VBT Cafe' Book Tour: Guest Post - How To Get Ideas For Books & Giveaway with Lisa Binion - Softly and Tenderly

Softly and Tenderly

by Lisa Binion

How to Get Ideas for Books

Before I began to write, the complex plots in the books I read would amaze me. I just could not figure out how the authors of these books came up with such fantastic ideas. Since beginning to write, I have discovered ways to come up with some terrific ideas.

Take a look at your own life. Life has a tendency to throw you into all kinds of situations, and each situation can be made into a story. Softly and Tenderly came from the death of my mother when I was nine-years-old. It was a traumatic time of life for me, and it took me a very long time to recover from her death. I could have turned it into a mystery or a story that made people cry. I could have written events just as they happened, but I really would not have been satisfied doing that. I chose to make it creepy.

A few years ago, something happened to me that I’ll never forget. It is something that I don’t want to live through again. While I was out jogging, a spider must have fallen on my shoulder or in my hair. That’s bad enough in itself, but when I discovered this spider on me, it was in my ear. I didn’t realize at the time it was a spider. All I felt were its legs as it crawled deep inside my ear. Many excruciating hours later, I finally managed to coax it out by about drowning it with hydrogen peroxide. It was one clean spider when it hit the floor. I couldn’t let that horrifying event be for nothing. I’m writing a book, Whisper, very lightly based on what happened. Again, it will be a tale of horror.

If you can’t decide on an event in your life to write about, take a look at things that have happened in the lives of people you know. Read newspapers and magazines to see what interesting things have happened in the lives of people you don’t know. Check out current events and what is happening in the world today.

When you go shopping or go to town to pay bills, notice what is going on around you and listen in on other people’s conversations. Just try not to be too obvious about what you are doing. Is there someone you see doing something unusual? Maybe someone is dressed in an unusual way. Did you see someone walk away from their cart only to have someone else come along and pick up an item out of their cart? Was that arranged beforehand? Maybe it was a trade of some kind.

Perhaps your neighbor has a strange habit. Does she walk outside every morning at exactly the same time and look down the road? Is she watching for someone? Why? And who is she watching for? I’m sure you can come up with all kinds of interesting scenarios to explain that.

Listen to your muse. Pick up a sheet of paper and write down a word that interests you, a word that has a lot of meaning for you. Now start jotting down other words that your main word brings to mind. Before long, a story should start to form in your mind. Keep at it long enough, and you should have enough to start writing.

One other way you can come up with ideas is to look at story prompts. There are hundreds of these floating around on the Internet. A lot articles on my BellaOnline Fiction Writing site have story prompts included in them.

Story prompts happen all around us each and every day. All you have to do is notice them and build a story around them.

About The Author:

Lisa Binion is a writer, editor, and wife. She makes her home in the beautiful state of Kentucky. Her two children are now grown, but she has been blessed with two beautiful grandchildren, Tyler and Zoey. Her family also includes four dogs, four cats, and two goats.

As the Fiction Writing Editor for BellaOnline, she writes articles, reviews fiction books, and interviews fiction authors. She is also an editor for Silver Tongue Press and Edit 1st. In her spare time, she attempts to clean house and relax. You can find her at https://www.facebook.com/pages/BellaOnline-Fiction-Writing/125143070846792., http://www.silvertonguepress.com/, and http://edit1st.com/.

Genre: Horror Short Story

Publisher: Silver Tongue Press

Description:

“Mom died in her sleep last night.” Those are terrifying words for a child to wake up to. The beetle that falls off the stretcher and stares at her is only the beginning one of the strangest and most frightening times in Lori’s life. Death is not a pretty thing, especially not when the funeral is to be at the Lights Out Chapel and Crematorium. Once she walks into the funeral parlor, she experiences things that no little girl should ever have to experience. No one is acting normal. No one can see what is going on. Is Lori the only one who sees the blood oozing from the pictures of Jesus on the cross? Doesn’t anyone else see the beetles? Is Lori hallucinating when she sees her mom sit up and hears her speak? There is absolutely nothing soft and tender about what happens to Lori. From her overly morbid piano teacher to the creepy preacher and a father that just isn’t acting like himself, Lori is surrounded by people and things that hint of something bizarre. Once she leaves the Lights Out Chapel and Crematorium, things will go back to normal. Or will they?

 Excerpt 1:

“Lori, it’s your turn to say bye now. You need to tell her that you love her and how much you will miss her.” Daddy put me down next to her coffin and placed his hands on my shoulders. He pushed me so close to her death box that I felt the white satin that overlapped to the outside. It rubbed against my hands. At least it was soft for Mommy. She would be comfortable in there.

I decided to speak out loud this time. Maybe no one else would bring me back up here again if I spoke my goodbyes out loud. “Mommy,” I began, but then I started crying so hard I couldn’t speak. Daddy rubbed my shoulders until I quieted down and could begin again. “Mommy, I love you. I don’t want you to leave me. Please come back. No one, not even this Jesus, is worth leaving me over.” I opened my eyes and looked at her. She hadn’t moved since Mrs. Minuet had dragged me up here. But then her eyes opened, and she stared at me. She was staring at me! I sucked my breath in and felt my legs grow weak as my head began to spin. With one hand I grabbed on to the edge of the coffin, while with the other hand I grabbed hold of Daddy’s arm.

“Daddy! Daddy! Mommy’s not dead! She looked at me!” I screamed as I jumped up and down. “She was still alive when they took her out of the house. I saw her trying to get out from under the sheet.” I pulled on his arm and shook it. “Please, Daddy. You’ve got to save her.”

Daddy was beginning to sound a bit mad. He picked me up and held me over top of Mommy. “Maybe if you give her a goodbye kiss you’ll understand she’s dead, and believe me when I tell you she isn’t coming back.” I was so close to Mommy’s cheek that I could see the makeup was beginning to cake in her pores. There was no warmth rising up from her body, only icy coldness.

 Giveaway:

5 eCopies of Softly and Tenderly

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Promotional Tour: Doggone Dead by Teresa Trent

Doggone Dead

by Teresa Trent

Teresa Trent wasn't born in Texas but after a few glasses of sweet tea and some exceptional barbecue she decided to stay. With a father in the Army, she found herself moved all over the world, settling down for a while in her teens in the state of Colorado. Her writing was influenced by all of the interesting people she found in small towns and the sense of family that seemed to be woven through them all. Teresa is a former high school teacher and received her degree from The University of Northern Colorado. Teresa is presently working on the third book in her Pecan Bayou Series. Her second book, Overdue For Murder, came out in June of 2012.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Book Genre-Cozy Mystery

Publisher – Tightwad Tess Press
Release Date February 2013

Amazon

Book Description:

Give me land lots of land....and a puppy on the loose. When Betsy Livingston's puppy runs away, she has no idea it will lead her to a murder on a movie cowboy star's estate. Not only has there been a murder, but the town reports sightings of the dead cowboy himself. He's out to seek revenge on all who wronged his daughter who became the victim of her own money-loving butler. Enjoy a little time on the Fourth of July in the tiny town of Pecan Bayou Texas where old cowboys never die...

Doggone Dead Excerpt

His little butt wiggled as his wagging tail seemed to propel him down the street. Butch looked all around, happy to be exploring. He came upon the biggest house in the neighborhood, the old Loper home, and shimmied under two giant wrought-iron gates that joined the large segments of gray brick walls surrounding the house.

“He went in the cowboy house!” shouted Zach.

“Butch!” I yelled out, now grasping the black curlicues of the gate.

“Butch! You get back over here. Bad dog. Bad dog!”

Butch, not feeling the guilt, went right on taking time to pee on the historic fountain, a bronze depiction of Charlie Loper on a bucking bronco with his six gun shooting into the air. Once he’d finished tagging the statue, he happily scampered around the back of the house.

