Saturday, March 23, 2013

**Shiloh's Wreck of a Blog Tour**

A Wreck of A Blog Tour

Shiloh’s WRECK OF A BLOG TOUR!
Enter to win a date with Shiloh Walker** (drinks at RT 2013 or Lori Foster/Duffy Brown RAGT)

She’s out to wreck her life…he’s out to remake it…check out Shiloh Walker’s WRECKED.
Excerpt
“What in the hell just happened?”
Zach’s lips touched the back of her neck. “Well, I’m no expert, but I think you kissed me,” he said, his voice teasing. “And I’m pretty sure we both enjoyed it. But maybe we should try again.”
And then she found herself on her back, staring up into a pair of dark blue eyes that she knew very, very well. They’d always seemed to glint with mischief, or trouble . . . but she’d never realized just how much they glinted with that kind of trouble.
Not until now.
As his mouth came down on hers again, Abby barely had time to catch her breath. Then she was wondering why she’d even bothered. He stole the oxygen right out of her with his kiss. His tongue stroked along hers, moving into her mouth with an easy assurance that belied his words.
I’m no expert.
Oh, yes. Yes, he was…

A WRECKED OF A BLOG TOUR mini interview
Q: Do you have a tattoo?
A: Yep…it’s a feather quill on the back of my right shoulder.  Quills…writers.  Made sense to me.
Q: How do you feel about friends to lovers romances?
A: I’m very partial to them…I married a guy I’d been mostly friends with all my life (I say mostly because I’d had a crush on him since I was 11.)
Q: Have you ever used the WRECK THIS JOURNAL thing?
A: I bought one…it inspired the idea behind WRECKED.
Q: Do you journal?  
A: I played with the WRECK journal, and still have it sitting on my shelf.  Did a few ideas inside it while I was writing the book, but I’m not much of a journaler.  I do most of my writing in my books and my blog.
Q: Are you more like Zach (just let life happen) or Abby (try to plan things out)?
A: Mostly Zach…I let life happen, but I do tend to try and control stuff.  I can’t plan worth crap, though and organization evades me.  That would drive Abby nuts.
Answer the Qs and play along!  Win a date with me & my laptop…or a copy of WRECK THIS JOURNAL.

Apparently the Rafflecopter code isn't working. So to enter this contest, click this link, which will take you to Shiloh's website where you can obey the Rafflecopter. Sorry for the inconvenience, y'all! :)


**The Fine Print**
**I’ll buy you a drink ~I can’t buy you alcohol if you’re under 21, though~ we’ll sit there and chat and while we drink, you can have ten minutes to poke around on my laptop (FYI, you won’t have access to all my books…but the winner gets a sneak peak at coming soon projects…ten minutes, max, and there will be no pictures, no copying, etc…)
If the winner isn’t able to attend either function, I’ll send you a GC for the cost of two drinks (approximate value is probably about $30 ~going by RT drink prices ~to BN or Amazon).

Friday, March 22, 2013

**Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Strict Machine ~ Justus Roux**

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Happy Friday y'all! I'm a stop on the blog tour for Justus Roux's Strict Machine, presented by Author's Angels. Today, I have my review of the book, my interview with Justus, and TWO giveaways for you! 

I hope y'all enjoy! :)






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Salome was tricked by the man she loved most in this world. Lucian said he was her Master and that he loved her. Yet, he abandoned her here with these strange men.  Her life quickly became a living hell. One in which she thought she never escape until a man named Master Darius saved her from these slavers.  He was going to hunt down Lucian and she wanted to be there when he caught him.

Darius wasn’t too happy when Salome wanted to be his submissive after he saved her from those slavers.  He couldn’t refuse Xanthos’ request to train Salome. They had to keep her from running back to Lucian. Darius knew Salome wouldn’t fit into his home, his submissives were trained to break up slave rings and she was nowhere near tough enough to do this. He figured he would keep her until he caught Lucian then he would send her to Master Drake. She would certainly fit in with Drake’s pampered pets.

Salome finds herself falling in love with Master Darius despite the fact that he comes across to everyone as a strict machine. She knows underneath his frigid façade there is a Master beyond all others. But will she have the strength to uncover it, especially after what Lucian has put her through.


