Today I welcom Kim Baccellia, the author of Crossed Out and Earrings of Ixtumea!!!

Thanks Jan for having me on your blog for The Summer Teen Reading party! 

KIM'S GOODIES:

Kim is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card AND an awesome Swag Bag!!! Swag bag includes a free ebook of your choice, bookmarks, tatoos, a $15 iTunes gift card and a signed copy of one of her books!!! A comment on her blog = 1 entry and a retweet on Twitter or post on Facebook = 2 entries!!! Winners to be selected on June 1 by random drawing.

And for the rest of this month the ebook of  EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA is only $1.99!  What a deal!  And if you haven’t read my YA paranormal yet, CROSSED OUT, it’s also being offered at a discounted rate too!

I’ve always loved reading especially in high school.  My favorite place of all time was the Martin Luther King library that was on the way home from school.  I felt safe within the stacks. 

I talk about how the library was my salvation in a DearTeenMe letter: http://dearteenme.com/2012/03/19/dear-teen-me-from-author-kim-baccellia-earrings-of-ixtumea-crossed-out/

About Kim:

Kim Baccellia was a bilingual teacher in Los Angeles County for eight years and during that time she didn’t find many books for Latinas that were upbeat or dealt with their heritage.  During the time she wrote this novel, she was learning about her own Mexican heritage and decided to write a novel that was set in a Mesoamerican world.

Her book EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA deals with another topic dear to her heart: Her Mexican heritage.

Kim has also written Crossed Out, a YA paranormal and her YA fantasy No Goddesses Allowed has a tentative release date of Fall 2012.

A current member of SCBWI and YALITCHAT, Kim is currently writing the sequel to Crossed Out and a YA multicultural Sci-Fi.  She lives in Southern California with her husband and son.

Website: www.kim-baccellia.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/kbaccellia

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/ixtumea

About Crossed Out:

Today I welcome Christine Verstraete, author of the kid's mystery, Searching for a Starry Night, and the nonfiction book, In Miniature Style II.

Thanks Jan for hosting me!

About the books:

In Searching for a Starry Night, Samantha Ann Carlton would rather spend her summer vacation anywhere but a spooky old house in Wisconsin…like Lake Geneva! Somehow Sam knows it's going to take more than a few days to find a missing painting no bigger than her hand.

Maybe things won't be so bad, she thinks, since she gets to take a friend's lovable but mischievous Dachshund, Petey, and her best friend Lita. If they're lucky, the three of them can find the miniature replica of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" and help Sam's mother get it to the museum where it belongs. It's not going to be easy, Sam realizes, when she discovers her own family has some spooky secrets. Then Petey digs up an ancient curse, and Sam fears her friendship with Lita is doomed...

Will they find the miniature masterpiece in time? Will Sam and Lita go home friends -- or enemies?

BUY: KINDLE (#1 Kindle Minis Ebk) - Print - B&N - Smartphone, Tablet, Ereader - Sony Reader      *VIDEO*         Read Chap 1

In Miniature Style II has dozens of stunning photos, over 40 how-to projects, and profiles of talented miniaturists and their work. Updated features, new photos & dozens of new how-to's including half-scale and miniature doll projects by IGMA artisans and other skilled miniaturists.

Besides my other books, I also have a new project I wanted to share: I love dogs and try to include them in a lot of my work. There's Petey the Dachshund in Searching for a Starry Night, there's a German Shepherd in my YA zombie book which I'm sending around, and yes, there are even dogs (near 100!) in my miniature house shown in my miniatures book, In Miniature Style II. (You can see the miniature dog project on my website.)

In my latest story, "Perfect Timing," a rescued pup helps cafe owner Gina Mason find love and thwart

Today I welcome Christine Verstraete, author of the kid's mystery, Searching for a Starry Night, and the nonfiction book, In Miniature Style II.

Thanks Jan for hosting me!

About the books:

In Searching for a Starry Night, Samantha Ann Carlton would rather spend her summer vacation anywhere but a spooky old house in Wisconsin…like Lake Geneva! Somehow Sam knows it's going to take more than a few days to find a missing painting no bigger than her hand.

