Guest Post: S.R. Johannes - Author of THE NATURE OF GRACE series

The Animals in Grace's Life and Why They're Important

            So if you're an animal lover and an avid reader, you know that every good protagonist has his or her own personal four legged best friend  (or perhaps winged). For Grace, there isn't just one- but many! The animals in her life play a huge role in the adventures that she comes across, and without them she wouldn't be the fiery teen wilderness explorer she is! So in order to better understand Grace's world, let's take a dive into the animals that fill her life with meaning.

1. Simon (bear)

            Simon was Grace's first best friend and animal companion. With his adorable white bow tie, he's easy to spot and love! When they were both young, Grace and Simon played together, explored together, and even slept cuddled up next to each other. It's no wonder she recognized him in the woods that day-he's a pretty hard bear to miss! Without Simon's love and bear hugs, Grace may never have developed the true love for bears she has today.

2. Bear (dog)

           As Joe Well's ranger dog, Bear has an important job to do. He protects his owner while he's on duty, and sniffs out any signs of danger in the woods. But when he's off the clock, Bear is a happy go-lucky player, and  loves to play fetch with Grace and her dad! As the family dog and a USFWS trained canine, Bear leads an extremely busy life- but he wouldn't have it any other way.

3. Petey (bird)

            Now Petey is an interesting little character. Being an African Grey Parrot, Petey has the brain capacity of chimps and small children- not to mention an almost 800 word vocabulary! So whenever Birdee comes into town, Grace knows that her best bid friend will always be on her shoulder. Without Petey looking out, a lot of things may slip past Grace's grandmother; but with Petey, the two make the perfect team to help watch over Grace while she's fighting bad guys!

4. Bandit (wolf)

            Even though Grace never comes into close contact with Bandit, she does study him throughout the extent of her work with the Red Wolf Rescue Project. As she watches him, she realizes just how close he is to his family and how hard it is for him to survive as an endangered species- this pushes her through her mission of saving the wolves and stopping whoever is against them. So, while Bandit is not an up close and personal animal companion, he did teach Grace some important lessons about survival, family, and hope.

5. Cat (panther)

            Grace meets Cat in the Everglades and helps rescue her. She is a Florida Panther and endangered. In a way, Grace feels if she can save an animal, she can save herself from all that's gone on in her life. 

Thanks so much for sharing with us Shelli! This is so insightful!

Haven't read the latest in the NATURE OF GRACE series? Here's the synopsis for Unstoppable!

After everything that has happened, Grace moves to the Everglades to live with her grandmother, Birdee, and hang out with old man Rex, Birdee's "friend with benefits". Grace quickly befriends Dylan, Rex's nephew, and Dylan's girlfriend, Sadie, who is a die-hard teen activist. Sadie spends her time leading protests against the roadside zoos that run rampant in Florida with a total disregard for animals or the flimsy law.

One day while out in the marshes of the Everglades, Grace and her friends rescue an abused—and endangered—Florida panther. She and Birdee spend time rehabilitating the animal. But when the panther runs off, Grace follows it to Uncle Bob's, a large roadside zoo they all have been protesting. One that is illegally filled with a variety of endangered and exotic animals. Before she can rescue the panther, she and her friends are kidnapped by the ruthless owner and dragged deep into the Everglades for a hunting challenge. 

Only this time, Grace is the prey. 

During a sick game of cat and mouse, Grace and her friends are offered one chance at survival, but only if they reach civilization before being caught. With a small head start and very little supplies, only time and skill stand between the hunter and the hunted. But out in the Everglades, there may be more dangers than Grace realizes.

Against all odds, Grace must make it out alive and win, or everything she holds dear could be lost.

A Day In The Life... GUEST POST by AJ Aalto + Giveaway

By A.J. Aalto: Author of The Marnie Baranuik Files

4 A.M. -Turn off phone alarm and squint at the alert, which reads, “Reminder: Don’t kill anyone today.” Picture Jude Law naked for a solid five minutes to stir the blood. Ask myself if I am determined to be a writer, or whether I should sleep like a normal person. Take a vote inside my head. Decide to be a writer. This vote happens every day.

4:10 A.M. -Things go on in this order: computer, kettle, Songza, headphones. Teapot is prepared for a long day of abuse. Stereo volume is adjusted to rattle brain cells.

4:15 A.M. -Inform editor that I *am* in fact awake and working as promised, as part of accountability. Open Dropbox and begin writing where I left off yesterday.

4:20- A.M. – Stop to wonder what having sex with a troll would be like. Are trolls hairy? Smooth? Is their skin bumpy like toad’s flesh? Marnie might need to know! Get lost in the weird part of Youtube until I am frightened enough to return to writing. Write “<research troll sex. Eww!>” and carry on.

5:30- A hankering for tea and murder breaks my concentration. While kettle boils, scan articles about poisons you can hide in hot beverages. Get placed on a watch list (probably).

5:45 A.M. - Remember I’m trying to be a writer. Drink all the tea. Stare at Marnie’s last bit of dialogue until it reads as so stupid that I want to smack her. Reread entire page. Reword and rediscover. Fall back in love. Return to writing.

6:00 A.M. -Super serious, now. Chortle at some dirty thing Marnie said, as if I didn’t make her say it. Almost backspace over it. Decide to trust editor to make that call.

6:50 A.M. - Sit back, confused by an unexpected plot turn. Stop writing to shuffle through plot note cards to make sure the shift works with the rest of the outline. It does not. Sigh. Crave cookies. Resist.

7:00 A.M. – PIRATE ATTACK! If by “pirate attack,” you mean me, stuffing my face with cookies in the pantry in the dark, fully prepared to lie about it later and blame the empty bag of cookies on the puppy. BAD DOG!

7:10 A.M. – Back to the grind. Marnie needs to sound smart for this part …Major brain strain. More tea. Consider coffee. Instead, I type “<insert scientific things with super-impressive names and stuff>” and skip on to the action. My free time is quickly running out. Decide to skip morning porn break.

7:30 A.M. –SASQUATCH SIGHTING! Nope, that’s just the husband emerging from the cave on his way to the shower to start his day. Attempt to amuse him with colorful and completely fictional anecdote. He growls something that might be English and waves me away. Return to writing. Consider throwing a yeti into book so I can title the book “Spank the Yeti.”

8:00 A.M.-3:45 P.M. – Reserved for Mom/Writer Stuff, including but not limited to: getting youngest to school, home schooling the oldest, blogging, answering interview questions, writing guest posts, researching, meeting with cop buddy for brainstorming, science chat with science buddies, checking on my beloved Writers Without Borders, cemetery walks, harassing editor, preparing notes for future work, watching son play soccer, stealing candy from my kids and blaming it on goblins (I’d like to see you prove it wasn’t.) .

4:00 P.M. –Back to work. While kids clean their rooms and do homework, and before I have to cook supper, I sneak a bit of writing in, provided I can focus.

5:00 P.M.-7:00 P.M. – cooking, eating, clean-up while mentally reviewing the day’s work. Print out chapters to edit on the front porch with a glass of wine or a cocktail.

8:00 P.M. - Ritual bath with plenty of staring-at-tiles time to think about plot, characters, and how on Earth I’m going to find the strength to make it through tomorrow without indulging in my eight million hedonist vices.

8:15 P.M. -Sleepytime tea (or Fireball whiskey, depending on how bad the day was), melatonin, catch up on TBR pile. Review day with editor, bookending accountability. Report word count to journal. Resist temptation to embellish. Yes, even when I tell myself the truth, 85% of the time it’s fiction. What my shrink calls “pathological lying,” I call “unleashed creativity.”

8:30 P.M. -Drowsily make promises I can’t keep, mostly to myself. Jot down some ideas. Forget most. Close my eyes, lulled by the voices of my characters, slipping off into the lies I’ve spun. 

WOW! Um… that was frightening  enlightening. Not sure what I was expecting A.J. but… well… WOW! You are one busy woman living a concerning entertaining life! Thanks so much for giving us a glimpse into all that hard writer-ghoulie work.

I hope you all enjoyed sharing in A.J.'s typical day. Although, the troll sex is a bit concerning. 

Coming up next week: DREAM CAST FOR LAST IMPRESSIONS by Ms. A.J. Aalto herself! Trust me, you DO NOT want to miss next week's post. Here's a hint of what's to come next week... 

Check back next Friday for the full reveal of just who A.J.'s dream cast is for a Last Impressions movie! And don't forget to share this post with your friends and enter the giveaway! We're giving away 7 (that's right, 7!) e-copies of the entire Marnie Baranuik Files! So, if you have friends who haven't read the series, or heaven forbid, you haven't read it, make sure to get entered!

Missed something? Here's the links to the KICK OFF and AN INTERVIEW WITH MARNIE!

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Guest Post by Trish Doller: Author of WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE

Please give a warm welcome to our special guest today, Trish Doller. We are celebrating tomorrow's release of Where The Stars Still Shine, and Trish is here to tell us a little about...

Getting in the Mood

A guest post by  Trish Doller, author of Where the Stars Sill Shine.

