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Wednesday, May 25, 2016

My Stop on the Blog Tour for Beast, by AJ Adams


Warning!
Beast by AJ Adams is a dark romance.
It contains graphic scenes of sex and violence.
It is for adults only!

Beast by AJ Adams
A self standing novella 42,000 words
Price US$2.99
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Blurb

Falsely accused, Wynne is determined to clear her name. However, a trip to petition the Steward at Brighthelme turns disastrous when the Beasts, fearsome warriors from the frozen north, raze the city. When Wynne is carried away, she's determined to regain her freedom but Rune, her captor, has other ideas.

Beast is set in Prydain, an imaginary place that combines Anglo-Saxon England with Medieval England, the Teutonic Kingdom and the Viking Age. This story contains kidnapping, rape, dubious consent and graphic violence, however, it is a love story rather than a dark romance. It is a standalone novel; no cliff-hangers.

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Teasers



Excerpt

He stuck the knife in the ground and stripped off his leathers. The tunic came off, revealing a long, lean, muscled torso, covered in tattoos. Snakes ran up and down his arms, his pecs and his shoulders. A skull blazed on his chest.
Then he was pushing apart my legs, settling between my thighs, leaning over me. He smelled of smoke, leather and musk. It was terrifying, like being at the mercy of an animal.

Here's a link to my review of Beast,
and my interview with Ellen Whyte, the genius behind A.J. Adams

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About the Author

AJ Adams is a Scottish-Dutch author currently living in Malaysia. In her regular life she is a columnist and feature writer. She works from home, where she is closely snoopervised by cats, Target and Guido.

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Books by AJ Adams

Crime, Romance, Passion, Fantasy - AJ Adams mixes it up in explosive stories.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Review of Cogling by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek

What a delightful story! One thing I love about Steampunk is how creative the authors are. Just the concept alone, of clockwork children secretly replacing human children is fantastic. Add in hags and ogres and swamps and dragons, not to mention mechanical maids, spyder spies on the walls, woodland dwellers, and a plot to overthrow the kingdom, and I found this story fully entertaining.

The writing has come such a long way from the other book I read by Jordan Elizabeth (Escape from Witchwood Hollow), and the construction of the plot much more in depth and complete. Her skill has definitely grown. There were places that still felt a little stilted to me, and I can't quite put my finger on it. Things jumped around a little bit too much, too. I could understand at the end when the main event was going down, but at times things felt a little jumbled. Otherwise, I can't say I found much wrong with this one.

With no profanity or sex, this story rates as family friendly to me. It does get a bit dark with some fairly graphic violence at the end, but it is brief.

A solid 4.5 stars.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

New Release Blog Tour for A True Prince, Book 1 in the Bonnie Isles Trilogy


Title: A True Prince 
Author: Kristi L. Cramer 
Genre: Young Adult Historical Fantasy
Release date: May 10, 2016

A True Prince

Blurb

~~ A long time ago in a faraway island kingdom, two friends discover the key to a mystery that, once unlocked, will change everything. Enemies they didn't know they had unleash magical forces to make sure the secret never comes to light. ~~

Princess Aslynn and Sebastian have been friends nearly since birth, despite their differing social status. A friendship cemented by a tragic common thread: Aslynn's mother died giving birth to her, and Sebastian is a castaway foundling, raised by the king’s swordmaster.

They lead an idyllic life until the forces of change converge on the small island kingdom they call their home. 

After a storm to rival the one that brought Sebastian ashore, the two friends rescue a shipwrecked stranger. In gratitude, the traveling mystic offers to solve the mystery of Sebastian's origins, but as the stranger uncovers clues, events surrounding his arrival stir up more than just the past.

A True Prince is a complete story arc, and does not end in a cliffhanger.


