Spotlight: Einstein Relatively Simple By Ira Mark Egdall #EinsteinSimple @IMEgdall #vbtcafetours @bkwalker36 @VBTCafe

Einstein Relatively Simple: Our Universe Revealed in Everyday Language

Ira Mark Egdall

Author Bio:

Ira Mark Egdall is also the author of the eBook Unsung Heroes of the Universe and a popular science writer for DecodedScience.com. He is a retired aerospace program manager with an undergraduate degree in physics from Northeastern University. Mark now teaches lay courses in modern physics at Lifelong Learning Institutes at Florida International University, the University of Miami, and Nova Southeastern University. He also gives entertaining talks on Einstein and time travel. When not thinking about physics, Mark spends his time playing with his grandchildren and driving his wife of 45 years crazy.

Author Links - The link for any or all of the following...

Website: iramarkegdall.com http://iramarkegdall.com/ (NOTE: A new web site is currently in progress)

Twitter: @IMEgdall https://twitter.com/IMEgdall

Facebook: TBD

Linkedin: Mark Egdall

Goodreads: Ira Mark Egdall

 Amazon: TBD

Book Genre: Popular Science

Publisher: World Scientific Publishing

Release Date: February 24, 2014

Buy Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple | Indybound

Book Description:

Einstein Relatively Simple brings together for the first time an exceptionally clear explanation of both special and general relativity. It is for people who always wanted to understand Einstein's ideas but never thought it possible.

Told with humor, enthusiasm, and rare clarity, this entertaining book reveals how a former high school drop-out revolutionized our concepts of space and time. From E=mc² and everyday time travel to black holes and the big bang, the book takes us all, regardless of any scientific background, on a mindboggling journey through the depths of Einstein's universe.

Along the way, we track Einstein through the perils and triumphs of his life - follow his thinking,

his logic, and his insights - and chronicle the audacity, imagination, and sheer genius of the man

recognized as the greatest scientist of the modern era.

Excerpt:

Prologue

All knowledge begins in wonder.

Aristotle

In June of 1905, former high-school drop-out and lowly patent clerk

Albert Einstein published a paper in the German Annals of Physics

which revolutionized our understanding of space and time. What came to

be known as the theory of special relativity predicted a strange new universe

where time slows and space shrinks with motion.

In that same journal, Einstein proposed light comes in discreet packets

of energy we now call photons. Along with Max Planck's work, this

insight sparked the quantum revolution. This in turn set off the greatest

technological revolution in human history - enabling the invention of

television, transistors, electronic digital computers, cell phones, digital

cameras, lasers, the electron microscope, atomic clocks, MRI, sonograms,

and many more modern-day devices.

Einstein's follow-up article in September of 1905 proposed that mass

and energy are equivalent. His famous equation, E = mc², came to solve

one of the great mysteries of modern science - how the Sun and stars

shine. Some four decades later, Einstein's breakthrough ushered in the

atomic age.

In December of 1915, Albert Einstein - now Professor of Theoretical

Physics at the University of Berlin - surpassed his already staggering

accomplishments. In the midst of the turmoil and hardships of World

War I, he produced his life's masterpiece: a new theory of gravity. His

audacious general theory of relativity revealed a cosmos beyond our

wildest imagination. It predicted phenomena so bizarre even Einstein

initially doubted their existence - black holes which trap light and stop

time, wormholes which form gravitational time machines, the expansion

of space itself, and the birth of the universe some 13.8 billion years ago in

the ultimate cosmic event: the Big Bang.

Not since Isaac Newton had a single physicist attained such monumental

breakthroughs, and no scientist since has matched his breathtaking

achievements. In recognition, TIME magazine selected Albert Einstein

above such luminaries as Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Mohandas

Gandhi, as the "Person of the Century" - the single individual with the

most significant impact on the 20^th century.

Albert Einstein has long since passed from this corporal world.

Yet his fame lives on. His discoveries inspire today's generation of

physicists - providing stepping stones to a new understanding of the

cosmos and perhaps someday a unified theory of all physics. His brilliance,

independence of mind, and persistence continue to be an inspiration

to us all. He remains the iconic figure of science, whose genius

transcends the limits of human understanding.

I wrote Einstein Relatively Simple to tell Einstein's story - to hopefully

provide the non-expert a clear, step-by-step explanation of how he

came to develop both special and general relativity. My goal is a book

which is comprehensive, fun to read, and most important, understandable

to the lay reader . . .

So come explore how an unknown patent clerk came to develop a

new theory of time and space, how he came to supplant the illustrious

Isaac Newton with a new theory of gravity. Along the way we will examine

the mind of Albert Einstein, who preferred to think in pictures rather

than words, follow his thinking, his logic, and his insights.

To quote one of my students; "You'll never look at the universe the

same way again!"

Follow The Tour Here

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: Love Spell By Stan Crowe

Tour Schedule

Love Spell

Clint Christopherson’s love life is a running joke. When a crazed gypsy curses him with the best wish he could ever ask for, the punchline stops being funny. Now, even his barest touch drives girls mad for him. Desperate to reverse the curse, he turns to his last hope: an attractive private investigator who may be able to locate his missing gypsy. If only Clint knew who it was he just hired...

