Pocket Full of Posies by Julie Coulter Bellon

5 stars

Wow! This is Bellon's best novel to date. It is filled with intrigue, adventure, romance, and excitement.

I found myself anxious to get back to reading it because I had to find out what happened next. I found the characters to be well-developed and flawed, making them realistic and interesting. Even the villain was layered enough to make me almost like him. Almost.

I was so impressed with the realism of the plot. Bellon masterfully weaves in details that make you feel like you a right in the middle of the action. Twists and turns kept me riveted to the story. I kept wondering how the characters would solve the problems and get out of the situations and Bellon kept surprising me with unexpected twists. 

I highly recommend this book. It's a page-turner, so make sure you have enough time to read it.

You can purchase Pocket Full of Posies here.

Indie Author Resources Blog Fest

I published my first four books with traditional publishers. I submitted the manuscripts and waited to hear if they were accepted or not. After acceptance, I worked with editors a bit. I had no say in the cover design. In fact, I loved one of my covers but was concerned about it before publication. After publication, that book was not carried in bookstores because of the cover. In essence, I was punished because of the cover designer's choice and I had no option but to accept my book wouldn't be carried in bookstores. I couldn't change covers or make any edits to that cover I also had no say in the release date, and I was responsible for almost all of the marketing. I loved publishing traditionally, but decided I wanted to try it on my own. Others I knew had made the plunge, do I dove in as well. I'm still learning about indie publishing every day, but I have found an excellent cover designer I want to recommend.

Karlene Browning at LibrisPro designed the cover for my book, Aura. Here's a link to that cover and the back cover. She did a fantastic job and really captured the essence of my main character and the feeling of the story. She is so easy to work with and her prices are very reasonable. She has designed other covers and is very tech-savvy. She's honest and dependable and works quickly.

Here's a link to her portfolio.

Here's the link to her website.

You can go here and find other professionals involved in this blog fest.

Welcome to indie publishing!

Cell Phones and Relationships

Here in the Houston area when someone goes on a first date and doesn't get a call back, he/she can go to a website for a local radio show and fill out a form for the radio hosts to call the person and ask why he/she didn't call back after the first date. The hosts ask all sorts of questions and the person who filled out the form is listening in on the responses. That's the set-up. Really embarrassing, wouldn't you agree? I mean, obviously, if you went on a first date and the person doesn't call again, it's pretty clear that the date did not go well. And, let's face it, it's almost always women who initiate this to see why the man they went out with didn't call back.

This segment comes on while I drive back home after taking kids to school. I always think I should turn it off because it's so uncomfortable. I feel embarrassed for everyone involved. But it's one of those "I can't look away" situations. I'm embarrassed, but I want to hear why the guy didn't call back.

This morning's segment was a woman whose friends had signed her up for an online dating service. She'd received a note from a guy and agreed to a coffee date. She thought the date went well and she liked the guy, but he never called her back.  When the radio hosts got him on the phone, he explained that he didn't want to go on another date with her, because during the coffee date all she did was text, answer emails, and talk on her phone. He felt like he was on the date by himself. She countered that her job is stressful and she had to take those calls and answer the emails. The hosts told her that maybe this wasn't a good time for her to date if she's that busy.

This situation made me think of myself. How do I use my phone?Honestly, I am totally guilty of texting or reading texts while my kids are trying to talk to me. The majority of the time, I am texting one of my other kids. Sometimes, I am also emailing or reading emails. Some of that time is directly related to an issue with one of my kids (lately it has been about trying to get services for my son at school, but that's beside the point). The point is, back in the day, there were no cell phones, no email, no Facebook, no Twitter. We actually had interactions with live people and I think we had better relationships with them. I think technology is robbing us of establishing and maintaining relationships.

We have so little time to spend with the people who matter most to us. Some days it does feel like raising kids will last forever, but then, in a blink of an eye, they are on a mission, or at college, or married with their own babies. Once time has gone by, it doesn't come back. You can't save it and you can't stock up on it. Once it's gone, it's gone forever.