I shook the gate, the sound of metal rattling in our ears. There was a black box with a speaker and a button ner the bottom. I pushed the button.

“Hello?”

No answer.

I tried the latch on the gate. It was locked. God forbid someone from the other side of the park should get in to experience opulent cowboy luxury.

I hit the buzzer again. “Hello, is anyone in there? I’m sorry, but our dog just crawled under your fence.”

Again, no answer.

Zach now slid in front of me and pushed the speaker button. “Helllllllooooo …” He elongated his greeting as if yelling into an empty canyon. Feeling his approach might work, he repeated it.

The black box rustled. “May I help you?” a clipped British accent came over the airway. Not exactly the voice you would expect to hear while staring at a statue of a man on a bucking horse. Whoever this guy in the box was, he didn’t sound pleased we were pushing his button.

“Yes,” I answered. “Our puppy crawled under your front gate, and I’m afraid he’s running around on your grounds.”

Silence. I waited for around ten seconds until Zach pulled at my sleeve, urging me to push the button again.

“Are you there?” I asked. “Sir?”

More silence.

“Sir? Did you hear what I said? Our puppy has …”

“I heard you,” he cut me off.

“Have you seen him?”

“No. I have not. Please leave.”

I pushed the button, ignoring the black box’s command. “Are there any other ways out besides this gate?”

“I have not seen your puppy,” the increasingly perturbed voice said. “You are at the only entrance and exit of the estate. You must have been ... mistaken. Good day.”

We had been dismissed. Zach breathed in deep and exhaled with a cry. “Where’s Butch, Mom?”

“I don’t know, baby. Let’s walk down the block and call for him. Maybe he got out the other side somehow.”

“But the guy said …”

“I know what the guy said.” Upon looking at the grounds inside the fence a second time, I noticed overgrown foliage around the house. There was also a line of rust around the fountain. From the street all you could see was the fountain and paved area around it, but once you looked inside the gate, the façade of Hollywood elegance fell flat. The grass was too high, the shrubs looked like monsters from a second-rate horror movie, and there were no flowers. They might have an uptown butler, but the place was looking ragged. 

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@GoddessFish Virtual Excerpt Tour & #Giveaway - Challenging The Legacy by Genie Gabriel

Today I'm pleased to introduce you to Genie Gabriel. Genie is on tour with her book, Challenging The Legacy over at Goddess Fish Promotions. You can view her tour schedule by clicking any of the tour banners, and don't forget to leave a comment as Genie's offering you a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card during her tour and a $10 Gift Card to Powell's Bookstore to one commenter at every stop.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

For years I've been fascinated by the puzzle of why some people collapse under life's traumas and others emerge triumphantly stronger. These triumphs of the human spirit over the ugliest of adversities became the basis for my stories. Yet my dramatic stories have always contained touches of humor, and sometimes I have great fun writing romantic comedy novellas. However, in all my stories, my passion for writing romance is an outlet for the powerful messages that people can overcome great difficulties, and true love can turn life’s heartaches into happily ever after.

My Web site: www.GenieGabriel.com

My LEGACY blog: http://oshealegacyseries.blogspot.com/

Genre: Women's Fiction

Amazon

BLURB:

Super-mom Tallie O'Shea took on eight adopted children and built a legacy of compassionate justice with her policeman husband. When he is gunned down, she doesn't think it's an accident. Then a former lover shows up and the lies from her past start unraveling. As dangers explode around her, can Tallie set things right before everything she loves is destroyed?

Excerpt:

Back at the house, Pierce cornered Tallie. "What's the deal with a dredge?"

Tallie looked at him closely. Distinguished gray at the temples, eyes as sharply blue as they had been so many years ago. Still take-your-breath-away handsome, and here she was with a rifle on her hip, her hair wild with the natural curl turning to frizz, her minimal make-up of mascara and lip gloss cried and worried off, and wearing work-worn clothes to clean the house.

