All Sorts Of Goings On

So much has been going on this week!  It's been such an exciting time here. First, I received a 5 star review for Stolen Destiny from Reading Romances, and she made a videoreview for the book too. That made my day earlier this week.

Then on Thursday my publisher released Stolen Destiny to Amazon. Yay! I can't tell you how happy that makes me. :D

And last night I signed up with Kindlegraph, and now anyone who buys any of my books in Kindle can get an autograph from me sent directly to their Kindle!  How cool is that?  So if you're a Kindle reader of my books, you can request a note and autograph from me. Check it out HERE! I better start thinking of clever things to say. :)

Today I'm expecting my last package of swag to arrive so I can begin assembling a package to send to the event I'm attending in October.  :D  The bookmarks came the other day, and I expect the cover flats and coffee mugs to get here this morning.  I'll be including some swag in the upcoming giveaway hops I'm doing in August and September, but if anyone wants bookmarks, just email  me at gabriellebisset@gmail.com so I can get your address.  They're really great looking, thanks to the incredible work Talina from Bookin' It did on them.  (My photography skills aren't the best, but you can get a much clearer look if you click on the picture.)

I hope everyone has checked out Elaina Lee's To Urn Her Love and Sarah Ballance's Hawthorne this week on my blog.  For $3.00 each, you can get a good read and the chance to help people who really need it.  If you haven't yet, check them out HERE.

I'm at Whipped Cream Reviews this Sunday, July 31, all day celebrating their 4th Anniversary Blog Fest, so click on the banner and stop by to leave a comment to be in the running for these prizes:

GRAND prize: Winner’s choice of either a B&W Nook / WiFi Kindle / $150 Amazon or BN GC
Other prizes: Several small GCs and prizes throughout each day.
Every comment left on the posts earns an entry.

Last, but certainly not least, is the Weekend Creation Blog Hop, hosted by the terrific Shah Wharton. Click on over and check out the creative types who join in each week.  You can find some really interesting blogs.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!  I'm putting my nose to the grindstone to get some things done before August begins.  My vacation is a mere 15 days away!

Sarah Ballance-Hawthorne

Today I welcome back Sarah Ballance to give you a taste of her new book, Hawthorne.  Sarah is donating 100% of the profits from the sale of the book to relief for the victims of the Alabama tornadoes and the earthquake in Japan that happened this spring.  So by purchasing her book, you can get a good story and help out people who really need it.  Sounds like a win-win to me.

HAWTHORNE blurb

After a terrifying encounter with the unexplained, it took ten years and the news of her grandmother’s passing for Emma Grace Hawthorne to return to her childhood home.   She sought peace in saying a proper goodbye, but what she found was an old love, a sordid family history, and a wrong only she could right.

Living in the shadow of Hawthorne Manor, Noah Garrett never forgot about Emma Grace.  In a house full of secrets, his search for missing documents revealed a truth that could cost him everything.  What he found gave Emma the freedom to walk away from the mansion, her heart free and clear, but at what price to Noah?

 

HAWTHORNE excerpt

Chapter One

            The car slowed to a stop and a decade's worth of memories tumbled onto the sun-blanched asphalt.

Hawthorne Manor.

            The hand-painted sign hadn't changed in years. In the thick, damp air filling the Louisiana landscape, the wood display remain inexplicably unaffected. There it sat—every meticulously scripted letter as crisp and clean as the stark white walls of the manor it lauded, oblivious to the passage of time.

            Emma Hawthorne tensed in the seat of the Mustang convertible, staring at her past with ice sluicing her spine Anywhere else, the view would have been gorgeous. The drive, lined on both sides with live oak laden with Spanish moss, was the South personified. At the end, Hawthorne Manor held court. Pristine, proud, the boastful antebellum home beamed, lording over its acreage.

            But it harbored the unspeakable. No amount of time could erase what happened to her on the other side of the expanse of green lawn. Nothing could change what she'd seen there. Some might say she was crazy—that she'd imagined or invented the whole ordeal—but her scars were all the proof she needed. Whether the shadows lurking behind the façade of the picturesque plantation were real or born of an overactive imagination, there was no way she was going back into that house.

Especially not for a dead woman.

