ONE by Mari Arden Release Day Blitz

Title: ONE
Author: Mari Arden 
Genre: New Adult
Release Day: September 4th 2013
Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours

 

 

 

 

 

Blurb

 

Jules Hendricks has had a string of bad "firsts."

 Embarrassing first kiss. Traumatic first date. An obsessive first boyfriend she can't understand.

It's taken her years but she's finally able to leave her small town life behind for a new start as a freshmen at UW- Madison. For Jules this chance to be independent and rebuild her life is an opportunity she won't ever let anyone take from her again. She's determined to make something of herself without a man by her side, in front, behind or anywhere near her.

Reid "Pax" Paxton is the star quarterback for the UW Badgers. His brush with death makes him understand how precious life is, and how important it is to take life by the horns, unafraid. Jules knows he's dangerous for her. Dark hair. Smoldering eyes. Killer smile. That dimple. That body. Those arms. Pax is everything she's trying to run away from, but she can't help coming back for more. Slowly he begins to show a life together can be more than just a dream. It can be their reality. The truth about reality is it's not always sunshine and butterflies.

Sometimes it's a wasteland.

Sometimes secrets can't stay buried.

Sometimes your past will find a way to hunt you down.

 

 

 

 

 

Author Bio

 

I'm Mari Arden (Mari rhymes with safari). Teacher by day, author by night. When I'm not living my double life I like to hike, take zumba classes, and try foods from all over the world. I write to soothe my soul and to, hopefully, entertain YOU. I write YA and NA including the YA series, "Fireborn". 

Adventurous?  Come join my double life!

 

 

 

Links

 

 

www.mariarden.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mari-Arden-author/493749174011347

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6897452.Mari_Arden

www.twitter.com/mariarden

 

 

 

 

 

Buy it on Amazon

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

****Warning: the contents of this book are intended for readers 18+ and older due to explicit adult situations****   

 

            "Do I make you nervous?" His husky drawl drips like chocolate covering a ripe, round strawberry. Does he make me nervous? Does a simmering volcano make an ant nervous?

            I swallow. "Nervous? I'm not nervous," I babble, refusing to look at him. I'm in physical pain. What's that thing I do where I take in air, and then let it out? Oh yeah, breathing. I need to do that.

            Like right now.

            I make a strangled sound and inhale through my nostrils, taking in the smoky air like a ravenous puppy finding milk. Instantly I feel Pax's heat next to me. Soon I'll be immersed in it, wrapped in it.

            Wrapped around him.

            So does that make me nervous? Only a hundred kinds of nervous.

            "Time to begin!" Cade yells, as he jogs back to Pax and I, flashing his pearly whites. He pounds Pax on the back. "Don't drop the ball," he grins.

            "As if I ever do."

            Cade turns to me. I see the second he registers my cleavage is exposed to the world. His eyes appraise me slowly. He gives me an appreciative grin. "Well, hello there."

            "Hi," I reply. "Um, should we start now?" I don't mean to be rude, but I'm a second away from vomiting every cell inside me, and call me crazy, but I'd prefer not to start off my year known as the Vomiter.

            "Yes," Pax glares at Cade. "Let's start." He inserts himself between us, blocking Cade's view of me. His firm, half naked body is next to my face. Pax's musky cologne combined with a sweaty scent unique to him assails my nostrils until my senses are reeling out of control.

            Cade chuckles, looking amused. I want to glare at him. I don't find anything amusing about this. "Ready when you are."

            Pax turns to me, his emerald eyes dark pools in the sunlight. This close I see every glorious inch of him, from the tiny stubbles of black hair covering the lower part of his face to the rippling six pack decorating his stomach like a tattoo. I don't dare look any lower. My pulse skitters. I forget to breathe. Something hard and hot unfurls in my belly. Unable to tear my gaze from him I watch helpless as his mouth drifts closer, until he' so close his breath mingles with mine.

            "Ride me."

