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Showing posts with label The Book Nymph PR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Book Nymph PR. Show all posts

Saturday, 9 July 2016

Blog Tour #Giveaway Holding on to Mrs. Right [Romantic Destinations 2] by Debbie White @dwhiteauthor

Holding on to Mrs. Right
[Romantic Destinations, Book 2]

Family feuds and love don’t mix. 

Twenty-one-year-old Ryan knows it’s only a matter of time before he is destined to take over the family wine business. The recent college graduate finds his best-laid plans thrown for a loop when he falls for the girl next door—who should be off-limits for more reasons than he cares to think about. 

Beautiful and intelligent, Francesca is a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. That is, until a long-running family feud threatens to keep her and the man she finds herself falling for apart. 

Francesca and Ryan find themselves in a web of duty, family, and love in this heartwarming coming-of-age contemporary romance by bestselling author, Debbie White. 




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About the Author

Debbie currently lives in northern California where the jagged coast meets rolling hills dotted with vineyards.
 

When she’s not writing the next best-selling romance novel, she’s spending time with her family, traveling, wine tasting and anything to do with the outdoors.

Follow Debbie here:

Thursday, 23 June 2016

Guest Post: Fictional Peen - Blog Tour - An Unhuman Journey by @CandaceBlevins #urbanfantasy



      Guest Post 
by Candace Blevins:

What’s the most interesting fictional peen you’ve encountered? I chanced upon my first double-peen in 2005 with Morgan Hawke’s Fallen Star and I fell in love. When you create your own world, you get to make all kinds of fun rules!

I haven’t written a double-dicked man yet, but I’ve gotten creative in other ways. My werewolves have to keep theirs the same mass, but they can go long-and-narrow or short-and-thick. Long-and-narrow comes in handy when breaking in an anal virgin, and short-and-super-fat is nice when the man really wants the woman to know who’s inside her.

There’s so much I could tell you about Nathan the lion, but it might be easiest to tell you most cat species have spikes on their penises (I’m not making this up — they really do). Nathan keeps the spikes in when he’s with a human, and with one particular rabbit shifter, but his lionesses feel every not-so-small spike.

And this brings us to my latest release, An Unhuman Journey. I haven’t spoken publicly yet about the special penile talents, so Pick a Genre Already readers are getting the first sneak peek:



I moaned in protest as he withdrew his fingers, and he chuckled yet again as he said, “I’ll take care of you, my horny little human.”

“Thought you were the one with horns!” I gasped, and then yelped as his cockhead pressed into me and he hadn’t been kidding about it being hot.

“Fuck! It’s too hot, shit, Sir!” I tried to scoot up the bed but discovered he’d locked my legs to the mattress. Panic shot through my veins as he pressed in farther, burning me inside as he stretched me open once again.

“You’ll take what I give you, tiny human.”

My heart beat wildly and I fought my invisible bonds in a state of true panic, and he put his hand on my back and said, “Breathe, Chère. I promised you I’d cause no damage. It hurts and burns, yes, but you won’t be burnt. Have I lied to you yet?”

No, as far as I knew he hadn’t lied to me.

He was still pressing his hard, thick length into me, and it still burned, but I chose to trust him and try to relax around the pain.

“Fuck me, but you’ve been trained well.”



The first extra-extra-large cock I encountered was also around ten years ago – the golem in Mya Lairis’s Obedience Training, and then I fell head-over-heels into Syd McGinley’s What Worse Place Can I Beg in Your Love? It may be a short story, but it packs a punch. Also, both are Mm, but they totally worked for me.

I’ve written several characters with peens so big they take some extra accommodations — Ethan in the Matte books, and Horse in the RTMC series. Isaac from Safeword: Arabesque is also well endowed, but not to the extent of the others.

Which fictional character is attached to your favorite literary cock? 


An Unhuman Journey Blurb:


There’s a war brewing between good and evil, and the chess pieces are being set… 

Aaron has gone missing, and Mordecai has taken over Kirsten’s training. She’s learning by leaps and bounds under the god-of-old’s not-so-gentle tutelage, but with Nathan in charge of Drake Security during The Dragon King’s unplanned absence, everything is upside down.

The evil Celrau vampires were banned from creating new offspring, but they’ve bargained for permission to do so in the Underworld, where the Concilio has no authority. As part of their army-building, the Celrau vampires kidnap Kirsten and take her to the Underworld with the intention of making her one of them. Alone in another realm, Kirsten must form unexpected alliances to survive a most Unhuman Journey.

Join bestselling author Candace Blevins on a thrilling adventure into the critically acclaimed sequel to Only Human.
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Candace Blevins lives with her husband of 18 years and their two daughters. When not working or driving kids all over the place she can be found reading, writing, meditating, or swimming.

Candace writes Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary BDSM Romance, and a kick-ass Motorcycle Club series.

Her urban fantasy series, Only Human, gives us a world where weredragons, werewolves, werelions, three different species of vampires, as well as a variety of other mythological beings exist.

Candace's two paranormal romance series, The Chattanooga Supernaturals and The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, are both sister series to the Only Human series, and give some secondary characters their happily ever after.

Her Safeword Series gives us characters who happen to have some extreme kinks. Relationships can be difficult enough without throwing power exchange into the mix, and her books show characters who care enough about each other to fight to make the relationship work. Each book in the Safeword series highlights a couple with a different take on the lifestyle.

You can visit Candace on the web at candaceblevins.com and feel free to friend her on Facebook at facebook.com/candacesblevins and Goodreads at goodreads.com/CandaceBlevins. You can also join facebook.com/groups/CandacesKinksters to get sneak peeks into what she's writing now, images that inspire her, and the occasional juicy blurb.

Stay up to date on Candace’s newest releases, and get exclusive excerpts by joining her mailing list!



Only Human series 
(Urban Fantasy)

Only Human
An Unhuman Journey
Unhuman Acts (late 2016)

Chattanooga Supernaturals 
(Paranormal Romance)

The Dragon King
Riding the Storm
Acceptable Risk

Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club (link)

Duke
Brain
Bash Volume I
Bash Volume II
Bash Volume III
Horse
Gonzo
Nix (Novella, Summer 2016)
Ghost
Bud
Dawg

Dark erotica shorts from the world of The Chattanooga Supernaturals

Pride
Indentured Freedom: Owned by the Vampire

Safeword series 

Tuesday, 14 June 2016

Blog Tour - Anxious Love [Love Sick 1] by @sydneyamichelle Kindle HD #Giveaway

Anxious Love
Publication Date: June 14, 2016
Genre: Interracial Sports Romance
Adult Contemporary


Blurb

 

Trauma, isolation, courage, love. . . Anxious Love
 

Hopeful about his future after overcoming loss, Ryan Ware is living his dream life as a first round draft pick. He’s enjoying every crazy minute of fame, fortune, and gorgeous women.
 

Despite being the most sought-after writer in romance, severe anxiety keeps Leah Jones isolated. Having a regimented life keeps the triggers at bay that could put her back in the hospital, perhaps permanently.
 

A chance meeting in New Orleans, Leah’s brown eyes capture Ryan’s heart, and he vows to learn more about this reclusive beauty.
 

Can Leah’s anxieties withstand Ryan’s crazy life? Can Ryan learn enough about real love to be the right man for Leah?
 

Anxious Love contains explicit scenes of a sexual nature and is not suitable for readers under 18 years of age. 


Excerpt

Because of my anxiety, I perceived the world differently. The medicine helped, but when it wore off, it wasn't like Cinderella's carriage turning back into a pumpkin at precisely midnight.

It was more subtle, more gradual. It was a whole different way of reacting to the world, and it took a little more concentration. Something I couldn't do with him studying me.

But then he rubbed his hand up my arm and he licked his lips and leaned into me and the world slowed down.

"Hey, you okay?"

I concentrated on his voice but couldn't stop staring at his lips. I tried to pull my gaze away from them, from him, but I couldn't. His facial expressions made me feel adored, and I didn't want to miss a thing.

I leaned in further to get a better look, but my eyes closed and the next thing I knew, his lips touched mine. I pulled back a little and opened my eyes. The world caught up to whatever dimension we were in. It was much too abrupt for the moment, and I felt on the verge of a panic attack, but then I thought, maybe ...

I closed my eyes, leaned in, and kissed him again. My lips parted and I licked them, but my tongue rubbed against his lips and retreated. We were so close. His lips shifted into a grin, and I parted my lips in surprise. He reached his hand behind my neck and pulled me closer as his tongue entered between mine.

A muffled giggled escaped, and I was surprised to find it came from me. It disappeared into his mouth, which made him grin and pull back. The world stayed calm as I thought about how his lips felt on mine. His tongue swiped against my tongue with confidence. I opened my eyes and peered into his. They were no longer light; they had a definite dark hue and the color swarmed as if wondering how to take in the person they saw before them.

Is it possible that I found something else to balance me?

I leaned back, but as his hand slipped away from my cheek, I placed my hand on it to keep him firmly in place. I looked off to my right and the streetcar clinked by and people were strolling down St. Charles Avenue. I turned to my left and watched a group of kids cut across the park on their way home from school.

I turned back to Ryan and smiled. He smiled back, and to thank him, I kissed him.

I removed my hand from his, satisfied it would stay where I wanted it. My hand reached out to touch his chest. I wanted to confirm it was as solid as I imagined. My brief hug a few nights before had only hinted at it.

I touched his skin peeking out the top of his t-shirt and ran my knuckle across the top. It was his turn to shiver, but it deepened the kiss as his tongue pressed into my mouth. I flatted my head on his chest and pressed back; he was solid, unmovable. He laid a soft little kiss on my mouth before pulling back and looking down at my hand splayed across his chest.

His face tilted and he stared with a sexy grin.

"Did you just kiss me?" he asked in a whispered tone.


Buy Links

About the Author
 

Sydney Aaliyah Michelle is a Contemporary Romance writer, a voracious reader and movie fanatic who hails from Texas.

After surviving 5 1/2 years living in China, she had the courage to finally pursue her passion and become a writer.

Sydney's novels tackle the dramatic world that is college and professional football She writes about heroines who love their men and the sports world they play in.

She identifies the sci-fi action flick "The Matrix" as the best representation of her life in the past. She is now blessed to be awake and doing what she loves.