            Sparing a glance in the rearview, Emma steeled herself against a trembling in her hands that threatened to overtake her body. She released a pent-up breath, her heart settling into a less acrobatic rhythm at the thought of leaving. She didn't have to stay here.

Let the South win this one. She was going home.

A split second after she decided to go, something caught her eye. She blinked, trying to see through the swaying canopy of leaves and moss, certain a figure stood atop the widow's walk straddling the roofline of the house. But no one—

Something brushed the car, rocking it. Swallowing panic, Emma tried to tear her focus from Hawthorne Manor, but fear kept her from looking anywhere else. Time and distance hadn't done her any favors; she was a fool for coming anywhere near this place, much less with the ragtop down.

The car rocked harder. The something refused to be ignored.

Fighting the grip of panic tightening her throat—fighting the ghosts of her past—Emma forced herself to look away from the house, toward the intrusion over her left shoulder.

The first thing she saw was an aged set of gnarled fingers resting on the door, blue automotive paint showing through an ugly translucence.

The second was the face—withered, centurion, and expressionless. Haunting.

Familiar.

Her.

Emma screamed.

****

            It couldn't be her.

            Noah Garrett tore down the drive, slapping through a muggy afternoon haze comprised of mosquitoes and humidity. He couldn't know that scream, but he felt the connection the moment the sound of her fear pierced the thick air.

            Emma Grace.

            The one reason he allowed himself to stagnate on the old plantation, long after life and reason moved on without him. Long after she had.

            A blue Mustang sat at the end of the driveway. He wondered if it could be hers—even as he knew it impossible—but she was nowhere in sight.

He slowed to a trot. The sprint left him drenched with sweat and not entirely disappointed his imagination had gotten away from him. His  dream of one more chance to see Emma Grace had never included himself as a dripping mess. He wiped the moisture from his brow, fast concluding the car must belong to a tourist. They often parked at the end of the drive and took pictures of the condescending mansion most thought beautiful. He assumed the intrusion seemed small to their frequent guests, but the constant ding of the hidden bell announcing a visitor could drive a man to the edge.

As if losing Emma Grace hadn't already accomplished that.

Noah closed in on the convertible, giving the nearby grounds a cursory look. The lawn was meticulous, the beds overflowing with sprays of purple garden phlox which trailed around the bend in the road and disappeared. A riot of white and rust-red irises backed the smaller purple flowers, their leaves deep green and glossy. Overhead, Spanish moss swayed only occasionally atop a maze of live oak, more likely a result of a passing swarm of insects than an actual air current. The land was still. If there were tourists snapping photos of the historic plantation—or doing anything else—he didn't see them. But someone had been there, the seemingly familiar scream so real.

Wasn't it always?

Resigned to another night alone with his memories, Noah pivoted.

And found himself nose to nose with Emma Grace.

Astounded, he opened his mouth, then closed it. He wanted to reach for her, but his arms refused the notion; they hung uselessly by his sides, the effort futile. His mouth wasn't much on cooperation, either. Finally, he found his tongue. "Em—"

Her expression cut him off. Green eyes wide, skin pale, her small frame shaking, she spoke. "I saw her, Noah. She's back." The words, nearly soundless, seemed to catch in the thick air. Lingering. Threatening.

And ripping the heart from his chest.

BUY LINK:http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=1011841&mode=product&product=4810595

Elaina Lee-To Urn Her Love

Today, Elaina Lee returns to give readers a taste of her new book, To Urn Her Love, which she wrote to help the victims of the Alabama tornadoes and Japanese earthquake that happened this spring. I've gushed a bit about Elaina before on my blog because she's the wonderful talent who designs my book covers.  So in addition to being a wonderful artist, she's an author too, and a generous one at that.  She's donating 100% of her profits from To Urn Her Love to help the people in Alabama and Japan, so after you read the blurb and excerpt below, click the buy link and get a great story while you help some people who really need it. 

BLURB -

Caylie Abrahms bad day gets worse when the teen brother she's responsible for proudly hands her a gift.  Just wanting to show how much he appreciates all his sister does for him, Kyle steals what he believes is an ornate glass vase.  The gift is anything but however, and now Caylie has to find the owner of an urn.  Worst yet, she has to explain her dear brother stole someone's loved one.

Against all odds she learns the urn belongs to Rick Marshall, her best friend from college, the man she'd poured her heart out to and been rejected by.  She never thought she'd see him again, let alone have to hand him back his father in glass.  Will her resolve remain strong in his presence, or will she suffer another broken heart?

EXCERPT -

In silence, they walked the corridor flanking the stairs to the second story. Kyle stayed behind, digging through the plate of refreshments. They passed two doors and Caylie began to wonder just how large his home was. She dared not look around too much, afraid she'd grow jealous and feel even more insignificant than she

already did. There were no disillusions in her life, she knew she was poor. Never before though had she felt impoverished. Until now. However, she did keep a roof over hers and Kyle's head and they never went without a meal. Those were at least things she could be proud of. He opened a door to the left and motioned inside.

ʺOn the desk. May I ask first though, who you're calling?"

With a sheepish smile, she held up the card. ʺA cab, I...accidentally locked my keys in my car this afternoon."

He stepped inside and closed the door. ʺI can give you a ride home."

Shaking her head, she took the card between both her hands and stared down at it. Anything not to look at him and his way too handsome face and the body that proved he did hard labor. A few strands of gray stood out in his dark brown hair, slight lines appeared when he smiled, but other than that, the man was still dangerously good-looking. Only now he had a few years that took away that fresh-from-school look and a filled out frame that came with manhood. Alone in a room with him was so not where she wanted to be.

ʺI couldn't possibly ask for anything more from you. We have done more than enough."

ʺNo," he said softly and the light, musky scent of his cologne filled her nose as he moved closer. ʺYour brother has done enough. You did nothing but return what was stolen, hours after it happened, I might add. You did me a huge favor, especially since my mother happened to show up to get a good look at the urn."

"Something you wouldn't have even had to worry about if my brother hadn't taken it in the first place." She shook her head and put some distance between them, moving towards the phone. ʺI'm sorry, I can't accept anything else from you. Agreeing not to press charges and then giving my brother an opportunity to do some good...it's more than enough, more than I could thank you for."

Before she could reach the phone, his hand wrapped around her upper arm. His touch sent waves of longing through her body. Not wanting to feel anything stronger, she brushed his hand away, thankful he released her without hesitation. His eyes darkened with anger and something she couldn't place and wasn't sure if she

wanted to.

BUY LINK -

TO URN HER LOVE

http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=1011841&mode=product&product=4810596

Elaina Lee and Sarah Ballance Guest Post

This week, I want to welcome authors Elaina Lee and Sarah Ballance to my blog.  Elaina and Sarah are here today to talk about what they're doing to help the victims of the Alabama tornadoes and Japanese disaster that occurred earlier this year. Tomorrow and Wednesday, I'll be featuring each of their books, which they're donating 100% of the profits from to help the Alabama and Japanese relief efforts, so be sure to check back for a taste of both and links so you can show your support for this wonderful cause.

When disaster strikes, there's a moment when we forget all boundaries.  Geographic, political, and socioeconomic divisions fall, and there, for some of the most painful, beautiful moments in time, we are one.

Then—hour by hour, day by day, week by week—the vast majority of us lucky enough to do so will move on. 

As the headlines change our focus moves elsewhere, and save for the occasional media update, many of us don't look back.

Some, however, struggle to look ahead.  Here's a glimpse at the staggering numbers and the broken realities affected residents of Alabama and Japan must face every day.

ALABAMA TORNADOES – April 27, 2011

The mile-wide F5 tornado that literally sliced the state of Alabama in half stayed on the ground for an astonishing 300 miles—a record-breaking distance, according to National Geographic.  It also left a path of utter devastation in its wake, and recovery  hasn't been easy, as evidenced by these facts reported by blog.al.com.

·     25,081 families were denied FEMA insurance, including many whose homes had been wiped completely off their foundations.  FEMA's reason?  Insufficient damage. 

·        
Following the April tornadoes, FEMA deployed 523 inspectors to the region.  Together, they've inspected over 5,000 properties a day.  That's a lot of destruction, folks.

·     Of the $4 million in initial FEMA aid for Alabama, $3.1 million went for temporary housing alone.  