Excerpt

     Master Jabari moved to the fireplace, opening a wooden box to remove an ornate pipe, which he loaded with tobacco from a clay jar before lighting it with a taper from the fire. Smoke puffed from around the pipe stem as he settled down in his chair by the fire.
     The trio exchanged glances and smiles. A pipe always meant a story. They settled onto the rug in front of the blaze, ready to listen.
     For a moment, all they heard was the storm raging outside, and Aslynn watched the flames jump in the fitful breeze blowing down the chimney. She was glad to be here in such company, warm and comfortable, rather than shivering in her bedchamber, alone and bored.
     “It’s fitting that a storm should blow tonight,” Master Jabari said, and Aslynn turned to see him staring thoughtfully over the top of his pipe.
     She and her friends waited, knowing it would do no good to try to rush things. The old military man had a hundred stories to tell from his years in service to King Isaiah. There was the romance of falling in love with Princess Bette, who gave up any claim she might have to the crown out of the knowledge that the kingdom was not ready to have such an obvious outlander anywhere near the throne. Then there were the stories of his youth on the far off shores of Egypt, his native land, not to mention the roundabout journey to the Bonnie Isles as a captive on his way to a life of slavery.
     Master Jabari had explained more than once that in the tradition of his people, he told the stories to the children as a matter of oral history, so that they might pass them down to their children. Aslynn didn’t think so seriously about the future, but found them a good night’s entertainment.
     “Fifteen years ago, there was a storm such as this, on this very night. The wind raged all night and the rain fell so hard it beat trees to the ground. Every roof in the castle sprang a leak.
     “The next morning, King Isaiah and I went riding on the beach with the salvage crews, to see what the sea had given us. You see, the sea may give us our harsh weather, but she always leaves us her bounty when the wind and waves calm.”
     “Tonight was the night...?” Aslynn began, and Sebastian hushed her.
     “Tell us the story, Master Jabari?” Adam asked respectfully. Aslynn knew he hadn’t heard this story yet, but she and Sebastian could hear it a hundred times more and never tire of it.
     Jabari stroked the whiskers on his narrow chin. “King Isaiah and I rode the beaches, and it wasn’t long before we saw the frigate, her back broken on the reef they call the Devil’s Jaw.” He took a moment to puff on his pipe, and Aslynn imagined his absent gaze reflecting his memories of the sight.
     “The reef had called another ship to the bottom of the sea. There were bodies in the surf, and they told a story that would never have come from lips still breathing life. Bodies still chained to pieces of the ship, as well as a drowned man known to be a slaver—the first mate of a ship known as the Swing Trader. The frigate’s captain had tried to leave their secret port under cover of the storm, knowing if they were caught on the Bonnie Isles, they would be tried as the criminals they were.
     “Well, the sea delivered her own justice, taking all the poor souls who had been slaves home to her as well. All save one.”
Aslynn clapped her hands in delight, knowing who that one soul had been.
     Master Jabari smiled and continued. “Amid all the wreckage, the king found a sea chest. An airtight wooden box made to float, such as those used by sea captains to hold their ships logs or special belongings. Well, there was certainly something special in this one.”
     “Sebastian!” Aslynn laughed, and the boy in question gave her a playful punch on the arm.
     “It was the oddest thing,” Jabari continued, looking thoughtful. “King Isaiah saw the chest floating in surf still rough from the storm, and instead of asking me or one of the other searchers to fetch it, he went after it himself.”
     “Do you think he heard 'Bastian crying?” Aslynn asked—as she always asked.
     “I could hardly hear myself talk over the roar of waves and the cries of the gulls scavenging the corpses. But the king, he must have heard something. He came back to shore dripping wet, with the chest in his arms. He set it down so gently in the sand...” Master Jabari pantomimed the gesture, and even now, wonder lit his weathered ebony features, “and pried open the latches.
     “I was nearby when he did it, and though I don’t claim to be a mystic, I know magic when I smell it. There was a spell on that chest, to keep its contents safe.
     “Inside, nestled in blankets and snug as you three are tonight, was a baby boy, with eyes the color of the sea.”
     Aslynn knew those eyes better than her own—the green of sunlight shining in the surf, or the froth of the waves after a storm. She always thought it was funny others called them blue.
     “The king and I brought him home to Castle Fair Haven, and though we inquired, no one reported losing a baby. King Isaiah entrusted the care of the babe to Mother and myself, and gave him the name Sebastian, boy of the sea.”
     “But where could I have come from?” Sebastian asked, sounding upset by the story this time. “Don’t I look like anybody? I was more than ten months old, surely someone had seen me before the slavers took me....”

