New Summer Release, Freebies, and a Party

It's finally here! Happy summer to all of my Blogger followers. This will likely be my last post here at my BlogSpot site. It's been a great place to hang out, but in an effort to streamline my efforts, I've moved my main blog to my new website here. If you'd like to follow along and get monthly updates on where I am and what's happening with my writing life, stop by and subscribe to my page. In the meantime, I just had to tell you about some great news.

WESTERN DESERT, Book Two in the Chronicles of Lily Carmichael, a YA dystopian trilogy, is now available. Join me in celebrating at my launch party on Tuesday, June 25th at the Secretsof7scribes blog where I'll be serving virtual drinks and hors d'oeuvres (recipes at least), and giving away prizes like a NOOK Simple Touch, signed copies of a few of my books, and a cool swag bag. I hope you'll stop in and say hi and enter to win! Contest ends midnight, June 30, 2013.

Here's a little more about my latest book.

WESTERN DESERT, Book Two in The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy, takes off where WANING MOON ends. Genetically enhanced sixteen-year-old Lily Carmichael, and seventeen-year-old Will Callahan embark on a journey across a sun-ravaged and decimated U.S. in the year 2057, bound for the Western Desert on a dangerous rescue mission. The survivors they meet along the way put Lily’s healing abilities to the test and challenge Will’s resolve to find his missing father—no matter the cost. But even with the burden of life and death on their shoulders, and the Industry hot on their trail, the greatest challenge they face is trusting their hearts to each other.

Amazon

BN

Smashwords

Create Space (for print books)

If you haven't read WANING MOON, Book One in the trilogy, you can get it FREE this week on your Kindle from June 24-28th.

Here's the short blurb for WANING MOON. To read Chapter one, check it out on Wattpad.

In the year 2057, in a post-apocalyptic world where three quarters of the population has been wiped out by a global pandemic, and a polar shift threatens the remainder of earth’s inhabitants, sixteen-year-old genetically altered teen, Lily Carmichael, faces bigger challenges—escape capture by a rogue government agency, save her family, and avoid falling in love.





SOUL REDEMPTION, the short story prequel is available for FREE on Smashwords, or you can read it on Wattpad. This story is about 50 pages (15,000 words) and gives you a look behind the scenes of who Zeph (Lily's younger brother) really is, and what it's like to be a thirteen-year-old with the ability to take life with just a touch. I hope you'll enjoy Lily and Zeph's journey. And here's to Will and Lily's blossoming romance!

Thanks for being such avid followers. I hope you'll stay with me at my new website and blog home, and keep tabs on my journey. If you want less frequent updates, but want to know about new releases and special promotions, consider subscribing to my Newsletter.

 Peace and Blessings to you all! PJ

A-MAY-ZING!

What a wild and crazy month it's been! I'm one month out from the release of WESTERN DESERT, Book Two in The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael. June 24th is the big day.

Aside from all the last minute details of producing the best book for you, my readers, I'm planning my release promotions, blog tour, and all the infinity of details required to get this next show on the road. There are more moving parts in this publishing process than sending a space ship to the moon...at least it feels like it. But in the midst of chaos come some bright spots of encouragement. SAVAGE CINDERELLA has had a very good month! It won first place in the NERFA (National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards), and is a finalist in the Colorado Excellence in Romance Fiction contest. I'm awaiting final results. Incidentally, WANING MOON placed second in the NERFA contest!

SAVAGE CINDERELLA has also been nominated for a RONE Award from InD'tale magazine. I would so appreciate your vote if you've read and enjoyed the story. You do have to register to vote, but it's very simple and means no obligation for you. The site assures you won't be spammed. If you have a moment, I hope you'll stop by and vote between May 24-June 1st. My friend, Katy Lee, author of the inspirational romantic suspense, REAL VIRTUE has also been nominated and could use your vote, too. Thanks so much, everyone!

I'm also very happy to announce that HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES is available on audio book through Amazon.com, audible.com, and I-Tunes.com. If you love audio books and would like to receive deals on your favorites, sign up for audible.com and get discounted prices on the audio books you love.


I think that's it for now. My website will likely be down for the next several days as my DH and I do some upgrading. I hope you'll stop in and visit me soon. I'll let you know when I'm back up and running! Have a great rest of your spring!

May Brings a Bouquet of Books!

The Book Lover's Buffet Bouquet of Books Sale and contest is over, but in response to reader interest, I'd like to extend the .99 cent price deal on Heaven is for Heroes and Waning Moon through Mother's Day, May 12th. Sale ends at midnight! The winner of the $25 gift card is Tracey! Congrats, and thanks for participating. Other winners will be announced on the Book Lovers Buffet site at http://bookloversbuffetdotcom.wordpress.net.

My SALE continues!

WANING MOON
and HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES will be available for .99 cents for one more week through Mother's Day.

For the rest of the month, I'll be busy putting the finishing touches on Book Two in the Chronicles of Lily Carmichael, WESTERN DESERT

I'd love for you to JOIN my site by clicking the "join" button to the right so I can keep you updated on contests and upcoming book releases.

Thanks so much for stopping by and participating in this incredible sale! Have a wonderful Spring...

Prize winners and more contests

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop!

The winner of the audio book copy of HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES is Shadow Kohler. Congratulations! I'll send out the audio book as soon as I have them.



And speaking of cool prizes, check out my friend Jordan K. Rose’s contest badge on the upper right hand side of this page. She’s asking for help naming her first book in the Eva Prim series. The winner will receive an ARC (advanced reader copy) and acknowledgement in the book! The contest runs from April 1-30th, winner to be announced May 1st on her site. Just click on the badge and it will take you to Jordan's contest page. Good luck everyone!

I would also love some help with the title for my third book in the Dystopian trilogy, The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael. These are my current top three picks.
1) Turning Tides
2) Storm Surge
3) Winter's Sun

I'd love to hear which one you like best, or if you have an idea for something better. I'm all ears! Since so many of my contest winners are loving SOUL REDEMPTION, the short story prequel to WANING MOON, if you leave a comment with a suggestion for a title for Book Three, and a valid e-mail address, I'll send you an e-copy.

WANING MOON is available for 2.99 through Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords


Look for WESTERN DESERT, Book Two in the trilogy, June 24th!


PJ

March Mayhem

I’m so happy to be welcoming Spring this year. I missed my annual sojourn to the beach for my birthday since February didn’t offer much respite from the cold and cloudy days of winter. The good news is that I have a feeling we are in for a warm-up soon. I’m already hearing the birds chirping out their springtime song. March is going to be another busy month for me, but one that offers lots of exciting and fun projects.

