Monday, July 30, 2012

Shattered Souls Winner and New Giveaway...

Congratulations Daniela (you should have received an email from me) for winning the copy of  Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey!  I hope you love the book!!!

For my newest Giveaway (which will run for 2 weeks again this cycle) we have The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour.  I really loved this book, and I hope you do too!


You can find Nina LaCour at http://ninalacour.com/ or on twitter at https://twitter.com/nina_lacour.


Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev’s band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she’s abandoning their plans—and Colby—to go her own way in the fall.
But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie-Colby struggles to deal with Bev’s already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what’s next? 
Morris Award–finalist Nina LaCour draws together the beauty and influences of music and art to brilliantly capture a group of friends on the brink of the rest of their lives.  


You can read the first eighty pages of The Disenchantments here.

Same rules apply, You must be at least 18 to enter (13+ with parental permission) and have a U.S. shipping address.

Ways to Enter

+1 for agreeing to the terms and agreements

+5 for leaving a blog comment

+5 for tweeting about the giveaway (you can also earn additional entries by tweeting every day.)
+5 for following me on twitter @amberafterglow
+10 for following my blog (or for already following)
+25 for linking this giveaway to your blog

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Epic Thursday...



It's Epic Thursday again, and this week I'm hosting the Amazingly Awesome H.e. Gryphus!  She's one of my lovely CP's, a fellow WrAHM, and it's the first time she's agreed to be here, so I'm super excited!!!! ::happy dances all over the place::

Her Bio: A writer, a mother, a wife, a reader, a believer, a coffee drinker, a cookie eater….

(I also think it should read, and possessor of AMAZING hair.)

You can visit her at Thoughts On Writing, Books, and Other Jibberish or follow her on Pinterest or Twitter.

This excerpt comes from her manuscript Shadows & Ashes! And there is no other title for this other than EPIC MOTORCYCLE KISSING SCENE!  So without further ado, here it is.

I was extra tired today for some reason and glad Emery had offered to help Adele get cleaned up. Though now with clean and wet hair soaking my back, I was wide awake and cold.

When Dylan came into the clearing of our camp, I shivered for a whole new reason. He hadn't put a shirt on after his dip in the river and his chest gleamed with droplets of water, black hair soaked and in messy spikes, jeans slung low on his hips. My face flushed when he caught how low my eyes had traveled and his mouth curled into a wicked grin.

He sauntered over to where I was perched on my motorcycle as he pulled the shirt over his head. Heat licked deep in my belly when he cupped one side of my face in his hand and leaned in to kiss me. I scooted back to give him room and he threw a leg over the bike and straddled it backwards, pulling me into his lap, my legs hanging over his. His kisses grew deeper and I returned them with everything I had, pushing away the doubts that still plagued me. I gave myself over to nothing but the feel of his lips on mine and his hair in my hands and his chest pressed against me, our breaths tangling together as one. His hands moved from my waist and he rubbed under my shirt to my spine and back. I clutched him closer and he groaned against my mouth.

 His lips worked their way around my jaw and down my neck, his face scratchy as he nibbled down to my collar bone, his hands still stroking my bare back. My hands began to wander and found themselves on his chest, still, letting the pounding of his racing heart combine with mine.
Nothing else mattered at that moment but him. This sweet boy and the comfort he brought to me.

Our kisses tapered off into tenderness, exploring and tasting, breaths calmed and heartbeats slowed. He pulled away and smiled at me, his eyes soft and warm. I snuggled into his chest, our legs still intertwined over the bike, his arms tight around me. Safe and almost happy for a few precious moments.
 We jerked away from each other at the sound of people crashing through the trees and I scrambled from the bike and back to the fire to get dinner started.


And don't forget, it's never too late to volunteer some of your own Epic writings.  Contact me at amclites@gmail.com

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Epic Thursday...


It's Epic Thursday again, and this week I'm hosting the Amazingly Awesome Katherine Ernst!  She is a fellow WrAHM, and I'm super excited to have her here today!