JAPANESE EARTHQUAKE – March 11, 2011

A June 29 update from Red Cross Japan reveals the following sober statistics:

·        
75,215 people from the three most affected prefectures are still living in shelters or other temporary housing. 

7,427 are still missing, their loved ones fearing the worst.

·        
119,776 claims for unemployment were filed between March 11 and June 8 in the three most affected prefectures.

·       
97,183 people have been evacuated from the area surrounding the stricken Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. 

35, 514 have left the Fukushima prefecture, forced to start over with nothing.

You Can Help … Today

Authors Elaina Lee and Sarah Ballance, through the generosity of the Astraea Press charity program, are proud to announce 100% of profits from their novellas below will go toward Alabama and Japan Disaster Relief, respectively.  To help raise awareness, every comment on their individual blogs or guest blog posts (including this one!) from July 12 through August 8 will double as an entry into a weekly drawing for a $10 gift e-certificate or a free e-book.  Winners will be announced on their blogs and contacted via e-mail.  As an additional token of appreciation for your support, if you have purchased either of their titles you are invited to contact Elaina or Sarah for a free gift (while supplies last).

TO URN HER LOVE | Elaina Lee | romance | BUY LINK | BLOG 

Caylie Abrahms bad day gets worse when the teen brother she's responsible for proudly hands her a gift.  Just wanting to show how much he appreciates all his sister does for him, Kyle steals what he believes is an ornate glass vase.  The gift is anything but however, and now Caylie has to find the owner of an urn.  Worst yet, she has to explain her dear brother stole someones loved one.

Against all odds she learns the urn belongs to Rick Marshall, her best friend from college, the man she'd poured her heart out to and been rejected by.  She never thought she'd see him again, let alone have to hand him back his father in glass.  Will her resolve remain strong in his presence, or will she suffer another broken heart?

HAWTHORNE | Sarah Ballance | mystery, romance | BUY LINK | BLOG 

After a terrifying encounter with the unexplained, it took ten years and the news of her grandmother’s passing for Emma Grace Hawthorne to return to her childhood home.   She sought peace in saying a proper goodbye, but what she found was an old love, a sordid family history, and a wrong only she could right.

Living in the shadow of Hawthorne Manor, Noah Garrett never forgot about Emma Grace.  In a house full of secrets, his search for missing documents revealed a truth that could cost him everything.  What he found gave Emma the freedom to walk away from the mansion, her heart free and clear, but at what price to Noah?

SOURCES:  NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/04/110428-tuscaloosa-birmingham-alabama-news-tornadoes-science-nation/ | AL.BLOG.COM http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/06/alabama_tornado_recovery_fema.html |RED CROSS JAPAN http://www.jrc.or.jp/vcms_lf/kokusai_290611.pdf  | Photos by Elaina Lee (July 9, 2011)

Monday Stuff

I couldn't think of a clever title for today's post, so stuff it is.  I'm still reeling from how bad True Blood was last night--well, the first 45 minutes of it.  I posted this on Facebook, but somebody needs to tell Alan Ball why people watch that show.  First, the show begins with Sam's crazy meth family and while I don't have a problem with what happened to the two-thirds that left the show last night, are the creators of that show kidding?  And then how much Tara do I need to see before I can ask for a reprieve?  What a crybaby! And her mother is back??!!!  And Arlene and Terry with some kind of hillbilly exorcism?  Actually, I like Terry, but Arlene?

Where was Alcide? And why when he was talking to that disgusting man did he have clothes on?  FYI, True Blood people:  Alcide should always be at LEAST naked from the waist up or getting naked at some point in the scene.  And he needs to be in far more scenes. 

And Eric?  I'm not sure I like the crying, boo-hoo Eric.  Eric was fantastic until now because he was ice cold and manipulative.  It's what put the spark between him and Sookie.  Now he's crying because he had a bad dream?  Hell, even Bill wasn't this bad at his worst.  It's not enough to see Eric walk around without a shirt on either. His body isn't that good since Alcide came to town shirtless, so Eric needs to be more of his sexy self and less this lost puppy he's turned into.  Bearing his fangs at Tara doesn't count.  That's just a tease of what I wish would truly happen to her.

