Wicked Glory Blog Tour: A #Book Playlist to Remember

Welcome Delshiree Gladden as she talks about the playlist that inspired her new release: Wicked Glory!

I was so glad Noree asked me to share a playlist for Wicked Glory, because after visiting local schools and telling them some of my favorite bands and songs only to get blank looks on at least half of them, clearly, teens today need some better music to listen to. So, here we go!

1. Mumford and Sons: This is one probably most people have at least heard of. They’ve gotten more popular in mainstream over the last few years, but they aren’t new. I love their folk music sound because it’s so much more authentic than so many other bands today. They put everything they have into their music and cover tough themes without ever bogging down their listeners. “Little Lion Man” and “White Blank Page” are two of my favorites from them, but all of their songs are amazing. They even covered the theme song for Disney’s Robin Hood (the cartoon) and it was awesome!

2. The Oh Hellos: This is another one that’s kind of folksy and upbeat, but if you listen to the lyrics, they’re much deeper than you realize at first. I love the poetic quality of their lyrics too. Everything doesn’t have to rhyme and sound cliché to be poetic. “Hello My Old Heart” is one of mine and my kids’ favorites.

3. Angus and Julia Stone: These two have such unique voices, it’s the first thing that pulls you in, but like the others, the lyrics have a lot of depth to them. Their sound is something you don’t hear from other duos, too. “And the Boys” is one of my favorites of theirs.

4. The Airborne Toxic Event: Honestly, I don’t know why more people haven’t heard of them. Their freshman album was amazing, and so was their follow-up album. It’s hard to choose a favorite from them, because they’re all so good, but I definitely like “Sometime Around Midnight” and “All At Once.”

5. Of Monsters and Men: Not only are the song titles always interesting, they also have a great unique sound that will catch your attention right away, and keep it with their voices and lyrics. “Dirty Paws” is a great one.

6. Florence + The Machine: This band isn’t so unfamiliar, but some of her most entertaining songs are ones I never hear on the radio. With a title like “Kiss With a Fist,” don’t you want to pop over to iTunes and listen to it? I love their tempo and lyrics and the creativity they put into their songs.

7. Fistful of Mercy: Ben Harper is the lead singer of this band, and he is amazing all on his own, but I really love his work with the new band as well. His voice is so memorable, and even though it doesn’t always sound like you might expect, it sticks with you. “As I Call You Down,” is a great one from their first album.

8. Vampire Weekend: I think this group is fairly well known, though I don’t get to hear them on the radio much where I live. Their fun tempos, clever lyrics, and interesting topics get me every time. I love that they have a song called, “Oxford Comma!”

9. Passenger: I love that their newer song, “Let Her Go,” made a huge splash, but everyone needs to check out their other albums, too. “Night Vision Binoculars,” is still one of my favs from them!

10.  Maroon 5: I know they are anything but unknown, but I have to add them to the list because I LOVE their music and Adam Levine is simply awesome, even when signing “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” in a Frank Sinatra voice.

Thank you so much for letting me share some of my favorite bands and songs! Hopefully the next time I talk about some of these bands, people will know who I’m talking about.

You can get your copy of Wicked Glory and the rest of the series here: 

Wicked Hunger is FREE on most platforms.

Kindle/Amazon: Wicked Hunger, Wicked Power, Wicked Glory
B&N: Wicked Hunger, Wicked Power, Wicked Glory
Smashwords: Wicked Hunger, Wicked Power, Wicked Glory
iTunes: Wicked Hunger, Wicked Power, Wicked Glory
Kobo: Wicked Hunger, Wicked Power, Wicked Glory

About the Author

DelSheree Gladden was one of those shy, quiet kids who spent more time reading than talking. Literally. She didn't speak a single word for the first three months of preschool, but she had already taught herself to read. Her fascination with reading led to many hours spent in the library and bookstores, and eventually to writing. She wrote her first novel when she was sixteen years old, but spent ten years rewriting and perfecting it before having it published.

