A Life In The Service By: Roberta Pescow *Guest Post/Excerpt & Giveaway*

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Title: A Life In The Service

Author: Roberta Pescow

Genre: YA-Fantasy (Novelette)

Date Published: 6/21/12

Synopsis

Jenny accepts the fact that she was born into a domestic race for a life of domestic work. In return for this loyal service, the householders provide food, protection and shelter. Jenny's earthy spirituality and gentle nature allow her to be content with her lot, even when her situation is far from ideal. But during a terrifying fire, Jenny accidentally becomes separated from her master and mistress. 

Out on the street with no identification, Jenny finds herself an unlikely fugitive with no protection from a dangerous world. The experience shakes her beliefs to the core and causes her to question everything she has ever known. Follow Jenny's adventures in strange world of inequality that is a lot closer to home than you think. This novelette is approximately 12,000 words in length.

Excerpt

Somewhere in the cacophony of sound, I could make out the high-pitched voices of Victoria and Alexandra crying my name in the dark night outside. “Miss Jenny! Miss Jenny!” they called. “Oh Mommy, Daddy - Miss Jenny is still in there,” they wailed. The response was firm. “No! You both stay right here!” the master shouted.     “You can’t go back inside or you’ll be killed for sure.” It was then that I panicked in earnest. The fire growled without mercy and I heard screams all around me. I could feel my feet beginning to burn painfully. I tried to steady my mind. If it was time for me to return to the Great Mother, then that could not be undone and all my protests would not change my fate. If it was my time, I could accept that, I realized, only why did it have to hurt so much?

    And then the oddest thing happened. I know this sounds rather implausible, and maybe you’ll chalk it up to the insanity of oxygen deprivation, but I heard the most beautiful whisper dance across the black smoke. I blinked my eyes with the shock of it, a whisper of such great love and comfort, that even in my most dire situation I could feel nothing but joy.

    “It is not your time, little one,” she told me, “although the path you are walking will bring you home sooner than expected. You must turn back, and you will find escape where you thought there was none.”

    Escape where I thought there was none? What could she possibly mean? But who was I to question? I retraced my steps and headed back to the nursery. The flames had not yet reached this area, and I was overcome with relief at any respite from the growing inferno. Even if only for this moment, I was grateful for this space of relative cool and darkness. But then I turned and noticed, to my amazement, the wide-open window and the pale curtains dancing wildly in the cold night wind. I could have sworn that window was closed a moment ago. We never would have retired in such a drafty room. To this day, how it got opened it remains a mystery. But I had no time to ponder the mysterious gifts of the Great Mother. It was now or never. Without hesitation, I took a literal leap of faith into the night.

*****************************************************************

Guest Post

Starting Out As A Writer: Five Things You Should Know 

By Roberta Pescow

Remember those old movies where the main character is a writer? That writer types away in front of a picture window overlooking the sea from a dramatic cliff. A fire crackles in the fireplace. Perhaps a salty sea breeze is making the curtains dance too. You get the picture. The truth is, a writing career isn't like that, at least not most of the time. If you're thinking of devoting your life to writing, here are five things you might want to consider:

1. The rest of your life isn't going to move over for your writing: While you're working on that great novel, you'll probably be dealing with kids that want to play or be fed, a dog who needs to go out or a romantic partner who wants your full attention. You'll still have all the responsibility from your existing job, unless you've decided to quit. No one is going to clean up your house or cook your meals either. And that house by the roaring sea? Don't expect that to magically turn up out of nowhere right away. Expect at the beginning to be writing wherever and whenever you can catch a moment: In a parked car, on the couch or even in the bathroom.

2. You'll need tons of self-discipline: Whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction for yourself or on assignment, don't expect anyone to be managing your time the way they would in traditional employment. Even if you're working with a deadline, it's still up to you to decide which hours you'll work and how many hours per day. Without a formal structure, putting off your writing becomes very easy if you aren't careful.

3.  It gets lonely: Writing is by nature solitary work. Sometimes that feels amazing but it also can get lonely. And when you're all excited about your work in its various stages, friends and family don't always share that enthusiasm. You'll really have to believe in yourself and have a tolerance for pursuing your vision without support.

4. Money doesn't always come easily: Like all creative pursuits, writing can be a real uphill climb where money is concerned. You'll probably need another job to bring in additional income, at least in the beginning. If you've got the patience, talent and a whole lot of luck this could become really profitable over time. But you really need to be in it for the love rather than the money or you'll burn out fast.

5.  It's delicious: Even when you factor in all the challenges, writing truly is one of the most satisfying, wonderful things you could do with your life. You get to develop your unique vision and put it out there to share with the world. No one else sees the universe from exactly the same perspective as you. You have something special to say and a way to say it. What could be more delicious than that? 

Author Bio

Roberta Pescow is a freelance writer with articles featured on over 200 websites nationwide. She is also a jazz singer with Narrow Escape Duo, performing at venues in and around Northern New Jersey. Roberta is a proud mother of two, and holds a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. As a long time vegetarian, she has a deep love and respect for all creatures. When she gets some free time, Roberta also enjoys sculpture, photography, reading, swimming and quiet time with family, friends and her beloved dog, Summer. 

Contact Links

Tumblr (book site I just started)

Narrow Escape Duo website

Facebook for Narrow Escape

DeviantArt (photography)

Purchase Links

Smashwords

Barnes and Noble 

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At What Cost By: J. Anderson *Review & Giveaway*

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Title: At What Cost

Author: J. Anderson

Was Released On: June 13, 2012

Currently E-book

255 Pages 
*A Review Copy Was Provided

Book Description Via Goodreads

During her junior year, sixteen-year-old Maggie Reynolds expected to shop for prom dresses not maternity clothes. Now, instead of studying for the SATs, she’s reading, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Maggie’s ‘Mother Dearest’ lives in fear that Maggie will somehow taint the family name, so Maggie can’t turn to her for help. Meanwhile, her father is oblivious to anything but his 9-9 job. And her boyfriend, Justin? She’s pretty sure he’ll stay by her side.

While Maggie wrestles with her options, Justin offers a solution: abortion. It would solve all her problems quickly, easily, and effectively. And her parents would never know, which means they won’t throw her out and cut her off like they’d always threatened if she got herself knocked up. Now Maggie must decide which choice she can live with: abortion or teenage motherhood. Either way, it’ll be a tough road to travel.

 

Review

Maggie is a young teen girl in high school and has a boyfriend, Justin, that loves his popularity. As she starts her Junior year, she finds out that she is pregnant, and she honestly at first, does not know what to do, but eventually tells her boyfriend and her family. Now that's done what is she to do? She does have her options, but which one will Maggie choose? Will her boyfriend stay at her side? Will an unexpected friend be with Maggie as she decides what to do?

At What Cost is a very good story. It discusses a known topic, and I think through Maggie's story, you can understand what exactly a young teen is facing at early pregnancy, what choices are offered to her, and I thought it was really written well. There was a good amount of Maggie's history that leads to her current state. Her feelings from worry to frustration can be notably read, and I felt they were believable feelings. The worry she faces when she tells her parents, and the frustration to how she got to where she is, is pretty well described and I was just reading nonstop to what decision Maggie makes. 

I liked Maggie, from the beginning to the end, and I believe we see a little bit of development in her character. I was glad to read her journey through a hard time, but somehow she makes it through, and it's something you just have to read. In addition, I felt this story was more about the present, about the decisions she is going to make, than a love story, and I liked that, but...we do see hints here and there of such a good guy that becomes an incredible friend to Maggie, and let me say, that it's not her boyfriend, Justin.  All in all, this was a good written story with a nice flow. I do admit, I wanted a little more, towards the end, but perhaps there will be a sequel? That would be pretty nice... :) 

My Rating: 4/5

I say Rated PG-13 as there is a Mature Topic discussed.

About This Author

Jessie Andersen lives in a small town in Western New York with her husband and three kids. A former English teacher, she now spends her time writing while the kids are at school and the baby is sleeping. She volunteers at the local library and sings in the church band. You can find information about her books at jandersenbooks.com, and you can follow her blogs at Therabidwriter.blogspot (Personal blog) and Readbetweenthelinesbookclub.blogspot.com (Book blog). You can also follow her on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/jvdlandersen and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jandersenbooks. 

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Down To You By: M. Leighton *Excerpt & Giveaway*

Hey everyone! Thank you so much for stopping by! Let me just say, I'm so happy to be a part of this ATOMR Promo Event for M. Leighton's newly released: NEW TO YOU! You've probably heard about this Adult Novel and guess what? You can read an Excerpt of this exciting read right here! Also, You have the chance to win your own E-Book Copy of it so be sure to enter this International Giveaway!

*Just want to mention, that this Giveaway was supposed to be for The Wild Ones; I made a mistake, but the Author gave the ok for this Giveaway to be for Down To You, so just want to clear that up!*

Book Details

Title: Down To You

Author: M. Leighton

Genre and Age Group: Adult Contemporary Romance

(Mature/New Adult ages, too)

Release Date: September 23, 2012

Links: Author's Blog & Amazon

Book Description

The scorching tale of one girl, two brothers and a love triangle…that’s not.

Olivia Townsend is nothing special.  She’s just a girl working her way through college so she can return home to help her father run his business.  She’s determined not to be the second woman in his life to abandon him, even if it means putting her own life on hold. To Olivia, it’s clear what she must do. Plain and simple.  Black and white.

But clear becomes complicated when she meets Cash and Nash Davenport.  They’re brothers.  Twins.

Cash is everything she’s always wanted in a guy.  He’s a dangerous, sexy bad boy who wants her in his bed at any cost.  He turns her insides to mush and, with just one kiss, makes her forget why he’s no good for her.

Nash is everything she’s ever needed in a guy.  He’s successful, responsible and intensely passionate.  But he’s taken.  Very taken, by none other than Marissa, Liv’s rich, beautiful cousin.  That doesn’t stop Olivia from melting every time he looks at her, though.  With just one touch, he makes her forget why they can never be together.

Black and white turns to shades of gray when Olivia discovers the boys are hiding something, something that should make her run as far and as fast as she can.  But it’s too late to run.  Olivia’s already involved.  And in love.  With both of them.

Both brothers make her heart tremble.  Both brothers set her body on fire.

She wants them both.

And they want her.

How will she ever choose between them?

An Awesome Excerpt!

Her grin fully forms and she releases my wrist to salute me.  “Sir, yes sir.”

I love how playful she is.  Such a nice change from Marissa, who’s always…well…who’s just not.

“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about,” I say with a nod.  “A woman who knows her place is beneath me.  Oh, wait.  That didn’t sound right,” I tease.

She laughs.  “I’m beneath no man!” she replies harshly.  Then, with a mischievous quirk to her mouth, she adds, “At least not without dinner and a drink first.”

“Ohhhh, so that’s how it’s gonna be!  Because  there’s a McDonald’s right across the street.”

I offer her my arm and she curls her fingers around the inside of my elbow.  I know it’s ridiculous and juvenile, but I flex my bicep hoping she notices. 

“Is that all it takes to get you to, ahem, come to attention?” she asks, suggestively sliding her eyes over me.

“I’m a twenty-five year old completing an internship at one of the most influential law firms in all of Atlanta.  McDonald’s would never do it for me.” I stop at the door and open it, gesturing for her to precede me.  “But now a look like the one you just gave me…”

 Her cheeks turn a delicate pink and she drops her eyes shyly.  It makes me want to tear that dress off her with my teeth.

 

“Colonel, just what is it you’re insinuating?”

 

“Colonel?  A salute like that and all I get is a Colonel?”

“I don’t know.  Have you earned enough stripes to be a General?”

We stroll leisurely to my car.  “Depends on how you think someone earns their stripes.”  Two little dimples pop out on either side of her mouth where she’s trying to control her smile. 

“Oh, I guess the same way most guys earn their stripes,” she says, swinging the red purse attached to her wrist, trying to act nonchalant. 

“Baby, if that’s your definition, I’d be a four-star General.”