Bill has been more manly than Eric this season, and since I can deal with Bill either way, I'm good with him, but more of him would be better too.  Who wants to see any of the Merlotte dysfunctional family, Arlene and Terry with Damian baby, or Tara and her mother?  And now we need more characters (Jesus's grandfather) to take away from the core story?  Ugh!

Time to find my happy place.  Think naked Alcide...naked Eric...ok, all better. 

I'm writing posts and interviews like a madwoman to be sure that by the time August begins, I am completely clear for the month since I'm going on vacation.  I can't wait!  But until the end of this week, I'm busy, busy, busy. 

And I found my Amon for the cover of Destiny Redeemed!  :D  I swear those image sites are hiding the good stuff.  After days and days of searching (I'm not kidding.  We're talking double digit hours here), I found him in somebody's lightbox of the hottest men or something like that.  I saw that title and figured it was worth a shot.  Now Elaina has him and I hope to see what she comes up with any time now.  Since you just read about my definite preferences in men above, expect something like them. (Think great abs)

Finally, I'm over at KMN Books today being interviewed about Stolen Destiny and talking about the three main characters, Varek, Callia, and Amon, so check it out!  I'm off to write more posts and run errands.  Have a great one!

Cover Me

Now that I'm in air conditioned splendor, thanks to my two new air conditioners, I've been able to get back to searching for an image to represent Amon from Destiny Redeemed.  I've spent days and days, most of them seriously sweaty, looking for an image for my cover for that book with no luck.  The problem seems to be that unlike in real life, there are very few appealing blond men to purchase from these image sites, and the ones that are attractive are all doing something goofy. 

Amon is 6'6", has pale blond hair, blue eyes, and is built like a brick shithouse.  (For those of you who don't get my local lingo, he's very well-built.) And for those of you who've read Stolen Destiny, he's spent time in Nil. It changes a man. :)

A good way to describe him in Destiny Redeemed is he's a cross between the body type of the new James Bond and the size of the actor who plays Eric Northman on True Blood.  Or in some ways, think of the image of the lead singer from Stone Temple Pilots in the video for Sex Type Thing. (I fell in love with the band because of how much I liked the way Scott Weiland looked in that video. Talk about mad, bad, and dangerous to know...and built, back before the drugs took over...so sad when hot men fall apart)




Amon's smooth, icy, and often deadly.  This has proven to be an impossible thing to find in the images out there. 

I found an image of his love interest, Thea, in no time.  But finding Amon has been a chore, to say the least.  The problem is that I'm very particular (just ask Elaina, God bless her!) and as he's my favorite character I've ever written, the image has to be right.  I accept that I won't be able to find exactly him, but I need to feel I've come close enough. 

So the search goes on...

In other cover news, one of the people who follows me on Twitter has a fantastic new cover that I just have to share.  It's delish!  Michelle McCleod's new book, Love Potions, has a cover I just adore.  I'm not usually a hot pink girl, but this cover jumped right off the page for me.  Michelle tells me she got hers done at www.crocodesigns.com.  Congrats, Michelle!  It's beautiful! 

Yesterday Was Lazy, But Today I'm Swamped

Today's post title refers to how busy I am.  Since I'm going on vacation in less than a month, I have a million things to do.  Where did the summer go? 

I have to get Masquerade typed so it can be to my editor and critique partner while I'm on vacation (I play, they work...nice, huh? Love you guys!).  I plan to release it at the end of August, so there's little wiggle room on that.

If you look at my upcoming appearances, you'll see I have a ton of them in August, and all of them need to be written and sent to the wonderful bloggers by this Monday.  I need to finalize my choices on my cover flats (thank you, Talina!).  I ordered my bookmarks and mugs the other day to get the swag package ready to send away to the October event I'm attending.  Now I need to get on those cover flats and order them, along with burning copies of a few of my books to CD to stuff in the swag package. 

And, cue sad music, I have to prepare for the upcoming semester by getting all my syllabi ready before I go on vacation since school begins the day I return.  To top it all off, it's stifling hot in my office here where I have to do all of this work.  I love the heat, but the humidity in PA is out of control this week. I think I must break down and buy an air conditioner for myself.  So I'm off to WalMart in the hopes that I'm not too late for an air conditioner.  (Please, God, let there be just one more left....)

Hope you're having a great, if sticky, day!  :)