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Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Nameless Prince Author Reading and book signing



Please join me, author Dominick R. Domingo, for a reading/signing of my Young Adult Fantasy novel The Nameless Prince!
The reading will take place Wed., Oct 3rd, 7 P.M., at Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena, the oldest bookstore in the L.A. area!
This will be one of few live readings, and likely the only one I will bother friends and family with, so I hope everyone can come!


Vroman's Bookstore 695 E. Colorado Blvd 
Pasadena, CA 91101 
Tel: 626-449-5320 

The Nameless Prince
Author Reading and book signing
Wed, Oct. 3
7 P.M.

Giveaway and Book Review of The Unsacred Gift


Giveaway and Book Review of The Unsacred Gift
Sponsored by Innovative Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share my review of this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Blurb : 

Have you ever had a dream that came to life? How about losing the one you love and  not being able to save them? What about a gift that you were cursed with? Well image having all three like Sicily "Sissy" Monroe.
"Some might say what I have is a gift. I say, I want to return it." Sissy declares.

 Sicily "Sissy" Monroe has all the qualities of a perfect young lady. She is almost where she wants to be in life. But lying deep in the pupil of her eyes hold something that she cannot get rid of which interferes with her plans. She fights everyday with no one but herself. After having her first vision at age six of her sister's (Misty) disappearance and the dreams of failing to save her, Sissy wants no part in another person's fate. For years Sissy tried hard to avoid contact with people because she feared foreseeing their death. In keeping with this, she tries to stay away from her family. Little did Sissy know she could not run from her past, or her gift. She hopes someone will put her out of her misery, but she will soon discover that her visions and dreams were just a mere image of herself. 


About the Author:

C. S. Dorsey currently lives in Northern California. She graduated from the University of Phoenix with an Associate's Degree in Financial Services, and is currently working for a financial institution. She never thought about writing until one day this girl started talking to her in her head and never stop. She has written other young adult books including best selling Lukos Trilogy. 
C. S. DorseyDescription: http://mail.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/40.gif


Contacts:



Excerpt:

The Unsacred Gift: Chapter One
Chapter One

“It had been fifteen years since my sister’s death, and I could still hear her screaming in my sleep.”

