Description: “They each sense a powerful connection at their first meeting, but no one could have ever imagined the incredible scenario about to unfold, forever altering the lives of all involved. . . .” “DEANNA”
A new business venture takes priority over romance, yet she longs to meet her Mr Right. At the same time, she’s being haunted by a recurring nightmare, relentless in its tormenting attacks until desperation leads her to a dark and dangerous world. “JOSH”
At the pinnacle of a demanding career, with everything he worked for finally coming together, he begins to yearn for the serious relationship his cherished grandmother, ANNA, insists he needs. Neither could have ever suspected that a vintage keepsake would clear the path to true love. “FAITH”
Deanna’s closest friend, her greatest ally through the best and worst of times, she believes she could supply an antidote for the horrifying dreams that are threatening her friend’s well-being. If only Deanna would let her. “RIVKA and DAVID” Fortified by young love, emboldened by circumstances, they stand strong against a ruthless enemy in a gruelling fight for their lives. Review: Wow !!! I loved it, I cried I cheered, and I wanted to slap our hero Josh. The way both of the main characters felt about each other, and they hadn’t even met in person, it was a glance, a chance encounter, and perhaps fate. It was breath stealing.
Deanna was an independent young woman, who suffers from terrible nightmares, her friend Faith wants her to try regression therapy, so see if a past life or trauma from her childhood is influencing her dreams.
Josh is an up and coming music promoter, he lives life in the fast lane, and has time for the ladies, but on his terms, and none have a part in his future.
Faith is Deanna’s friend and a therapist, she thinks that if she unlocks her friends past, then she can conquer her dreams.
Anna is Josh’s beloved grandmother, she brought him up, and as far as he is concerned, she is his number one lady, after each visit away, Josh comes home to his grandmother, (and we find out that reason at the end of the book)
So, Deanna and Josh have this instant connection, and once they meet for dinner, things progress at a fast rate, in at such a fast rate is scares Josh, and he uses excuses to leave Deanna’s home early. He has meetings away from home, so he uses this time to discover that maybe he doesn’t really know Deanna, so how can he be in love with her. So he has convinced himself that he was just on a high from grabbing a few contracts and getting some of his artists some concerts, and that he needed someone to share his good fortune. So he goes home and breaks Deanna’s heart !!
In the meantime poor Deanna has suffered from a few of her nightmares, so when Josh breaks up with her, her nightmares go into overdrive. Faith has managed to convince her that she really should try this therapy as nothing else is working. Now this is when it gets interesting. and for the first few pages, I got a little confused, but once I re- read it, I was raring to go.
Deanna is regressed into a past life, a life where she is a young Polish girl called Rivka. And she has a huge crush on a young man called David. He has known Rivka all her life as his best friend is her brother.
This is set before the occupation of Poland, and before the second world war. Both David and Rivka’s families are Jewish. And then Deanna goes into such a detailed account of Rivka’s life, that there is no way she could be making this up, and Faith is fascinated by this, she sets a tape into play and sets of a chain of events that will have you laughing and crying as Deanna tells Faith the love story of Rivka and David.
It is a very detailed and moving love story. It tells of two families torn apart by the occupation and war. WE all know how the Jewish people and Polish people were treated I that time, and the author handled it with all the love and care of a truly caring person. Nothing was out of context, everything was well researched. And I lived in those pages whilst reading them, I cried when their parents were murdered, I cried when they lost brothers, sisters were shipped abroad for their welfare. I cheered when they joined the resistance, and I cheered when David asked Rivka to be his bride. These two people deserved each other and all their happiness they could squeeze out of their life, as they didn’t know how long they would have each other. I didn’t like the ending of Rivka’s story, but I could see where the author was taking us.
So whilst Deanna was living in the past, Josh was grappling with his future, he thought that once he was away from Deanna that would be it, he would carry on his life as normal, and look back on it as a fun few weeks. But he couldn’t he began to realise that she meant more to him that that, he wanted her in his life, she enriched it as only a loved one could. Stumbling on the fact he LOVED her, he races over to tell her.
Deanna wants nothing to do with him, he hurt her, what if he did it again, her heart could bear it, so she shuts the door on Josh and the life he was offering. So this goes on for a little while, and it didn’t detract from the story, the author shows 2 love stories and how they are influencing the story. I am sure you can see who the young man Rivka fell in love with, and to who Deanna fell in love with, but reading the stories, it wasn’t apparent at first. But I can see where the author was going with this, it tells of a love that transcends through time, it finds your soul mate and it will reunite you.
Does Rivka and David’s story have a happy ending ? I think so, in the end 😉 Do Deanna and Josh reunite ? And there are a few things in this book that make you cry, there are a few things that you don’t see coming, and there are a few things that I would love to discuss with the author 😉 (1) Is it just the main characters that are past lives ? or are there a few other characters that can be included ?
Reviewed by Julie B.
Copy provided by Author
D.J. Starling is a penname derived through a combination of a dream, an apparition, and fate. Instinct told Donna to embrace the moniker, and an author was born. Wisdom led her to recruit Marsha after they got acquainted in a writers’ workshop, and a productive partnership began.
An innate understanding of each other’s work enables us to rely on each other’s unique strengths, as well as distinctive personalities. We nurture our own ideas and brainstorm often, mining nuggets from our ramblings that we write and edit—together and separately.
