24 Days of Christmas Showcase WINNER!

This is just a short post today.

Thank you to EVERYONE who took part in the 24 Days of Christmas Showcase, and to everyone who stopped by this blog and commented on my post. All your comments made me smile, and your genuine sincerity made my heart swell.

I used Random.org to chose the winner and it gives me great pleasure to announce my winner:

Comitessa de Luna

Please email me to info@julieannelynch.co..uk

Many thanks again, and to all my wonderful followers, thank you for being supportive. 

24 Days of Christmas Author Showcase

So, it's come to that wonderful time of the year again. A time when my father becomes a scrooge, my mother begs to have the tree up for longer than two days, and my husband fails miserably at 'getting' the hints I leave on a daily basis. Yes, 'tis the season to be jolly and all that jazz.

Anyway, in the wonderful world of books and Authorsville, there is a lovely little showcase going on throughout the month of December, showcasing 24 talented novelists, who just so happen are offering some little goodies to go along with all the Christmas cheer. 

24 Days of Christmas Author Showcase

The Story Behind The Shadow World Series

(warning, you may need a tissue)

Within the Shadows was originally written way back in 2010, when it was then known as 'In the Shadows'. The book had been in partial draft from 2008, but, me being the ever pessimist, I thought, "nah, this won't sell" or "people won't like it" - yes, I am human. But, after having my little boy in 2009, my sister Pamela spurred me on after having read the draft, and loving it.  Then our family went through the terrible loss of my sister's little baby son dying in the summer of 2009. It was a devastating time for all of us. We are a close knit family, and are very private, and when the news hit that Liam had passed, our world crumbled. 

You see, there are three girls, me being the eldest. And fate played a rather bizarre little trick on all three of us: we were all pregnant, with boys, all due within months of each other. I had Rory in April 2009, Genevieve had Eoin in May 2009, and Liam was due in August. It was exciting. The three of us, our growing bumps, the new lives we were excited to welcome into the family - the whole process of 'sharing' such an amazing experience, and then it fell apart.

I cannot describe to you the ache I felt, the guilt that my own little baby was fit and healthy, and there was my sister,touching her huge round bump, and her child lifeless inside. I was angry with God, angry with the doctors for not spotting the warning signs the week before. I wanted to help her, but there was nothing I could do. My heart and soul broke. 

Sometimes, when I try to imagine what it was like in that delivery suite as my nephew was born to eternal life, I cannot comprehend the utter fear or anguish I feel knowing that the room was full of silence. A silence filled with tears, broken hearts and dreams. 

When we laid Liam to rest 3 days later, I don't think, to this day, I've ever felt grief like it. I would never wish that kind of loss on anyone.

Now, as you can imagine, having a baby is tough enough, especially when the blues hit, but, I fell into a deep depression. One that saw me going through the motions, on auto-pilot, doing all the things required of me, but not really 'being' there.

Flash forward six months, and I decided then, that I owed it to both Pamela, and little Liam, to complete the book. And I did. I wrote the final script within 12 weeks - back then, a record for me. 

I poured my heart into the book. Much of the darker elements, interwoven themes and motifs are representations of that darker time in my life. I believe each character in the book embodies a part of me (most writers do). I suppose you could say that all the layers, the finer details, stuff that could be missed, in a sense, immortalizes the grief, and I couldn't be more prouder. 

Within the Shadows is dedicated to Liam, and now that it has been optioned and in development for film, I feel like the soul of the story will live on, surpass any of my original dreams and expectations. How amazing is that?

This book is a story about broken dreams, loss, anger, betrayal, and self discovery. It is a journey from the deepest, darkest pits of hell; a manifestation of finding the courage to take on those demons. To go to battle with the darkness, to overcome the pain. 

Yes, there are vampires, shadow creatures and dark entities - but c'mon, I'm a writer :)

Blurb

Living on the razors edge, Giselle Bergman's life is torn apart by her cheating boyfriend. Little does she realize that he is the least of her worries when her long term friend, Alex, reveals a secret long hidden, and introduces to his family and a new, darker world; a world of lies, deceit and corruption. 

Thrown from one problem straight into another, the razors edge gets thinner and sharper, testing Giselle's sanity and vitality. Never truly knowing who her allies are, Giselle soon learns not to trust anyone, not even herself. How far will Giselle run to escape what fate has dealt her? 

Will she truly be free from the shadows that not only want her soul, but have her reborn as their Queen? 

Join Giselle on a journey that is only beginning... Not even she can hide when living within the shadows.

If you would like the chance of winning an eBook of Within the Shadows I am giving one reader the chance of winning this book, and you can also enter the 24 Days of Christmas Spotlight Event, which is below. 

