Thursday, August 29, 2013

Mrs. Potter’s Book Publicity Services Presents:
A Double Cover Reveal for author Melissa Pearl!

BEFORE
(Betwixt Novella #0.5)



Description:

Dale Finnigan is a teenage rebel; he lives for parties, girls and joy riding in stolen cars. In spite of his uptight parents' constant warnings and lectures, he continues to run wild. His crazy lifestyle is the only way he can live and feel free…until his reckless behavior takes him down a path where there is no going back.

In this prequel to BETWIXT, find out who Dale Finnigan was before he became known as “scar-face”—the unassuming hero everyone underestimates.

Add BEFORE to your Goodreads TBR List


BEYOND
(Betwixt Novella #1.5)



Description:

Have you ever been so in love with someone, but not had the courage to tell them?
Nicole Tepper is that girl. She loves her boyfriend Dale, but fearing rejection, keeps her feelings buried deep. She can’t even let on how heartbroken she is when Dale begins applying for colleges thousands of miles away from her; never even whispering a word about how much she wishes he would stay close.

But, when Dale is rejected from Colombia University in NYC, due to a police report that follows him wherever he goes, Nicole soon discovers that love can drive her to do things she never thought possible.

There's more than one way to say, I love you and Nicole Tepper is about to prove to Dale that she loves him beyond all common sense.

Add BEYOND to your Goodreads TBR List



Cover Designs By: Eden Crane Design

AUTHOR BIO:

“I used to be a full time teacher (11-13 year olds) then I became a full time mother. During that time I also found my passion for writing. Over the last ten years I have been studying the craft and putting myself out there.

My first trilogy came out in November, 2011. It has been a wild ride swimming in this indie river and I have loved so much of it. I have learned so many amazing things and met so many great people. It has totally solidified the fact I want to be a writer for as long as I possibly can!

I now have five books published and am working on a new YA Fantasy trilogy for 2013. I am having so much fun with it and can't wait to share it with everybody.

I am from New Zealand, but am currently living in China with my husband and two sons. It has been a culture shock, but it's pretty cool living in such a different country.” ~Melissa Pearl

AUTHOR SOCIAL LINKS:





Wednesday, August 7, 2013

 
Title: Long Road Home

Author: Jenna Pizzi

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours



Synopsis:
 
“The Long Road Home” Is a story about family, first love, betrayal & secrets.

What if someone took away everything that you ever cared about?

What if one by one you were stripped of everything you ever knew until there was nothing left?

What if you didn't even realize what was happening to you, because it was by the hands of one man, one man who was driven by obsession to possess you, to own you.

Christina never believed in love at first sight, until she met Michael. In the span of one summer, Christina finds her soulmate only to have him suddenly torn from her life, her father is set up for a crime he didn’t commit, and her best friend Lani is swept up into a fairy tale of her own. Christina suddenly finds herself alone and vulnerable, with only one person left to turn to, Logan. Little by little she begins to fall under his spell.
Logan will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and what he has wanted all along is Christina. He has managed to worm his way into her life, separate her from everyone she cares about, and steal the life she was meant to have with someone else.
In a series of shocking events, the truth starts to unravel, and the true Logan Harrington is discovered for who he really is. Christina's friends fight for her to uncover the truth, and free herself from his web of deception. Will she piece the truth together, or will she succumb to his delusional lies?

 
This or That Question Interview

  1. Paperback or Ebook? paperback        
  2. Chocolate or Vanilla? swirl (I like them mixed)
  3. Laptop or Desktop? Laptop (I can’t sit still)
  4. Liquor or Wine? (Beer - Corona with lime to be exact)
  5. Summer or Winter? Fall - haha!!! I am a fall baby and love everything fall.
  6. Day or Night? Day
  7. Cash or Debit Card? Debit card
  8. Birthday or Christmas? Halloween - all the other holidays are way to stressful. I like to dress up and scare the little kids. ;)
  9. Talk or Text? I like to talk, but end up texting all the time.
  10. Gum or Candy? Candy
  11. Coffee or Tea? Coffee
  12. Dog or Cat?can’t answer as I have both
  13. Long hair or Short? Long baby....mine goes to my butt.
  14. Sing or Dance? I do both in my kitchen with my earbuds on
  15. Fruit or Vegetable? roasted veggies are my weakness
 