 

 

Excerpt copyright 2013 Mari Arden

 

 

Good Ground Book Blitz

Title:  Good Ground

Author:  Tracy Winegar

Genre:  Historical Romance

Publication Date:  July 30, 2013 by Omnific Publishing

Cover Reveal Organized By:  LiteratiAuthor Services, Inc.

 

 

Synopsis

Jim’s faith in God is tested by the death of his cherished wife and child. His life becomes barren, and he loses hope and the ability to continue.

But God plants in his heart the seeds of a new beginning and the will to go on through an orphan child. Jim nurtures this child with the same devotion that he invests in his land. The result is a son of whom any father would be proud. Jim’s gift continues through Ellis.

Ellis in turn cares passionately for his own farm, his friends, and eventually another lost soul. When he finds Clairey in the midst of a blizzard, he rescues her from her desperate life, and she grows into a capable a strong woman under his care. Jim’s legacy comes full circle.

All things grow in love. . .

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17668598-good-ground

 

 

Purchase Links

 

 

Good Ground is FREE on Amazon from 9/2 – 9/6.

Amazon | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Clairey, A Woman We Can All Appreciate

As a woman, I am bombarded by the message, on a daily basis, that I am not enough. It is particularly difficult when my worsts are compared to other women’s bests. We are living in an one up kind of culture, vying for positions, and attention, and recognition, and acceptance in our every day struggle to make a mark upon the world. It seems that no one can be comfortable in their own skin, because that skin doesn’t come with a designer label. And no one is comfortable with other people who are comfortable in their own skin because that makes them feel inferior as well.

We, as women, begin to lose sight of who we are and what our purpose is as a result of these messages we receive. More concerning still, are the trends towards morphing into something we are not in order to satisfy our society’s prerequisites for being desirable. Instead of coming to an understanding of who we are and what we are capable of, instead of finding love and acceptance for our inner voice, we do our best to squash it down, silence it, make it conform.

Worse still are the women who just throw their hands up and do their best to go in the exact opposite direction. They do things for their shock factor, as if to say You can’t make me.  I won’t comply. They do more and more to be increasingly salacious and to fight the powers that be until they lose themselves completely and self-destruct. To them rebellion is the answer.

These two extremes are both, in my estimation, very dangerous because they both foster contempt for individuality and integrity. They both take away person identity and the process of understanding one’s self based upon independent thinking and trial and error in order to find out for yourself who you really are. Yes, it is important to follow some of the rules society has established, otherwise we would live in anarchy, but it is just as important to establish a set of person rules based upon the dictates of conscious.

I really believe that the character Clairey is an ideal woman, in fact the most interesting character in the book Good Ground. I base this theory on the fact that you see tremendous growth in her throughout the novel. Here is a woman that has been told her whole life that she is nothing, that she is no body, that she will never be good enough. She is raised in poverty and deprivation, without many of the benefits that we ourselves take for granted. Yet, she had the ability to listen to her inner voice and discover who she is, and what she is capable of as she evolves into a whole person. Clairey is willing to put in the hours and work hard and sacrifice in order to get what she ultimately wants. She has the wisdom to change what needs to be changed and the strength to hold to what she treasures and sees as valuable in herself.

Of course she still has flaws, because that is also what being a woman is about, but she also understands that despite her shortcomings she deserves to be loved and cherished. In her mind there should be no substitutes. Clairey doesn’t need praise - she doesn’t need approval in order to be comfortable with who she is. She doesn’t approval in order to feel worthy. The thing that makes her stand out in a crowd is the fact that she remains true to who she really is. The real her is not flashy, or fantastic, or over the top. She is not great beauty when one looks at her physical appearance. Her beauty comes from a source within. She not only gives herself permission to just be who she is, she offers that same privilege to those around her. She is becoming, a work in progress. She is real. And that to me is one of the most attractive qualities that a person can possess.