Image and video hosting by TinyPic

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My Interview with Justus:

BB: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

J: I have been married for this side of forever to a wonderful man who gets me. I have three children, the youngest is about to graduate from High school. I have been writing pretty much my whole life. I love writing and plan to keep on it doing for quite some time.

BB: What do you do when you're not writing?

J: I have a really long list of things I like to do, music, movies, traveling, reading etc.  I’m always trying new things.  I love spending time with my family.

BB: Why did you choose to write erotica?

J: It just happened that way. But I love the freedom of it. I don’t have to censor what I write and I can just let the words flow out the way they want.

BB: Is there anything in your book that is based on personal experience or is it all imagination?

J: It’s mostly imagination, though I do throw in personal experiences too.

BB: What was your favorite part or character in Strict Machine to write?

J: I love the character Master Darius. When he lets down his defenses and allows Salome into his heart…oh, I love that part. 

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My Review
In Strict Machine, we meet many characters and witness much action. We are introduced to a BDSM community and get to see some of the inner workings of it. There is also the suspense of whether or not the bad guys will pay for their crimes. But broken down, Strict Machine is a story about two damaged people figuring out how to love. 

Salome, although rescued from the hell she was suffering after being sold by slave traders, proves to be a strong spirit. She comes to live with Master Darius after he saves her. While there, she learns to live in a household within a BDSM community, and falls in love with her Master.

Master Darius, for his own reasons, lives within the BDSM community and uses it as a base of sorts from which he runs missions to save people sold into sexual slavery. He uses his position to train other masters and their submissives. His main goal is to find Lucian, the man who has sold many souls into slavery, including Salome. He doesn't believe he can have love or a family due to his lifestyle. But Salome disturbs his strictly controlled life.

Strict Machine is a quick read...it's only ~95 pages. I think that if it had been longer, I would have felt more satisfied because I could have learned more about all the characters introduced and the story could have been more fleshed out. Although Master Darius and Salome agree to a relationship of sorts at the end, I was disappointed. Also, I felt the writing was a bit stilted at times, and found some editing issues as well. Despite these distractions, I did like the story.



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GIVEAWAYS:
Justus is giving away a grand prize of a $100 Amazon Gift Card from all the different tour stops. Winner will be selected by Rafflecopter. 

Individual tour stop prize is one autographed print book. To enter, leave me a comment about this post. I will choose the winner randomly. This part of the giveaway is open to US only.



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Check out the other stops on the tour!

3/11/2013

3/12/2013

3/13/2013

3/14/2013

3/15/2013

3/18/2013

3/19/2013

3/20/2013

3/21/2013

3/22/2013

* Feature & Follow #18**


Welcome to the Blog Hop! And check out the amazing new button! :)

Feature & Follow is a weekly blog hop hosted by the talented ladies behind AlisonCanRead and Parajunkee's View. The intent of this blog hop is to get out there and meet other bloggers and gain new followers yourself. What sets this blog hop apart is the Feature. Each week, two blogs are featured, one at AlisonCanRead and one at Parajunkee's View. So make sure to hop over to those blogs to check out this week's Features.



This week's Features are:
Cherie Reads
Shiloh Walker

Today's question is: What is your guilty pleasure, as far as reading? Is it a genre, or a certain type of book?

My answer is: I think all reading should be pleasurable! Why read if it isn't?!? However, I think my guiltiest pleasure while reading is reading YA, NA or a new book from one of my favorite authors. :)

What about y'all?




Thursday, March 21, 2013

**Fangirling Over J.A. Huss ~ Day 2**

Welcome to Day 2 of my Fangirling Over J.A. Huss Days event. Today you can read my review of Fledge, book 2 in the I Am Just Junco series. Don't forget that next Wednesday and Thursday I'll be posting my reviews of the next books in this series as well as having a giveaway!

Now, on to the fangirling...


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Fledge (I Am Just Junco, #2)Title: Fledge
Series: I Am Just Junco #2
Author: J.A. Huss

Synopsis from GoodReads:
Well-trained soldier or genetically engineered monster? 

