Pretty Boy by Tara Oakes Release Blitz!

Pretty Boy, the first book in the Badge Boys series, is now live!

*** WARNING *** This novel is intended for those over 18 yrs. of age due to mature and sexual material.


"Didn't anyone ever tell you what happens to BAD girls? Well... let Pretty Boy show you."


Agent Christopher Gibson has everything a man in his position could want. A successful career as one of the FBI's most credited undercover field agents, with no personal ties to hold him back. He tried that once, it didn't go over too well.


Jessica Leary is on her way to the top, working on her father's Senate re-election campaign. She has the job she wants- the opportunity to prove herself to both the political elite and her father.


What could these two people from very different worlds ever have in common? Nothing.


Nothing other than a hot, sexy, torrid love affair that was left in the past- torn apart by the different directions their lives were headed.


Now, months later, Jess finds herself in a perilous position. The past that once brought "Pretty Boy" Chris Gibson into her life has now come back to haunt her, threatening everything that she's worked for.


When trouble comes knocking on your door, what's a girl to do? Why, call your bad-ass, sexy-as-sin, FBI agent of an ex-boyfriend to do what he does best... take down the bad guys and anyone else that stands in his way, because when Pretty Boy sets his sights on a target, nothing distracts him. But, why is it that this time is different?


Being close to Jess again, seeing first-hand what he's given up is just enough to throw everything off course, as Jess seems to be the perfect mix of good AND bad girl.


Didn't anyone ever tell you what happens to BAD girls? Well... let Pretty Boy show you in book one of the brand new BADGE BOYS series of stand alone novels.











You can now purchase Pretty Boy on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/PRETTY-BOY-BADGE-BOYS-Book-ebook/dp/B015QRVM3K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443656531&sr=8-1&keywords=pretty+boy+by+tara+oakes

You can add Pretty Boy on Goodreads here:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26028287-badge-boys?from_search=true&search_version=service

Teasers

More About Tara Oakes

Tara is a thirty something newbie author from Long Island, New York. She's a voracious reader, a passionate writer and obsessive junk T.V. aficionado. When she's not doing one of those three things she is attempting to garden, hanging with her hubby or partaking in some retail therapy. She enjoys connecting with her readers and is having a blast entering into this new world of publishing.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lil_Oakes

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tara-Oakes/e/B00N71SH18/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Oakes/1468537190061965?ref=hl

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8390968.Tara_Oakes

Website: https://www.authortaraoakes.com

Newsletter Sign-Up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/193TYpuqLhzP9opN5WUqz3VeQnoNaURPw6mMB68108W4/viewform

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Carry My Home by Lia Riley Launch Day Blitz!

CARRY ME HOME by Lia Riley (May 5, 2015; Forever Yours Novella; $0.99)

Love doesn't have to be perfect to be true...
Years ago, Tanner Green loved Sunny Letman. She was meant to be his first kiss, first love, first everything. Then their world spun upside-down and out of control. Free-spirited Sunny doesn't do commitment. Sure, guys are great for a night or a week, but she always leaves first. That is, until professional skateboarder and town golden boy, Tanner Green, unexpectedly walks back into her life.

Despite their broken history, a fragile and undeniably electric connection still holds them together. Now Tanner has to convince Sunny that even though love isn't always perfect, it's worth sticking around for. . .

Buy Links:

Amazon

B&N

iBooks

Excerpt:

Tanner is in the shower when I let myself inside. There’s a wooden rocking chair in the corner. I walk over, sit and close my eyes. He’s naked, soapy, skin flushed from the hot spray. I could join him. He wants me. The space between my legs throbs to the beat of my heart. What’s set in motion between us isn’t going to stop.

I rock, straighten my backbone and focus my attentions. Imagine each breath spiraling through the open door, to the sky, leaving the atmosphere. A quiet prayer. Please. Please don’t let me fuck this up. My hands grip the rocking chair sides hard, hands that ache to touch his wet skin.

The water turns off and he’s out, rubbing a towel over his body.

I’m going for it, can’t help myself.

I tried my best to be my own island.

Turns out my best isn’t nearly good enough.

The door opens and he stands, backlit in a tight white t-shirt and  pair of low slung jeans. His mop of hair is wet, slicked back from his striking face.

“Good, you’re back,” he says. “I didn’t like you out there alone.”

“I was fine, nothing scary outside.”

He frowns, catching my double meaning. “I decided to sleep in the back of my car.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“I don’t mind.”

Of course he doesn’t. He’d sleep on bare concrete if he thought it would be easier for me.