Here’s what’s on the agenda:

I completed the first draft of WESTERN DESERT, Book Two in The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy, so I’m in revisions! Yayyyy!!! I’ll send it off to the editor right before I leave to go to Epi-CON in Vancouver, Washington, from the 13-18th. Epi-CON is a writer’s convention that promises to be educational as well as lots of fun. I’ll be joining Jennifer Fusco, Katy Lee, and Melanie Meadors from my CTRWA group and I’m betting it’s going to be a blast. I’ve never been to the Pacific Northwest, so I’m very excited about the opportunity to visit there and be at a book-signing event as part of the reader’s luncheon. It will be nice to meet some locals and get to know some new readers.

I’ve also completed my run with KDP Select, a program where I had Heaven is for Heroes and On Thin Ice available only through Amazon for the past three months. It wasn’t as successful a venture in terms of direct sales, as it was when I did it last spring with Savage Cinderella, but it did allow me to get my books into the hands of about 20,000 new readers who got to read them for FREE! How cool is that?

Now that the books are off of Select, I’ll be able to upload all of them to some new distribution channels for me, going directly to Apple (i-Tunes) and Kobo to allow for the widest distribution possible. I’m excited about this as I’ve seen an uptick in sales through Smashwords to these vendors. Publishing it directly to these distributors will allow me more freedom to play with pricing and make changes faster, as well as hopefully gaining a little more exposure on their sites so I can reach readers who have i-Pads and Kobo e-readers. Amazon isn’t the only game in town, and although B&N is struggling to compete, Apple and Kobo are bringing their A-game to the table. I’ll let you all know when the books are available on these venues.

Another March project I have going is cover designs for both WESTERN DESERT, and my short story prequel to the Lily Carmichael trilogy, SOUL REDEMPTION. I’ll be offering Zeph’s story for FREE on all channels, hoping to reach readers who might like to jump into the trilogy now that Book Two is on the near horizon (slated to release in June). I think you’ll enjoy reading this 14,000 word (about 40 pages) short story that is told from the POV of Lily’s thirteen-year-old brother Zephron. With the ability to take life with a touch, he struggles with his darker nature and trying to find his place in the world. You don’t have to read the short story to understand the trilogy, but it definitely gives you a deeper perspective of the conflict that runs throughout.

Read here for an excerpt. The FREE download should be ready by the end of March so you can find out what happens next.

So I think that’s it for March. BUT...

COMING SOON:

Stay tuned for a blog hop in April with tons of cool prizes, and the Book Lovers Buffet coming in May where you can load up for summer reading with a boatload of $.99 books!

As if that's not enough, check back in April for news of a new heaven is for Heroes audiobook!!! I can't wait to pick out a narrator for Jordie.


Have a happy Spring!


What does your month of March look like? Any fun trips planned? Are you as anxious for daylight savings time as I am?

Fabulous February

I hope you’re all doing well and that this fabulous February finds you healthy, safe, and warm. February is always a month of celebrations for me. With Valentine’s Day at the forefront, February is the month of LOVE and romance—every romance writer's favorite topic. In honor of St. Valentine’s Day, I’ll be offering one of my favorite romantic stories for FREE from Sunday, Feb.17-Tuesday, Feb. 19th on AMAZON. Bookmark this page and stop back to download your copy. If you don’t have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle App to your I-pad or computer and still get it for FREE. How cool is that?

HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES is a contemporary YA/New Adult romance that deals with the tragedies of war, overcoming loss, and the determination of one seventeen year old girl to find the truth. Filled with moments of poignant reality, hard lessons, and the angst and sexual tension of first love, the book combines family drama and the relationship between childhood sweethearts, Jordie Dunn and Alex Cooper. Because the focus of the story is the tenuous romance with the underlying plot of a family’s search for peace in time of war, HIFH will appeal to adult readers as well as older young adults. With entertaining secondary characters and a challenging mother-daughter relationship, the story deals with real life issues with both unwavering comprehension and uplifting humor.

Kristan Higgins, NYT and USA Today bestselling author says,

“Filled with the complex emotions of grief, confusion and first love, HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES is a rich, uplifting story that will touch a reader’s heart.”

Set in a fictitious Connecticut lake-town, the story has the feel of hometown USA and is relatable to anyone questioning the value of war and the cost to the families of lost and wounded soldiers. Heaven Is For Heroes takes you through one family’s loss and the recovery of a soldier dealing with both the emotional and physical ravages of war.

Although Jordie is only seventeen, she has spent most of her teenage life studying martial arts and yoga, her Grandfather’s solution to keeping her from following in her brother’s destructive footsteps. When Alex Cooper, her brother’s best friend and the guy she’s been crushing on since the ninth grade, returns home wounded and determined to blame himself for her brother’s death, Jordie uses her experience and pushes the boundaries of convention in her attempt to help him recover. Jordie and Alex’s story is one of my favorites!

Here’s a short excerpt from the book:

The sun sat low in the sky, an orange ball that promised another hot, steamy day ahead. I threw my towel onto a rock and kicked off my boots, the warm sand inviting under my toes. I shimmied out of my shorts and waded into the pond up to my thighs. A cold chill trickled up my spine. I thought of Alex for the millionth time in the last week, my heart taking another plunge into the depths of despair. I let out a frustrated groan. I hated being this out of control of my emotions. Maybe he had found closure in telling me to take a hike, but I didn’t get to say what I wanted to say…should have said…needed to say. Instead I had pleaded like a pathetic, love sick little girl.

Angry with myself as much as I was Alex, I gave voice to my rage. “You stubborn, pig-headed, pain-in-the-ass…jerk!” I yelled to the leaves on the maple tree nearby. I felt stupid, but it was good to vent. A smidgeon of tension dropped from my shoulders. I did it again. “How could you be so selfish?” I shouted. “How could you walk away from the one person who knows you best…and still LOVES you…even though you are maddeningly stubborn and…and emotionally…immature!” I screamed. A flock of geese took flight off the surface of the still water.

I had to laugh at myself. Not because I was wrong, really, but because it was a terribly one-sided argument and I was acting a bit like an irrational shrew. It felt good not to have to hold back—constantly trying to be what Mom and Brig and…Alex…needed me to be. I sank under the water up to my chin and felt the chill all the way to my bones, all of the heat I’d built up cooling instantly. I couldn’t be mad at him. He was an honorable guy who thought he was doing the right thing by taking responsibility for a mistake. A part of me still couldn’t believe it was Alex’s fault. Where Levi was concerned, anything could have happened. But the other part of me—the part that had worried about my brother and lied to protect him--knew that if Levi walked willingly to his death, my silence was the lie that made it possible. Maybe that was the truth I was trying to get to. I dunked under and came up slowly, dipping my head back and letting the water pour over me as if seeking some kind of baptism or forgiveness.