 
 
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Jenna settled into America's hometown where she proudly calls home with her family. She is an avid book reader and collector with an entire room dedicated to her passion. At the age of twelve years old Jenna began writing, determined to be just like Stephen King or Dean Koontz.
For her it all starts with the flick of an image. From there a story is born. Being an eternal romantic, Jenna is a true believer in happy endings. It's the rest of the story that anything is possible. Writing is her passion. It is something that helps her unwind at the end of the day. She likes to tell stories that will pull at your heartstrings, or simply whisk you away even for just a little while. So grab your favorite blanket, and a hot cup of coffee and settle in for the ride.

Links:



Website: Jennapizzi.com

Twitter: @jaderayne

Wednesday, July 10, 2013




Love, Lies, and Deception ARC signups are OPEN
 
 
 
**Keep in mind, not everyone will be chosen due to the volume of signups. Only serious inquiries, please, and you must be willing to leave reviews on Amazon, B&N, and Goodreads on day of release. Thank you so much!!!**
 
Click on the link below to be taken to the signup sheet
 


Saturday, June 15, 2013

May 27 - June 28th


THE DIAMOND SERIES, BOOK 1 Owner of the Diamond Saloon and Theater, Alice Reynolds is astounded when a fancy Englishman offers to buy her saloon. She won’t be selling her saloon to anyone, let alone a man with a pretty, empty-headed grin…but then, she reckons that grin just might be a lie, and a man of intelligence and cunning resides beneath. Rupert Llewellyn has another purpose for offering to buy the pretty widow’s saloon—the coal buried deep in land she owns. However, he never banked on her knowing eyes making him weak at the knees, or how his deception would burn upon his soul. Each determined to outwit the other, they tantalize and tease until passion explodes. But can their desire bridge the lies told and trust broken?








THE DIAMOND SERIES, BOOK 2 Christmas in Freewill Christmas Eve, the Diamond Saloon is empty of its people, and Pearl la Monte has a hankering to retire early. A pounding at the Diamond’s door rids her of such a fool notion. Her irritation rises when she sees the prissy, polite-like Garrett standing outside. Ethan Garrett has a powerful need to gain succor. When the saloon’s voluptuous redheaded singer scowls at him from the threshold of the Diamond, he doesn’t stop to think on how his ire at her has disappeared. Or how he just wants to spend some time in her company. When a blizzard storms in, trapping them, will they spend their time arguing or find their irritation for each other disguises something more?

Authors Bio:

Cassandra Dean Cassandra grew up daydreaming, inventing fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures. Once she learned to read (First phrase – To the Beach. True story), she was never without a book, reading of other people’s fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures. Fairy tales, Famous Fives, fantasies and fancies; horror stories, gumshoe detectives, science fiction; Cassandra read it all. Then she discovered Romance and a true passion was born. So, once upon a time, after making a slight detour into the world of finance, Cassandra tried her hand at writing. After a brief foray into horror, she couldn’t discount her true passion. She started to write Romance and fell head over heels.

The love affair exists to this very day.

Cassandra lives in Adelaide, South Australia.

Her website - http://cassandradean.com Links for Cassandra https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassandraDean http://twitter.com/#!/authorCassDean http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5016740.Cassandra_Dean http://cassandra-dean.tumblr.com/ http://pinterest.com/cassandradean/ http://instagram.com/authorcassdean?ref=badge http://cassandraandlucy.wordpress.com/

Buy links: ROUGH DIAMOND Decadent Publishing | Amazon.com | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks | Barnes & Noble FOOL’S GOLD Decadent Publishing | Amazon.com | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks | Barnes & Noble FOOL’S GOLD A giveaway will be done for the tours! How many copies throughout the tour? Yes. Four US$5 Amazon.com Gift Cards + four ebook copies of any Decadent Publishing book from my backlist (not including Rough Diamond & Fool’s Gold)

