Blogger Book Fair! Join the Fun!

Check in to the Blogger Book Fair, and book your trip to far away places!

July 22-26, 2013

Authors and Book Bloggers, Sign ups for the July 2013 Blogger Book Fair will close on June 15 at midnight central time, so get your registrations in to participate!

As of 5/31/2013, we have:

Authors: 89 Books: 233 Bloggers: 14 If you haven't yet registered, you can find all of the information on the Blogger Book Fair page.

1. Check out the Code of Conduct
2. Fill out either the Author Sign Up form or the Blogger Sign Up form (Deadline June 15)
3. Kayla will match everyone with hosts and send out this information to you after sign-ups close
4. Check out the events--all authors are eligible to participate in the events, and if you have an event you'd like to host, just fill out the simple Event Sign Up Form--all of this information can be found on the Events! page (Deadline July 8).
5. If you're interested in hosting a giveaway to drive traffic to your site, sign up via the Giveaway Sign Up form (Deadline July 15).
6. And if your book will be FREE or $0.99 for the duration of the Fair, you can sign up on the Free and $.99 Book Sign Up Forms (Deadline July 15).

Events:

as of 5/31/2013

Art Fiction Gala hosted by Lucie Smoker

Does your fiction promote the visual arts--through featuring an artist, painting, sculpture, performance art, etc? Then, consider entering Lucie's Art Fiction Gala. The Art Fiction Gala is a virtual celebration of fiction that highlights the visual arts. Dress up in your finest, pick up some friends--a bottle of wine--and sample mind-blowing fiction that crosses the line between literary and visual art. Plus a gallery of art featuring reading. More information & entry instructions

Three Wishes hosted by Kirstin Pulioff

Introduce your characters to the world. Kirstin Pulioff invites you to ask your main character, "If you found a magic genie lamp, what would be your three choices?" More information & entry instructions

Flash Fiction Challenge II hosted by Thomas Winship

Get ready to exercise your flash fiction muscles. For the Flash Fiction Challenge II, Thomas Winship will provide an opening line. From there, entrants will craft a flash fiction piece of approx 500 words. Entries will be displayed on Thomas' blog Vaempires during the BBF, spread out evenly across the five days, in order of receipt. More information & entry instructions

Snapshot Synopsis Contest hosted by Fel at The Peasants Revolt

Challenge: chisel your synopsis down to 50 words or less. Voting will be open throughout the fair for visitors to vote on their favorite Snapshot Synopsis. More information & entry instructions

Reader's Choice Awards hosted by Sherri at Shut Up & Read

All books registered for the Blogger Book Fair are automatically entered into the running for the Reader's Choice Awards. Voting will be open from July 22 to July 25. More information

Indie Soap Box Files hosted by Shah Wharton

Take a turn on the Soap Box. Shah invites speculative fiction writers to write a guest post about being an indie (or hybrid) writer. More information & entry instructions Restrictions: Speculative fiction writers only

Monster Menagerie hosted by Noree at Trip the Eclipse

What's your favorite monster or supernatural creature? Feature your creature in a flash fiction piece (500-800) words to be featured on Trip the Eclipse. Visitors will vote on their favorite piece. More information & entry instructions

Ways to Help:

Donate to the Blogger Book Fair via the BBF Donation Fund. To help get the word out about BBF, we would like to place ads on Facebook, Goodreads and other places, but to do, so we need a little help. We'd also like to have some BBF sponsored giveaways, so money donated would also go toward prizes. NO MONEY WILL BE KEPT BY ANY ORGANIZER OR PARTICIPANT. Spread the word! Share the Fair on your social media accounts and show off the Blogger Book Fair logo in your blog's sidebar.

Join us on:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Goodreads
• Google +

The Oracle and The Vampire Blog Tour

Happy release day to Christine Rains, and her book The Oracle and the Vampire. I'm happy to be a part of the blog tour today.

Here is the book summary, which sounds fabulous.

Having fallen for her gorgeous neighbor might not be so bad if Harriet McKay wasn't in her hideous banshee form every time Kiral saw her. Such is her curse. True, he's a vampire struggling with a drug addiction, but he's a good soul. Yet no one could love a cursed witch, especially one not even her cats respect.

After having a vision of Kiral's death, Harriet makes it her mission to save him. Never before has she attempted to change fate, but so strong is her love.

Kiral Ozdemir struggles to make it through every day. The craving for blood laced with drugs directs his every thought until he tastes Harriet's potent blood. The magic immediately addicts him, but she disappears. He's desperate to find her, racing blindly into a city in chaos.

How can Harriet convince Kiral to see past her vile appearance and return her love? If only she can force him to listen to reason coming from a raving crone, perhaps she can save him from the demons hunting him and from himself.

I have another treat for you. Christine was kind enough to give us an excerpt! 

            “Sit down, Grandmother. I see you've had a long night.” Kiral spoke softly. “Would you like me to fetch you something to drink?”

            Once seated, Harriet reluctantly let go of him and shook her head. “No, I'm fine. Thank you.”

            Elli circled around the other side of the chair and growled.

            “Hush now, Elli.”

            Kiral ran his hands through his hair. It might've been sexy if he wasn't trembling so. “All right then. I'll leave you to get some rest.”

            “Are you all right? I could help if you need—”

            “No.” He replied too quickly. He wet his lips and shook his head slowly. “There's nothing you can help me with. I just need some fresh air. A walk will do me some good.”

