Sunday, December 09, 2012

Blog Tour: Hollywood Holiday by Sasha Summers





Want to read a romantic Holiday novel, then Hollywood Holiday is the book for you!






All she wants for Christmas is for Hollywood to love her again. But once she meets him, her Christmas list changes. Jen’s only Christmas wish: Hollywood falling back in love with her. Meeting ex-Marine Gunner was a bonus. She likes that he isn’t impressed by celebrities or the movie biz. She likes that he’s funny and sweet … and drop-dead gorgeous. And she loves that he has no idea who her alter-ego is: Jen Fleming, Hollywood bad-girl and paparazzi target number one. Why ruin an amazing affair when he’s leaving after the new year? But the closer they get, the harder she falls, and the more she wants to tell Gunner everything. Especially once he shares his secret with her. Her new Christmas wish: Gunner accepts and loves her for who she really is.




About the Author

Sasha is part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, Hollywood, history, and travel. It’s no surprise that her books include a little of each. Her first play, ‘Greek Gods and Goddesses’ was written for her Girl Scout troupe. She’s been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she’s doing so. Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.




A giveaway for a paperback book of  Hollywood Holiday is on the Inkspell Website, check it out. And don't forget to read the first book in the series.





She wasn’t meant for movie stars, Hollywood, or happy endings. And then she met him. Happy Endings are for fairy tales. Or the movies. Not for real life. At least, not in Claire’s life. Even though she’s starting over, she knows better than to want to much this time. But when she falls, literally, into the strong arms of Hollywood’s ‘it’ boy Josh Wiley, Claire’s in for some surprises. Her plans for rest and relaxation are forgotten as one incredible night with Josh becomes two… And her heart begins to want him as much as her body. Will two kids, one bastard ex-husband, and Josh’s juggernaut career mean the end of their affair? Or can Claire find her happy endingafter all?







I was given and eARC of the book, and I absolutely adored this story. It had sensual elements and filled my need for an enchanting read for the Holidays!

Book Excerpt

“Jenny?”

I groaned and turned my face into the soft cotton I was sleeping against. I inhaled deeply. And my nostrils were filled with the most delicious smell ever: man, soap, shaving gel, sunshine…a wonderful, vaguely familiar, amazingly yummy smell.

I opened my eyes, then sat upright. “Hi.”

Airplane.

Gunner.

Freak fit.

He’s so hot.

The clasp of my charm bracelet hung on his shirt. “Sorry.” I disentangled the chain.
“It’s fine.” He smiled. “We’re getting ready to land.”

“Really?” I asked. “Sorry for using you as my pillow.” I chewed my lip. He was a very, very nice pillow.

His eyes were crazy blue when he looked at me. “I didn’t mind.”

“Oh,” I said, a huge smile rising up. He didn’t mind.

His smile grew. Dimple.

“You’re the nicest guy I’ve ever met.”

“I am? Why do you say that?”

“Because I’ve been…unhinged for most of this trip. I mean, you’re here, you know it’s true. And instead of asking to move or having the Air Marshall restrain me, you hold my hand and talk to me and let me sleep on you.”

“I did ask if I could move, but they said no.”

I stared at him. He started laughing again. I leveled a glare at him then. “Maybe you’re not the nicest guy.”

He cleared his throat. “I don’t think I want to be the nicest guy.”

“Why not?” I didn’t have enough nice people in my life. I missed nice people. “What’s wrong with being nice?”

“Nice guys finish last.” He arched an eyebrow at me. “Or something like that.”

“I like nice guys.”

“Oh, well, that’s good. Then maybe I am a nice guy.” He cleared his throat again. His whole demeanor changed, almost like he was bracing for something. “I thought maybe I could call you later, when we’re in LA. Maybe we could…go out?”

Contain the smile, Jen. Act cool. My heart was thundering as I asked, “After I was all crazy? Really?”

“Really.” He laughed, shrugging. “If you want to.”

I did. So want. Definitely. But now was not the right time. “I’d like to, but…“
“But you have a boyfriend.”

“No, I—”

You’re not interested?”

Man, his eyes are blue. “It’s not that either…” I mumbled to a stop. He was staring at my mouth.

But…?” he prompted.

“Timing.” I sucked in a breath as the airplane began to descend. We were landing and I’d just given him the lamest excuse. “I’m kind of in a bad place right now…”

He was watching me, looking a little confused. “Okay.”