Amazon

Excerpt

Standing in front of Sullivan’s door, Clint straightened his tie for the fifth time. His trip to the heart of the Mariner’s home turf had yielded some massive and pleasant surprises that he was eager to share with his sometimes-prickly traveling companion. After he knocked on the door, he heard a muffled, “One moment,” and took to rocking on his heels while he waited. He smoothed out his surprise new duds, ensured he’d done all the buttons on his shirt properly, and made sure his fly had been zipped. Check. Check. Check. Should he button the sport coat or not? What was protocol? A quick hand through his hair again, and then a surreptitious nose cleaning, just in case.
Calm down, man.
When Sullivan’s door opened a few moments later, Clint had to bite back a wolf whistle. A pair of driving shades and that baseball cap really added to her image (not that she was bad to begin with), and his pulse raced. This might be harder than he’d thought. Man up, Clint, he told himself. “Are you ready to go, Sully?”
She gave him a slow once over. “I know I didn’t give you enough money to buy that. Where’d you get it?”
He shook his head. “Some store.” He could tell she was hardly satisfied with the answer, but ignored the follow up question in her eyes. “Let’s try again. Are you ready to go? It’s five.”
She glanced at her watch. “Go? Where are we going?”
He grinned. “You are hungry, yes?”
“Maybe,” she said cautiously. In reply, her stomach gurgled, “Absolutely I’m hungry, you idiot,” and Lindsay blushed crimson.
Clint pretended not to notice the sound, and jerked a thumb toward the stairs. “C’mon. Even if you’re fine, I’m dying for something better than the burgers from the joint next door. I was thinking about something, you know, upscale. Just the two of us. Think of it as part of me paying off my debt.”
She cocked her head. “In case you hadn’t noticed, we’ve been watching a dwindling budget lately. And, besides, I’m not dressed to go anywhere nice.”
Clint turned and jogged for the stairs. “No worries,” he called back to her. “Dinner’s taken care of, and I’ve got your evening wear sorted out, too. Let’s go!” He was down the stairs and in the lobby in under a minute. She appeared seconds later, frowning—probably glaring behind those shades—and demanding answers.
“That’d be telling,” he replied with a smirk. She was leaning forward, eager for whatever it was he was holding back. Or maybe she was actually eager to rip his head off because she was infected by the Touch. Either way, there was no reason to delay. He strode through the front door of the motel, and then turned to hold it open for her. Sullivan approached sinuously, too much the way a big cat would close on its prey. Realizing the problem, Clint released the door and stepped aside, only to realize a new problem. A moment later, the door took Sullivan full in the face.
“Sully!” Clint sprang for the door and yanked it open, even as she staggered backwards. “Man, Sully. I swear by everything holy that I didn’t mean to—”
She silenced him with a hand, while rubbing vigorously at her nose with her other hand. “That’s twice you’ve hit me with a door! What is your prob— never mind. I’m not bleeding, am I?” She didn’t wait for an answer before turning back toward the lobby and striding for the ladies’ room.
Clint buried his face in his hand, and then looked behind him. Good. His surprise was still there. “Sully! You look fine. If you need a mirror, there’s one here in the limo.”
She missed a step, and then stopped. Carefully, she looked back over her shoulder. He saw her gasp slightly, and then turn all the way around. She looked back and forth between the restrooms and the waiting luxury car. Finally, her shoulders dropped slightly, and walked carefully toward the limousine. Clint opened the car’s door immediately, dismissing the driver with a nod. Sullivan approached slowly, and shot meaningful looks both at Clint and at the car door.
“What?” he asked. “Hey, that was an accident.”
She gave him a look. “And so was the thing in the hospital.”
“Yes. So was the thing in the hospital. But do you really think I’d slam a car door on a woman?”
She crossed her arms over her chest, and cocked her head.
Clint blushed slightly, and gestured at the door, and said, “Look, Miss Sullivan. I promise I’m not going to intentionally injure or humiliate you. This? This was supposed to be a nice surprise and it hasn’t exactly gone the way I planned it. Bear with me, please? I promise I’ll do my very best to make this as enjoyable for you as it has been for me. Okay?”
Sullivan hesitated, but at last put one foot forward, then the other. Then she sped to the limo and climbed inside without so much as a glance at Clint. Her passage was so close that a faint whiff of her perfume caught his nose. Clint breathed deeply, and let the scent linger in his mind, resolving to get her a bottle of whatever that was as a “thank you” gift, once he got a job again. He really did owe her big. Hopefully, tonight would help.

Author Stan Crowe Stan had a pretty normal, middle-class American youth. He was lucky enough to change that by convincing an exceptional woman to marry him in 2000, setting him on a much more fulfilling life course. Four years later, Brigham Young University awarded him with a Bachelors of Science in civil and environmental engineering. He then he spent several years designing homes, prescribing work for bridges, and even exploring the mortgage industry. In the midst of all this, he produced two science fiction anthologies in 2006 and 2007. In 2012, Breezy Reads Publishing picked up his romantic comedy The Cinderella Project. And thus he transformed himself from Captain Kirk into Don Juan. Stan lives with his wife, children (final count to be determined) and two cats in Utah.

Blog * Facebook * Goodreads

Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/9/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or PayPal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review of Zombie West Trilogy By Angela Scott @ascott_author

Zombie West Trilogy
The Zombie West Series #1 -3
By Angela Scott
Pages: 741
Published: November 13th 2013 by Evolved Publishing

Goodreads Summary:

The Wild West is hard enough to survive with its native territory, wanted outlaws, and harsh terrain, but with a plague turning civilized people into brain-eating monsters, survival becomes nearly impossible.

