Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Giveaway- Autographed copy of Shannon McCrimmon's book 'The Summer I Learned to Dive'




Welcome to the Summer Giveaway Hop!  Endless Day of Literary Ecstasy will be giving away an Autographed copy of Shannon McCrimmon's new book, The Summer I Learned to Dive.

  
Title: The Summer I Learned to Dive
Author:
Shannon McCrimmon
Publisher:
CreateSpace
Published Date:
May 9, 2012

Synopsis from Back Cover:
Since the time she was a little girl, eighteen-year-old Finley “Finn” Hemmings has always lived her life according to a plan, focused and driven with no time for the average young adult’s carefree experiences. 

On the night of her high school graduation, things take a dramatic turn when she discovers that her mother has been keeping a secret from her—a secret that causes Finn to do something she had never done before—veer off her plan. In the middle of the night, Finn packs her bags and travels by bus to Graceville, SC seeking the truth. 

In Graceville, Finn has experiences that change her life forever; a summer of love, forgiveness and revelations. She learns to take chances, to take the plunge and to dive right in to what life has to offer.


Enter the Giveaway of The Summer I Learned to Dive using this Rafflecopter form!  Starts August 1st and goes through August 7th.  Please note this is for US mailing addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Hop along to find other great Giveaways at the other Blogs participating in the Summer Giveaway Hop! 

The Summer I Learned to Dive by Shannon McCrimmon


Title: The Summer I Learned to Dive
Author: Shannon McCrimmon
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published Date: May 9, 2012
Format: Paperback & Kindle

Buy on Amazon: Paperback or Kindle
Author Website: http://shannonmccrimmon.com/


Synopsis from Back Cover:

Since the time she was a little girl, eighteen-year-old Finley “Finn” Hemmings has always lived her life according to a plan, focused and driven with no time for the average young adult’s carefree experiences. On the night of her high school graduation, things take a dramatic turn when she discovers that her mother has been keeping a secret from her—a secret that causes Finn to do something she had never done before—veer off her plan. In the middle of the night, Finn packs her bags and travels by bus to Graceville, SC seeking the truth. In Graceville, Finn has experiences that change her life forever; a summer of love, forgiveness and revelations. She learns to take chances, to take the plunge and to dive right in to what life has to offer.


My Thoughts:

Shannon McCrimmon's The Summer I Learned to Dive totally caught me off guard.  I really didn't know what to expect with this book, so I went in with an open mind.  I decided I would read a couple of chapters just to get a feel for it, and then save the rest for a road trip we were going to take on Saturday.  Ummmmm, yeah.  Once I picked this book up it was nearly impossible to put down.  I even brought it to read at my hair salon, which is saying a lot.  When I go to get my hair done, it's a gossip fest.  Always a fun time to dish with the other girls.  However, during this appointment I was in my own little, The Summer I Learned to Dive world.  I didn't care what the other women were discussing, I was totally enthralled.

Being 30 years old (uggg, that hurts to type out,) I've read a lot of YA literature.  In fact, I took several YA literature classes while studying for my Masters in college.  I have found that after a while most books start blending together.  I'm not saying that as a bad thing, I really enjoy the YA genre.  However, The Summer I Learned to Dive is totally unlike any other Young Adult novel I have read.  The characters are believable, the setting vivid, and the plot touching and surprising.

McCrimmon's The Summer I Learned to Dive follows 18 year old Finn as she embarks on quite the journey.  Finn always had a plan.  She would study hard, get into a prestigious Women's College, and then become a Doctor.  In order for her plan to work, she had to sacrifice many things, including, friends, dating, parties, and teenage life in general.  I found that I could really relate to Finn.  While I had a few friends in high school, my focus was purely academic.  It wasn't until college that I started 'living' life and came out of my shell.  

After Finn's graduation ceremony (where of course she was Valedictorian,) Finn stumbles upon a secret her mother had been keeping.  All of her well kept plans flew out the window when Finn decided to follow her heart.  Finn travels to South Carolina in the middle of the night in order to discover who she really is.  Embracing her new philosophy, Finn begins a new life with a family she never knew. 

The Summer I Learned to Dive is a fast read that made me laugh one minute and then wipe my eyes the next.  McCrimmon also did a great job in creating a realistic romance between Finn and Jesse.  After I finished The Summer I Learned to Dive, I wasn't ready to give it up.  I wanted to read more about Finn, Jesse, and her grandparents.  I went online and started searching for information about the novel and found that McCrimmon is currently working on the sequel to The Summer I Learned to Dive.  YES YES YES!!!  This was exactly the information I wanted to find, I absolutely can't wait!