Though she regarded news conferences as media circuses, she never imagined this would end in Halo literally exploding with her children right in the middle of the action. Oh, yes, they were Bernie's kids. Even as she worried, immense pride filled Tallie's heart. Bernie's legacy of courage and compassion lived in his children. In their children.

"When she was a teenager, Marly rode a motorbike up the conveyor belt of an old mining dredge, revved it up as fast as it would go, and jumped over the gap to come down on the other side of the pond. She was so proud because none of her brothers could do it. They were too big and heavy."

As Tallie told the anecdote, Pierce's face grew paler and paler. "Is that as dangerous as it sounds?"

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Meant To Be Book Tour & Giveaway with Karen Stivali

Today we're chatting it up with Author Karen Stivali! Welcome Karen!

BK: Please tell us a little about yourself...

I’m a chocoholic. And a compulsive baker (it calms me down and I get to eat the results). I have a serious weakness for men with British accents (especially fictional ones as they are much more likely to say all the right things). Insomnia has plagued me since I was a kid but I’ve learned to enjoy it---I do most of my writing at night when the house is quiet. When I’m not writing I….wait a minute, I’m always writing. My desk is in the kitchen so even when I’m cooking or paying bills or answering the phone, odds are I’m still writing, or editing, or at least scribbling notes about story ideas in my little red leather idea book. If I really take a break from writing you’ll either find me hanging out with friends or curled up watching a movie. I love movies. They’re a great escape when words and the real world become too much.

BK: Please tell us a little about your book....

Meant To Be is a friends-to-lovers tale with a bit of a twist. It’s a love story. It’s very romantic, but not in a traditional romance sort of way. I think the blurb explains why… (I’m going to insert the blurb but if you need to put the blurb elsewhere in the post you can delete it here)

Sometimes you’re already committed to the wrong person when fate finally brings you the right one.

When NYU professor Daniel Gardner’s career-obsessed wife convinces him to move to the suburbs, he hopes it’s a first step toward starting the family he longs to have. Instead of domestic bliss he finds his neighbor, Marienne Valeti. She loves her freelance design job, but must contend with a growing sense of isolation created by her husband’s indifference. A penchant for good books, bad movies, and Marienne’s to-die-for brownies sparks a powerful bond between them. Passion simmers, but they resist its lure, surrendering only in the seclusion of their minds. Their friendship helps them weather every hardship, from divorce to widowhood, leaving them both secretly wondering if it can survive a first kiss.

BK: What inspired you to pen this particular novel?

I was thinking about how people change over time and drift in and out of one another’s lives. I’d read the saying “people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime” and I realized that you never really know who’s there for which of those purposes. People you think will be in your life forever can wind up actually being there for a very short time. Others who you think you’ll probably only know briefly--- a co-worker, a neighbor--- may end up being significant in your life forever. That’s the premise of Meant To Be--- you never know who your “lifetime” people will be.

BK: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I have always considered myself a writer. I started writing stories pretty much as soon as I learned to write words. When did I first consider myself a “real” writer? That’s a harder question. I thought it was when I finished my first novel, but that wasn’t it. Then I thought it was when I started submitting that novel (Meant To Be, actually) to agents and publishers. That wasn’t it either. When I got my first rejection letter (and many more) it seemed like maybe THAT was the definition of a real writer. Not so much. First offer? No. First contract? You’d think, but not really. First release date? Still not really. It’s hard to explain, but when you want something so much for so long and it finally happens it’s surreal. It doesn’t feel as real as you think it will and nothing is the be-all-end-all you think it will be. I still get the same panicky feeling when I have books out on submission now that I did when I submitted my first one. And it’s still just as big a rush to get a contract on a new project. I’ve been very lucky in my journey to publication. I’ve signed 8 contracts in the past 17 months. I couldn’t have even dreamt that was possible 2 years ago. But does it make me a “real” writer? I hope so, but I still just feel like I did when I was 5 years old and penning my first words: I have stories in my head and I want to tell them.

BK: How do you keep your story flowing?