###

You can read the first 9 chapters of A True Prince FREE!
Check them out on Goodreads or Wattpad

Buy the Kindle or Borrow from Kindle Unlimited



A True Prince is also available on Kristi's website 
in Mobi, ePub or PDF for discounted prices.

About the Author

Kristi doesn't know how she got old enough to say she's been writing for three and a half decades. Her Young Adult books are exciting adventures that always include wholesome life lessons. She also writes Adult Suspense with a Dash of Romance, most of which are considered "clean" - especially by today's standards.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Interview with Ellen Whyte, aka AJ Adams & Storm Chase

My first official interview is with Ellen Whyte, who writes as AJ Adams and Storm Chase. She was kind enough to answer all the questions I threw at her, many of which I'm posting here. (The remainder will be posted in my Newsletter. Be sure to SIGN UP so you can read them all.)

Without further ado, the interview follows:

KCBooks: Tell us about you in a nutshell. What makes you tick as a writer?

Ellen Whyte: I start off quite organised, writing a three or four line plot idea.  Then I flesh it out, which takes me a day or so, and it’s all neat and tidy with events and chapter divisions. 

Then the characters begin to breathe.  

I think I’ve got it sussed, because I’ve got that detailed outline, right?  It’s all tidy and it works, right?  But then the characters take over and before I know it my lovely outline is in smithereens and my characters are rampaging all over the place. 

At that point I’m loving it because the story starts to write itself.  Very often I don’t know what will happen next, so it’s an adventure.

That’s what I love about writing. It’s romance and adventure.

KCB: Pets – What do you have? Which is your favorite? If you could have any pet on the planet which would you have, and why?
   
EW: I am ruled by two cats, Target and Guido.  They are kampung kuching, which means village cats in Malay. It means they are street moggies, rescue cats who are now spoilt home kitties.

Target is a drama cat. He’s constantly in trouble, up to trouble or causing trouble.  When he’s not doing something wicked, he’s at my side - clicking the escape key and changing the language on my keyboard.

Guido is relaxed. He’s absolutely huge, more a tiger than a cat, and it’s current ambition to climb the tree in the garden.  He’s not getting very far and he’s hinting that he’d like me to help him up.  I’m not because I don’t want to have to call the fire brigade to get him back down again!

KCB: Describe a typical day in your life.

EW: I get up around 630AM and I start with a coffee and checking my book sales (I know!)  I go through my Facebook private messages, catch up with friends and do my book promos.

By that time it’s usually about 730AM. Then I write for an hour or sometimes two.

Around 9AM or 10AM I start work (day job) writing for newspapers or magazines.  At the moment I’m also starting a new business, as a counselling psychologist, so I’m doing paperwork, writing proposals, seeing clients and so on.

At about 5PM I go downstairs and start dinner.  I love to cook so that’s fun.  Tom comes home around then, so we catch up on the gossip and we hang out for a while - him catching up on news and me writing.

We eat between 6PM and 8PM.  We watch old TV series, binge watching really, because the mindlessness helps us unwind.  We usually talk through it and if Tom’s got a yen to watch sports (he’s got a thing for baseball) I write. (all sport bores me to tears within two seconds)

After 8PM I write.  I stop around 10PM - 11PM and sometimes it’s a bit later. 

We go out twice a week, hitting our local pub around 5PM.  We’re home by 8PM latest and then I go to sleep early, but usually after writing an hour. Sometimes two.

KCB: Describe your ideal vacation—if money were no object and you had no obstacles holding you back...

