INDI-AUTHORS UNITE. Leave a link and find a read! Open book swap!

  Don’t miss your chance for a great swap!  There are some AWESOME books here available for reviews. 

I’ve personally added each book suggested so far onto my TBR list, and I can’t wait to read them!

I’ve noticed a slight lack in support as of late. There is a lot of talking and not much reviewing of each others Indi books!

So, I’ve decided to drop this post as a semi-permanent place to read and review each others books. We’ll call it a ‘pick your book swap’.  Leave an order link in the comments with your work, THEN come back whenever you’d like and PICK ONE TO READ! Please only share if you plan on reading another.  

This isn’t only a promote yourself post, but a show your support for other amazing authors! Please share share share!!   I’m talking share you links, share this post, and lets share our thoughts on each others books!

It’s time to pay it forward fellow Indi’s.  Lets read others work just as much as we promote our own 🙂 ..  I can’t wait to see all of your books!!

CONNECT WITH ME! AMAZON AUTHORS PAGE //  GOODREADS //  TWITTER

LIKE AND FOLLOW MY FACEBOOK PAGE HERE

CLICK HERE TO JOIN DIDI’S BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!

Advertisements

Excerpt: Aggravated Momentum

Intended for a mature audience:

***Darkened windows and an empty driveway somehow make my house look cramped and lonely. Kam must be out with dipshit Brock.  Just wait till I get my hands on that piece of shit. A variety of news crews are spaced out on the block.  I’m guessing that they haven’t all heard the big news of my “gift” yet.  Thank God. A lone van is parked right next to the base of my driveway.  Fuck, I hope they don’t know anything.  A woman in a classy dress suit with perfect blonde hair and a tiny waist steps out.  A Barbie doll reporter, how wonderfully cliché.

“Marketta!”  She shouts as I step out of the cruiser.

Doing my best to ignore her, I put my head down as instructed and book it toward my front door.  All I want to do is shed the soaked rank layer of ruined clothing from my legs.  Officer Smith remains seated in his car.  He is gazing directly ahead with anger, refusing to look over at me.  Normally he, or any other officer, would have jumped out of the car before I did.  He should be walking me to the door, and searching through my house to make sure it is safe before I enter.  Apparently this man is too set back by the scent of my stalker’s urine to do anything but sit in the smell and pout.

“Marketta, please stop!”  Again, reporter Barbie’s voice echoes.

My blood boils.  The newfound hatred bubbles and pops inside me.  It’s all I can do not to explode into a thousand fuming pieces.  And that’s when she says it.

“Please Marketta, Tell me about the photograph! Do you know who he is going to kill next?”

Just like that. A simple sentence that to her means nothing more than part of a narrative — a fictional story to be told through her perfectly painted pink lips and thickly shadowed eyes.  A story to share with her audience of ignorant television viewers, most of whom have never experienced a real loss of their own.  Who does this princess think she is?  She’s using myself, Beth, and Breanna, as some sort of tall tale characters, to get herself a pay raise or promotion.  I reach my key toward to door to unlock it.  She repeats herself, as if I hadn’t heard her the first time.

“Markie, did you have anything to do with these murders?”

I turn on my heels, and scream. “You stupid bitch!”

The rage explodes out of me.  While stomping toward her like an angry bull, I continue to shout and point a shaking finger in her face.

“You stay the fuck away from me and my family.”

Slowly, she backs up.  She’s like a kindergarten girl being pushed into the corner by a shouting bully. Only a light squeak escapes her plump shiny lips.  I cut her off before any words can slip through her ever widening crack of a mouth.

“I don’t know where you’re getting your information, or who the fuck you think you are, but if you don’t get off my property you’re fucking dead!”

I said it.  I said a word that means so much more in my life than just an empty threat.  A word that to her, in this very moment, is as real as the salad she ate for lunch.  Dead. And I meant it.

My tailing officer snaps out of his pointless hissy fit just in time to witness the event. The overwhelming scent of piss has, I’m sure, set up residence in his cruiser. That is a fact he will have to deal with.  He jumps out in panic, and rushes to my side.  A hand is held on his hip ready to draw.  Blondie is backed up all the way to her van and leaning against the passenger door.  ***

Review: Ruckus, by L.J. Shen. 5 STARS!

MY REVIEW:

WOWOWOW I think this is the first time I’ve ever given every book in a series (that’s out yet. There is still one more hot hole after all) FIVE stars!! I absolutely loved Vicious and Defy, so I really can’t believe its taken me months to read this one too. I wasn’t disappointed, not in the least. I’m actually on the fence trying to decide if its BETTER than the others! I don’t know, because even though I feel like the story line is the best, I can’t abandon my feelings for Jamie from Defy. Jamie is my Hot Hole man crush, and is yet to be replaced as my book boyfriend. So we’ll see what #4 brings!!

