Blog Tour: Vanilla Twist by C.J. Ellisson

Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature C.J. Ellisson and Vanilla Twist.

C.J. Ellisson is the USA Today Bestselling author of the New York Times Bestselling book, Vanilla on Top, the bestselling V V Inn series, and several erotica shorts. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband, two children, three dogs, and a fluffy black cat who makes her sneeze.

Unlike most full-time authors, she's also battling severe chronic illness. C.J. works daily to put her Lupus into remission and continues to fight numerous bacterial infections while her immune system slowly attacks her body. She turned to writing when she could no longer work outside the home and claims the escape of penning contemporary fantasy, erotica, and erotic romance has helped save her sanity.

To learn more about C.J. and her other books, please stop by the author's website (http://www.cjellisson.com) or visit her on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/c.j.ellissonfanpage.

Amazon Product Description:

Heather thinks she has it all—an interesting lover, a dream job, and a new wardrobe to match her take-charge attitude. But everyone has a past, and when Heather confronts hers at work she’ll be hard-pressed to hold onto her newfound confidence and resolve. Does she trust Tony enough to let him help her or will she tackle the issue on her own?

Still intrigued by the young woman and the multiple layers she presents to the world, Tony begins to change his life, too—for what he hopes is the better. He quit his high-powered career to find peace in a less stressful day-to-day existence. Desire for Heather still invades his every waking moment, and when trouble threatens their sexual explorations he makes the hardest choice of his life. One he may soon regret.

 My thoughts:

What a great story of honesty, trust and love triumphing over adversity.  Heather and Tony are fantastic characters.  The story is well written and nicely paced.  The secondary characters, friends and family members of both Tony and Heather's, are vital to the telling of the story and are created with that importance in mind.  The emotional ride that both the main characters are on is intense and challenging.  I have not read Vanilla on Top and found that Vanilla Twist stands alone fine, but will be going back to read the beginning of Tony and Heather's story.  

Giveaway:

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Giveaway: A Medical Affair by Anne McCarthy Strauss (international ebook giveaway)

About A Medical Affair

While under the care of her pulmonologist after a life-threatening asthma

attack, Heather Morrison enters into an affair with her doctor. This affair

violates the state’s code of conduct and his medical treatment violates the

Hippocratic oath.  Heather’s life is shattered as a result. After the doctor

terminates the relationship, Heather begins research for her own healing,

and armed with this information, she initiates a civil lawsuit. Although it

is a work of fiction, A Medical Affair was extensively researched.  A

Medical Affair is a critical book for women who want to make educated

decisions regarding their relationships with their doctors.

About Anne

Anne McCarthy Strauss is a versatile writer, researcher and public relations

professional.  She is also an avid supporter of victims’ rights.  She has

spent the last decade educating women and men on the seldom revealed but all

too frequent occurrence of affairs between doctors and their patients.  Her

novel, A Medical Affair, is the story of a doctor who violates a sacred

trust by having an affair with one of his patients.

A lifelong New Yorker, Anne lives on Long Island with her husband and their

two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.  The mother of one son, she has written

for both consumer and trade magazines including Old House Journal,

Waterfront Home & Design, Design Trade Magazine, Design New England,

Distinction, Log Home Design Ideas and Florida Design Review.  She has been

a regular contributor to Martha’s Vineyard Magazine and Vineyard Style.  She

is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA).

Visit her at www.annestauss.com.

Blog Tour: Ethereal Underground by Brooke Kennedy and Briana Gaitan

Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Brooke Kennedy, Briana Gaitan and their book, Ethereal Underground.

Brooke Kennedy and Briana Gaitan are southern natives, self-proclaimed geeks, and have been writing together for over 10 years! They have written short stories, fan-fictions, novels, and plays both together and separately. They are avid fans and writers of supernatural, sci-fi, fantasy, and romance novels.  One of their goals is to write stories where there are no limits to the imagination, giving you something new and fresh each time.

Briana enjoys books, shopping, fashion, adventures and has spent countless hours dreaming of a life in space. She finds time to write in between hanging out with her three children and her husband, as well as finishing up a degree in marketing.