Shannon McCrimmon's The Summer I Learned to Dive is a great read!  I challenge everyone to place it on your TBR lists! 

Shannon McCrimmon has provided me with a complimentary copy of her book, The Summer I Learned to Dive, for the purpose of review. 


Shannon McCrimmon has graciously donated an Autographed copy of her novel, The Summer I Learned to Dive, for a giveaway.  This giveaway will be running from August 1st-7th.  This is NOT a novel to miss out on, enter to win the copy on the Rafflecopter form starting on August 1st.  





Sunday, July 29, 2012

One Pink Line by Dina Silver

Title: One Pink Line
Author: Dina Silver
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published Date: October 20, 2011
Format: Paperback & Kindle

Buy on Amazon: Paperback or Kindle
Author Website: http://www.dinasilver.com



Synopsis from Back Cover:
Can the love of a lifetime be forever changed by one pink line? Dina Silver's tender, absorbing novel, One Pink Line, is the warmhearted, wry story of love, loss and family, as seen through the prism of one singular, spirited young couple who find themselves in a predicament that changes the course of their lives, and those closest to them. With heart, humor and compassion, this debut work of women's fiction is certain to stir anyone who relishes a good laugh, can stand a good cry, and, above all believes in the redemptive power of love. This unique, contemporary story gives readers a dual perspective.

Sydney Shephard, a sweet-tempered, strong-natured college senior is young, in love with an exceptional man, and unexpectedly pregnant. Faced with a child she never planned for, she is forced to relay this news to her neurotic mother, relinquish her youth, and risk losing the love of her life. Then there's Grace, a daughter, who believed she was a product of this great love, grows to realize her existence is not what she assumed, and is left with profound and puzzling questions about who she really is.

Spanning generations and every imaginable emotion,
One Pink Line reveals how two points of view can be dramatically at odds, and perhaps ultimately reconciled. Simultaneously deeply felt and lighthearted, One Pink Line deftly mines how the choices we make are able to alter so many lives, and how doing the right thing and living honestly can bring unexpected, hard-won happiness. It's a must-read for anyone who craves a great love story, absorbing characters, and plenty of laughs along the way.

My Thoughts:

One Pink Line, by Dina Silver, is a funny, touching, and surprising story about relationships and how they evolve over time.  The story is told from 2 viewpoints; that of Sydney, a frisky college student, and Grace, a girl who begins to question everything she thought she knew when old truths come to light.  One Pink Line does an excellent job of pulling you in and not letting go.  I had planned to read a little everyday, stretching the book out over a week.  However, that plan was shot once I picked it up.  Once Pink Line was next to impossible to put it down!   

I would definitely classify One Pink Line as a great piece of chick lit.  While there are some romantic scenes with Sydney and her almost perfect boyfriend Ethan, One Pink Line really dives into the relationships between Sydney and her family and friends.  Sydney's relationship with her Mother evolves the most.  When Sydney left for college, she had a strained relationship with her Mom.  As the years go by, Sydney and her Mother continue to bicker.  However, their relationship seems to strengthen as Sydney graduates from college and finds a 'real' job.  Do to unforeseen circumstances, Sydney finds that she really needs her Mother to lean on, and surprisingly her Mother is there for her.  By the end of the story their relationship has really come full circle.

In One Pink Line, Grace begins her story as a young child.  She has an excellent relationship with her Mother and Father, and is the apple of their eyes.  However, as she grows older she begins to notice little things that seem different between herself and the rest of her family.  It all comes to a head during her Sex Education class.  As Grace begins to piece things together in the Nurse's Office, her young world falls apart. She must then decide what a family really is and how she fits into it.

Dina Silver did an excellent job in writing One Pink Line.  She easily transitioned between Sydney and Grace's voice.  One Pink Line is full of witty lines and laugh out loud scenes.  I definitely recommend One Pink Line.  Once you start it you will not want to put it down!

Dina Silver has provided me with a complimentary copy of her book, One Pink Line, for the purpose of review. 




Saturday, July 28, 2012

Promo Blitz for Hacienda Moon

Reading Addiction Blog Tours

I'm happy to share a sneak peek into KaSonndra Leigh's new novel, Hacienda Moon.  You will find more information about this Gothic Romance below!



Published July 28

Synopsis: 
A Pathseekers Novel
Love, obsession, and betrayal, the most powerful
human emotions, are spun together in this gothic
novel. Tandie Harrison is a police medium who has just
suffered a divorce after losing both her psychic visions
and her daughter in a car accident. When she leaves
New York City to start a new life near her hometown,
she moves into the alluring plantation house, Chelby
Rose, and falls for its enigmatic caretaker, Eric
Fontalvo. Their burgeoning affair ignites a century
old curse, ensnaring them in a web of danger, deceit,
and intrigue. Soon Tandie learns that in placid Bolivia,
the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously
connected.

Hacienda Moon is a seductive tale of one woman’s
journey to confront the demons of her past and find the
courage to face her future. It is a mesmerizing novel
that explores the deepest depths of human nature, and
the characters will hold and haunt you long after you
have read the final chapter.



About KaSonndra Leigh: 


KaSonndra Leigh was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. She now lives in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. She likes to write about people doing fantastical things in magical worlds. Her two sons have made her promise to write a boy book next.

She holds the MFA in creative writing, and loves to play CLUE, Monopoly (the Indiana Jones version), and Pandora's Box (good writer's block therapy). She lives in an L-shaped house with a garden dedicated to her grandmother. It has a secret library complete with fairies, Venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.








Twitter: @kasonndraleigh
 


Facebook




Excerpt from Hacienda Moon:



Crowds, noise, loudspeakers, coffee smells: words that described Raleigh-Durham’s airport. There wasn’t much difference between New York’s JFK and North Carolina’s RDU. The noise and crowds were all the same in these places. An airport was still just another way of transporting someone from one life-changing situation to the next. And Tandie’s journey was about to begin again in a small town located about twenty minutes away from where she grew up.
Waiting at the conveyor carousel, she picked up her two bags and headed toward the rental-car section. With her head pounding from jet lag, Tandie took the keys from the woman behind the counter and mentally reviewed her driving route. Turning, she collided with a set of broad shoulders. Her handbag fell to the floor, scattering the contents.
Ready to offer a chunk of her tired mind, she opened her mouth to complain, but stopped right away. Her victim was a man. This wasn’t just any man, though. He stood just under six-feet-tall, and had gorgeous dark hair flopping over a ridiculously handsome face. Dressed in a dark-blue shirt and gray cargo pants, the man knelt down right away to help pick up Tandie’s things.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” he said, collecting Tandie’s items, which included tampons and sanitary napkins of all things to drop.
Their eyes met and locked on one another. His hazel-green ones took in her features with one glance. Her stomach flipped as if she were a young girl flirting with a cute guy. And something hitched in her chest, teasing her with a vague memory.
His muscular frame made him seem as if he could crush Tandie’s dainty little bag with one good squeeze. His strong facial features, full lips, and dark olive skin made him look Hispanic.
Damn he’s sexy!
Tandie concentrated on returning her things to the bag. If she were quick, then maybe he wouldn’t see her embarrassing stuff. Too late. He’d already picked up her little green Always bag and placed it back in the satchel without even flinching.
Cringe and die, won’t you?
“I’m such an ox,” he said in a deep voice.
“You’re not the clumsy one. I should really watch where I’m going,” Tandie said, still too embarrassed to look at his face. She was aware of him staring at her, even though she couldn’t figure out why he was doing it. Tandie’s face flushed. Even her golden-brown skin must’ve turned crimson.
Standing up quickly, she stepped on the edge of her pants and stumbled backward. Her unintentional hero caught her with ease, steadying her body. What else would she add to her klutz list? She’d probably do something stupid like slip up and grab his crotch by accident next.
“Thanks. Again, I’m really sorry,” Tandie said and moved around him.
“Wait. Can I carry your bags for you? It’s the least I can do,” he said in a voice to match his looks.
“No. I’ll be fine, thanks,” Tandie said, walking toward the rental-car garage. Behind her, she felt him watching as she scurried away. 


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Interview with 'Butterfly' Author Kathryn Harvey


I was very fortunate to be able to interview New York Times bestselling Author Kathryn Harvey (author of the book I reviewed below, Butterfly.)  Kathryn Harvey is actually the Pen Name for author Barbara Wood, who has written 27 novels.  Enjoy!

Kathryn Harvey aka Barbara Wood




Q. What inspired you to write Butterfly?

Kathryn Harvey: The idea for my book came from a board game friends and I had invented for our personal amusement. We designed a board with squares, we had little movers, we rolled dice and we drew cards. The game was about women’s sexual fantasies, and we each contributed fantasies on the cards, plus “men.”(mostly in the form of movie stars). Some of the fantasies were basic, but most were elaborate and sounded like romance novels.  One evening in the middle of a game, one of my friends said, “How come men have such easy access to sex? They can buy it whenever they want. But what’s out there for women?” Another player said, “Wow, a really neat bordello for women.” And I added, “I’d be there in a flash.” Mind you, we were all happily married and just speculating. But the idea had been planted. 

 
Q. Do you have a favorite scene or character in Butterfly?

Kathryn Harvey: I love the scenes set in the bordello. Butterfly is about costumes, characters, storylines – the patrons of the private establishment can request elaborate fantasies, or simple sexual encounters – in other words, Butterfly catered to every taste. For the most part, women aren’t as basic as men when it comes to sex. We tend to like interesting settings and men who are more characters than just men (e.g. a swashbuckling pirate or a dusty cowboy). In other words, exotic sexual encounters that we would never encounter in our daily lives. Something to transport us to another world.

 
Q. What aspect of the story, Butterfly, did you find most challenging to write?

Kathryn Harvey: The scenes inside the bordello. Having never been to one I had to really use my imagination!

 
Q. While writing Butterfly, did you take anything from real life?

Kathryn Harvey: My travels in Texas and drawing from the lives and experiences of Texan friends.

 
Q. Did you always know there would be a sequel, Stars, to Butterfly?  

Kathryn Harvey: The idea for a sequel came after it was published. There already is a third book, Private Entrance, and I have just finished the fourth Kathryn Harvey book, as yet untitled.

 
Q. How do you conduct research when writing your novels?

Kathryn Harvey: I always travel to the area where the book is taking place (research for twenty-seven novels has taken me all over the world). I interview people. I also do research in books, magazines, newspapers and, these days, on the Internet.

 
Q. How do you write?  Do you have a set routine each day? A word or page goal?

Kathryn Harvey: I write every day. No goals. I just seem to know when I am done for the day.

 
Q. Why use a Pen Name after writing under Barbara Wood?  How did you come up with Kathryn Harvey?

Kathryn Harvey: Women cannot write erotica and own up to it. There is a double-standard, even in this day and age. Consider Fifty Shades of Grey.  The author uses her initials. Anne Rice’s very explicit erotic stories were written under a pen name. And I found it was necessary that I, too, use a pen name as my editor was afraid the book would “shock” Barbara Wood readers. The name Kathryn Harvey, by the way comes from two people: my editor, Kathryn, and my agent, Harvey. I figured if the book was too dirty to put my own name on it, then I was putting theirs on it!



Q. I see you have written more than 20 books with more in the works.  Do you have a novel that sticks out as you favorite or that you feel closest to?

Kathryn Harvey: I have written twenty-seven novels and I always consider the one I am working on as my favorite. It certainly is the one that I feel closest to as I am creating the characters and their world, immersed in their stories. The previous books are finished and “out there.” Kind of like sending a kid off to college.


Q. Share something about yourself or your writing that you haven't told fans?

Kathryn Harvey: I don’t think my readers know that I have taken up golf. I used to think golf was as exciting as watching paint dry. Now I’m fanatical about the game.

 
Q. What types of genres do you like to read?

Kathryn Harvey: I love historical and sci-fi.

 
Q. What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

Kathryn Harvey: Travel, needlepoint, reading, and of course, playing golf.

 
Q. If you could invite 3 people, living or dead, to dinner who would they be?

Kathryn Harvey: One would be Queen Nefertiti. I would ask her to tell me the truth about her husband and the real origins of monotheism. I believe Moses and Old Testament stories are rooted in ancient Egypt.  Bring Nefertiti to life and the Bible will be illuminated. The second would be Albert Einstein.  I suppose everyone chooses him. I think he was searching for God in his equations. I want to ask him if this is true.  I wouldn’t invite a third person. These two are all I could handle.

 
Q. Any advice for inspiring authors?

Kathryn Harvey: Just do it. One page at a time. I always ask, “Can you write a page today? That’s all, just one page?” If they say yes, then I say, Do that every day for a year and at the end of it you will have a novel. I also tell new writers to stop going to creative writing classes, don’t go to workshops or seminars, stop trying to find the rules of writing because there are none. Just sit down and put words to paper. Let your thoughts flow. Set your creativity free and you will be amazed at what happens.



Check out Kathyrn Harvey's Butterfly Trilogy


Butterfly