“My career."

He nodded.

I wanted him to know that if things weren’t as messed up as they were for me, I would date him in a heartbeat. I mean, I wanted to date him. I wanted to see that smile and those gorgeous blue eyes again. But I knew I shouldn’t want to, because I had way too much baggage for a guy like this. He deserved better. I tried to explain without dumping too much information on him.

“I’m between jobs right now. Every second of my day has to be about that.” That still sounded like an excuse—a really pathetic excuse.

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

We landed with a bounce, the wheels screeching on the tarmac. I gripped the arms of the seat until we were cruising down the runway toward the airport. We were in LA. We were…home. This was good. I’d get off the plane alive.
But it was also bad because that meant goodbye to Gunner.

He stared at the back of the seat and I stared at him. He smiled at me once or twice, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was losing something good. I fiddled with my charm bracelet.

What am I doing? He’s sweet and funny and gorgeous. And he had no idea who I was…or rather what the world thought I was. With him, I was just Jenny. And yes, I had a lot of…unpleasantness to deal with, but didn’t everyone? So why didn’t I deserve a good thing? I
mean, after everything I’d been through, it was my turn for something good. And Gunner was, I just knew, something good.

“I’d like to go out with you,” I said.

“But…?”

I shook my head. “No buts. I’d really like to see you again.”

He smiled, his eyebrows arching. “Okay.”

“Okay.” I smiled, delightfully aware of the warm tingles that his smile elicited.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Finished NaNoWriMo 2012



Another November down! I feel amazing! After tearing at my hair because my book was at 40,000 words, and I couldn't seem to get the story to finish. I opened back up my book of outlines and it gave a small spark in me for three little plot twists I ended up adding in, and it made the stories final word count come over 90k. It's a sci-fi, so around that range in the wordcount is something good. I am filled with so much relief right now! I shall now put this manuscript to rest, and I will reopen it after Christmas, before I head back to university. In the meantime since this is a trilogy I'm working on, I'm going to see how far I can get into book two in the trilogy before I start preparing the queries about the new trilogy.


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

NaNoWriMo Update


It's near the middle of NaNoWriMo. I feel so much progress than I did last year. Last year I was getting 1500 words a days and I didn't finish until after Thanksgiving. 

I started this year on November first at the crack of dawn, at exactly 5am with a ten cups of coffee, and wrote 15,300 words in one day! That is a big accomplishment even for me. It was mostly the climax of the story I had been working on, and now I am working backwards. I now find myself at 40,000 words, and the story doesn't feel anywhere near completion. It's a bit in different spots as well. Plus I did not break up the chapters so I just have one really long story. On the plus side I showed yesterday my creative writing professor the first four chapters (even you can even call it that) and he liked the story, he said it just needs major editing required.

I just need to face that I am too wordy for my own good. I hope this will be the trilogy series I had been anticipated on writing. I am also really hoping I can at least finish the main story before Thanksgiving, we all know how hectic Thanksgiving is. If can finish this one before Thanksgiving then I can start to work on book two in the trilogy, and see if everything flows. This is a trilogy I have high hopes for because of the uniqueness I brought to the sub-genre and I hope someone sees it with potential. Once I finish this draft, I will put it to rest until January, and the time to shred it apart into a billion pieces until its perfect before sending it off to my critique partner begins! 

Good luck to everyone else with NaNoWriMo!

Monday, November 12, 2012

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Blue Bloods
When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society. The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a popular girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think, but she wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?





This is another one of my favorite vampire series (yes I do like vampires, just not one particular series). This book series was like Gossip Girl which is one of my favorite novels. I liked how it was rich vampires living in Manhattan. The vampires don't live forever, but they do come back in life cycles. This was an interesting take on vampires. The writing was in third person limited, so it's like regular third person but it head hops and gives too much of the backstory in each chapter. The author is better off writing a whole prequel novel of the events before the series. This is an example for someone who wants to write third limited.I am a huge shipper of Schulyer and Jack. Sometimes the writing gets too dull and rushed. I am just upset with having to wait a whole year to read the final book in the series.



Next on the Reading List

After sending out queries, and revising my work for the next #DVpit. I have been reading. Finally after weeks on my library e-book holds. I...