Native to New Mexico, DelSheree and her husband spent several years in Colorado for college and work before moving back home to be near family again. Their two children love having their cousins close by. When not writing, you can find DelSheree reading, painting, sewing and trying not to get bitten by small children in her work as a dental hygienist. DelSheree has several bestselling young adult series, including "Invisible" which was part of the USA Today Bestselling box set, "Pandora." The Date Shark Series is her first contemporary romance series.  

Connect with DelSheree Online

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Hot Calender Reads: November

It's 2014 and we're celebrating with an awesome fantasy themed calendar. This calendar is for the background on your computer and you can get this month's image below.

Each month will feature a different book or series, so if you want to challenge yourself, try reading each book or series that is featured before each month is over. The series for November is the Evolutionary War series by Thomas Winship. He will be giving away a set of Vaempires eBooks. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below!

Click here to download the full size image. Then set as your background!

New Release!

Roadside Assistance (Short Story)

For Hannah, a long trip home seems a small price to pay for a little peace ... until her journey takes a turn for the worse. Now, injured and alone, she must test the limits of her courage, endurance, and love.

Amazon

Vaempires: Revolution (The Evolutionary War-Book 1)

It is the morning of Princess Cassandra's sixteenth birthday. Everyone's attention is focused on the heir to the vampire throne. World leaders, the rich and famous, and VIPs from every corner of the globe have gathered in the nation's capital to celebrate the momentous event.

Cassandra's boyfriend, Daniel, is late for the party. He's still outside the city when all hell breaks loose. What he believes is an act of terrorism proves to be a full-fledged revolution. Væmpires--former vampires who mutated into warm-blooded creatures with an insatiable hunger for cold blood--have launched coordinated attacks across the globe, with three goals: the eradication of humanity, the enslavement of vampires, and the ascension of væmpires as the dominant species on the planet.

The vampire and human leaders are killed. Cassandra is missing. Daniel is the acting king. Desperate to find the princess, Daniel and his friends fight their way across the besieged city. With the hopes of the free world resting on the shoulders of four vampire teenagers, væmpires unleash their secret weapons: a new breed of væmpire that is far deadlier than any ever seen before.

What can four teens do against an enemy that can shape-shift, fly, and walk through walls?

Amazon | Other Formats

Vaempires: White Christmas (The Evolutionary War-Book 0)

It's almost Christmas. With the global holiday days away, the people of the world should be turning their attention toward celebrating peace and goodwill, but tension between humans, vampires, and væmpires is at an all-time high. Desperate for solutions, King Brant schedules a secret summit deep in North America's Northern Forest. Along with Queen Anne, Princess Cassandra, Daniel's family, and the human president and First Lady, the vampire leader seeks to reaffirm the ties between humans and vampires, while brainstorming ways to respond to the growing hostility among væmpires.

Meanwhile, Daniel and Cassie's relationship is at an all-time low. The princess is still reeling from her breakup with Vielyn, and Daniel doesn't know what he should or shouldn't do to help. Little does he know that the summit will be flooded with surprises--guests, allegations, accusations, proposals, and even Christmas Eve revelations--but not all of the surprises will be pleasant.

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Vaempires: Zombie Rising (The Evolutionary War-Book 2)

The tale of the Evolutionary War resumes in Væmpires: Zombie Rising.

Væmpires have taken control of twelve major cities. Their leader, Vielyn, seeks the atomic weapons that will bring the rest of the world to its knees.

Vampire forces are reeling. As Linq and Ray race to the royal estate to rendezvous with Cassandra and Daniel, the princess is captured and Daniel falls.

With the fate of world shifting to their teenage shoulders, Linq and Ray must deal with tremendous losses while battling a most unexpected—and undeadly—new foe.

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Vaempires (The Evolutionary War-Book 3)

Coming Soon!

2015

Author Bio:

Thomas Winship lives in New York. He currently serves as MBA Director for a private liberal arts college in southern New York, where he also teaches courses in English Composition, Communications, and Business. Prior to this, he spent fifteen years working for a global pharmaceutical company, specializing in organizational development, talent management, and training.