Coincidentally, although it was long before we knew each other, we both attempted our first novels while in the 4th grade. Since then, we’ve both learned that two heads really are better than one as we blend our literary voices to bring intriguing characters to life in compelling stories.
D.J. Starling is offering an ecopy of DEJA VU to one lucky reader at The Reading Cafe.
1. Please register using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.
2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.
3. Giveaway runs from August 31 to September3, 2013
Description: Four years after escaping her abusive ex-husband, Kim finally believes she is in control of her life and her emotions and she is determined to never risk either again with a man. She has a great home, a job as a security specialist which she loves, and Jake for a best friend. But things are a tad lonely in the sex department, so she decides to embark on a no-strings-affair with one of her hot co-workers. And who better to help her remember how to lure a man than her best friend?
Jake has wanted Kim from the moment he first saw her, but four years ago, she was too young and too damaged. So he kept her close and he kept her safe, offering her a job in his security company and the training to feel safe again, and he bided his time. But now, after the long wait, if she imagines he’s going to stand by while she seduces some other guy…
Never going to happen.
Review:
Losing Control byNina Croft was such a fun read 🙂 As you all know, it’s not my usual read, (Barb your stretching my reading abilities). It did remind me of the style of books that my mum would read. So with a big breath I jumped in.
Wow 🙂 it was hot, fun and a whole lot of naughty. I loved both the main characters, Kim with her damaged past and Jake, who has loved Kim for the past 4 years. It is a little shorter than I like to read. But it did keep me entertained.
Now to the review:
Kim wants to be a bodyguard and she wants to prove to herself and her friend/boss that she can do it. So Jake sets her the task of breaking into his office and opening his safe, if she can do it, then she gets the dangerous jobs.
Time after time she fails, but she is determined to succeed. She has control issues after living in a violent marriage, so Kim is determined to do this and prove to herself that she can handle anything that life can throw at her. So she sees the chance of showing Jake that she is up to the tasks he sets her.
Ever since the first time Jake saw Kim, he knew she was something special. He has waited patiently, first as her friend, and now he wants more, he wants ALL of Kim, FOREVER.
Kim’s feelings towards Jake have also started to change, and she worries where this will leave them. They have a regular film nite, and Kim usually goes for action packed films. So the nite goes as planned, but Jake needs more, so he starts to put his plan into action.
When all of a sudden Kim comes out with a dating plan, and she needs Jake’s advice on how to seduce a new work colleague HELL NO!!! if anyone is going to get Kim’s kisses it will be him.
There is a little intrigue, in the form of Jake’s current girlfriend, she sees Kim as a threat, and she is a little unstable. So Jake uses this to his advantage, he HIRES Kim to be his new girlfriend, and as a bodyguard just in case former girlfriend doesn’t take the hint that it is all over.
oh oh oh …. before this happens, we have an intense moment between Jake, Kim and his office table *fans face* This puts Kim in a spin about their relationship, and puts Jake in a better frame of mind.
Yes it is a little predicatable, but it is very well written, and I do get all the emotion felt by Kim and by Jake. We have a few naughty moments, that will have you reaching for your ice cubes 😉 But it is a very touching love story. And the heroine does save the day, gets her man, and teaches her ex-husband a lesson he won’t forget in a hurry.
The story continues to touch on the lives of former B Team members and their families while new characters and situations are introduced.
THE NEWSLETTER: Ram and Elora move into temporary quarters at Jefferson Unit to protect mother and baby. Storm gives a surprising answer when he’s tapped by Sol to replace him as Jefferson Unit Sovereign. Litha solicits her father to help Black Swan.
THE SURPRISE: B Team learns the shocking truth about the origin of the vampire virus. Monq races to develop a defense system to repel invasion by Stagsnare terrorists and assassins.
THE ADVENTURE: Desperation drives Stalkson Grey to embark on an adventure beyond his wildest dreams in a bid to save the Elk Mountain werewolves from extinction.
THE ROMANCE: In the process of migrating the Elk Mountain werewolves to a new home, Grey learns that true love can find you in the strangest places, even when you’re far, far from home.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Book four of the Chronicles of the Black Swan, Moonlight (whose afraid of the big bad wolf?) is another wonderful episode in the incredibly exciting lives of the Black Swan knights. If you haven’t gotten into this series yet, what’s your issue? LOL These wonderful books chronicle the lives of the knights of the Black Swan a secret organization of heroes that keep human and other safe from evil and especially vampires in a dimension much like our own.
Book four starts at the end of book three, with Elora and Ram at their beautiful country home in Ireland, which is now full of guards due to the inter-dimensional attack made on Elora while she gave birth to their wonderful little boy, Helm, in a wolf cave in an ice storm! Whoa! To keep their son safe they have decided to return, temporarily, to the Order’s Headquarters at Jefferson Unit. This to be until an inter-dimensional activity detector can be made to alert them of any future attacks.
As wonderfully typical of Ms. Danann’s books, this one is filled with action and many different stories within the story. The main focus of this book is the situation with the werewolves. They are being crowded and are in need of more females for mates before they dwindle to extinction. For some unknown reason they are birthing more male than females. Too that end, Stalkson Grey, King of Elk Mountain and the 13 remaining tribes of werewolves, went to Jefferson Unit and the Black Swan scientist Monq to seek a solution to their problems. Stalkson has never approved of human mates for werewolves and certainly for himself. He’s been a bit restless lately and is unsure of the cause. I won’t do any more spoilers on his story…just know it’s a real eye-opener for him and “old dogs” do learn new tricks!