Excerpt:

ROUGH DIAMOND Lifting the glass, Alice studied its contents. “There is nothing quite like the enjoyment you get from a good whiskey. There’s the look and color of it, and the way it burns in the light.” “It’s the same color as your eyes,” Llewellyn breathed, his own wide and empty of thought. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. That’s right. Fool me into thinking there’s not an ounce of calculation to your words. “Is it? Mighty kind of you to notice.” A happy grin was her response. Well now, she was surely going to enjoy this. Setting her own half-smile, she tilted her glass, watching as the whiskey caught the light of the candle. “Have you ever noticed the feel of glass? It’s smooth against your fingers, and though the whiskey burns you, the glass is cool. It seems strange, doesn’t it? That such fire could come from something so cool.” Intensely aware of his gaze upon her, she brought the glass to rest on her bottom lip. “You lift the glass to your lips, and all that coolness rests upon your flesh. The scent of the whiskey hits you, sweet and fiery. Your mouth waters, and you can’t wait to have it inside you. Slowly, so slowly, you tip the glass, teasing yourself as long moments in want of its taste stretch unbearably.” He no longer wore a smile. Dark eyes watched her as strong fingers dug into the glass before him. A prickle washed over her skin, her heart a steady beat in her chest. With hushed voice, she continued. “Liquid slides down your throat. The flavor explodes inside you, a glorious rush of sensation that overwhelms and consumes. You curl your tongue, enjoying the lingering sensation in every part of your mouth. Then, you look at the bottle.” Finally, she met his gaze direct. No subterfuge. No tease. “And you know you can do it again.”

FOOL’S GOLD Turning on her heel, Pearl marched off toward the stairs. A weird kind of panic jolted through Ethan, one he’d never felt before in all his days. It was…he didn’t…. She couldn’t leave him. “Where are you going?” She whirled to face him, her irritation plain. “I was seeking my bed before your arrival, and now I’m seeking it again. Help yourself to whiskey this one time. I got better things to do.” Shoving to his feet, he strode to her. “Don’t just walk away when we’re discussing things.” “We ain’t discussing nothing. You’ll be down here, waiting out the blizzard. I’ll be in my bed, doing what I was gonna before you arrived. That’s the end of it.” Taking a step, she made to leave him. Again. He grabbed her arm. “Don’t leave me.” “Don’t tell me what to do.” Glaring at him, she stood before the bar, her magnificent hair slipping from its pins, her breasts rising and falling. Abruptly, his mouth went dry. Clearing his throat some, he said, “You’re supposed to offer succor to those in need.” “We’re closed, remember?” Paint-less lips pressed tight together, she glared up at him. They were so close he could see the faint marks of freckles on her skin. Pearl La Monte had freckles. A kind of haze came over him, tightening his skin and bringing with it something all-fired powerful and completely unstoppable. All the years he’d known her crashed through him, all the times she’d flirted with him and meant something else, all the times he’d seen her perform on stage and wished he could have held such fire. Grabbing her upper arms, he hauled her against him and, ignoring her shocked gasp, he covered her mouth with his.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Amazing "Just Because" Giveaway
 
 
Just enter the rafflecopter below!!
 
 

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013


 
 
“It’s a cross between Lord of the Rings and the Wizard of OZ where you will be swept away into a magical land of Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings.”

—Brae Wyckoff

 

Voted #1 BEST fantasy book under the radar!

Voted #1 Best Christian Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book!

Voted #1 Best Indie Fantasy Book!

 

Synopsis:

In the hundreds of years since the Holy City disappeared, darkness has fallen over the land. Human kingdoms have seized control of the realm, scattering the other races into hiding.

Bridazak, a skilled thief, and his friends, a Dwarf and a fellow Ordakian, have dared to remain within the human communities and live relatively quiet lives, until they discover a mysterious, magical artifact. The three friends are thrust into an adventure that will challenge their faith, their purpose, and their destiny as they chase a forgotten and lost prophecy across the realm of Ruauck-El, where they hope to discover the origins of the strange item and their place in its history.