Maybe things won't be so bad, she thinks, since she gets to take a friend's lovable but mischievous Dachshund, Petey, and her best friend Lita. If they're lucky, the three of them can find the miniature replica of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" and help Sam's mother get it to the museum where it belongs. It's not going to be easy, Sam realizes, when she discovers her own family has some spooky secrets. Then Petey digs up an ancient curse, and Sam fears her friendship with Lita is doomed...

Will they find the miniature masterpiece in time? Will Sam and Lita go home friends -- or enemies?

BUY: KINDLE (#1 Kindle Minis Ebk) - Print - B&N - Smartphone, Tablet, Ereader - Sony Reader      *VIDEO*         Read Chap 1

In Miniature Style II has dozens of stunning photos, over 40 how-to projects, and profiles of talented miniaturists and their work. Updated features, new photos & dozens of new how-to's including half-scale and miniature doll projects by IGMA artisans and other skilled miniaturists.

Besides my other books, I also have a new project I wanted to share: I love dogs and try to include them in a lot of my work. There's Petey the Dachshund in Searching for a Starry Night, there's a German Shepherd in my YA zombie book which I'm sending around, and yes, there are even dogs (near 100!) in my miniature house shown in my miniatures book, In Miniature Style II. (You can see the miniature dog project on my website.)

In my latest story, "Perfect Timing," a rescued pup helps cafe owner Gina Mason find love and thwart a would-be robber. It will be in the anthology, The Corner Cafe: A Tasty Collection of Short Stories, which should be coming out any day now (officially June 1) on Kindle. Links will be on my website and blog, Candid Canine.

The anthology, The Corner Cafe: A Tasty Collection of Short Stories, edited by Dani Greer and Helen Ginger, supervised by Bob Sanchez and cover by Sherry Wachter, features stories somehow involving the corner cafe. Authors besides myself include: Marian Allen, Shonell Bacon, Karen Casey Fitzjerrell, W.S. Gager, Helen Ginger, Dani Greer, S..B. Lerner, Audrey Lintner, Morgan Mandel, Maryann Miller, Bodie Parkhurst, Bob Sanchez, Mary Montague Sikes and Red Tash.

Find Christine at the following places:

http://www.cverstraete.com

https://www.facebook.com/christine.verstraete

MSII Print: http://tinyurl.com/4ockdh2

Blog: http://candidcanine.blogspot.com

Today I welcome H.M. Prevost to the party!!! She is the author of Desert Fire! It is on sale for the month of May for only $1.99!!! What a deal!!!  Even better? You could win it for free!!! Check it...

Nick stared at the mini-CD. It gleamed under the streetlights. Only the dying American pilot could have slipped it into his pocket. . . .

After running to the scene of a plane crash in Abu Dhabi, Nick Chevalier stumbles across classified military secrets. And an unknown terrorist will stop at nothing to get them. As Nick investigates the cover-up behind the downed plane, he crosses paths with an agent from a covert espionage agency and makes the leap from high school senior to teen spy. But he realizes too late that he put more than his own life at risk—his mother and sister are also in danger. Does he have what it takes to outwit a terrorist who wants him dead and save the two people he loves?

To enter for a chance to win a copy of Desert Fire, leave a comment below, or, if you are unable to leave a comment, email it to Jan at jfis6 (at) allstate ~dot~ com.

Today I welcome H.M. Prevost to the party!!! She is the author of Desert Fire! It is on sale for the month of May for only $1.99!!! What a deal!!!  Even better? You could win it for free!!! Check it...

Nick stared at the mini-CD. It gleamed under the streetlights. Only the dying American pilot could have slipped it into his pocket. . . .

After running to the scene of a plane crash in Abu Dhabi, Nick Chevalier stumbles across classified military secrets. And an unknown terrorist will stop at nothing to get them. As Nick investigates the cover-up behind the downed plane, he crosses paths with an agent from a covert espionage agency and makes the leap from high school senior to teen spy. But he realizes too late that he put more than his own life at risk—his mother and sister are also in danger. Does he have what it takes to outwit a terrorist who wants him dead and save the two people he loves?