Anyhow, back to Ruckus AKA Dean mother effin Cole! He is just as HOT as the rest, if not hotter. He’s a slut. Probably the sluttiest slut that the planet has ever seen, yet none of his one night stands will ever hold a candle to the woman of his dreams, Rosie, who just so happens to be the little sister to the one and only real girlfriend that Dean has ever had. I know, great twist right!

To make things even more complicated, she’s sick. The kind of sick that effects every single aspect of life. And, that’s not to mention makes being around her family hell AND will inevitably shorten her life span at an unexpected rate.

Ruckus is determined to win her over despite her determined-to-avoid-love/HATE feelings toward him. Their “dangerous chemistry” – or so L. J. Shen calls it – is undeniably sexy. My favorite feature of the entire book is their banter. It’s clever, wonderfully raunchy, and extremely witty.

The two are forced into spending a week together as the bridesmaid and groomsman at a wedding (the couple from book 1). The entire week is overflowing with drama. I couldn’t have removed my face from it’s pages with a crowbar had I tried. It’s excellent. A must read!!

Amazon BLURB:

NOW A TOP TWENTY AMAZON BESTSELLER

Rosie

They say that life is a beautiful lie and death a painful truth. They’re right.
No one has ever made me feel more alive than the guy who serves as a constant reminder that my clock is ticking.
He is my forbidden, shiny apple.
The striking fallacy to my blunt, raw, truth.
He is also my sister’s ex-boyfriend.
One thing you should know before you judge me;
I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first.
Eleven years later, he waltzed into my life, demanding a second chance.
Dean Cole wants to be my bronze horseman. My white knight has finally arrived. Hopefully, he isn’t too late.

Dean

They say the brightest stars burn out the fastest. They’re right.
She sets my mind on fire.
All smart mouth, snarky attitude and a huge heart.
In a world where everything is dull, she shines like Sirius.
Eleven years ago, fate tore us apart.
This time, I dare it to try.
Getting to her is a battlefield, but man, that’s why they call me Ruckus.
Rosie LeBlanc is about to find out how hard I can fight.
And conquering her will be the sweetest victory.

Ruckus is a complete standalone and a part of the Sinners of Saint series

Excerpt: Search For Maylee …. COMING SOON!

Nervously, Autumn hurried to the door. Before opening it, she took a quick heart throbbing look out the peep hole. There he was, the man she had spent her evenings swooning over while listening to the steady hum of his voice over the phone. A man that she once detested, and now ached for. There were so many things she wished could be different about this moment. She would have prepared herself, dressed nice and fixed her hair – probably up and swept from her face. She would have picked something with a low neckline to wear, lathered her skin with her silkiest lotions, and even taken the time to shave. Everything…

Rather than the romantic reunion Autumn had been anticipating, she was being forced to see him in dreaded conditions of her own, and clearly of his too. It was going to take everything she had to shoo him out of her apartment. She had every intention on telling him all about Josie, but not until she had the time to speak with her first. Josie needed to warm up to Autumn, and rest. That wouldn’t be a possibility if she was thrown to the wolves before even being able to catch her breath. Autumn had to keep Josie a secret, at least for tonight.

Chance stood outside the door waiting impatiently. It’d been a long trip, he’d caught the first flight possible after hearing news of another sighting of Maylee. Right there in Denver nonetheless. It was time to be completely honest with Autumn, and he had to do it in person. Anxiously, he held his breath as her metal door creaked open. All he could do was come clean about his lies and pray for her forgiveness.

Their eyes locked and for one brief moment they were the only two people in the world. Josie, Craig, Jeremy, and even Maylee faded into mere background.  The sharp gray shards of color in his eyes pierced through her, and she drank in their naked vulnerability. There was a sense of surrender in the upward pull of his brows. It was a look she was yet to see plastered on his handsome face, a look that melted her from the inside out.

As she welcomed him in, the sexy familiar scent of him threatened to consume her. It smelled like spruce bark and ocean mixed into a fresh rustic blend, and it followed him into her apartment, her heart, her future. They had opened up to each other in a way that there was no turning back from. Even if it had only been by phone. No matter what he had to say, there was sure to be a way around it. Autumn was confident of that.