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Sierra By: Taylor Dean *Guest Post & Giveaway*

Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by here for the First Stop of Taylor Dean's Sierra Book Blog Tour! You will see a Guest Post, written by the Author (thank you so much for sharing with us!) Also...you have a chance to enter a Giveaway, to win an E-Book Copy of Sierra, so be sure to check that out too! :) 

Book Description

(Via Goodreads)

Alyssa Fontaine's life, loved ones--everything familiar and dear--are brutally taken from her. Taken captive by two men, she endures a horrific nightmare. A new life is forced upon her and even a new name. Just when it appears that no hope is in sight, she is saved by an unlikely twist of fate. Trapped in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains, life will open its arms to her again and she will embrace it. She will find love such as she never knew existed.

Sierra is a heart-wrenching story of the power of the human spirit to survive amidst impossible circumstances and severe losses. It is a story of survival . . . and hope.

Guest Post By Author: Taylor Dean

Thanks for having me on your blog today, Marissa! 

Do you like to see your favorite book made into a movie? This is a subject of much debate. For some, it completely ruins the image of the characters in their head. Others LOVE to see the book come to life on the big screen.

For example, my daughter’s favorite book is ‘Ella Enchanted.’ We all loved the cute movie version of the book. But my daughter hated it! It wasn’t the visual she had in her head of the book at all. It ruined the book for her and she refuses to watch it.

Books allow us to picture the story and the characters in our own minds; they allow our imaginations to take flight. On the other hand, a movie gives us more of a set, unchangeable image. If you don’t care for the actors, you may not care for the movie, no matter how good the story is!

But . . . it’s difficult to capture all of the emotions in a book onto the screen. We are movie watchers in our household. We have a joke in our family—whenever we are watching a romance flick, we always say, ‘here comes the musical montage where the two main characters fall in love.’ The problem being that more often than not, that’s all the audience ever sees. Perhaps we sometimes don’t feel emotionally invested in the characters because we missed the emotions of falling in love.  I’m often disappointed in romance movies because of this. (I still love them though!)

However, in a book, there’s no ‘magical musical montage’ to set the stage for romance—and herein lies the challenge of writing. For the book to be believable, the reader needs to experience the ‘falling in love’ feelings right along with the characters. This is what I tried to capture in SIERRA.

That being said, would I like to see SIERRA made into a movie?

ABSOLUTELY! Of course, I think most authors would love to see their story on the big screen. It’s about so much more than money and success. It’s personal. It’s your story—your baby, your emotions, your soul—right out there in the open for everyone to see, criticize, mock, or hopefully, LOVE!

What do you think? Would you like to see your favorite book made into a movie? 

Author Bio

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up.

 My blog is the story of my path to publication. I’m not an expert by any means. However, I’ve learned a lot in the process, and hopefully, what I share with you will help you towards fulfilling your writing dreams. I’ll start at the beginning and work my way to the present day. If you want to learn the entire story, start at the first blog post! Otherwise, join at any time and enjoy the ride! I write in all sub-genres of Romance: suspense, paranormal, and contemporary. My novels are much like Forest’s box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. One thing is certain however, you will always get a healthy dose of CLEAN Romance. 

Where to find Taylor:  Website | Blog| Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Buy Links: Amazon | Amazon Paperback| Smashwords | CreateSpace-Paperback 

Blog Tour Schedule

Sept 24  For The Love of Films & Books Guest Post

Sept 25  Mary Ellen Quigley Guest Post/Excerpt

Sept 26 Whoopeeyoo! :D  Excerpt/Guest Post 

Sept 27  Amy's Booket List  Review

Sept 28 Kindle & Me Excerpt 

Sept 30 Amy's Booket List Guest Post 

Oct  1 Batty For Books Review 

Oct 2 Fictional Candy Guest Post/Excerpt 

Oct 3 My Devotional Thoughts Review 

Oct 4 My Cozy Corner Review 

Oct 6  Mrs. Mommy Book Nerd  Author Interview

Oct 7 My Devotional Thoughts Guest Post

Oct 8   Colorimetry Excerpt  

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