This month is also the month of my birth, the month that brought me the wonderful gift of my youngest son (soon to be facing the quarter century mark-Yikes!), and the month that no matter how cold or snowy it gets, seems to deliver the promise of spring. With longer days and bright sunshine that beckon me to the beach, I’ll make my annual sojourn to the sea in an effort to tide me over until spring and summer truly arrive.

On the writing front, I’m nearing the end of the first draft of WESTERN DESERT and looking forward to the revision stage when I can begin to layer depth into my characters and their conflict. I used to hate revisions until I learned a bit about how to revise and what to look for to beef up the tension and make the characters come to life. This is where I deepen plot, clarify the underlying themes, and clean up dialogue to hopefully make it pop—always keeping in mind that it all has to move the story forward. I address pacing problems, catch inconsistencies, and try to do justice to the personal growth of the characters. With my first attempt at a trilogy, I also have to decide what to leave for the next book and what loose ends need to be wrapped up to ensure a satisfying end to book two. Lots to think about!

February is a time of reflection for me (I know I do a lot of reflecting), but in terms of checking in on our own personal growth, I think birthdays force us to examine our lives and where they are going. We look back at the past year and wonder what the future has in store for the next chapter. This past year hasn’t been my healthiest—at least in terms of my self-care. I let the demands of publishing get in the way of keeping a balanced lifestyle and that is something that I am determined to correct (five pounds down, ten more to go).

My first year in publishing was a whirlwind of activity, deadlines, and self-induced pressures that were a necessary part of the learning curve. There is so much to know and do in this business. If I showed you my to-do list on a daily basis you’d think I was running a major corporation or that I was a little OCD. Well…both of those might be a true, but neither has to keep me from staying focused on my highest good…which is to stay healthy and have the best quality of life I can manage to create for myself. Because if there is one thing I’ve learned in life it's that we are all masters of our own destiny, a principle that my character Jordie understands intuitively, making her a strong heroine and great role model.

The choices we make every day, both small and large, affect the outcome of our lives and the lives of the people we touch. Taking personal responsibility for making healthy choices is one of the few things we CAN control. Perhaps that is one thing writers have in common. In telling our stories, we control the Universe of our characters, forcing them to face their demons and make choices that will ultimately lead to their happily ever after. My wish for you, dear readers is that you will do the same. Take control of your destiny one positive choice at a time. Don’t be afraid to face your demons. Meet them head on and conquer them with tenacity and love, and remember, you are the master of your destiny!

Have a Fabulous February!

Comments and honest reviews are always welcome. Feel free to spread the word about the FREE promotion to any of your family and friends who might enjoy a sweet romance this month.

Blessings!

PJ

January Happenings

Happy New Year, everyone. It's hard to believe it's January again. I hope you all had a happy holiday and are ready to jump into another year. I know I'm excited about all that's coming up. Here's a run down of this month.

In honor of National Skating Month and the US Figure Skating Championships, I'll be offering ON THIN ICE FREE on Amazon from January 26-28th. If you haven't read it already, I hope you'll download it or let friends know it's up for FREE for three days. This will be the last FREE promotion for this book, so don't miss out.

Available for FREE at Amazon from Saturday, January 26 through Monday, January 28th.



I'm also working hard to finish Book Two of The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael, WESTERN DESERT, due out this summer. I'm shooting for June, but I'll keep you posted. I'm happy to report that RT Book Reviews had this to say about Book One, WANING MOON.

>"An action-packed read with a strong female lead."i>


Available for $2.99 on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords

For grins and giggles, and to celebrate National Skating month, I'll share some of my skating pics from a few years back.

I hope you'll stop back by next week and pick up a copy of ON THIN ICE. Here's a short excerpt:

Chapter 1

Journal Entry,
May 15th

I’m a liar. I know it, I hate it, and I can’t seem to help myself. I feel the lies piling up as if I’m being buried, each one a stone that keeps me pinned in a shallow grave.

God knows I have my reasons for hiding from the truth. Truth is hard and ugly. The lies are easier. As Mom gets sicker, my world grows smaller and the lies grow bigger. The uneven ground beneath my feet leaves me unsteady, and I’m waiting for the earthquake that will disrupt my life and change it forever.

At school, I’m expected to get all A’s. On the ice, I’m expected to pass tests, compete, and win. At home…well, I’m expected to be strong, help out, take charge, and be an inspiration—like one of Mom’s Celine Dion slit-my-wrists songs. If I am “Perfect Penny,” maybe everything will be okay, but I know that I’m lying, even to myself.

Because no matter how hard I try, I will never be good enough to change the truth.


I hit the ice at 8:00 a.m. Monday morning. Summer camp was one more step on the path to Olympic Gold. At least that’s what Mom has been telling me since I was eight. It didn’t take long for me to figure out that we would never have the money it would take to get me to the Olympics no matter how talented I was. I started keeping track of our costs in little journals when I was about ten. After calculating the thousands of dollars my parents had spent over those first few years, it was clear to me that unless we found a wealthy sponsor who saw my potential, the best I could hope for was the ice show circuit or teaching.

That idea didn’t bother me the way it did Mom. I hated competing, but telling her that would have broken her heart. She had such high hopes for me, and with her cancer, I couldn’t let her down. So I worked hard and stuck to the plan.

But plans have a way of changing. I could spin with the best of them, but after my second concussion when I was fourteen, I developed a phobia of axels. I had no trouble with all of the other double jumps, but every time I tried to kick through to come off of that forward outside edge, my body balked. Without a double axel in my program, pursuing a competitive freestyle career was futile. Despite trying every trick in the book, including the use of a jump harness and off-ice training, I was unable to overcome my fear. “Instinctual avoidance” my coach called it.

So, Mom got me started ice dancing, hoping I’d have a better chance at landing a partner—a possibility as slim as me escaping the horrors of daily life in the trenches at number four Barrett Street, also known as home sweet home. At least that’s what the sign above the kitchen door said.

To read all of chapter one, check out WATTPAD. You can also read the first chapter of HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES, WANING MOON, and the short story prequel to WANING MOON called SOUL REDEMPTION. You can follow along for weekly installments of SAVAGE CINDERELLA. Here's the new cover!

Well, I guess that's it. As always, I appreciate your comments and support with spreading the word about my books. I hope wherever you are, you're enjoying life, falling in love, and reading some great books!

Blessings!

PJ

"Two for the Price of None" Sale.

As we all hunker down to enjoy the solstice, celebrate the holidays with family and friends, and spend some quiet time of reflection to bring 2012 to a close, I hope you're all well and looking forward to an exciting New Year! Since I'm not anticipating some dark end of the world today, I thought I would try to focus instead on the light. In an effort to do so, I'd love to make your season a little brighter.