Red has lost everything to the fast-spreading disease: her family, her trust in mankind, and her hope for a better tomorrow. When she meets Trace, a smooth-talking gambling man who's more city boy than cowboy, she's forced down a path she'd been avoiding for years. Until his arrival, she'd lived by a certain set of rules-don't ask names, keep to yourself, don't let anyone too close-but the jackass of a man won't let her be, and he has an uncanny knack for appearing at all the wrong times and in all the wrong places.

Each, with a secret of their own, will need to learn that only by working together do they have any chance of surviving The Zombie West.

That is, if they don't kill each other first.

FEATURES ALL 3 BOOKS IN 1 SPECIAL EDITION:

Book 1 - Wanted: Dead or Undead

Book 2 - Survivor Roundup

Book 3 - Dead Plains

This special edition also includes 2 exclusive short stories, along with additional bonus content available only in this omnibus edition -- and all for much less than the 3 books purchased individually.

Goodreads Amazon Smashwords

Excerpt:

"I hate people," Rivers said. "Everybody's mean or rotten or lies. I hate 'em all."

Kitchi reached out and took the girl's hand as Trace poured water onto a piece of cloth and gently patted the boy's back. He squeezed her hand. "People are good. We are born to be, but sometimes we make bad choices. Do not let a few of them destroy the good person you are. This world needs you. It needs your goodness."

Trace poured the water directly onto the boy's back, hoping to wash away the infection.

Kitchi's entire body tensed, but he didn't cry out. He squeezed Rivers' hand tighter, and she placed her other hand over his, cupping it from both sides.

"Not all people are bad, Rivers. Not all people are bad." Kitchi closed his eyes and his hand fell limp in hers.

My Review:

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

In Wanted: Dead or Undead we meet Red who likes to travel alone and has no one to be responsible for if they get bitten by the zombies. It's hard enough trying to keep your own self alive much less a group of people. But the dude she calls Cowboy won't listen to her he follows her anyway. Cowboy thinks he knows her and has seen her before. Besides all that he is very attracted to Red. He likes the way she handles a gun and can kill a bunch of zombies quicker than most folks.

Cowboy and Red meet up with this new guy Wen and he becomes a part of their group. Later on down the road they meet two little kids, Rivers and Fisher; yeah that is their real names. See their father loved going fishing and that is how they got their names. Red wants to be alone because she has a secret that she doesn't want anyone to know about. Her secret could cost her, her life or maybe even the life of one of her new family members, people that she is becoming to care about. So they all end up at an old army fort where they meet Caroline and her father Ira. Wen and Caroline become close real quick like.

In Survivor Roundup we have some new characters join us Aponi and her little brother Kitchi along with Nash one of her kidnappers. Red's brother Davis also joins them after he figures out what kind of person John Gatherum really is. John has been using Davis to lure Red into his lair only Davis did not know this. John will do anything he has to in order to get his hands on Red no matter who it may hurt or how many lies he has to tell.

Red has a plan she is tired of running and hiding from John so she is going to find him and kill him. Then she can go back to her "family" and not have to hide any more. She has to be quick about it or her "family" will not survive without her. Her "family" is waiting and depending on her to bring food back to them.

In Dead Plains Red is pregnant with Trace's baby. Red, Trace, Wen, Caroline, Lily (Wen and Caroline's baby), Fisher, Rivers, Kitchi, Aponi and Davis, Red's brother are all out walking the Plains trying their best to just stay one step ahead of the zombies and any human that may want to take Red and use her as an experiment like John did in Survivor Roundup. Red is unlike other humans. She has a secret that everyone wants to know and wishes they had. They think that she is the answer to their zombie problems.

All Red, Trace, Wen, Caroline and everyone else in their new little family want is just to find a safe place that they can call home, a place hidden away from other people so that there would be no one to recognize Red. But someone knows who Red is and what she is and they are out for blood. This person doesn't care about Red or her family all this person cares about his himself. I know you probably want to know who this person is. Am I right? Well guess what I really don't want to spoil the book for you so I am not going to tell you who this person is. You are going to have to pick up your copy to find out. But hey trust me you will definitely not be disappointed with the Zombie West Trilogy. It is one of the best zombie books ever written. Angela Scot is an amazing writer and person.

About The Author:

I hear voices. Tiny fictional people sit on my shoulders and whisper their stories in my ear. Instead of medicating myself, I decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. I'm not crazy. I'm an author. For the most part, I write contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, I found myself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West-and loving it. My zombies don't sparkle, and they definitely don't cuddle. At least, I wouldn't suggest it.

I live on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. I graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of my love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn't require math. I can't spell, and grammar is my arch nemesis. But they gave me the degree, and there are no take backs.

As a child, I never sucked on a pacifier; I chewed on a pencil. I've been writing that long. It has only been the past few years that I've pursued it professionally, forged relationships with other like-minded individuals, and determined to make a career out of it.

You can find me at my website, where I blog obsessively about my writing process and post updates on my current works. I'm also on Twitter and Facebook, but be forewarned, I tweet and post more than a normal person.

Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads

Review of ARV-3 By Cameo Renae @CameoRenae @Vickie_IO_Tours

Title: ARV-3
Series: The after life saga #1
by Cameo Renae
Length: 219 pages

BLURB:

The beginning of the end. The Apocalypse.

A nuclear fallout wiped out every living thing on the planet, except for a few thousand of us who took shelter in underground bunkers across the globe. Now, after thirteen long years, we were finally able to return to the topside to begin to rebuild.