There is a continuation of Ram’s sister, the elven princess Alesong, and her forbidden romance with the fairy Prince Duff Torquil. I’m hoping this will be a theme that will induce a book of their own!
One of the more comic notes is that while going through the “passes” or traveling through dimensions, Storm’s mate Litha, gets followed by four vampires from another dimension. They really don’t mean harm and make an interesting side story to helping ex-vampire Istvan Baka begin elimination of vampire in this dimension.
All in all, the story arc is moved along greatly while still keeping in touch with all the wonderful characters from the others, as well as delving deeper into some of the others.
This is a marvelously entertaining series and well worth the time of keeping up! Victoria Danann is a very talented writer with a simply glorious imagination! I’m enjoying this series and can’t wait for more!
K.M: My name is K.M. Scott and I’m a contemporary romance author. I’ve been a writer for years and a published author for two under my other pseudonym, Gabrielle Bisset, but Crash Into Me is my first contemporary and my first novel under the K.M. Scott name.
TRC: What was the deciding factor in venturing into another genre of storytelling and novels?
K.M: I’ve read contemporaries for a long time, but for whatever reason, my muse was feeling paranormals, so I pursued that genre. That’s not to say I’m not continuing writing those, but I’ve had a story in my mind for a few years that just hadn’t had the right feeling for me until earlier in 2013. One day, though, it was like lightning struck and I began writing what would eventually become Crash Into Me.
TRC: CRASH INTO ME is the first installment (August 28 release) of your new series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?
K.M: The three books in this series will be called the Heart of Stone Trilogy. The trilogy is a contemporary romance based on what some many see as the backbone of many fairy tales: Wealthy prince (in this case, hotel owner) falls for a regular girl in what seems like a fated romance. I threw in a twist to the story, though, which makes it unique.
TRC: Do you consider this particular genre New Adult or Adult fiction?
K.M: I believe it’s Adult, but since the female protagonist is 24 years old, it fits into New Adult also.
TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series? And will Tristan Stone be the focus of the series?
K.M: All three books in the series will be centered around the couple of Tristan Stone and Nina Edwards.
TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in this storyline, which models or actors best represents your ideal image?
K.M: I’ve always pictured Tristan as at least 6’2″, dark brown hair, deep brown eyes, and well-built, so Henry Cavill would be a great match for him (although I think he’s shorter than that and has blue eyes). As for Nina, I can picture Nina Dobrev from The Vampire Diaries as Tristan’s love interest.
TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?
K.M: I think about what I’d want as a reader. For me, that’s the secret to making sure my plots make sense while entertaining people. Especially when I’m writing contemporary romance, I want to make sure that the plot is believable.
TRC: You also write at Gabrielle Bisset. What upcoming plans do you have for the Sons of Navarus series?
K.M: The Sons of Navarus are at a tough spot in their fight with the Archons. They’ve lost one of their own, and in Blood Craving, the next book in the series, another Son, Sion, will have to help the woman he secretly loves as she works on the Prophecy of Idolas. Kali’s got some demons, though, and when they intersect with Marc Verrater’s new drug he hopes to use to enslave all vampires, she’s going to go through some things and the only one who can save her is Sion, the one Son who is more machine than anything else. There’s also that new baby Noele and Ramiel are raising, and readers can expect great things from that little guy.
TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?
K.M: I tend to be a pretty strong director, but there have been times when the characters seem to take over the story. When that happens, I need to sit back and decide if where they’re going is what’s right for the story.
TRC: Are you a plotter or a ‘panster’?
K.M: I’m a committed plotter. I know the beginning, middle, and end to every book and every series before I begin writing it. That said, things can and do change (see the answer above about unruly characters LOL). However, I always have a very strong idea where things are going. It does make it hard, though, since I know how the story plays out and can’t talk about it until everyone else gets to read the books.
TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writers fail in this endeavor?
K.M: They say that if the author cries while writing a scene, the reader will too. I think this is true. It’s easy for readers to tell if the author is putting their emotions into the work. For me, I like to write what I call vignettes, often very small scenes within the story that pack a huge emotional punch. They tend to be what readers remember from the story when they talk to me about the plot. So within the book are these vignettes that resonate with readers. I’ve read stories that don’t pull the reader in and I’ve found it’s usually because of the old telling, not showing idea. Sometimes it’s just that there are too many dialogue tags pulling me out of the action, while at other times it’s just that I don’t feel like I’m there for the action but that I’m being told about it.
TRC: Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of writer’s block?
K.M: I’m a firm believer in walking away if it isn’t there. I can’t force it or it won’t work and I’ll just have to rewrite it all anyway. So I walk away and return when I feel right about it. That’s usually within a week or two, but sometimes I have to leave a book for a longer time (I had to leave the 4th book in the Sons series, Blood Prophecy, for months because I was fighting what I knew had to happen.)
TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background) did you encounter writing this particular story?
K.M: I’m a crazy woman when it comes to details. Nothing bothers me more than reading something and knowing the author didn’t take the time to research. After researching the details for Crash Into Me, I can now say I know well what the inside of a Jaguar F series car looks like, precisely how to tie a Windsor knot, and enough about Venice to know I need to get there asap!
TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?
K.M: I have an editor and a close friend who listen to my ideas, each for different reasons. My editor is great with helping me flesh out the details, and my friend is just interested in my writing and listens patiently while I babble on about this story and that.
TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines while still having time to raise a family?
K.M: It’s a real juggling act. I have a full time job and I home school my son, so any time not dedicated to those two areas is left for eating, sleeping, and writing. My house is usually very messy since taking care of the house usually loses out to one of the other areas. My son is a great kid, though, so he helps a lot.
TRC: On what are you currently working?
K.M: I’m writing the second book in the Heart of Stone Trilogy, Fall Into Me, and I’m working on the 5th book in the Sons series, Blood Craving.
TRC: Would you like to add anything else?
K.M: Just that readers can find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kmscottauthor and my blog at authorkmscott.blogspot.com I love hearing from readers, so stop by and say hi!
Tristan Stone was powerful, commanding, sex incarnate. And he wore it all so well. From the moment his mesmerizing gaze met mine, I had no choice but surrender to everything he was. His power. His decadence. His passion. He was all I never knew I needed.
He wanted to possess me, and I wanted to be his everything. All I had to do was accept what he offered. But everything has a price.
The world he gave me fulfilled my wildest dreams, but would that be enough when the past crashed into the present?
••••••••••••••••••••••••
REVIEW: CRASH INTO ME is the first installment in K.M.Scott’s new contemporary New Adult romance series. K.M. Scott is the penname of author Gabrielle Bisset (Sons of Navarus) and CRASH INTO ME is her first foray into the New Adult genre.
CRASH INTO ME focuses on billionaire and reluctant hotel magnate Tristan Stone and Art History graduate Nina Edwards. Following their ‘accidental’ meeting at a gallery showing, Tristan offers Nina a six month contract position as the art procurer for his chain of Richmont Hotels throughout the world. But what began as a business arrangement soon becomes something more. Before the six months are over Nina will transform the quiet, unsmiling recluse billionaire into a man who will break her heart in more ways than one.
The premise follows Tristan and Nina’s building relationship from employer and employee, to friends and lovers. But Nina soon becomes troubled by the small alarm bells that keep going off every time the darker side of Tristan is exposed when Nina steps over an imaginary line where jealousy begins to rear its’ ugly head. The small signs of possession and his need to control start mounting and Nina is unsure just how far the relationship will go before something or someone gets hurt.
The storyline is told from Nina’s POV. We are witness to her thoughts and desires, and there is no doubt that Nina is falling in love but it is Tristan’s ulterior motives that will leave the reader questioning his intent and action. And in the end, the true nature of the beast will be exposed and life for Nina and Tristan will never be the same.
The writing style is simple and the storyline is slow to build, but I never felt that we really got to know our leading couple before they immediately jumped into a relationship where Tristan controlled every aspect of their daily lives. Tristan and Nina both have a history of loss but their connection to one another runs deeper than anyone could have imagined.There is heartbreak and sorrow and you know that Tristan hides a deep, dark secret.
Tristan is an enigma. He is dark, almost cold and his personality never quite shines through on the pages of Crash Into Me. The storyline is character driven and because it is told from Nina’s POV, we never really get into the head of the man who controls the strings.
K.M. takes the reader on a virtual tour from America to Venice and we will discover there is a softer side to our hero Tristan Stone. The building of the sexual relationship is quick to develop as there is a definite mutual attraction between Nina and Tristan- one that will prove to be a heartbreaker for both.
If you are a fan of the Crossfire or FSOG series style then Crash Into Me will be a familiar storyline but one with a twist at the end of book one. I hope we get to see a different side of Tristan-perhaps a storyline perspective from his POV because whatever has been going through his mind, is definitely going to push the storyline forward.
Entangled Publishing Introduces Entangled Teen Ember
Entangled Teen, an imprint of Entangled Publishing is introducing a new division EMBER.
There’s a lot of noise in the publishing world today. One can’t go on social media without the constant stream of “Buy my book” and “Please review my book.” Between self-publishing, traditional publishing, indie publishing, print publishing, digital publishing…it’s hard to distinguish, let alone decide where to spend your hard-earned money. But when you do find an author or a genre or a plot element you love, these days you want it fast. And that’s why we decided to launch Entangled Teen Ember, a division of Entangled’s Teen line.
Entangled has always had a focus on and love for teen books, ever since the company started publishing in 2011. Whether it was the runaway bestselling Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, high-concept paranormal or fantasy like Chloe Jacobs’s Greta and the Goblin King or Victoria Scott’s Dante Walker series, or emotional contemporaries like Kate Avelynn‘s Flawed or Amy Spalding’s The Reece Malcolm List, we love us some juicy teen novels. But with a digital-first line, we can get new fantastic reads to you even quicker, to fill up your e-readers and keep fans of every genre happy.
But beyond our speed to publication, there is a flexibility and almost pioneering quality to digital books that I love. As an editor, as well as someone who acquires and approves books for the line, I love having the freedom to push boundaries, try out new or unconventional concepts, and take a chance on wonderful voices and fresh new authors. If it’s a fantastic story, told in a fantastic way, by a hungry author ready and willing to promote it and with a beautiful cover, we believe at Entangled Teen Ember that there’s a place for it on our list.
The first two books we’ll be sharing with you, Chaos by Christine O’Neil and Darker Days by Jus Accardo, are two paranormal romances that blew me away for their unique voices and snarky takes on a mainstay of the YA market. I also can’t wait to share a digital spinoff from Rachel Harris’s popular My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century series; a dark and emotional contemporary, Garage Boy by Erin Fletcher; a beautiful paranormal from Danielle Ellisson, Salt; and Knight’s Assassin, a totally kickass and unique fantasy from Rima Jean.