 

Book Trailer and Author Interview

About the Author

 

“By day, a school librarian. By night, a wife and mother. But in those quiet moments that are only mine, I write…” Born and raised on the flatlands of Central Indiana, Tracy moved to the highlands of Utah at the age of nineteen. She quickly discovered that her brand new, top-of-the-line hiking boots were a waste of good money because she was never quite able to acclimate to the altitude in the Rockies. Tracy claims to suffer from a type of disorientation she attributes to altitude sickness to this day. It seems to be a permanent affliction. Her husband Benjamin cohabitates in a home with Tracy and the four beautiful but precocious children they lovingly created together. Although to others, their home may seem alarmingly chaotic, it is an insanity of their own making.

 

 

Social Media Links

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Grandma’s Southern Cooking

Breakfast was my favorite meal when visiting my grandma and grandpa’s farm. When I awoke in the mornings it was to the smell of bacon. Gathering at the table, we were met with quite the spread. She made biscuits and gravy (most of the time from bacon drippings), bacon, eggs, sometimes ham, and freshly sliced tomatoes, and made from scratch oatmeal. When I grow moody and anxious over some new stressor in my life, my husband brings me home biscuits and gravy from Cracker Barrel restaurant because they are the closest thing to hers (although hers were better) and it is comfort food to me.

She was an incredible cook and knew all of her recipes by heart and without the aid of measuring cups or spoons. This was a particularly bad thing for our family, because when we asked her to show us how she made something so that we could duplicate it, there were no recipes to share. Sadly much of her cooking went with her when she passed.

My Aunt Rosemary is quite an accomplished cook too. She has done her best to set a few recipes of Grandma’s to paper. When I undertook writing Good Ground I knew that adding details about the southern cuisine would be an integral part of the book, because it was such an integral part of their way of life. The reason Grandma was so good at cooking is because she was a nurturer and because it was an expression of her love for her husband and family. I wanted Clairey to have that same beautiful trait about her. Some of my foodie friends admitted that they enjoyed the references to her cooking as much as they took pleasure in the love story itself.

The following is a recipe for her corn bread as best my Aunt Rosemary can recall. Hope you enjoy it as I did when I was a child. Share it with someone you love!

Corn Bread:

1 cup Self rising flour

1 cup white corn meal

¼ cup shortening

Milk

Mix flour, meal, and shortening together until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add enough milk to make the batter the consistency of cake batter. Put a tablespoon of oil in bottom of pan and put it in 350 degree oven until pan is hot and oil spreads all over skillet. (Iron skillets are very nice with this recipe.) Remove pan and add batter. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until top is browned.

 

 

Giveaway ~ US Residents Only

 

 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tattoo Tuesday

Well since this week is all about ME, hehehe......What better way to kick off Tattoo Tuesday than with my own tattoos!!

 

This was my first tattoo and I got it in memory of my dad who passed away suddenly on January 31, 2013.  This is on my lower back.  At the age of 14, I came up with a tattoo design similar to this in my head, but I could never get anyone to draw it exactly how I wanted it.  So I kept putting it off because I could never settle on having something permanent on me that didn't look how I had envisioned and without meaning.  So when everything happened, in May, I decided this was exactly what I needed to do and I love it!!!  My tattoo artist got it exactly right and I couldn't be happy with my tribute to my daddy!!!

 

 

So since the 1st one didn't hurt and I absolutely adored it, I decided on tattoo # 2.  My sister and I got "True Love Never Dies" (Heart with infinity symbol) on our wrists.  This was my sister's 1st tattoo.  This one was a spur of the moment decision.  I actually bought a necklace with this symbol on it during the day and then that night, I went and got it tattooed on my wrist.  Again, I absolutely adore this one too!!

 

 

Now I have 4 more ideas in the making.  It is completely true when everyone says that tattoos are addicting.  My only problem is that I want to have my tattoos in spots that aren't always visible because of teaching and what nots.  So location, size, and money for my others is my current delay, but I'm working on it!!!