We thought we were alone. We were never more wrong.

Before the fallout, scientists had worked on creating an anti-radiation vaccine (ARV). The first two attempts failed, but despite the incomplete tests and results, the government approved and distributed the third serum to the masses in an effort to aid those who had no shelter.

It worked, keeping those who remained on the topside alive, but it also altered and mutated them. This new and infectious threat had completely outnumbered us. Now, we not only had to rebuild our planet. We would have to fight for it.

My name is Abigail Park. I'm seventeen, and this is my story.

Amazon

My Review-

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Abigail Park or Abi is a seventeen year old girl who went underground to live in what is called a hive. Abi, her mother, father, uncle, aunt and cousin along with a few other families all lived in the hives for thirteen years. Abi was four years old when she went into the hive. Abi and everyone else in the hive trained every day how to shoot and fight in hand to hand combat. They also worked out to keep themselves in shape. They knew that they would have to fight with others when they went topside again one day. But they didn't know that what or who they would be fighting was a big surprise to all of them.

Thirteen years ago when the fallout began the government created a vaccine hoping to help the people that had nowhere to go. People that had no hive to go to that would keep them safe and alive. Everything happened so fast that they didn't have time to test the vaccines properly. The vaccine did keep the people alive if what they were changed into could be called a live. They were not dead their hearts still beat so you couldn't exactly call them zombies but they were close.

Abi fell in love with one of the few guys, Finn that was her age who lived with them in the hive. Finn and Abi spent a lot of time together. They trained together, they ate together and they probably played together as children. They were only seventeen years old but they knew what it was to be in love. They both would have given their own life for the other. Abi and Finn would have also do everything and anything to help their families too. Abi and Finn both had great big hearts with a whole lot of love to go around.

I loved finding and reading a whole new and different story about the apocalypses. ARV-3 is one of the best books about the apocalypses that I have ever read. It will grab a hold of you starting with the very first word and will not let you go until you have read the very last word. I even read it on my phone while I was cooking. No joke I really did. I hope the next book in the series makes its debut real soon. I want to know more about Abi, Finn, Tina, Ava and all of their parents too. Their stories are ones that need to be told and I can't wait to read more of their stories. This is one book that I definitely recommend to all who love dystopian and apocalyptic.

Author Bio-

Cameo Renae was born in San Francisco, CA, raised in Maui, Hawaii, and recently moved with her husband and children to Alaska.

She loved reading from as long as she can remember, and it was C.S. Lewis' - Chronicles of Narnia - which sparked a fire in her soul and made her want to create her own wondrous, magical worlds and awesome characters to go on adventures with.

In My Dreams & Hidden Wings were both recently published through Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing earlier this year. Descent (A Hidden Wings novella) was released May 15, 2013, and Broken Wings (Book 2 in the Hidden Wings Series) was released June 1, 2013.

Her most recent release is ARV-3. A YA Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian novel with a new twist on zombies.

She is currently working on the next Hidden Wings Series book titled: Tethered Wings. No release date yet. :)

One day she hopes to find her own magic wardrobe, and ride away on her magical unicorn... Until then... she'll keep writing!

Website Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads

Giveaway:

A print copy of ARV-3 with an ARV-3 Swag Pack.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Blitz: Forsaken By Kristen Day @kris10_day @GHBTours

Forsaken

Daughters of the Sea-Book #1

By Kristen Day 

Once you've been touched by darkness, it never leaves you…

Abandoned by her parents as an infant; seventeen year old Hannah spent her childhood wading through countless foster families until being adopted by the Whitmans three years ago.

Unfortunately, Atlanta's high society wasn't quite ready for Hannah…or the strange events that plague her.

Chilling visions of murder, unexplained hallucinations, and  dark, mysterious guy who haunts her nightmares all culminate to set in motion a journey of self-discovery that will challenge everything she's ever believed; not to mention her sanity.

Sent to live at The House of Lorelei on Bald Head Island, NC for 'kids like her', Hannah quickly realizes things are not what they seem. Her fellow 'disturbed' teens are actually the descendants of mythical Sea Gods and Goddesses. And so is she.

But when Finn, the ghost from her dreams, appears in the flesh; her nightmares become reality and her dark visions begin coming true. Inexplicably drawn to him, she can't deny the dangerous hold he has on her heart. The deadly secrets he harbors will ultimately test her courage and push the boundaries of her love.

She must decide if she is ready to embrace the ancient legend she is prophesied to be a part of. The fate of all the descendants will forever depend upon it.

 

Review of The Remade: Akila's Psalm By Casse NaRome @CatholicKittie @GHBTours

Title- The Remade: Akila's Psalm
Series- The Reborn Book # 2
By- Casse NaRome
Publication Date-November 2nd, 2013

Blurb-

Dain has lost everything. His mom and Tara are both gone. The face that he once used as a solace, he can no longer bear to see. He's unraveling; Akila may not be enough to hold the strands together.

For Akila watching Dain become a shadow of the guy she once knew is torture. She knows she is losing him but how can she stop it while holding on to secrets of her own? All she has to do is keep everything together long enough to stop the evil scientists that are out to sabotage their destiny.

They are both fighting their own demons but whose will destroy them first?

