Cover Reveal - The Touched by Jennifer Weiser

BOOK INFO:

The Touched by Jennifer Weiser
Published by: Limitless Publishing
Publication date: September 29th 2015
Genres: Dystopia, Paranormal, Young Adult

 

The first sixteen years of Arabella Penthallow’s life have been a lie…
In a world where deception is the key to survival, Ara has kept up the charade of being a perfect Legion Leader’s daughter. But a darkness stirs, and she discovers she is Touched, a mortal gifted by the Gods. The Touched are as rare as they are feared, and Ara is forced to leave Union City for neighboring Midnight City to protect herself and those she loves, leaving Tove Thorn, the boy who has always known her heart, behind.

Carter Decker has vowed to burn Union City to the ground…

Midnight City’s cocky, infamous bad boy always gets what he wants, and he wants Union City to pay for burning his mother alive because she was Touched. When Carter meets Ara, she is everything he’s been taught to hate. Then he learns she is Touched—just like him—he isn’t sure who he hates more…the Touched girl whose father killed his mother, or himself for being tempted by someone he’s sworn to kill.

They are told they’re fated to be soul mates…and they each wish the other never existed.

When Midnight City is attacked by Union City, Carter and Arabella will do the unthinkable…even if it means falling for the enemy. The truth lies in Arabella’s home nation, and Tove is waiting. Soul mates or not, he has an advantage Carter doesn’t, fated souls be damned.

War is coming…and Ara is the prize.

Goodreads

AUTHOR BIO:

 

Jennifer Weiser is a young adult author who has always been a book nerd and a bit chocolate obsessed. Writing has always been a favorite escape, but quickly became a passion not long after the birth of her daughter. When she isn't combing the shelves of her local book stores or blogging about newest book obsessions, you can find her nestled in her nook creating worlds she hopes that one day will inspire her daughter, who not only has given her the courage to follow her dreams--but offers the inspirations that help color their worlds together.

 

 

Author links:

Website

Twitter

Goodreads

New World Order by S.M. McEachern - Cover Reveal

BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:
New World Order by S.M. McEachern
(Sunset Rising #3)
Publication date: January 2015
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult
Cover Design by Nathalia Suellen

Synopsis:

The Biodome has been liberated, the slaves are now free, and a new democratic government has been formed. Yet tensions between the Pit and the Dome have never been higher. With the disappearance of Senator Jack Kenner, the old regime makes a political move to reestablish their government.

In the third book of the Sunset Rising trilogy, Sunny O’Donnell is determined to find Jack and bring him home. With the high-tech assistance of Doc, Sunny teams up with Summer, Reyes and friends from the Nation and sets out into a lawless post apocalyptic world in search of the kidnapped men. But as the ruthlessness of the recruiters unfolds amidst the discovery of betrayals within their own group, friends will become enemies and enemies will become friends on a journey that will end in a New World Order.

 

 

AUTHOR BIO:

S.M. McEachern was born in Nova Scotia, Canada. She attended Dalhousie University in the 1990s where she earned an Honours Degree in International Development Studies. She worked in the field of International Development for several years, specializing in ocean development.

"Sunset Rising" is S.M. McEachern's first novel. She says the idea for the story first came to her in the 1990s when she researched a Bio-Dome experiment in Arizona for an academic paper. The thought that the world might one day need a Bio-Dome to escape a global catastrophe set her imagination into overdrive. And the ethics behind such an idea formed the backdrop for Sunset Rising.

Her goal in writing the novel is to entertain the reader with an interesting plot and colourful characters.

Author links:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

GoodReads

State of Pursuit by Summer Lane - Excerpt + Author on Writing Romance

State of Pursuit by Summer Lane

(Collapse Series #4)
Publication date: June 6th 2014
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult 

 

Synopsis:

 

Cassidy Hart is alone.

Her Commander and the love of her life, Chris Young, has gone missing in action. A horrific battle with Omega has left too many good men and women dead, and Cassidy must bear the burden of leadership in the militia on her own.

But she’s not about to give up.

With the help of her faithful friends – and former enemies – she will stop at nothing to rescue Chris and ensure victory for the militias in their fight against the all-powerful Omega forces.

The game has shifted. This time, Cassidy is one step ahead of the enemy.

This time, Cassidy is in charge.

Collapse Series #4 – YA/NA Romantic Adventure – National Bestselling Series

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21843647-state-of-pursuit?ac=1

Purchase: 

Amazon

B&N

 

Excerpt 1:

Here’s the thing that nobody tells you about being in love: 

It’s hard.

Anything good in life takes work, and lately, a lot of blood, sweat and tears. My relationship with Chris Young has always been defined not just by mutual attraction, but by the fact that we were brought together in the middle of a post-apocalyptic warzone.

Flowers and dinner dates? Never had those.

Firefights and battle fatigue? That’s more like it.

Wartime hardship has always been the dominating factor in our romance. It’s what brought us together, it’s what’s kept us together, and now…it’s what has torn us apart. Being separated from Chris is more difficult for me than being separated from my father. Because through everything, Chris has been the one that has kept my feet on the ground. He’s been the one to protect me, train me, and teach me how to survive. The fact that I’m still alive is a testament to his skillset, not mine.

And not knowing if he’s alive or dead is killing me.

Copyright 2014

 

Writing Romance

The romance between Cassidy Hart and Chris Young is one that I have had in my head for a long time. I’m talking years. Chris Young was often present in novels that I wrote as a teenager in high school. Yes, he had a different name then – and even different hair – but the core of his character was intact. I have been able to bring him to life in The Collapse Series, and that has been one of the most exciting experiences of my writing career.

I am not primarily a romance writer. I have read a lot of romance and I love a good romantic story, but I did not set off to write a story that purely centered on the relationship between a man and a woman. State of Emergency has a lot of romance in it, balanced with adventure and survival. As the series progresses, the relationship between Chris and Cassie is continually tested, and their love story within the hectic environment of the battlefield has been something that has strengthened my skills as an author.

I think the key to writing a strong romance story is to give the characters motivation – strong, strong motivation – outside of their partner. For Cassidy, her motivation is finding her father and keeping the people that she cares about safe. She will do anything to make sure that they are kept alive, and that makes her love for Chris richer and more sincere. It’s not just simple attraction – it’s love built on the platform of hardships and heartbreak. It’s my favorite kind of love story. 

AUTHOR BIO

 

Summer Lane is the author of the national bestselling Collapse Series, which currently includes State of Emergency, State of Chaos, State of Rebellion and the fourth installment, State of Pursuit - releasing June 6th, 2014. She owns WB Publishing, and is the CEO of The Art of Storytelling, an upcoming creative writing program for children.

Summer is also the founder of Writing Belle, an online magazine dedicated to the art of storytelling. She is a consultant, creative writing teacher and journalist. Check out Writing Belle for interviews with upcoming authors and insights into the world of publishing! http://writingbelle.com/

 

Author links: 

http://www.summerlaneauthor.com/

 https://twitter.com/SummerEllenLane

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5823376.Summer_Lane

 

 

Cover Reveal - Qualify by Vera Nazarian

Here's an exciting new cover reveal for Qualify, a YA sci-fi dystopian novel by Vera Nazarian

BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:

Qualify by Vera Nazarian
(The Atlantis Grail #1)
Publication date: May 25th 2014
Genres: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Synopsis:

 

The year is 2047. An extinction-level asteroid is hurtling toward earth, and the descendents of ancient Atlantis have returned from the stars in their silver ships to offer humanity help.

But there’s a catch.

They can only take a tiny percent of the Earth’s population back to the colony planet Atlantis. And in order to be chosen, you must be a teen, you must be bright, talented, and athletic, and you must Qualify.

Sixteen-year-old Gwenevere Lark is determined not only to Qualify but to rescue her entire family.

Because there’s a loophole.

If you are good enough to Qualify, you are eligible to compete in the brutal games of the Atlantis Grail, which grants all winners the laurels, high tech luxuries, and full privileges of Atlantis Citizenship. And if you are in the Top Ten, then all your wildest wishes are granted… Such as curing your mother’s cancer.

There is only one problem.

Gwen Lark is known as a klutz and a nerd. While she’s a hotshot in classics, history, science, and languages, the closest she’s come to sports is a backyard pool and a skateboard.

This time she is in over her head, and in for a fight of her life, against impossible odds and world-class competition—including Logan Sangre, the most amazing guy in her class, the one she’s been crushing on, and who doesn’t seem to know she exists.

Because every other teen on Earth has the same idea.

You Qualify or you die.


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21845122-qualify


AUTHOR BIO:

VERA NAZARIAN is a two-time Nebula Award Nominee, award-winning artist, and member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, a writer and reader with a penchant for moral fables and stories of intense wonder, true love, and intricacy.

She is the author of critically acclaimed novels DREAMS OF THE COMPASS ROSE and LORDS OF RAINBOW, as well as the outrageous parodies MANSFIELD PARK AND MUMMIES and NORTHANGER ABBEY AND ANGELS AND DRAGONS, and most recently, PRIDE AND PLATYPUS: MR. DARCY'S DREADFUL SECRET in her humorous and surprisingly romantic Supernatural Jane Austen Series.

After many years in Los Angeles, Vera lives in a small town in Vermont, and uses her Armenian sense of humor and her Russian sense of suffering to bake conflicted pirozhki and make art.