So, to be in with a chance of winning, just comment, and you are automatically in for the running.

Be sure to visit the event so you won’t miss any of the giveaway’s or awesome author posts. Click here to visit the event page for 24 Days of Christmas Author Showcase. We have an amazing line up of authors for the month!

December 1 Willow Cross

December 2 Jennifer Malone Wright

December 3 Rose Shababy

December 4 Author JH Glaze

December 5 Ednah Walters

December 6 K.B. Miller

December 7 Nely Cab

December 8 Cat Miller

December 9 Karen Lynch

December 10 Stacey Rourke

December 11 Kristen L. Middleton

December 12 Julie Gilbert

December 13 Elizabeth Kirke

December 14 Brae Wyckoff

December 15 Belinda Boring

December 16 Derinda Love

December 17 Melissa Haag

December 18 Julieanne Lynch

December 19 Joann H. Buchanan

December 20 G G Carver Author

December 21 Cambria Hebert

December 22 Rue Volley

December 23 Lachelle Redd

December 24 Kristen Anne Inger Iversen

ALSO! A huge thank you goes out to the organizer of our little event, As You Wish Tours! Go check out as you wish for all your book promo needs. Readers can find some amazing books there as well.

Good luck to everyone who enters and thank you for letting me share my story with you!

To Enter to win a Kindle Fire HD, PLUS an ebook from each of the authors listed above, simply enter the giveaway below.

Merry Christmas

Entry-Form

Cover Reveal: Hour Measure By Mark Roemmich

I am so proud and excited to be a part of the cover reveal for a good friend and mentor, Mark Roemmich. His debut novel, Hour Measure (which I've read) is due for release December, 17th, and through L.D.B Press, today, we are excited to show the world the gorgeous cover. 

Double Cover Reveal: Ryley's Revenge & Paxton's Promise by L.P. Dover

Hey everyone, HAPPY Thursday. 

Today I am super excited to be a part of the DOUBLE COVER REVEAL for New York Times, and USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover. 

USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is a southern belle residing in North Carolina along with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she even began her literary journey she worked in Periodontics enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries. 

Not only does she love to write, but she loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, white water rafting, and you can’t forget the passion for singing. Her two number one fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime and those songs usually consist of Christmas carols. 

Aside from being a wife and mother, L.P. Dover has written over nine novels including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, and her standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read is romantic suspense and she also loves writing it. However, if she had to choose a setting to live in it would have to be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae. 

So, without further adieu, take a look at these beauties.

Ryley's Revenge Synopsis:

UFC Middleweight fighter, Ryley Jameson, swore it would never happen again. He was done with his ex, and over the pain she’d inflicted when she left him. At least, that’s what he tells people. Maybe if he says it enough, he’ll begin to believe it himself.

Regretting her decision to let Ryley go, Ashleigh Warren comes back into town and confronts him. Holding only one secret back, she puts the rest on the line and asks for a second chance. Too bad he’s not going to let her off easy.

Camden Jameson loves his twin brother, but his jealousy runs deep. They may be identical in looks, but that’s where the similarities end. When Ashleigh comes back into Ryley’s life, Camden has the perfect opportunity for revenge. Two birds, one stone.

A journey to the Dark Side affects them all, but only one feels the true sting of revenge.

GOODREADS 

AMAZON

B&N

iTunes

SMASHWORDS

Paxton's Promise Synopsis:

She hates him, yet she can’t get him out of her mind.

Female Bantamweight fighter, Gabriella Reynolds, has a bad habit of falling for forbidden fighters. Enter Paxton Emerson. He’s tall, tattooed, and the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Everyone wants a piece of him, and he only has eyes for her. Through no choice of her own, she’s fallen in his debt and he’s now demanding payment. Too bad it doesn’t involve currency. Gabby’s decision to fulfill her promise to him ultimately brings out her true feelings, but also spurs the unwanted attention of another.

Rage’s fixation on his newest obsession reaches dangerous levels. Unfortunately, Paxton Emerson has become a roadblock to his end goal and needs to be removed from the equation—by any means necessary.

Gabby will do anything to save Pax, but what happens when she’s the one who needs saving?

GOODREADS

To keep up to date with all things L.P. Dover, follow the links:

Facebook

Goodreads

Website

Twitter 

Pinterest

Book Lovers Advent Calendar

The authors at Red Coat PR are sharing some early Christmas cheer with the creation of a book lovers dream advent calendar.
If you sign up, Each day from Dec 1-24th you will receive a paperless post Christmas card with a gifted ebook from one of RCPR’s amazing authors.