Entangled has always been about pioneering new takes on the ever-changing publishing world and being at the front lines of the digital revolution. And with Ember, we’re taking our tried-and-true Teen focus and expanding it to where the sky’s the limit.
Description: Chasing Atlantis is riveting, and exciting until the very end. A story that keeps you guessing and questioning the very framework of humanity. One girl’s courage to face the truth about her family and her past will reveal the truth about what Atlantis really represents. Amy believes her yearly pilgrimage to the beach will be just like every other time but she is wrong–dead wrong. As she comes of age she finds herself surrounded by people who want to use her, but for what purpose is still undecided. Who can she trust? Her family friend since childhood? Or this strange mystery boy who can drown her with his eyes?Only time will tell.
Review:
I try to approach any novel I have yet to read with an open mind, even if it is compiled of a style I am unused to reading in. Despite knowing that the book Chasing Atlantis; written by new author Kelly Coughlin, appeared to be out of my comfort zone, I sat down; made myself comfortable, and began. I came away from the completion of the book pleasantly surprised in some ways, and in other ways, exactly how I was expecting to feel. Moving on to the review….
It is easy to tell that teenagers who enjoy the Fantasy genre will love this book. Amy, our heroine is full of vibrant energy. Although as an adult, I could not relate and connect on a personal level with her fierce, opinionated nature, I found myself amused at her antics, and thought processes. I struggled a bit with the first person perspective, as I tend to prefer receiving third person P.O.V while navigating a novel. However, Chasing Atlantis had a nice steady pace flowing from the introduction of the heroine, (and her humorous breakup of her current boyfriend) to the location of where our journey will take place.
In no time at all, I found the fantasy buff within me intrigued with the mystical “beings” of Ms. Coughlin’s world. It was piercingly clear once Amy arrived at her Mother’s home, that things were not as they appeared. Including her Mother, and her stepfather, Steve themselves. Feeling out of sorts and an instinctual need to put space between herself and the parents who feel like strangers…Amy gets into her vehicle and drives. Finding herself inexplicably drawn towards the beach.
What would any YA premise be without a mysterious, darkly handsome boy? Enter Ty and his two brothers. Patrick, the eldest, silent and brooding by nature, and Henry, who is quite the jokester. All three present a veneer of civility to hide their secrets, and all three seam to know exactly who Amy is. How could these brothers know her when she only just met them? And why does Ty feel familiar? It is only a matter of time before our heroine finds herself in the middle of personal agenda’s, coming at her from many different directions.
I enjoyed attempting to discover who was friend, and who was foe alongside our female lead. The backstories of Ty, Amy, the brothers, and the frightening Adam, was well written. Yet I found it all a little too far on the vague side. It feels as if this was deliberate on the part of the author? Perhaps there are plans for more adventures with Ty and Amy. By the end, I felt as if I lacked a complete grasp on why Amy was caught between the power struggle.
Despite no specific “Ah-ha” moment; where all the pieces of the puzzle fell in place for me, the ending was filled with action, and suspense. Thank you Kelly Coughlin for showing me that sometimes it is okay to step outside of my literary bubble and look around. I will be keeping an eye out for Ty and Amy in the future. 🙂
Fueled by K.Bromberg-Blog Tour and Interview with the Author
Fueled (Driven Trilogy #2) by K. Bromberg Release Date: August 2013 Blog Tour and Interview with the Author
TRC: Hi Kristy and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the success of the Driven series.
Kristy: Thank you so much for having me! It’s all still a bit surreal that people are reading about the voices talking to me in my head—and liking them no less!
TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?
Kristy: I am a working mother that lives in Southern California with my husband and three young children. I spend my days wrangling children, driving them to and from practice and school all the while doing my “real” job before tucking them in and spending time on my “dream” job of being an author.
TRC: DRIVEN is your May 2013 release and first book in the Driven Trilogy. Would you please tell us something about the premise?
ClickHEREfor our review of DRIVEN (Driven #1) by K. Bromberg
Kristy: Driven is a book that revolves around the irrefutable attraction between two people who appear to be opposites but have more in common than one might think. They find each other at a time in their lives when they need each other the most despite either of them thinking that. The story follows their battle of wills, the challenge and chase, along with seven little boys that will steal your heart.
TRC: Are any of the characters or situations in the storyline based in reality or an amalgamation of your imagination and current headlines?
Kristy: None of the characters are based from reality. They all reside strictly in my imagination.
TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in the series, which models or actors would be represent your projected image?
Kristy: That’s a hard question because I don’t think I’d ever find that image I have in my head of Colton or Rylee in real person. Yes—someone can have dark hair and green eyes…but it’s not Colton. And besides, even if I did know someone, I prefer not to say because I don’t want to ruin one of my readers’ images in their heads—does that make sense? For instance, everyone disagrees who should play Christian Grey—and in all honesty, I don’t think they’ll ever cast the correct person because in my head he is an image only I have conjured up.
TRC: FUELED is your second installment and August 2013 release in the Driven Trilogy. Please tell us something about the premise?
Kristy: Fueled is the journey of Rylee and Colton. As the story unfolds we see a myriad of things: forgiveness, understanding one another, the building blocks and sometimes knocking down of the foundation of a relationship. Their growing love (well, what Rylee would define as love) is tough. It’s not always easy or pretty—especially when you have baggage that you bring to the table like they do—but Fueled is their story and aabout figuring their place together in the midst of all of it. Oh, and you also get to see things through Colton’s eyes for several chapters.
I’ll finish by saying that Fueled is a roller coast of extreme emotions. If you thought Driven made you feel, Fueled will make it seem like the kiddie ride.
TRC: Many of the recently popular adult series, once labeled as trilogies, are now going beyond into 4, 5 and 6 books. If the DRIVEN series continues to be a success, will you continue the storylines e.g. novellas or full length novels, or have you an ending in mind for the series?
Kristy: When you read the last page of Crashed, Rylee and Colton’s story will be told in completion. I promised that from the beginning and will stick by that. I will say that I’ve pondered writing a short novella that goes back and covers a few events between the last chapter and the epilogue…but we’ll see how I feel when I finish writing Crashed. I’ve been questioned if I plan on writing any spin-off books of other characters such as Haddie or Becks…there are possibilities there but I’m focusing strictly on Crashed right now and giving Rylee and Colton the respect they deserve by writing a story that will knock your socks off.
TRC: FUELED is a storyline that is heartbreaking, frustrating, painful and a roller coaster of emotions. The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writers fail in this endeavor?
Kristy: Wow! Tough question. In my case, I just write how I think I would feel in a situation, luckily it works (or at least that’s what I’m told by readers). I think part of drawing people in, and it’s just how I do it, is I throw grammar out the window (it drives people crazy—especially my editor). Thoughts and emotions that run through your head are not always complete. Sometimes they are repeated or incomplete. That’s how I write. When Rylee is angry I write it short, sharp sentences clumped together. When she’s content, it’s more fluid with longer sentences that are more flowery. That’s just me though—I’m super wordy and I have a habit of saying the same thing in different ways in a short span so the editing process is longer for me. So in short, I think an author needs to write how someone really thinks/talks/feels when they are in the emotion they are trying to portray.
I think author’s fall short when they don’t invest time in building their characters. When a reader is invested in the character, it’s easier for them to relate and feel the character’s plight.
TRC: Will you tell us how YOU were able to handle the more disturbing and heartbreaking aspects of this particular storyline? Did you get emotionally involved with the events of this novel?
Kristy: Of course I am emotionally involved in the storyline since these people are my creation and I most definitely care about them. I think as an author you look at things a little differently—of course the emotion is engaging—but my focus is how to make you feel that emotion…how to draw you, the reader, in. What actions or descriptions are going to make you react and feel. It’s one of those things that when you are in the middle of a situation you aren’t as affected as someone on the outside, looking in.
The funny thing is that I’ve read the story during the editing process so many times that I’m kind of numb to the emotion in it now…and I forgot how powerful some of the scenes were until I started hearing from the bloggers who were reading their ARCs. Their reactions were pretty eye-opening to the honest and raw emotion in the book.
TRC: Rylee and Colton’s ‘catharsis’ scenes are fraught with tears, anxiety and misunderstanding. What do you believe will have to happen before our couple is able to move forward?
Kristy: I think in order for Colton and Rylee to move forward, all of the cards need to be thrown on the table. In Fueled, the reader sees a lot of the cards or can make intelligent inferences from things, but that doesn’t mean the other character does. For instance, Fueled has some chapters that take place from Colton’s POV. We see his thoughts and know things about him that Rylee can guess at but doesn’t whole-heartedly know. So I think that everything needs to be laid out bare – souls, hearts, fears, pasts—and that will allow them the fortitude and trust to move forward.
TRC: CRASHED is the third installment. Have you started writing and if so, can you hint at the storyline or is it best to remain secretive at this point? 😉
Kristy: Crashed is heavily outlined but not written yet. I released Driven and Fueled three months apart…luckily Fueled was basically written when I published Driven or I would have never finished it in that short amount of time. Editing takes forever and I never took into account the time consumption of marketing the books…so when I finish up the promo stuff for Fueled, I’m diving head first into Crashed…I’m antsy to get writing again! With that said, I’ve spent a lot of time with the computer glued to my fingertips as of late, and I’m going to take a little time to play with my kids a little more because I’m starting to have that mother’s guilt creep in that I’m not doing enough with them…if that makes sense.
TRC: Do you have a projected date of release for CRASHED?
Kristy: In my head, yes—but I am not saying yet. I’d rather give a date I know that I can hit rather than give one now and keep moving it because that’s frustrating to readers. I’m being realistic that the holidays are coming up soon and family comes first so I need to make sure they are taken care of…but rest assured, Crashed is getting written. I don’t want to rush something out that is less than par just to finish the book in a set time frame.
TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?
Kristy: I like to think that I direct the characters but I think a bit of both happens. There are plenty of times that I have a scene set a certain way and all of the sudden the character does or says something in my head that’s completely off course. It’s those times that I start typing furiously to catch up to my thoughts because the character screams at me to do something else—and usually, those end up being the best parts of the book.
TRC: Are you a plotter or a pantster?
Kristy: I’m definitely a plotter—You have to be when writing a trilogy because you have to weave ribbons in Book 1 that will take hold and come to light in Book 3. I think my outline for Crashed is something like 78 pages written in longhand. But here’s the thing, no matter how detailed an outline, when I write, sometimes the best things in the book happen on the fly as I mentioned before…all of the sudden they hit and then I go backwards to make it work.
TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, car racing lingo) did you encounter writing this particular story/series?
Kristy: I had to research some terms. There is a scene in Fueled where Colton is testing his race car and he’s throwing out jargon—I definitely had to research the terms but it wasn’t anything too detailed. I did have to research how the boys would react in certain situations in order to stay true to the trauma/experiences in their lives. Luckily I’ve had some readers who do this for a living and they’ve contacted me and helped out with terms or reactions to circumstances.
TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?
Kristy: No one. I know. It sounds odd but I don’t really have anyone here that I bounce anything off of. At home I have three small children and a husband. To them, this world doesn’t really exist other than me sitting with the computer glued to my fingertips. I’ll mumble something to my Mom every now and again but other than that, most people don’t even realize that I write. For instance when I published Driven, only three people even knew I wrote it before I hit publish if that tells you anything.
I will say that this time around I had beta readers—some bloggers and some other people that I met online through groups that had experience beta reading for other authors. That was a big help because I received some feedback on what worked or didn’t work for them while reading it…so in theory, I bounced some ideas off of them. I ended up making some revisions off of their comments, but other than that, no one really.
TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?
Kristy: That’s the best thing about a plot…it can change and adjust as you’re writing. I’ve left enough open threads in both Driven and Fueled that I can always move or adjust things in Crashed if I need to. Sometimes when you write, the plot evolves differently that I had never expected. Look, almost every story has been told out there a million times—as an author you have to try and make the same tried and true plotline and twist it enough to make it unique. It’s not always an easy thing to do.
TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines while still having time to raise a family?
Kristy: That’s a very good question. My husband says it’s like I have three jobs—my real job (day job as a bookkeeper), running the house and dealing with the kids, and then my writing. When I first started writing Driven, my husband was travelling constantly for work so once the kids went to bed and talked to him on the phone, I’d write. Since then, he’s switched positions so that he can be home more and now I find that balance very difficult. I try to write once everyone goes to bed, but sometimes that’s hard because my brain doesn’t function when I’m tired (and I’m not a coffee drinker). Luckily my two youngest will start preschool three days a week in the next month and so for the first time in almost eight years, I will have some days where the house is empty. After doing my work for my ‘real’ job, then I’ll try and use that alone time to crank out some pages without interruption.
TRC: If you could be a contestant on a reality television program, which program would you chose and why?
Kristy: Jeopardy. I have quirky knowledge and I retain things really well so I can answer a lot of the questions that make my husband go “How in the hell did you know that?”
TRC: What are your thoughts on book reviews-good or bad?
Kristy: It would be easy to say that I take both with a grain of salt, but I’d be lying. Of course good reviews make you feel validated in your writing and bad reviews eat at you and make you wonder what you could have done differently to make them like the story…but in reality, not everyone is going to like the same thing. There are going to be haters and there are going to be people that try and jump on the love train—so you really do have to take it with a grain of salt. I will say though that some of the toughest reviews I received from blogs made me a better writer when it came to Fueled. I didn’t dismiss their comments but rather looked at them objectively and tried to see how I could make the story better. Regardless, as an author you have to write for yourself first and foremost or else your story is not going to come from the heart.
TRC: On what are you currently working?
Kristy: I am currently working on Crashed. Once I finish that I have a stand alone that I’ve started called Strike Out that is more New Adult with a twist of explicit that I think will surprise some people.
TRC: Would you like to add anything else?
Kristy: Just that I’d like to thank all of the readers for their astounding support when it comes to Driven and now Fueled. I’m floored on a daily basis that somewhere in the world someone is reading something I wrote and liking it enough they are telling a friend or posting a review on Amazon for it. It’s a very surreal feeling, so I want to make sure to thank them…and say I really hope they love Fueled and that I surpassed the expectations they set for it.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite Food: pizza
Favorite Dessert: cheesecake
Favorite TV Show: I’m so busy writing at night I don’t watch much TV anymore, but I’d have to say Grey’s Anatomy is one I try not to miss.
Last Movie You Saw: Despicable Me 2 (can you tell I have young kids?)
Dark or Milk Chocolate: dark
Favorite Flower: dahlias
Last Vacation Destination: camping at the beach
Pet Peeve: pretention and chewing with your mouth open
Secret Celebrity Crush: Can I tell you how hard this one is? I’m rather picky….My gosh….I’m going to step aside from the typical Channing Tatum, David Gandy’s because that’s everyone’s answer….I like Ben Affleck. There’s something hot about him – the mixture of good dad, intelligent, creative, not too pretty boy….that’s sexy to me.
TRC: Thank you Kristy for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the success of DRIVEN. We cannot wait to see where you take Colton and Rylee next.
Kristy: Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know me! I hope you enjoy Fueled!
He breaks from the kiss with a tortured groan and pulls away from me. “Colton,” I murmur, “let me take care of you.”
“Not here,” he tells me, smoothing my skirt down and smirking as he stuffs what’s left of my panties further down into his pocket. “I want to hear you scream out my name when I take you. I want to hear it when you fall apart from the things I’m going to do to you, Rylee. I want to claim you. Make you mine. Ruin you for any other man that dares to think of touching you.” He grimaces from the conviction of his words.
“You already have, Colton,” I breathe out without thinking, reaching out to place my fingertips to his lips. “I’m yours…” My voice trails off as he stares at me, his jaw working overtime as he absorbs the words I’ve said.
A ghost of a smile mixed with an uncertain disbelief plays on his lips before shaking it away and pushing it aside. “I—we can’t continue here with what I want to do, but this,” he says, motioning to me and the wall, “will tide me over.” He flashes a quick grin at me before grabbing my hand and climbing the last flight of stairs.
I follow him, knowing my heart and body are far from recovered from that little episode. Haddie’s words flash through my head, and I can’t help but disagree with her. When it comes to Colton, I don’t just have it bad. I’ve drowned, been consumed, and am utterly and undeniably his.
DRIVEN Series: Driven #1 by K. Bromberg Release Date: May 2013
Rylee Thomas is used to being in control. But she’s about to meet the one man that just might make her enjoy losing it…
I am the exception to the rule.
In a world full of willing women, I’m a challenge to the roguish and achingly handsome Colton Donavan. A man used to getting exactly what he wants in all aspects of life. He’s the reckless bad boy constantly skating that razor thin edge toward out of control, on and off of the track.
Colton crashes into my life like a tornado: sapping my control, testing my vulnerabilities beyond their limits, and unintentionally penetrating the protective wall around my healing heart. Tearing apart the world I rebuilt so carefully with structure, predictability, and discipline
What happens when the one person you never expected suddenly happens to be the one you’ll fight the hardest to keep?
Colton stole my heart. He wasn’t supposed to, and I sure as hell didn’t want him to, but he crashed into my life, ignited feelings within me that I thought had died forever, and fueled a passion that I never knew could exist.
Rylee fell out of that damn storage closet and into my life. Now I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. She’s seen glimpses of the darkness within me, and yet she’s still here. Still fighting for me. She is without a doubt the saint, and I am most definitely the sinner.
How is it the one thing neither of us wanted—neither of us anticipated that fateful night—has us fighting so hard to keep? He steals my breath, stops my heart, and brings me back to life again all in a split second of time. But how can I love a man who won’t let me in? Who continually pushes me away to prevent me from seeing the damaged secrets in his past? My heart has fallen, but patience and forgiveness can only go so far.
How can I desire a woman who unnerves me, defies me, and forces me to see that in the deep, black abyss of my soul there’s someone worthy of her love? A place and person I swore I’d never be again. Her selfless heart and sexy body deserve so much more than I’ll ever be capable of giving her. I know I can’t be what she needs, so why can’t I just let her go?
We are driven by need and fueled with desire, but is that enough for us to crash into love?
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Giveaway runs from 12 AM CDT (US), August 28th to 12 AM CDT (US), September 6th
Prizes – (1) $50 Amazon gift card, (4) $25 Amazon gift cards, 5 e-copies of Fueled, 2 signed paperback copies of Driven
NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the tour promoter.
What happens when the one person you never expected suddenly happens to be the one you’ll fight the hardest to keep?
Colton stole my heart. He wasn’t supposed to, and I sure as hell didn’t want him to, but he crashed into my life, ignited feelings within me that I thought had died forever, and fueled a passion that I never knew could exist.
Rylee fell out of that damn storage closet and into my life. Now I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. She’s seen glimpses of the darkness within me, and yet she’s still here. Still fighting for me. She is without a doubt the saint, and I am most definitely the sinner.
How is it the one thing neither of us wanted—neither of us anticipated that fateful night—has us fighting so hard to keep?
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••
REVIEW: FUELED is the second storyline in K.Bromberg’s Driven series focusing on Rylee Thomas (a children’s service worker) and Colton Donavan (a billionaire race car driver) with some major demons in his past.
Fueled is not a storyline for the feint of heart. It is not an easy read as the storyline is graphic, gritty and leaves nothing to the imagination. K. Bromberg grabs the reader and pulls you in kicking and screaming. We experience the heartbreaking trauma and painful history of a young man whose demons runs very close to the surface threatening to emerge when the pain and sorrow begin to overwhelm. And it is these demons that control the man that Rylee loves.
At the end of Driven, Rylee and Colton were not in a very good place. As his past continues to haunt his days and his nights, Colton pushes away the one person who is willing to love and support the man hiding behind a Hollywood lifestyle and womanizing ways. But his refusal and inability to acknowledge Rylee’s acceptance fuels the drama and heartbreaking build up of betrayal and anguish.
Fueled is a story about falling in love and letting go. It is also a story about a relationship that is built on a foundation that is teetering over an abyss of unknown depths because at every turn something or someone is waiting to bring them down.
The storyline is also about a little boy who needed a ‘super hero’ of his own-someone to come in and save the child from the monsters threatening his very existence. But Colton’s superhero never emerged. Colton was and still is a little boy lost in a world of demons and monsters but one who has given up on the fairy tale of happily ever after and being rescued by the super hero at the end of the story.
“Spiderman, Batman, Superman, Ironman”
Fueled is a storyline ‘driven’ by the emotional and heartbreaking reality that there are monsters among us and many we know up close and personal. K. Bromberg has written a story that will forever be etched in your psyche and make you wonder if the little things in life are really worth the aggravation because at the end of the day there will always be the ‘real’ monsters waiting for you under the bed. And for a little boy, his super hero never comes.
K.M: My name is K.M. Scott and I’m a contemporary romance author. I’ve been a writer for years and a published author for two under my other pseudonym, Gabrielle Bisset, but Crash Into Me is my first contemporary and my first novel under the K.M. Scott name.
TRC: CRASH INTO ME is the first installment (August 28 release) of your new series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?
TRC: You also write at Gabrielle Bisset. What upcoming plans do you have for the Sons of Navarus series?