Tom writes in his spare time. His first novel, Temporary Insanity, was a 2008 finalist in a national contest but failed to garner industry attention. Væmpires: Revolution, his second novel (first in the Væmpires series) and Væmpires: White Christmas were published in 2011. His latest work, Væmpires: Zombie Rising, was published in late 2012.

He is an avid collector of books, comic books, music, and movies. His interests are diverse: on any given day, Tom is likely to be found watching a horror movie, attending a hard rock concert, or enjoying a Broadway show.

He is currently working on the next installment of the "Væmpires" series.

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Giveaway:

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New #YA Release! Wicked Glory by Delsheree Gladden

NEW RELEASE!!!

Wicked Glory is now available for purchase on Kindle, iBooks, Smashwords, and most other major ebook platforms.

Not familiar with the series? 

Here's the 30 seconds recap...

Wicked Hunger

Born with an insatiable hunger for pain and suffering, Vanessa and Zander Roth struggle to hide the truth of who they really are. Keeping their secrets becomes even harder when Ivy Guerra arrives and stirs their hunger into a frenzy. Will their need to feed on other’s agony turn them into villains, or can they somehow find a way to become the heroes of their own dark story?

Wicked Power

Even after Vanessa and Zander Roth barely survive the Eroi’s attempt to expose them for what they are, they aren’t safe. Sitting balanced on the edge of impending death and unthinkable power, they must turn to the Godlings for help. Their help requires payment, but neither of them knows the true cost. Will David’s training create villains,as they fear, or can they discover their true purpose?

Wicked Glory

Forced with holding up their end of an impossible bargain, Van and Zander must choose between playing it safe and risking everything. Freedom seems impossible, but can they hold onto who they are long enough to survive?

Ready to go grab your copies? 

Wicked Hunger (FREE on many platforms): Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords

Wicked Power: Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords

Wicked Glory: Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords

And yes, there will be a book 4 ;)

2014 Hot Calender Reads: October

It's 2014 and we're celebrating with an awesome fantasy themed calendar. This calendar is for the background on your computer and you can get this month's image below.

Each month will feature a different book or series, so if you want to challenge yourself, try reading each book or series that is featured before each month is over. The series for October is the Flawed series by Becca J. Campbell. She will be giving away three prizes to three winners. The first in an eBook ARC of Outsider, the second is winner’s choice of an eBook from Becca’s published works, and the third is a bookmark from UpCycledChicByBecca (Becca’s Etsy store). The winner of the bookmark must be a US resident. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below!

Click here to download the full size image. Then set as your background!

Empath (Flawed Book 1)

Supernatural empathy isn’t a gift, it’s a curse. Anywhere she goes, Jade’s emotions are replaced by those of the people around her.

Jade grew up in a suburb of Colorado Springs, protected from other people by her parents. Now she faces college—and the world—with nothing to shield her from unwanted feelings.

When Cam, a classmate with a major crush on her, unintentionally hijacks her emotions, Jade struggles to keep from being carried away in feelings of attraction. When Ethan, a psychopath with a thirst for fear, fixates on her, the emotional impact could be lethal.

Caught in a deadly trap, Jade must untangle the emotions and find a way to use her empathic curse to overcome this killer or be overcome by him.

Amazon | Other Formats

Outsider (Flawed Book 2)

After a psychopath tried to kill his friends, Josh Schuyler figured 'normal' was far off. The real problem: Josh's friends have all acquired supernatural abilities, while he's still the same average guy.

Josh has always believed he was destined for greatness, but he's been out of college for two years without a clue of his purpose. After watching his friends and siblings develop superhuman traits, he wonders if he might be meant for something grand, too. Can Josh even hope for an extraordinary event in his own future? And how long must he wait for this transformation - if there is one?

When Alex met the Schuylers, she was grateful for new friends to whisk her away from her lonely life in California and give her an escape from her divorced, bickering parents and aimless future. But Josh won't drop his defenses, and Alex isn't sure she wants to trade her old life for this new, uncertain one.

