Reviews - a great post by Rosie Amber

I'm giving my Monday's ramblings   over to Rosie Amber today. She's written a great post on her blog about reviews - of you're hesitant about leaving a review for a book I think she explains why reviews are so important to an author and need not be a problem to write, very succinctly.

Check out her article here:

https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2016/07/25/4-quick-ways-to-write-a-bookreview-and-overcome-your-fears-mondayblogs/

Also this follow up post by UK author and fellow RNA member, Lizzie Lamb
https://lizzielamb.co.uk/2016/07/30/how-to-write-a-review-and-help-your-favourite-authors/comment-page-1/#comment-7535

And, of course if you've read any of my books and would care to leave an Amazon Review, I would be truly grateful - thank you so much.

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join   Every new subscriber will get a free download of my fantasy novella 'Dancing With Fate' (If this doesn't arrive within two days just email me at hywelalyn@btinternet.com) Every new subscriber will get a free download of my fantasy novella 'Dancing With Fate' (If this doesn't arrive within two days just email me at hywelalyn@btinternet.com)

Interplanetary Summer - TWRP Summer Reads Blog Hop

I'm delighted to be part of The Wild Rose Press Authors Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop. A bevy of WRP authors are taking part.  I hope you enjoy the blog hop. Please visit the various authors' blogs and if you can spare a few moments, leave a comment (we all love comments) Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter contest for your chance to win a fabulous Kindle Fire donated by The Wild Rose Press.  

Many authors are offering additional prize on their own blogs. I'm thrilled to have published the third in my futuristic series  this year, so I am offering a free download of Starquest,  the first book in the series to a random commenter on this blog.

The theme of this blog hop, is of course, summer treats. I think most of us enjoy the lazy, hazy days of summer as it says in the popular song. Here in the UK, it usually falls on a Tuesday in July (only kidding). Although our summers are a bit 'hit and miss' over here, we usually have a few days during the summer months when the sun shines, the skies are blue and the countryside is full of summer scents and colour.

One of my favourite summer treats is spending time with my two horses, Harri and T'pau.  Sadly a hip injury means I can no longer ride, but there are still plenty of things to do with them, and we are all enjoying our 'retirement'.  I also like taking my little rescued dog for long walks in the countryside.

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As I write science fiction romance, I started wondering what summer is like on some of my imaginary planets.  Osind, a planet featured in Starquest is, on the face of it, a beautiful place to spend the summer - but beware, it has hidden secrets, and the charismatic lord who lives in the castle on the clifftop is not all he seems either!

Niflheim, which is an important location in both Starquest and Children Of The Mist, the first two books in the Destiny trilogy, is a misty, icy planet, but parts of the planet are less hostile and the Earth colonists love their snowy home, which even in the summer looks more like a day in early spring on Earth, although the snow is not as thick as in the winter, and delicate flowers grow in the gardens of the settlements.

In contrast, Robigo, the main planet in my third book 'Beloved Enemy' is very hot and much of the landscape is covered in sand dunes and although there is plenty of sand, it's not the kind of landscape one would want to sunbathe on. In fact my two main characters, Cat and Kerry spend most of their time trying to get away from the planet - but it's not that easy!

So how do you imagine summer on other planets? Or do you prefer to stay on good old Earth? Don't forget to leave a comment and at the end of the Blog hop I'll draw a winner for 'Starquest'. The first book in the series.  

I'll leave you with a picture of Kerry Marchant,the lead character in 'Beloved Enemy' (as portrayed by the fantastic Jimmy Thomas  my favourite summer treat at the moment, LOL)

If you like the idea of spending a little summer time in a 'galaxy' far, far away, I invite you to check out
The Destiny Trilogy at my Wild Rose Press Author Page

(Each book is a complete story and can be read as a 'stand alone'.)

(If you fancy watching a trailer 'teaser' for Beloved Enemy,  just click on the video on the top of the right hand column)

Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.

Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret, and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red-haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

BUY NOW FROM THE WILD ROSE PRESS

PRIZES!

Remember to enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a Kindle Fire donated by my wonderful publisher, and visit the other blogs participating in the hop for more Summer Treats and prizes!  If you leave a comment on this post I'll enter you in the draw to win a copy of 'Starquest'.

Enjoy your summer and take time to relax with a good book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For an extra entry into my draw (and a free  copy of my fantasy novella) please join my occasional newsletter email list. I promise no spams!

You can catch up with the other blogs taking part in the Blog Hop HERE:

1. Sorchias Wild Rose Summer Treats Post | Visit blog

2. RV Memory | Visit blog

3. Tricia Schneider | Visit blog

4. Anna Durands Spunk & Hunks | Visit blog

5. Judy Ann Davis Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog

6. Spicy Summer Treats with Mia Downing | Visit blog

7. Linda Nightingale. . . Wordsmith | Visit blog

8. Jana Richards - Journeys with Jana | Visit blog

9. Summer Memories of books well read @ Peggy jaeger. com | Visit blog

10. Summer on Cape Cod ~ Kathryn Knight books | Visit blog

11. Summer Fun at the Beach, with Katie OSullivan | Visit blog

12. I Believe Ill Go Canoeing - C. B. Clark | Visit blog

13. Summertime Love is Sweeter with. . . Frozen Mango? @ Kimberly Keyes blog | Visit blog

14. Wild Rose Summer Treats Blog Hop @ Brendas Blog | Visit blog

15. Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog

16. Midsummer Magic on the Isle of Skye! | Visit blog

17. My Guilty Summer Treats from Lori Sizemore | Visit blog

18. Interplanetary Summer - Hywela Lyn | Visit blog

19. Wild Rose Press Summer Treats & Reads | Visit blog

20. Camping is a Recipe for Summer Treats and Reads | Visit blog

21. The Snarkology | Visit blog

22. Summer Survival Tips @ Nitty Gritty Romance | Visit blog

23. Wild Rose Press Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog

24. Nell Castle - Summer of the Sweat Lodge | Visit blog

25. Myth, Magic & Wonder Susan Edwards, Breathing Life into the Past |Visit blog

26. Romance with Spice, Sydney St. Claire | Visit blog

27. Author Kat de Falla | Visit blog

28. Anni Fife. Exciting new author of Steamy Romance with Irresistible Heroes | Visit blog

29. Summer Vacation, Victorian-Style, AND a Giveaway | Visit blog

30. Wildfires, Monsoons, and Mojitos - Author Susabelle Kelmer shares how she keeps cool in a climate that is on fire! | Visit blog

31. Casi McLeans recipe for Hot Reads and Cool Treats | Visit blog

32. Cool Summer Reads: Jeannie Halls Romantic Suspense Blog - Where Hearts Tremble From More Than Attraction | Visit blog

33. Summer treat - Adult Slushie | Visit blog

34. How to Rediscover the Magic of Bicycling | Visit blog

35. Charlottes Tips on How to Stay Cool in HOT New York City | Visit blog

36. Caryn McGill | Visit blog

37. Charlottes Tips on how to stay cool in HOT New York City | Visit blog

38. Charlottes Tips on How to Stay Cool in HOT New York City | Visit blog

Monday's Ramblings

I've been a bit quite recently - apologies.  I've been quite busy with one thing and another.  It's a beautiful sunny day here in the UK today - I thnk summer has come at last.  Perhaps it will last for a few days if we're lucky.

It's a good day for drying and my washing is drying merrily on the line! The horses are enjoying the warm weather, we left them grazing happily in the shade. (One day if I win the lottery I'm going to buy a small farm in Wales so I can just look out of my window to see them, instead of having a half hour car drive every day)  Too hot to do much so Choccy will get his long walk a bit later when it's cooler.

https://tonyaloveslife.wordpress.com/2016/07/18/excerpt-bios-beloved-enemy-sciencefiction-romance-by-hywela-lyn-hywela_lyn/comment-page-1/#comment-4382

Before I get down to some writing, I just wanted to mention that I'm touring with 'Beloved Enemy'  this week for three days, and I'd like to thank all the lovely bloggers who are hosting me. You can find out more by clicking the above link.