To enter for a chance to win a copy of Desert Fire, leave a comment below, or, if you are unable to leave a comment, email it to Jan at jfis6 (at) allstate ~dot~ com.

Today I welcome the talented Penny Estelle!!!! Take it away!!!

Good morning Jan and thanks for letting me stop by for a chat today.  First let me say this Summer Teen Reading Party has been a blast all month.  I have met so many great folks, both authors and reading fans!  From all the activity I’ve been seeing, teens and adults are going to have plenty of reading material for the entire summer

Now let me set the stage before I tell my little story.  I was visiting my daughter in Utah, last summer and my ten-year old grandson was playing with some of his friends.  Somehow, the subject of William Tell came up and not one of these boys had any idea who William Tell was.

Okay, okay…I’m getting to the point.  This is how my series, The Wickware Sagas, started.  It seems so much of our history is getting lost, especially when it comes to historical legends. 

Miss Wickware is a history teacher for 7^th and 8^th grades students at Langdon Middle School in Phoenix, AZ.  Rumor has it that strange things happened in her class.  Is she a witch?  Is she from another planet?  Nobody can, or will, talk too much about what has happened.  Yea…probably just rumors…or are they? 

Every year, she gives an assignment for an oral book report.  Each student will draw a name from a box and then give an oral report on whom they have chosen and somehow, one of these students ends up face to face with their drawn subject.  How does this happen?

Billy Cooper’s Awesome Nightmare is the first of the Wickware Sagas Series. 

Billy Cooper is so annoyed about this oral report.  Old Lady Wickware drops this bomb on a Friday afternoon and it’s due on Monday.  Well he has plans for the whole weekend and simply doesn’t have time to do a report.  He figures he will do a quick computer search on Sunday night on this William Tell guy, whoever that is, and then he will just skate by on this assignment.  All that changes when he finds himself in the 14^th century and standing in front of William Tell’s house.

Billy Cooper’s Awesome Nightmare will be out in June! You will be able to buy it HERE! 

Other than a non-fiction story I have out on my own adventure with solar,  Solar – One Family’s Reality, my stories are all for the MG/tween age groups.

Hike Up Devil’s Mountain is a story about three boys who find their way into the basement of an old abandoned house.  One of the boys, the school bully, tries to take on a little bit of magic, and of course, he loses.  Their only hope lives on top of Devil’s Mountain.  The question is, will they survive the hike?

Solstice Publishing  

Amazon

Smash words

Today I welcome the talented Penny Estelle!!!! Take it away!!!

Good morning Jan and thanks for letting me stop by for a chat today.  First let me say this Summer Teen Reading Party has been a blast all month.  I have met so many great folks, both authors and reading fans!  From all the activity I’ve been seeing, teens and adults are going to have plenty of reading material for the entire summer

Now let me set the stage before I tell my little story.  I was visiting my daughter in Utah, last summer and my ten-year old grandson was playing with some of his friends.  Somehow, the subject of William Tell came up and not one of these boys had any idea who William Tell was.

Okay, okay…I’m getting to the point.  This is how my series, The Wickware Sagas, started.  It seems so much of our history is getting lost, especially when it comes to historical legends. 

Miss Wickware is a history teacher for 7^th and 8^th grades students at Langdon Middle School in Phoenix, AZ.  Rumor has it that strange things happened in her class.  Is she a witch?  Is she from another planet?  Nobody can, or will, talk too much about what has happened.  Yea…probably just rumors…or are they? 

Every year, she gives an assignment for an oral book report.  Each student will draw a name from a box and then give an oral report on whom they have chosen and somehow, one of these students ends up face to face with their drawn subject.  How does this happen?

Billy Cooper’s Awesome Nightmare is the first of the Wickware Sagas Series. 