            I don’t have really have an exact routine I follow. I think a lot of it depends on how I’m feeling that day. Sometimes I don’t mind noise, other times I want silence. Sometimes I can work in public without being distracted, other times I can’t. But one thing that’s common across the board, no matter what I’m working on, is music.

            I put a lot of time into coming up with playlists that capture the tone of the book, the characters’ personalities, the setting, and even particular scenes. I try to mix up the emotions, so if I need to be in a certain frame of mine, I have the right song on hand. For instance, when I was writing Something Like Normal, I listened to Savior by Rise Against on repeat all day long––and I’m not even kidding––because I was trying to tap into Travis’s anger for a specific scene.

            Aside from music, I usually prefer writing on one of my couches––either in the living room if it’s really hot or in the sun room if it’s cool––and I like to have Snyder’s honey mustard & onion pretzels and Coke as a snack. Neither are required, but when I set myself up with a cold Coke and a bowl of pretzels, I feel like I’m cheating if I don’t write. Finally, I usually have to turn off the internet. I use a blocker called SelfControl because, clearly, I have none. 

WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE
By: Trish Doller
Published By: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: September 24, 2013

Synopsis (from goodreads):
Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

Find out more about Trish Doller

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GUEST POST: J. Kenner - Author of the Stark Trilogy

Welcome to the Complete Me blog hop! Today, Julie has been gracious enough to stop by and tell us a little about THE MAN HIMSELF! Yep, the one, the only, Damien Stark. That swoon-worthy, sexy, hunk we all know and love. So, please welcome Julie.

*Waves* Hi Julie! (See guys, isn’t she cute!) Thanks so much for sharing with us today!

And now….

Me and Damien Stark

I’ve written a lot of books and a lot of heroes over the years, and though all of them have a place in my heart, I have to say that none of them have yet gotten under my skin the way that Damien Stark has.

There’s just something about that man … he’s sexy as hell, mysterious, has a hard and dangerous edge, and yet he is completely and utterly devoted to the woman he loves.

But so are a lot of men who live between the pages of books.  So why does Damien sing for me (and for the readers who’ve written to tell me they swoon for him)?  

I think it’s a combination of who Damien is and how he is perceived.  And all of that ties in to the way that he’s portrayed on the page.

Let’s start with the easiest:  Who is Damien Stark?  Well, he’s one of the sexiest, most powerful men on the planet.  He’s a former athlete, a celebrity in his own right.  He’s smart and well-read. He knows how to seduce a woman.  All great, right?  

But The Perfect Dude does not a compelling story make.  There needs to be storm clouds lurking behind those dual-colored eyes, and Damien definitely has the storms.  And it’s those storms coupled with his power, his control, his whole damn persona, that make him so fascinating to Nikki.  And that’s the real challenge:  pulling the reader into her head so that the reader feels the same fascination and mystery that she does.

That’s the reason that I wrote the Stark Trilogy from Nikki’s point of view only.  Meeting Damien through Nikki makes him that much more mysterious and, yes, dangerous.  We’re never quite sure what he’s thinking until he reveals himself to Nikki and until she gets to the point where she understands him enough to interpret his signals.  

The point of view gives the series a gothic quality that I love…and I hope readers do, too!!

XXOO

J

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haven’t read the Stark Trilogy yet? You are totally missing out! Check out the entire trilogy below.

Release Me (Book 1 in the Stark Trilogy)

By J. Kenner

Published by: Bantam

For fans of Fifty Shades of Grey and Bared to You comes an erotic, emotionally charged romance between a powerful man who’s never heard “no” and a fiery woman who says “yes” on her own terms. 

He was the one man I couldn’t avoid. And the one man I couldn’t resist. 

Damien Stark could have his way with any woman. He was sexy, confident, and commanding: Anything he wanted, he got. And what he wanted was me.

Our attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as I ached to be his, I feared the pressures of his demands. Submitting to Damien meant I had to bare the darkest truth about my past—and risk breaking us apart.

But Damien was haunted, too. And as our passion came to obsess us both, his secrets threatened to destroy him—and us—forever.

Release Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

My Review

Amazon – B&N

Claim Me (Book 2 in the Stark Trilogy)

By J. Kenner

Published by: Bantam

For Damien, our obsession is a game. For me, it is fiercely, blindingly, real.

Damien Stark’s need is palpable—his need for pleasure, his need for control, his need for me. Beautiful and brilliant yet tortured at his core, he is in every way my match.

I have agreed to be his alone, and now I want him to be fully mine. I want us to possess each other beyond the sweetest edge of our ecstasy, into the deepest desires of our souls. To let the fire that burns between us consume us both.