An ancient, unknown enemy threatens the completion of their journey at every turn. Bridazak is about to face the biggest adventure of his life, one that may change the known realm, and answer the questions he has carried all his life. Will they unlock the truth?

About the Author:

Brae Wyckoff was born and raised in San Diego, CA and is working toward a Psychology degree. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Jill, for 20 years, and they have three children; Tommy, Michelle, and Brittany. He has a beautiful grandson named Avery. Brae has been an avid gamer since 1985. His passion for mysterious realms and the supernatural inspired him to write The Orb of Truth, the first in a series of fantasy action adventures. Brae describes The Orb of Truth as a cross between the Lord of the Rings and the Wizard of OZ where you will be swept away into a magical land of Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings.

 

 

 

Author Links















 

Book Links






 

 

Book Trailer Video:


or

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The Dragon God (Book 2)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Synopsis:
As the heroes of Ruauck-El emerged triumphantly in The Orb of Truth, the first book in the Four Horn series, they could not have imagined that an even greater evil still lay ahead of them.
Raina has discovered a new threat to the realm, and teleported King El'Korr - against his wishes - to the West Horn King's capital city, Tuskabar, in hopes of thwarting an evil Mystic's plan to acquire the five dragon stones. Each relic harbors an ancient dragon spirit, and, if combined, would unleash a multi-headed deity beyond imagination, to begin a reign of terror upon Ruauck-El.
Meanwhile, Bridazak and friends are in search of Spilfer Teehle's missing family. Their quest leads them to visit old enemies, travel through beautiful but deadly locations, and will ultimately take them on an adventure of new discoveries of themselves.
Each group is on their own mission, but as destiny would have it, their fates are more entwined than they could possibly know.
Internationally acclaimed author, Brae Wyckoff, brings a new depth to fantasy storytelling in The Dragon God.

Sunday, March 31, 2013



 

Title: Allusive Aftershock

Author: Susan Griscom

Genre: YA

Publisher: Amber Glow Books

Release Date: December 18 2012

Editions/Formats Available In: Print and Amazon Kindle

Synopsis:

What happens when a major earthquake changes life as you know it and the boy you thought you hated ends up saving you? Three times!

Courtland Reese is the guy everyone hates and makes fun of because … well, he is weird. He communicates with animals. Strange or interesting, seventeen-year-old Adela Castielle can’t quite figure out, but when he saves her from being trampled by her own horse, she begins to understand him a little better and wants to learn more about him. But, Max--her best friend/dream guy/someday-to-be-her-husband-only-he-doesn’t-know-it-yet--hates Courtland with a passion. Adela wants to know why, except neither boy is talking. When Max leaves her stranded in his parents' wine cave with his worst enemy, Courtland, after what the experts are calling a “megathrust” earthquake, Adela starts to question her loyalty to Max as steamy kisses in a dark damp cellar only fuel her emotions with more conflict. But does she really have time to worry about that when fire, destruction and mayhem surround her?

Purchase Links



 

Author Bio


I daydream often. If I didn't write, I think my mind would explode from an overload of fantasy and weirdness. To the annoyance of my friends and family, my characters sometimes become a part of my world. During my childhood, I would frequently get in trouble in school for daydreaming. Eventually, my vivid imagination paid off and I had the privilege of writing and co-directing my sixth-grade class play--a dreadful disaster; though not from my writing, of course, I must blame it on the acting.

The craft of writing, although dormant for years, never really left me. Many years later, and with the help of technology, I let my imagination run wild again.

Born in a small town in Pennsylvania, I enjoy writing about characters living in small quaint towns. I tend to lean toward the unusual and spooky. I read all genres but I love reading paranormal romance and like writing in that genre.

My paranormal playing field delves into a different milieu, abandoning vampires and werewolves, but not discounting them. Someday I might like to write a novel about vamps and those furry creatures. But for now I like the bizarre mixed with romance. A strong hero or heroine confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers and capabilities gets my blood running.