She can recite the entire script from the 80's teen comedy/drama "The Breakfast Club" and loves any and everything associated with the Avengers Movie, especially Tony Stark.

When it come to books, Sydney reads different genres, but some of her favorite writers are Stephen King, Alex J. Cavanaugh, J.A Huss, M. Never & Emily Bronte. Under the Dome, The Great Gatsby & Wuthering Heights are her favorite books.


Connect with Sydney Aaliyah Michelle Online:

Website
Blog
Facebook Page
Goodreads Page
Amazon Author Central
Bookbub

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Friday, 27 May 2016

Cover Reveal + #Giveaway The Dark Woods series Book 1 Part 1: Redd’s Descent by @colleenmalbert

 A Twisted Retelling of Little Red Riding Hood

The Dark Woods series 
Book 1/Part 1: Redd’s Descent
by 
C. M. Albert

Blurb:

The dark fairy tales your mother never told you about.

Celtic folklore warns its people not to enter the Dark Woods at night if you want to live to see the light of day. For Redd Kearney, he has no choice after the death of his grandmother at the hands of the vicious, mythical half-breed creatures. But what he finds is way worse than any childhood legend ever could have warned him about. 

Finding himself chained up in the creature’s den, he has two choices: surrender to her evil to stay alive, or die resisting. But the stakes are high when he has a new travel companion whose virtue he needs to keep intact, and when his wife Aine’s life is threatened if he doesn’t comply and give the Alpha what her pack needs to survive.

Can Redd surrender to his dark side without losing himself in the process? Or will Mac’s dark, insatiable desires cause his full descent before he has time to escape?

Redd’s Descent is a dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, where roles are reversed and the big bad wolf literally means to eat her victim alive. 



 Excerpt:

 REDD KNEELED ON all fours on the cold stone floor. Mac had finally gagged him so he would stop calling her a bitch. She had positioned him on the floor over her family’s history, the Gaelic markings made by her ancestors depicting beautiful images of their breed—half human, half beast. Originally thought to be a curse, the images depicted the suffering of Mac’s people at the hands of the righteous. Mac snorted. Her kind had lived among humans for hundreds and hundreds of years; nothing the humans could do would stop her. 

    She kneed Redd in the side, clearly showing him who was boss. He grunted, but stayed as she commanded. 


    Mac sat on Redd’s back, sliding herself against it and tingling at the feel of his hard muscles beneath her thighs. Aye, he had proven himself worthy this night, and dawn was nearly breaking. She didn’t want to leave him, not even for the few hours she needed to change and replenish in town. But her body would give her away if she didn’t leave soon. She looked down at Redd, so large, so human. If only things were different...


    She ran her hands over his wide back, tracing the freckles with her fingers. If he could but give her what she wanted and succumb to her, she would keep him as her life mate. She had no intention of letting Redd or his virgin sidekick leave her den alive. No human had ever done that, and she would lose her position as the alpha if she allowed it now. 


    She grabbed Redd’s forehead and yanked his head back. “Are ye tired yet, human? Or do ye still fancy yerself a match for my appetite?”


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 Author Bio


 Author C.M. Albert enjoys living dangerously on the razor’s edge as both author and editor. In addition to being an Amazon bestselling author, she’s had the privilege of copy-editing under her Grammar Babe business for several international bestselling and award-winning authors. Her own writing infuses a healthy blend of humor and romance, and she’s a sucker for a good villain and everlasting love. In her spare time, she and her husband wrangle their two young kids and enjoy spending time outdoors. When not writing, editing, or kid wrangling, C.M. Albert is also a Reiki practitioner, chocolate chip cookie aficionado, kindness ambassador, and seeker of naps.    

 You can find C.M. Albert online at:

Friday, 8 April 2016

Blog Tour + #Giveaway - The Rathemaker Magician by @WriterKLHorvath @TheBookNymph


It started with an invitation.

A rather elegant invitation with a raised, golden, seal introducing Meredith May to the mysterious, enigmatic, magician Icarus Bell.

But when she walked through his front door, Meredith entered a world where magic wasn’t only an illusion. Where a man made of gears was tied to her ill father. Where houses imprisoned people and dragons sprang from tattoos.


As she traveled between worlds through the glorious gate known as the “Rathe”, fighting rare creatures, and a witch, Meredith held fast to one thing— returning to Manhattan in 1946 to save her father.

And if that included completing three dangerous, impossible tasks in private—while dealing with angels and witches in public, and breaking the curse laid upon Icarus Bell—then that’s what she would do.

Because though Meredith has no magic of her own, her determination was the only thing that could save her father, Icarus, and three worlds…




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Author Bio

K.L. Horvath is the author of The Undays of Aralias Lyons and The Rathemaker Magician. A fantasy author, whose books are filled with a sense of wonderment, magical realism and a good dash of humor. Born in a small town in Ohio where corn grew like wildfire and horses were her neighbors she developed a deep love of nature and art. K.L. Horvath’s writing style entails vivid descriptions and lush imagery. She is happily married and lives with her two ridiculously adorable cats while writing about the strange twists of thought that lead her to marvel at the world and inspire her next adventures.

Tuesday, 5 April 2016

Book Tour and #Giveaway - The Howling Heart by April Bostic @TheBookNymph


Synopsis:

Paige Donovan is an ambitious college graduate who aspires to reach the top of the corporate ladder. She’s climbing fast when given the promotion of a lifetime at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. Her bright future comes to an unexpected halt after news of her father’s death. She inherits his old cabin in the Colorado Rockies, and just when she thinks her luck couldn’t get any worse, she has a car accident in the mountains and awakens in the small, remote community of Black River.

Soon, she’s engulfed in the mystical world of Varulv---wolves descended from 13th century Scandinavia and blessed by Norse gods with the ability to appear human. Paige is desperate to return home, but never expects to fall for her rescuer, Riley Gray, a charming young werewolf from England who offers her an alternate future with his pack.

Now, she must choose between the career she’s always wanted and the love she’s always dreamed.

Excerpt:

I felt feverish, and I couldn't move. I tried to open my eyes, but something heavy weighed on my eyelids.

Although I couldn't see or move, I heard voices around me. The first one was female, and she had an English accent like Sheriff Gray. "She's still got a fever."

Then, I heard a male voice. "What if she doesn't wake up?" He had the same accent, but he wasn’t the sheriff.

At that moment, I realized they were talking about me. "Don't worry...she will."

"It's my fault. Dad’s going to bloody kill me."

"It's not your fault. Stop saying that. She’ll be okay, and Dad will understand."

"I shouldn't have brought her here."

"You did the right thing by bringing her here. I can take care of her."

There was a momentary pause. "What if she finds out?"

"That's for Dad to decide."

The voices faded in and out. Sleep bore down on me, but the last words I heard from the man stuck in my head. "I'll watch over her."

A severely dry mouth and splitting headache interrupted my peaceful sleep. I couldn’t hear the two voices, but I heard breathing in my left ear like someone was sleeping next to me. I tried to open my eyes so that I could ask them for water and medicine for my headache. The weight on my eyes was gone, so I tried to open them, but they felt sticky this time. I struggled to peel them open, blinking rapidly to loosen my eyelashes.

When I finally opened my eyes, they felt swollen. The pain in my head spread throughout my entire body. Dim light surrounded me in this strange room. I lay on a bed and looked up at the ceiling. I tried to speak, but my throat was dry. Only a quiet wheeze escaped. A low groan followed as my headache pounded against my temples. I still felt hot and sweaty. Layers of blankets covered me, and I wanted to yank them off. When I touched my abdomen, I wore nothing but my bra and panties.

My eyes darted around the unfamiliar room. On the wall, I noticed a shadow of something next to me. What the hell is that? I turned my head and saw a candle in the window, but what cast the shadow scared me to death. A large, white wolf lay on the floor beside me. There was no mistaking it for a dog. The bed was low to the floor, and its head was close to mine. I opened my mouth wide, prepared to scream, but wheezes and weak gasps escaped, instead. I thrashed my head against the pillow, as if the motions would turn up the volume in my voice. Finally, a shriek pushed through my sandpaper throat. It was a high-pitched squeal at first, but then, it burst forth and filled the room. I sat up quickly. Aching pain tore through my body, and I heard my bones crack.

The wolf awoke with a start. It jerked its head up, and glowing, yellow eyes blinked until they settled on me. I shrank away from it, nearly falling off the bed, screaming until I went hoarse and gasped for breath. The wolf stood on all fours, its size definitely that of a Great Dane. Our gazes locked for a brief moment before the animal ran out the room. I sat against the headboard, clutching the blankets against my chest. I was alone and terrified. Within seconds, tears trickled down my cheeks.


Purchase links:


Bio:

April Bostic is a New Jersey-based, Adult Romance author who enjoys unleashing her creativity and letting her imagination run wild. Her love of romance books inspired her to become not just a reader, but also a writer. In December 2008, she self-published her first novel, a contemporary romance with a supernatural twist entitled "A Rose to the Fallen".

Her first short story, "Right Here, Right Now", released in January 2012, is an erotic romance with a dash of S&M. The following year, she released two more short stories: a romantic urban fantasy inspired by the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche entitled "Eros, My Love", and a sexy romantic comedy entitled "Love Addiction".

After five years, she released her second novel, "The Howling Heart" in August 2013, a paranormal romance that delves into the mystical world of werewolves and Norse gods. To end her busiest year in publishing, April also released her fourth short story in December 2013, a historical paranormal romance entitled "A Dark Scandal".


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Wednesday, 2 December 2015

New Release and #Giveaway The Fabliss Life of Bella Mellman by @shirleymsacks @TheBookNymph

The Fabliss Life of Bella Mellman 
“There’s a little bit of Bella in everyone.”
by
Shirley Sacks



The Fabliss Life of Bella Mellman written by artist and first-time novelist, Shirley Sacks. The novel, spins a bold tale of a savvy woman of the world who gives a rollicking social commentary on life in the flats of Beverly Hills, men, “mature” dating habits, and the odd complexities of love, sociopaths, marriage, divorce, and living a creative life. According to the author, “The book looks at the role of the older woman, her place in the sexual panoply, which has been so horribly simplified.” Bella Mellman, a transplanted South African artist and writer, lives a ‘fabliss’ life (as her 8-year-old grand-daughter tells it) in the flats of Beverly Hills. A long-time divorcee nearing the seventh decade of a very full life, Bella is constantly annoyed when friends, and even strangers, ask the impertinent question of “Why, don’t you have a partner?” Followed by the hated phrase: “You look quite good for a woman your age.” The only thing to do, Bella realizes, is to write a book that explains once and for all, her satisfaction with being older and single.



Bella Mellman, a transplanted South African artist, writer and savvy woman of the world, lives a ‘fabliss’ life (according to her 8-year-old granddaughter) in the flats of Beverly Hills. Which is why it is so annoying when her friends, and even strangers, keep insisting her life is incomplete without a man. A long-time divorcee nearing the seventieth year of a very full life, Bella is constantly asked the impertinent question of “Why didn’t she have a partner, since she looked quite good (and here’s the most hated phrase) for a woman her age.”

The only thing to do, Bella realizes, is to write a book that explains once and for all, her satisfaction with being older and single.

In the pages of her Florentine journal, Bella gives voice to her out-spoken, witty and at times, outrageously honest opinions on men, “mature” dating habits, the odd complexities of love and marriage, along with a rollicking and humorous social commentary on life in sunny California. In the midst of charity events, art galleries, disappointing dates, and ex-husband drama, and supported by her quirky circle of friends, Bella surprises everyone when her book evolves into a screenplay set in her native South Africa. And she surprises herself when she discovers her true desire.


“Shirley Sacks has created a fresh, wise and saucy voice you’ll love -- Bella Mellman. You’ll want Bella to live next door, to come for dinner, to meet everyone you love and to write about everyone you don’t like.”
Jill Schary Robinson, best-selling author of Bed/Time/Story, Perdido, and With a Cast of Thousands

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Excerpt:

Shortly after Bella got over the Envies, she came down with a Romance Virus. This took the form of longing for what she knew did not exist: a loving, adoring, man of substance, who would be content sharing Bella with the life she’d made for herself, and who wouldn’t intrude when not needed.

It wasn’t that hard to fathom what caused the Inflammation: Guy, at the age of seventy-three, had fallen in love. Since he and Wife Number Two divorced, Guy had dredged up old lovers, tried out a couple of gorgeous women who purported to be something other than what they were, and avoided most of the appropriate divorcées his friends pestered him to meet. Bella realized there’d be someone - sooner or later - and there were moments she wondered whether it could even be her; though their passion, such as it was, could never be rekindled. They might love each other, but theirs was a love best sustained by distance.

Irina was a genetic mix of Turkish, Danish, Irish, French, Swiss, and Portuguese, or so she said. Bella’s daughter, Jessica, thought Irina sounded Latina. “She’s a year younger than I am! Is that crazy or what? Dad’s so dumb. He thinks we’re going to become friends.”

That this age difference was ludicrous made little difference to Guy, who was lit by that particular glow one gets - at any age - with a fresh romance.

Bella had been divorced from Guy for almost thirty-five years; and still, when he found his last love - for this was surely to be his last - she was pained so badly that huge splinters of ice shot up through her body, finally falling, falling, like a river of acid down her old cheeks.

Old cheeks. That’s what she had. Damn him. Guy had a young cheek to caress, and she couldn’t even blame him, seeing as old cheeks were not appealing to her, either.

Bella was stung by more than that. Not only was Irina young, but Guy had found love. And as Shelly so aptly remarked, “A woman is lucky to be a man’s last love."


Author Bio:


Shirley Sacks, born in Johannesburg, South Africa, has a degree in Fine Arts and has shown her work in galleries all over the world. She has also worked in advertising as a copywriter, and wrote a column for The Sun, a South African magazine. Ms. Sacks lived in London for many years before moving to Los Angeles in 1987. The Fabliss Life of Bella Mellman, which includes the author’s original artwork, is Shirley’s first published novel.


Monday, 23 November 2015

#BlogTour Prosecco and Paparazzi by Celia Kennedy @KennedyCelia #RomCom @TheBookNymph



A comical, romantic tale of what happens when the paths of a celebrity god and a mere mortal collide.

ABOUT:



When fifteen minutes of fame goes horribly
wrong…


Charlotte Young and her five closest friends ring in the New Year on a ski vacation in the swanky, celebrity-packed French Alps, where her world collides with long-time celeb crush, Des Bannerman—aka “The King of Rom-Com.”
Unexpectedly, Charlotte finds herself happily reconciled to an innocent evening of drinking champagne, gambling, and chatting to the celebrity of her dreams.


Charlotte’s friends join forces to help her realize her lifelong fantasy, yet his girlfriend, the latest Bond Girl, proves an insurmountable obstacle. Lighthearted banter turns into tabloid fodder and
leaves Charlotte saddled with a restraining order.


With the help of her friends, Charlotte finds the answers to life’s biggest questions while trying to deal with the fallout of her fifteen minutes of fame.



 Amazon  

ABOUT CELIA KENNEDY
 


Celia Kennedy’s passion for travel, friendship, self-discovery, wine, chocolate, love, and the designed and natural world is the foundation of her books. She was born on a military base in Wurzburg, Germany. Her parents’ penchant for traveling stuck with her, and she’s lived in and traveled through several countries. Celia has authored three fiction novels and published four anthologies. She is currently working on book three in The Passport Series. She lives in Washington state with the loves of her life. 

For more information on Celia Kennedy, visit her website or follow her on Twitter @KennedyCelia. Follow the hashtag #Prosecco&Paparazzi or  #PassportSeries for more discussion on Prosecco & Paparazzi.

ENDORSEMENT

“Pure, lighthearted entertainment, one mishap at a time! Charlotte’s misadventures and Ms. Kennedy's keen sense of wit, charm and humor will leave you with a smile on your face and a passport to fun in your hand!”


                                                                          -Dianne Bylo, Tome Tender



A Tasty Cocktail to Drink Along


Lemon and Elderflower Fizz 
 Ingredients:
75 ml gin
Juice ½ lemon
2 t. caster sugar
50 ml elderflower cordial
750 ml bottle prosecco
4 T. lemon sorbet
To decorate
2 T. caster sugar
Juice and strips of zest from ½ lemon
Method:
 

To decorate the glasses with a sugar rim, tip the sugar onto a flat plate and the lemon juice into a bowl. Dip the rim of each glass in the juice then twist on the plate of sugar to stick. Put the gin, lemon juice, sugar, and elderflower cordial into a large jug. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the prosecco then the sorbet, and give it a good stir. Pour into the prepared glasses and pop in a few strips of lemon zest.
 

This is my favorite prosecco cocktail… but, I’ve been known to enjoy an ice cold glass of the lively sparkling wine all by itself!—Celia
 

Recipe from: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lemon‐elderflower‐fizz


Saturday, 21 November 2015

#MustRead Getting Back To Me by @scottiejeanette #transgender #autobio

Please welcome, Scottie Jeanette Madden, highly respected Discovery and History Channels adventure/survival filmmaker on a completely different Journey of Discovery. This is not the scripted Hollywood, highly choreographed for sensationalized reality TV version of events, but the honest, raw and lifetime account of the Real Scottie Jeanette Madden's, M to F Transition... 

“Getting Back to Me”

from girl to boy to woman in just fifty years

By Scottie Jeanette Madden

Summary

The real-time account of the coming out of a respected adventure survival filmmaker taken from her journal entries as she leaves behind fear and “white male privilege” to embrace truth, grace and womanhood. Her gut-wrenching journey of love, acceptance and honesty becomes the ultimate survival show.

Scottie didn’t make it easy on herself. Like many late-stage trans women, Scottie had made one helluva guy; succeeding as husband of 26 years, the only son, the big brother to three sisters and the legendary adventurer uncle to their children. Everything in her life screamed “alpha male,” “ultimate man,” “best boy ever,” “the dude,” and “the man.” 


No one could guess that Scottie, a top survival showrunner for Discovery Channel and the History Channel, known for leading übermale productions into the world’s most dangerous and remote locations, was losing a lifelong battle for her soul. It takes true love from her wife of 26 years for Scottie to shake off fifty years of expectations from her family, society and herself. 



Move over Caitlyn, adventure filmmaker went from girl to boy to woman in just fifty years.


 Zuzubean Press is excited to announce the Nov. 10, 2015 release of "Getting Back to Me” from girl to boy to woman in just fifty years. The real-time account of the coming out and M to F transition of an alpha-dog.
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) November 05, 2015


In the wake of the Caitlyn Jenner’s privileged transition in the public eye comes the real world transition of a down-to-earth trans woman in real-time. Scottie Madden uses her journal entries to shed fresh light on the trans experience as she leaves behind fear and “white male privilege” to embrace truth, grace and womanhood. Her gut-wrenching journey of love, acceptance and honesty becomes the ultimate survival show.
 

Scottie didn’t make it easy on herself. Like many late-stage trans women, Scottie had made one helluva guy; succeeding as husband of 26 years, the only son, the big brother to three sisters and the legendary adventurer uncle to their children. Everything in her life screamed “alpha male,” but no one could guess that Scottie, a top survival showrunner for Discovery Channel and the History Channel, known for leading übermale productions into the world’s most dangerous and remote locations was losing a lifelong battle for her soul. It takes true love from her wife of 26 years for Scottie to shake off fifty years of expectations from her family, society and herself. But first she had to face the denial that she had embraced to shield herself from the heartache of a life that would go on unlived.
 

Scottie shines her laser sharp instincts for the truth (finally) on herself, and reveals the inner workings of the human soul as it strives to reconcile fear, love, happiness and the truth of who we all are. Her ability to articulate the deepest murmurs of the heart translates to anyone who has ever tried to deal with the insidious malady that goes by the name of denial.
 

Formidable, fearless, lively, and, above all, charmingly fun, Scottie brings you along with her to the outer edges of the showdown with dangerous private truths. “Getting Back to Me” shows that love does conquer all. Scottie’s unshakable faith in love and her family, friends and community, and her belief in them to be the best that they can be, pays off in inspiring ways.
 

~ Sally Park Rubin, author of” The Overfunctioning Woman's Handbook,” says, “Riveting! Tragic hero turns triumphant heroine. If you believe love conquers all, this book will inspire you to go for more of THAT. Formidable, fearless, lively, and, above all, charmingly fun, Scottie, a Hollywood survival show showrunner, brings you safely along with her to the outer edges of anyone's ability to confront dangerous private truths...takes you on a wild ride overlooking the breathtaking canyons of the soul of a woman."
 

Read an excerpt at http://www.zuzubean.com/excerpts.html
Scottie Madden is a showrunner of adventure reality TV with recent shows on Discovery Channel (“Land Rush,” “Dude, You’re Screwed”) and The History Channel (“The Ark”). She has written for children’s television (“Pug and Zero’s Field Trip”), games shows (“Duel,” “Do you trust me?” “Last to Survive”), and feature film (“the kiss”). She lives in Woodland Hills with her wife, her dog Aria and her beloved oak trees in the shadow of “dirt Mulholland.”

 

Praise for: “Getting Back to Me” from girl to boy to woman in just fifty years By Scottie Jeanette Madden

“Scottie Madden has written an intimate, and at turns (times?) funny, outspoken memoir of personal transformation that kept me turning the page for the next eye-opening revelation.”
-Valerie C. Woods, Author, Screenwriter, Publisher, BooksEndependent LLC

 

“Riveting! Tragic hero turns triumphant heroine. If you believe love conquers all, this book will inspire you to go for more of THAT. Formidable, fearless, lively, and, above all, charmingly fun, Scottie, a Hollywood survival show showrunner, brings you safely along with her to the outer edges of anyone's ability to confront dangerous private truths...takes you on a wild ride overlooking the breathtaking canyons of the soul of a woman.”
~ Sally Park Rubin, author: “The Overfunctioning Woman's Handbook: Uncommon Sense to Deal With Impossible Jobs and Impossible People”
 

“OK I have goose bumps and a tear. I think I will need to read this again, so much to grasp. This is so helpful to me to understand the depth and complexity of the transformation and journey that so many face.”
~ Audrey, Realtor, Los Angeles
 

“Scottie’s words broaden our definition, understanding, and experience of love. Thank you again for your generous opening of your own heart for us all to see how it can be done – no matter what challenges we face.”
~ Katherine, family therapist, Santa Monica
 

“Thank you Ms. Madden. If only we knew then what we know now.  Thank you for showing the acceptance that this era brings. It breaks my heart to know the struggle that trans people go through growing up and thinking somehow we all should have seen the pain... You are a leader with your courage and openness. You are beautiful inside and out. Once again Thank You!”
~ Holly, mother of three, Lake Arrowhead
 

“Thank you, Ms. Madden for sharing this with the world. You write so beautifully, eloquently and honestly from the heart. Your story is uplifting and inspiring, not just to those who are going through or experiencing something similar but for anyone living a life where they feel they are not embracing, loving and sharing who they really are. I found it moving and also helpful to understand your journey and your wife’s. You have inspired me to be more me and honest about who I am and who I want to share with the world.”
~ Danielle, journalist, Australia
 

“This book is truly amazing. I'm sure it will be of great inspiration to so many others that have been feeling like this without having the courage and/or opportunity and/or support to actually do something about it.”  
~ Francesca, Music Teacher, Italy 
Interview with author Scottie Jeanette Madden
“Getting Back to Me” from girl to boy to woman in just fifty years
 

Can you give us a summary of your book? 

This is a real-time account of my coming out. I was a respected adventure survival television series Executive Producer and filmmaker at the time, and I’ve used my journal entries as “play by play” as I left behind fear and “white male privilege” to embrace truth, grace and womanhood. You could say it’s a gut-wrenching journey of love, acceptance and honesty, where my life suddenly becomes the ultimate survival show.

I didn’t make it easy on myself. Like many late-stage trans women, I had made one helluva guy; succeeding as husband (a hopeless romantic whose gifts and affection were the gold standard for women and the bane of men), I was the “only son,” I was the “big brother” to three sisters and I was the legendary “wild uncle” to their children. Everything in my life screamed “Alpha Male,” “The Ultimate Man,” “Best Boy Ever,” “the Dude,” and “The Man.”

No one could guess that I, a top survival showrunner for the Discovery and History Channels, who had developed quite the resume for leading übermale productions to the world’s most dangerous and remote locations, was losing a lifelong battle for my soul.

SPOILER ALERT: It took true love from my wife of 26 years, for me to shake off fifty years of expectations from my family, society and myself. But first I had to face my own denial if I was going to dismantle the walls of a self-imposed prison. 


In this time of Janet Mock, Jenny Boylan & Caitlyn Jenner, why did you want to write your story? 


Well, it is interesting after all this time to suddenly be an “it girl” – but that’s why I knew I had to get it out there. For some, waking up in the wrong body day after day is something that too many of us simply spend a lifetime fighting down –it’s a losing battle.  For most of the books by the well known trans women, their journey was obvious (both to them and the reader). A life or death push made their decision for them. But what about those out there like me, who don’t know what to do when life is looking so right on the outside but has never been right on the inside.  I knew that not everyone had been able to articulate their true identity until it was too late and the die was cast. Being who you are is not a choice, but so is “not being” who you are. As a woman, I was trapped not only in the wrong body, but in the wrong-ish life. I had to have the unshakable faith in my heart that what I was feeling was true, without God hitting me upside the head with 2x4, despite what the world was telling me about me. It was a subtle psychological “cold war” for my soul, where my sanity was questioned everyday. A war that lasted almost fifty years. I hope I’ve been able to illumine my trans experience in a way that will help the non-trans audience understand us all better and hopefully discover an example of how to face their own challenges, facades and coping mechanisms in their lives, what ever their identity, gender, or view.

When did you know you wanted to become a writer? 


I have written all my life. I talked every teacher from middle school through high school into accepted screenplays instead of term papers (not a hard sell – scripts are 112 pages vs. a mere five pages for a book report, they thought I was nuts). I created and wrote for my own children’s show for two seasons, I’ve written for game shows, feature films and television drama & documentary. All were preparing for writing the next Lord of the Rings… but “Getting Back to Me” is what came out of the lamp when I summoned the Genie. And, well, I am very pleased.  


Have you always been interested in memoirs? 


Ha… okay, it’s like this: I was leery of my commitment to write a “good one.” As a reality television showrunner, my stock in trade is in really getting to know a real person and then drawing “that character” of a person out through interviews – and I know when someone is not being their true self. The same is true in memoirs. The best ones light up two lives, the author’s and the reader’s. So, I was a little, shall we say apprehensive, exposing myself in this way – not because of the potential for “coloring” the experience, but for not being able to articulate the truth. And, well… failing to illumine either my or the reader’s life.
 

How long did it take you to write your book from start to finish?
 

This always gets me in trouble, but remember I’m a professional writer who’s used to working against deadlines. I wrote the first draft in April and May of 2015 and did the editing in June, July.  Both my editor and I were “all in,” and we worked 12 hour days until the end when we were sending chapters back and forth until 3:00 am… I don’t recommend it, but when it’s time to write… you write, right?
 

What was the most challenging part about writing your book?
 

The most challenging part was trying to remain detached enough to write coherently about deeply painful moments. I will confess that I didn’t ever give myself permission to think about many of these events for most of my adult life. And I had to force myself to look unflinchingly and honestly at the people I love without protecting them.  I’m sure I still sugarcoat my experiences of my father; love will do that to you. And I’m not sure if you’re ever supposed to give that up, nor if I want to, but he did raise me to be strong and tell it like it is, so… after some struggle, I was able to accomplish it.
 

What are your writing goals for the next 12 months?
 

In the next 12 months I hope to write a dramatic television series based on my book. I’ve been developing it alongside the book, with a treasured colleague and mentor. She was the one who saw the series potential and encouraged me (actually her involvement as co-creator is the best encouragement there is). Oh, and finish my cookbook. I’ve got 75 recipes; my goal is 100. So far my family is very happy with the R&D stage. (Sorry for the extra pounds!)

Which authors have influenced you the most?
 

That’s a tough question and sort of like the desert island games (if you could only have one food…). I’ve written fiction all my life, so I try to make anything I write a good story. My “big three” are those who’ve written books that kept me “chasing the light.” So… first up is J.R.R Tolkien. Yes, I’m a that girl. Geek with a capital G. I had blue jeans in high school and college that had permanent stretch marks in the back pocket from my ever-present and thoroughly thrashed copy of whatever one of the trinity (yes, I meant to say that) I was currently engrossed in, again. It was my security blankie and the beacon of hope that spread light throughout my darkest days. 

J.K Rowling – call me a sucker for wizards & witches, J.K became my secret mentor, and like most teenage girls (of forty…) I practically inhaled both print and audio books of her saga. She showed a deft and gracious stroke of the subtlest shades of story.
 

And the writer who touched my heart and aspirations as writer the most is the revered Ray Bradbury – I had the great good fortune to sit at Ray’s feet (three times in three years) for an entire day while he was interviewed via satellite. He was 86 the first time, and he let us set-up cameras and lights during his morning writing session, while he sat in the center of chaos and quietly wrote in long hand on a legal pad what would be the first of his last three books. He would then turn it over to his assistant who would type it while he napped, ate lunch, and sat for rehearsal. He edited the typed material while the interviewers did their final checks, and then he set it down and stared into the camera and talked non-stop for 2 hours about the glory of the libraries. The following year, and the year after that, he did the same – same Ray NEW masterpiece… until the day he left his body. May we all have that commitment to the word!


Author: Scottie Jeanette Madden



About the Author

Though this is Ms. Madden’s first book, she is no stranger to the craft, with credits for creating and writing children's television (Pug & Zero’s Field Trip), feature film (the kiss), gameshows (Do You Trust Me? Duel, On the Cover and Last to Survive), primetime (Blood of Queens, The Other Woman, Out of the Wild, Dude, You're Screwed), and award winning screenplays (The Babe on Sunset, the kiss). Ms. Madden balances her time between being writing and producer/showrunner in the adventure documentary world. Known for her engaging storytelling and bold visual style, Scottie has over 30 years in the trenches. Rising through the technical ranks as camera operator and editor, she brings front line experience to her work as writer, director and showrunner. Her feature writing and directing debut, the kiss, was decorated in film festivals and was featured at AFM. As showrunner, Her recent work, Discovery’s Land Rush and the legendary Dude, You’re Screwed (Suvive That! Internationally) and Nat Geo’s The Ark.  Her directing credits include Hot Tamales Live! and The Best of It’s Showtime at the Apollo comedy series.

To learn more about the author, visit zuzubean.com/authors