RomFest 2012

In a few short weeks, I’ll be off to RomFest 2012. Writing is such a solitary occupation, I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to spend some quality time with readers and other authors. They are people who share my passion for great stories and books in general. Not to mention the fact that when we get together, fun things happen!

I’m looking forward to the workshops, panels, book signings, and of course the parties. Not quite sure if I’m brave enough to do a costume. But I truly do admire those who do, and will whole-heartedly cheer them on.

And of course, there’s shopping to be done in one’s free time. It looks like there are some fantastic pottery and woodworking shops, along with other local artisans close by. I can’t wait to check them out.

Here’s the link so you can check out the details below:

http://www.romfest.com/

We're so thrilled to announce our first annual RomFest to be held June 20th - 24th, 2012 in historic downtown Gatlinburg at the rustic Glenstone Lodge. RomFest 2012 is where readers can mingle with their favorite authors, editors and agents for four days of fun-filled activities including costume parties, food, books, workshops and panels.

If you’re thinking about a getaway in June, why not Gatlinburg, TN? You can bring the whole family. I hope to see you there!

Unicorn Keep

Today it's my pleasure to host YA author Angelia Almos, and her new release Unicorn Keep. Without further adieu, here's the blurb and my review.

Blurb:
Jiline of Ainsley is dismayed when her best friend is selected by the mages to become a unicorn keeper at the Keep, an isolated mountain fortress. Especially since Madelen is in love and engaged to the richest boy in the village. Jiline on the other hand has no prospects of marriage or a trade in their small village. So, she comes up with a plan to take Madelen’s place at the Keep and hopefully flunk out of unicorn keeper training before the mages can discover the deception. Unfortunately, the unicorns have their own plans for her.

Mage Herrick, son of the Keep Mage, returns home to the Keep as the trainee keepers arrive. A chance encounter with Jiline, who he believes is Madelen, on the trail sparks a magical connection between the two. Knowing he can’t feel a magical draw to someone who has no magic, he tries to prove Madelen (Jiline) has magic within her. His attention brings unforeseen complications for both of them.

My Review:
In fifteen year old Jiline of Ainsley, Ms. Almos has crafted the perfect bff. What’s not to love about a friend who will sacrifice herself for your happiness? Without thought for herself, Jiline does just that for Madelen, and steps into a rollicking adventure filled with mythical creatures and magic. Along the way she finds friends who will help her, and makes enemies who wish her ill. Yet she handles each with a steadfast devotion to her task, once she accepts it.

Herrick is a powerful young mage kept very carefully under his mother’s thumb. Once he meets Jiline masquerading as Madelen, he’s determined to get out from under the control of the the Keep’s mistress and live a life of his own choosing. Like many young men he turns his back on the familiar to embrace the unknown.

The unicorns are a wonderful basis for this story, and Ms. Almos has crafted the creatures in such a way that they truly live up to the fantastic legends we’ve become familiar with. Her love of fleet-footed, hooved creatures makes the story shine. The further along I read, the more I found myself cheering them on their journey.

If your older tween, or young teen would like to read something without fangs, this is a fantasy tale of adventure worth looking at.

Angelia Almos formed a lifelong passion for horses at the age of five when she talked her parents into riding lessons. Horses often play a prominent role in her young adult fantasy books. She also write horsey nonfiction and space opera. She lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with her husband, two daughters, two dogs, two cats, and one pony (she often thinks of bumping that number up to two).

Visit her website: www.angeliaalmos.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/angeliaalmos
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AngeliaAlmosAuthor

Thank you for allowing Fox Tales the honor of reviewing your story. We wish you much success!

Want

Welcome! Today it's my pleasure to host Upper YA author, Stephanie Lawton. Stephanie is touring her new release, Want. Isn't the cover just gorgeous? Check out the deets below, along with my review.

 Blurb:

Julianne counts the days until she can pack her bags and leave her old-money, tradition-bound Southern town where appearance is everything and secrecy is a way of life. A piano virtuoso, she dreams of attending a prestigious music school in Boston. Failure is not an option, so she enlists the help of New England Conservatory graduate Isaac Laroche to help her.

She can’t understand why he suddenly gave up Boston’s music scene to return to the South. He doesn’t know her life depends on escaping it. Julianne must face down madness from without, just as it threatens from within. Isaac must resist an inappropriate attraction, but an indiscretion at a Mardi Gras ball—the pinnacle event for Mobile’s elite—forces their present wants and needs to collide with sins of the past.

My Review:

Ms. Lawton has my admiration. I’m not from the south, but after spending several years there, I believe she’s done a fabulous job of capturing the intricacies of southern life and how it shapes the people who live it.

Julianne is a young woman trapped by societal mores who is determined to break free of them, and everything they represent. She yearns for acceptance, and love, yet feels unlovable. Her talent is huge, her dreams beckon, and yet her everyday life threatens to not only thwart her dreams, but crush them into dust.

Isaac is the wunderkind who has it all. He’s lived the life Julianne craves. And it didn’t work out exactly as he believed it would, due to circumstances beyond his control. With Julianne he may have another chance to live his dreams, but only if he’s willing to change.

Before I realized it, I was enmeshed in Julianne’s struggle. This story is a roller coaster ride, filled with twists you won’t see coming. By turns, it angered me, shocked me, and took me into dark emotional places I didn’t want to go. But I’m glad I did. Even days after reading it, the characters are still with me. If didn’t know better, I’d swear I’ve met some of these people. For fans of Upper YA, this story is a must read.

Author Bio:

After collecting a couple English degrees in the Midwest, Stephanie Lawton suddenly awoke in the deepest reaches of the Deep South. Culture shock inspired her to write about Mobile, Alabama, her adopted city, and all the ways Southern culture, history and attitudes seduce the unsuspecting.

A lover of all things gothic, she can often be spotted photographing old cemeteries, historic buildings and, ironically, the beautiful beaches of the Gulf Coast. She also has a tendency to psychoanalyze people, which comes in handy when creating character profiles.

On her thirtieth birthday, she mourned (okay bawled) the fact that in no way could she still be considered a “young adult,” so she rebelled by picking up Twilight and promptly fell in love with Young Adult literature.

She has a love/hate relationship with Mardi Gras –where does all that money come from?–and can sneeze 18 times in a row.

Links:

Blog: http://stephanielawton.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Lawton-author/192796874113180
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Steph_Lawton

Pre-order Want: http://www.inkspellpublishing.com/4/post/2012/02/want-by-stephanie-lawton.html


Thank you for letting Fox Tales review your book. Congratulations on your new release. Wishing you much success!!

No Sweeter Love

It’s my pleasure to celebrate the success of one of my wonderful CP’s, Tina Vaughn. Today is the release day of her very first book! Congratulations, my friend. Wishing you every happiness on this special day.

Welcome to Union

Population: 994

Town motto: Where no secret goes untold

His father’s death forces Dr. Ryan Williams to return to the home—and the woman—he’d left behind ten years earlier. Ryan knows it’s best to avoid Union sweetheart and police officer Emily Winters during his visit. But how? Stuck in this small town, fighting an attraction that hasn’t diminished over time, the sparks are unavoidable—and so are the rumors. The same rumors that made him leave Union in the first place…

Experience taught Emily to keep her guard—and her panties—up. Until Ryan returns as suddenly as he left, tempting her with promises she already knows he can’t keep. Or so she thinks. This new adult Ryan is one capable of forever and, God-willing, forgiveness. Because even as they learn to trust and love each other again, Emily knows once she reveals her secret, heartbreak is inevitable.

Buy It Here

Here's to celebrating many more release days, and to amazing success. Cheers!

Dragon Rider's Gift

First off, let me apologize for not posting this yesterday. Due to time constraints, I wasn't quite able to finish the story. And believe me, it was worth finishing. Without further adieu, here's the blurb for KH LeMoyne's shiny new release, Dragon Rider's Gift. And my review.

Blurb

Roark of Nedres spent his life absorbing lore, legend, and rumor to claim his dragon beast in order to save his people. Nothing has prepared him for the ultimate bond fate will demand.

Princess Nira Meriel Estar was born with the power of prophecy. Her most recent vision forecasts a dire fate for her people, promises few answers, and will deliver the country of Fyrhall a victorious future or crushing defeat.

Kraz, an ancient dragon of mythical power and knowledge, has eluded capture for a thousand years. However, only a dragon of great wisdom would consider an eternal bond to his warrior rider to save his dragon race.
Three souls. Two hearts. One courageous calling.

My Review

Roark is a dragon rider on a mission to find his dragon. The years he spends on his quest hone him into a man of honor and duty who is very aware of his station in life. He exists to protect and serve; not daring to dream fate would offer him anything more.

Nira is a princess who is being trained by her father the king, to one day rule their land. Unfortunately there are gaps in her education that only a lover can fill. She is born with a singular, unmanageable gift that will either help her people survive the threat of war, or force them to succumb to it.

Kraz is the ancient dragon who enables both of them to reach their full potential.

This story is a classic tale of two people finding love where they least expect it. The author deftly suspends disbelief with characters that are skillfully drawn of both light and dark, with human failings we all understand. Set against the backdrop of war and magic, this is a wonderful tale of love and adventure. The thing that moves this story from ordinary to extraordinary is the relationship between Kraz, his rider, and the future queen. I couldn’t stop turning pages because I had to know what would happen next.