I could hear the ear-piercing screams and horror in her voice ringing in my ears. I ran as fast as I could through the tall trees in the forest. I was running after her so fast, trying to save her from her doom. The dark mist was dragging her across the floor of the forest. My breathing was shallow and my heart raced as I kept running. It felt like I was running in place. The dark mass kept pulling her.
“Misty!” I yelled, making no sound. My voice was on mute. The wind brushed through my hair. My lungs felt like they were going to burst, and I wanted to collapse, but I couldn’t stop running after her. Death was pulling her farther and farther away. I could see her reaching out to me, wanting me to save her—but I was too late.
I gave up. I saw her eyes. They were wide with fear, horror, and sadness.
“Misty!” I yelled again, but no one heard me, not even myself. I looked at the pale-faced girl with long, straight black hair flying in the wind and almond-shaped eyes one last time. She looked back at me with disappointment, and then she fought no more, because I gave up.
The wind howled in my ears and circled around me as I watched my sister vanish before my eyes. Her piercing screams rang in my ears like someone’s nails scraping against a chalkboard.
I covered my ears from the terrifying screams of my sister calling my name: “Siiiissssy.” I dropped to the ground with my ears still covered and my head between my legs, rocking back and forth…
I jumped out of my sleep as tears rolled down my face. I was shaking uncontrollably, and sweating. My breathing was labored. I took some deep breaths in and out, as I lay back down.
It had been fifteen years since my sister’s death, and I could still hear her screaming in my sleep. The day my sister disappeared would haunt me for the rest of my life. I vaguely remember what happened—I was six when she disappeared.
I saw her fate, but I was too young to realize that I was having a vision. I tried to tell my mother, but she convinced me that I was having a bad dream. Not long afterward, Misty vanished.
That day was hot and the wind barely blew. Butterflies were flying all around us. It was our family picnic, that hot August summer of 1990, at Aquatic Park in Berkeley. I remember Misty, our cousins Heaven and Halo, and I were running and playing with a pink-and-white-marbled ball. “Girls, don’t go too far,” my mother said. The sun radiated on her skin, making it glow and bringing out her youthful features. Her stringy black hair was pinned up in a bun. She was sitting at the picnic table with my Granny and auntie Tiyanne. We call her Tiy.
The four of us were having so much fun playing catch with the marble-color ball. Heaven and Halo were three then, so they couldn’t go as far as Misty and I could. Misty was five, a year younger than I was.
Soon, Misty and I were near the lake. “Sissy, don’t throw the ball too hard,” Misty said.
“I won’t.” For a kid my age, I had a really strong arm, and the ball bounced and rolled into the lake.
“Aw, Sissy, I told you.” I just shrugged my shoulders. We stared at the ball as it glided across the lake. “I’ll get it,” Misty said.
I heard a voice calling me. It was Mom, looking for us. Misty was bending over, reaching for the ball. I turned toward the voice and called, “Misty, we have to go! Mommy is…” Then I turned around, only to find that Misty was gone. The ball was still floating on top of the lake. The water was still. “Misty, stop playing!” I called to her. But she was nowhere in sight. I panicked, and ran to my mother.
 “Where is your sister?” she asked. I hesitated, reluctant to answer her. “Sissy, where is your sister?”
I just looked at her and shrugged my shoulders. I felt a sense of déjà vu.
“Answer me, girl!”
All I could do was look into my mother’s eyes and tell her it was the vision I’d had, which would become stronger and more vivid as I got older. My mother just looked at me, not wanting to believe me. I reiterated the vision, the one my mother had said was a dream: Misty was standing in the same spot in front of the lake, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone.
     What was I supposed to do? I was six.
Yellow tape was placed all around the park. Everyone there had to leave while the police investigated. My Uncle Tyler called the police before my mom and Granny had a chance to go search for her. Aunt Tiy packed up everything quickly and put Heaven and Halo in the car before they ran off, too. I saw officers diving into the lake to see if they could find Misty’s body. A tall, dark-skinned police officer with slick black hair came over to me. I was sitting on the back of the ambulance, covered in blankets the police had given me, with my head down.
 He kneeled down to me so that he could see me eye to eye. “Young lady, we need your help, so that we can find your sister. Will you help us?” I nodded yes, not saying a word. Earlier that day, the weather had been nice, nice weather for a picnic…not anymore. Now it was dark and cold. Although California did not get hurricanes, I didn’t doubt that one might appear. I had lost my sweater and I wish I had it.
I explained to the police officer what had happened. “I don’t know, officer. I saw it before it happened. Mommy said I had a bad dream.” The officer thought that Misty might have drowned, but there was no trace of her anywhere.
 The officer knew he was not getting anywhere, and gave up. He went over to my mom, and I waited. All I could hear was that he and his team would keep looking for her for as long as they could. My mother’s head was down, and she nodded her head in agreement. He left, and she came over and scooped me up from the edge of the ambulance truck.
 “Sissy—you need to tell them the truth,” my mom said, carrying me in her arms.
 “But, Mom,” I said, “I am telling the truth. It was like the dream I had.” My mom just ignored me and carried me to the car.

Additional Tour Stops:

9/20  I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!  First Chapter  http://www.sithereandread.com/
9/20  M-N's Amazing Book Reviews   Review  http://mnsamazingbookreviews.blogspot.com/
9/20  Bookworm Babblings   Review   http://inspirationsbysimone.blogspot.com
9/20   Books, Books and More Books   Review    http://dream-reader-dreamer2229.blogspot.com/
9/21  Books & Other Spells   Review   http://nightskydarkstar.blogspot.com/
9/21   The Cosy Dragon   Review   http://www.thecosydragon.com/Giveaway

Book Review:

This book is about Sissy, who has visions of what is going to happen to people, specifically when they are going to die.  Her sister drowned when she was six and her family never mentions her again.  Sissy knew she was going to drown and no one believed her.  She avoids touching people so she will not have visions about them.  When she turns 18 she leaves town and doesn’t return for 4 years.

Unfortunately returning triggers memories of her sister startlingly vivid dreams that result in her waking up with visual reminders.  While she tries to figure out what is going on she meets and falls in love with Chris, the boy she had a crush on in high school.