Billy Cooper is so annoyed about this oral report.  Old Lady Wickware drops this bomb on a Friday afternoon and it’s due on Monday.  Well he has plans for the whole weekend and simply doesn’t have time to do a report.  He figures he will do a quick computer search on Sunday night on this William Tell guy, whoever that is, and then he will just skate by on this assignment.  All that changes when he finds himself in the 14^th century and standing in front of William Tell’s house.

Billy Cooper’s Awesome Nightmare will be out in June! You will be able to buy it HERE! 

Other than a non-fiction story I have out on my own adventure with solar,  Solar – One Family’s Reality, my stories are all for the MG/tween age groups.

Hike Up Devil’s Mountain is a story about three boys who find their way into the basement of an old abandoned house.  One of the boys, the school bully, tries to take on a little bit of magic, and of course, he loses.  Their only hope lives on top of Devil’s Mountain.  The question is, will they survive the hike?

Solstice Publishing  

Amazon

Smash words

 https://www.createspace.com/3694330

My other story is A Float Down the Canal.  Twelve-year old Pam Simpson gets dumped on when her mother is called into work. She must cancel her plans for the mall to baby-sit her younger brother and his friend and take them to the public pool.  To make matters worse her cousin, Candy, is also coming over for the day.  She doesn’t even like Candy! 

Much to Candy’s dismay, transportation to the pool is on inner tubes, floating down the canal.  One thing leads to another and it is Pam who, once again, must save the day.

When things couldn’t seem worse, the day takes a drastic turn for the better and it is Candy, and the float down the canal, that makes this the best day of Pam’s life!

Smashwords

Bibliocracy.com  

I love for people of all ages to stop by and check out my website and blog.  And PLEASE leave me a message so we can chat!

www.pennystales.com

www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com

@pennystales  -  Twitter

Thanks Penny!! Everyone make sure to check out Penny's blog!!!

Click on the below pic to go to the party!!! Lots of fun stuff there!

About my book, Veiled Virtues:

When Paige Stewart left America to house-sit in England, her only thoughts were to get away from her controlling mother and to have fun. Little did she know that her working holiday would find her hearing eerie voices, experiencing alarming dreams and bleeding from old scars. Although Paige's differences confuse and disgust her, she opens up to the shopkeeper of a strange metaphysical store in town, where she finds much more than tarot cards and crystals. Soon, Paige is stalked like prized game. Relentlessly pursued, her holiday takes a turn for the eerie and dangerous. Her only saving grace may be a modern-day English knight who sweeps her off her feet and recognizes the true virtues the American teen unknowingly possesses.

Today I welcome the awesome Emerald Barnes!!! She is the rockin' author of Read Me Dead and Piercing Through the Darkness.  Plus, Giveaway info below!!!!

Read Me Dead, a YA Romantic Suspense

Alexia Wheaton’s problems go beyond picking a dress and a date for homecoming.

 For seven years, Alex has lived with a painful memory - her parents' horrific murder. As the sole witness, she has kept quiet to protect herself, but when the local newspaper reveals her secret, Alex is plagued with fear that her parents' murderer will soon find her - and silence her forever.

 Alex is catapulted into a race against time to save her own life and bring her parents' murderer to justice. 

Here’s a deleted scene from Read Me Dead.  This involves my main character, Alexia, and her ex-boyfriend Christian.  This is the day she ended their relationship.  Sometimes I regret not putting this in my final edit.  (This was also back when the story was in past tense.) 

-----

I remember the day I ended our relationship.  In fact, I think about it every day.  It happened on the day before our junior year of high school started a little over a year ago.  I had just been to an appointment with Dr. Finnegan and had come to the cold harsh realization that I needed to do something I really didn’t want to have to do.  Break up with him. 

                I stood on his front porch in front of the big wooden door dreading this.  My stomach sank, and I resisted the urge to vomit.  I had lied to myself and let myself believe that I could keep pursuing this relationship.  There was no way that we were going to be able to have any kind of future together with this huge secret between us. 