“I get it.” He backs toward the door. “Tonight’s been extreme. You want space. I’ll go--”

“Stop.” I’m in the darkest corner, in this rocking chair throne, the Queen of the Shadows. There’s a great mystery at work. How can my heart be chained to this guy and still feel free?

A bead of water drops from his thick hair and falls to his shoulder. Then another. Tiny wet patches appear on his shirt each time one makes impact. The way he watches me, his gaze writes a secret poem on my skin. “Tell me you don’t want me,” he says. “Say you’re not interested and nothing will happen.”
I want to curl in a ball. Instead, I stand up.

“Sunny,” he whispers, and it’s hard to know if he intends my name as a question or an answer. Funny, the way it sounds like both.

My lids flutter closed of their own volition as he closes the distance. He’s tall enough that when he bends, his face buries into the top of my head. He inhales as if I’m a secret flower. I wish I only ever bloomed for him. A stupid notion. This moment would be perfect if it wasn’t us. If we were other people.

I hook my fingers into his belt loops and do an uncharacteristic fumble, aim too high and brush his stomach instead. His abdominal muscles flex and there’s my cue to explore. I can’t help but inch under the cotton, trace the thick muscles that make up his defined V-line. My nails gently cut to the top of his jeans. His groan vibrates into my skull.

He’s slipping,  less careful with every ragged breath. His skin heats under my fingertips. There’s no choice. There’s never been with him.

I rock into him, hard, and his mouth explodes on mine like a wet, hot grenade. He bites my lower lip and even though I’m scared, I’m not scared of him anymore.

About the author:

After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, Lia Riley scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. When not torturing heroes (because c'mon, who doesn't love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about as-of-yet unwritten books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. She and her family live mostly in Northern California.

Social Media Links:

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Giveaway:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2200/?
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Seventh Sentinel by Yolanda Ramos

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"He'd always known, deep inside, that there was more waiting for him out there, something to put his, to put their, considerable fighting skills to use."-Yolanda Ramos, The Seventh Sentinel

Christiano, AKA Cormac was raised by a man who knew he was destined to do great things .When his adoptive father is killed, he starts discovering his past and his present quickly becomes more interesting than he might be able to handle. But with the help of Archangels, the best of friends and six other men that are similar to him how can he fail? Cormac is the Seventh Sentinel and he will help save the souls of the world. Find the official description on Goodreads.

The beginning of this book definitely catches the readers attention. And that's a really good thing. I know that I, personally, find it hard to read a book if the first chapter or the prologue doesn't catch my attention. I can still find it interesting and fall in love but until I do it is hard to keep reading. But Yolanda Ramos didn't run into that problem. And we see this scene that we don't fully understand but quickly comes to hold a lot of meaning throughout The Seventh Sentinel.

I loved the similes that were used as well. They were unique and stood out to me. Although for the life of me there was this one that really stood out in my mind but I forgot to highlight it and now can't find it. 

While the reader isn't omnipotent, we do get third person perspectives from a variety of characters. This allows us to get a glimpse into the motives of people but at the same time they still can remain a bit of a mystery. Mostly because we don't get glimpses into all of their motives and just like a human being we're not necessarily going to be able to catch on to what they're doing or why.

Not to mention that all of the historical facts that I read and recognized were correct. I'm not saying I'm perfect or an expert but there didn't seem to be any historical facts that were out of place or wrong. Which is good. It always shows that the author is willing to put in the work for their readers.

A lot of the motives behind the rogues behavior seems to be a desire for more power, and more money. It made them seem lifelike as it always seems that a lot of the criminal behavior in the real world seems to involve at least one of these motives. I just feel like it made things realistic.

It was also interesting to catch a glimpse at history that I've always just seen as an event and never really gotten to read anything more about it. So that was really, really interesting, especially because I knew of it but not more than what it was, when and why. I didn't read any first hand accounts or those of the ancient historians.

There are fun scenes, sad scenes, annoying scenes, action scenes, everything any person could possibly want. And The Seventh Sentinel seems to come full circle in a way, at least location wise. 

The Seventh Sentinel is a good, solid read, and I think that if you have the slightest interest in any kind of ancient history, or the ancient church or even just angels and  things like that than you should give it a read. 

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When Historical Fact and Fiction Collide

When Historical Fact and Fiction Collide by R. M. Clark

While writing my mystery Center Point, I needed to link together some 300 years of local Southeastern Massachusetts history, including the use of Native American lore and a Revolutionary War battle. Each issue provided a unique dilemma when it came to historical accuracy.

I wasn't sure how to include Native American terms and legends into the narrative of the story and yet still have it sound somewhat authentic. I didn't want to use an existing tribe name or any known legends - too much of a chance of writing something foolish or possibly disrespectful to Native culture. Native legends weave real world, spiritual and metaphysical aspects together in a very unique way and they are an extremely important link to the past.