I live in Northern California with my very romantic husband, my small yippy dog, Riley, and my humungous black cat, Saké. My family consists of his and her children; four wonderful sons, one beautiful daughter, and seven grandchildren. My greatest love in life is my family and those large and ever growing holiday dinners.

I enjoy traveling. I hate running, but do it once in a while. Reading and writing are my favorite pastimes.

Author Links




Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/SMGriscom




 

Excerpts

 

Excerpt 1:

As Courtland stood, the legs of his chair scraped along the floor and the back of his knees pushed it out of the way of his tall frame. His dark green hoodie hung loose and unzipped, his jeans sat low on his waist. His hair was slicked back away from his face, different from the normal way it usually fell over his forehead, giving him the appearance of an ancient Native American warrior. If I wasn’t already in love with Max and Court hadn’t been so mean to me the other day, I might actually think he was hot, the way he walked up to get the book without saying a word, his gait easy but cautious as he sauntered past Max’s desk. One never knew what Max might do and Courtland had been the brunt of his antics more than once.

“Stop by the library on your way back and pick up a couple of the books they have on earthquake preparedness. There should be a good selection on the subject. Ask Mrs. Snow to help you; she’ll steer you in the right direction.”

Courtland strolled out of the room while Mr. Montgomery continued his talk about earthquakes.

Sometimes I felt sorry for Courtland, the way some of the kids made fun of his keen intuition with animals. This morning, I was still too mad at him to care much about that, though. My mind wandered back to Big Blue. I really wanted to ride him—maybe today would be a good time to do it. If Max rode with me, Courtland might stay clear. I scribbled a quick note in my binder, ripped the page out, folded it into a little square and handed it to Max while Mr. Montgomery wrote something on the board. He read it and folded it back up before sticking it under his history book. After flashing a smile at me, he nodded.

I sat doodling on the paper in front of me, making little swirling designs I thought might look good on a book cover, half listening to Mr. Montgomery when I felt a brush of material glide over my arm. I looked up to see Courtland as he strolled past me, back from his trip to the office.

 All of a sudden, my desk jolted

 

Excerpt 2:

With no electricity, I could barely make out the two figures standing by the door to the cellar. If not for the half moon, I would not have been able to see them at all. I stepped up to them and realized they were staring up at the sky and my eyes naturally followed their gaze. I had never seen such an awesome sight. Without any city lights for miles and miles, the stars in the sky were unusually bright and plentiful. A truly beautiful sight.

“Wow,” I whispered, standing between Max and Court. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Court’s focus change and he stared down at me. There was something strange about the way his eyes bored into me, as if he could see into my soul. I waited for him to look away but he held his gaze on me while I pretended to marvel at the sky. I’d never seen him stare at me that way before and I got nervous. My fingers fidgeted with each other and I clamped two of them in my other hand to steady them. If I hadn’t known better, I never would have guessed in a million years he had injuries. His eyes stayed fixed on me with an intense tenderness I had never seen from a boy before. Maybe Courtland Reese wasn’t so bad after all. Standing between the two of them in all their glorious hotness had my stomach doing flip-flops. I knew it was wrong to think these things under the circumstances, but maybe my mind just needed the distraction … or confusion. I loved Max, but I was beginning to like Courtland too. Man, I was in so much trouble.

 

Excerpt 3:

“I’m so sorry, Adela. I’m so sorry.” His soft voice barely registered in my ear while he stroked his hand over my head, trying to comfort me. I didn’t want comfort. I wanted to find my mom. I wanted her arms around me, rocking me the way she did whenever I became upset or sick. My legs buckled under me, and I collapsed to the ground. Max held on and sank down with me. We sat on the pile of my broken home. “I’m pretty sure she’s not here.” He continued, “I think she went to Sacramento with your dad.”

I sniffled, hoping Max was right. I knew we couldn’t search through this on our own. I just wanted to try.