EW: I would love to spend time in a small walled villa with it’s own pool.  Anywhere really: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia. I’m looking for peace and tranquility. I want to spend the whole day just being - with Target, Guido and Tom (the non-furry companion).  But at night I’d like to go out and see people. So probably Bali or Siem Reap or somewhere a bit touristy.

KCB: If you could live anywhere on the planet, where would you go and why?

EW: If I had a teleporter, I’d spend most of my time in Malaysia because it’s my home and I love it.  But I’d go to Spain for weekends so I could go see my mum.  Also, I sometimes miss fresh, cold air, Spanish food, Spanish wine and just being in a non-tropical place so probably I’d spend some time in Spain during the spring and autumn too.

Also, I miss Fay, one of my best friends.  We see each other just once a year, so it would be nice to be in the same continent again.

KCB: How do you find balance between work, family, and writing?

EW: Hahahahahaha! Brilliant!  You’ve seen my typical day so you know I spend most of my time working.

I write during the day, when I watch television at night, when I’m in the hairdresser, when I’m waiting for someone to come to a meeting - I work about 14 hours a day, every day.

It’s unsustainable but having spent the last three years studying part time, I have to get back to work so 2016 is just crazy.  Hopefully that balance thing will kick in next year!

Be sure to sign up for the newsletter to see the answers to these questions:

What inspires you to write strong female characters?

If you could lump all your books in a single genre, what would you call it?

What is your favorite food? Describe it so we want to eat it, too.


About the author
AJ Adams is a Scottish-Dutch author currently living in Malaysia. In her regular life she is a columnist and feature writer. She works from home, where she is closely snoopervised by cats, Target and Guido.

Stalker links:
Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/AJ-Adams/e/B00PTL6BNK
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2883330.A_J_Adams
FB https://www.facebook.com/ewhyte
Twitter https://twitter.com/KatzTalesTweets
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/Author_AJAdams/

Books: 
The Bonus by AJ Adams
My first AJ Adams novel and one of my favourites! It’s unusual but Chloe and Kyle are unusual people.

Beast by AJ Adams
If you like darkish romance, and don’t mind a bit of kidnapping and rape, this is the story for you!

The Degas Girl by AJ Adams
Zachary is not nice and neither is Serenity.  Together though, they are dynamic.

Songbird by AJ Adams
What I love about this is that Arturo is a monster but he’s also thoroughly human. I’d love to meet him for dinner - as long as Solitaire isn’t cooking.
         

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Book 1 is Live! Let's Introduce Book 2 in the Bonnie Isles Trilogy - To Make a King

Today is release day for A True Prince, and I hope many of you are finding it on your Kindle this morning.

Didn't Dana do a great job on the cover?
(Dana of Designs by Dana has done all of my covers. She is wonderful!)

To whet your appetite further, I want to give you the blurb, and show you the beautiful cover for Book 2, to entice you to read the series.

Both books have complete story arcs, so there are no cliffhangers, but you will want to read them in order, to get the most enjoyment.

Here is the working blurb. (It is a pretty early version, so I'll be refining it as it gets closer to the July 10 release day.)


Five years have passed since Sebastian learned of his birthright as a true prince of the Bonnie Isles. Now the king is dead, but Sebastian isn’t ready to wear his father’s crown. His whole world crumbles around him and he hasn’t slept for days. Add to that the blatant disregard of the somber occasion as every eligible woman in the kingdom competes for the crown prince’s attention, driving him to distraction.

Mari of Dewbury is the youngest daughter of a baron from the smallest estate in the kingdom. Between her mother and elder sister’s scheming to win the future king’s heart, and the dozens of other beauties making their play, she entertains little hope of even being seen by the crown prince, much less attracting his attention. She has only come to Fair Haven to pay her respects to King Isaiah, and perhaps catch a glimpse of the man destined to become king, but a chance encounter changes everything.