Goodreads Kindle

My Review-

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Dain has lost his mother she died in his arms and now he is on the run with his best friend Akila. Dain is hurting and is running from his past and so is Akila. Dain and Akila have both lived past lives with other names. They have been friends through each of their lives. Dain's mother gave her life for Dain's. Akila chose to leave her boyfriend behind and go with Dain. She knew Dain needed her more now at this time than her boyfriend did.

It took me a while to realize that Dain and Akila were only friends. I actually thought at first that they were boyfriend and girlfriend. When I realized that they were only friends I kept hoping and thinking that they would begin to care more deeply and in a different way for each other. I wanted them to be together as a couple but I found out no matter how much they cared for each there just was no spark. They seemed just like the perfect couple.

I loved reading about them having past lives and that they knew each other then as well. I loved that they got another chance to do things differently or maybe even better in another life. That would be so awesome if you did and could remember your past lives and you could meet and be with your soulmate in each and every one of your lives. There are times when I do believe in reincarnation.

I have truly loved reading the first book in the series The Reborn and the second book The Remade as well. I thing I liked the second one The Remade better but they are both so good that it is really, really hard to actually pick a favorite. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I truly indeed recommend The Reborn and The Remade to anyone who loves reading about past lives and loves.

Author Bio-

Casse Narome is the alter-ego of a self-proclaimed awesome weirdo who spent her childhood reading and daydreaming. As an adult that is also how she spends her time only now she writes her daydreams down for everyone to read. Casse is never serious, has been accused of wishing her life was a sitcom, laugh track and all, has a bad habit of talking out loud to herself and she is fine with being a little insane. She spends way too much time online, too much money buying books and laughing at her own jokes. You will find her on Twitter being very random and spewing her opinions. When you see her online, tell her to get back to her writing! Or just engage her in a hilarious random conversation. She blogs book reviews and the adventures of being a writer at her Website & Blog. She is an avid tweeter. She is also on Facebook.

Publisher Amazon Author Page Facebook Twitter Blog Goodreads

Facebook Events- Tour

Blitz: Naughty Little Bedtime Stories By-Tamaria Soana @Tamaria_Soana @GHBTours

Naughty Little Bedtime Stories

By-Tamaria Soana

Anthology of Steamy Short Stories  

Bedtime stories that will heat up your night.

Naughty Little Bedtime Stories contains twelve short stories that will arouse your senses. You'll find stories that contain light bondage, food play, ménage (m/m/f), and other erotic events. Each story has a different setting and couple who explore all things naughty in and out of the bedroom.

 

Content Warning: adult language, graphic sexual situations.

   

Beachwalk Press 

All Romance Ebooks

Review of Renhala By Amy Joy Lutchen @karmiccandy

Renhala
By Amy Joy Lutchen

Blurb:

Kailey Rooke, timid accountant, dedicated to philanthropic work, finds herself spiraling into a deep depression after she suffers a horrifyingly odd and humiliating assault, to only discover more of these freakish assaults occurring across the globe.

A chance discovery leads Kailey to a meeting with elderly Gunthreon, actual master of persuasion. Gunthreon, who seems to know too much of Kailey's history for her liking, opens Kailey's eyes to a coexisting realm she never knew existed: Renhala, while entrusting her with the knowledge of her newfound power as karmelean, serving as a beacon for karma from the Higher Ones. Kailey slowly starts revealing new talents, and Gunthreon is fascinated with what she starts achieving.

She soon discovers that Renhala is in danger, and this danger has been leaking into her own realm. As she uncovers secrets within herself, and toughens up, she fuses with an unlikely band of fellow travelers (including a dragon, woodsprite, six-hundred-pound greble, her faithful female canine companion, and a "giver"), balances the egos of two very strong males, deals with her sexy and flirtatious best friend’s “issues,” and finds the courage to master a new deadly weapon.

On her mission to save Renhala, Kailey will find herself running from life-threatening disasters, such as greble Tartarin, who likes to remind Kailey that when he catches her, he plans on eating her brains with ice cream; she'll run from the deadly meeples: small cute bunnies with talons and an undeniable thirst for imposing self-destruction on others. Kailey will also run into the possibility that a centuries-old Renhalan rumor is true, that advanced technology existing in Kailey's realm shortens all life spans.

As blood is shed and puzzles near completion, Kailey pulls from deep within herself, conjuring up mystical qualities that enable her to astonish as once predicted at her birth, but despite the newfound strength, Kailey will discover that monsters not only come in ugly packages, but can be easily disguised as those she has come to love and trust.

Goodreads Amazon

My Review:

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Kailey is trying to get her life back after she was attracted. The attack left her in a very bad place. She lived with her mother for a while until she could heal from her mental wounds as well as from her physical wounds. When she is better and she can get on with her life she goes looking for and finds herself an apartment and she goes back to her work. She also lets her best friend Amber back in her life. Amber takes Kailey out for a night on the town trying to help Kailey get on with her life. She takes her to a bar where Kailey meets a nice gentleman who wants to help Kailey and who knows more about her than someone she doesn't know should know about her and someone has never met before. Her new friend Gunthreon tells her she has a quest to complete. Kailey being very skeptical of anyone after her attack questions what Guntheron begins to tell her about her quest and who she is. I love how honest she is and doesn't mean any harm when she is being honest. Not knowing completely if Guntheron can be trusted because she just met him. She keeps asking him if he spiked her drink. Who can blame her with all that she has been through and that is not even counting what he is telling about her quest.