I decided to keep the story "tribeless" and made up Native warrior names (Komaket and Komagansett) and the legend that went with them. The same was true with with most of the terms, like shingala (the convergence of energy), shongo (a staff) and mahica (30 year cycle of the wolf). It was a generic, but safe, compromise.

Had I chosen to use, say, the Narragansett tribe, I would have been limited to that tribe's lore, customs, legends and other details which would open the door for historical inaccuracies.

My second issue was that there were no Revolutionary War battles of any note in the area. Sure, Massachusetts had the battles of Concord and Lexington and Bunker/Breeds Hill to the north, but none in Southeastern Mass. Moving the story to another location was out of the question; fictional New Dover was a keeper.

So what's a writer to do when confronted with mixing a clearly fictional story with factual events? My choice was easy. I made up a battle. The Battle of New Dover. Fictional town. Fictional battle. I even threw in Fort New Dover. No one (editors, reviewers, readers) ever made it a concern, probably because it was so obviously made up and because, as we say in New England, it was a wicked long time ago.

Had this been a Civil War reference, I may still have been able to get away with it. Many of those battle names and battle sites are familiar: Gettysburg, Yorktown, Bull Run, Antietam. But there were dozens of smaller, lesser known skirmishes and it would be okay to use the (made up) Battle of Gibson's Creek, since there were around twenty battle sites with "Creek" in the name.

Making up a WWII battle would probably be unwise, same with World War I, Korea or Vietnam. As an author, you are subject to real timelines and events of these wars. It's probably not a good idea to say that a character was in the 107th battalion in Vietnam when no such unit existed there (yes, someone would check the historical accuracy and let you know).

Take the movie Saving Private Ryan. It had factual information: Invasion of Normandy, Omaha Beach, right down to the 101st Airborne uniform and patch. Of course, there was no Captain John Miller of the 2nd Rangers or a Private Ryan. But you have to make up characters or there would be no story.

I recall one doozie of a historical inaccuracy from author David Baldacci in his book Stone Cold. When you get some muscle you can write this at the end of your book:

Author's Note:

Hope you enjoyed Stone Cold. One note so people won’t e-mail telling me I made a glaring mistake: I’ve played with the time-line, putting Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko in office as heads of the Soviet Union so it would match Oliver Stone’s career as a government assassin. As a fiction writer, I have full latitude to do so. It’s an entitlement actually granted to me by the Novelist’s Bill of Rights, under the subsection “Why Bother with the Truth When You Can Just Make It Up?” It was duly enacted by Congress, an august body that has enviable experience in same.

The rest of us should probably play it safe!

R. M. Clark's mystery Center Point is available from the Writers AMuse Me Publishing site (http://www.writersamuseme.com/rmclark.htm#903985084) as well as Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, iBooks and Kobo. Visit his author site: http://www.rmclarkauthor.com

(Also feel free to check out my(Aly's review of Center Point.)

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A Silent Prayer by Samreen Ahsan

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"...and then she leaves me in the darkness that she has cast on me with her one last look." -Samreen Ahsan, A Silent Prayer

Adam Gibson has it all...or so everyone thinks. But when he runs into the religious Rania, and has several unexplainable incidents he can't help but find himself reconsidering his life and religious choices when she enters her life. But Rania has a brutal past that is determined to haunt her, one that she can't leave behind her. Will Adam be able to gain and keep her trust? Or will everything shatter like glass? Find the official description on Goodreads.

A Silent Prayer is told from a first person perspective. The chapters switch between Rania and Adam. At first, when I found out that the chapters would be separated this way, I thought there might be confusion. But it was quite clear throughout the book whose chapter you were on and who was telling their story. Their thoughts were clear and it was easy to determine which chapter was which. I enjoyed reading each character's chapters and gaining understanding about their pasts and present. As well as the thoughts that went through their heads. It was interesting and made it simple to understand what was going through their heads at any time.

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Sacred Choices by Karen Hulene Bartell

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Currently in use on Pen-L)

"With a gleeful squeal, she hugged herself, squeezing her knees. " -Karen Hulene Bartell, Sacred Choices

Sacred Choices brings together three women. Judith, the women who has had an abortion, and is pro-choice. Ceren, the woman who just found out she was pregnant and is sure she has what she wants. And Pastora, the voice of reason in the group. This is a story of their journey,the choices that each has made and the ones that they still have to make. It's a love story, one that will draw readers in. To find the official description, please look at the Goodreads page.

Karen Bartell has created a truly marvellous book about a difficult issue. One that many people tend to take one side or the other with little in-between.

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