Unseen forces are using dark magic to undermine Sebastian’s succession, and Edward is encouraged to take action against his half-brother in a plot to usurp the crown. Before the sun sets on coronation day, brother will face brother and swords will be bared. Will royal blood be spilled, and evil reign in the Bonnie Isles? Or will love truly conquer all?

Both books are only available on Amazon at this time, which means they are/will be on Kindle Unlimited for the first 90 days of publication. After that they will go to all markets. Also, the price for To Make A King will go up to $1.99 after it's released, so get it at the low pre-order price of 99¢ now.

    

If you're still not sure about them, you can read the first 9 chapters of A True Prince on Goodreads and Wattpad, and To Make a King will eventually have at least that many posted, also on Goodreads and Wattpad.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Review of A Taste of Bliss by Adrian R. Hale

Solid 4 Stars
I quite liked this story. I was very moved by Lisa, Bliss' mother's storyline. Tragic and yet inspiring.

Talan was a sweetheart. Almost too perfect, but honestly, that's the way I like my heroes. It's nice to think there's a guy out there who can handle all our BS. I liked the layers to his personality and his life, and the way he was all in when it came to Bliss. My only problem is the amount of time he was absent from the story. I got a bit twitchy wondering when he was going to be back in the picture.

Bliss... Well, I liked her well enough. I thought she was pretty relatable, flawed, and real. She'd go flying off the handle, and then come to her senses. And Lord knows I'm a lot like her when it comes to overthinking things, and creating issues when there isn't really one there. Unlike her, I like to think I would let someone say their piece, defend themselves, in the event of a major misunderstanding, but who knows.

That particular misunderstanding was pretty predictable, although I did wonder what the real story was going to be. (Sorry if I'm vague, but I don't like to leave spoilers.)

My main problem with this story isn't really the story, it's the fact that it is not only first person, which--as those of you who follow my reviews know--is not my favorite, but it is also in present tense, which I find super distracting. I've only ever read one book in present tense that I didn't find so distracting--I hardly even noticed it, it was so well done. This one, for me, was not. As a reader, I was taken out of the bubble every time to dialog fell into past tense--which was often--and during the times when Bliss is flashing back to something that happened "off scene". So it felt bouncy and just not smooth.

Take that for what it's worth. For me, it's worth the loss of a whole star. But other readers who don't have problems with first person present tense may not mind it at all. Otherwise, the plot was well constructed, the characters all likable and relate-able, and the writing--other than my issues framed above--was very well done.


Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Countdown to Release Day! One Week to Go ~

Book your trip to the Bonnie Isles by Pre-Ordering your copy of A True Prince, the first book of the Bonnie Isles Trilogy.

Then get set for a tale of adventure, magic, discovery, and coming of age on a fictional island, a long time ago and far, far away.

A True Prince is the story of Sebastian and Asylnn.

Princess Aslynn and Sebastian have been friends nearly since birth, despite their differing social status. A friendship cemented by a tragic common thread: Aslynn's mother died giving birth to her, and Sebastian had been found floating in a sea chest after a storm. Though a magic spell had protected him, there was no clue as to his identity or his origins, and the boy from the sea was raised by the king’s swordmaster.

Fifteen years later, the forces of change are converging on the small island kingdom they call their home.

In a storm to rival the one that brought Sebastian ashore, the two friends rescue a shipwrecked stranger. In gratitude, the traveling mystic offers to solve Sebastian's mystery, but as the stranger uncovers clues, events surrounding his arrival stir up more than just the past.

A True Prince is a complete story arc, and does not end on a cliffhanger. It is family friendly, and suitable for readers as young as ten years old. Adults enjoy it, too.


Book 2 - due out in July 2016 - picks up five years later. The third book should be out in September or October.




Did you know...
You can order any of my books directly from me at a discount?
Send me a message or post a comment with your request, and I'll work with you on fulfilling your order. 

I take payments through PayPal, so it is totally secure. I have digital content in Mobi, ePub, and PDF, as well as some titles available in paperback. Shop at www.kristicramerbooks.com