Her Bio: 
Katherine Ernst has done it all—concert tech, kiddie carnival ride operator, attorney—and she’s lived

just about everywhere including New York City, California, New Orleans, Atlanta, Kansas City, and Pennsylvania. After practicing as a high profile criminal and corporate fraud attorney in Philadelphia, she realized that penning legal memos wasn’t nearly as fun as writing Young Adult novels, so she decided to make a career change. Katherine is now represented by Amy Tipton of Signature Literary Agency who is busily trying to sell her first novel. Katherine loves many things, but laying in hammocks, swimming in the ocean, traveling to distant lands, reading about neuropsychology, playing games, and talking politics top her list. 


Visit Katherine at www.KatherineErnstWrites.com, or follow her on facebook or twitter.


This weeks excerpt comes from the opening of one of Katherine's books prior to snagging her agent, GOOD GIRLS DON'T DO SUCH THINGS.  And really HOW can I improve upon that title?  It is EPIC!


The Rules

If I learned anything from the last eight times I changed schools, it’s that you have to follow the rules. Not the school’s rules. In fact, if you follow those too closely, you’ll end up being labeled a suck-up. You have to follow the rules of being the new kid.


No one ever taught me these rules. It took years of being thrown into a mass of undifferentiated faces to perfect my survival skills, but now that I have, I’m going to conquer my new school.


I’m tired of being lonely. Tired of my only friend being the weird girl that no one else wants anything to do with. I’m smart. I’m pretty. I should be popular.


I’ve probably compiled hundreds of these rules, but three are the most important on your first day and these are the ones I’m mentally reciting on my bus ride to school. (There should be a rule against riding the bus when you’re old enough to drive, but with no car, I have no choice.)


Rule Number One: If you have a common name (and I do), when you hear someone say it, for God’s sake, keep your head down. You’re new here, stupid. Why would anyone be trying to get your attention? The speaker is most certainly beckoning a girl who’s been lucky enough to have a mother who doesn’t insist on finding a better life every year.


But then there’s always that niggling doubt. What if the person heard your name and now they’re trying to get your attention? You don’t want to be labeled the deaf and dumb kid. So, this is what you do. You wait until the person has called your name not twice, but three times. If you hear your name three times, there can be no explanation for it other than the person is talking to you.


I made the mistake of raising my head after the second call once. I figured the second and more urgent repetition of “Sarah!” indicated it was safe to look up. I turned around and smiled at the boy shouting my name. He noticed me grinning and intoned, “Not you, idiot.” (Well, he didn’t actually use the word idiot, but it was heavily implied by his upturned left brow). There’s nothing more embarrassing than thinking someone might want to talk to you and then being unceremoniously reminded that once again, you’re a nobody.


Rule Number Two: Never, and I mean never, talk about your old school. No one wants to hear a chorus of “At my old school we did this,” and “At my old school we did that.” It may be fascinating to you that here there are six class periods whereas at your old school there were seven plus a study hall, but no one else gives a crap. In fact, you’ll come across like you're criticizing everything about your new school (and isn’t that exactly what you are doing, anyway?). It’s best to pretend you fell out of the sky, fully formed, created by God specifically to attend this school. Your new school is going to become the center of your universe now anyway, so the quicker you jettison all memories of your former life, the better.


Rule Number Three: The last and most important rule. Be deadly careful who you make friends with on your first day. You haven’t learned the social hierarchies yet. One misstep could be lethal. You wouldn’t want to inadvertently befriend the slut who gave it up to Pretty Popular’s boyfriend. It’s true what they say about first impressions; if the first thing your classmates see is you cozying up to damaged goods, it’s hard to change their minds about you. It doesn’t matter that you’re not from here. In their minds, if you were a decent person, you would’ve known some random girl in your geometry class was no good.


Hang back. Wait. Don’t make any quick movements. Immerse yourself in the culture, the history, the life of the school. Then, and only then, make friends. And remember, the first girl to approach you (desperate, clearly) is the last person you want to be friends with.


Monday, July 16, 2012

Rose Bush Winner and New Giveaway...

Congratulations Angie (you should have received an email from me) for winning the copy of  Rose Bush by Michele Jaffe!  I hope you love the book!!!