For a $10 fee (to cover the paperless post costs ) you will receive a $62 value. Perfect for that book lover that you need to shop for, an early gift for yourself or gift it to a soldier. 24 ebooks for $10 an…d a chance to meet some truly amazing authors.

Participating authors include:

Danielle Bannister – Pulled Back
Lindsay Paige – I’m Yours
Julieanne Lynch – Escaping Shadows
M.C. Cerny – Pulsepoint
Amy Miles – Wither
Kristina Circelli – Damsel Not
Denise Grover Swank – Chosen Box Set
Raine Thomas – Return of the Ascendant
Jocelyn Stover – A STEP AWAY
Nathan Squiers – Crimson Shadow: Sins of the Father
Megan J. Parker – Scarlet Dawn
Elizabeth Loraine – The Protectors
Stephanie Summers – Haunting (Book #2 of The Willow Creek Vampires Series)
Eric R. Asher – Wolves and the River of Stone
Courtney Houston – flicker
Cynthia St. Aubin – Dysfunctional
Barbara Speak – Fearing Regret
Michelle N. Files – Soul Survivor
AnnaLisa Grant – Next to Me
Michele Miller – Out of Ruins
Kristie Cook – Purpose
Allen Longstreet – REBEARTH
J.D. Rivera – Defensive
Christine Brae – The Light in the Wound

Would you like to sign up?    Check out this link for more details:

RCPR Advent Calendar Sign Up

Cover Reveal: Forbidden Desires by Lissette E. Manning

Today, we are honoured to have Lissette E. Manning revealing the cover of her new novel, Forbidden Desires.

Lissette E. Manning is an author from Connecticut. She has been writing since she was six-years-old and spends most of her time trying to place her thoughts into order and giving life to the stories that are always brewing inside her head.

She enjoys reading books, listening to music, playing the occasional video game, watching movies, and spending time with friends and family. She's also a bit of a computer geek.
Her writing genres of choice are Science-Fiction/Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Short Stories, as well as Poetry. She's currently working on several projects due out sometime this year such as The Secret Keeper, Tales of Velosia: The Prophecy, The Corsicanth Princess, and many more.

Without further adieu, I give you, Forbidden Desires. 

Title: Forbidden Desires

Series: Forbidden; Book 1

Author: Lissette E. Manning

Release Date: August 28, 2014

Publisher: L. D. B. Press

Genre: Erotic Romance

Natalea Williams has always considered herself a bit of plain Jane. She lives the life of a bookworm, and keeps to herself whenever possible. Her way of life suits her just fine, and she won't have things any other way. Yet when she wins a date with her favorite movie star, a contest her best friend unwittingly signed her up for, her life takes an unexpected turn.

Brody Michaels draws her in like a moth to a flame. He's beautiful, brilliant, and quite charming. Quiet and reserved, he's lived his life out of the public's eye, a feat that has always drawn her attention. While Natalea finds it hard to believe he's agreed to such a contest, she knows this is her only chance to meet him.

Taking off to New York, she finds herself immersed in a world she could only dream of. Catching Brody's eye from the moment she decides to get his autograph, she's immensely flattered by the attention he's begun to shower her with. She's more than happy to spend time with him whenever possible, even though she knows it's something she shouldn't really do.

When her life starts catching up with her, she's forced to confront the harsh reality standing right in front of her, and soon realizes that all good things must come to an end. Brody belongs to someone else, and his world is one she'll never truly be a part of. Her heart, unfortunately, refuses to listen to a word of reason, and pines for the man who's swept her off her feet from the moment they first met.

(Purchase links are not yet available.)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20346625-forbidden-desires

Excerpt:

Natalea Williams scooped up the mail scattered across the floor, and scanned the envelopes with disinterest. She flipped through each one, rolling her eyes as bill after bill from various creditors caught her eye. None of them were worth her time until she came across a thick manila envelope with her name scrawled across its smooth surface in a slanted flowery script.

Dropping the rest of the mail onto the stand, she tore the envelope open, and promptly earned herself a small paper cut. She drew the offended digit between her lips, sucking at her finger as she pulled the letter open, and read the lines penned upon the paper. Her eyes widened with surprise as the letter’s contents sunk in.

“What the heck?” she said aloud, taking a moment to reread the document. “That–That’s not possible!”

Natalea rushed down the hall toward the kitchen. She pulled the cordless phone out of its base, and dialed her best friend’s number. Tapping her foot with impatience, she eyed the letter with confusion. The call finally went through, and the person on the other end picked up.

“What is it now, Nat?” Sheila Wynman inquired.

“Hello to you, too,” Natalea quipped, rolling her eyes at the ceiling.