As usual, I’ve bitten off more than I can chew lately. One project after another, I’ve filled my to-do glass until it’s spilled on the floor leaving me nothing but a mess. But, I’m happy to announce that I see a light at the end of the tunnel.  I have set everything aside for the last couple of days, and have really thrown myself into my latest and greatest!

I’ve been working on revisions for this portion of my book-to-be Search For Maylee, and I’m so excited about it! So, I thought I’d share an excerpt today, hope you enjoyed, and I hope you hang in there!  I’m definitely still planning on a fall release for this book and I’ll keep everyone posted as soon as I set a date!

Thanks for reading!

CONNECT WITH ME! AMAZON AUTHORS PAGE //  GOODREADS //  TWITTER

LIKE AND FOLLOW MY FACEBOOK PAGE HERE

CLICK HERE TO JOIN DIDI’S BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!

 

Saints & Sinners. What’s Your Favorite Prompt?

It’s Wednesday that can only mean it’s poll day for our writing prompt challenges. Late last night I posted our back with a bang theme story. You can catch up on that here. This week it’s Saints and Sinners week, what does that mean? I hear you say. Well, below are a few story titles  the winning story title will be used as a prompt, to write a story that’s either saintly …. or a little naughty and sinful. Depending on the starting writer’s mood 🙂 .  Next Tuesday you might end up with a lil’ sauce or something a lil’ sweet to read and enjoy. Joins in vote and write with us! We’d love to read your stories. Voting closes on Friday this week. Which one is your favourite title? Will you be a saint or a sinner?

Review: The Genie Hunt, by M. C. Tuggle 4 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

The Genie Hunt by M.C. Tuggle is very clever! M.C. has a smooth easy reading style. It has a quick pace and a comfortable flow. I feel like it’s an excellent story for young readers. It has just enough drama and very little violence. The magic is there yet its practical and believable rather than over whelming. The plot is gripping and very unique.

I really like the main character Buddy. He is so sharp!  Although he’s only a tax attorney, his deep routed friendship with Coot, who has quite the past, has kept him on his toes in the ins and outs of defense representation. He makes an amazing attorney. The details of Coot’s current case are one of a kind and Buddy is able to sniff them out seamlessly.

The magic in this book comes in the form of a Genie. He’s controlled by whoever is in possession of a stone that binds him. He’s creepy, powerful, and very in tune mentally.

Buddy is placed in a situation where he’s forced to outsmart his opponents in law, as well as in crime, and the Genie. Through the struggle he thinks outside the box and the way he is able to mentally navigate the situation at hand is genius. He’s very smart, always a step ahead. Coot is only lucky ex-criminal to have such a friend!

All in all I enjoyed the story, especially the genie, and the ending was every on point. Kudos M.C. Tuggle, I’ll soon be checking out more of your work!

4 or 5 stars

 

DESCRIPTION:

Buddy Vuncannon, an attorney in High Point, North Carolina, and his friend Coot Pickard are heading out of town for a fishing weekend when they’re surrounded by a SWAT team. Three eyewitnesses have identified Coot as the gun man in the latest of a string of robberies. To defend Coot, Buddy must stand up to a bullying district attorney, uncover the identity of the real robbers, and battle a powerful genie who serves the robbers. Buddy’s investigation implicates an old friend, reigniting long-forgotten friction between Buddy and Coot. Old and new loyalties clash, leading Buddy and Coot to a desperate chase that forces them to seek the help of a madman they both fear.

Time Wasters have a new look!

Thanks Kim Knight for the help in creating beautiful book covers YET AGAIN!  What I would do without is woman is beyond me!  I absolutely love the new look! I came out with this short story series earlier this year, and anyone who knows me is well aware that I just don’t do images lol. Kim is my savior, so talented! If you haven’t read a Time Waster check them out. Super easy reading, Juvenile Humor.

Blurb:

The Time Wasters Series are several compiled short story adventures based on true stories. This book contains the first three in the series. They’re all titled Super Short prelude because they ARE just that – super short stories that lead up to big life concepts or events. Designed to help pass short spouts of time, most of the Time Wasters stories range from 8 to 15 pages. Each mini-book in the series actually contains an entire story that will draw you in, make you laugh, and then allow you to move on with your life. If you want to read, but don’t have the time or are in no mood for a Novel Commitment, then a Time Waster is just what you need.

In Love or Low Places: Dana is young wild careless and free, that is until her entire world is turned upside down by a man she meets at karaoke night. Is there really such thing as love at first sight? You be the judge.

In Sabotage by Hook and Dog: Dani convinces her husband, brother-in-law and friend to go on a fishing adventure, only to have a disastrous turn of events completely take over.