Nicodemus has an amazing ability he's been milking for years to get whatever or whomever he wants. Things are going great until a young woman - Alex - inadvertently busts his latest swindle. Nic is furious when he discovers his power has been disabled, and he vows to find her in order to wreak his vengeance. She will be punished. All he needs is a little help from his friend, Ethan Black.

Josh has been waiting for his big break, or for the chance to be a hero, or just the opportunity to stand out in his own, extraordinary way.

Will Josh discover his purpose in time to stop Nic?

To Be Released Fall 2014

Add to Goodreads

Pulled (A Flawed Short Story)

Eight-year-old Juniper has been labeled many things—troubled kid, orphan, runaway—but none of her foster families have known what she really is: a girl with a unique and brutally inconvenient ability to teleport.

Her spontaneous jumps are not only beyond her control, they get her into trouble. When Juniper disappears, no one believes her wild stories, so she's stopped trying to convince them.

One day when Juniper gets pulled away, finding her way back is harder than ever. Stranded on the side of a deserted highway, she must rely on her own instincts to determine who is a creepy stranger and who she can trust.

Resourcefulness may get her home, but is getting home enough when you don't have parents that love you?

Juniper knows something most people don’t: there are others like her with unexplained abilities. Until now, she’s exercised stranger-danger caution, but maybe these people can offer what she needs.

Will Juniper find a family she can share her secrets with?

Approximately 7000 words.

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Author Bio:

An avid lover of stories that tiptoe the line between fantasy and reality (even when they plunge off one side or the other), Becca J. Campbell looks for new angles on bridging the gap between the two. She holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity.

Becca’s journey into writing began as many of her other creative endeavors do – by daring herself to try something new. The question “what if I wrote a novel?” and some hastily scribbled notes on a church handout were the inspirations that jump-started her first book. Since then, she has written half a dozen additional novels and several shorter works.

As the wife of a musician and mother of three young boys, Becca’s life is never dull. Whether it is writing, painting or knitting, she enjoys making stuff that wasn’t there before.

She also runs an Etsy shop at UpCycledChicByBecca where you can order custom painted or knitted items and more.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

#CoverReveal The Oath by Apryl Baker

The Oath Book 2 of The Coven Series By Apryl Baker Release Date: 10/07/2014 Summary from Goodreads: She killed herself. Everyone asked why, but when I got my hands on my sister's diary, I understood exactly why. I stared at the girl in the mirror as I removed my nose ring. Gone was the black hair, replaced by golden blonde locks that made my sapphire blue eyes shine and my California sun-kissed skin glow. The Goth chic clothes had been put away and I wore a pink tank top and a pair of khaki colored Capri’s. Stylish sandals completed the outfit. I wanted to barf. The snotty little would-be witches would pay for what they'd done. By the end of the week, they’d all be praying to whatever god they worshiped to hide them from the hell coming for them. May the Fates have mercy upon them, because they would pay the same price they’d demanded of her. Their lives. Add to your Goodreads to be read list now! Available for pre-order now! Amazon US | Amazon UK | Apple | Kobo Read book 1of The Coven Series, The Promise!

Summary from Goodreads: Armed with kick-ass shoes, can CJ stop a maniacal coven leader, save the town, and still get Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous while surviving the darkness coming for her? The smoke from the fire burned her eyes, its heat caressed her skin and the taste of fear choked her. She was going to burn just as her ancestor did all those centuries ago in New Salem Village. How could she have been so wrong about everything? Cassie Jayne Bishop grew up the only non-believer in town of Coven. When a stranger comes to the sleepy town of New Salem, everything she thought was true unraveled around her. Ethan made her question everything, even her sister’s death. Clues start to pile up and Cassie is determined to find out if the Coven was the real reason her sister died. What she uncovers terrifies her to the very depths of her soul.... Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Apple | Kobo | B&N