And to show my appreciation to my readers, I'm having a Two for the Price of None Sale. What does that mean, you ask? It means that Saturday, December 22nd and Sunday, December 23, both On Thin Ice and Heaven is for Heroes are available for FREE on Amazon.

Heaven is for Heroes

AMAZON



Seventeen year-old Jordie Dunn must face the loss of her brother when he’s killed in the war in Iraq. But Jordie doesn’t believe the military report that his best friend and fellow Marine, Alex Cooper, is at fault. In her quest to find the truth and help Alex, the guy she’s had a crush on since the ninth grade, Jordie discovers that the truth isn’t the only thing she wants.

Kristan Higgins, NYT and USA Today bestselling author says,
“Filled with the complex emotions of grief, confusion and first love, HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES is a rich, uplifting story that will touch a reader’s heart.”

On Thin Ice

AMAZON



Seventeen year old figure skater Penny Trudeau is a liar. She knows it, hates it, and can’t help herself. The truth is too hard and ugly. Her mother is dying of cancer, her father treats her as if she’s invisible, and she is starving—for food, for love, for acceptance, and mostly for the perfection that is just beyond her reach. When she finds comfort in the arms of Carter McCray, a hockey hunk a few years too old for her, the lies begin a chain of events that have dire consequences, not the least of which are a rape she can’t remember and a pregnancy she can’t ignore. If she reveals her secrets, will the shock and disappointment mean the end for her mother? Or has her mother been keeping the biggest secret of all?


If you haven't read the books, I hope you'll take this opportunity to download them for FREE to your Kindle. They are both heartwarming teen dramas that deal with real life issues and hopefully ever after endings that culminate in a holiday surprise. If you love Hallmark movies, you'll enjoy my stories.

In case you've already read and enjoyed the books, I'd love some help spreading the word. Tell your friends about my FREE days by forwarding the buy links, sharing this post on FaceBook, or by tweeting about it. If you know someone who is giving a Kindle to a loved one for Christmas, why not suggest they load up the Kindle with some great freebies before they wrap it up and put it under the tree.

Whatever you're doing this holiday and however you celebrate, I'd like to wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season!

Blessings!

Last Weekend on Earth

It's almost mid-December, and with the coming end to the Mayan Calendar drawing near, my friends and I over at the WG2E Street team were asking ourselves, "What would we do if this was our Last Weekend on Earth? Since I write Dystopian these days, I've given this a bit of thought. As an author, I can honestly say that there's nothing I'd rather be doing at the end than escaping into a good book.

So in honor of the impending "shift," I'm here with you to share some great books. And to get you started, I'm giving away FREE e-copies of my short story prequel to WANING MOON, called SOUL REDEMPTION. Just leave your comment below including a valid e-mail address so I can send you your copy (name/email (dot)com ). If you could also click on the "join this site" button to your right, you can get monthly updates about what's new in my writing life and keep tabs on my whereabouts...providing we're still all here...just sayin'. The "hop" runs from Friday Dec. 14-Sunday, Dec.16th. Some participants are on Pacific time, so if you don't see their posts up, be sure to stop back.

Just in case you want to stock up on books and music for the weekend, stop by the sites listed below, and be sure to sign up for our Rafflecopter prize of a $35 i-Tunes gift card. The more you help us spread the word, the more chances you have to win! a Rafflecopter giveaway


To find more blogs about how some of your favorite thriller and fantasy authors would spend their "Last Weekend on Earth," or a related topic, try these.

http://daleamidei.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/last-weekend-on-earth/

http://stacygreenauthor.com/

Rhonda Hopkins

Catie Rhodes

Anna Erishkigel

CC Mackenzie

You'll find some fabulous fun reads along the way, all for under $5. As a matter of fact, WANING MOON is available now for only $2.99! AMAZON, B&N or SMASHWORDS I hope you'll pick up your copy today.

Book trailer for Waning Moon: http://youtu.be/prfYBPDBVmo

As a public service to my readers, I thought I'd use this opportunity to share my Apocalypse Survival Strategies.

Apocalypse Survival Steps
1) Find a clean source of water
2) Build or find shelter
3) Scavenge for food
4) Hoard useful materials and items
5) Collect containers
6) Band with others
7) Master fire
8) Create or find tools
9) Fashion weapons
10) Learn to trap
11) Know how to fight
12) Have a plan
13) Escape into a good book

Any tips I missed? Feel free to share your survival strategies below. Have a lovely weekend:-)

Happy Holidays everyone!

I know it's a busy time for us all, but I hope you're taking time out to relax and kick back with family and friends. Christmas break is made for sitting down with a good book and cup of tea, enjoying a fire in the fireplace and the lights on your tree. In fact, this week on December 11-12,

I've got both Heaven Is For Heroes and On Thin Ice available only on Amazon and priced to sell at $2.99 each. If you haven't read them yet, they are sweet YA romances with some family drama added in and a hopefully ever after end that culminates at the holidays. In fact, along with my Beach Book Blast pals, and the E-book Extravaganza, we've got a number of fantastic Christmas stories you might like as well. Check out the BBB site for details!

Not to forget the pagan followers and doomsday preppers,and since I'm in the process of writing a dystopian trilogy, we WG2E Street team members also decided to honor the end of the Mayan Calendar, or the approaching winter solstice. December 14-17, I'm participating with a few other authors in a "Last Weekend on Earth" blog hop.

Stop by here this weekend and catch my short story prequel to WANING MOON, called SOUL REDEMPTION, FREE to each person who "joins" my blog and leaves a comment with a valid email address (Only so I can send you your copy.)

Also, on the main page of BBB, from December 14-17th, you'll find a Rafflecopter where you can enter to win a $35 GC to i-Tunes and find links to other authors hosting their own blogs and giveaways. Blog topics are all about "The Last Weekend on Earth." What would you do if it was your last weekend on earth? Are you ready for an apocalypse? Will it be zombies or Superstorms? A blackout or a pandemic?

It seems the end of the world is all the rage! I hope you'll join us in celebrating the here and now, and all we're grateful for at this time of year. If you need some apocalypse survival strategies, I'll have them posted right here on this blog next weekend!

What will I be doing? I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing at the end than reading a good book.

BBB Thanks for Great Books Blog Hop

Welcome to the Beach Book Blast Thanks for Great Books blog hop happening November 25-26th. So glad you stopped by to chat about the thing that ties us all together—good books, fabulous authors, and amazing characters. Please feel free to share your favorites down in the comments section. To show you how much I appreciate you sharing your precious time with me, I’m giving away a signed copy of each of my first three books to random commentors. Yes, that’s a signed paperback copy of Heaven is for Heroes, On Thin Ice, and Savage Cinderella to three people who leave a comment with a valid e-mail address below. No worries, your e-mail address will not be used for any future promotions.