For my newest Giveaway (which will run for 2 weeks again this cycle) we have Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey.  I haven't actually read this book, but the gorgeous cover and  great blurb from Andrea Cremer (who we all know wrote my favorite werewolf series) won my heart.  


"Drawing readers into a world where the past holds secrets that can offer salvation or destruction, with spirits haunting every nook and cranny, Mary Lindsey crafts a tale that is frightening, beautiful, and wonderfully memorable."                       - Andrea Cremer, NYT bestselling author of NIGHTSHADE 


You can find Mary Lindsey at http://www.marylindsey.com/ or on twitter at http://twitter.com/marylindsey.



A thrilling debut story of love, death, destiny, and danger
Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.
Excerpt:  
     The thing’s laughter rang over the pounding pulse in my ears. I realized in horror that I hadn’t told my mom good-bye. I was going to die, and I hadn’t even said good-bye. . . . Just like Dad.
       “I will have you. You are mine. Surrender.”
        “You’ll never have me! I’ll never surrender!”
    A sharp pain shot up my abdomen. I watched as drops of blood seeped through my shirt. Run! I yanked off the high-heeled shoes. I could hear it laughing as I bounded down the patio stairs two at a time into the parking lot. Run! I had to get away. Another slash across my stomach.
      “Never!” I screamed as I ran between the cars toward the Ferris wheel. A horrible ripping sensation filled my body—like Velcro ripping out my insides. Alden was right. These weren’t just voices. Somehow this voice was making me bleed. It had entered my body. And now I was housing its soul.

Same rules apply, You must be at least 18 to enter (13+ with parental permission) and have a U.S. shipping address.

Ways to Enter


+1 for agreeing to the terms and agreements

+5 for leaving a blog comment
+5 for tweeting about the giveaway (you can also earn additional entries by tweeting every day.)
+5 for following me on twitter @amberafterglow
+10 for following my blog (or for already following)
+25 for linking this giveaway to your blog


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, July 11, 2012




It's Epic Thursday again, and this week I'm hosting my first, and Amazingly Awesome CP, Carrie Bastyr !

Her Bio:  YA writer and mother of two. Friend of the voices in my head. Lover of ALL the book boyfriends. Bigger lover of THE Husband. Fan of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, the color pink, and the word awesome. Easily amused.


Visit Carrie at Where I Get Wordy or follow her on twitter @carrie716

This weeks excerpt comes from Starry Knight, and I have named it The Epic Afraid to Fly. So here it is without further delay:

After school, I find Adam talking to Declan in the parking lot. They’re both grinning and laughing, and I slip up behind them. Adam’s smile doubles when he sees me, but Declan’s eyes darken and his face tightens. 

“Hey,” Adam says. He steps closer to me as if he’s going to take me into his arms but stops, leaving inches of empty space between us.

I’m buzzing, my skin itching to touch his.

“Hey Sage. Good to see you Adam.” I jump at Declan’s voice. I had forgotten he was there. He shifts his gaze between us, slaps Adam’s arm, and salutes before disappearing into the crowded lot.
There’s a moment of awkward silence before Adam steps back until he’s leaning against the rear of his mom’s car. He crosses his arms.

“So,” I say. “Does Declan know we’re leaving?”

“No, unless you told him?” His eyes are unreadable. I shake my head. “You sure you want to go?”
I nod like a shaken bobblehead, hard and fast. If I’m too slow…if I hesitate, I may change my mind.
“How long do you think you need to get ready?”

I slide my phone from my pocket and glance at the numbers. “What time do we need to leave by?”
“Around five. We should be to the airport by 6:30.” His gaze burns into me as he answers, but I don’t look up from my phone. In a few hours, I will be on a plane. I haven’t flown since my dad’s death.
But this is Adam and I don’t want to lose him.

My fingers shake as I nod. “Okay.”

For the next two hours I tell more lies than my mom tells herself. There are the excuses for missing work, the excuses for missing school, the excuses for Stella. Adam says to tell no one where we’re going. 

He says if his dad or his mom found out, they would try to stop us.

My heart does the jitterbug over and over on the hour and half drive to the airport. My eyes glue themselves to the rearview mirror.

But nobody follows us. 

There is a police car outside the doors to the airport, but nobody stops us. Not security. Not the ticket agent. Not the tired looking woman at the boarding gate.

We are steps from the entrance to the gateway. My heart crashes like falling dishes and my shaky legs are mere minutes from collapsing.

I lick my lips and hug my arms against my stomach. Fear is burning along my throat and mouth and skin. I can taste it. The people and the noise and the colors of the airport spin hazily around me.
And I start seeing things.. My dad is kissing me goodbye and the cops are at the door and my mother is crying. The casket surrounded by his friends. Their faces are darker than the clothes they wear and they pat my head and kiss my cheek. They whisper and watching me, waiting for me to cry. Wanting me to cry. 

But I can’t. 

Strong, I must be strong. I promised him.

And I’m in the airport doubled over, burning and aching. Adam’s hands clutch my shoulders and his voice buzzes in my ear. I look up into his face soft and scarred.

Images flash again. The plane and the fiery wreckage. The reporters, lots of reporters. The men in suits who asked so many questions. Lawyers, movers, boxes of daddy’s stuff being carried away.
It’s the airport again and I can’t breathe, I can’t speak. Adam still leans over me, his voice in my ear asking me if I’m okay, begging me to talk.

“Miss?” The gate agent presses a hand on my shoulder and her eyes are mix of business and compassion. “Are you okay? Can you board?”

People wait behind us and the entrance waits before us. I can almost hear the whirring and rushing air of the gateway. The grinding of the plane. 

I can see the narrow aisles and small seats and the metal seatbelts.
"Sage?" Adam is asking.

"I—I'm sorry. Go without me." My chest aches and my lungs burn and tears slip from the corners of my eyes.

"No," he says. "I’m so sorry…I wasn’t thinking….your dad" And then he's holding me and his shirt is wet. I wipe the back of my hand across my cheek and look up at him.

“No, really go. You need to go and get your answers.”

"C'mon," he says. "We'll just have to drive." And he's pulling my hand back through the airport to the parking lot.

"Are you crazy?" I say when we get into the car. "It's going to take us days to get there. Really, just go without me."

"I want you with me. Trust me, okay."

“I’m not sure this is the best idea.” Each step away from the airport quiets the images, my breath, and my heart.

“As long as you’re with me it will be fine,” Adam says and he reaches for my hand entwining his fingers into mine. Shivers of fire shoot through me warming my skin and my veins and my bones. I shift closer to him, hoping he’ll reach for me, hoping he’ll kiss me.

But he squeezes my hand and lets go to start the car. He pulls out of the parking lot, out of the airport.

And drives south.



And don't forget, it's never too late to volunteer some of your own Epic writings.  Contact me at amclites@gmail.com

Monday, July 2, 2012

The Name of the Star Winner and New Giveaway...

Congratulations Wendy Hoffman, 
Congratulations Jeanne Tennant  (you should have received an email from me) for winning the copy of  The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson!  I hope you love the book!!!



For my newest Giveaway (which will run for 2 weeks again this cycle) we have Rose Bush by Michele Jaffe.  I haven't actually read this book, but it sounds AMAZING!  So amazing, in fact, that I bought another copy for myself as well! Good luck and may the force be with you!


You can follow Michele Jaffe at www.michelejaffe.com and if you click on the link here you can read an excerpt from Rose Bush. 


Jane’s night was killer…

SEE JANE RUN
Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey Shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit-and-run.
SEE JANE HIDE
Everyone believes it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real. But the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane’s boyfriend, friends, and admirers come to visit, more memories surface—not just from the party, but from deeper in her past . . . including the night her best friend Bonnie died.
SEE JANE DIE
With nearly everyone in her life a suspect now, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again. The clues point in one direction–and a killer a little too close for comfort.


Same rules apply, You must be at least 18 to enter (13+ with parental permission) and have a U.S. shipping address.



Ways to Enter

+1 for agreeing to the terms and agreements
+5 for leaving a blog comment
+5 for tweeting about the giveaway (you can also earn additional entries by tweeting every day.)
+5 for following me on twitter @amberafterglow
+10 for following my blog (or for already following)
+25 for linking this giveaway to your blog


a Rafflecopter giveaway