Author Profile: Deborah Cloyed

Author: Deborah Cloyed

Website: http://www.deborahcloyed.com/

Bio: DEBORAH CLOYED lives in Los Angeles, in Humphrey Bogart’s old room with a view. As a photographer, travel writer, or curious nomad, she’s previously resided in London, Barcelona, Thailand, Honduras, Kenya, and New York City. She’s traveled to twenty other countries besides, several as a contestant with her childhood best friend on CBS’ The Amazing Race. She runs a photography school for kids and is happily at work on her next book – a nonlinear love story set against the political violence in Kenya 2007-2008.

Titles: The Summer We Came to Life

See my review of The Summer We Came to Life

Until Again by Lou Aronica

When I took a chance on Blue, a fantasy novel by Lou Aronica, I was super pleased I did. I gave the book 4 1/2 stars and fell in love with the story and characters. When Aronica contacted me about reviewing Until Again, the prequel to Blue, I had to say yes. A chance to find out about these amazing characters before all the events in Blue transpired? Yes please! The prequel follows Chris Astor and the divorce that he is going through. While not too sad to be divorcing his wife, he is devastated that he won’t be able to see his daughter, Becky, as much. The father and daughter have a tradition of weaving tales of the fantasy world Tamarisk, with Princess Miea and her mystical land. Until Again shows readers the background of some major events that lead to the plot lines in Blue, and I recommend both of these novels. Even if you don’t normally read fantasy, give Lou Aronica a chance. He spins a masterful story, touching and emotional, that will leave you thinking about these characters far long after you’ve closed the books.

[Rating: 4]

In My Mailbox: Week of January 29

In My Mailbox: Week of January 29, 2012

Title: Children of the Gods

Author: Monica Millard

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: For as long as seventeen-year-old Reka Cushing can remember, she has watched her friends and her neighbors be stolen, their bodies used as hosts for the Halorans; an alien race that has come to earth posing as gods. For just as long, Reka has lived in fear of drawing the eye of a Haloran, keeping her head down, hoping not to be caught in their sights.

The only time she has ever been bold, tried to get what she wanted, a god, one more powerful, more dangerous than all others is watching.

Title: Love By Design

Author: Liz Matis

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Love By Design is a fun, flirty, and hot read. In this Sex in the City meets Trading Spaces romp sparks fly on camera as interior designer Victoria Bryce breaks in temporary co-host Aussie Russ Rowland. Arguments over design plans and measurement mishaps ignite passions behind the scenes.
But when the past collides with the present will the foundation they built withstand the final reveal?

Title: A Promise of Safekeeping

Author: Lisa Dale

Received: From Lisa Dale, for SheKnows Book Lounge

Synopsis: Nine years ago, Lauren Matthews prosecuted the case of a lifetime. But her error in judgment sent an innocent man to prison for a long time. Now Arlen Fieldstone has finally been released, and Lauren has only one thing on her mind: asking forgiveness. How can she make up for nine years of his life?

To get to Arlen, Lauren must first get through Arlen’s best friend, Will Farris. Will hasn’t forgotten Lauren from those days, and he hasn’t forgiven her for destroying his best friend’s life. He is Arlen’s keeper, protecting him from suspicious neighbors as well as from Lauren.

In the steaming summer streets of Richmond, Virginia, three people’s lives collide. Lauren needs forgiveness. Arlen needs hope. And Will? He needs something too, something that no one can know-especially not Lauren…

Guest Post from Samantha March: Obessed With Books

Back in the day, I was a mega-fan for Ann M. Martin and The Baby-Sitters Club. I read all the books, faithfully waiting for the next to come out and take me on a new adventure. I read the mystery specials and the travel specials and the auto-biographies. I went to the movie in theaters; I even started my own Baby-Sitters Club complete with Kid Kits in my neighborhood. So when Leah asked me tell her stories, what do you think I talked about? The Baby-Sitters Club, of course! I went through all the characters, telling Leah about their lives and making up stories for them each night. I didn’t realize at the time, but I look back fondly on those nights and understand that was the beginning of my storytelling days. And the start of my obsession with books.

Blog Tour Sign Up: Blue Straggler by Kathy Lynn Harris

Kathy Lynn Harris will be on tour in April with her women’s fiction novel Blue Straggler. Please use the sign up form below if you would like to be included. This will be available as an eBook only, worldwide. Please indicate all the features you would like to be included for. I will contact everyone chosen to participate. Thank you!

A blue straggler is a star that has an anomalous blue color and appears to be disconnected from those stars that surround it.
But this is not a story about astronomy.

Bailey Miller is “disconnected” from the cluster of her rural south Texas family. She has never quite fit in and now in her early 30s, she finds herself struggling with inner turmoil and a series of bad choices in her life.

Bailey’s drinking too much (even for a member of her family), has a penchant to eat spoonfuls of Cool Whip, works in a job that bores her beyond description and can’t keep a relationship longer than it takes for milk to expire in her fridge.

Even with the help of her two outspoken friends, Texas lass Idamarie and her quirky college pal Rudy, she’s having a hard time.

So she packs up her Honda and heads out of Texas in search of herself and answers to secrets from her great-grandmother’s past. The novel takes readers on a journey from San Antonio, Texas, to a small mountain town in Colorado and back again, as Bailey uncovers not only the secrets of her great-grandmother’s life, but also some painful secrets of her own. All while finding love along the way.

If you have ever wondered why you got stuck with the family you did, what you are doing with your job and your life, or had a sudden desire to run off to the mountains, sit back and join Bailey for this laugh-out-loud, yet poignant ride.

**Kathy’s blog tour is now full. Thank you to everyone who signed up!**

On Tour: Waitlisted by Laurel Gans

Laurel will be on tour January 30-February 20 with her novel Waitlisted

Author Bio:
 

Laurel Gans is a graduate of Bowling Green State University where she studied Spanish. She is currently a dental student at The Ohio State University with her twin sister, Stephanie. She enjoys writing, water sports and spending time with her family and friends.

Connect with Laurel & Buy the Book!

http://www.facebook.com/WaitlistedtheNovel

http://www.amazon.com/Waitlisted-ebook/dp/B005SWDRBE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327636348&sr=8-1

https://twitter.com/#!/laurelgans

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waitlisted-laurel-gans/1106367627

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Waitlisted/book-VmzJN_KQGE-HoxG_fxnLAg/page1.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waitlisted-ebook/dp/B005SWDRBE

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-waitlisted-610322-177.html

Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell

I have been a fan of Heather Wardell’s since her first book, and have happily read and reviewed each and every one on Chick Lit Plus. When she contacted me about doing a tour for Blank Slate Kate, I was thrilled. Mainly because I got to read another book. I was super curious about this one, where the main character wakes up in her thirties – but her last memories are from when she is seventeen. Kate – or is her real name Kate? – has lost all her memories from the past fifteen years. She has to try to figure out who she really is, and things really get complicated when her husband appears. Kate doesn’t have any recollection of this man, her wedding, her corporate life. How can she piece the puzzle together?

Again, another five star review for a Wardell book. Once I started this book, I just could not put it down. I loved figuring out Kate’s life with the little clues that would come to us throughout the chapters. It was such a mystery, and a very well thought-out and written one at that. Twists and turns surfaced at so many points, but instead of being overwhelming, it just kept making the book better and better. The aspect I think I loved the most was the ending. Wardell gives her books the best endings – they never end the way you think they will or is the “norm.” (Check out Planning to Live and you’ll see what I mean). I really enjoyed the ending to this book as well, and again – if you haven’t checked out Heather Wardell  yet – do it! You’ll thank me!

[Rating: 5]

On Tour: Thank You For Flying Air Zoe by Erik Atwell

Erik will be on tour January 30- February 20 with his novel Thank You For Flying Air Zoe

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fasten Seat Belt sign has been turned on, but feel free to ignore it, because sometimes life is best lived on its dizzy edges. Your cruising altitude today will be sky high, and you will be flying at staggering speeds as you travel alongside Zoe Tisdale, former Valley Girl and rock star turned bored butter saleswoman.

On the heels of a brush with mortality, Zoe concludes that she’s been letting time pass her by. Realizing she needs to awaken her life’s tired refrains, Zoe vows to recapture the one chapter of her life that truly mattered to her – her days as drummer for The Flip-Flops, a spirited, sassy all-girl garage band that almost hit the big time back in 1987. But reuniting the band won’t be easy. The girls who were once the whiz kid guitarist, the prom queen bass player, and the hippie lead singer grew up and became women who are now a reclusive dog trainer, a wealthy socialite, and a sociopathic environmentalist. Will Zoe bring the band back together and give The Flip-Flops a second chance at stardom? Is it possible to fully reclaim the urgent energy of youth?

As you follow this wild flight path, please know that your destination could be anywhere at all, complimentary oxygen is provided upon request, and baggage flies free. We hope you enjoy the ride, and Thank You For Flying Air Zoe.

Please visit CLP Blog Tours for all the tour stops! **Everyone who leaves a comment on Erik’s tour page will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! If you purchase your copy of Thank You For Flying Air Zoe before February 20 and send your receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, you will get five bonus entries!**

Author Bio:

Erik Atwell started his writing career in grammar school, when a one page history class assignment ballooned into a forty page fictional account of a politically controversial silversmith in Boston circa 1776. From there, he wrote short stories while living in New Hampshire, screenplays upon moving to Los Angeles, then finally novels when he ultimately landed in Seattle. He now lives in Seattle with his rock star wife and his six-month-old son, whose only musical claim to fame thus far is sleeping through an entire Go-Go’s concert. But in his defense, he was three weeks old, and the stage was a quarter-mile away. “Thank You For Flying Air Zoe” is his first novel, and he hopes to write a second novel before the little guy treks off to college.

Hair Care Products from Victoria Secret

While shopping at Victoria Secret one day, I noticed a new section in the store that featured hair care products. I wandered over and saw VS was having an incredible special on the products, so naturally, I bought three. My argument was that I needed hairspray anyway, I’d been wanting to try out a dry shampoo, and my hair stylist told me a detangler might help my hair from falling out so rapidly. Thus, my three products.

 So Sexy – Style Tame and Smooth Instant Detangler – $14

I use this almost every time I get out of the shower. I think it works really well, and just a few sprays helps me manage my long hair. The information says this product helps prevent breakage, and helps nourish strands by using shea butter, oat extract and provitamin B5. I would recommend!

So Sexy- Style Hold and Finish Hairspray – $14

I didn’t mind this hairspray, but the smell is pretty overwhelming. The information says it had a “light, fresh fragrance” but I completely disagree. After I finish spraying this through my hair, I have to literally step out of my bathroom for a few minutes or else I feel like I am choking. The actual hairspray itself holds up pretty well, but I probably won’t buy this again based on the smell alone.

So Sexy- Style Clean and Go Dry Shampoo- $14

I really wasn’t a fan of this product. I love the idea behind dry shampoo, but instead of making my hair look better, it just made it look and feel really gross. I tried on a couple different occasions to alter the amount I was using, thinking maybe I was using too much and that was my problem, but even using smaller amounts didn’t seem to help. I couldn’t get over the way my hair felt with this product – dirty and sticky are two descriptive words that come to mind – and I eventually just stopped using it.

So, my hair care experience with Victoria Secret wasn’t the best on Round 1. I would really only suggest their detangler, though the hairspray really wasn’t that terrible. Has anyone else tried out hair care products from VS? I would love to hear your experiences!

Future Tour: Amber Eyes by Jolyn Palliata

Jolyn will be on tour March 12- April 2 with her YA paranormal romance novel Amber Eyes

~ Eyes are the window to the soul, in a time when souls are ancient. ~

After an accident, one she shouldn’t have walked away from, Lexi’s life finally begins. She meets Dez, a new student with the most beautiful eyes she’s ever seen. And since gazing into them, Lexi has had vivid waking dreams that pull her back through time, and into the warm embrace of a mysterious stranger—a stranger who becomes all too familiar. When offering an explanation for her detailed visions, Dez changes her world forever with two simple words: Soul mates.

For the first time in her life, Lexi feels safe and complete. But lingering in the shadows is the embodiment of evil, coveting the light within her. He’s a threat to Lexi’s very existence, and to a love that has transcended time.

Please visit CLP Blog Tours for the full tour schedule. **Anyone who purchases their copy of Amber Eyes before April 2 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five entries in a drawing to win a $10 Amazon gift card!!**

Next Page »