I truly hope there will be more installments in the Portals of Destiny Tales. In my opinion, KH LeMoyne has crafted another must read story. If you’re a fan of fantasy romance, add this to the top of your TBR list.

Author Bio
A former technology specialist, KH LeMoyne writes sensual romance: urban and high fantasy, and scifi/futuristic. She lives in Maryland with her wonderful husband and corgi. Much to her dismay, she rarely encounters supernatural beings other than on paper. Visit her website: http://www.khlemoyne.com/ or blog: http://fantasypoweredbylove.com/

Important Links

Website: http://www.khlemoyne.com/  
Blog: http://khlemoyne.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kh.lemoyne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/khlemoyne
Publisher: http://digitalcrystalpress.com/

Purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Riders-Portals-Destiny-ebook/dp/B007VG8ZU8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1334833027&sr=8-2

Thank you for the opportunity to review your story. We wish you great success with your new release!

Sutton Cooks – Sort Of

Hopefully, you live in a household where everyone loves green vegetables and eats them on a regular basis. Not so in the Fox home. We’re a die-hard meat and potatoes bunch. And it’s catching up with us. Truly it’s already caught up with us; we just have to turn around to see it.

In a never ending effort to get everyone to eat healthier, I’ve been trying some new things. Yes, that cracking sound you hear is probably hell freezing over because not only have I stopped in the kitchen; I’ve actually used the food processor. It’s all good. Nobody died. Yet.

About two weeks ago I came across a video on Yahoo about a smoothie. Normally I don’t even watch videos, but I confess to being in a state of desperation. With a few adjustments, this one turned out to be really good!

For the first time in recorded history, our household has eaten an entire bag of fresh kale! It’s a taste to season recipe. You simply disguise the green taste with fruit. But don’t go overboard with the sweet stuff! If you want to try it, here’s the link to the recipe.

http://screen.yahoo.com/spice-up-your-smoothie-29046570.html

The ingredients are at about 1:22. Sorry about the commercial at the beginning. They are why I don’t usually watch videos. Grrrr.

We love cayenne pepper, and use it regularly. It’s supposed to increase your metabolism, but in our opinion it really adds just too much bite. It tastes fine without it. I’ll ride my bike a little longer instead.

And yeah, smoothies have been en vogue for a couple years now. But pot roast and mashed potatoes just don’t taste the same in a blender.

Shadow of the Witte Wieven

Today it's my pleasure to post an excerpt from a brand new paranormal romance entitled Shadow of the Witte Wieven by Debbie Peterson. Enjoy!

Blurb:
Despite a contract on her head, lone Drug Enforcement Agent, Aliyana Montijo must ferret out a mole and stop the assassination of top DEA officials, as so ordered by the Colombian drug lord she seeks to take down. The task is a daunting one, for there is no one she can trust. No one that is, until she encounters a most unlikely ally.

Former seventeenth century captain of the Dutch West Indies Company, Wolfaert Dircksen Van Ness, now from a parallel dimension, encounters the beautiful agent during an unearthly storm in the Bermuda triangle. Drawn to the Spanish beauty he rescues, he pledges his assistance, despite her reluctance to accept either his help or his heart.

Can Wolf bridge both space and time to claim the woman he loves?

Excerpt:
Aliyana nodded as she released a breath and said, “Yes, as a matter of fact they did. Hank has demanded a tour of Mercado’s empire. He said that he wants to see the way they produce cocaine from start to finish. By so doing, he could point out their faults and help them improve production. According to Ortiz, Hank had the audacity to boast about his knowledge of the latest in drug manufacturing technology as if they were a bunch of ignorant ‘campesinos.’ As you can imagine, this rankled them a bit.”

“I’m surprised they aren’t going to use this outing as an excuse to kill him,” Cornelius remarked.

Aliyana shrugged as she cast a brief glance downward. “They actually mentioned that. However, as much as Mercado would like to permanently get rid of the man, he’s going to show a bit of restraint and allow the ‘pig’ to live—for now.”

“Did they mention whether or not Mercado planned to comply with this requested tour?” asked Cornelius.

“He is going to comply, but not in the way Hank intends,” she replied. “Mercado is going to take him much farther south, to a factory and lab he no longer uses. He is sending some of his employees ahead to clean the place up and make ready for their visit. Emil wants everything to look as if the lab is in full swing.”

“So Mercado is conducting the tour personally then?” asked Wolf.

“Yes, he is. He doesn’t trust Hank. Therefore, he wants to observe his every movement, personally.”

“How long will it take them to get to this lab?”

“If it’s the one I think it is, about three, maybe four hours. Why do you ask?”

Wolf brushed a hand against his beard as he contemplated this unexpected opportunity. “How many such places could he possibly take Morris?”

“I only know of two,” she said.

“How long would it take to get to other one?”

Aliyana shook her head as she lifted a shoulder. “Oh, I don’t know—perhaps an additional half an hour or so. That’s why I think he’ll opt for the closest one.”

“Did they say when they intend to conduct this tour?”

“Day after tomorrow. Hank is supposed to arrive at dawn. If you still want to follow the man, you will get your chance then.”

“So travel time, to and from is at least six hours, maybe more,” Wolf mused aloud. “The tour itself will take some time. What would you think, another hour maybe two for him to thoroughly inspect the facilities?”

“Every bit of that and then some,” Aliyana said as she knit her brows in consternation. “Wolf, why are you asking all of these questions?”

“With Mercado out of the way, I’m thinking this might be the perfect opportunity to escort you inside the man’s office so you can raid those files on his computer.”

“But we don’t have all of the numbers to his pass code yet,” Aliyana replied. “I can’t get inside without them.”

In response to the reminder, he allowed a slight smile to emerge and for several long moments, he held her gaze without saying a word. Her confusion finally gave way to understanding. He could see it. She drew in a sharp breath as a burst of anger exploded onto her cheeks.

“You have the ability to get me inside that office anytime you want to, don’t you Captain Wolfaert Dircksen Van Ness,” she spat.

Wolf folded his arms against his chest, flashed a full-fledged grin, and bounced his brows.

“I can’t believe you would withhold that information from me,” she seethed as her eyes shot lethal daggers into his person. “And you just let me keep watching that screen for hours on end when such a need didn’t exist—”

“Oh come on, Aliyana,” Wolf laughingly protested. “You surely didn’t think I’d allow you to go in there until the safest possible moment, did you?”

His humor did nothing to improve her anger. If anything, it only served to fuel it. She shook her head then and let him have it--with both barrels blazing--in Spanish, of course. And he enjoyed every minute of the delightful display.

Debbie Peterson, author of “Spirit of the Rebellion,” is about to release her second novel, “Shadow of the Witte Wieven,” through InkSpell Publishing. This paranormal romance combines a seventeenth century sea captain, a modern DEA agent, and the Bermuda Triangle to send you on an incredible adventure, filled with intrigue and romance.

Debbie has always had a soft spot for fairy tales, the joy of falling in love, and happily ever after endings. She incorporates these aspects into all of the paranormal stories she writes. When she is not busy conjuring her latest novel, she spends time with the beloved members of her very large family. She also pursues her interests in family history and all things ancient and historic.
You can connect with her:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebbiePeterson1
Website: http://dk-peterson.com/

Thank you for letting Fox Tales post your excerpt, Debbie. We wish you the best with your book!

The Hummers Are Back!

This year is the first spring we’ve had since the renovation to do normal outdoor household things. As most of you know, just the general stuff requires an investment of time and sweat. Doing some research on what kind of grass to plant after having part of the yard dug up led me to an article on hummingbirds. Its timeline showed that hummingbirds in this area usually return around the end of April. And no, I have no idea how the heck I got from grass seed to hummingbirds. Maybe grass seed didn’t seem all that interesting.

After waxing nostalgic for a bit over how I used to love having all the bird stuff when the kidlet was small, I thought, why not? Watching birds was something we’d enjoyed together. But I wondered, just because he’s grown now, why I felt I had to deny myself the simple pleasure I’d once had. On my next trip to the home improvement store I picked up a hummingbird feeder.

Mixed up a batch of food yesterday and hung it near a shiny new pot of petunias. And pronto! At dusk we sat out on the deck and watched the show. It’s amazing to me how the little things search out food so fast. I think we may have a pair of them.

As I was watering the newly planted grass seed this morning, one actually flew into the spray and held its mouth open for a drink. It shivered as it landed on the straw, groomed itself, showered and flew away. The whole experience probably didn’t take more than a minute, but I just stood there. Mesmerized. I’ve never seen a hummingbird land on the ground before. It was just luck that I happened to be looking in that direction.

I’m going to try to set up my camera over the next couple days so I can share some pics with you.

Spring Fling Readers Contest

Join The Hunt!

Just a quick reminder to all of the readers out there not to miss the Spring Fling Readers Contest going on right now over at Night Owl Reviews. I’m giving away a Kindle Fire, and there are lots of other authors participating as well.

There are more than 100 prizes and there will be over 75 winners. Don’t miss out! 

And while you’re at it, have yourself a great day.