While Kailey is at Guntheron's place she meets a greeble, named Bu whom she becomes fast friends with. Bu is so ecstatic about having a friend. He has never had a friend before Kailey. Bu becomes Kailey's protector. He sits outside her door at night to watch over her and keep her safe from all the bad things they may come out of the realm of Rehhala and into their world. There are things out there that want to harm Kailey and who also want her dead because of whom and what she is.

Kailey also meets a guy Conner in the park when she is walking her dog, Kitoto. Conner is walking his dog as well. Later her friend Amber meets a new guy that she falls for. Amber and her new friend take Kailey out on a blind date with them one evening to get her out of the house and they are also trying to help Kailey get on with her life. Amber is disappointed when she finds out that the guy she has set Kailey up with is the guy from the park and they already know each other. For some reason unbeknownst to Kailey she feels safe with Conner.

I really enjoyed reading Renhala and following Kailey around when she would go to the other realms or world. Kailey was a very good person and loved that she was Bu's friend. I highly recommend Renhala to anyone who loves a good fantasy and traveling to other realms.

Website Facebook Twitter Google+ Goodreads

Spotlight: Indie Authors Naked By Loren Kleinman @VBTCafe @LorenKleinman

           

         

  Loren Kleinman is a writer and poet with roots in New Jersey.  She has a B.A. in English Literature from Drew University and an M.A. in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Sussex. Kleinman is a columnist for IndieReader.com (IR) where she interviews New York Times and USA Today bestselling indie authors. Some of those interviews in IR reappeared in USA Today and The Huffington Post.

Her poetry has appeared in literary journals such as Nimrod, Journal of New Jersey Poets, Paterson Literary Review, Wilderness House Literary Review, Writer's Bloc, Resurgence (UK), HerCircleEzine and Aesthetica Annual. She was the recipient of the Spire Press Poetry Prize (2003), was a 2000 and 2003 Pushcart Prize nominee, and a 2004 Nimrod/Pablo Neruda Poetry Prize finalist. In 2003, Spire Press published her first collection of poetry Flamenco Sketches, which explored the relationship between love and jazz.

Her second collection of poetry, The Dark Cave Between My Ribs, is due to release with Winter Goose Publishing in March 2014. She is currently working on a New Adult romance, This Way to Forever.

Amy Holman Edelman launched IndieReader, the essential consumer guide to self-published books and the people who write them, way back in 2007.  Since then, indie authors have stormed the bestseller lists, been courted by trad publishers and (after all that), finally gained a modicum of respect.

Amy self-published her first book, The Fashion Resource Directory, back in the 80s, long before POD and Amazon and e-readers roamed the land.  Her second and third books (The Little Black Dress and Manless in Montclair), were traditionally published (by Simon & Schuster and Shaye Areheart Books, an imprint of Crown). 

As an author and a publicist with over 20 years' experience, Amy's goal for IndieReader is no less than to make indie a respected and desirable category within the publishing world. This book is just one step in that direction. 

Author Links:.

Loren Kleinman

Web

Twitter

Facebook

Amazon

LinkedIn

Tumblr

IndieReader:

Web

Twitter

Facebook

Book Genre: Non-fiction

Publisher: IndieReader Publishing

Release Date: January 15, 2014

Buy Link(s): TBA

Book Description:

Indie Authors Naked explores and defines the world of independent publishing. 

Comprised of a series of essays and interviews by indie authors, booksellers and publishers, readers will get a look at the many aspects of the indie community, where publishing professionals of all types come together with the simple goal of creating something unique; something that speaks directly to the reader, no middleman necessary.   

Contributors include: James Franco, Hugh Howey, McNally Jackson Books, Sarah Gerard, OHWOW Books, Raine Miller, David Vinjamuri, Toby Neal, Rachel Thompson, Eden Baylee, Christoph Paul, Jessica Redmerski, and more.

Amazon

Excerpt:

From the Introduction of Indie Authors Naked by Amy Edelman:

IndieReader was launched in '07, otherwise known as the dark days of self-publishing. Back then, every book was considered a vanity publication, every author a failed writer. Denial ran so high that when the self-pubbed book, Her Last Letter by Nancy C. Johnson hit The New York Times bestseller list, the good folks at the NYT were still saying that they'd never include one! And then there was The Shack, another indie that snuck through the gauntlet to appear on the NYTimes list for an astounding 172 weeks between June 2008 to early 2010 (52 of those weeks at #1).

Flash forward to 2012-2013. With the advent of ebooks, the publishing landscape has completely and irrevocably changed. Bowker, the ISBN people, recently reported that the number of self-published books in 2012 rose 59% over 2011, growing to over 391,000 titles in 2012. That's a lot of indie.

But it's not just availability that has changed the notion of what a self-pubbed book can be. Either the whole "vanity" thing was propaganda on the part of trad publishing-after all, Virginia Woolf famously did it with Hogarth Press-or publishing ebooks makes it easier for talented writers to get their work seen. Either way, over the last couple of years-beginning with the high-profile snagging of Amanda Hocking-at least 50 indie authors (many of them interviewed in this very book) have been courted and won by traditional publishers.

Did these authors' books change from when they were self-pubbed to when they became trads? Or did their appearance on the bonafide bestseller lists (The New York Times, USA Today) just make it easier for the Big 5 to spot them? Not that getting picked up by a traditional publisher is always an indie author's end-game. In fact, a recent survey conducted by The Bookseller noted that only about one-third of the self-published authors surveyed stated that they would consider a traditional book deal. That's a lot of authors who aren't willing to trade the freedom of creation for the chance to have their works packaged by committee.  

