BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT-EVENT

A YA anthology that's Alice-in-Wonderland inspired featuring 

stories by 13 different authors hailing from 3 different countries.

Curiosity often leads to trouble...

Thirteen powerful voices in young adult fiction invite you to journey into startling new Wonderlands in this nod to the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s timeless character, ALICE. 

Mystery. Madness. Mayhem. Each story in this collection will intrigue, bewitch, and enchant. Through rich historicals, castles and keeps, wild wormholes, secret workshops, deadly plagues, and gritty urban explorations, we present new tales of Alice and her white rabbit. 

Whether an intrepid reporter, a would-be car thief, or the last human in a world ruled by machines, at the heart of each story Alice is a girl discovering who she really is in worlds that never fail to surprise.

What wonders await, oh curious reader? Leap down the rabbit hole and discover the truth..

I'm super excited to tell you about our upcoming event here at Thornton Berry Shire.  New owner of Leap Books Publishing, Shannon Delany, along with her co-publisher, and original owner, Judith Graves, take on a classic in this re-telling of Alice and the White Rabbit.  The book is remarkable and will grab your attention the moment you pick it up.  (review coming Wed. April 29th)

Beginning Monday, May 4th, we will post daily interviews from the authors, giving you an in-depth take on this childhood favorite.  The event will close out on Monday, May 11th with a GiveAway.  The rafflecopter will instruct you on how to enter to win either a print or ebook version of this terrific book...that will soon become a classic in it's own right.  Young or old, you'll want to add this to your library…I promise.

Here's a link to their GR's page   See you Monday the 4th!   And spread the word….thx!

BOOK BLAST for WIND CATCHER

From Goddess Fish Promotions, a YA Native American, 
double world/thriller from 
father and daughter writing team, Jeff and Erynn Altabef.  
If the excerpt is any indication of how well this book was 
written, I believe this could be a winner!
This Blast offers a Giveaway of either a $20 Gift Card, a signed
print of Wind Catcher, or digital copies to three lucky winners.
So be sure to put your name in the hat for a chance to win.
Enjoy the blast and please leave a comment so that we know you
were here…thx from TBS.

BLURB:

Juliet Wildfire Stone hears voices and sees visions, but she can’t make out what they mean. Her eccentric grandfather tells her stories about the Great Wind Spirit and Coyote, but he might as well be speaking another language. None of it makes any sense.

When she stumbles upon a series of murders, she can’t help but worry her grandfather might be involved. To discover the truth, Juliet must choose between her new life at an elite private school and her Native American heritage.

Once she uncovers an ancient secret society formed over two hundred years ago to keep her safe, she starts to wonder whether there’s some truth to those old stories her grandfather has been telling her.

All she wants is to be an average sixteen-year-old girl, but she has never been average—could never be average.

Betrayed by those she loves, she must decide whether to run or risk everything by fulfilling her destiny as the Chosen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everything about me is a lie.

My entire life is a leaning tower of lies that threatens to collapse at any moment and bury me so deep I may never climb out from under the rubble.

I slam the bathroom door and my hand trembles as the old-fashioned steel bolt slides into place.

Click.

The locked door offers no real safety. Locked doors can be broken, but it does give me a moment of privacy and a chance to breathe. So much has happened over the past few days. It’s like I’ve become a totally different person, someone unrecognizable.

The adrenaline that had been pumping through my veins has completely melted away now as I lean against the wooden door. My breath comes fast and ragged. My body feels heavy and weary and my legs weaken. Gravity pulls me down. Too tired to resist, I slide down the length of the door until the white marble floor rushes up to meet me.

I work hard to steady my breath and focus on taking in fresh air, expelling the old. It’s a simple process, yet it takes all of my concentration. When air starts to flow, my eyes close. Time slows and drifts by erratically.

Images flash through my mind—an eclectic group of memories: childhood birthdays, second place in a spelling bee, hanging out with Troy, rock climbing with Sicheii. Most are happy, but they’re all tainted now. The lies spoil them. They were never true. They were just part of a story, one that’s changed forever.