And - don't forget too join me on the 22nd June, when I will be taking part in the Wild Rose Press Blog Hop.  Should be fun.

How are you enjoying summer?  Leave a comment and tell me what you're up to.

Happy Fourth of July

Wishing all my American friends a very Happy Independence Day!

Reap What You Sow - Spotlight and Review

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Reap What You Sow SERIES (& Book #) – (Reap Book 1) (each book is a stand-alone read) AUTHOR – A.R. Von GENRE – Paranormal romance PUBLICATION DATE – November 10, 2015 LENGTH (#Pages/# Words) – 168 pages/32.330 words PUBLISHER – Dream Z Dragon Publishing COVER ARTIST – Wicked Muse Productions

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Isolated her whole life, talking only to the animals only she can communicate with, Melanie’s life changes dramatically when she meets Tim. Little does she know that Tim has secrets of his own. He understands her pain, because as a Reaper, he often delivers pain to others. But Melanie is different, and she makes him long for things that a Reaper shouldn’t…like love. 

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US - AMAZON KINDLE CA AMAZON KINDLE UK - AMAZON PAPERBACK SMASHIE - B&N - GOODREADS

AUTHOR BIO

A.R. is an animal lover who was born and raised in Bronx, NY and is the oldest daughter of two girls. She holds an Associate's Degree in Computer Science and Information Technology, which was only briefly used. She's a mother of two entertaining teen boys (as well as a lovely fawn Chihuahua, whom she considers her furry daughter.) She's also a wife to a delightfully handsome and amazingly funny man-beast. She loves anything dragon and fantasy related. In her free time she enjoys exercising, listening to music, hiking, cooking, dancing and writing. She also loves a great adventure in and out of a book!

She writes to free her mind of its constant wondering and priceless clutter. She thrives on the fact she can share some of it with readers that have the same passion for a great story.

She also loves to hear from her reader's and chat away, so feel free to reach out to her any time.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK TWITTER – GOOGLE+ – PINTEREST – TUMBLR NETWORKED BLOGS – GOODREADS – SMASHWORDS LINKEDIN

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

2-$5.00 Amazon gift cards

CLICK TO ENTER THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this story, but when I realised it was about a girl who could communicate with animals, I couldn't resist, since I'm an ardent animal lover, and I'm glad I decided to read it. I also liked the original idea that there are two 'grim reapers' one for animals and one for humans.

The two main characters are charming and easy to identify with and the animal characters are delightful. Even the scene where Melanie has to let her beloved old dog, 'Spotacus' go to his rest is very moving and although sad, the situation has a feeling of 'rightness' and I could fully empathise, having had to say goodbye to several much loved dogs myself.

Secondary characters, Melanie's brother, and Tim's mother, are well drawn and feel real and an important part of the story.  It's a quick read, with a fairly sexy love scene, and the only problem I had was a niggling worry about the lack of sympathy likely to be shown by the new reaper.

A complimentary copy of this ebook was gifted by the author in exchange for my honest review. I give it five comets.

True Calling Series - Siobahn Davis

This is my stop during the book blitz for the True Calling series by Siobhan Davis! This blitz will run from 28 June till 4 July. The book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The tour schedule can be viewed here

True Calling is a fully completed YA sci-fi dystopian romance series that will appeal to readers who enjoy fast-paced action adventure, sublime worldbuilding, strong character development, and tons of swoon-worthy romance. With over 500 five-star ratings on Goodreads, the True Calling series is currently FREE to download from Kindle Unlimited! If you don't read on KU you can benefit from significant discounts during the blitz - read the first 3 books for 99c!

All books in the series are listed below, and check out the cool giveaway!
- True Calling – free!
- Lovestruck - free during blitz!
- Beyond Reach – 0.99$ during blitz
- True Calling Boxset – all books plus bonus content for only $7.99

True Calling (True Calling #1)
By Siobhan Davis
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Age category: Young Adult

Blurb:
Welcome to Novo: Your new home in Space

For Ariana Skyee, Planet Novo was everything it promised to be until the authorities introduced "The Calling" as their response to repopulation. Now, all seventeen-year-olds are to participate in this Bachelor-style pageant to find their perfect match, marry, and have children.

But that's not Ariana's only concern. Thanks to the government-sanctioned memory erase, Ariana has no recollection of Zane, the mystery boy who haunts her dreams. Things are further complicated when the pageant commences and her feelings for fellow Cadet Cal Remus intensify. Together, they start to realize not everything about their new home is as it seems.

Entangled in a dangerous web of deceit, Ariana sets out to identify the truth. Conflicted over warnings that Cal isn’t trustworthy and alarmed at the government's increasing interest in her, she doesn’t know where to turn. But her search for the truth comes at a high personal price. When her world implodes, discovering the past shapes her future with devastating consequences.

You can find True Calling on Goodreads

You can get your free copy of True Calling here:
- Amazon
- Amazon UK
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- iBooks

All the books in this series:

Lovestruck (True Calling #1.5) by Siobhan Davis
You can find Lovestruck on Goodreads. Get your free copy of Lovestruck from June 28 till July 2 on Amazon or Amazon UK.

Beyond Reach (True Calling #2) by Siobhan Davis
You can find Beyond Reach on Goodreads. You can buy Beyond Reach for only 0.99$ during the blitz on Amazon or Amazon UK.

Light of a Thousand Stars (True Calling #2.5) by Siobhan Davis
You can find Light of a Thousand Stars on Goodreads. You can buy Light of a Thousand Stars on Amazon or Amazon UK.

Destiny Rising (True Calling #3) by Siobhan Davis
You can find Destiny Rising on Goodreads. You can buy Destiny Rising on Amazon or Amazon UK.

Praise for the True Calling series:
"In a word, WOW!! Talk about a fascinating and magnetic tale!" Tome Tender

"With intergalactic battle, love that traverses countries—entire planets—and endless twists and turns, this series deserves a spot on your e-reader." A Leisure Moment

"True Calling is a dystopian sci-fi romance that is FABULOUS!" The Caffeinated Booknerd

"Fresh with original ideas, exciting characters, great storyline, and a realistic love story." Amazon reviewer.

"This series deserves to become as well-known as popular series such as The Maze Runner, The Hunger Games, Divergent, etc... it's that good." Paranormal Books.

“I cannot put my love for Siobhan Davis' True Calling series into words - it's easily one of my favorite series." RamblingB00ks

"This isn't just a book I couldn't put down, but a series I cannot put down. All I can say is wow!" Patricia Hamill. Author-Blogger. Puretextuality

"It's Hunger Games meets Twilight but only better!" Amazon reviewer.


About the Author:
Siobhan Davis writes young adult science fiction fantasy romance books, and she is the author of the Amazon bestselling True Calling series. The first book in her new Saven series was released in December 2015.

A self-professed teenager forever--at least when it comes to books, music, and films, Siobhan is totally addicted to teen fiction and superhero/blockbuster movies. She loves baking, shoes, bags, makeup, anti-wrinkle cream, anything pink, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, and Robert Pattinson (definitely Team Edward).

Before pursuing a full-time writing career, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in Human Resources over the last twenty years. She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

You can find and contact Siobhan here:
- Website
- Blog
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google +
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Newsletter

Sample chapters, quotes, reviews and book excerpts are all available to download from the authors website

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of the True Calling series. These are the prizes you can win:
- Paperbacks of the three books in the Selection trilogy by Kiera Cass
- Paperbacks of the three books in the True Calling series by Siobhan Davis

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway