Thursday, May 28, 2015

Hope in Every Raindrop by Wesley Banks -- Spotlight

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Hope In Every RaindropHope In Every Raindrop
by Wesley Banks
NA Contemporary
ebook, 202 pages
May 26th 2015

Small towns have big stories. That was a lesson Katie's father taught her years ago. A lesson sheís taken to heart. And right now, Katie is desperate for a big story. Reeling from the recent loss of her father and with her agent breathing down her neck for the next book, the twenty-one-year-old writer picks a spot on the map and finds herself bound for a middle-of-nowhere town called Bishopville, South Carolina.

Taking a chance on the words of a local grocer, Katie stumbles upon a rare breed of dogs raised by the town doctor and his nephew Kyle. The only problem? Kyle isnít interested in telling storiesóespecially not to a big-city girl who canít seem to sit still. In an attempt to win him over as the clock winds down, Katie finds herself immersed in Kyleís world, doing everything but writing.

When inspiration finally strikes, Katie is faced with an unforeseen catastrophe and a truth she can no longer ignore. While she has come to love the dogs, the real story may be about Kyle Walker.

wesley-bio-300x460Wesley Banks was born in 1983 and grew up on the west coast of Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelorís and Masterís degree in Civil Engineering. After spending over 7 years building movable bridges from Florida to Washington he decided to focus on his true passion: writing.

Wesley recently moved from Florida to Oregon to get back to the great outdoors that heís love so much. He lives with my wife Lindsey, and his two dogs Linkin and Story. Most of his time these days is spent writing, with as much rock climbing, hiking, or skiing as they can fit in.

Wesley's debut novel, ìHope In Every Raindrop, is set to be released May of 2015.


When you read Hope In Every Raindrop, one thing you'll quickly notice is Kyle Walker is the quiet type. He's far from shy, but he tends to be more reserved, especially about himself. So, I thought it would be fun to ask Kyle some random questions that he couldn't avoid answering.

What do you really want to do on a date?

As long as it's with the right girl, it doesn't much matter what we do. But if I had to pick one thing, I think I might go with horseback riding at sunset. It's hard to beat that.

What are your biggest turn offs?

Probably something simple like too much makeup or over doing it. I'd rather see a girl in jeans, a t-shirt, and a pony tail.

What about turn-ons?

A love for animals, and a good smile.

If you could only eat one thing every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

Doc makes some amazing ribs, so probably that.

What's your favorite 90s jam?

To be honest, I never listened to much music growing up. But, if I had to choose, I think I'd go with "Check Yes or No" by George Strait.

Do you have any pet peeves?

I remember in elementary school, one of my teachers assigned us this project where we had to write down the steps to make a peanut butter and jelly (PB&J) sandwich. We then went in front of the class and tried to make a PB&J using someone else's description. We all ended up with some really weird sandwiches. Ever since then I've been a big fan of details.

If you could tell everyone one fact about dogs, and only one fact, what would it be? 

The love of a dog is one of the few things that has the rare ability to expand the human heart.
Well, that does it for the interview with Kyle Walker. Were his answers what you expected? 

Have another question for Kyle? Leave them in the comments below!



Follow the Tour

May 21st - Launch
May 24th - Writing Pearls
June 3rd - Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card
3 ebook copies of Hope In Every Raindrop
Open internationally
Ends June 8th

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Wednesday, May 27, 2015

The Isian Series by Serena Clarke -- Spotlight

The Treasure of Isian

Author: Serena Clarke

Published: 2012

Goodreads Summary

Prince Garin is a brave, proud, adventure-seeking prince. Elani is his most trusted servant and she would do anything for him, even die for him.
Their quest to find the mystical Treasure of Isian is immediately interrupted and they find themselves confronted by angry giants, soul-stealing elves, bewitched dragons, a vengeful water-witch, battling foes, and a mysterious kingdom.
Elani must face her greatest fears to save her prince and her kingdom. Garin must decide what the most important things are in his life. 
Will they be able to make a great sacrifice to save the kingdom? And will Elani find true love?

Become lost in the adventure, love, loyalty, and mystery of The Treasure of Isian!


The Alliance of Isian

Author: Serena Clarke

Published: November 2013

Publisher: Red Mountain Shadows Publishing

Goodreads Summary

War is coming and all the kingdoms must choose a side. Isian decides to make an alliance with their long time enemies in order to defeat a common enemy. So Isian sends a proposal, offering their daughter to the prince, in order to ensure an alliance. 
Princess Gabrielle and her new husband, Prince Alec must learn to work together and trust each other in order to triumph in the approaching war. 
With a mysterious beast attacking the kingdom, their lives in danger, and overcoming their vast cultural differences, will love grow despite their trials or tear them apart?

Enjoy the fantasy, danger, mystery, and romance!


I will be reviewing these books as soon as I can!  Here is some more information on the books.  Book 3, THE SECRET OF ISIAN, will be released in August. 


Magic, Fantasy, Romance, and Mystery

Fantasy has become one of the most popular genre, simply because you are taken into a completely new world… a world of magic and mystery… where almost anything can happen. In this new series by Serena Clarke, we have an enchanting kingdom and mystical creatures that reside in the forests.

The Treasure of Isian is the first book in The Isian Series. Prince Garin is a brave, proud, adventure-seeking prince. Elani is his most trusted servant and she would do anything for him. Their quest to find the mystical Treasure of Isian is immediately interrupted and they find themselves confronted by giants, elves, dragons, and a vengeful water-witch. Elani must face her greatest fears to save her prince and her kingdom. Will they be able to make a great sacrifice to save the kingdom?

“The Treasure of Isian was a stirring tale of an enchanted servant and a handsome prince,” wrote Author Charissa Stastny. “The adventures they face together as they search for the fabled treasure of Isian that will grant the bearer any wish they desire. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. The author did a wonderful job pacing the story and connecting me to the characters. Superb story that brought a smile to my face and helped me remember that sometimes, we can overlook the most valuable treasures in life if we’re not careful.”

In the second book in this series, The Alliance of Isian, Isian decides to make an alliance with their long time enemies.  Isian sends a proposal, offering their daughter to the prince, in order to ensure an alliance. Princess Gabrielle and Prince Alec must learn to work together and trust each other in order to triumph in the approaching war. With a mysterious beast attacking the kingdom, their lives in danger, and overcoming their vast cultural differences, will love grow despite their trials?

When we think of fantasy, we think of magic and mythical creatures, but it is not the same without some romance. Cheryl Larson wrote: “I am always intrigued by stories of arranged marriages and how they turn to marriages filled with love. There is plenty of action and intrigue in the storyline. I can't wait for the next book in the series!”


The Treasure of Isian and The Alliance of Isian can be found at local libraries, bookstores, and online. For more information and to read a sample chapter, visit http://serenaclarke.wordpress.com

Monday, May 25, 2015

The Cokeville Miracle Movie -- Spotlight



1. The Cokeville Miracle was written and directed by T.C. Christensen. T.C. is best known for his films, 17 Miracles and Ephraim's Rescue.

2. The Cokeville Miracle was produced with the intent to appeal to believers of all faiths. You'll notice that there are no overtly denominational references in the film. The language and imagery are intended to feel familiar to all Christian believers. This new approach is a little different than what we've seen from T.C. Christensen and Excel Entertainment in the past and the hope is that Excel can appeal to a larger audience by focusing on the traits of faith that all believers share as opposed to the unique traits that are specific to Latter-day Saints.

3. The Cokeville Miracle was the recipient of the 2015, Audience Choice Award at the LDS Film Festival

4. The Cokeville Miracle is based on actual events. The claims of divine assistance, angles and heavenly messengers were actually made by many of the children who survived the hostage situation. We hope to have one or two survivors at your VIP showing for you to meet and interact with.

5. The Cokeville Miracle will open June 5, the same weekend as a major Hollywood "shoot 'em up" film and a Hollywood horror film. We really hope that people will go see The Cokeville Miracle as a way to tell Hollywood that uplifting entertainment still has a place at the box office.

6. The Cokeville Miracle is an independent film. Independent films only have opening weekend to prove to the theaters that they can draw an audience. The more movie-goers we can encourage to see The Cokeville Miracle on June 5th, the longer the film will be in theaters. Please encourage people to go see the film opening weekend.

7. May 16th will be the 29th anniversary of the Cokeville hostage crisis. As a way to honor those whose lives have been impacted by the horrific experience of school violence and out of respect to the survivors, we have decided not to run any advertising, promotional events or social media on May 16th. Instead, we will be observing a digital day of silence and spending time with those we love most. We would like to invite you and your readers to join us in this digital day of silence by turning off your devices and spending 3 hours with the people you love. If you’d like to share your experiences, we’d love to hear about them. #seemiracles

Girl of Mine by Taylor Dean -- Book Blast


GOODREADS  *   AMAZON  *  AMAZON UK

The book trailer:

The song that inspired me while writing GIRL OF MINE: 
(Watch until the end. There’s a surprise!)
A interesting tidbit about GIRL OF MINE:

My dad always worried about the cost of the electricity bill. If he walked past my bedroom and noticed that my light had been left on, he would turn it off and holler,
“That’s okay, Taylor, I got your light.” 

It became a bit of a joke in our household. My siblings and I loved to try and catch my dad leaving on a light, just so we could say,
“That’s okay, Dad, I got your light.”

Now that I’m an adult with my own family, the term takes on new meaning. 
The message behind it has worked its way into my new novel, Girl of Mine.

My father brought me into this world, he cared for me, and he taught me well. He gave me my “light,” my life.
He nourished my “light” and helped me become the person I am today.
So, Dad, thanks for getting my light.
I’ll always be grateful.
Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense–you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.


100_Amazon_Paypal
$100 Blast Giveaway
Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/15/2015
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Saturday, May 23, 2015

Authors United Against Child Slavery


Where authors unite to raise funds for Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.), a nonprofit that organizes undercover operations to free many of the 2 million children being trafficked as sex slaves around the world.

Participating authors are donating their books in exchange for donations


  • Donate $20 to receive a free book from a participating author (book prizes selected at random).
  • Donors of $40 or more will receive two free books, a series, or a bundle (selected at random as well). 

Nearly 200 books have been donated by generous authors to help raise funds for this great cause--see the list of participating authors/books below!

Give freedom, get a book





DONATE NOW

Donate directly to O.U.R. through the Authors United Against Child Slavery Campaign


AUTHOR UNITED AGAINST CHILD SLAVERY LINKS
Authors and book bloggers who wish to help, please fill out this online form

OPERATION UNDERGROUND RAILROAD LINKS

Participating Authors/Books