Junco Coot can’t even remember her trip off Earth; she was too busy being morphed into her new avian body. But reality hits her hard when she wakes up to find her new life is not what she expected. Not even close. 

Tier is on trial for treason, the avian president wants her dead, her new military team is hostile, her body is being taken over by an illicit AI, and her only friend is a ten-year old throwaway boy.

In most places the avian Fledge ritual would be nothing more than mass murder, but here in the capital city of Amelia, it’s called growing up. Junco has two choices: fight to the death to prove her worth, or get sent back to Earth in the hands of her enemies.

In a foreign culture and surrounded by people she can’t trust or count on, Junco must find a way to save herself and Tier without losing her immortal soul in the process.

CONTENT WARNING - Just like CLUTCH, Book Two has lots of bad language and extreme violence. You've been warned. This series is NOT YOUNG ADULT.


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Me, while reading today (March 18th)...**checks time** "okay, it's 11:30...I'll read just a bit more and then I'll stop for lunch"... **checks time again** "oh great! It's 1:45!!??! Well, no lunch for me - have to pick up kids now!"    And I don't have Lucan's special transportation talent as an excuse for losing time! I just got lost in Junco! :)

Holy s#it! The action and suspense just got dialed up a few notches in this second installment! Junco is now fully morphed and fully immersed in the avian world. However, Tier is imprisoned and on trial for his transgressions so Junco doesn't have him for guidance. She is an official member of the Aves 039 - Tier's team but she must still prove herself worthy. And to do so, she must pass all the tests presented in the Fledge.

This portion of Junco's story deals mostly with her Fledge and finding her way in her new home. I love that Ms. Huss is once again building a brand new world for me. It's incredible the detail of the avian habitat - and I was equally absorbed in this next chapter of Junco's tale.

Tier isn't as physically present in this book although he's always there. We meet an entirely new cast of characters including all of Tier's teammates as well as the President of the avians, Lucan. And we also meet Junco's fellow fledges...a motley crew of avians who must succeed or die. The fledge process is extremely violent, and Ms. Huss' detail made reading about it visceral. 

Junco is, of course, challenged in every possible way - AGAIN. And, again, she rises to meet every challenge in her quest to prove herself AND save Tier. Trust is a huge issue for Junco - who can she trust?

I found this second book just as engrossing as the first. I'm still amazed at how immersed in Junco's story I find myself and it's all due to Ms. Huss' storytelling ability! There are new developments in Junco's journey, new twists and mysteries, and new thrills, shocks and heartbreaks. I am all the more impressed with Junco's resiliency and strength. Even though we meet many characters in this book, I feel this is mostly about Junco's growth and maturity along her path towards fulfillment. And I cannot wait to see what comes next!

**Cover Reveal ~ Precious Things ~ Stephanie Parent**




Precious Things
Release Date: May 2013
Cover Deisgned by: Allie
Brennan of B Design
 
Cover reveal organized by: YA Bound

Summary from Goodreads:
Isabelle Andrews isn’t supposed to be here. She isn’t supposed to be a freshman at Hartford Community College, she isn't supposed to be living at home and working at her dad’s failing bakery, and she definitely isn’t supposed to be taking Intro to Electronic Music Production, a class that will get her nowhere toward her goal of an English Ph.D. by age twenty-five.
But when her dad’s latest business fiasco eats up her college fund, Hartford
Community College is exactly where Isabelle finds herself—and thanks to her
late enrollment, she doesn’t even get to choose her classes. Stuck with
Electronic Music and way-too-easy English courses, Isabelle is determined to
wallow in all the misery she feels entitled to.

But community college brings some unexpected benefits…like the fact that a
certain overworked, over-scheduled Electronic Music professor hands over most
of his duties to his teaching assistant. His tall, green-eyed, absolutely
gorgeous teaching assistant. When TA Evan Strauss discovers Isabelle’s apathy
toward electronic music—and, well, all music—he makes it his mission to convert
her. The music Evan composes stirs something inside Isabelle, but she can’t get
involved—after all, she’ll be transferring out as soon as possible. 

