, jewelry,  flamingoes, silk, a leather collar, assorted flowers, hair, a car, lip gloss, champagne, a hair ribbon, a hippo, various clothing items, lemonade and a toy.

Where: Kallysten’s blog

Here you’ll find teasers for all the stories, interviews of the authors posted during all of October, and of course the link where you can donate and help this worthy cause.

My Sister's Reaper by Dorothy Dreyer

Sixteen-year-old Zadie’s first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.

When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaper’s Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. Mara isn’t the same anymore—Zadie isn’t even sure she’s completely human, and to top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Mara’s soul no matter what. Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sister’s Reaper, or let Mara die … this time for good.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

 

Author Dorothy Dreyer

I'm a Philippine-born American living in Germany with my husband and two teens.

I write young adult books that usually have some element of magic or the supernatural in them. I also like to read those kinds of books. Aside from reading, I like movies, chocolate, take-out, coffee, traveling, and having fun with my friends and family. I've also been known to make a pretty sweet cupcake.

I tend to sing sometimes, too, so keep me away from your Karaoke bars.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Shades of Pink Charity Anthology

 As you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For this occasion, 33 authors have allied for 1 cause: fundraising for research. Their gift to everyone who makes a donation? A romance anthology (ebook) titled Shades of Pink, totaling over 200.000 words / about 500 pages as a PDF.

The suggested donation is $5. Funds are raised via Stayclassy.org and all proceeds go directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Readers can also donate to the charity organization of their choice (with a focus on breast cancer) and email their receipt to receive their copy of the anthology in either PDF, ePub or mobi (kindle).

Who: Kate Baum, Brei Betzold, Jean Booth, Catherine Bowman, Perci T. Brooks, Rose Caraway, Bethan Cooper, Sarah Daltry, Vivien Dean, JJ Ellis, Rachel Firasek, Sabrina Garie, Amber Green, T. Hammond, Lisa M. Harley, Susan Harris, K. R. Haynes, Ellie Heller, Laura Hunsaker, Jennifer James, Torie James, Kallysten, K.A. Linde, C. Deanne Rowe, DJ Shaw, Madeline Sheehan, Eden Summers, Gill Taber, J Annas Walker, Matthew Welch, Kristin L. Wilson, Zoe York, Angela Yseult

When: October through November 15th.

What: 33 short stories, including…

·      30 M/F, 1.5 M/M, 1.5 M/F/M

·      4 paranormal, 2 sci-fi, 19 contemporary, 3 historical, 1 BDSM, 9 fantasy, 3 YA (some stories have more than one genre)

·      4 spicy (ménage or kink), 15 sexy (explicit sex scenes), 14 sweet (no sex)

·      A handful of vampires, about four dozen humans including fighters, cursed humans, reincarnated souls, footballers, time travelers, bosses, secretaries, writers, rock stars, teens, witches, soldiers, wives, husbands and fiancés, 1 succubus, 1 genie, 1 extra-terrestrial princess, a few gods and goddesses, a pack of werewolves.

·      Pink, pink and more pink, including cherry blossoms, jewelry,  flamingoes, silk, a leather collar, assorted flowers, hair, a car, lip gloss, champagne, a hair ribbon, a hippo, various clothing items, lemonade and a toy.

Where: Kallysten’s blog

Here you’ll find teasers for all the stories, interviews of the authors posted during all of October, and of course the link where you can donate and help this worthy cause.

Darkest Worlds: A Dystopian Anthology

An anthology that explores what humans are made of when society falls to its knees. Darkest Worlds includes six original novellas by award-winning authors and best sellers of Young Adult and New Adult Dystopia.


All proceeds go to Girls Write Now, a charity that promotes literacy of inner-city girls

Amazon * Kobo

Barnes & Noble

Nessa: A Breeders Story by Katie French, author of The Breeders: Eighteen-year-old Nessa knows what it’s like to be an endangered species. Growing up in a dying world where nine out of ten babies are born male, she survives by trusting no one. When Marlin, the nineteen-year-old gunslinger, kills the man who has been keeping her enslaved, Nessa decides he might be her meal ticket. What she doesn’t realize is love is still possible, even in their decimated world.

Katie French

Facebook * Twitter *Blog

MOON by S.K. Falls, author of World of Shell and Bone: Loyalty. Obedience. Patriotism. Moon Stewart has no doubt that the New Amanian way of life is the right way. The only way. But was there ever a time when she felt differently? In this companion novella to the dystopian bestseller World of Shell and Bone, the secrets of Moon's past are revealed, giving readers a glimpse into the mind of their favorite antagonist.

S.K. Falls

Facebook * Twitter

The First Unforgivable Thing by Zoe Cannon, author of The Torturer’s Daughter: When a dissident working undercover as an interrogator is ordered to torture a confession from the only girl he’s ever loved, he chooses to defy both the totalitarian regime and the resistance by helping her escape—but she has an agenda of her own...

Zoe Cannon

Facebook * Twitter * Blog

The Keeper by A.G. Henley, author of The Scourge: a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award. Peree knows his duty as the new Keeper of the Water Bearer, Fennel, is to make sure his people get every drop of their share of the water she collects when the flesh-eating Scourge roam the forest. He will motivate her, distract her, do anything he can to keep her working. He knows his duty is to his people and his people alone. What he doesn’t know is that he's falling in love with her.

A.G. Henley

Facebook * Twitter * Blog

Survival Lessons by Kate Avery Ellison, author of Frost: A young Farther prisoner named Eva escapes into the monster-filled wilderness of the Frost with a band of fellow inmates, all of whom are harboring secrets...but little do they know that Eva has secrets of her own. Set in the world of The Frost Chronicles.

Kate Avery Ellison

Blog * Twitter

clean slate complex by Megan Thomason, author of the daynight series: Homeless Alexa Knight agrees to help the do-gooder non-profit The Second Chance Institute in return for medical care for her sick mother. The SCI is wooing the poor and downtrodden into their Clean Slate Complexes--where "everything is provided" from jobs to food, shelter, clothing, and education. Unfortunately, as with all things that sound too good to be true, there's a catch...

Megan Thomason

Facebook * Twitter * Blog

 

The Girls Write Now mission is to provide guidance, support, and opportunities for at-risk and underserved girls from New York City’s public high schools to develop their creative, independent voices, explore careers in professional writing, and learn how to make healthy school, career and life choices.

Girls Write Now--charity

Website

King of Bad by Kai Strand

Jeff Mean would rather set fires than follow rules or observe curfew. He wears his bad boy image like a favorite old hoodie; that is until he learns he has superpowers and is recruited by Super Villain Academy – where you learn to be good at being bad. In a school where one kid can evaporate all the water from your body and the girl you hang around with can perform psychic sex in your head, bad takes on a whole new meaning. Jeff wonders if he’s bad enough for SVA.

He may never find out. Classmates vilify him when he develops good manners. Then he’s kidnapped by those closest to him and left to wonder who is good and who is bad. His rescue is the climactic episode that balances good and evil in the super world. The catalyst – the girl he’s crushing on.

A girlfriend and balancing the Supers is good, right? Or is it…bad?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Goodreads * Whiskey Creek Press

  Author Kai Stand

When the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her family around the fire and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died, the end.” Now an award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for young adult and middle grade readers and short stories for younger children Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults.

Choke by S.R. Johannes

Suffocate

Suffocate is the first novelette in THE BREATHLESS series. It is a 15,000 word young adult thriller that combines the dystopic and science fiction genres.

For centuries, the world outside the Biome has been unlivable. Today, marks the first time anyone will attempt to leave the suffocating ecosphere. Eria is not worried because her scientist father has successfully tested the new Bio-Suit many times.

It's a celebratory day until something goes horribly wrong. In the midst of tragedy, Eria uncovers a deep conspiracy in her perfect bubble. If those responsible find out what she knows, they won't stop hunting her until she takes her last breath.

Amazon

Choke

When Eria escapes her home in the Biome, she uncovers more about her features and specifications as a HumaNot. Following her father's instructions, Eria embarks on a journey into a dangerous and unpredictable world.

Along the way, she encounters a young rebel, Dirk, who explains he's from the Anarchy, an underground human resistance rising up against the BOTs--advanced man-made robots gone wild. Together, Dirk and Eria battle underground serpents, desert dingos, sand storms, and advanced Bots that are always hot on their trail. As they become closer, Dirk reveals his hatred of machines, forcing Eria to hide the secret of what and who she really is.

When the truth of her identity comes out, Eria is forced to become the very thing she hates the most.

This novelette is about 20,000 words and is the 2nd in the YA Breathless novelette series. Exhale (#3) is scheduled for Nov 2013.  

Amazon

Rift Healer by Diane M. Haynes

Rift Healer is the first installment of the ‘Forest Magic’ series, a Young Adult Fantasy/Romance set in Central and Western Massachusetts.

After a minor earthquake, the enchanted forest in Bidwell, MA, is infested with monster-spewing rifts. Gisele Westerfield’s great nephew, the gifted Micah, and his distant cousin, Selena, arrive to assist. Together with Gisele’s summer students, twins Haley and Lacey, they will try to heal the magical forest.