This book is just full of surprises.  Every time I thought I had it figured out, we took a left turn (this phrase in my family means changing the subject or direction of conversation without signaling or alerting everyone else).  I totally didn’t see the end coming, so wow!

I give this book 5 out of 5 clouds, because it was well written and surprised me in a good way.



This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Book Review of Hart Attack



Book Review of Hart Attack  

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share my review of this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Blurb : 




Saints and Sinners
Beautiful, independent Angelika “Angie” Hart never needs a hand up. A skilled computer hacker, Angelika believes in making her own way. But when Angelika’s sister Lena invites her to vacation in New Orleans’ romantic, deadly French Quarter, Angelika descends into a dangerous new reality. In this decadent supernatural world, all that glitters is not gold. Among the gardens and graves, supernaturals reign supreme and even the worst sinner may wear a saint’s face.

Vampires and Werewolves
Inside her sumptuous antebellum mansion, Lena introduces Angelika to Andreas, the most powerful vampire in Louisiana, and Sebastian, the Lycan King of the North America. Handsome, rich and deadly, each man tempts Angelika in his own way. But when Lena is drawn into mortal peril, not even a vampire or a lycan can save the day. It’s up to Angelika to rescue her sister. And to do so, she must face up to family secrets, seizing the long-denied power that is her birthright.

If you are a fan of the HBO series, True Blood, you will love Hart Attack.

About the Author:

Danielle Blanchard Benson is a world traveler and author of several different series.
Ms. Blanchard Benson is the author of Beginnings: Book I (The Plague), Death Wish: Book I, Better off Dead: Book II and Death Lair: A Novella (all from The Vamp Saga), The Catalyst: Book One (The Pop Stars) and The Beautiful People series.
She is currently working on Love Voodoo: Book I (DeGeneration), Apocalypse 2012: Book II (The Plague), Hart Attack: Book I (The Hart Family Saga), The Making of a Star: Book Two (The Pop Stars) and Queen of the Undead: Book III (The Vamp Saga).
Ms. Blanchard Benson has lived abroad in Stockholm (Sweden), Manchester (England), Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Contacts:

Follow Danielle Blanchard Benson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/dblanchbenz007

Information:

The Big Easy
A city known for its magic, sparkle and overwhelming amount of supernatural creatures, it is one vacation Angelika Hart is not looking forward to in the slightest. A visit to her sister, Lena's, will mean dealing with her vampire boyfriend, Andreas, and a gorgeous Lycan King, Sebastiaan, who both seem to want something else from her besides her talented hacking skills.
The Attack
A night at the ultra popular club, Thirst, changes everything when Lena mysteriously disappears. What started out as a carefree getaway has turned into a full fledged mystery of what has happened to Angelika's sister, and whether she is still alive? Lena's disappearance does a lot more than shake the depths of Angelika's world and those around her. She finds herself in an impossibly difficult situation where an attraction to Andreas can set her on a course down a dark path she never meant to venture.
The Aftermath
After Lena is found, Angelika's life spins into a free fall where her controlling nature slips away, Andreas pierces her icy exterior and a choice has to be made. Her journey into the forbidden leaves her a changed person and she finds there is no way of going back once she is past the point of no return. As the bodies began to pile up, she has to make a decision that will ultimately change her destiny forever and those of everyone else around her.

If you are a fan of the HBO series, True Blood, you will like Hart Attack.

WARNING: This is paranormal romance novel with sexy good times, a couple of naughty half-Faerie half-shifter sisters, an Alpha Lycan King, a smokin' hot vampire, blood, and explicit language. Gore and closed door sex scenes? Not in this book. 

Author Interview:

Ten Things About Danielle


1. Your genre(s)?

My genre will always be romance or some form thereof though I have been known to do contemporary, erotic (not erotica as there is a difference), paranormal, dystopian and even -- grasp! -- horror. I am an artist so I don't limit myself and as a reader you don't have to buy everything I write. I assume most of y'all will cherry-pick anyway.