Her official author website is www.veranazarian.com

Author links: 

http://www.veranazarian.com/

https://twitter.com/Norilana

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/186145.Vera_Nazarian

 

 

 

Sunset Rising by S.M. McEachern Book Blitz - In the (Un)likely Event of Apocalypse Advice & Giveaway

Sunset Rising by S.M. McEachern

(Sunset Rising #1)
Publication date: November 12th 2013
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

Synopsis:

February 2024: Desperate to find refuge from the nuclear storm, a group of civilians discover a secret government bio-dome. Greeted by a hail of bullets and told to turn back, the frantic refugees stand their ground and are grudgingly permitted entry. But the price of admission is high.
283 years later… Life as a slave in the Pit had never been easy, but for seventeen-year-old Sunny O’Donnell it was quickly careening out of control. Her mother was killed in the annual spring Cull, leaving her alone with a father who decided to give up on life.  It’s not that she blamed him for grieving, but if they didn’t earn enough credits to keep their place inside the Pit, they would be kicked out into a world still teeming with radiation. That left her to earn the credits for both of them.  It didn’t help that her boyfriend, Reyes Crowe, was pressuring her to get married and abandon her father.

Sunny didn’t think life could get any worse, until she was forced upstairs to the Dome to serve and entertain the elite at a bachelor party. That's where she met Leisel Holt, the president's daughter, and her fiancé, Jack Kenner. Now Sunny is wanted for treason. If they catch her, she'll be executed.

She thought Leisel's betrayal was the end for her…but it turns out it was just the beginning.

Sunset Rising is Book One of a series. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17312777-sunset-rising?ac=1

Purchase:

--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Rising-S-M-McEachern-ebook/dp/B009G3ZIO0

And now...some tips and advice

In the (un)Likely Event of an Apocalypse

  

The Apocalypse. The end of civilization as we know it. Maybe even the complete annihilation of the Earth. 

The thought is terrifying and has fascinated generations for decades. There have been thousands of predictions on how, why and when the world as we know it will come to an abrupt end. It’s the stuff that blockbuster films and best selling novels are made of (mine included!). But could an apocalypse actually happen?  What are the odds? And more importantly, can the human race survive the end of the world? As the author of a post-apocalyptic series, I’ve actually done some research on apocalyptic scenarios and here are a few of my thoughts:

Nuclear War:  Anyone who has read my novel, “Sunset Rising”, knows nuclear war is my apocalypse of choice (I say tongue in cheek). Consider the domino effect of just one nuclear explosion set off above a city: a) buildings and dwellings leveled and set on fire; b) the instantaneous death of anyone inhabiting the city; c) as the city is engulfed in flames, oil and gas stores (in vehicles and tanks) explode; e) the cloud from the firestorm rises into the atmosphere, blocking out the suns rays—the beginning of a nuclear winter; f) radiation fall-out. One nuclear warhead exploding over one city has the capability to wipe out millions of people.

There are more than 17,000 known nuclear weapons in the world, many of which are more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.  

In the (un)likely event of a global nuclear war, you might want to be digging out a bunker in your backyard and stocking it with canned food and clean water… In the meantime, you can join campaigns and groups dedicated to abolishing nuclear weapons globally.

Earth hit by an asteroid:  How big does an asteroid need to be to cause global destruction? NASA says anywhere from 1 to 2 km in diameter and up will likely end civilization.  Regional damage at the collision site would cause the most immediate destruction, but it’s the resulting “impact winter” possibly followed by an “ultraviolet spring” that would end life as we know it. For comparison, the asteroid responsible for the mass extinction of the dinosaurs was approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) in diameter.

So what are the odds of Earth suffering a meteorite impact? Pretty good, actually.  Asteroids have collided with our planet in the past so there’s every reason to expect it will be hit again.  In fact, on March 5, 2014, a meteor approximately 98 feet in diameter—big enough to cause regional damage—passed between the Earth and Moon.

In the (un)likely event of a meteorite impact, those people who already have a bunker dug-out to survive the nuclear war have the best chance for survival. Although, if you live in a coastal area subject to tsunamis from the event, forget the bunker and head to high ground. If you’d like a heads-up before the big bang, check in with the “Near Earth Object Program” here: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/

Zombies:  Can a zombie apocalypse actually happen?! The movie, “I am Legend” made it somewhat believable since people were turned into zombies via a rabies-type virus.  And here’s the other thing that makes “I am Legend” mind-blowingly scary—the zombies could run fast!  Biologists keep warning us we’re overdue for a pandemic. Could the zombie flu be the next one?

In the (un)likely event of a zombie apocalypse, you’ll need to be in good physical shape, know how to use a rifle, and make sure you’re a fast runner…or at least faster than your mate ;)

Well, those are just a few ways our civilization could suffer an apocalypse.  Are you prepared? 

Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $30 Gift Card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

AUTHOR BIO

S.M. McEachern (also known as Susan) comes from the rocky shores of Canada’s East Coast.  As a resident of Halifax during her early adult years, she attended Dalhousie University and earned an Honors Degree in International Development Studies with a focus on ocean development.  Throughout her academic studies and early career, Susan had the privilege to work with many developing countries on resource management projects.

Becoming an author has been a lifelong dream for Susan. “Sunset Rising” is her debut novel and the first of many she plans to write.