My weary mind reaches for sleep, but I resist. Too much time would be wasted. There’s too much for me to do. Too many loose ends need to be tied, so I open moist eyes and wipe away tears I don’t recall crying.

When my vision clears, crimson-streaked fingers flutter near my face as if directed by someone else. I thought blood looked like ketchup, but it’s darker and thicker than you would think. My hands spin in tight circles. Each finger is stained with thick, mud-colored smears.

Whose blood is on them?

A cold sweat coats my back and my chest tightens. This blood must be scrubbed away immediately. It starts to burn as if it’s alive, as if possessed by dark spirits, spirits that want to harm me. It freaks me out. I have got to wash them clean now, this second, immediately, before....

I turn the faucet and hot water tumbles over my skin. I frantically rub my fingers together and hope friction and water alone will make the blood disappear. The water in the sink turns red and then pink, but traces of blood stubbornly stay behind. A bar of soap rests on the edge of the porcelain sink. Lather squishes between my fingers—twisting and turning, scrubbing and rinsing. My skin turns raw from the rubbing, and when the water has lost all its warmth, I turn the faucet off.

Hard to find specks of blood cling to my flesh, but I still see them and feel them.

Will they ever wipe clean? I don’t think so.

A silent scream builds deep within me, which so desperately wants to be released it practically hurts, but no sound slips past my lips. I’m too tired to scream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Wind Catcher: A Chosen Novel is a joint project between the father/daughter team of Jeff Altabef and Erynn Altabef.  Jeff Altabef is an award winning author who has two published thrillers. He has a column on The Examiner focused on writing, and a blog designed to encourage writing by those that like telling stories. He spends time volunteering at the writing center in the local community college. Erynn Altabef is an avid reader, dancer, and community activist who has just earned her Girl Scout Gold Award. When she’s not in High School, she loves reading, performing in school musicals, baking, and watching movies with her friends.

http://www.jeffaltabef.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jeff-Altabef-Author
https://twitter.com/JeffAltabef
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7055582.Jeff_Altabef
http://www.amazon.com/Jeff-Altabef/e/B00FNVK3NK
http://www.evolvedpub.com/team-view/jeff-altabef/

BOOK BLAST for BITTERSWEET

A Virtual Book Tour from Goddess Fish Promotions, 

Bittersweet, by Michele Barrow-Belisle.

A YA Fantasy full of magical creatures…and a 
love interest or two.

The Author is giving away a $10.00 gift card so be sure to include
your entry for a chance to win…enjoy todays book blast!
Thx for stopping by, and please leave us a comment
so we know you were here…thx TBS!

BITTERSWEET

by Michele Barrow-Belilse

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

To save the Faery world and her mother’s life, seventeen year old Lorelei sacrificed everything, and the dangerous bargains she made in Nevermore had lasting repercussions. Now safely back in her own world, Lorelei seems the same to her high school friends and her supernatural boyfriend, despite the dark magic growing within her. Love across dimensions is complicated, especially when an invisible veil between the two worlds is sealing, threatening to separate Lorelei and Adrius forever.

Determined to find a solution, Lorelei resorts to exploring her new found powers. But when her friends fall ill, and her healing touch only makes things worse, Lorelei can’t help but wonder if she's responsible. 

Nightmares from the Nevermore tighten their icy hold when someone arrives determined to destroy Lorelei’s world, starting with those closest to her. Once again she’s forced to choose between her family… her friends… and a love that was ill-fated from the start.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Stay. Just…. Stay.” The second I said it I felt awful. What was I asking? I knew he couldn’t stay, that he needed to return to his world to stay alive in mine. 

Since the night of the dance we’d carefully stayed away from discussing our little predicament. We were still at a standoff. He couldn’t live in my world without magical aids to keep him alive, because of the toxic nature of our polluted air, and I couldn’t go back to his world, because of a bunch of angry beings trying to kill me. That left us here. He would have to return to his world and refuel, to come back to mine. How long the potions lasted depended upon how much stress he was under. Physical exertion, extreme emotions all used up the reserve more quickly. Then there was the issue of his still being tied to Venus, the daughter of the ice witch I killed. A curse had caused his forced fealty to her. Killing the witch was not only supposed to save Mythlandria from her destructive wrath, it was also supposed to free Adrius of the curse that bound him to the ice witch’s commands. Who knew there was a daughter who would take over the bonds, and that she was also his ex-girlfriend. 