 

I'll post pictures of the others as I get them!!!

 

If you have an interesting tattoo, book related or not, share with me and I just might spotlight your masterpiece on my blog for Tattoo Tuesday!!!

 

 

Thanks for reading everyone.....Have a fantastic Tuesday!!!!  

 

Kat Scratched by D.T. Dyllin Double Reveal

 

Kat Scratch Fever

Series- Kat Scratched Trilogy #1

By- D.T. Dyllin

Genre- Adult Paranormal Romance

Expected Publication Date- October 1st,  2013

Cover Art: Lindsay Tiry ( LT Arts: http://lt-arts.weebly.com/ )

It’s tough being a cat in a dog eat dog world. Something that Katrina Walker learned

the hard way being a were-cat raised by a pack of werewolves. And after her taboo

love affair with the future Alpha is discovered, Kat has no choice but to leave the

only home and man she’s ever loved behind for good. Or so she thought…

Seven years later Kat is forced to return to pack lands and the man she left behind.

But Jason Benson has changed, and so has she. Will she find her way back into the

arms of her first love, or will James, the mysterious were-cat wriggle his way into

her heart?

 

Kat-Napped

Series- Kat Scratched Trilogy # 2

By- D.T. Dyllin

Genre- Adult Paranormal Romance

Expected Publication Date- October 1st, 2013

Cover Art: Lindsay Tiry ( LT Arts: http://lt-arts.weebly.com/ )

Blood is NOT thicker than water, or so Katrina Walker discovers when she finally

comes face to face with the family she never knew existed. Her life is suddenly more

complicated than she ever imagined possible.

Not to mention Kat is currently in love with two men…if you can even call them that.

One is a sexy werewolf and the other a smoldering were-cat. Throw her human ex boyfriend into the mix and Kat may use up all of her nine lives trying to figure out what’s truly worth fighting for.

 

 

About the Author-

Cynical-Optimist. Chocolate-holic. Sarcasm Addict. Paranormal Believer. Romance Junkie. Self-Imposed Insomniac. Animal Lover. Writer...are just a few words to describe D.T. Dyllin. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two very spoiled GSDs.

 

            

Meet an Author Monday...Introducing ME!!!

For Meet an Author Monday, I have decided that for today I will reintroduce myself to everyone since I really haven't posted anything about myself since last October.  A million things have changed since than.  Not a whole lot of good things, but I'm coping!!!

 

The Femur Bone of a YOUNG T-Rex....I'm only a little more than a head taller than it's thigh bone....OH MY!!!

 

 

So let's get started.....My name is Leah and I am 25 years old.  I am a college graduate with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and hold a PA certification to teach grades K-6.  I just recently left my Pre-K teaching position after two years at a local daycare for a ton of reasons, but my main reason was to find a teaching position in a school district.  I was really nervous to get back out into the subbing world, but also excited as well.  So far, everything is going pretty great and I'm really enjoying being with a variety of students at different age levels.  Now that I have a foot in the door, I'm hoping that new opportunities will present themselves to me!!

 

 

 

 

 

I am a self proclaimed Book Nerd and proud of it.  If you told me a year a ago that I would be a reading fanatic, I would have laughed in your face and walked away.  I use to hate reading because I would stumble over the simplest words and I really just didn't have the attention span to complete a book.  When I was in college, right before Twilight came out in theaters, I stared to read it to see what the hype was all about.  Needless to say, I enjoyed the series, but it took me four years to complete the series because I just couldn't and wouldn't find the time to sit and read.  After I finished the series, I never thought I would find another book that would ever get my attention.  But all that changed last July (2012) when a co-worker and really good friend of mine (Fellow Book Nerd) told me about The Fallen Star series by Jessica Sorensen (Yes, I adore Jessica and I talk about her a lot, get use to it, lol)  She convinced me to download The Fallen Star to the kindle app on my phone and since it was free, I figured why not, I have nothing to lose.  So I started reading it right away and I never was able to put it down.  I finished the book in about a week and I was shocked that I could actually do it.  I went out and bought my kindle to make sure I had somewhere to house the rest of this amazing series.  All 4 of the books were completed in a month and I felt extremely accomplished!!!  I knew I had found my new hobby, which has now become a part of my life!!!  I'm still nowhere near where most avid readers are with their completing 20 books a month, but I'm reading a lot more than I ever thought I could.  I have also met some amazing authors and bloggers that I'm happy to now call my friends!!