2. How many books have you completed?

I love serials and series so I have completed one long damn serial, The Beautiful People (which consisted of eight novellas), Death Wish and Better Off Dead in The Vamp Saga (and a novella, Death Lair), Beginnings inThe Plague series, Love Voodoo in the DeGeneration series, The Catalyst in my other serial, The Pop Stars, and Forever 27, a novelette in The 27 Club series. 

3. How many books are you working on now?

*Breathe* Okay, I am almost finished writing Queen of the Undead in The Vamp Saga (72k and counting),Hart Attack, the first novel in The Hart Family Saga (another paranormal series), Apocalypse 2012 in The Plague series, The Making of a Star in The Pop Stars serial and Love Game in the DeGeneration series. Plus, I am co-writing a novel with a writer friend of mine, a horror-thriller, Ties That Unbind. I'm tired just thinking about my year...

4. Are you a linear or chunk writer?

I try to work on one project at a time so it makes it easier for me to maintain consistency. That list above, that is the order of the books with the exception of the one I am co-writing. I write that one when I get it back from my co-author, write my part and then send it to him via email and Drop Box.

5. The POV (= Point of View) you’re most partial to?
I'm not. I love first person though it can definitely have its limitations. I usually stick with third person though. The HUGE exception to this rule is The Vamp Saga. The first novel is written in first person but the rest are a mix of first and third person. There are some people out there this irks but what can I say? I love Manon and I *can't* write her in third but I also love some of the other characters and thought they should get a word in too. Hence the bastard project it has become involving both POVs.

6. The themes that keep cropping up in your books?

Female empowerment, strength, change and staying true to one's self. None of these are ever easy but nothing in life worth fighting for ever is so there you have it.

7. How many days a week do you write?

Everyday. There is no such thing as writer's block for me. I began Apocalypse 2012 but my Vamp Saga muse didn't want to let go so I began the third novel. Due to my schedule, I write at least 2k each day and can finish a first draft in anywhere between four and six weeks. 

8. What time of day do you get your best writing done?
The evening. I have two children under the age of ten so when they are sleeping or are about to go down, I find myself most creative. Plus, I can have a glass of wine while I write... yes, I sometimes write toasted but I do all my revisions dead sober and I have an editor just to make sure she catches all the mistakes I don't. Plus, I have some great writers who act as beta readers and guinea pigs for those other pesky mistakes neither of us catch. I will upload and re-do a book that isn't perfect countless times. I do it all the time as it is a bit easier with the e-books than print but there is no such thing as "done" for me if mistakes are found.

9. What kind of music do you listen to when you write?

I'm a child of Generation X and I listen to everything but when I write paranormal/horror, I need some hard rocking music. My favorites: Deftones (Diamond Eyes and Best Of albums are classics), Marilyn Manson (Mechanical Animals, and Eat Me, Drink Me are two of my faves but I have every album ever made), Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein...I also listen to a lot of French hip-hop (Sinik, Diam's, MC Solaar) and French music in general (too many artists to count!). And I love some good pop music so Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Britney Spears, and Madonna are never far away...neither is Mylene Farmer for the matter, my favorite French pop star.

10. What the hell is up with your love affair with France?

Yeah, la Belle France gets mentioned a lot in a myriad of my novels. Better Off Dead and Queen of the Undead take place there as does most of Beginnings and Apocalypse 2012 will be a revisit (yet again). TheDeGeneration series takes place almost entirely in France. My other love affair is French influenced even if it is in the States. Hart Attack takes place in New Orleans. 

I just love France, French culture, the language and desperately can't wait until I can live there for a couple of years and write. I have lots of French friends and am partial to the Ile-de-France area of the country (though it is often cold, rainy and overcast). Plus, who wouldn't want their children to be bi-lingual? And did I mention the wine and the cheese and the food? Everything is better with a French accent! ;-) 

Book Review:

            Vampires, shifters, and Fae, oh my!  While this book is predominately about the vampires and shifters, there are also other supernaturals in the story, most noticeable the Fae.
            This was a charming beginning to a series and a fabulous love story.  My only complaint was the amount of partner swapping that occurred between the main characters.  They seemed to fall in and out of bed with one another with no regard for propriety. The whole “falling in love” seemed a bit contrived and happened way too easily, but the story was cute and interesting.  I will probably read the sequel.
            I give this story 4 out of 5 clouds.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.