I don’t know how long we sat there while I leaned against Max’s chest—could have been a few seconds, could have been a few minutes. It felt like hours. I dried my cheeks with the sleeve of my sweater but couldn’t lift my head from the comfort of Max’s embrace.

I thought about how I’d just used my sweater to wipe my tears and nose and sighed as I sniffled. Speaking softly into Max’s shirt, I said, “My mom would cringe if she saw me do that. She’d say, ‘Adela, stop, get a tissue. You’re going to ruin your sweater.’”

“Ah, you’re right, she would. Are you going to be okay?”

“No, but what choice do I have? I can only pray she’s with my dad and they’re okay—and hope Ambrosia and Aaron survived. We need to find them.”

“Right. First let’s find something for your hand.”

“My hand?”

“Yeah, look.” He placed his fingers around my wrist, turning my hand over; blood covered my entire palm. I stared at my blood-soaked hand as if it belonged to someone else. “When did I do this?”

“You fell when you were running toward the sweater.”

“Oh yeah, right, I fell.” I shrugged. “There’s a lot of blood, but it doesn’t hurt.”

“It will once the shock wears off.” He found a small dishtowel under the ramshackle pile of debris in the kitchen area and wrapped the soft cloth around my hand, tying a knot at the backside. “That should be tight enough to stop the bleeding. Let’s go to my house. My folks can help us.”

 

Excerpt 4:

An explosion burst through the air and I almost jumped out of my skin. I turned toward the noise and stared in horror at the sight of the Arco gas station completely engulfed in flames. The fire immediately spread into a clump of trees between the station and the half-demolished grocery store about six feet from where Max stood.

“Max!” I screamed and leaped up forgetting about the clenching in my stomach.

Max hurried back and grabbed my hand again. We ran, hopping over broken brick, concrete, glass, and wood from collapsed buildings, swerving between and around abandoned cars stopped or smashed along the road. Max never let go of my hand. Trees and buildings consumed in flames glowered around us, the heat almost too much to bear. The scent of gas permeated the air along with the muck of smoke and debris. Water spewed up from a broken fire hydrant, knocked on its side by the delivery truck now perched on top of it and I gasped at the sight of a bloodied man’s head hanging out the window.

I wanted to be home more than anything now. Did we even have a home? Were my mom and dad okay? The twins? What about Big Blue? I fought back tears, trying to convince myself they were all fine and probably wondering where I was. I squeezed my eyes shut to picture my mom pacing the living room, worrying and telling my dad they needed to find me.

All of a sudden, we stopped running. I glanced up to see why and gaped with horror at the road in front of us. The broken asphalt had buckled into a pile about twelve feet high, obstructing our way. The crumbled debris from the buildings on both sides blocked the entire area. With the newly formed abyss in front of us and the out-of-control inferno behind us closing in fast, we were trapped.

 
This or That Interview
 
 
 

This or That Questions
a)    Paperback or Ebook? Both. It depends on the situation. I do mostly read on my iPad, however, there are times when a paperback is needed, like floating in the pool or indulging in a bubble bath.
b)    Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
c)     Laptop or Desktop? Desktop
d)    Liquor or Wine? Wine
e)    Summer or Winter? Summer
f)      Day or Night? Night. That’s when I get to relax and sometimes some of my best ideas come to me during the night.
g)    Cash or Debit Card? Credit card all the way. To my husband’s dismay, I never have cash.
h)    Birthday or Christmas? Both. I love presents and surprises.
i)       Talk or Text? Text. I really hate to talk on the phone. J
j)       Gum or Candy? Candy
k)    Coffee or Tea? Both
l)       Dog or Cat? Both
m) Long hair or Short? Both, but right now I have short hair, having recently cut it from being down to the middle of my back.
n)    Sing or Dance? Dance, I cannot carry a tune.
o)    Fruit or Vegetable? Fruit


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Friday, March 29, 2013




The 20 Questions Spectacular!!!

~ Sophie Davis VS Madison Daniel ~

 
1. Well hello there, Madison.  We’ll start off this game of 20 Questions with an easy one: How much of you is in Max, your protagonist in the Ember series?

 
MD: Probably about 50% me, 50% rockstar superhero. Ember and the character of Max were the first things I created in literary form (back in 2008), and at the time, I was told to “write what you know...” Well, that’s what I did. And all I really KNOW is 80’s movies, comic books, music and the awkwardness of teenage angst. Ha.

SD: I can totally picture you as Nicolas Cage in that 80’s cinematic masterpiece, Valley Girl ;)  Hahaha, I hope our readers look up the cover!  (kidding, kidding)

 
2. How about you, Sophie? How much of yourself goes into the stories you create?

 SD:  Talia, the main character in Talented has some similarities, both physical and in personality.  But I have other characters that have a lot more of me in them, and some with a lot of my closest friends.

 
3. I know that Max has trouble choosing between the two female characters in Ember; how much of a ladies man were you in high school?

 
MD: Hmmm...tough question. There were two versions of me back in school, the easy-going, soft-spoken, frontman to my local rock band AND then there was the shy, awkward, hopeless romantic, that just wanted to connect with that “one” special person. Let me put it this way, I looked like the kind of boy your father would hate for you to bring home, but was actually the exact kind of young man your parents always told you to look for. Basically, a ‘good boy’ in a ‘bad boys’ body.

SD: Haha, so a wolf in sheep’s clothing?  Nice.  Sounds like my kind of guy now, though back in those days I would have gone for the straight-up wolf.

 
4.  All right, describe your teenage experience in 10 words or less...GO. :)

 SD:  Fun, embarrassing, bad decision making, some of my favorite years!

 
5. Tell us about your first girlfriend.

 MD: Enlightening, artistic, challenging and smelled like strawberries. That’s all you’re getting...hehehe.

SD: Strawberries… now why does that sounds familiar?  Ohhh, right, that’s Samantha from Ember’s scent…you heard it here first ladies- we found Madison’s kryptonite!

 6. Tell us about your LAST relationship. BOOM.

 SD:  It’s a tragic tale of love, Madison.  We first met in college, where we bonded over dirty dishes and pickles – we worked at a sandwich place.  I fell in love with his long hair and angry attitude, not sure what he saw in me, but I did wait tables in some very short shorts.  While it was obvious we both pined for the other, we never professed our love.  I left our small college town for D.C., while he headed south to warmer weather – Miami to be exact.  He married a Brazilian supermodel.  I got a Master’s degree.  He divorced the Brazilian supermodel.  I got a law degree.  And then if finally seemed like the right time to get together.  Unfortunately, our mutual attraction only existed in theory.  In reality, we had nothing in common.  So after a year of flying back and forth between DC and Miami, we parted ways.  Since then, only one boy sleeps in my bed, my Benji look-alike, Humphrey.

 
7. Who were you most nervous to have read your first book?

 MD: He hasn’t read it yet. So, I can’t answer that question just yet. BUT it’s always nerve-racking to show your words to your family.

 
8. What was the most surprising reaction you received after showing your work to the ones closest to you, good or bad?

 SD:  My uncle called my mother to tell her how funny the first book was.  He said I must have a terrific sense of humor.  The only problem is, the book wasn’t supposed to be funny…

 9. Do you have a writing outfit?  Do you get dressed every day when you’re working on a novel, or are you the ratty bathrobe, holey boxers type?

           
MD: I’m definitely a jeans and T-shirts kind of guy. Casual, yet proper. Nothing feels as good as a nicely worn, old pair of jeans.

 10. Your perfect location to work, write, and play...the beach? Or the park?

 
SD:  The beach.  I recently went to a destination wedding in St. Croix and I spent the majority of my time sitting on the beach with my HUGE laptop, writing.  It was the best week of my life.

 
11. What was it like writing from the perspective of a teenage girl?

 
MD: I love it. I’ve only done it a little bit, in the Ember series. BUT I’m actually working on an all new series from the perspective of a teenage girl. Honestly, I think boys and girls are fundamentally made up of all the same ingredients. Fear, love, acceptance and the joy of discovering something new. We just process those ideas a little differently, that’s all.