In Trampling Beast: While spending time on her cousin’s farm, Diedra finds herself making an effort to help guide an escaping animal back to its rightful place. What started out as a slight fear quickly forms into a lifelong phobia of this particular farm animal.

Blurb:

In Kids Are Gross: Daphne has just started a new job in daycare. It’s her fifth day on the job and what she encounters is equally as disgusting as it is traumatizing. Talk about a crappy day.

In Is That An Eyeball?: Daniella is confronted with a series of funny situations involving near crashes, friends full of banter, and a brother with an extremely disturbing appetite.

In I Peed On My Tail: Dharma and her best friend Kelsie sneak alcohol from Kelsie’s parents and indulge in an evening of adventure. It’s Halloween night, there are outfits to be worn and parties to attend.

We’re BAAACCKK!!! #kdsuspense

It’s been a hell of a month for Kim and I, and we’re so excited to get back to our weekly project! So PLEASE pick your favorite writing prompt out of the following list. (Don’t be a wimp about it either, it’s my birthday today! *Aug, 2nd*)

Which ever prompt is voted for the most (between here and twitter) we’ll be writing a short story on it together and we’ll have it posted for your reading pleasure next week!  For those of you who are new to this writing project then don’t fret, and STILL VOTE!

This is how we roll:

We never discuss beforehand how a story should go or who writes what. It’s a surprise for each other to see how their story ends, or what lands in their inbox to finish off.

This interactive writing challenge is simple and insanely creative. It’s a group effort and we are so glad to have you join in the writing fun!!  I hope you’re ready to challenge us by choosing which prompts we can transform into stellar suspense!  Give us your best shot!  You vote on our weekly prompt, and we provide the entertainment. It’s that simple!  The super easy steps are as follows:

STEP ONE: Every Wednesday we’ll post a voting poll with a few prompts to choose from.

STEP TWO: With the click of a button, you cast your vote on a prompt. (voting will stay open for three days.) Once the winning prompt is announced you can join us and write a story too. Use #kdsuspense to link in.

STEP THREE: READ AND ENJOY!  Every week on the following Tuesday we will post the short story that transformed from the very winning prompt.

 

All comments on the story posts will be open. We love feedback, and I’m willing to bet you will never guess who wrote what!! Therein a challenge of your own! (Yes, one of us writes with  British English spelling, and one of us in American English spelling. We are well aware, and ready for some trickery. Trust me, we are brilliant at adapting styles.)

 

We just released an anthology of our first set of these stories and the feedback we’ve been getting is AWESOME!  So thank you everyone who has read it I’m glad you’ve enjoyed.

Thanks for your vote and remember sharing is caring! (and so is voting!)

Last but not least, you can find our previous stories here:

 

 

Book Tour Review Stop: The Last Dragon Rider, by Errin Krystal 5 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy/ Adventure/ Romance

Novella Release Date: August 9, 2017

MY REVIEW:

5 of 5 stars

Every single page of this novella packs a punch. What a powerhouse! The Last Dragon Rider honestly takes fantasy to a whole new place. This is actually the first time I’ve given a fantasy revolving around dragons five stars. I went into this book expecting something run of the mill, which is okay, because I do like such stories. But, what I got was completely opposite from your average magical war fought atop dragons type story!! WOWZA it’s good!

This authors style in writing and word choice is superb! I read the entire novella in one sitting, I couldn’t put the magical bad-ass-ery of this story down, I want more! The characters are unique, sexy, and very well painted. The chemistry between the power couple Flint and Saira is a force to be reckoned with. The love between them is strong, their banter is to die for, their back story is perfect, and the things they do in private are wildly unforgettable. Really though, cutting off a breast wrap with a blade before claiming her body as yours until her knees buckle….. Yes please!! AND that’s not to mention how awesome of fighters they are, both physically and mentally. The magic is perfectly placed, and not cheesy at all. It all actually seems real! Love it!

The villains are also meticulously put together. An uncle and niece duo, on a mission to claim what they feel is rightfully theirs. They’ve created an army of the dead, and found a missing book that contains unfathomable powers in an ancient spell. This changes everything! Mnuvae doesn’t hesitate to use this book, making its contents reality. She gains complete control of a very large powerful dragon, willing it to follow her commands by thought. Of course, she uses this power against Flint and Saira and their army.

The battles are just the right mix of combat, magic, blood and gore. The sex scenes are wonderfully sexy! The plot line and characters are drawn well and delivered with perfect detail! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

 

Blurb

Trained as an elite warrior from childhood, the elven crown prince Flintathriël fights to bring a stop to a war that began before he was born. With the aid of his betrothed Sairalindë, a skilled mage and dragon rider in her own right, they must find the Book of Souls – an ancient and mysterious tome rumored to have belonged to the god Hath’Raal.