When I come up with story ideas I usually see them, full-scale, in my mind, from conception. I can’t start writing until I have the whole story arc in mind, so I know where the characters start out, what happens along the way and where they’ll be in the end. That’s enough to keep the story flowing because I always know where they’re headed. I just have to show how they get there.

BK: Do you ever run into writer's block, and if so, what do you do to get past it?

When I have writer’s block it usually means I haven’t had enough time to focus on the story or get to know the characters. To get past it I’ll either work on something else where I’m more comfortable or I’ll spend some time not writing and just think about what my story is. I imagine the characters talking and listen to them, then I write down what they say.

BK: What is your writing process like? Do you have any quirks, or must-haves to write?

My writing process is pretty flexible. I write whenever and wherever I can. As far as quirks, I have two: I can’t write a scene unless I’ve watched it play out in my head, like a movie and, because of that quirk, when a scene plays in my head I have to write it down right away, or I risk forgetting it. This has led to my writing scenes on the back of receipts I’ve dug out of my purse while I’m waiting on line at the grocery store and has on many occasions dragged me out of bed at 4AM. At one point during the writing of Meant To Be the scenes were playing out so often that I left my laptop on 24 hours a day so my middle-of-the-night writing emergencies wouldn’t be delayed by having to wait for my laptop to start! Not very environmentally friendly of me (sorry!) but I never forgot a scene.

BK: Where do you hope your books/writing will be in the future?

My only hope is the same as it’s always been. I want my books to be in the hands of people who enjoy them. Nothing makes me happier than hearing from a reader who fell in love with my characters, or was moved to tears, or laughed out loud, or simply can’t get my story out of their mind. Those are the things I hope will happen with all of my books.

BK: What do you hope readers will take away from your books?

As a reader my favorite experience is coming away from a book and feeling like I know the characters personally. I hope readers will take that away from my books, that they’ll finish and feel like they’ve just spent time getting to know new friends.

BK: What is one piece of advice you received that you carry with you in your writing?

Follow your heart. Write the story you want to write. I try to do that with every story I write. If I’m not in love with the story and my characters, I can’t expect anyone else to be.

BK: What is one piece of advice you would give to new and aspiring writers?

Keep writing and never give up. That sounds like two pieces of advice, but they’re related. Writing isn’t easy. There are a million opportunities to stop. There’s always other stuff that needs to be done and there are days when all writers feel like “Oh my God, what am I doing? Is anyone ever even going to read this?” That’s normal. It’s part of the process. You have to push through that and keep writing. If you keep going back and revising a project before it’s even finished, you may never finish it, so you have to plow through until it’s done. Then you go back and edit it. Then get feedback and edit it again. And again. And again. And when it’s really done and you start submitting it places you have to start all over with a new project. You can’t wait to see what happens with one book. The publishing world moves too slowly for that. Write your next story, and your next. That way if you do get an offer from someone and they say “what else are you working on?” you have a great answer. And if you don’t get an offer on the original project, you’re well on your way to having a new one to try submitting. That’s where the never give up part comes in---keep writing, keep submitting, don’t give up.

BK: Are you currently working on any new projects? What can we expect from you in the future?

I am currently writing two new novels. They’re both contemporary romances with very different takes on the friends-to-lovers theme. I also just signed a contract with Samhain Publishing on a contemporary romance that will be out spring/summer 2013. It’s a second-chance-with-an-old-crush story that takes place at a beach house (just in time for beach read season!).

My next release is actually coming November 26, 2012. It’s Holding On, the sequel to Meant To Be. It can be read as a standalone book, but if you read Meant To Be, Holding On will tell you what happens next. Holding On begins one year after Meant To Be ends.

Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. It's been a pleasure having you and I wish you much success in the future.

About the Book:

Sometimes you’re already committed to the wrong person when fate finally brings you the right one.