If you want to stay in touch and get all the updated info about upcoming releases, contests, and appearances, you can sign up for my newsletter here, or stop by the calendar page of my website. I also post my activities monthly, here at my blogspot. I’d love it if you followed me by clicking on the "join this site" button to the right. You can also find me on Facebook or Twitter.


When you’re all done here, be sure to hop on over to the other WG2E Street team member’s sites and check out their new releases and see what they have for prizes. For your convenience, I've listed them below. The grand prize is a $25 and a $10 gift certificate to Olive Garden. You can enter to win on our BBB main page by filling out the Rafflecopter in the right hand sidebar. The more you help us spread the word about our books, the more chances you have to win. So now, onto the reason we're all here. The theme for this blog hop is giving thanks for great books, authors, or characters who have inspired us to write.


I have tons of authors I love, but if I had to narrow it down to just one, I’d have to say that Diana Gabaldon is one of those authors whose work I find enthralling. Her Outlander series is amazing. The seven or eight brick-sized books about a time traveling nurse from 1945 England who gets thrown back to 1700’s Scotland and falls in love with a red-headed highlander named Jamie Fraser has to be the best series I’ve ever read. Gabaldon’s prose are poetic perfection and the dynamic love story between Claire and Jamie has captivated the hearts of millions of readers over the past twenty years. There is action, intrigue, a complexly woven cast of interesting and well developed characters, and an epic journey through time that leaves me breathless after each book.

My only complaint is that it takes Ms. Gabaldon three years to write her masterpieces. But then again, I’m willing to wait since she gets the research just right and I’m never disappointed in which direction the characters take me. I also have to say that as far as inspirational characters, Jamie Fraser is the BEST hero ever! He is as “stubborn as a rock” but willing to fight for what’s right at all cost. We love his sensitivity, his intelligence, his wisdom, and most of all his devotion to the equally stubborn and brilliant Claire. The dialogue in these books is real and heartwarming and the love scenes are the most organic and naturally steamy scenes I’ve ever read. I hope you’ll give this incredible series a try if you haven’t read it already.

Okay, readers, who/what is your favorite author, character or book?

After you leave a comment, stop by these other sites and see what great books have influenced these other wonderful authors. You'll find some fun prizes along the way!

Fabio Bueno @ http://www.fabiobueno.com
Debra Burroughs @ http://www.DebraBurroughsBooks.com
L.C. Giroux @ http://www.lcgiroux.com/thoughts
Stacy Green @ http://stacygreenauthor.com/
Stacey Joy Netzel @ http://staceyjoynetzel.blogspot.com/2012/11/thanks-for-great-books-blog-hopfall.html
Janice Lane Palko @ http://www.thewritinglane.blogspot.com
Lily Silver @ http://romancinghistorylove.blogspot.com/
Tamara Ward @ http://www.authortamaraward.blogspot.com/

November is NaNoWriMo and a Celebration of Great Books

So hard to believe November is already half over. I’ve been happily buried in writing Book Two in The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael, WESTERN DESERT. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and I, as well as 300,000 writers worldwide, have committed to writing 50,000 words this month.

60,000 words is almost a completed first draft for me, so even if I don’t quite make the 1667 words per day or 12,500 words per week, I suspect I’ll be pretty close to my target. The downside is that to write quickly and consistently like this, the work is much less polished and I imagine will need considerable revision. I’m just going with the flow and trying to enjoy the new process. We’ll see how it goes and I’ll keep you posted on my Facebook page.

In addition to writing my little fingers off, I’ll be taking part in the New Fall Book Release and the Thanks for Great Books Blog Hop with nine of my WG2E Street Team buddies on November 25-26.

(The site will go live Nov. 24th).

To see a listing of the fabulous new books from a cornucopia of authors and genres, hop on over to http://www.BeachBookBlast.blogspot.com and browse through the "Fall e-book releases" and "Fall event authors" tabs.

And speaking of hopping, I’ll be participating in a blog hop right here with giveaways, prizes, and an up close and personal look at what book, author, or character inspired me to write. I hope you'll come by on Nov. 25 or the 26th to share your thoughts and enter to win prizes. From my site here you'll be able to hop on over to the other participating writers. It’s an opportunity for readers to get to know us authors a little better and share with us about your favorites and what great books you’re thankful for. Each author will have prizes and a blog post for you to enjoy. I hope you’ll join us on Thanksgiving weekend and please help spread the word.

If you want to tweet about it, cut and paste this:

#NewFallBookReleases from #WG2E StreetTeam members and Blog Hop with prizes @ http://tinyurl.com/a9d2q4d Nov. 25-26 #kindlebooks #Nook

Thanks for your help! See you right after Thanksgiving. Have a wonderful and safe Holiday!

October is Blog Tour month

It's not too late! Amid the falling leaves, rainy days, and wind whipped clouds, I'm traveling about the cybersphere chatting with bloggers about WANING MOON, Book One in The chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy. There are interviews, excerpts, reviews and prizes along the way! All commenters on my blog tour are entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card to either Amazon or B&N. Also, an e-copy of ON THIN ICE will be awarded to one lucky commenter at each stop, so make sure you stop by as many sites as possible and say hello. You can find all my blog tour stops with Goddess Fish promotions

on the Calendar page of my website.


So far, readers seem to be enjoying the book. Early reviews go something like this:

The novel was well written, and I instantly cared about Lily and the others characters. They were well drawn and believable. I can't wait for the next installment from this talented writer. Way to go PJ Sharon!
Cat Kalen, author of PRIDE'S RUN

I absolutely loved this suspenseful read by PJ Sharon. I may be an adult, but I'm a huge fan of YA fantasy. Sharon doesn't disappoint with plausible and creative characters and innovations to the world as it could be in the not-too-distant future. In addition to compelling characters, the action is so forward-driving I couldn't put this book down! Can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy!
Author Tamara Ward

Here's the back cover blurb:

In the year 2057, in a post-apocalyptic world where a polar shift threatens the survivors of a widespread pandemic with extinction, sixteen-year-old genetically enhanced Lily Carmichael has more immediate problems. Her uncle is dying of cancer and her healing abilities are ineffective against the blood ties that bind them. In order to find a cure, Lily must leave the protection of her quiet town and journey to the trading city of Albany, all while avoiding the Industry, an agency that would like nothing better than to study and exploit her abilities.