Sheila popped the gum she was chewing as she spoke into the receiver. “There’s only one reason why you’re callin’ me this early.”

“Yeah?”

“You got the letter, didn’t you?”

The manila envelope and the accompanying letter fluttered to the floor as Natalea held the phone tightly between her fingers. “You know what this is about?”

Sheila examined her fingernails and nodded, realizing a little too late that Natalea couldn’t see her doing so. “Yes,” she admitted.

“How?”

Sheila cleared her throat and took a deep breath before replying, “I saw a kiosk in some store down in Soho announcin’ a contest for someone to win a date with THE Brody Michaels. I thought of you and how you’re positively gaga over him. Figured it wouldn’t hurt to sign you up for it.”

Natalea sighed with exasperation. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

Her best friend chuckled with amusement. “So they say. Did you win?”

“Yeah.”

Sheila’s right arm rose into the air, and she pumped it with excitement. “Hoorah!” Her green eyes were bright with delight. “How long till you gotta meet him?”

Natalea bent down to pick up the letter, and quickly scanned it for what she needed to know. “Two weeks.”

“Two weeks?”

“Uh-huh.”

Sheila groaned as she made a mental list of what she needed to do in order to get her best friend ready for the event. “That’s not enough time, but I suppose we can make do.”

“Make do with what?”

“In gettin’ you ready. You do want to make a good impression, don’t you?”

“Well, yeah, but . . .”

“But nothin’, Nat. By the time I’m done with you, Brody Michaels won’t know what hit him.”

Stalker Links

Website

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Please show Lisette your support by following her, and keeping up to date on all her future releases. 

Thanks for stopping by folks. 

Ciao :)

COVER REVEAL: Loving Jack by Cat Miller

Today I am so excited to be a part of the wonderful cover reveal for International Best Selling novelist, Cat Miller. 

Cat, is a wonderful writer who hails from Baltimore, Maryland. She is the mother of two beautiful daughters, and has become a sensation with her début series: The Forbidden Bond, which was picked up by Montlake Romance Amazon Publishing. Both Unbound and Unforgiven were released earlier this year under the Montlake brand.

BUT, today, Cat is revealing something new and different. The AMAZING cover for her new novel, "Loving Jack".

So, without further ado, glance your eyes over this beauty.

Loving Jack

By Cat Miller

Coming August 2014

Happily ever after shouldn’t hurt this bad . . .

Grace is a studious business major who always colors inside the lines. Jack is a fun loving, bi-sexual art major who challenges her orderly existence. Grace loses her heart when a night out with friends leads to a wild encounter with Jack. Only time will tell if her heart can survive the rigors of loving a man who may need more than Grace can provide.

✽ ✾ ✿ ❁ ❃ ❋ ❀

I don't know about you, but I am super excited by this book. I cannot wait to devour it, just like I have all Cat's other books.

To keep up to date with everything CAT MILLER, you can connect with her via her Facebook Fanpage & Twitter.


Ciao for now my lovelies  ✿ 

Review: Dark Sight by Christopher Allan Poe

So, recently, I've begun getting back into what I love almost as much as writing: reading. Yes, it's been a while since I last updated the blog, but you know something, I am getting better - right? hahaha

Anyway, I've been reading A LOT lately, and my tastes varies. I like a variety of different genres, but none feel more at home to me than dark, paranormal novels with horrific elements intertwined. Which leads me to today's review. 

Blurb

What is the cost of defying death? 

As the only black student at an all-white school, Monique Robinson has always had to prove herself. When her best friend, Victoria is left brain dead, Monique fights to bring her back. But she soon realizes that blurring the lines between life and death comes with a price. 

Can Monique save her best friend before she heads down a path from which no one will return? 

REVIEW

Christopher Allan Poe delivers such an intricate tale in "Dark Sight" that I literally found myself dreaming of the story that unfolded throughout the novel. It invaded my mind at night and I simply devoured this book in three sittings. 

Poe is clever at hooking you from the get go. The beautiful friendship between Monique and Victoria was brilliantly written - it was believable and I connected well with the two of them. Conjuring up my own thoughts on how far one would go to save the life of someone they truly cared for! Interesting, right? Of course. 
The dark plot wasn't predictable, which was a major plus in my world, because all too often, I find myself almost knowing what's coming next, but in "Dark Sight" that wasn't the case.
Poe kept me guessing, kept me on the edge of my seat and the experience was thrilling.
If there is one book you should read this year, it has to be Dark Sight. It is paranormal/horror at its best, but be warned, make sure you're not alone or in the dark with this one. 

★★★★★ Golden Stars

Who is  Christopher Allan Poe?