When NYU professor Daniel Gardner’s career-obsessed wife convinces him to move to the suburbs, he hopes it’s a first step toward starting the family he longs to have. Instead of domestic bliss he finds his neighbor, Marienne Valeti. She loves her freelance design job, but must contend with a growing sense of isolation created by her husband’s indifference. A penchant for good books, bad movies, and Marienne’s to-die-for brownies sparks a powerful bond between them. Passion simmers, but they resist its lure, surrendering only in the seclusion of their minds. Their friendship helps them weather every hardship, from divorce to widowhood, leaving them both secretly wondering if it can survive a first kiss.

Meant to Be is available from:

Turquoise Morning Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | All Romance e-Books

EXCERPT 1:

Daniel stopped and stared at the chocolate as it cascaded into the red enameled pot. He hadn’t realized quite how much he missed having dessert. Justine never kept sweets in the house, saying they were too much of a temptation. Other than the occasional candy bar he grabbed between classes or on his ride home Daniel almost never ate anything sugary anymore. The sight of the chocolate, creamy and inviting, made his mouth water.

“I forgot the marshmallows,” Marienne said, as she placed the spoon back into the bowl.

“I’ll get them,” Daniel said, hands extended, offering to take the bowl back into the kitchen for her.

“Thanks.” She handed it over. “And yes, you can lick the bowl.”

He laughed. It was like she’d read his mind.

He headed into the kitchen and was standing at the counter, licking the chocolate-covered spoon, when he heard someone behind him. He turned to see Marienne smirking at him.

“You look very at home licking a big spoonful of chocolate. I take it this is not your first time.”

“Hardly. My mum baked all the time and I was the official spoon and bowl licker. Good work if you can get it.”

“I know. Frank’s not big on desserts, so I’m usually the one left to clean out the bowls.”

“Well, I live right there.” He pointed toward his house with the now clean spoon. “And I’m available for all sorts of baking bowl emergencies.”

The Author:

Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies and fictional British men. When she’s not writing, she can be found cooking extravagant meals and serving them to family and friends. Prior to deciding to write full time Karen worked as a hand drawn animator, a clinical therapist, and held various food-related jobs ranging from waitress to specialty cake maker. Planning elaborate parties and fundraisers takes up what’s left of her time and sanity.

Karen has always been fascinated by the way people relate to one another so she favors books and movies that feature richly detailed characters and their relationships. In her own writing she likes to explore the dynamics between characters and has a tendency to craft romantic love stories filled with sarcasm and sexy details. 

Karen has published three erotic romances with Ellora’s Cave: Marry Me (June 2012), Long-Distance Lovers (co-written with Karen Booth, March 2012) and Always You (Passionate Plume First Place Novella Winner, RWA 2012).

Karen’s first full-length novel, Meant To Be, will be published by Turquoise Morning Press on August 26, 2012.   Its sequel, Holding On, will be released on November 26, 2012. A prequel to these novels, the short story All I Need, appears in the Foreign Affairs Anthology (Turquoise Morning Press, August 2012).

For more information about my current and upcoming projects please visit my website: http://karenstivali.com

I can also be found on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenstivali

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/karenstivali

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5170527.Karen_Stivali

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005KWSFGO

There will be a $25 Amazon Gift Card awarded to one lucky commenter from the tour. Follow..Comment..

WIN!!

October 1:  BK Walker Books Etc.
October 2:   Momof2BookReviews
October 3:  Night Owl Reads
October 3:  STOP 2  It's Raining Books
October 4:  REVIEW ONLY Reviews by Molly
October 4:  You Gotta Read Reviews - Guest
October 5:  Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
October 5:  STOP 2  My Odd Little World 

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Tribute Books Tour - Spectral by Shannon Duffy - Book Feature & Excerpt

Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe — the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.

Excerpt

I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Roman. His   sexy lyrical voice gave him away. Still, I twisted my neck around and parted my lips to say hi, but the book began to shake in my hands. I sucked in air, startled, and fought to steady it.