Much to the consternation of the beautiful Selena, Micah identifies Haley as The One whom he’ll share his future. But after witnessing a terrifying display of Micah’s Gift, Haley cools to his advances and unexpectedly discovers her own Gift– she can heal the earth.

Monsters, mayhem, and teenage angst follow the small group as they confront evil in the forest and a dangerous prediction that ‘one will fall’. Will they heal the rifts in time? Can they save the unicorns? And is Haley really destined to be with Micah?

 Amazon

Snippet!

He tore his eyes from the ceiling, caught and held her gaze. “I can make people do anything on command.”

            “Like, hypnosis?” she asked, blinking under the over-bright fluorescent lights, her spoon halfway to her mouth.

            “Almost,” he said.  “Except, a hypnotist is unable to persuade his clients to do anything they wouldn’t ordinarily do. And I can.” He shrugged his shoulders, almost as if he were apologizing.

              Haley frowned as she sorted through this weird information. “So, let me get this straight. You think you could tell me to do something—anything–and I’d do it?” Her brows knitted together and she shook her head in disbelief.

            “I don’t just think.  I…know.” He lowered his voice as he leaned forward. “I could make you run around doing cartwheels in the parking lot if I wanted to. You would be unable to refuse.”

             At that, she sat straight up, staring at him. She didn’t believe it—not quite, but she was too afraid to disbelieve.

            “It’s true.” He nodded. “Fortunately, I have a strong code of honor that I adhere to and I do not abuse my Gift. But I could make you do whatever I want.”

            She shook her head. “I don’t believe you,” she said in a low voice.

            “I guess I’ll have to prove it to you. Put that spoon down,” he ordered.

            She looked at it, all but forgotten until now. Realizing she wanted to let go of the spoon, she frowned. “No,” she said between clenched teeth as she fought the urge to comply.

            “Haley,” he took a deep breath.  “Put the spoon down.”

            The fingers holding her spoon twitched as she looked into his eyes and said, “No,” in a voice she almost couldn’t hear herself. Her mouth went dry with the effort.

            “Put-the-spoon-down-now.” His glacial blue eyes bored into hers. Her right hand trembled with the effort of resisting his will. Then she watched, wide-eyed, as her traitorous thumb lifted on its own, causing her spoon to waver and fall to the table with a clatter in the quiet restaurant, spilling its load of ice cream.

            She swallowed. “How did you do that?” she asked, now truly frightened.

            “I told you, it’s my Gift,” he said, using his napkin to wipe up the mess. “It’s not one I use often and never on my friends. Never, ever.”

            Haley swallowed once or twice while wondering how fast she could get away from this beautiful, fascinating, irresistible boy with his dangerous Gift. Terrified, yet inexplicably still drawn to him, she slapped her palms down on the table and leaned forward, ready to shove away, to flee at any moment. His eyes softened as he saw the movement and he covered her small hands with his. Her breath caught. What’s he going to do to me?

“Don’t be afraid,” he pleaded.  “I would never, ever, take advantage of you.  Please believe me.”

            “Are you doing it again?” she asked, because all of a sudden she did believe him. And she knew she would always believe him. Could she ever trust her own feelings around him?

            “No, I’m not doing it again, but I am telling the truth. And now, let me tell you about another Gift I have.” He never blinked as he readied himself.

            “I don’t think I want to know–”

            “You do. I promise you do,” he said, holding her there with his eyes.

            She drew in a breath, steeling herself against whatever was about to come.

            He touched a spot in the center of his forehead. “In my mind’s eye, I see people who will be important to me in my future.”

            She frowned and shook her head slightly, not understanding. “And–”

            “And you are all over my future.” He smiled as if that should explain everything.

Rift Healer by Diane M. Haynes

Rift Healer is the first installment of the 'Forest Magic' series, a Young Adult Fantasy/Romance set in Central and Western Massachusetts. After a minor earthquake, the enchanted forest in Bidwell, MA, is infested with monster-spewing rifts. Gisele Westerfield's great nephew, the gifted Micah, and his distant cousin, Selena, arrive to assist. Together with Gisele's summer students, twins Haley and Lacey, they will try to heal the magical forest.

Much to the consternation of the beautiful Selena, Micah identifies Haley as The One whom he'll share his future. But after witnessing a terrifying display of Micah's Gift, Haley cools to his advances and unexpectedly discovers her own Gift-- she can heal the earth. Monsters, mayhem, and teenage angst follow the small group as they confront evil in the forest and a dangerous prediction that 'one will fall'.

Will they heal the rifts in time? Can they save the unicorns? And is Haley really destined to be with Micah?

Amazon