Seventeen-year-old Will Callahan has been searching for his father since severe storms blasted through the Midwest, killing his mother and sister. When he learns that his father may be in the city, he catches a ride with Lily, a girl who has come to his rescue more than once. As the two embark on a dangerous journey, the tension between them grows. But the secrets Will’s keeping could put Lily in far more danger than traveling to the city with him, and if he was any kind of man, he would have told her to run the minute she found him.



If you like the idea of WANING MOON,you'll love the short story prequel, SOUL REDEMPTION, which is part of the WG2E's All for Indies Anthologies Spooky Shorts edition, with short stories by D.D. Scott, David Slegg, Lois Lavrisa, and Patricia, (P.R.) Mason.

You can read the first chapter of SOUL REDEMPTION on Wattpad or you can find buy links for the anthology on my website at http://www.pjsharon.com

To all who have purchased my books, helped spread the word about them, and stopped by my blog tour to say "hey," THANK YOU so much! I couldn't do this without you! Have a safe and blessed autumn!

The Next Big Thing and WANING MOON

September is here again. Do you like my new look? I do love a new wardrobe, and it's that time of year. Back to work! Time for fall preparations, new projects, and my favorite weather. Since my big news for September is the release of WANING MOON, Book One in The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy, the timing of the Next best Thing Hop is perfect. The point of the hop is for authors to answer 10 questions about their current work-in-progress to give readers a little taste of what’s coming up. I was tagged by my buddy, Rhonda Hopkins, who has a release of her own coming soon, a romantic suspense called ILLUSION OF SAFETY. You can read all about it at her link above.

The ground rules for the hop are as follows:

*** Post the rules. Done!

***Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress) on your blog – Done! See below

***Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them. — Done! Err..sort of. See below

***Link back to the person who tagged you. — Done! See above.

Simple enough. Now on to the questions and answers.

What is the working title of your book?

WANING MOON, Book One in THE CHRONICLES OF LILY CARMICHAEL, due out September 28, 2012. I also have a companion short story called SOUL REDEMPTION, the prequel to Book One, which will be part of the WG2E (Writers Guide to E-publishing) October Anthology.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Living out in the sticks, I have very few neighbors, but we depend on each other a lot. My husband and I often get together with our neighbors across the street (our only neighbors for three quarters of a mile in any direction), have supper and play cards. Conversation inevitably turns to “what would we do if society as we know it collapsed.” I know…morbid, right? But we’ve had some fascinating discussions about this topic over the years and my husband and my neighbor go into great detail about how they would survive. Let me say, my husband, being a brilliant engineer, would be a handy guy to have around. The story evolved out of those conversations and my neighbors were a great resource for my research.

What genre does your book fall under?

Young adult literature has several subcategories these days, one being dystopian fiction, made famous by Suzanne Collins’ the Hunger Games trilogy, and books like Lois Lowry’s The Giver.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I always have trouble with this question because there are so many great young actors out there and I’m terrible with names. I think Chord Overstreet from Glee would make a great Will, Emma Watson for Lily, and John Stamos for Sam. Zeph would definitely be the wild card—some unknown thirteen-year-old who would steal the show.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

In the year 2057, a genetically altered teen travels to the city to find a cure for her uncle's cancer, but the young drifter she meets puts them both in danger.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I’m sticking to the indie-publishing route for now. I love the control I have over my product and you can’t beat the royalty percentages. It’s a ton of work, but so far I’m satisfied with how it’s going. If a fabulous agent or a large publishing house approached me with a stellar offer, I’d consider changing my mind.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

This one took me six months to write the first draft. I’ve done others in three months, but that was before I was published. I hadn’t figured in the amount of time that marketing and promoting the books would require. It really made it challenging to buckle down and get the first draft done. I’ll definitely figure in that time for the next one.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Other than the dystopian feel of it, the story is really different from the Hunger Games. Not quite as dark and gritty, I think. With the genetic alteration aspect, it’s more like James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series, but has more of a real life feel like that of The Giver by Lois Lowry.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

One of the central story lines that will develop through the three books is the budding romance between Lily and Will as they embark on their adventures. I love a good teen romance! Oh, and there are wolves!

Tagged for next week – you’re it! Since I only tag authors and writers willing to be tagged, these are my two takers for next week:-)

Casey Wyatt

Marian Lannouette

August Excerpts and Contests

How did I totally miss the month of July? The summer is flying by and I’ve been a very busy writer, doing what I love most…writing. I’ve finished WANING MOON, the first book in The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael Trilogy, set to release SEPTEMBER 28, 2012. I handed the manuscript off to the editor and I should have it back in a few weeks to put it through the polishing and production phase. I’ll reveal the cover next Tuesday on http://www.Secretsof7scribes.wordpress.com.

In the meantime, I’ve been working on a companion short story, called SOUL REDEMPTION, a Prequel to the trilogy from Lily's younger brother Zeph's point of view. The short story will be part of the October WG2E (Writers Guide to E-publishing) Anthology, release date TBA.

CONTESTS:
It’s August Excerpt month over at YA Beyond. In place of my Healthy Teen Tips Friday, I’ll be sharing an excerpt from each of my books. To make it interesting, every week I’ll offer a signed copy of each book to a lucky commenter who also “like’s” our Facebook page. Winners will be announced the following Friday.

Schedule:

August 3rd--HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES. Get to know Jordie and Alex a bit better and enter to win until this Thursday at midnight.

August 10th--ON THIN ICE will be up for grabs. It is also part of a GOOD READS giveaway until August 15th. That means you have a few chances to win a signed copy! Don’t miss out.

August 17th—SAVAGE CINDERELLA will be featured. Simply stop by YA beyond on Friday’s and leave a comment. If you’ve already “liked” our FB page, we’d love to have you follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our blog posts instead.

August 24th—I’ll be sharing an excerpt from WANING MOON. That’s right, you guys get to meet Lily and Will before anyone else.


BIG CONTEST: Enter to win $50 and the opportunity to have your video chosen as the Official Book trailer for WANING MOON.

Rules:

Submit a 1-1:30 minute video book trailer for WANING MOON. Send your videos (AVI or even a PowerPoint presentation) as an attachment to pjsharon64@gmail.com. Each week I’ll pick one video to feature on my FB page and website. A final winner will be chosen September 21st and announced here. Your video will be used as a promotional tool for the release of the book on September 28th. I’ll be looking for book trailers that show originality, quality, design, and artistic interpretation. For examples of book trailers, here are my other two that my husband did. Heaven Is For Heroes was done with Power Point, while ON THIN ICE was done on I-Movie on my husband's Mac. http://www.youtube.com/pjsharon64


Here’s what the book is about:

WANING MOON
In the year 2057, in a post-apocalyptic world where a global shift threatens the remainder of the population with extinction, sixteen-year-old genetically enhanced Lily Charmichael has more immediate problems. Her uncle is dying of cancer and her healing abilities are ineffective against the blood ties that bind them. In order to find a cure, Lily must leave the protection of her quiet town and journey into the trading city of Albany, all while avoiding the Industry, an agency that would like nothing better than to study and exploit her abilities.