About the Author So who am I? Well, I'm the crazy girl with an imagination that never shuts up. I LOVE scary movies. My friends laugh at me when I scare myself watching them and tell me to stop watching them, but who doesn't love to get scared? I grew up in a small town nestled in the southern mountains of West Virginia where I spent days roaming around in the woods, climbing trees, and causing general mayhem. Nights I would stay up reading Nancy Drew by flashlight under the covers until my parents yelled at me to go to sleep. Growing up in a small town, I learned a lot of values and morals, I also learned parents have spies everywhere and there's always someone to tell your mama on you. So when you get grounded, what is there left to do? Read! My Aunt Jo gave me my first real romance novel. It was a romance titled "Lord Margrave's Deception." I remember it fondly. But I also learned I had a deep and abiding love of mysteries and anything paranormal. As I grew up, I started to write just that and would entertain my friends with stories featuring them as main characters. Now, I live Huntersville, NC where I entertain my family and watch the cats get teased by the birds and laugh myself silly when they swoop down and then dive back up just out of reach. The cats start yelling something fierce...lol. I love books, I love writing books, and I love entertaining people with my silly stories. You can reach me at any of these places: Facebook | Twitter | Wattpad | LinkedIn | Google+ PS: DO NOT GET IN MY WAY IF THERE IS A SALE ON AT TARGET - my home away from home!

#CoverReveal Next of Kin by Aray Brown

I'm pleased to introduce Aray Brown with her debut novel:

Designed by All Authors Cover Design

Guest Post:

The original cover just came to me when I was knee deep in the story. I wanted it to be more gruesome looking (a thick trail of black blood, leading up to woman’s corpse and the K carved in her) lol but I’m not knocking this cover at all. Less is more.

The story however, was originally a script I was working on before I even started converting it. I remember thinking “this should be a book” That was back when I was a little confused on which path I should take (screenwriting or novel writing), I just went with my gut and haven’t regretted since.



Blurb:
Medina Price always wanted to be a cop, just like her successors, until she gets thrown into a corrupt life at an early age due to witnessing her mother being slaughtered at the hands of a hired gunman. Now that she's been seduced by darkness, she vows to get revenge, but she gets more than she bargained for. What will Medina do? At this juncture in her life Medina realizes that... Everyone is capable of something.



Excerpt:

“You don’t wanna play this game.”

“Ah, how we soon forget.”

“Don’t do this.”

“Never pegged you for the begging type.”

“Not me. You.”

“Watch her.”

He made a huge mistake trusting him. Made a bigger one double crossing me.

Who’s to say he won’t kill you? Or I won’t? He was a wealthy man but he wouldn’t be alive to spend it. He wasn’t a gangster but he knew enough not to carry around dead weight. He didn’t need him anymore and couldn’t trust him. He made his bed and he had to rot in it. If you’re not a friend you’re an enemy. It’s as simple as that. It didn’t take a genius to see that we lived by the same rules. The same code. He was brought up in Youngstown. So did someone else, which brought me back to the source. Alex. They didn’t just meet by chance. There’s a reason for everything. Cause and effect. Have we met someplace before? I traveled back in my mind, trying desperately to remember. Trying to piece it all together. Slowly it came rushing back to me, in bits and pieces. We HAD met before. 2 years before the murder. Alex introduced us to him. Zoe shook his hand, greeted him with an audacious smile. He was very friendly. I looked through him. Didn’t think much of him at the time. He was his colleague. He needed someone he could trust. But why did he pay him off? He didn’t seem like a man who had a squeaky clean reputation. What did he have on him?

“He taped him and threatened to go public with it.” He confessed.

“We don’t have much time.” He blurted out, rushed to remove the tape from the legs. Then made his way to my arms. I noticed the handle of his gun dangling from his pants. BANG! The bullet merely grazed my skin while he crumpled to the ground in a dead faint.

“Leaving so soon?”

My arms were almost free. I studied the men who were in front of me. King and Alex. Each one equipped with a revolver, aiming at my head.

“Hi honey. You’ve grown into a beautiful woman. You still have your mother’s eyes.”

“And my father’s cunning.”

“Let’s finish this.” He growled, cocking his gun.

“Gladly.” Alex uttered, shot him in the head. I broke free. He turned around and put the smoking gun on me.

“Trust me, you won’t feel a thing.”

He placed his fingers on the trigger. I reached for the gun behind my back. This was how things were settled out in the west. I knew it would come to this.