When the missing book turns up in the hands of Mnuvae, the bastard child of the dead king, Flintathriël finds himself fighting to not only save his people from this new threat but also trying to keep Sairalindë safe when Mnuvae takes over the dragons in her attempt to win back the kingdom she believes is rightfully hers.

The love Flintathriël and Sairalindë share shines pure and true, but when the smoke of the battle clears, will their hearts survive the aftermath of war or will their love become a casualty that cannot be revived?

Goodreads Link

Author Bio

Errin Krystal is a fantasy romance writer who has been writing since she was a small child. Her head has always been full of stories. She began work on her first novel when she was sixteen.

She lives with her family in regional Victoria, Australia, and works as a chef. In her quieter moments, she loves to indulge her passion for storytelling, basking in the joy that comes from creating vibrant characters, fantastical worlds and all manner of magical creatures. Dragons and elves, mages and warriors, troubled princes and beautiful princesses, romance, magic, and adventure can all be found in her writing.

Excerpt

She began wrapping the cloth tightly about her, binding her breasts firmly, criss-crossing the gauzy fabric around her torso and across her stomach, tying it off at her hip. She shimmied into a pair of leather leggings and reached for her foot wraps. To other races—like the dwarves and humans—the elves lack of footwear was strange. The elven people had strong ties to the lands, their magic and mystique were inexplicably linked. Even those who did not practice magic felt the connection to nature, and the elven people had maintained the practice throughout their long history.

After binding her feet and leaving only her toes exposed, she tossed an olive green tunic over her head before quickly weaving her tresses into a thick braid.

Sivath was waiting, and Flintathriël was late. Again.

She was reaching for her leather jerkin when he finally appeared in her doorway.

Arms akimbo, he slouched against the frame, all lean muscle and sharp angles beneath his leathers. Silver-white hair fell across his forehead, hiding the dark arches of his brows as he gazed at her with silvery blue eyes. The mop of hair barely touching his shoulders. His coloring typical of the royal family.

Her gaze traced his tattoos. Sweeping vines encompassed runic symbols, curling downward from his bottom lip, winding and weaving their way down his chin and neck. She knew every line that twisted and spread across his shoulders, and across his back. Etchings that disappeared beneath his tunic and reappeared along his arms. She still remembered the day he received the markings, branding him Nuvian. The day she first gave herself to him, the day she truly became his.

Author’s Links

Errin’s Website

 Facebook

 Twitter

Instargram

Errin’s Goodreads

Errin’s Blog

 Facebook Launch Party!

Amazon Purchase Link

Guest Post

Characters gone wild: How the comic relief became the hero

It’s funny how wildly out of control things can get. I mean, you start out with the intention of simply writing a short 2,000 word character study to help push through the writer’s block you have been struggling with. Short, concise, maybe spend a day or so on it. Just something fresh and new to get the creativity flowing again you know?

That’s not what happened.

What happened was I set aside my novel and spent six months on writing a 30,000 word novella featuring a character who originally only had a small bit part… until I fell in love with him and created a more in depth history.

In his simplest incarnation, Flintathriël, (now the full-fledged hero of The Last Dragon Rider), was basically created to offer snarky and sarcastic comments to the hero and flirt with his love interest. That was pretty much his entire purpose in the beginning. Someone light and fun, someone to stir the proverbial pot.

Until one day his entire past just came crashing through, demanding to be written. So I started jotting down some notes for a short story… It was never meant to be anything serious…

I had this amazing idea, set against the backdrop of an ancient war with love, betrayal, dragons and elves and all those good things. But I only wanted it to be short.

I was determined to finish my other novel in 2015…

I wrote a novella instead…

But Flintathriël was destined to be more than a flat caricature and all too soon he had taken over telling his own story. He wanted more from life so I obliged, turning him into a fully fleshed out character as he demanded, creating something magical in the process.

In getting distracted with my novella, it has enabled me to fill in a few gaps in my novel (which is now book 2). Several characters appear in both stories and writing this novella has allowed me to flesh out those characters and add more depth to a specific story arc.

So while he still maintains that cocky arrogance I originally intended, Flintathriël is now burdened with a few more obstacles and responsibilities (as well as a kick ass love interest), making the transition from comic relief to tortured hero.

Giveaway Details:

5 digital copies of the book (Giveaway runs from July 31^st to Aug. 9^th)

ENTER RAFFLECOPTER NOW