                Finally, gathering up enough strength, I knocked on the door.  I waited a moment and heard him walking towards the door.  I almost ran away, but he opened the door before I could actually make my legs move.  The cool air from the air conditioner inside hit me in a strong gust, and chills ran over my body despite the fact that it was a hundred degrees outside. 

                “What’s wrong?” he asked pulling me into his strong arms.

                I never wanted to leave those arms.  I always felt safe there.

                “I need to talk to you,” I said.  It was one of the most clichéd breakup lines ever, but it was the truth.  I think he knew what was coming because I could see it in his eyes.  He released me from our embrace and just stared back at me.  I knew he was working it out in his head, and it broke my heart.

                He stepped inside, and I followed him to the couch.  I couldn’t force myself to look him in the eyes.  I was convinced that if I did I wouldn’t go through with it, and I had to. 

                “Alex,” he had said my name so gently, and I lost it.  I started sobbing.  He laid his hand on my back consolingly.  I shied away and said, “I…I have somethin’ I need to talk to you about.”

“What’s goin’ on?”

                “Promise me you won’t be upset.”  I knew that he would be, but I thought that maybe if he promised, he’d try better at not letting it get to him.

       �

Today I welcome the awesome Emerald Barnes!!! She is the rockin' author of Read Me Dead and Piercing Through the Darkness.  Plus, Giveaway info below!!!!

Read Me Dead, a YA Romantic Suspense

Alexia Wheaton’s problems go beyond picking a dress and a date for homecoming.

 For seven years, Alex has lived with a painful memory - her parents' horrific murder. As the sole witness, she has kept quiet to protect herself, but when the local newspaper reveals her secret, Alex is plagued with fear that her parents' murderer will soon find her - and silence her forever.

 Alex is catapulted into a race against time to save her own life and bring her parents' murderer to justice. 

Here’s a deleted scene from Read Me Dead.  This involves my main character, Alexia, and her ex-boyfriend Christian.  This is the day she ended their relationship.  Sometimes I regret not putting this in my final edit.  (This was also back when the story was in past tense.) 

-----

I remember the day I ended our relationship.  In fact, I think about it every day.  It happened on the day before our junior year of high school started a little over a year ago.  I had just been to an appointment with Dr. Finnegan and had come to the cold harsh realization that I needed to do something I really didn’t want to have to do.  Break up with him. 

                I stood on his front porch in front of the big wooden door dreading this.  My stomach sank, and I resisted the urge to vomit.  I had lied to myself and let myself believe that I could keep pursuing this relationship.  There was no way that we were going to be able to have any kind of future together with this huge secret between us. 

                Finally, gathering up enough strength, I knocked on the door.  I waited a moment and heard him walking towards the door.  I almost ran away, but he opened the door before I could actually make my legs move.  The cool air from the air conditioner inside hit me in a strong gust, and chills ran over my body despite the fact that it was a hundred degrees outside. 

                “What’s wrong?” he asked pulling me into his strong arms.

                I never wanted to leave those arms.  I always felt safe there.

                “I need to talk to you,” I said.  It was one of the most clichéd breakup lines ever, but it was the truth.  I think he knew what was coming because I could see it in his eyes.  He released me from our embrace and just stared back at me.  I knew he was working it out in his head, and it broke my heart.

                He stepped inside, and I followed him to the couch.  I couldn’t force myself to look him in the eyes.  I was convinced that if I did I wouldn’t go through with it, and I had to. 

                “Alex,” he had said my name so gently, and I lost it.  I started sobbing.  He laid his hand on my back consolingly.  I shied away and said, “I…I have somethin’ I need to talk to you about.”

“What’s goin’ on?”

                “Promise me you won’t be upset.”  I knew that he would be, but I thought that maybe if he promised, he’d try better at not letting it get to him.

                I took a deep breath and said, “I can’t be with you right now.”  I said it fast, like ripping off a Band Aid.  I could feel him staring at me, and I continued, “I need some time to think things through.”

                “Think what through?” he asked angrily.

                “I love you.  I really do, but you don’t wanna be with me.”

                “What?” 

                “Just trust me,” I said.

                “I thought we were happy together.”

                “We were.” 

                I wanted to say we are, but if he thought that I was still happy in the relationship he’d never let me go.  I needed him to let me go. 

                “I need some time to myself, Christian.  I’ve got a lot to think about.” 

                “Like what?”

                “It doesn’t matter.”

                “It kinda does,” he said sarcastically.

                “I can’t do this to you anymore.  It’s over.  I’m sorry.”  I whispered it because my voice wasn’t strong enough to say it.  I didn’t want for it to be over, but it had to be.  I stood and walked towards the door.  I didn’t look back at him because if I did, I wouldn’t be able to walk away from him.  “I do love you,” I said, “I always will,” and walked out the door.         

---- 

 If you comment, I’ll be choosing a winner for a digital copy of this book! (If you are unable to leave a comment, you can email Jan at jfis6 (at) allstate (dot) com to enter - Just put 'Emerald' in the subject line).

ONLY 99 cents at Amazon! Click on the cover to check it out!

It’s on the edge of her memory like a word on the tip of her tongue, but Kandi can’t remember what it is to save her life.

Despite being a cop, Jimmy can’t protect Kandi from the one thing that haunts her. She’s in danger and doesn’t even know it. After it happened, her brain repressed her memories of the accident, and now, she’s taking a Biology class under a man who wants to see her dead. The memories have started coming back, and it feels like she’s miles away from him. How can he protect her when she doesn’t even know she needs protecting?

Can these characters pierce their way through the darkness?

Buy Links:

Piercing Through the Darkness -Only 99 cents!!!: http://www.amazon.com/Piercing-Through-the-Darkness-ebook/dp/B004P1IYLW/

Read Me Dead: http://www.amazon.com/Read-Me-Dead-ebook/dp/B007WMQK3A/

Connect with Emerald Barnes:

Website: http://www.emeraldbarnes.us

Blog: http://ebarnes23.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fanpageforemeraldbarnes

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/emeraldbarnes

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/emerald_barnes

Google + : https://plus.google.com/101744242812023382698/posts

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Emerald-Barnes/e/B004PL38QS/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Today I welcome Amy Durham and her book, "Once Again" to my blog!!!

About ONCE AGAIN:

Today I welcome Barbara Ehrentreu! She is the author of It I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor!!! GIVEAWAY DEETS BELOW!!!

I've read it and I love it!!! I normally do not review books, but I made an exception for this wonderful read. Being a mom of two young kids, Barbara's book took me back to those awkward days of starting high school. Friendships, enemies, secrets, lies, and consequences. I also adore the cover!  I give it 4.5 out of 5 swords (note: I decided to use swords instead of stars, due to the 'modern day knights' theme of my YA book, Veiled Virtues)!!!

About the book:

Carolyn Samuels is obsessed with the idea of being popular. She is convinced that the only thing keeping her from happiness is her too heavy for fashion body and not being a cheerleader. Hyperventilating when she gets nervous doesn’t help. When she is paired for a math project with the girl who tormented her in middle school, Jennifer Taylor, she is sure it is going to be another year of pain. With Carolyn’s crush on Jennifer’s hunky junior quarterback, Brad her freshman year in high school looks like a rerun of middle school. When Jennifer is the only student who knows why she fell in gym class, Carolyn is blackmailed into doing her math homework in return for Jennifer’s silence. Jennifer takes on Carolyn as a pity project since she can’t be seen with someone who dresses in jeans and sweatshirts. When Jennifer invites Carolyn to spend the night to make her over and teach her to tumble, Carolyn learns Jennifer’s secret and lies to her own friends to cover it up. Will Carolyn become a cheerleader and popular? Does she continue to keep Jennifer’s secret? Or will she be a target of this mean girl again?

Add/View Comments | Previous | Top |

By: Jan Fischer Wade, on 5/22/2012
Blog: Marketing Tidbits for Authors!!! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Add a tag