 

 

 

 

 

So besides reading, I love music.  I listen to just about anything.  It usually depends on my mood as to what I am listening to at the moment.  If anyone ever looked at my iTunes account, they would never be able to pin point a specific genre of music that I like over another.  I have eclectic taste and it keeps things interesting.  I also love to scrapbook.  I take tons of pictures and I like to document everything.  I love looking back over things and taking a walk down memory lane.  I also love movies.  I have a large DVD collection and now I have Netflix, so I'm always watching something new.  Finally, I love to shop.  I have to go shopping at least once a week.  I don't always have to buy something, but I just love walking around stores and looking at anything!!

 

 

 

 

I have a kitten named Ember (named after Jessica Sorensen's book, Ember)  She is a jet black kitty and I just adore her.  She will be turning 1 on the 16th and I can't imagine my life without her!!  She keeps me smiling and moving on when I feel like I can't anymore!!

 

I think that's pretty much all of me, lol and I appreciate if you have read this far!! 

 

 

Now, I'm going to do a Lighting Round of random questions:

 

1. Favorite color: Blue

2. Favorite food: Hot Wings

3. Favorite movie: The Sandlot

4. Favorite Sports Teams:  Yankees and Steelers

5. Favorite TV Show: Orange is the New Black

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about me and I hope you enjoyed this post.....Next Monday, I will be interviewing an author.....Can't wait to share!!! :)

 

 

 

 

Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day Book Nerds!!!

Revamping.....Time For Some Change!!!

It's SEPTEMBER.....Ahhhhhh, where has the time gone!!! 

Well I have come to the conclusion that I'm not so great at this blogging stuff because in 1 month, I will have been blogging for a year and I still only have 16 followers, Booooo!!!!

I have been participating in tours and author postings, but I am not where I'd like to be!!!  So I have decided that it's time for a change with my postings!!!

I will still be posting as a tour host from the different outlets that I currently work with, but I am also going to be doing my own posts and trying to build up my followers.

So starting today, I will have at least 1 post a day with promotions on Book Nerd 101 on Facebook (Please click and go like now so you won't miss any of the excitement that is going to be happening, Thanks)   There will also be an author and book of the week!!!

So here is what the schedule should look like for September and October or until I change it up again.....

Sexy SUNDAYS (Self explanatory....Pictures of pure sexiness)

Meet an author MONDAYS (I will be interviewing some of my favorite authors right here on Book Nerd 101.....You don't want to miss this)

Tattoo TUESDAYS (Pictures of book related or just awesome tattoos.....if you have a tattoo you'd like to share with meaning, please feel free to contact me about it)

Watch out WEDNESDAYS (Book Spotlight from Author of the week that may include an extra surprise or two)

Turn it up THURSDAYS (Songs that are just awesome - maybe its a song that I heard that reminds me of a book or a certain character or maybe its just a song I adore at the moment)

Favorite things FRIDAYS (I will just rant about whatever is my favorite anything at that exact moment)

Sum it up SATURDAYS (Recap of the week all in a nutshell)




So let's start off this month with a bang......Welcome to

SEXY SUNDAYS

 

 

 

 

 Yes, I love Elvis

Well thank you for listening to my rant!!!  I'm hoping for a really great turn out and a lot of new followers.....That way I can start doing giveaways where people will actually enter, lol