So whether an author decides to sell their work to a trad publisher or not-it is clear that indies are here to stay. Their books resonate with readers who really couldn't give a damn if they came through the hallowed halls of a traditional publisher or just via their ereaders. The indie writing community is strong and getting stronger, as are the options for placing their books (been to your local bookstore lately? You may be surprised at the titles you find on the shelves).

Yes, dear readers, this time-thanks to technology and changing perceptions-self-publishing is clearly here to stay. And via interviews and essays, Indie Authors Naked aims to highlight the best of the best.

Follow The Tour Here

Book Tour: The Key By Jennifer Anne Davis @AuthorJennifer @GHBTours

Title- The Key
Series- The True Reign Series #1
By- Jennifer Anne Davis
Publication Date- November 15th, 2103
Published By- Clean Teen Publishing

Blurb-

Within these pages lie kingdoms with castles and princes who fall in love with fair maidens, but make no mistake?this is no fairytale.

His father's kingdom is on the brink of upheaval and at the center of it all is an ordinary girl who could be the key to its undoing. When faced with the ultimate choice, will he choose the girl he's falling in love with or the kingdom he has sworn to protect?

An ordinary girl with an extraordinary past. All she wants is to be free. What she doesn't realize is that freedom comes with a price she can't afford to pay. She's forced to accept the proposal of a prince she despises, even though her heart belongs to someone else . . . his brother.

Seventeen-year-old Rema lives in a brutal kingdom where travel between regions is forbidden, people are starving, and looking at someone the wrong way can mean death. Nineteen-year-old Darmik is the king's son and Commander of the King's Army. He spends his days roving the island, doing his father's bidding and trying to maintain control over the people.

When a chance encounter throws Rema and Darmik together, they share an instantaneous connection, but any sort of relationship between them is strictly forbidden. Darmik's brother, the Crown Prince, notices Darmik's interest in Rema and, in a calculated, political move, blackmails her. Faced with an impossible choice, Rema is forced to sacrifice her heart in order to save her family.

As Rema is taken to the palace with the Crown Prince, Darmik confronts the growing rumor that a legitimate blood heir to the throne exists and is trying to overthrow Darmik's family. In Darmik's quest to hunt down and kill the threat, he discovers that nothing is as it seems. Locked in the king's castle, Rema finds herself a key player in a massive power struggle. When Darmik shows up, she's not sure if she can trust him. The line between friends, enemies, and loyalty becomes blurred. As truths are unlocked, Rema understands that she just might be the key to finding the rightful heir and restoring peace to the kingdom… if she can manage to stay alive long enough.

Excerpt:

Darmik had to talk to her again. He ran to the back of the stables, hoping to catch her alone. He rounded the corner, slamming into her, knocking her to the ground. Big, round sapphire eyes looked up at him.

"I'm sorry," Darmik stammered, reaching down to help her up. "I didn't realize you were there."

"Prince Darmik," she politely nodded, getting to her feet on her own. Her eyes quickly scanned him from head to toe, lingering on his royal markings that covered his neck and shoulders. The black stallion whinnied and ran away from them. Tabitha sighed, exasperated. "What are you doing here?"

"Um," he wasn't usually at a loss of words, but there was something about her piercing gaze that made him forget what he was doing. She cleared her throat and brushed the dirt from her dress.

"Sorry about that," he pointed to her, indicating the collision. Her eyes darted behind him. Darmik glanced back, but no one was there. "Are you looking for someone?" he asked.

"My uncle. He's waiting for me. We just came to deliver this horse." She waved her hand toward the black stallion grazing nearby.

Tabitha certainly was bold, and far more interesting than any of the nobles Darmik had ever met. But then again, she wasn't from the noble class-she was from the merchant class. Still, she stood out like she didn't belong to anyone or anything.

"Tabitha?" He took a step toward her, wanting to get closer.

"That's not my name," she stated.

"Excuse me?" He remembered her band: Tabitha, seventeen years old, niece of Kar and Maya, not yet married or engaged.

"Aren't you the commander of the King's Army?" she asked. Darmik nodded. "Don't you have an army to run? Or do you only hunt and mosey about, pretending to be of use to the kingdom? I thought King Barjon would manage to keep you busier."

Was she serious? Nobody had ever spoken to him in such a manner.

"Well," he began to answer, but she started laughing.

"I go by Rema." She held out her hand in greeting.

Darmik never shook hands with anyone. Even though he was the commander of the army, he was also a prince, and his men addressed him as such. Shaking hands was for commoners. Her pale hand remained suspended in air, waiting for him.

His hand slid into hers. "Prince Darmik," he responded, shaking her warm hand, eager for the chance to touch her again.

"I got that part," Rema smiled. Her breath smelled sweet like apples. She tried pulling her hand from his, but he refused to release her.

"Let me escort you inside the stables." Darmik put her hand on his arm. She seemed reluctant at first, but he pulled her along toward the front of the stables, not giving her a chance to refuse. "Do you live nearby?" he asked.

"Yes."

When she didn't elaborate, he forged on. "I haven't seen blonde hair very often. Does your mother have the same coloring?" As soon as he asked the question, he knew he'd made an error. Her body tensed. He looked down at her, remembering her band said she lived with her aunt and uncle. Rema shook her head, refusing to answer.

Afraid he'd offended her, he continued on. "I've traveled to Emperion. Almost everyone there has blonde hair and blue eyes."