Christopher Allan Poe is an author and touring musician from Los Angeles, CA. He writes paranormal thrillers, with an emphasis in themes that shed light on social problems for women and children.His award-winning debut novel, THE PORTAL, is available from Black Opal Books now.

For your own copies, please follow the link: Amazon

Dammit, I'll learn....eventually!

Well, I've been bad! 

I had thought about closing down this blog simply because I was finding it all very hard keeping on top of EVERYTHING. Between running a website, a few Facebook fanpages, writing, children, a home - get the picture, it was just becoming increasingly difficult to keep on track of it all.

But alas, I am back. A few months silence never hurt anyone, right?

Anyway, it's a new year - yay to me for noticing. A lot has happened since my last blog post 'last year'. So where to start, hmm, the beginning.

So, in late December I got into talks with a rather lovely film director and screenwriter, Mark Roemmich and we decided to work together, bringing my novel Within the Shadows to life. The screenplay was written and the rights to my book were optioned. Yes, you heard me right, my book, something I created was optioned and adapted for film. How crazy is that? Mental, I know.

So after a few months of talks, discussions, reading screenplays and giving my nod of approval, Within the Shadows - The Movie is well on the way to being something I never thought possible in my wildest dreams.

Mark is an amazing screenwriter and put his spin on my story, keeping the integrity of my novel intact and adding a few little things to make the cinematic experience better. Remember, what works in a book doesn't necessarily work on film. They're totally two different mediums, but I can assure all my Shadow fans that they will love what Mark has done. 

We even have an official movie page which is nearing the 30K bracket:

Official Movie Fan Page

We have some amazing talent ready to work on bringing the film to screen and below you can scroll your eyes over the principal crew:

PRINCIPAL CREW

Writer/Producer/Director - Mark Roemmich (Independence Day, Ask the Dusk, Masters of the Universe, The Making of True Lies, Black Widow, Becker’s Farm)

Line Producer - Lorraine Fennell (Sleepy Hollow, Remains of the Day, Tomb Raider, X- Files, The Parent Trap)

Co-Exec Producer - Don Drifitmier

Co-Exec Producer - Debi Roemmich

Associate Producer – Kristine Kreska

VFX Supervisor - Richard Kidd (Titanic, Armageddon, Transformers, Twilight, Captain Phillips, Spiderman 3 )

Director of Photography - Dave Drzewiecki (Iron Man 3, Titanic, CSI: Miami, We’re the Millers, The Cell)

Production Designer - Davide de Stefano(Empire, The Nativity Story, Mother of Tears)

Wardrobe - Elvis Davis(Saving Private Ryan, Richard III, Braveheart, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves)

Editor - Alaine Vasquez

1st AD - John Stirber (Fight Club, Dances with Wolves, Stuart Little 2)

Stunt Coordinator - Gianni Basetti

Sound Mixer - Richard Lightstone (Cold Case, Outbreak, Don Juan, Scary Movie)

Hair - Colleen LaBaff (The Hunger Games, The Originals, The Vampire Diaries, Iron Man 3, Pirate of the Caribbean, Californication)

Art Director - Richard Johnson (The Avengers, The Truman Show, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Big Fish, The Amazing Spiderman 2, The Last Airbender, Pacific Rim)

Production Accountant - Robert Labrecque (The Possession, Devils Knot, Homeland, Becker’s Farm)

International sales agent, Kristine Kreska has come on board and will be in charge of selling the film to each territory, as well as being an associate producer on the film.

Cool beans, huh? You bet!

But…

…March brought much frustration to the surface and I found it was time to part company with my publisher Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly, Vamptasy and Hot Ink Press. Whilst the split was amicable, it came with a heavy heart. I have made some lovely friends with many of the authors within the CHBB house and lost some who I had held in high regard, but like most things, nothing lasts forever.

I wish the CHBB publishing house much success in the future. They have some solid rock stars signed to them.

But under all the doom and gloom a light beckoned and I was signed by Sam Hiyate, the president of The Rights Factory. Sam is just as passionate about my books as I am, and I am so thankful to finally have found the right man to steer me and my career in the right direction.

Wanna know a secret?

For the first time in a long while I am very excited about the future. I have lots of work and projects under my belt. Mark has completed the screenplay for movie two in my shadow world series, and again, the excitement is surreal and also quite humbling.

There will be a few surprise announcements coming in future months, and whilst I am itching to tell you all now, I cannot, but just know that there will be lots happening and lots for you all to look forward to.

So, that’s it for now. I don’t wanna bore you all too much..YET!

I promise to get better at all this blogging stuff…I am still learning.

Over and out :)