            He backed toward the door.

            His movements were jerky. Harriet recognized them as springing from desperation. No, there was nothing she could help him with. No potion would ease his mind tonight.

            “Be careful out there. Carmine's streets grow darker each year.”

            “I don't think I'll have anything to worry about.” Kiral flashed her a smile, showing a bit of fang. He then slipped out of her apartment without waiting for a good-bye and shut the door behind him.

           Harriet's body heaved with her sigh. She was in love with her neighbor who was a vampire with an addiction. Why was life never simple?

            Elli glanced at the door and meowed as if she'd been the one to chase Kiral out. She then pranced to Harriet and pawed at her leg.

            “Yes, yes. I know. You're hungry. Just give me a minute to rest.”

            Meowing more loudly, Elli swatted at Harriet's ankle.

            Harriet opened her mouth to tell her cat to be patient, but the vision swallowed the words as it slammed into her.

            On a rooftop overlooking a blackened city center. Hideous gremlin-like monsters danced around someone in bloodied chains. Kiral. Kiral in chains. He lifted his head to the rising sun and screamed as his flesh burned. Screaming, pain, fire, screaming, charred flesh, death, screaming.

            It was Harriet's shrieks that filled her apartment. In her mind, they mingled with Kiral's.

            Kiral. No, not Kiral.

            She sprang from the chair and flung open the apartment door. Her screeches echoed down the hall, somehow increasing in volume rather than diminishing it. Harriet couldn't stop herself from running back and forth along the corridor as she cried over the fate of the man she loved.

            A man who would never know she loved him.

            Chains, monsters, and burning.

            Death.

            Harriet screamed as much for herself as she did for him.

Purchase Info:

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

Smashwords 

Author Links

Website

Blog   

Facebook  

Twitter 

Goodreads 

Author Bio

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She has seven novellas and twenty-one short stories published.

Want to know who else resides on the 13th floor? Check out the other books by Christine!

Z is for Zurich

April has been a spectacular journey blogging through the alphabet. Good job to everyone who participated. Thanks for following along on my adventure! This was my first time doing the A-Z challenge, and it was so much fun, I might have to do it again next year.

Z = Zurich

On this last stop I'll leave you with a sight of Zurich, Switzerland. Enjoy!

(source)

Many thanks to everyone who was behind the scenes organizing this grand event. Welcome, and thank you to all my new followers, and may you blog happy!

Y is for Yellowstone National Park

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

Y = Yellowstone National Park

What a fantastic stop on the tour today. Located in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, Yellowstone has 60% of the worlds geysers. It's diverse habitats are home to many species (including some that are endangered or threatened). I'm not going to say much about the park except I think it's someplace every American should try to visit once in their lifetime, and the Old Faithful Geyser must be a sight to behold. Bring your camera!

                                                                           (source)

Spooky Factor: 2

Intrigue Factor: 2

Beauty Factor: 5

X is for Xi'an & the Terra Cotta Warriors

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

X = Xi'an

In Xi'an, China there is an army so grand that just the sight of them would have you shaking in your pants, but fear not brave tourists these soldiers are the Terra Cotta Warriors, the guardians of China's first Emperor, and are statues that date back to the late third century BC. There are over 8,ooo soldiers, 130 chariots, 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses. What an impressive find!

(source)

                                                                        (source)

                                                                     (source)
Spook Factor: 1
Intrigue Factor: 4
Beauty Factor: 4

Biblio: click here and here

W is for Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

W = Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Located in Louisville, Kentucky the Waverly Hills Sanatorium is dubbed the most spiritually active place on earth, and has been featured on many paranormal shows. The land was originally purchased by Major Thomas H. Hays in 1883. He started a one room school house for his daughter. The teacher named the school, Waverly School for her fondness for the "Waverly novels." The board of Tuberculosis Hospital kept the name after purchasing the land and building the sanatorium. It served as a tuberculosis hospital until 1961. It was renovated in 1962, and reopened as Woodhaven Medical Services as a geriatric facility, and closed by the state in 1980.

Let me know if you see any ghosts because I'll be waiting for you on the tour bus. Yeah, I'm sitting this one out.

Spook Factor: 5
Intrigue Factor: 3
Beauty Factor: 1

 Biblio: click here

V is for Venice

Welcome to the A-Z challenge, where we'll be blogging our way through the alphabet throughout the month of April. My theme will be places--it may be a specific place, a state, or a country. It will be whatever I think is spooky, beautiful, or intriguing. I'll be rating each stop on the way with those factors, with 5 being the highest score, and 1 being the lowest score. I hope it will inspire any writers, or travelers out there in Bloggerland. So, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

V is for Venice

Venice, Italy is our stop today. Board the gondola and get ready for a beautiful ride.

                                                                           (source)

                                                           (source with a bloggers story)

                                                           (source with a bloggers story)

                                                              (source with a bloggers story)

Points of Interest

Piazza San Marco

Grand Canal

Rialto Bridge

Doge's Palace 

Saint Marks Basilica

Bridge of Sighs

Murano

Palazzo Grassi 

Spook Factor: 1 (if you're afraid of water)

Intrigue Factor: 5

Beauty Factor: 5

It was Venice and their beautiful gondolas that gave me the idea that I needed this factor in my book, Deadly Kisses. Yes, the Grim Reapers in my made up world steer these in the underground rivers. Souls beware.