Seventeen-year-old Will Callahan has been searching for his father since severe storms blasted through the Midwest, killing his mother and sister. When he learns that his father may be in the city, he catches a ride with Lily, a girl who has come to his rescue more than once. As the two embark on a dangerous journey, the tension between them grows. But the secrets Will’s keeping could put Lily in far more danger than traveling to the city with him, and if he was any kind of man, he would have told her to run the minute she found him.

Helpful details:

1) Lily has light brown hair and green eyes. She goes from having long hair to short early in the book.
2) Will has sandy blond hair and blue eyes. Zephron has dark curly hair and is thirteen.
3) The solar radiation is a big problem after the global shift, and the weather is very hot.
4) Lily lives with her Uncle and her brother in a tiny hill town in the Northeast Sector.
5) Lily has the gift of being able to heal quickly and to heal others.
6) Lily travels to the Albany with a caravan of trucks to go to the trading post.
7) She has some close calls with the robotic Guardians who patrol the city.
8) Will and Lily get dumped into the Hudson River…twice!
9) Lily is in a race against time to get the medicine that could heal her uncle.
10) Lily and Will struggle with their feelings for each other because they both know they have to go their own way eventually.

Good Luck everyone! I hope you have fun with it.

June is Jumping!

So many exciting things happening this month!

I've released SAVAGE CINDERELLA from it's exclusive run with Amazon. This sweet but edgy YA romantic suspense is now available on B&N and Smashwords.

You will also be able to read chapters of the book on a cool site called Wattpad. I'll post a free chapter every Friday. I hope you'll follow along and tell your firends who haven't read the book.


My book HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES now contains BONUS content, including an excerpt from ON THIN ICE and the Story Behind The Story of how HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES came to be.

A huge thank you to all of the wonderful authors and organizers who participated in the Booklovers Buffet .99 cent book sale. The winner of my $10 BN gift card was Donna Lawrence. Thanks Donna, and all of the entrants into our contest, for hanging out with us and buying our books. It was a lot of fun for everyone! But there was also a ton of hard work behind the scenes, so hats off to everyone who pitched in.

Then there was a short vacation I managed to slip in. Last week I went moosing in Maine with my sisters and got some great shots of mama and baby moose cooling off in Sandy Stream pond in Baxter State Park.



Another exciting developement is my involvement with the WG2E Street Team. Over the past several months, I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing and inspiring authors. I never imagined my writing would take me to places like the WG2E (Writers Guide to e-publishing), where authors come together to bring readers great books at great prices. They are the most supportive, smart, hard-working professionals I've ever worked with. That's why I'm happy to say that I will be joining the WG2E Street Team and making the Beach Book Blast site a permanent gig.

We'll have periodic events such as group book releases, a monthly Book Club thrugh Good reads, author interviews, and even some Live Chats so you can get to talk to real authors about their books and their writing life. I'll have more information about the site as the group sets up and implements the plan. Stay tuned!

Giving Away The Shop

Business first! The winner of my Authors in Bloom prize pack was Melissa Bourne Yayyy, Melissa! You can check out the Authors in Bloom main page to find a list of other winners and to see who won the grand prize of a Nook or Kindle.

Now, on to another giveaway! After the Give Your Child a Book Day was so crazy successful yesterday, and I didn't want anyone to miss out on a FREE Kindle copy of my latest release, SAVAGE CINDERELLA, I'll keep the book free for two more days. That's right! Today and tomorrow only, the book is available for a free download from Amazon. Jump on over and get your copy NOW!

If this is your first visit to my blog, I write, as the title suggests, Extraordinary Stories of an Average Teenage Life.

Savage Cinderella is the story of a young girl’s tragically lost innocence, her miraculous survival in the wilderness, and the unlikely romance that teaches her to trust, and leads her to triumph over her past.

Eighteen year-old Brinn Hathaway has survived alone in an abandoned cabin in the High Country of North Georgia since she was a child. If her life is lonely and less than complete, at least she is safe from the man who kidnapped her, held her captive, and left her for dead in a shallow grave in the mountains. She believes that her parents are dead, the police are her enemy, and that if she returns to the world, her tormentor will find her. With the help of some unlikely friends, she has what she needs to survive, but is surviving enough?

Life takes a turn when a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer—in pursuit of the fabled Wild Child—captures her on film. While chasing the story of a lifetime, Justin is injured and Brinn comes to his rescue. The two build a tentative friendship, but with his own violent past, an abusive alcoholic father, and a mother he couldn’t protect, he must decide if proving himself is worth betraying the trust of the girl he has vowed to help.

Trust is a commodity that Brinn has been unable to afford. Can the kindness and gentle touch of a stranger break through the wall she has built around her heart? After half a lifetime of living in isolation and fear, Brinn must decide if leaving the safety of her remote cabin is worth the hope—and danger—that may await her.


Some people might say it's crazy giving away my book like this, but since yesterday, over 8,000 people have downloaded the book for free. If a dozen or so folks feel compelled to write a lovely review, tell their friends what a great story it is, or maybe decide to purchase my other two books, Heaven Is For Heroes and On Thin Ice, then it is well worth it. Besides, every writer writes for one reason and one reason only...to share their stories with the world.

I hope you enjoy Brinn's story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Comments and feedback are always welcomed and I would greatly appreciate any reviews you'd like to post to Amazon.

Blessings!

PJ

Give Your Child a Book Day

Welcome to a fabulous opportunity to give your kids a free e-book for their Kindle! Check out the great list of books available. April 19th, the following Children's, Middle Grade, and YA books are FREE You'll see that my most recent release, SAVAGE CINDERELLA is among them. And because I wouldn't want you to miss out on a great opportunity, my book will stay FREE for three days, from April 19-21. Enjoy! I'll also be announcing the winner of my Authors in Bloom Blog Hop Prizepack right here on Friday the 20th. Stay tuned!

Fill up your Kindle and get your children reading this summer with these 15 books, free on Kindle only on April 19 during the Give Your Child A Kindle Book (or 15 of Them!) Promotion. Scroll down the list, which includes picture books, middle grade novels, and young adult books spanning a range of topics from sports, to paranormal, to historical, to educational. Selected books include the Florida Historical Society's Best Children's Book, and books that have been recommended in Best Books for Young Teen Readers Grades 7-10 and in an edition of Children's Book of the Year. The authors have been published by houses such as Scholastic, Dell, HarperCollins, Simon Pulse, Avon, E.P. Dutton, Millbrook, Lerner, and St. Martin's Minotaur. Adult readers will find much to enjoy on this list also. Some of the titles will be free for a couple days, but the entire list is just guaranteed free on the 19th. We also have two bonus books in multiple e-book formats, compatible with Nook, Sony and more! You'll find the list of novels for older tween and teen readers first, followed by picture books and books for younger readers, and then our two bonus novels.
Please click on the title to follow the Amazon buy links.