Shots were fired. I saw the bullet holes on his shirt, pulsating to his chest. His heart was next. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. He died right there. I’ve always know he had something to do with it. That he was apart of it. He didn’t have a motive. He did it because he could get away with it. He was a monster. But I believe he had an ounce of decency left in him. Instead of being like my mother, I ended up being the monster he created.



I looked at King. He was injured but still alive. I had to put an end to this. I raised my gun, pulled the trigger but someone got to me first. It was Ava. I felt the bullet penetrate my insides as I stumbled to the floor. I scrambled to get the pistol back in my clutches. She tossed it.

“Goodbye.” She said with a sardonic smile, tucking a hair behind her ear.

I kicked her before it went off. The gun spewed out of her hand. I pummeled her to the ground, popped three bullets in her. One in the chest. One in the head. And one in the heart. I had one bullet left. And I knew just who to use it on. His name was on it. His blood was calling out to me. I could almost smell it. He was screaming before I was through with him.



I retrieved my trusty knife and carved her like a turkey. This probably would be my last so I took my time. Made damn sure they would remember me. This wouldn’t bring them back but I was hoping it would bring me peace. Some kind of relief. There were a few things I believed in. Revenge just happened to be one of them. It was at the top of my list. It was my religion, my sanity. It became my scared realm. Our special place.

Next of Kin, a 126 page novella, will released on October 21.

Add to Goodreads!

Author Bio:

Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Aray Brown emerged as a bright eyed scribe at an early age, which began her journey to self discovery.

Her short stories consisted of characters such as She-ra and He-man. Later on she decided to delve into something more real and personal.

She always had a passion for storytelling even though she couldn’t express it verbally.

After dabbling in other areas, she found her true calling and vowed to share her gift with the rest of the world.

Just like every other kid he grew up on Stephen King and Alfred Hithcock, she became obsessed with horror. Most importantly gore.

While she has different genres in mind for her next up and coming projects, her love of gruesome tales will always be eternal.

Author Links: http://facebook.com/ArayBrownfloacistms, http://www.twitter.com/araybrown, http://www.goodreads.com/AraySBrown , http://araybrown.blogspot.com, http://amazon.com/author/araybrown,https://plus.google.com/+AraySBrownAuthor, http://linkedin.com/in/arayb

2014 Hot Calender Reads: September

It's 2014 and we're celebrating with an awesome fantasy themed calendar. This calendar is for the background on your computer and you can get this month's image below.

Each month will feature a different book or series, so if you want to challenge yourself, try reading each book or series that is featured before each month is over. The book for September is Where the Carnies Are by Kayla Curry. She will be giving away a deck of Where the Carnies Are playing cards in the rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

Click here to download the full size image. Then set as your background!

Where the Carnies Are

Olive is having a very bad day. She caught her boyfriend cheating on her, she lost her job, and she stumbled into a portal leading to a secret carnival kingdom which she can’t escape. The good news is she meets an eccentric, but stunningly handsome knife thrower. The bad news is she can’t go home for another two months.

The world she lands in is full of sideshow characters, terrifying amusement rides and her biological parents’ past. She was born a carny, but raised as a normal human. Magic lives in her blood, but it hasn’t reached her heart. To find out who she really is, and why carnies are disappearing, Olive must deceive the king with the help of Alex the knife thrower.

Olive and Alex play a dangerous game with their emotions when they decide to have a fling during Olive’s stay. They both lead very different lives and being together would mean one of them giving up the life they've always known.

Tricks and traps are around every corner in this kingdom. Few can be trusted and Olive will need all the help she can get to make it through unscathed.

Amazon | Other Formats

Author Bio:

Kayla Curry’s creative mind never sleeps. Literally.

As Kayla sleeps, her active imagination keeps up the work by making her dream all night long. It’s those dreams that provide much of the inspiration for her stories.

Her works include Where the Carnies Are, Obsidian (Mystic Stones Series #1), and many short stories.

She lives in North Platte, Nebraska with her husband and two sons and she plans to keep writing and creating for the rest of her life.

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Giveaway:

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