Still, no matter how tightly Isabelle holds on to her misery, she finds it slipping away 
in the wake of all Hartford Community offers: new friendships, a
surprisingly cool poetry professor, and most of all, Evan. But Evan’s dream of
owning his own music studio is as impractical as Isabelle’s dad’s bakery, and
when Evan makes a terrible decision, everything Isabelle has gained threatens
to unravel. Soon Isabelle discovers that some of the most important lessons
take place outside the classroom…and that in life, as in Evan’s favorite
Depeche Mode song, the most precious things can be the hardest to hold on to.





About the Author

Stephanie Parent is a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at
USC and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a piano major. She moved
to Los Angeles because of Francesca Lia Block's WEETZIE BAT books, which might
give you some idea of how much books mean to her. She also loves dogs, books
about dogs, and sugary coffee drinks both hot and cold.


Follow Stephanie at:

Blog
| Twitter|Goodreads  

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

**Fangirling Over J.A. Huss Days**

Hey y'all! As you know from my Good, Bad & Ugly last week, I've been having a J.A. Huss reading fest. I'm not quite finished with the fourth book in the series, Range, which releases on April 1st, but I CANNOT express how very much I LOVE these books and these characters!! Since I'm the "boss" around here, I decided to host my own Fangirling Over J.A. Huss Days!! ;) Today and tomorrow, I'll be posting my reviews of the first two books in the series, Clutch and Fledge. Then next Wednesday and Thursday, I'll post my reviews of books 3, 4, and 4.5, Flight, Range, and Magpie Bridge. AND because I'm now forever a fan of Ms. Huss and I think y'all should be too ;) I'm going to be having a giveaway. So don't miss out on that!

Okay - let the fangirling begin!!


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Clutch (I Am Just Junco, #1)Title: Clutch
Series: I Am Just Junco
Author: J.A. Huss

Synopsis from GoodReads:
How long can you lie to yourself before it all comes apart?

In 2152 the avian race is on Earth looking for something stolen from them decades ago – their genetics. At the center of the search lies the Rural Republic; a small backwards farming country with high hopes of military domination and a penchant for illegal bioengineering.

19 year old Junco Coot is the daughter of the Rural Republic’s ranking commander. She’s the most foul-mouthed, wildly unpredictable and ruthless sniper the Rural Republic has ever trained. But when her father’s death sparks a trip into forbidden places, she triggers events that will change everything she knows to be true.

As an elite avian military officer, Tier’s mission is to destroy the bioengineering projects, kill Commander Coot’s daughter, and return home immediately. There’s just one problem. Junco isn’t who she claims to be.

With no one to trust, not even herself, Junco must confront the secrets of her past and accept her place in the future, or risk losing herself completely.

CONTENT WARNING The I Am Just Junco series is NOT YOUNG ADULT. This series contains foul language and graphic violence.


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I had a feeling about this book...a good one. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed! Reading Clutch, I was reading something a little outside my norm BUT the world building and original concepts and mythology that went into this book are incredible! Also, the action, mystery and keep me on the edge of my seat suspense are fantastic. To say that I never saw "that" coming would be an understatement. As would "I love this freaking book!"

Junco is such a unique character...unlike any I've ever met, I think. There's lots of mystery surrounding her throughout the book and the answers are revealed to us in small bits. The END - OMG! Anyway, the entire time I was rooting for Junco, hoping she'd recover her memories, make the right choices. And through it all, I couldn't help but admire her resiliency. She can seemingly handle anything, whether it be a plasma fun blast, a nightdog attack, or finding out the people you thought were your friends are your enemies and the people you thought were your enemies are your friends. She is one kick-ass heroine! She may be a bit bent but she's not broken. She is just Junco...and unapologetic about it!

Tier, the avian who seems to show up at just the right moments to help her out of jams, is a very intriguing character. Junco doesn't know if she should trust him or not but seems to instinctively give him her trust anyway. The secrets and doubts surrounding his role in Junco's present and future had me second guessing myself a lot. But the heat between these two - great tension and heat! Loved it! 

Then there's Aren, who Junco has known for most of her life. He's had her trust forever - even if he seemingly abandoned her. Once again, I found myself wondering if I (and Junco) should trust him and his knowledge of the events currently hounding Junco.