NOVELS


Download Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba - When teen psychic Dawn Christian gets involved with a fortuneteller mentor and two girls who share her mysterious talents, she finally belongs after years of being a misfit. When she learns her new friends may be tied to freak “accidents” in town, Dawn has an important choice to make – continue developing the talent that makes her special or challenge the only people who have ever accepted her. "A special book that should not be missed.” Fresh Fiction


Download Face-Off by Stacy Juba - Brad’s twin brother T.J. has gotten himself out of the fancy prep school his father picked for him and into the public high school Brad attends. The whole school is rooting for a big double-strength win…not knowing that their twin hockey stars are heating up the ice for a winner takes all face-off. Included in the reference guide Best Books for Young Teen Readers Grades 7-10.


Download Charlie Woodchuck is a Minor Niner by Dalya Moon - It’s 1988, and Charlie Woodchuck is the most minor of niners. At thirteen, she’s the youngest girl at Snowy Cove High School, and so clueless, she wore leg warmers and acid-wash jeans on her first day. Big mistake! Almost as big a mistake as signing up for a boys-only shop class. Doy! Just when she thinks the first week of high school can’t get any more weird, Charlie discovers she may be adopted.


Download Away from Whipplethorn by A.W. Hartoin - Tiny fairies. Huge adventure. Matilda is about to get what she’s always wanted, and it’s a bad thing. Being a babysitter isn’t much of a dream, but Matilda is anything but average. She’s half a centimeter tall, invisible to the human eye, and hearing-impaired. In her life, adventures are in short supply, but there is a emergency list for her first job. The only problem; humans aren’t on the list.


Download The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Dan Elish - Pancakes that turn into trampolines, attacking caramel apples, roller-skating pies, are all a part of The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Dan Elish, a lip-smacking middle grade fantasy with an original musical score by a Broadway veteran embedded alongside the text! After losing to a cheat for the past eleven years, will chef Applefeller finally manage to nab the prize?


Download Practice Cake: A Romantic Comedy by Dalya Moon - There's one thing Maddie Bird (18) finds more tempting than red velvet cake: her coworker, Drew. All it takes is one of his sly winks or a playful hip-check by the cooler, and she's incinerating the cookies. Her boyfriend would not approve. When a reality TV crew descends upon the bakery, her simple summer job gets even more complicated.


Download Savage Cinderella by PJ Sharon - Eighteen-year-old Brinn Hathaway has survived on her own in the Northwest High Country of Georgia since she was left for dead in a shallow grave by the man who kidnapped her as a child. When a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer, catches the wild girl on film and the two form a tentative friendship, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope - and the danger-that may await her.


Download Ashlyn's Radio by Wilson Doherty (Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty) - When circumstances force 17-year-old Ashlyn Caverhill to move to her grandma's in Maine, she's PO'd. Although it boasts the hot Caden Williams, she thinks Prescott Junction is the deadest place ever. She may be right. Not only does a ghost train roll through at night, but the Caverhill-cursed radio Ashlyn finds foretells that she'll board it! With Caden's help, she must find a way to escape her fate.


Download Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology by N.R. Wick - Keep a flashlight handy. This collection of short stories for young adults is sure to draw out whatever's skulking in the shadows. From supernatural entities, to crazed monsters, to disturbing discoveries, evil is lurking 'round every corner. Delve into the dark recesses of this creepy book… if you dare.

FOR YOUNGER READERS:

Download Teddy Bear Town Childrens E-Book Bundle by Stacy Juba - Immerse your child in the gentle world of teddy bears with three picture books in one download. Each story is fully illustrated with simple illustrations of teddy bear families. Includes The Flag Keeper, Victoria Rose and the Big Bad Noise, and Sticker Shoes. The Midwest Book Review on The Flag Keeper: "Excellent educational book filled with information all American children should know."


Download Doctor: Discover Series Picture Book for Kids - Who likes going to the doctor? Who wants their child to grow up to be a doctor? Whether you're looking to alleviate anxiety or plant the suggestion early, DOCTOR features 25 full-color photos of of doctors, nurses and medical equipment. Like other titles in the Kindle Kids Library from Xist Publishing, DOCTOR has been formatted to take advantage of the Kindle, Kindle Fire and Kindle apps for phones, tablets and computers.


Download Einstein The Lazy Kitty by Renae Rae - This 30-page story is inspired by Renae Rae's real-life lazy kitty. Einstein The Lazy Kitty, combines rhythmic writing and colorful illustrations to make this a short, fun book for all ages but it was designed with your toddler and early reader in mind.


Download Time to Get Ready, Bunny! by Brenda Ponnay - It's time to get ready, Bunny! Bunny? BUNNY? In this charming little book, author/illustrator Brenda Ponnay has artfully depicted the morning routine of so many families. Whether your little one would rather stay in bed, play with toys, or try on every outfit in the closet, this book is sure to resonate with parents.


Download Grammar Candy by Katrina Streza - Have you ever wondered what exactly an adjective was? Drawn a blank when your child asked for help with English grammar homework? In GRAMMAR CANDY, the second book by educator Katrina Streza, Danny and Sam are back for another candy-filled learning adventure. This time, they'll turn a grammar lesson into some sweet fun when they visit Mr. Candor's Candy Shop and learn about nouns, pronouns,
adjectives, verbs and more. For candy-loving kids in grades 1-3 (and their parents too)!

BONUS BOOKS: Available in multiple e-book formats compatible with Kindle, Nook, Sony and other e-readers.
The Younger Days by Mike Hays -
In the beginning, Boy Smyth has a dull Missouri farm life and a burning desire to be an outlaw like his hero, Cole Younger. In the end, Boy Smyth has five dead bodies and two burning buildings at his farm and the most feared man in the United States crying outside his front gate. And that desire for the outlaw life? It's purged completely from his system. Download free on April 19 from Muse It Up Publishing.

The Pea Soup Poisonings by Nancy Means Wright - To get into her brother's Spy Club, Zoe must walk a high narrow beam over rusted farm machinery and then discover who poisoned Granny Fairweather's pea soup. She has 5 days to find the culprit. Can she do it? Winner of an Agatha award for Best Children’s/Young Adult Novel. Download free on April 19 from Belgrave House.