"You've been to Emperion?" she asked, squeezing his arm.

"Yes. For training."

Rema's eyes widened. "Tell me about it," she demanded. Darmik smiled in response to her excitement.

"Rema!" a stablehand yelled.

"I forgot about my uncle," Rema said. "He's waiting for me. I have to go." She jerked her hand away from Darmik's arm and spun around, heading back the way they came. Rema glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him. Then she rounded the corner and disappeared.

Not ready for her to go, Darmik jogged after her. Nearing the corner, he heard the boy say, "We'll miss seeing you Rema." Darmik turned the corner and saw the stablehand holding a pitchfork, his face bright red. "You have such a way with the horses," the boy stammered.

"I'm getting married, not dying." She smiled mischievously. "You'll see me again."

"Rema," Darmik couldn't help himself. "You're engaged?" The stablehand dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

Rema's smile vanished. Standing just behind her next to the stables was an older man. The elderly man's eyes moved from Darmik to Rema and back again. His face lost all color as he knelt on the ground. Darmik assumed this was Rema's uncle.

Rema's eyes bore into Darmik's. "Yes, Prince Darmik," she answered, kneeling before him. "I am engaged," she replied softly. "The signed contract was delivered to Lord Filmar today. My band is going to be marked tomorrow."

Darmik was about to reply when a flicker to his left caught his attention. His brother, Prince Lennek, stood just inside the stables with a devious smile. Darmik prayed he hadn't drawn any attention to Rema. Lennek leaned against the wall, watching.

"You're dismissed," Darmik said, trying to sound nonchalant. He moved past Rema, into the stables. Seconds later, Darmik heard the sound of a wagon pulled by horses, and Rema was gone.

Lennek sauntered over to him. "She was beautiful, in a wild sort of way," he mused. "She looks like a bit of a challenge." He cocked an eyebrow. "Might be fun though. And you know how much I love a challenge."

Darmik had the urge to punch that smirk off his brother's face. Lennek always knew which buttons to push. Anytime Darmik was interested in something, Lennek had to have it, whether he wanted it or not, just to prove he was better.

Darmik drew in a deep breath, smelling horse sweat and sweet hay. He couldn't dismiss Rema-Lennek was too smart and perceptive. "Blonde hair is so rare that I found her appearance interesting. Not my type though. Not only is she a commoner, but she's engaged."

Lennek's eyes sparkled. "Definitely a challenge."

"Laws are laws, Lennek. Some not even you can break."

"No," he laughed, "but there are always ways around them." Lennek strolled out of the stables.

Goodreads Kindle Amazon Paperback Smashwords

Character Bio:

First up, Rema!! Spunky, sassy, and a bit of a wild one, Rema is seventeen with blonde hair, blue eyes, and is fair skinned. She looks "different" from everyone else on the island. She grew up with her aunt and uncle who are horse breeders. She has always dreamed of traveling and seeing the world instead of being stuck in her small village living a sheltered life. Everything changes the day she crosses paths with Prince Darmik.

Darmik, like everyone else on Greenwood Island, has dark hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. Even though he's only nineteen, he's been appointed Commander of the King's Army. His older brother hates him and his father could care less about him. He roams the island doing his father's bidding, trying to maintain peace. Only he discovers there are rebel forces amassing and they plan to overthrow the king. He is singularly focused on his task until he crosses paths with Rema. Then everything changes!!

Then we have Prince Lennek, Darmik's brother. Lennek looks similar to Darmik, only a bit softer. He prefers lounging around the castle and entertaining women, as opposed to anything that requires physical exertion.

King Barjon. What's there to say? He's evil, malicious, and Darmik's father.

Dream Cast:

If I could choose anyone to play my characters in a movie, this is who I'd pick:

First up, Rema!! Spunky, sassy, and a bit of a wild one, Rema is seventeen with blonde hair, blue eyes, and is fair skinned. She looks "different" from everyone else on the island. A perfect actress is Amanda Seyfried.

Next up, Darmik. Darmik, like everyone else on Greenwood Island, has dark hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. He's the commander of the King's Army so I picture him having a hard edge to him. A perfect match is Chase Crawford.

Then we have Prince Lennek, Darmik's brother. Lennek looks similar to Darmik, only a bit softer. He prefers lounging around the castle and entertaining women, as opposed to anything that requires physical exertion. Douglass Booth would make the perfect Lennek.

King Barjon. What's there to say? He's evil, malicious, and Darmik's father. Gabriel Byrne has the exact look I'm going for.

Rema's chambermaid is Cassie. Cassie, like everyone else, has dark hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. Mila Kunis has Cassie's look.

And last, but certainly not least, Darmik's friend and fellow soldier, Neco. Liam Hemsworth fits Neco perfectly!

Book Soundtrack:

Rolling in the Deep (Adele)

Burn It Down (Linkin Park)

Set Fire To The Rain (Adele)

Papercut (Linkin Park)

Someone Like You (Adele)

In The End (Linkin Park)

Rumor Has It (Adele)

Numb (Linkin Park)

Turning Tables (Adele)

Leave Out All The Rest (Linkin Park)

Since the story is from two different POVs, I always listened to Adele when writing Rema, the female character. I'd listen to Linkin Park when writing Darmik, the lead male character.

About the Author:

Jennifer graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she married her high school sweetheart, worked as a legal assistant, and taught high school English. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids' creativity.

Website Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Goodreads

Facebook Events

Book Release Blast