I need to be better at putting my phone away and truly listening to my kids, to my husband, to my friends. I need to stop allowing an electronic device to undermine my relationships. I feel like I don't have enough time with my kids as it is and I shouldn't be wasting that time surfing FB on my phone.

At the end of the day, relationships are what matter. I am going to put my phone away and focus on face-to-face interactions with my family when they are around. Yes, I will still text my other kids and family members because sometimes that's the only communication I have with them that day, but I am going to focus on not doing it at the expense of my other kids or my husband.

7 Romance Novels for $.99

Coming February 1, 2014 Romance through the Ages brings you SEVEN NOVELS from 7 bestselling authors (including New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestsellers). Join us for a fabulous collection.   *7 Romance Novels, 7 Bestselling Authors, 1 Amazing Price*   99 cent Romance Boxed Set for a limited time only!

Running Barefoot by NY Times & USA Today bestselling author Amy Harmon!— Deeply romantic and poignant, Running Barefoot is the story of a small town girl and a Native American boy, the ties that bind them to their homes and families, and the love that gives them wings.

Masquerade by Janette Rallison, who has sold more than 1 million books!— It's hard for a woman to keep up the masquerade when her boss is as handsome as Slade Jacobson and the job takes her to Hawaii with him. In between handling his whirlwind four-year-old daughter and dealing with a whole cast of Hollywood personalities, Clarissa has to keep a tight hold on her heart.

The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson, Amazon Bestseller!—Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town's charity event, Shelter’s Bachelorette, Taycee Emerson is in for the ride of her life. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it's up to the viewers—not her—to decide which bachelors stay or go.

Pride and Precipitation by Heather Horrocks, Amazon Bestseller!— Breezy Jones is crazy about the weather, rain or shine, which makes her job as the local television station’s meteorologist perfect. That’s before she meets the attractive new general manager, Noah Drake, who is determined to repackage everything—including Breezy’s down-home delivery.

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White, Amazon Bestseller!— Lizzie falls hard for Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy character and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. When she meets two men, Chad—a science teacher, and Matt Dawson—who looks and acts like Mr. Darcy, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

She Owns the Knight by Diane Darcy, Amazon Bestseller!— Why does Gillian Corbett have to travel seven hundred years through time to find a decent guy?... Why can't Sir Kellen Marshall find a lady who is obedient, submissive... or at least not trying to kill him?

Heart of the Ocean by Heather B. Moore, Amazon Bestseller!— A dark secret . . . a grieving ghost . . . a handsome stranger . . . What more could Eliza Robinson want? Except for maybe her life. When Eliza discovers that Jonathan Porter’s dark secrets may be the link between the dead woman who haunts her and her aunt’s murderer, Eliza realizes that Jonathan is the one man she should never trust.

Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/1/14 Bloggers who put up a spotlight post about these books on their blog can enter to win an additional $25 gift card or paypal cash. See details in the Rafflecopter. Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

My New Cover: Imperfect Love

Isn't it beautiful? I love it.

If you'd like to participate in the blog tour March 19th-28th, you can go here and sign up.

You can also enter a contest to win PayPal cash or an Amazon gift card if you go here.

Thanks for your support!!

Because It Mattered to Me

My parents were married very young. My dad worked his way up from a box-boy at Jordano's Grocery Store to assistant manager. They didn't have much money, but they were deeply in love. I'm not sure if it was for Christmas, a birthday, or their anniversary, but my dad gave my mom a tiny pair of diamond stud earrings. My mom loved these earrings. Even more so after my father was killed at the age of 25 and left my mom with two small children. When my mother died a few years later, she was wearing these earrings. My sister and I inherited the earrings and decided to split the pair, each taking one earring. I put that earring in my ear and wore it for years in addition to another pair of earrings (because I had two piercings in my ears). I never took it out. It was, somehow, a connection to the intense love my parents shared for only a short time. As silly as it seems, wearing that earring made me feel close to my parents. Since I have very few memories of them together, this earring seemed to capture the romantic notion of their relationship that I've created in my mind. Some years ago, I heard a talk by President Hinckley when he asked women to wear only one pair of earrings. I was devastated. This earring was so close to my heart and represented my parents. I struggled with this request. I wanted to be obedient, but I also wanted to keep this earring close to me because of its sentimental value. I finally decided it was more important to be obedient to the prophet even if I didn't quite understand or agree. I reluctantly placed the earring in my jewelry box where I've kept it since then. I've put it in my ear, without adding another pair of earrings, when I wanted to especially keep it safe. I did this when I moved to Texas. When we were leaving for CO for Christmas vacation a few weeks ago, I wanted to put the earring in so it'd be with me and I could keep it safe (I always take it with me when I travel). I searched through my jewelry box three times, but couldn't find it. I looked through my closet, in drawers, on the floor around the jewelry box. I asked my kids if they'd seen it. No one had, and it was nowhere to be found. Since we were trying to leave for a 16 hour trip, I decided I'd have to search more when I got back to TX. On the drive, I said some prayers and asked that if it was to be found, I'd find it. I thought about it while in CO and even told my sister I thought I'd lost it. It made me sick to think my mom's earring was gone. I felt very sad, but believed that Heavenly Father would hear my prayers and kept hoping I'd find it. When we returned to TX, I was unpacking my suitcase and putting away the jewelry I'd taken for the trip. I dumped out the jewelry and started putting bracelets and necklaces and earrings away. Suddenly, I saw it. My mom's tiny diamond stud earring. It had somehow, some way, gotten into the plastic bag I'd packed other jewelry in. Or did it? Some may believe that I'd inadvertently put it in there, but I know that's not true. I know that I never touched it and never even saw it before we left for CO, which is why I so desperately searched for it. Because it mattered to me, it mattered to Heavenly Father. An earring itself doesn't matter to God, but because I matter to Him, this earring mattered to Him. Somehow, He placed that earring in that plastic bag. This may seem a simple thing, but for me it is clearly an indication that Heavenly Father cares for me, and what's important to me is important to Him. My testimony of His love has been strengthened through allowing me to find the symbol of my parent's love. He loves me. He loves you. He loves us all. And He shows it to us all the time if we will take the time to look. Yes, the earring is my ear right now.

Special Ebook Sale

It's Friday the 13th! Normally we think of Friday the 13th as unlucky—but today is your lucky day! It's a one day sale on over thirty books. Stock up for yourself, grab great deals on Christmas gifts, and find something for everyone!

Original photo by Abhi Sharma via Flickr/CC

Scroll through the titles below and click on the purchase links to pick up anything and everything that looks interesting—or give as Christmas gifts! There's something on this list for everyone to enjoy! *Be sure to check the price of the book before you download so you know you're getting the sale price.*


Look at all these amazing deals!!

The Book Blogger's Cookbook (2011) by Christy Dorrity Promotion Price: 99¢  Click here to purchase! Great books, bloggers, and recipes meet in this fresh and unique cookbook that helps you experience books, not just read them. Books were selected from the author’s book review blog and paired with delectable recipes like “Fairy Touched Calico Brownies” from the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull, “7-Day Layer Dip” from Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall, and “I Hate Chocolate Cake” from Amanda Hocking’s Switched. Whether you're a food lover, an avid reader or a book blogger, there’s something for you in The 2011 Book Blogger’s Cookbook.

Clean romance (including romantic comedy & historical romance)

Working It Out by Rachael Anderson Regular price $3.99 Promotion Price: $1.99 Click here to purchase! A chance encounter . . . Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable--exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle--a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon. A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along--assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.

Prank Wars

by Stephanie Fowers

Promotion Price: $2.99 Click here to purchase! In this fun-filled novel, it’s girls vs. boys in a hilarious prank war that pits the college students against their nemeses. When some of the pranks start getting dangerous, can the two enemies join forces to capture the culprit?

Third Time's the Charm by Heather B. Moore Sale price for promotion: 99¢. Click here to purchase! Liz Carlson will settle for a normal man. A normal man with a job, that is. Married twice, then divorced twice, Liz had her rose-colored glasses fall off and shatter on the ground a long time ago. Her main focus now is raising her six-year-old daughter and surviving long days at work on her feet as a hairdresser. When Sloane Branden answers her call for help, quite literally, Liz doesn’t even give him a second glance. She has sworn off dating for as many years as it takes, and it seems that Sloane has done the same after his own tumultuous marriage. But when Liz realizes that Sloane defies every stereotypical deadbeat she has dated, she might just find room in her heart and discover the third time’s the charm.

Loyalty's Web by Joyce DiPastena Sale price for promotion: 99¢. Click here to purchase from Amazon and Smashwords! Heléne de Laurant has not forgotten how the Earl of Gunthar destroyed her father’s castle during Henry II’s war with his sons. Apparently neither have her family and friends, for when someone tries to murder Gunthar, every sign points in their direction. Heléne realizes the only way to prove her loved ones’ innocence is by exposing the true assassin. As Heléne and Gunthar spar over the identity of the traitor, fierce determination gives way to mutual attraction. Heléne must race against time, and dark secrets of the past, to unmask the would-be killer before the kingdom plunges back into war and takes the life of the man she has unexpectedly learned to love.

Clean romantic suspense & adventure romance

I, Spy (Spy Another Day #1)

by Jordan McCollum

Regular price: $3.99 Promotion Price: 99¢ Click here to purchase on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, or author's website Canada is probably the last place you’d expect to find an American spy. But even idyllic Ottawa has its deadly secrets—and so does CIA operative Talia Reynolds. She can climb through ventilation shafts, blend in at the occasional diplomatic function, even scale buildings (small ones). But there’s one thing she can’t do: tell her aerospace engineer boyfriend Danny about her Top Secret occupation. It worked for a year, keeping Danny in the dark, keeping him away from danger, keeping her secrets. And then Talia finally catches a hot case: Fyodor Timofeyev. Russian. Aerospace executive. Possible spy? She can make this work, too—until Danny needs her at the same time her country does. And when Fyodor targets Danny? Suddenly her schedule isn’t the only thing suffering. Now to save her secrets and her country, Talia must sacrifice the man she loves.

Poison Me

by Cami Checketts

Promotion Price: FREE Click here to purchase!

Can they catch a killer that no one believes is real?

Jake Merrill was raised by his grandmother, Ruby, and her hilarious friends. After a suspicious death at the retirement home where Ruby lives, she enlists Jake and Chanel, the beautiful activities director, to help her find the killer.

Secrets Ruby has kept for decades threaten her family and the man she's always loved, but could never have. Chanel's unstable ex-boyfriend, a presumably dead relative, and vicious criminals add to the confusion. Time is running out as Jake, Chanel, and Ruby desperately search for clues to solve the murders and fight to save those they love. "Poison Me made me laugh out loud and thoroughly enjoy myself. I wish I had a friend like Ruby! Snappy dialogue, romance, and a strong sense of family made this book well worth reading."  Rachel Ann Nunes, bestselling author of Line of Fire and Before I Say Goodbye

The Colony by Cami Checketts Sale price for promotion: 99¢. Click here to purchase! To protect her sons from the mistakes of her past, Brinlee Trapper escapes to a secluded mountain home. But there are dangers lurking in the mountains she has never encountered. The little family is saved from injury by Jed, a mysterious hunter. Brinlee is drawn to him, but she worries about his involvement with a peaceful commune hidden deep in the mountains behind her property. Lance, Brinlee’s attentive neighbor, has his own troubled history. Between his obvious attraction to Brinlee and his developing love for her children, Brinlee finds it more than difficult to guard her heart against this tender intrusion. While Jed offers a life of excitement and freedom, Lance holds the key to the family Brinlee always wanted. When it comes time to choose, she learns that both men have secrets that could shatter her fledgling trust in men and the wrong decision could leave more than her heart exposed to danger. "Cami Checketts is a genius! She writes about topics that aren't widely discussed, in and out of books, and she does such a brilliant job of crafting these things into wonderful stories that touch your heart and remain with you for days afterwards." Myra, Reviewer, Pieces of Whimsy

A Change of Plans (Safe Harbors #1) by Donna K. Weaver Sale price for promotion: $2.99. Click here to purchase from Amazon and Barnes & Noble! When Lyn sets off on her supposedly uncomplicated and unromantic cruise, she never dreams it will include pirates. All the 25-year-old Colorado high school teacher wants is to forget that her dead fiancé was a cheating scumbag. What she plans is a vacation diversion; what fate provides is Braedon, an intriguing surgeon. She finds herself drawn to him: his gentle humor, his love of music, and even his willingness to let her take him down during morning karate practices. Against the backdrop of the ship’s make-believe world and its temporary friendships, her emotions come alive. However, fear is an emotion, too. Unaware of the sensitive waters he navigates, Braedon moves to take their relationship beyond friendship--on the very anniversary Lyn came on the cruise to forget. But Lyn's painful memories are too powerful, and she runs off in a panic. Things are bad enough when the pair finds themselves on one of the cruise’s snorkeling excursions in American Samoa. However, paradise turns to piracy when their party is kidnapped. Lyn’s fear of a fairytale turns grim. Now she must fight alongside the man she rejected, first for their freedom and then against storms, sharks, and shipwreck. Also available as an audio book from Audible!

Paranormal romance & Fantasy (adult)

The Change (Unbounded #1)

by Teyla Branton

Promotion Price: 99¢ Click here to purchase at Amazon, iBookstore, and Barnes & Noble!  

No Second Chances. Death, Life, or Love—Unbounded Always Play for Keeps.

There are only two ways to kill Unbounded, and fire isn’t one of them—as law school dropout Erin Radkey learns the hard way. By fluke of a recessive gene, she has become Unbounded, a nearly immortal being with paranormal abilities.

Erin’s Change separates her from her loved ones and alters everything she believes to be true. A week earlier she was considering a marriage proposal; now she contemplates the best way to stay alive. Caught in a battle between two Unbounded groups, the Emporium and the Renegades, she is also hunted by a secret mortal society sworn to eradicate the Unbounded gene.

As Erin plunges into this dangerous new life, she must carve out her own place in the madness, protect her mortal family, and decide which group she should join. Her unique ability is vital to both groups in the race to secure an identification software that spells death for all Unbounded—or enslavement for the entire mortal world. Some will stop at nothing to use Erin as one more pawn in a battle that has spanned centuries. Erin’s undeniable attraction to Ritter Langton, whose family was massacred by opposing Unbounded two hundred and forty years ago, complicates her choices. There are no second chances. Death, life, or love—Unbounded always play for keeps.

Non-stop action, terrifying consequences, and powerful romance make The Change an exciting addition to the world of romantic urban fantasy.

Sevenfold

by Ilyan Kei Lavanway

Promotion Price: $2.99   Click here to purchase on Amazon and Smashwords! 

Young wife Gracie yearns for renewed innocence. Abiathar wants to secure it for her. Their trek has been anything but blissful. Stomach their journey, and let your faith be strengthened through their experience. Glimpse tribulations and miracles future pioneers may expect as you live vicariously through the life of this young family.

Out of the Picture and Into the Picture

by Victor G. La Van Way and Ilyan Kei Levanway

Promotion Price: 99¢  Click here to purchase on Amazon and Smashwords!

Out of the Picture and Into the Picture by Victor G. La Van Way and Ilyan Kei Lavanway is a fantasy adventure book containing two short stories about a pilot who is miraculously reunited with his father in a strange storm. Experience superimposed worlds and altered realities. Relive the thrill of flight as you follow this pilot's mysterious journey. Find a renewed hope and youthful determination.

Young Adult

The Big Debate (Literary Loom Book One) by Carolyn Twede Frank Promotion Price: 99¢  Click here to purchase! A bizarre corpse . . . A strange girl . . . A creepy teacher . . . A cool invention . . . Combine these with an old school and a new student anxious to fit in, and the adventure begins. Fifteen-year-old Josh’s big mouth gets him in trouble at first. But after walking in the shoes of great men of history in the Literary Loom, he uses that mouth to bring down the bad guy and ultimately solve the mystery behind the murder . . . and the mystery behind a strange girl.

The Dream Keeper (Dream Keeper Chronicles #1) by Mikey Brooks Regular $3.99 Sale for Promotion 99¢ Click here to purchase! or here for Nook or Kobo Dreams: Dorothy called it Oz, Alice called it Wonderland, but Nightmares call it HOME. When an evil shifter takes over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, it falls to 14-year-olds Parker and Kaelyn to stop him. Their only hope lies with Gladamyr, the Dream Keeper, but can they trust a Nightmare to save their world?

The Dreamstone (Dream Keeper Chronicles #2) by Mikey Brooks Sale price: 99¢ Click here to purchase from Amazon and Kobo! When Parker’s mom is dreamnapped by the wicked Mab, it is up to him and Kaelyn to save her. However when they return to Dreams, they discover Mab isn’t their only problem. Gladamyr has lost his powers and the only way to get them back is to become what he fears the most—a nightmare.

Aura by Rebecca Lynn Talley Sale Price for Promotion: 99¢  Click here to purchase! What if the greatest weapon in the age-old war between good and evil was inside of you?

Crystal Scott has always felt different but tried hard to blend in.  Now that she's scored the lead in the school play, has a boyfriend she adores, and a best friend she can't live without, she finally feels like she belongs. A few days before prom, a mysterious young man appears and suddenly she has to figure out how to use the weapon of Light she has inside her or mankind is doomed.

Demons are determined to tip the war in their favor no matter what the cost and they're hot on Crystal's trail.  With danger around every corner, she doesn't know if she can save herself, never mind anyone else.  When things look darkest and there's nowhere to turn, Crystal must find the strength to use her newfound gifts against the tide of evil threatening all of them--or die trying.

With a Kiss (Twisted Tales, Book One) by Stephanie Fowers

Promotion Price: FREE on Amazon Click here to purchase! or free on Smashwords! Faerytales. They're real . . . they just haven't happened yet. Halley Starr finds out the truth when she loses her heart with a curse. Now she has to get it back from that dirty faery who stole it from her, but first, she must fight against the seven rules of the faery kingdom that mortals must never break. If Halley wants her heart back again, she can’t worry about the rules.

Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips (Episodes 1-3) by Cindy M. Hogan Regular price $3.99 Sale price: 99¢ Click here to purchase! The first 3 Episodes of Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips in one book! "First Kiss" VL. Virgin Lips. You may not have heard of it, but where I live, it's a thing with a card, even if it is a figurative card. I was Brooklyn Hamlin, certified virgin lips, and I planned on clinging to that figurative card with all I had--while dating as many of the hottest guys at school as I could. Maybe that's a bit strange. I mean, what teenage girl isn't interested in kissing? Locking lips definitely interested me, but the drama that came with it didn't. No kissing, no drama. Simple. But on my sixteenth birthday, on my first real date even, the drama found me. His name was Luke Graham--cute, funny, and bad news for the whole female race. "Stolen Kiss" With my VL card gone, my flickering light of hope lay with Ryker, someone else who'd caught my eye. Only he could erase the memory of Luke, the boy who lip-raped me. Unfortunately, Luke was determined to keep me, or at the very least, ruin me. "Rebound Kiss" Brooklyn has become a social outcast at school thanks to Luke, who spent his entire weekend playing the victim and spreading rumors. And there’s nothing worse than Luke’s brand of justice. With no other way to escape her torn up, lonely life, she accepts an invitation to her cousin’s birthday party. Attending a party thrown by someone she doesn’t get along with is better than sitting home alone. The highlight of the party is meeting Riley, a boy who’s sweeter than the plate of sugar cookies he arrives with. After everything Brooklyn has been through, it seems that karma is finally on her side, but she soon learns that nothing is ever simple in the dating world.

Gravediggers by Cindy M. Hogan Regular price $3.99 Sale price for promotion: $1.99 Click here to purchase! Seventeen-year-old Billy thinks his father’s murder will never be solved—until he stumbles across an old ammo box while digging a grave in his small-town Tennessee cemetery. What he finds leads him to question everything he knows, and his search for answers will uncover more than he bargained for: lies, secrets, and conspiracies—and behind them all, a dangerous truth.

Aos Si by Rebecca Lyn Shelley Sale price for promotion: 99¢ Click here to purchase from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the iTunes/Apple! Legends say the magical Aos Si, the Fair Folk of Irish and Scottish folklore that once plagued humanity, have retreated Under the Hill, never to be seen again. The legends are wrong. Aos Si are still abroad in the world, powerful, dangerous, and living among us. When Carla's mother drags her from their home in Denver to the-middle-of-nowhere Colorado, a mysterious neighbor embroils her in a battle between warring Aos Si factions. Then she meets Shade, a slave of a cruel and power-hungry Aos Si. Her attraction to Shade is as deep as the magical powers that surround him, but her attempt to free him from his evil master sinks them both deeper into the war, endangering her life and those of the people she cares about most.

You're Strong Enough by Kassi Pontious Price for promotion: FREE Click here to purchase! You’re Strong Enough takes young adult readers on a quest to discover who they are, why they are here, where they came from, and what their ultimate goal is. Christian writer, Kassi Pontious, shares personal experiences aimed at teaching young people that each of us is strong enough for our own trials and challenges. In You’re Strong Enough, you will discover who your real enemy is and how to defeat this dragon. As you participate in individual quests at the end of each chapter, you will learn how to cut the strings of dysfunction that may be trying to control your life. Ultimately, you will discover where your true strength lies and how to conquer the obstacles in life’s path. You’re Strong Enough is a book about hope and empowerment. It brings truths to light that will empower your soul and inspire you, and those around you.

The Princess Sisters (Princess Sisters #1) by Stacy Lynn Carroll Promotional Price 99¢. Click here to purchase! The only thing she stands to lose are her shoes. Cinderella is an ordinary teenage girl, with an extraordinary name. But because of that name, she and her cousins, Belle, Aurora, Ariel, and Snow White suffer years of torment from their peers. Then as the girls enter high school and the enticing world of dating, a life-altering decision must be made. Is it finally time to stop fighting, and surrender to the fairy tale clichés that have been holding them back? By embracing their names, the girls discover an inner-strength they never knew existed. And by putting everything they have on the line, maybe, just maybe they will discover there really is such a thing as 'happily ever after'.

Frogs & Toads (Princess Sisters #2) by Stacy Lynn Carroll Promotional price 99¢. Click here to purchase! One kiss can change the future, for better or for worse. Belle and her cousins have conquered their fears. Now as they navigate their way through the dating world, they start to see a "happily ever after" on the horizon. But when an unexpected school assignment forces them to examine their past, the Princess sisters realize they have a lot of questions about the fathers they've never met. Secrets are revealed, long lost family members are discovered, and now the girls must decide who belongs in their future and who should be kept in the past.

Middle Grade

Heroes of the Highest Order Book Bundle 1-3 by R. K. Hinrichsen Regular price $9.99 Promotional price: $5.99 Three books in one! Click here to purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble! THE DARK ENEMY NEVER RESTS. BUT NEITHER DO THE HEROES OF THE HIGHEST ORDER! Book 1 (The Hidden Kingdom): A magical playground whisks Dan and Page into the Hidden Kingdom, a skinny giant quickly registers them for hero training camp. There, they learn they must gain skills and earn powerful treasures by travelling back in time and walking in the footsteps of a real pioneer hero. Book 2 (The Prisoner of the Shadows): Dan and Page search the catacombs in Italy, race through the streets of India, and follow in the footsteps of Mother Teresa in order to rescue their grandfather from the Prison of the Shadows. A bonus: Dan finds out he's even more powerful than he thought! Book 3 (The Mouth of the Dragon): Tadeusz Pankiewicz, a real-life hero, helps Dan and Page rescue two children from the Nazis in World War II Poland.

All I Got For Christmas by Rebecca Shelley Sale price for promotion: 99¢ Click here to purchase from Barnes & Noble and Amazon! Oh No! Principal Green says Santa can't come to the school Christmas party. Monkey needs a plan to get Santa to come. Too bad Monkey's ideas get him on Santa's Naughty List. It looks like all he'll get for Christmas is a bucket of coal. But when a blizzard knocks out the power lines and buries the roads, it's up to Monkey and the Smartboys to save Christmas for everyone.

Christmas!

A Greater Love  by Rachel Ann Nunes Regular price $5.99. Price for promotion: FREE Click here to purchase! A Special Kind of Christmas Story Miguel Silva is a street orphan who will do anything to avoid the wrath of his alcoholic aunt and to keep his little sister, Sara, happy. He and Sara roam the streets of Portugal, begging and stealing to feed and clothe themselves. A sudden twist of fate throws them into an even colder world, where their only chance for survival is a couple who is childless by choice—Daniel and Cristina Andrade. Daniel Andrade has put his bitter past behind him and found a new life with Cristina. But the past returns in force when Miguel steals his wallet on the ferry, throwing into motion a series of unstoppable events. Daniel doesn’t want to face the secrets of the past or open his heart to anyone—yet that is exactly what he must do or face losing everything he loves. Cristina Andrade also has secrets. Now she must choose between her husband and the deep longing in her heart. Or is there a compromise? Only Miguel can help them find the way—and time for Miguel is running out. Can the Savior’s love heal them all before it’s too late?

Dreaming of You my Christian romantic comedy / Christmas story. by Marie Higgins Regular price $2.99. Sale price for promotion 99¢. Click here to purchase! Katelyn Palmer never believed any harm could come from using her college crush as the hero in her first romance novel—the novel that jumpstarted her writing career. However, when Shane Hunter storms into town, demanding to meet the writer who used his identity, Katelyn is confronted with more than her long, silent emotions. If Shane takes her to court for invasion of privacy, her career would be over. Shane doesn’t know how to act when his ex sister-in-law accuses him of having an affair while he was married—and then shows him the romance book as proof. Now he wants to know who this author really is and why she used his name and most of the events in his life for her story. Desperate to know the truth Shane befriends Katelyn but he does not expect to be attracted to her, even more unexpected is the joy he finds watching his twins fall in love with the woman who is stealing his heart, too...

All I Want (Christmas Anthology)

by Rachael Anderson, Jolene Perry, and Kaylee Baldwin

Regular Price $3.99 Promotion Price: $1.99 Click here to purchase from Amazon or here for Barnes and Noble! Pretty Near Perfect by Jolene Perry The last thing Norah needs is to be attracted to anyone – especially in her deceased fiancé's parents' home. Collin’s starting a new career, and has no business getting involved – especially while staying with his roommate’s family, who very kindly offered to take him in for the holidays. Unfortunately, you just don’t always pick the most convenient time and place to fall for someone. Six Days of Christmas by Kaylee Baldwin When Natalie goes home with her best friend for Christmas, she expects plenty of quiet time to work on a winning ad so she can turn her dream internship into her dream job. Instead, she gets time-consuming Christmas festivities, a house full of children, and Jimmy, her best friend’s brother - someone who makes her question everything she’s always thought she wanted. Twist of Fate by Rachael Anderson When a postcard meant for Kenzie winds up in Ty's mailbox, Ty's faced with a decision. Should he tell her that her fiancé is breaking up with her and let it ruin her favorite holiday, or should he do what he’s wanted to do since he met her - make a move and hope that he can win her over before she discovers there won’t be a wedding after all?

Spinster's Folly by Marsha Ward Sale price for promotion: $3.74 with coupon code VL64M at checkout. Click here to purchase! Marie Owen longs for a loving husband, but marriage prospects on the Colorado frontier are limited. Her desperation at the prospect of remaining unmarried, fueled by her younger sister's taunting jibes about her becoming a spinster, drives Marie into the arms of a sweet-talking predator, landing her in unimaginable dangers. Winner of 2013 USA Best Books Award for Western Fiction. 

  Enjoy!