But there are dark places within Damien that not even our wildest passion can touch. I yearn to know his secrets, yearn for him to surrender to me as I have surrendered to him. But our troubled pasts will either bind us close . . . or shatter us completely.

Claim Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

My Review

Amazon – B&N

Complete Me (Book 3 in the Stark Trilogy)

By J. Kenner

Published by: Bantam

Publication Date: July 30, 2013

This sexy, emotionally charged romance continues the story of Damien Stark, the powerful multimillionaire who’s never had to take “no” for an answer, and Nikki Fairchild, the Southern belle who only says “yes” on her own terms.

Our desire runs deep. But our secrets cut close. Beautiful, strong, and commanding, Damien Stark fills a void in me that no other man can touch. His fierce cravings push me beyond the brink of bliss—and unleash a wild passion that utterly consumes us both.

Yet beneath his need for dominance, he carries the wounds of a painful past. Haunted by a legacy of dark secrets and broken trust, he seeks release in our shared ecstasy, the heat between us burning stronger each day.

Our attraction is undeniable, our obsession inevitable. Yet not even Damien can run from his ghosts, or shield us from the dangers yet to come.

Complete Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

My Review

Amazon – B&N

And don’t forget the huge giveaway going on right now to celebrate the release of Complete Me. Visit the post here.

Meet the Author
New York Times  and USA Today bestselling author J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) has published over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.  You can find out more about her at her website, http://www.juliekenner.com, or connect with her through social media on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/juliekenner) or Facebook as Julie Kenner (http://www.facebook.com/juliekennerbooks) or as J. Kenner (http://www.facebook.com/jkennerbooks).

And if you want more official bio-y stuff, read on!  

Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K.  is also a two-time RITA finalist, the winner of Romantic Times‘ Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Contemporary Paranormal of 2001, the winner of the Reviewers International Organization’s award for best romantic suspense of 2004 and best paranormal of 2005, and the winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award for best mainstream book of 2005.

She writes a range of stories including sexy and quirky romances, young adult novels, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures. Her popular dark paranormal Shadow Keepers series originally issued as author J.K. Beck has been reissued as J. Kenner titles.

The first book in her current Stark Trilogy, Release Me, was a multi-week New York Times and USA Today bestseller. Book two, Claim Me, debuted at number two on the New York Times list and remained on that list and the USA Today list for multiple weeks.  Book three, Complete Me, will be on sale July 30.  The series has sold to over a dozen countries.

Julie lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two cats.

RELEASE EVENT: KILLING SARAI by J.A. Redmerski

Title: KILLING SARAI

Author: J.A. Redmerski

Release date: June 20, 2013

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Age Group : General adult 17 +

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Book Description:

From the author of the New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling novel, THE EDGE OF NEVER, comes a story of passion and survival…

---

Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.

Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don’t go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another.

While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead.

As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor’s brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed.

This is their story…

INTERESTING OR NOTEWORTHY FACTS ABOUT KILLING SARAI FROM J.A. REDMERSKI:

• Victor Faust speaks seven languages fluently: German, French, Spanish, Swedish, Hungarian, Arabic and English
• The book was partially inspired by my anger towards the movie Hitman when Agent 47 and Nika didn’t have a romantic relationship. I was so distraught over that! The woman and romance lover in me decided to take that secret love affair some of us have with deadly men and make it romantic.
• The other part of my inspiration for writing KILLING SARAI came from the song Father Figure by George Michael.
• While although Sarai didn’t get to finish school and had limited means of education while at the compound, she is very intelligent both book-wise and street-wise. And she is a fast learner.
• Sarai has spit in Izel’s food so many times she lost count.
• Victor and his younger brother, Niklas, are one in the same but entirely different. They are both fiercely loyal to each other and those they love and are both skilled killers, but Niklas is untamed and undisciplined, which creates a constant wedge between the two.
• Victor has never been in love. Ever. Niklas, on the other hand, although he preaches to Victor about avoiding relationships and how falling in love will only get him killed, secretly loved a woman once.
• The woman that Niklas once loved was secretly killed by none other than Victor.
• Sarai pulled one of her own wisdom teeth out with a pair of pliers because she had no way of getting dental care while in Mexico. And even though Javier would’ve made sure she got the care, Sarai refused to tell him for fear of Izel finding out and trying to remove the tooth for her.
• I molded Victor Faust’s character almost entirely from actor Michael Fassbender!

About the Author

J.A. Redmerski, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of THE EDGE OF NEVER lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Author social media links:

www.jessicaredmerski.com

www.facebook.com/J.A.Redmerski

www.twitter.com/JRedmerski

www.goodreads.com/JRedmerski