Brooke enjoys music, books, family & friends, and spending time with her husband and incredibly entertaining guinea pig.  She has obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in mental health counseling from Tennessee Technological University.

Delve more into their adventures on Twitter (EtherealUBook), Facebook, and http://www.etherealunderground.com.

Can the person who was sent to steal your soul, be the same person who steals your heart?

The keepers are protectors of the planet Cabalin, charged with defeating identified enemies and preventing other planets from waging war on their dying planet. They are expected to keep their emotions in check and do as they are told no matter what the consequences. One of their rising warriors, however, has been placed on sabbatical for reasons unknown to those around him. Rebellious, impulsive, and moody, Ash has continued to break the rules by frequenting the Ethereal Underground, the seedy hang out in the eighth layer of the planet. Ash has always believed in the keeper’s cause, but his taste for adventure always seems to get him in trouble.

The seraphs live on a different plane of existence. They watch over the mortals and reap their souls when it is time for them to depart to the afterlife, but do not associate with the beings otherwise. They are duty bound and loyal creatures, each of them having an affinity for a force of nature that they can use when needed. When a seraph breaks the rules, they are banished and stripped of their affinity. These evil creatures are named the fallen. Annalise, a reaper seraph blessed with an affinity for water, has always followed the rules until she is called to reap Ash’s soul and take it to the afterlife. This time, however, she finds it difficult to take the soul.

Their worlds were never supposed to meet. Now everyone’s future is in jeopardy, their lives turned upside down as they find themselves on the run from the very people they thought they could count on. The two of them must search for a way to clear their names and hunt down the evil forces of the fallen, without losing themselves or those they hold dearest. This epic fantasy will take you on an exhilarating quest for love, truth, and revenge.

Excerpt:

 “Here, a quick lesson in mortals. Let’s call it Mortals 101.” Finlay held up a hand, three fingers up in the air as he used his other hand to count them, “Number one: Do not take anything they say literally. You really need to work on this. Number two: Always assume the mortal has another motive. They usually do. Number three: If they try to kiss you, always kiss them back.”

Annalise rolled her eyes, “I am not kissing a mortal.”

“Suite yourself, my dear. If that’s all you got out of that lesson, then we have a problem already,” he said, eyes moving to Ash.

Another Excerpt:

Once again, she felt the overwhelming need to revive him, heal him. If she listened to it, she would be betraying her people, breaking one of the most important of rules. She had never gone against the Elders’ wishes before, but she felt as it would be a terrible tragedy if she took this soul back to the Grand Hall.

Annalise leaned back to gaze up at the high metal ceilings and the florescent lights flickering above her. Leon would be so disappointed in her, and she would be going against all of her trainings if she rescued this mortal. She felt her heart racing as she fought with herself to continue with her duty. All she had to do was tap her bangle and she would be in the Grand Hall. There would be no turning back at that point. It itched at her, however, her heart aching suddenly in the weirdest way.

There was no way she could do it, she decided. She had to make sure the young man lying there was saved and she was the only one that could do it. She could not take his soul. They would have to send someone else to do it. As she leaned back over him, she noticed his face beginning to lose its color.

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Blog Tour: Sleeping with a Wall Street Banker by Marlene Morgan

This virtual book tour is presented by Pump Up Your Book.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Marlene Morgan and Sleeping with a Wall Street Banker.

Title: Sleeping with a Wall Street Banker
Author: Marlene Morgan
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Romantic Suspense
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Pages: 322
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1-48178-874-8

Sleeping With A Wall Street Banker is a psychological thriller that begins when lawyer Alice Francis leaves her life in London for a new start with Wall Street banker Jake Logan in New York. She quickly learns that this is a man consumed by his need to control; he loves but on his terms. When Jake’s ex-girlfriend, Jessica, finds out about Jake’s relationship with Alice, Alice’s life takes a dark turn. For all the trappings of success from a Wall Street career, Jake is a man tormented by the irrational guilt he carries from his past relationship with Jessica. Jessica is unmarried and childless with a biological clock that has all but stopped ticking, and Jake is her back-up plan. Her ultimate goal is to fix Jake’s life by interfering, setting him up, and blackmailing him in an effort to force him into a horrible relationship that was never meant to be. With Alice in the picture, Jessica’s goal is almost certainly a recipe for disaster and a fate equal to death itself. When the plan begins to fail, a mentally unbalanced Jessica resorts to destruction.

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE.

ABOUT MARLENE MORGAN

Marlene Morgan is an author, and a Barrister-at-law. She also holds a master degree in taxation and administration law from Kings College London. Having recently passed the New York Bar Exam she is currently seeking admission to the New York Bar.

She can be contacted through her website at www.marlenemorgan.com

Spotlight for Susan Kaye Quinn ~

Teachers, Librarians, and Parents Use Faery Swap to get kids excited about reading and math! Reaching middle grade readers is tough, especially with indie works. In the book, Faery Swap, warrior faeries steal mathematical knowledge from humans to enhance their magickal faery powers. Susan is passionate about this message - that knowledge is power and math is magick - so she created a Virtual Author Visit, activities, and a card-based game, so any teacher, anywhere on the planet, could share this message with their students. 2 minute trailer 9 minute Virtual Author Visit Video This dynamic video brings Author and Rocket Scientist Susan Kaye Quinn (Ph.D. Engineering) into your classroom, sharing her background in science and engineering, talking about her book, then showing how humans use math in the real world to do amazing things... even without magick to help them. What Teachers Can Do  2 minute book trailer - get kids excited about the book (in class, in the school library, over the announcements) 9 minute Virtual Author Visit video - for a Common Core aligned unit using Faery Swap in the classroom One page summary how Faery Swap aligns with Common Core Teacher's Guide (discussion questions, activities) Knowledge Seekers card-based game for use in classroom Get FREE ebooks (or classroom discounts on print books) - contact me at susankayequinn at comcast dot net   What Librarians Can Do 2 minute book trailer - get kids excited about the book (in class, in the school library, over the announcements) Free bookmarks - to hand out for prizes to your students   What Parents Can Do 2 minute book trailer - get kids excited about the book Recommend the Teacher's Guide and 9 minute Virtual Author Visit video to your kids' teachers Knowledge Seekers card-based game for fun on cold Saturday afternoon or long summer day For more information, check out her Virtual Author Visit Page.    PLUS it's Middle Grade Week on her blog, with lots of Middle Grade Book giveaways! ENTER HERE Always keep learning... just in case!   Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, which is young adult science fiction, and several adult fiction stories. Faery Swap is her foray into middle grade, which is her first writing love. Her business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist" and she always has more speculative fiction fun in the works. You can subscribe to her newsletter (hint: new subscribers get a free short story!) to see what she's up to.   Faery Swap Kindle | Nook | Print   I write everything from middle grade fantasy (Faery Swap) to young adult science fiction (Mindjack) to steampunk romance (Third Daughter). And, of course, my dark-and-gritty future-noir serial, Debt Collector. It's possible I have a short attention span. My business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist" but mostly I sit around in my PJs in awe that I get paid to make stuff up.

Blog Tour: Out of the Night by Geri Foster

This virtual book tour is presented by Innovative Online Book Tours.

Click HERE for more tour information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Geri Foster and Out of the Night.

BIO:  As long as she can remember, Geri Foster has been a lover of reading and the written words. In the seventh grade she wore out two library cards and had read every book in her age area of the library. After raising a family and saying good-bye to the corporate world, she tried her hand at writing.

Action, intrigue, danger and sultry romance drew her like a magnet. That’s why she has no choice but to write action-romance suspense. While she reads every genre under the sun, she’s always been drawn to guns, bombs and fighting men. Secrecy and suspense move her to write edgy stories about daring and honorable heroes who manage against all odds to end up with their one true love.

