Who's Getting Excited?!?

So Who's Getting Excited About The Hunger Games?????
We are at PR!!It may not be all that paranormal but The Hunger Games Trilogy is Epic. You follow Katniss Everdeen, The Girl On Fire, through her struggle of staying alive and dealing with love in the 74th annual Hunger Games. 

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister Primrose, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
Review::If you haven't read this book, get it read before the movie comes out!! Its a bit out of this world at first but the world that Collins makes for us is something Epic. 5/5 Stars~Tif





Less than a month away!!!!!
If you haven't checked out The Hunger Games website, go for it. The site has a bunch of cool extras to look at and a lot of stuff that you can interact with. And if you haven't added The Hunger Games click -> Facebook 

Caged Moon by Rachel Deagan (YA)

A Bit About The Author

Rachel grew up in a small town in Massachusetts where she spent most of her time writing about strange paranormal creatures instead of paying attention in class. She has always been considered the 'dreamy' one with her head in the clouds. She now lives in Nevada with her two sons, a cat, and a rat named Sam.

Interview with Rachel

1. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
No. I wanted to be an actress and an Olympic Equestrian Rider first. Funny thing is, in fourth grade I wrote my first ‘book’. It was about horses. Although, the equestrian dream has fizzled over the years, I do think my love of acting helps greatly in developing and feeling out the characters I write.

2. Who is some of your inspiration?

As far as authors go, I love Cassandra Claire’s flare for characterization and storytelling. Although, I didn’t start reading her work until after Caged Moon was into the editing phase. My original inspiration stemmed mostly from Maggie, Steivater’s Shiver, Twilight, and various werewolf movies I’ve seen over the years.  If I had to be honest though, it wasn’t a specific author that inspired me to write, it was a friend of mine. 

3. Is your family supportive of your writing?

Yes, once my parents realized the seriousness of my writing, they became some of my most forefront advocates. My boys are a little young to understand, but I’m truly blessed.

4.How did you come up with your characters names?

The names of my two main characters, Charlotte and Liam just came to me. I tend to have trouble with names, so for the rest of the ‘gang’ I strolled through some helpful baby name dictionaries. I did want most of the wolf pack to have names that primarily from a different era. (The wolves in my book do not age) so I specifically searched in name dictionaries from the early 1900s.

5.Does your characters talk to you when you’re writing?

All the time. They never shut up and sometimes we even argue when they want to go in a direction that I hadn’t planned. ;)

6.Do you like it quiet or do you need noise when you write?

It honestly depends on my mood.  Sometimes it’s hard for me to focus with music on, because I end up listening to it instead of zoning in on the writing, but sometimes it helps set the mood if I can put into the ‘background’ and focus. It can aid the emotional mood of a scene.

7.What are your goals for 2012?

I have two major goals as far as writing goes. The first is to heavily promote Caged Moon and get it out to the masses. My second goal is to have my second YA book under the working title, “The Star Children,” ready for release this summer. Very busy!

8.Are you currently writing anything?

Yes! I have another YA novel in the works, “The Star Children.” This one has a hint of Sci-Fi in it, although mostly falls into the category of urban paranormal. It revolves around three teenagers who discover they bear unusual ‘gifts’ while staying in a psychiatric hospital. Unfortunately, they aren’t the only ones who discover this, and soon learn that not only is the government after them, but something much darker and greater is too. I love the character chemistry in this book. Despite the face paced, supernatural thriller storyline, the characterization, I believe, is what carries it most. So, stay tuned.

9.Favorite paranormal creature? 

Werewolves and angels.

10.What do you do when you’re not writing?

I have two little boys that keep me pretty busy when I’m not working my other job as well. But I always enjoy watching a good movie/tv show. I’ve recently become hooked on The Secret Circle. I also love reading, and have recently taken up Zumba.

Where to follow Rachel Deagan::

Facebook Twitter Goodreads Blog

Caged Moon

Haunted by an animal attack, seventeen year old Charlotte feels she is being followed. When she runs into a mysterious boy while camping, she’s afraid. Nothing seems right about him. Despite trying to stay away, there is an unmistakable draw to be near him. Even his scent smells familiar. But the closer she gets, the faster the secrets begin to unravel. Not only is he not human, he may have a link to her past. When Charlotte finds out someone wants her dead, she is torn between love and fear. Can she trust him to keep her safe?

Buying Links::

Amazon B&N

Review::

A fantastic werewolf book that has wonderful characters and an amazing plot. A must read that you can't put down. 4/5 stars

~Pam

To check out the longer review go to -> Goodreads

Redemption by Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels (YA) Release & Giveaway!!

Paranormal Reads Release Party for Redemption by Rebecca Gober & Courtney Nuckles

A Bit About Our 2 Authors

Rebecca and Courtney are down-home country girls powered by chocolate and other random late night cravings. Coined in southern twang they bring new meaning to the word y'all. BFI's since 6th grade, with a knack for getting into sticky situations, has resulted in countless ideas to write about for years to come.

Facebook  Website  R. Gober Twitter  C. Nuckels Twitter  R. Gober Goodreads  C. Nuckels Goodreads

Questions Were All Wondering

1. Where are y'all from? And were are y'all based now?

We are originally from Carrollton, TX.  We decided on some major life changes and moved one town over.  So much for that idea... LOL! (For those who don't know where Carrollton is, it's a suburb of Dallas, TX.)

2. What gave you the idea to write a story based in Hawaii?

Well, the setting basically unfolded when researching different paranormal "creatures" around the globe.  We were looking for something unique, that no one (or almost no one) had ever done before.  We sat at Starbucks for hours searching and searching until Night Marchers popped up.  Originally the setting was going to be one of the small islands between Hawaii and Papua, New Guinea.  However, after countless more hours of research we found that the landscape on Kauai was like no other and the fact that the Night Marchers were already there seemed like a match made in heaven.  Just for the record, the island we almost used was called Nihoa.  We just found it couldn't support life very well due to the lack of fresh water and it was hard to write about since no one actually lives on the island. 

3. Are y'all the same when it comes to the writing process? What are the hard and easies of writing together?

Oh boy, confession time!  I have to say that as writing partners we each compliment the other just beautifully.  Had we have tried this with anyone else I'll be the first to say it would NOT have worked.  After knowing each other for going on 18 years it was easy to find a common ground to write.  Rebecca is good at writing dialogue and I (Courtney) am good at descriptions.  I love the fact that if I am stuck on something I can send it over to Rebecca and she can write something amazing that I would have never thought of before.  In the beginning we had to do a lot of editing, but now our style flows so well together.  I write and send it to her, she edits, writes and sends it back to me.  The process goes over and over like that until we reach the end.  Of course, we do stop occasionally for a Skype/lunch date to brainstorm.

4. What is a Night Marcher?

According to Hawaiian legend, night marchers are ghosts of ancient warriors. They supposedly roam large sections of the island chain and can be spotted by their torches. Legend has it that if you look a night marcher straight in the eye, you will be forced to walk among them for eternity, but if you have a relative taken by them, you will be spared. Hawaiians say that in the presence of Night Marchers, one should lie down on their stomach, face down to avoid eye contact, stay quiet, breath shallowly, and don't move. Some say that they nudge you to provoke a reaction so they can take you. ~Wikipedia

Creepy, yeah we know. We did a lot of research on this legend and found all kinds of interesting facts, including one superstition that states the only way to avoid being taken by the Night Marchers is to strip down to your birthday suit. Wow, I wonder if anyone has ever followed that advice!

5. Describe Night Marchers in one sentence.

Scary spirit warriors who should be avoided at all costs!

6. What are y'alls favorite food?

Courtney: My favorite food would be either a Cesar Salad, or a tomato pasta dish I make with these juicy little tomatoes, garlic and mozzarella cheese.  Let the truth be told that I stopped really caring for sugar, which I never thought would happen, and now crave weird things like veggies.  I'm still trying to get used to this :)

Rebecca: Yeah, Courtney is a little freakish with the vegetable thing. JK! I on the other hand adore sugar and my favorite food is chocolate! Especially when it comes in the form of cake and ice cream! :D (If I had to pick a regular non-desert food, I would say my favorite food is steak, the rarer the better. Hey, I'm from Texas, what do y'all expect?)

7. What gets the creative juices going for you both?

Courtney: Hands down the best way for us to get the creative juices going is to have a brainstorming session, whether that be on Skype or in person.  I will give some credit to our husbands for picking their brains.  Shockingly, they do have some amazing ideas!

Rebecca: Red Bull! Oh yeah, and Skyping. We always come away from our Skype dates with refreshed ideas. My husband does have some pretty cool ideas. I guess all those years of comic books and sci-fi games paid off.

8. What's the best quote from Redemption?

Courtney's favorite: "Emma, I would endure a thousand deaths for you."

Rebecca's favorite: "No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to carry the world. So you need to get it off your shoulders before you break your back."

9. How old where you both when you knew you wanted to write?

29-ish.  LOL!  It's never too late to grab hold of a new dream. We wouldn't have thought that writing a book could be a possibility if it weren't for our newfound love of indie authors, which inspired us.

10. What's been the best moment so far in your guys writing career?

Courtney: The best moment for me is to hear from other people about how they took a whole day and delved into our world.  I am still so honored that someone would actually care about anything I write.  There are so many books out there to choose, so when they choose me, I am simply flattered.

Rebecca: Yes, I thrive on feedback. It was so hard waiting for our first review, not knowing if our book was good enough, etc. There is always a ton of doubt. When we got our first 5 star review Courtney and I were dancing in the streets, literally! My face hurt so bad from smiling that day. Then we got more 5 star reviews and we were like, oh my gosh, we are writers!

11. Could you give advice for up and coming authors? What would it be?

Courtney:  Your first book is a very long road that you cannot take on yourself. Unless of course you want to pull your hair out!  You may have all these amazing ideas but once you start to put them on paper they take on a life of their own. Enlist the help of your BFI's (Best Friends Infinitely- from Night Marchers) and have them help you.  Bounce ideas off them and don't be afraid to ask for help about what do I do next. 

Rebecca: I couldn't agree more, your friends and family are a wealth of information and ideas. Also, I think a big key is really networking, get to know other authors and book sites. Not just to promote your book, get involved. When it comes to indie authors, I think it's important that we all stick together. We can't believe how many other fellow authors have done shout outs for us and have donated books to our release party. There is such an amazing support group out there, you just have to take the time to find it and then interact. Most importantly don't give up on writing and don't freak out at the first sign of constructive criticism. Constructive criticism, lower end reviews, etc. These all are a means to help you grow, take the readers advice and apply it if it's applicable.

Night Marchers

“NEVER, EVER lock eyes with a Night Marcher!” Everyone in Hawaii has heard this warning, except for seventeen-year-old Emma Townsend that is. For most Hawaiians know that looking into the eyes of Night Marcher can strike a curse that will end in death or eternal servitude.

Even though her father, who is a paranormal investigator, solely raised Emma, she has little experience in the realm of the supernatural. When she is forced to move with her father to Hawaii, only months before her graduation, Emma finds that her world as she knows it, is shaken when she starts seeing the unexplainable: fire balls in the distance, beating drums in the middle of nowhere and strangers who vanish into thin air. Then one day when she has a run in with a procession of Night Marchers, ancient Hawaiian spirits wandering from their burial grounds to their locations of battles past, Emma has no choice but to believe that the unbelievable does exist. 

Now Emma must go on the run with the help of a mysterious stranger, as they seek out how to free Emma from the curse of a Night Marcher, who will stop at nothing to get her soul.

Smashwords Amazon B&N

Redemption

He would endure a thousand deaths for her, but would she let him? Torn between two men that love her, Emma Townsend is forced to make choices no seventeen-year-old should ever be forced to make. With her friends at her side, Emma embarks on an adventure full of danger, deceit and betrayal as she tries to redeem Kai, the man who made the ultimate sacrifice for her. When Emma discovers that setting a Night Marcher free is no easy task, she is forced to make a very unlikely alliance. How far will Emma be willing to go to save Kai, and will she be able to do so before it's too late?

Redemption is the second book in the Night Marchers series.

SmashWords Amazon 

Quotes From Redemption

“No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to carry the world. So you need to get it off your shoulders before you break your back."~ Kaylee

“Emma, I would endure a thousand deaths for you." ~  We can't spoil the book so you will just have to read it hen it releases to see who makes this proclamation. Is it the hot neighbor Tristan? The mysterious hero Kai? Or Kai's evil brother Kao?.... My lips are sealed for now!

"Emma, if I had to march an eternity in slavery it would be worth it knowing that you are safe. They can bind my wrists and shackle my feet, but they can't take away my memories, my heart. If I had to see you grow old from a distance with someone else, it would have been worth it. I have had more than one lifetime to learn that our love can only come around once."

We are happy to be apart of this big day with Rebecca & Courtney. We want to send a huge congratulations their way on the release of Redemption. And now for the giveaway :)

Ember by Madison Daniel (YA)

Love never dies...but it can kill.

Ember is the story of Max Valentine, a teenager with secret abilities and many inner demons. His life revolves around music and his love for it. When his father dies he seeks answers with his last living relative, his fathers brother Frank. Frank lives on the island of Maui and eagerly takes Max in as his own. Max soon learns that healing his past will be more difficult than he could have ever believed. Two major complications will tempt and torment him as he tries to make sense of his abilities.

The first temptation comes in the form of a mysterious island girl. Asia Lyn Michaels is rich, spoiled, angry and beautiful. Her path crosses with Max on the beach one afternoon, forever changing both of their lives. Max saves her life and she discovers his secret. From that moment on they are connected, no matter how much they fight it.

The second temptation will test Max’s very soul. Samantha Ann Summers is sweet, artistic, smart and confident. She will help Max find his smile again and maybe even heal his past mistakes. She is possibly his soul mate and Max will fight that with every fiber of his being.

Max’s temper and indecision with the girls will send in motion events that will cost him dearly. He will test the limits of his powers and the new relationship with his protective uncle. He will gain a powerful love and lose another.

Releases February 29th, 2012

Review::

If your looking for a very fiery and romantic YA novel this is what your probably craving. Amazing story from M.D! Couldn't have been more hot and will leave you wanting Downpour!

5/5 Stars

~ Tif

To find the longer version of this review check it out here:: On our Goodreads

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday (YA)

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool.

But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim.

Review::

Though it wasn't paranormal it was still a good book. Very funny and very Nacey Drew style of writing. Loved it! 

5/5 stars

~Tif