 
12. What’s your favorite character emotion to write about in your stories?

 SD:  Hmmmm.  Hard one.  Oddly I’m going to say anger.  I think about every time the parking attendants ticket my car at 7:01 (it has to be moved at 7:00am for street cleaning), just as I am running outside in my pajamas to move it, and I put all of that frustration at the parking people into my characters.

 
13. How have you found the transition from writing songs to writing out whole novels?  Did any of your books start as songs, but then you realized that the story needed to be told in depth?

 
MD: They’re quite different. There is a similarity in the layout and structure building though. My song writing is usually based around the song title or the groove or hook of the song AND I’ve found that my stories come to me the same way. Either a title sets me in the direction of the story I am writing or the main plot twist or hook decides the path I choose. Great question!

 
14. Any favorite bands? Songs? Music inspiration?

 
SD:  Definitely the Foo Fighters; I even traveled across the pond last fall just to see them play at the Reading Festival!  They played a three-hour set and I was in heaven.  I’ve also been known to rap Biggie Smalls in some of my finer moments.  In general, though, I listen to a lot of different music for inspiration when I write.  I have playlists for books, scenes, characters, you name it.

 
15. What are the worst song lyrics you’ve ever written?

 
MD: Ha. Probably something to do with “big butts.” Just kidding. :)

SD: Those other brothers can’t deny…

 
16. Any literary crushes? Favorite authors or books?

 SD:  I don’t think I have any literary crushes right now- that special place in my heart reserved for character crushes is all Agent Derrick Morgan from Criminal Minds.  Favorite authors, hmm, there are a lot.  Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Mary Higgins Clark are my old standbys.  I read just about any new book they put out, regardless of whether it sounds good.

 17. What is your biggest quirk?

 MD: I’m a bit of a gadget whore. I’m always chasing after the newest electronics. I think it has something to do with all the pretty lights! I’m also addicted to eyedrops. The stronger the better. Not too weird, I hope.

SD: Me too!  My best friend and I always crack up about the ridiculous number of chargers we have to pack every time we take a trip.  It’s a far cry from when we backpacked around Europe, carrying around paperbacks and –gasp!- sans cell phones.  As for the eyedrops… yeeeah, totally normal…

 

 18. What’s the nicest thing you’ve ever done for a complete stranger?

 
SD:  Wow, really making me dig deep for this one.  I guess the nicest thing I’ve ever done for a complete stranger is pay for difference when she didn’t have enough money for the bill at Target.

 
19. If you had a helicopter, what would you name it?

 MD: Easy! “THE REAPER!” Why? Because when someone says they’re scared to fly in my chopper I can jump up and scream... “DON’T FEAR THE REAPER!” That would rock! No? Okay then, how about “Hank.” Yah, I like Hank. Come fly the friendly skies with me and Hank. Word.

            SD: Best. Answer. Ever.  Definitely stick with the first one- more cowbell, anyone?

 

20. If I offered to fly you anywhere in my helicopter, where would you like to go the most?

 
SD:  Can you take a helicopter from here to Switzerland?  My favorite place in the world is Interlaken, Switzerland.  You can run off the top of an Alp with a parachute and spend 10 minutes just floating down.  You can also be pushed off of one in a big rubber ball- it’s called Zorbing- but I drew the line at that.

 
Sophie, I just wanted to take a second to thank you for sharing your thoughts with me and our readers. This interview was a blast! You’ve been fantastic to get to know. I see great and epic things ahead for you. I’m sure your fans think the same. Let’s do this again! Write on! Rock on!

 

~ M

 

Thanks Madison!  And thank you for taking the time to answer my questions; we’ll definitely have to do it again.  I wish you continued success with your books and music!

 

I’d also like to give a shout out to Derinda Love over at YATR- she made it possible to get this out to our readers on all of these amazing blogs, and she donated the gorgeous charms bracelets with our book covers (made by Cassie Chavez over at Cassie’s Crafty Creations!)

 
Now let’s give away some prizes!

 

Sophie <3