ONLINE LINKS:

·         Website  http://www.gerifoster.com/

·         Blog   http://www.gerifoster5.blogspot.com/

·         Facebook  www.facebook.com/gerifoster1

·         Twitter  www.twitter.com/gerifoster

·         Goodreads  www.goodreads.com/gerifoster

BUY NOW LINK:

·         Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Night-Falcon-Securities-Geri-Foster-ebook/dp/B00F1F7Q9M/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1388885337&sr=1-3&keywords=out+of+the+night

·         B & N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/out-of-the-night-geri-foster/1116859204?ean=9781482612950

Falcon Securities Agent Tony Archuletta has lost his memory and a CIA operative is being held captive by a lethal group of terrorists out to destroy America. For Tony to pull off a mission this delicate and complex, he must have his memory, as well as every weapon at his disposal.

Abby Williams is an investigative reporter sent on a dangerous assignment. One of Falcon’s agents is being held in the notorious Lubyanka Prison where experimental drugs were used to make him break under integration. The agent is a man Abby has a painful history with. A man can never forgive her betrayal.

Can Tony and Abby race against time to save the CIA operative? Will Tony regain his memory only to learn that she is the only woman he’d ever loved and the only person he ever feared? Does love win this battle? Or do these two souls who are meant to be together take the safe road and part with just a handful of memories?

Excerpt:

     She must’ve sensed his fear for she touched his arm. “It’s going to be okay. I personally owe you that much.”

     He reached over, hooked his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her mouth to his lips. He’d meant the light contact as a ploy to see if it rattled anything in his memory.

     He never intended for the kiss to turn passionate. He pressed against her body and she wrapped her arms around him as if he was a life raft and they were adrift on the open seas.

     Her warmth surrounded him and kicked up his heart rate. The intensity of the moment seared something deep inside him to the point of real fear. He had to pull back to the surface so he could gasp for air. For the first time in days something felt vaguely familiar. A dim light in his head turned on and he knew with a certainty that shook him to his toes that he’d kissed this woman before.   

My thoughts:
This was a great story.  It holds mystery, espionage, betrayal, loyalty, fear, and love.  The characters are wonderful and carefully constructed.  The world building is realistic and precise.  The timeline is well paced and the action non-stop.  The plot is multi-faceted and intriguing.  I enjoyed the read and will be looking to read more from Geri Foster.

IO Tours has a question/rating form for reviewers:
1. Has reading this book caused you to be interested in reading additional novels by this author and would you recommend this book to friends or family who like this genre?
Rating: 10/10 - I loved the book, will definitely be reading more from Geri Foster and would highly recommend it to both friends and family.
2. Do you feel the world or situation was well developed to the point that you were able to visualize it?
Rating: 9/10 - I thought that the world and situation were well developed and the writing was done in such a way that I could easily see the book play out in my mind.  
3. Did the author engage you to the point that you had a hard time putting the book down?
Rating: 10/10 - I read the book in one sitting.  It helped that I had the day off to read, but I have a huge stack of books I both need and want to read and I never felt the urge to switch to something else.  I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next and I very badly wanted to find out what would become of Abby and Tony and their formerly failed relationship.
4. Were you emotionally connected to the secondary characters?
Rating: 8/10 - I was connected to the secondary characters, some emotionally - I guess maybe all - some on a "What a scum!"level and others in a much more positive way.
5. Were the characters believable?
Rating: 9/10 - Yes, the characters were believable.  I always find it uncomfortable that books about government and espionage are filled with both amazingly good and amazingly bad characters, but I found them all to be well done and realistically created.
6. Do you feel that the story was well paced to keep your interest?
Rating: 10/10 - I found the entire story to be incredibly well paced.  The scene changed between countries, people and intricate parts of the plot.  All was done in a successful effort to keep the reader engaged.
7. Was the dialogue in the story believable and interesting?
Rating: 8/10 - I was completely interested in the story and the dialogue was paramount to that interest.  There were some places where I struggled with the interactions of couples ease at walking away from the situation, but that doesn't make it less believable - just makes the character more realistic.
8. Were the love scenes satisfying and appropriate to the story and characters?
Rating: 9/10 - I thought that the love scenes were both satisfying and appropriate.  I personally have issues with infidelity, but that is my issue.
9. Overall, how did you like this book?
Rating: 10/10 - I truly enjoyed the book, from the first page I was hooked and was both saddened and thrilled at the end.  Sad that it was over but thrilled with the way it all worked out.