Now she wants me dead in payment for killing her mother, and as a bonus, I’d be out of the way so she could get Adrius back in her life. That he could come here at all means the curse is weakening. I want his freedom, but at which price? Was I willing to kill for it? I’d have to end her life as well if I was going to destroy the bonds. And I wasn’t a killer. Even Octăhvia’s death was more of an accident than intended. I had no idea what awakening the magic would do, or how to wield it. This arrangement seemed like our only option, for now. And while I hated to see him leave, there was something comforting in being able to pretend that my life was normal again. As normal as it ever was. I could enjoy being back home with friends and back at school which surprisingly enough, I’d missed. It’s amazing how coming to the edge of your life multiple times will make even the most mundane routines a welcomed change. 

“Think about what you’re asking me,” he said. “You know why I have to leave.”

He watched me suck in a breath of regret, as I wished I could take back my self-serving plea. 

Pain creased his eyes. “Sleep soundly, Lorelei,” was all he said. He kissed the top of my head and turned to go. 

The tense set of his jaw revealed the effort it took to leave. I watched him walk away, biting down on my lower lip until he reached the driveway. 

“How am I supposed to sleep?” My voice was almost too quiet to be heard over the howling wind. But his hearing surpassed most mortal’s. 

“Warm milk with honey works well,” he answered my whisper, his back still facing me. “It helps with the night terrors too,” he added. 

“You know that’s not what I meant.” I moved closer, descending one step at a time until my bare feet hit the cold of the pavement. 

Adrius froze. Electric pulses crackled between us. 

“I was talking about sleeping without you. Here.” 

“You’ve managed to do it before,” he said cautiously, the strain of his resolve vibrating in his voice. 

“I know. But—“ 

This was wrong. It was selfish. How could I ask him to stay, when I know that leaving is what would keep him alive to return to me? 

“I’m sorry. I’m being silly. It’s just I can’t—“

With whipcrack intensity, his resolve burned away and he rushed toward me and pulled me into his arms. His touch burned though my shirt as his hands splayed against my back, pressing us closer. He kissed me, hungrily at first, then it quickly deepened to ravenous. Matching his fervor, I tangled my fingers in his hair. Every inch of me was on fire. He gasped, his lips slowing against mine. By the time we separated, we were both breathless. He leaned his forehead against mine for a few rapid heartbeats, then pulled back. Our eyes remained locked in a palpitating stretch of silence that spoke volumes. My head swirled, and all I wanted was more of where we’d left off. 

But he read my intentions. The corners of his lips quirked and he shook his head. Warm hands slid down my arms with one last caress, before he disappeared. Gone so quickly I didn’t actually see him leave. Swallowed by the darkness of the night and the forest that held the secret doorway into Mythlandria.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

BIO
A dreamer at heart, Michele Barrow-Belisle has always lived with one foot in this reality and one foot in another, one of her own imagining. So it follows that she would grow up to write about the characters from those enchanting worlds she knows and loves so well. A fan of all things romantic, her young adult novels are populated with scintillating witches, vampires and fey.  Her bestselling debut book series Fire and Ice (Faerie Song Trilogy) was optioned for a major motion picture this year. Michele resides in southern Canada with her hubby and son who indulge her never-ending obsession with reading, writing and most importantly… chocolate.  

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Website:  www.michelebarrowbelisle.com  (join my mailing list)
Blog:  www.michelebelisle.blogspot.ca 
Facebook Author Page:  www.facebook.com/authormichele
Facebook Street Team page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/396189297153826/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3059577.Michele_Barrow_Belisle 
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/MicheleBelisle 
Pintrest:  www.pinterest.com/micheley26 
YouTube:  www.youtube.com/user/micheley26 
Google+:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/110546512991850441753/posts/p/pub 
Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Michele-Barrow-Belisle/e/B00BVRJADY 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a Rafflecopter giveaway