I LOVED the writing in this book! Like I said, the world building and mythology incorporated in the story are amazing. It's set in the future - a future where the world as we know it doesn't exist. And this avian species whose origins are intermingled with humans and a prophecy about those origins have humans and avians alike in it's grip.

Clutch is also gritty and raw in it's portrayal of deceit and backhandedness within the military and political worlds. And the science in the fiction - ah, well done! The descriptions of genetic altering/mutating and all the futuristic gadgets is impressive!

I don't want to say so much that I ruin the experience of reading Clutch. I will reiterate how fantastic I think it is! I had a hard time putting it down. J.A. Huss has a forever fan in me! :)


Tuesday, March 19, 2013

**Spotlight & Giveaway ~ Surrender Your Love ~ J.C. Reed**

It is my absolute pleasure to spotlight Surrender Your Love, by J.C. Reed. I added this book to my TBR as soon as I saw the cover and read the synopsis for it. I'm definitely a fan of New Adult Romance of late and this one really piqued my curiosity! (Be on the lookout for my review) I hope you find it equally intriguing...don't forget to enter the giveaway! :)


Surrender Your Love
Release date: March 15th, 2013

Meeting Jett was like lightning. Dangerous. Better left untouched. And better forgotten. But lightning always strikes twice.

Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, doesn’t do relationships. When she’s sent to a remote estate to finalize a real estate deal, she discovers her new boss is no other than the guy she left naked in bed.

Sexy, dangerously handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield attracts trouble, and women, like a lightning rod. But the night he meets Brooke he gets more than he bargained for. The green-eyed millionaire playboy isn’t used to taking no for an answer, and he isn’t about to start now.

When he proposes two months of no strings sex, Brooke is intrigued and accepts his proposal. Little does she know Jett’s determined to claim the one woman he can’t have, pulling her deeper into his dangerous world.

A man who doesn't take 'no' for an answer.
A woman afraid to surrender to love.
Two lives that are about to cross...and secrets laid bare.

Author links:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Reed/295864860535849

J.C. is generously offering a giveaway for a $50 Amazon gift card and ONE e-copy of Surrender Your Love. To enter, just obey the Rafflecopter.

Monday, March 18, 2013

**Book Blitz & Giveaway ~ Picture Perfect ~ Camille Dixon**



I'm very pleased to be participating in the book blitz for Camille Dixon's debut novel, Picture Perfect. In this post, I have an excerpt from the book, as well as an interview with Camille! 

This book sounds fantastic and I am looking forward to getting my hands on it! :) One of you, my fellow bookworms, will get your hands on a digital copy of Picture Perfect. Just leave a comment telling me your favorite part of the excerpt or interview. Now, here's the lowdown on Picture Perfect



Picture Perfect by Camille Dixon
Publication date: March 26th, 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:
On the outside, Devin Thompson looks like he has it all - charm, good looks, and a scholarship every art major at Sanhope would kill for. But on the inside, he’s dying. His family is falling apart, his grades are dropping, and his girlfriend just dumped him for his hockey team rival, who also happens to be his younger brother. Not to mention he hasn’t been able to snap a decent picture for his senior portfolio in weeks. But when a sultry redhead with fire burning in her eyes struts across his path, he thinks he may have finally found his muse…

Angela “Angel” Davis learned early on that life never offers any hand-outs. And she’s getting burned out. Between juggling her nights as an exotic dancer at a men’s private club and struggling to keep up with her elementary education courses during the day, she barely has time to think of the future. Not that she wants to. The future implies planning, and Angel is no stranger to broken dreams. Then she meets Devin, a man who’s so wrong for her, yet she can’t seem to stay away from.

When Devin offers to take her on as his private model, Angel finds the cash hard to refuse. Each has something the other desperately needs, and neither one is willing to walk away. As their professional relationship spirals out of control into something more, they learn sometimes the wrong person can be the only right person, and that life - and people - are rarely picture perfect.