“I’m sorry,” Roman said softly. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Oh, no-no. It’s just this b—” I started but stopped, realizing how stupid I’d sound if I claimed a snake emblem on a book bit me and that now the book was actually shaking. It was impossible. I knew that. Yet, it was happening anyway. The hush of the library amplified my heartbeat until I was sure Roman could hear it.

Slowly, I released my hand but the book shook again. I gritted my teeth and grabbed the book, shoving it in my bag. Curiously, the tremors stopped. I gulped back a labored breath and said, “Yeah, kinda creepy in here, I guess.” The familiar rush of heat spread across my cheeks.

“It doesn’t help that you’re in the Occult section.” His lips twitched into a little smile as he leaned against the bookshelf nonchalantly.

I hoisted my oversized bag over my shoulder and walked closer to him, inhaling his fresh scent of an ocean breeze mixed with cinnamon. I leaned in a little closer, wishing I could bask in it. “So, what are you doing here?” 

He handed me a coffee he’d held behind his back. 

“You’re here to bring me coffee?” I lifted a surprised eyebrow, smiled, and took a sip. “And my favorite, too. Impressive.” I took another sip, savoring the caffeine hitting my blood stream. Not that I needed a caffeine rush, of course. Since Roman showed up, my heart had already begun an instant crescendo. I searched for something to say. It’s not like I had much experience talking with extremely hot, mysterious guys bearing gifts. I was definitely glad I’d put extra effort into my appearance that morning. “Thanks. So you here doing some research, or what?” 

A grin played on his lips, and I couldn’t help remembering my dream in class of him kissing me. Could the real deal possibly be so amazing?

“Actually,” he said, snapping me back from stolen kisses to the book-lined library. I took another sip, hiding my crimson face behind the cup. “I saw you and Taylor come in, and yes, I thought I’d bring you coffee. I thought you could use it. Everyone needs a pick me up.” He cocked his head. “That...and to remind you about coming down to the Phoenix later.”

I lifted my gaze from the cup, back to Roman’s eyes and across his olive toned complexion. The boy was too gorgeous for words.

Roman’s eyebrows suddenly furrowed together as he took the coffee from me and laid the cup on a bookshelf. He lifted my hand slowly, turning it over and examining my finger, which was pricked with red where I’d nicked the tip.

“Hey I was enjoying that,” I said, eyeing the coffee and trying to avoid questions of the crazy book in my bag.

He looked at me and back to my finger.

“I’ll live,” I said with a forced laugh. “Just a paper cut.”

He stretched my hand up to his lips and kissed my fingertip gently. Electricity ran through my body. I’ve never had a boy kiss me before, not even my finger. And especially not one as hot as Roman. Dreams didn’t count. I must have blushed because he instantly dropped my hand.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” He took a step back, lips tight. I cursed my fair cheeks and telltale blush. I definitely didn’t want him to back off. His gesture was sweet, and I hated that I couldn’t just soak it up instead of being embarrassed by it. Roman shoved his hands in his pockets. “But you should definitely put Polysporin or something on it so it doesn’t get infected or anything—so says my mom.” He smiled again. “She’s a nurse.” He grabbed the cup off the shelf and handed me back the coffee.

A multi-colored butterfly suddenly fluttered down from the ceiling landing on my fingers laced around the coffee cup. I gasped, but didn’t move. Glancing up at the ceiling, I whispered in awe, “Where did that come from?”

Roman’s lips twisted into a grin as he gazed down at it, and then back into my eyes. He raised one shoulder. “One butterfly always knows another.”

Follow the Spectral Tour HERE.

Shannon Duffy writes young adult and middle grade fiction. She grew up on the beautiful east coast of Canada and now lives in Ontario, Canada. She is the mom of one boy, Gabriel, her angel. She loves writing, reading, working out, soccer, and the sport of champions-shopping. She is the author of the young adult paranormal romance, SPECTRAL. Her upcoming middle grade fantasy novel, GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is scheduled for a January 2013 release.

http://spectralwitch.blogspot.com

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Mrs. Garcia's Class Visits the Hospital by Kristy Taylor & Giveaway

“When we arrived at the hospital, the first thing I noticed was how big it was!  It was about twenty stories high; it had to be one of the tallest buildings that I have ever seen.  Everyone “oooed” and “awwwd” in amazement."

Mrs. Garcia's Class Visits the Hospital is the first book written by author and former elementary teacher, Kristy Taylor. The book is an exciting career day adventure with a diverse group of characters where the students in Mrs. Garcia's class visit the local hospital for their class field trip. While touring the hospital with Mrs. Garcia and Dr. Johnson as their guides, the students learn about over twenty different healthcare careers, and they have lots of fun along the way!
Supplements: An additional student activity is also available for purchase. The activity guide features games, resources, quizzes, and worksheets that will challenge children to think critically about Health Science career options. This guide is a great resource for teachers and parents to teach children about careers in Health Science. The guide also includes a free PowerPoint presentation featuring glossary terms and pictures from the book.

Excerpt:

“Eric introduced us to Michelle, the phlebotomist.  “What is a phlebotomist?” asked Haley.  “A phlebotomist is a person who specializes in drawing a patient’s blood for testing,” said Michelle.  Suddenly, Nathaniel got an interesting look on his face and raised his hand.  “Yessss,” said Michelle.  “Is your job sort of like being a vampire?”  Nathaniel asked.  The entire class laughed and turned to look at Michelle.  “No,” she chuckled. 

“I learned about all of the different areas that doctors could specialize in, for example, Dr Herrera was a podiatrist, and he specialized in treating patients with feet problems.  Dr. Osborn was a neurologists; she specialized in helping patients with nervous system disorders.  We also met Dr. Chadwick, the hospital’s pharmacist; she helped patients get the medicine that they needed in order to help them feel better.”

Giveaway:

For every person that purchases the book during the tour will receive a free activity guide.


Kristy will also be giving away a Swag Pack during her tour:
Swag Pack: 
A KidMedic T-Shirt 
KidMedic Coffee Mug 
KidMedic Pen KidMedic Stickers

http://kidmedic..com

May 10 - Guest Blogging & Review at Loves 2 Read
May 14 - Guest Blogging at Mass Musings
May 16 - Interviewed at Writing Innovations E-zine
May 18 - Interview & Review at Ramblings of a Bibliophiliac
May 22 - Interviewed at Reviews & Interviews
May 24 - Guest Blogging & Review at Creating Comfort
May 29 - Guest Blogging at Wise Words
May 31 - Interviewed at A Word Fitly Spoken
June 5 - Reviewed at Books, Books, and More Books
June 7 - Interviewed & Review at A Book Lover's Library

Kristy K. Taylor is a fulltime Health Science Professor, author, and founder of Kid Medic, LLC.  She has over seven years of teaching experience in the field of health science education, and she spent two years as an elementary school teacher in Brackettville, Texas.  Prior to becoming an elementary school teacher and accepting her current position at Palm Beach State College in Florida, she spent six years on active duty in the United States Air Force as a Healthcare Administrator and teacher for the Community College of the Air Force.  Kristy holds an associate’s degree in Healthcare Management, a bachelor’s degree in Management and Human Resources, and a master’s degree in Health Science with a focus in Health Education.  Kristy is also currently pursuing her doctorate in Health Science with a focus in Global Health at A.T.  Still University located in Mesa, Arizona.  She holds several certifications to include:  

• Texas EC-4 Generalist and EC-12 Health Teacher 
• Certified Wellness Coach 
• Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) 
• Certified in Instructional Design (through the Community College of the Air Force) 

In the past, Kristy has worked with students by providing them with career exploration tools and resume help.  She is also currently working on her Career Coaching Certification through the Professional Association of Career Coaches and Resume Writers.  Kristy enjoys teaching and working with students to help them achieve their goals.  She started Kid Medic because she believes that children can reach their potential only when they are properly taught, nurtured, and engaged in a manner that inspires them to expand their horizons through reading, thinking, exploring, and discovering the world around them.

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