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EXCERPT
I looked back at Erik, who seemed totally clueless. Glancing at my watch for the umpteenth time, I polished off my Jack-and-Coke, nearly gagging at the watered-down coke, and started to
get up. “I’m going to find a restroom.”
“Wait!” Erik frantically motioned for me to sit. “You haven’t seen the best part.”
“Oh, I think I have,” I grumbled, pushing up out of my seat anyway when the music abruptly died and the lights dimmed to barely nothing. Cursing, I hesitated, unable to see much until my eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness. A smoky blue light was growing beneath the curtain, at the center of the stage, illuminating the silhouette of yet another girl. Tired of the same old shit, I was about to turn my back in search of a bathroom when the first strands of a classic jazz tune came through the speakers, a welcome contrast to the mindless drone of the past half hour that left my ears ringing. 
As the vocals began, the light intensified, revealing a woman with naturally colored skin and long curling hair that looked like fire. The dark auburn hue was brought out by the complimentary green of the stage lights - probably on purpose, I noted to my inner artist’s satisfaction - and when the girl turned to look at the audience, I froze where I was, halfway risen from my seat.
Where was all the overdone makeup? She had cosmetics on, but it was natural-looking, enhancing her features and her fiery beauty rather than detracting from it. She was elegant and beautiful, in an old Hollywood pinup girl kind of way, just like Marilyn Monroe. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I didn’t want to.
Erik grinned as I plopped back down in my seat, a little stunned. “Worth the wait, huh?” Erik yelled.
“Who is she?”
“They always save her for last. She’s a house favorite. Her stage name is Angel."
Angel. It sounded too sweet for the sultry goddess lighting up the whole stage - hell, the whole room - with her sensual moves that while conservative, seemed twice as erotic as what the girls who had come before her had done. They were smoother, like what you’d see when watching a trained dancer, like a ballerina or a ballroom dancer. I’d expected a name like Venus or Hera or something worthy of this goddess’s undeniable power over men.

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INTERVIEW WITH CAMILLE DIXON
1. How long have you been writing? 

I've been writing my whole life, but I've been actively writing for the past three years. (Yes, I had my fair share of fan fiction days when I was in grade school.)

2. Have you always wanted to be a writer? 

I’ve always loved to write, but for some reason I never considered writing as a profession until later in my life. I think it comes to you when you’re ready for it.

3. Tell us about your book. 

Picture Perfect is a sweet and spicy new adult romance about these people with damaged pasts – and hearts – who find redemption through their love.

4. How did you come up with the idea for Picture Perfect

Like most of my ideas, it just kind of hit me one day. I knew I wanted a story about a dancer and a photographer, and I knew what Angel would look like. Then it was just a matter of figuring out the rest and letting it come to me. 

5. Will Picture Perfect have a sequel, or will other characters get a book? 

No, it’s a stand alone story. There isn’t enough conflict in the background characters’ lives to drive future stories, and I have other books I want to focus on.

6. What’s your favorite love story? 

Hard to say! I’m a big fan of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. I also love the film Ever After with Drew Barrymore.

7. Do you think you’ll ever pursue traditional publishing? 

Yes! I want to be a hybrid author, and I make no secret of it. While I like having total creative control, it can also be draining. I wouldn’t mind if someone else did some of the work.

7. Are you writing any other books at the moment? 

I’m outlining a new adult series called New Haven Hope that I hope to start releasing by the end of the year. It’ll have a similar vibe to Picture Perfect.

8. What other genres do you write? 

Currently, I write high fantasy, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance under other pen names. I’m also interested in horror, erotica, and sci-fi. I’d like to eventually try them all, just to see what I can learn from them.

9. What do you like to do for fun? 

Aside from reading, I like to play around in Photoshop and draw. I also enjoy watching movies and hanging out with my husband.

10. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? 

Read a lot and write a lot. Read outside of your genre and read as many books inside your genre as you can. Look at the New York
Times and USA Today Bestsellers Lists. Those books got on there for a reason. Read as many creditable "how-to" books as you can, critique others' works, and have your own critiqued. Don't half-ass it. Put everything you have into it.

Thank you for having me!


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AUTHOR BIO
I'm a Southern girl who's spent the last few years freezing my toosh off up north. Except for the snow, things are pretty good. I love sunshine, sweet tea, and romances that touch my heart. A lifelong romantic, I found my own prince charming at an online dating site. Six months later, he asked me to marry him. Picture Perfect is my debut novel.

Author Links:
Camille's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter