Posted in Author, Interview, Spotlight, Young Adult on August 5, 2015

Well we’re mid week now–half way through Science Geek Appreciation Week–and it’s time to get up close and personal with the author of the Science Squad series, Kelly Oram.

If you missed any of the previous posts about The Avery Shaw Experiment or The Libby Garrett Intervention, be sure to stop by the Facebook event. Along with the posts, there’s all kinds of extra bonus material, games and giveaways going on. Lots of chances to win signed books and swag, talk to the author and just have fun with other science geek loving friends. There’s a new giveaway every day. CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE PARTY!

So, what should you know about Kelly Oram?

      

The Obvious:
I love to write.
&
I’m a ginger.

The Basics:
I wrote my first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about my favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which my family and friends still tease me. I’m obsessed with reading, talk way too much, and like to eat frosting by the spoonful. I live outside of Phoenix, Arizona with my husband, four children, and my cat, Mr. Darcy. And we named his litter box Pemberly because it’s where he makes ten thousand (poops) a year!

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The Fun Stuff:

1. I love to sing and went to college as a voice performance major.
2. I once competed in the Miss Michigan Teen USA pageant. (I did not win LOL.)
3. I’m a baseball fanatic. (Go D-backs!)
4. I broke my head as a kid and had to wear a hockey helmet to school as my cast.
5. I own my own 10-sided dice for role-playing that no one but me is allowed to role.
6. I’m left handed.
7. I am credited as associate producer for the independent film Amber Alert.
8. I live for road trips. Best vacation I ever took was a three-week coast-to-coast-and-back drive with my father.
9. The Backstreet Boys were my 1D in high school, and I was a total fangirl. I still have a whole collection of fan paraphernalia.

10. I took both golf and bowling classes in college to fulfill my PE credits. (I still suck at both.)
The Bookish Stuff:

How did you come up with the idea for The Avery Shaw Experiment?
I remember the day I came up with the idea, but not exactly how the concept popped into my head. I went for a run. (Okay, it was more of a walk-run during one of my on-again times where I was dedicated to working out. The off-again times are way more frequent.)
Anyway, I’d ton for a run and it was one of those precious moments where I was by myself, no distractions, no kids–just me and my thoughts. The concept for a girl getting over a broken heart using the seven stages of grief popped into my head, and before that half an hour (yes, that’s all I can run before I want to die) was over, I had most of the book plotted.
I was in the middle of another manuscript at the time, but I went home and wrote Avery’s prologue right away. Five weeks later I had a finished book. The Avery Shaw Experiment had been my easiest book to write so far. It just flowed so naturally, and honestly, I blame that on Avery and Grayson’s natural chemistry. (Hehe science pun totally intended!)
Are you a science geek yourself?
I am a geek of many colors. Music, fantasy, sic-fi, choir, books… But no, I was never a science geek. I was actually a very mediocre-to-horrible student. I never liked the academic stuff, and I struggled with a lot of it. (I spent too much time in my own imagination!) But, that said, I can see the fun in doing science experiments, and I find the occasional documentary about science stuff interesting. Most of my science geek inspiration was drawn from my mother. (She is a HUGE science nerd!) The woman love bugs and dissection and all things dealing with the human body. She worked in a chemistry lab when I was younger and now works with a team of rocket scientists putting rockets in space and sending supplies to the space stations and things like that. It’s a dream come true for her every time she travels to Virginia to launch one of her rockets. She’s a hard-core nerd and I love her dearly for it, which is way I had to dedicate The Avery Shaw Experiment to her. (Love you Mom!)
How did you come up with the idea for The Libby Garrett Intervention?
Libby was a little different. The idea didn’t come as easy. It took a lot more planning. I loved Libby’s character and really wanted to write her a story, but it took me a long time to commit to it. As much as everyone asked for a Libby and Owen story, I really felt like Owen wasn’t the right one for her. The idea for the Libby Garrett Intervention sparked from me imagining what a relationship between Owen and Libby would be like based on there characters from The Avery Shaw Experiment. I just couldn’t imagine Owen ever being a Grayson, and falling for Libby the way she deserved. That’s where the idea of Libby’s “addiction” to Owen came in and it was a short leap from there to the Twelve Step program. I loved the idea of the steps because it fit perfectly with the stages of grief I used in the first book. It was the perfect companion story. And suddenly, volia! I had the next book.
Will there be more Science Squad books in the future?
There will be at least one more. I have a story already plotted out for one of the other science squad geeks, though my writing schedule is so packed that it will probably take me a couple years to get to it. After that, I don’t know. I’d love to end the series with Aiden’s story, but I’d have to actually come up with a story for him first. I’ve pit the idea in my head though, and am letting it simmer, so we’ll see what happens.
What’s your favorite part of the story, and your favorite quote from The Avery Shaw Experiment? Oh, goodness, that’s award one. I know most people probably love the shower scene (it’s not what you think!) in the beginning, or the dancing scene, or basically all the more romantic scenes between Avery and Grayson, but my favorite scenes are actually the science/school. stuff. (Maybe I’m a bit of a science geek after all. My mother would be proud!) I love the scene where the science squad takes Grayson to the bowling alley for a lesson in applied physics and explain Newton’s laws. Like I said, I struggled a lot in high school, because, like Grayson, I have a different style of learning than most people. I need things to be interactive and fun, and I need things explained to me in ways that are applicable to my daily life. I had a lot of fun finding a way to make science fun and creative.
My other favorite scene is between Grayson and Mr. Walden at the end. As much as I loved Grayson and Avery, I had a special place in my heart for the relationship between Grayson and his Physics teacher. I’ve been where Grayson was, and I had a couple of cool teachers that, despite my grades and struggles, really understood me. Those were the teachers that made a difference in my education, and I really wish there were more great teachers out there. So, yeah, developing the relationship between those two was a lot of fun for me, and in the end when they’ve completed character arc, it still makes me smile every time I read that scene.
As for my favorite quotes? I have a million, but I’ll narrow it down to two for you. I already have them in convenient photo teasers for you to pass around the internet, should you feel so inclined. 😉


So, that’s me in a nutshell. Hopefully you’ve recognized my brilliance by now (and my sarcasm) and I’ve convinced you to check out the books. I think they’re a lot of fun and I’m so excited to share Libby with the world!
 
The Avery Shaw Experiment is on sale this week only for just $0.99. 
I promise, it’s worth the dollar! 
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And The Libby Garrett Intervention is now available for the special preorder price of $2.99. 
(Regular listing price $4.99 after it goes on sale, so order now and save yourself some money!)

If you’d like to see more, there are more teasers, excerpts, character interviews, games and giveaways happening on the Science Geek Appreciation Week Facebook event. Make sure you stop by the party and enter to win some of the giveaways. Signed books and swag! FACEBOOK EVENT


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Posted in excerpt, Giveaway, Spotlight, Young Adult on August 5, 2015

TheHeartbreakers

 

Title: The Heartbreakers
Author: Ali Novak
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Publishers: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult

Synopsis

Stella will do anything for her sick sister, Cara—even stand in line for an autographed Heartbreakers CD…for four hours. She’s totally winning best birthday gift this year. At least she met a cute boy with soft brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes while getting her caffeine fix. Too bad she’ll never see him again.

Except, Stella’s life has suddenly turned into a cheesy love song. Because Starbucks Boy is Oliver Perry – lead singer for the Heartbreakers. And even after she calls his music crap, Oliver still gives Stella his phone number. And whispers quotes from her favorite Disney movie in her ear. OMG, what is her life?

But how can Stella even think about being with Oliver – dating and laughing and pulling pranks with the band – when her sister could be dying of cancer?

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Exclusive Excerpt

“Come on,” Oliver said, completely unaware of how flustered he’d made me. “If we don’t hurry, he’s going to find us.”

Oliver pushed open the door to the stairwell, and we started taking steps two at a time. I kept looking over my shoulder, afraid that his bodyguard was going to burst into the stairwell and attack me. Maybe he’d even accuse me of kidnapping Oliver. I could see the headlines in my head: Teenage Girl Abducts The Heartbreakers Lead Vocalist! As absurd as it sounded, I was starting to get nervous.

“Are you sure we won’t get in trouble?” I asked Oliver.

Before he could answer, two girls opened the door to the fourth floor landing just above us. They glanced down as Oliver tried to pull his hoodie up over his head, and suddenly I understood why he insisted on wearing a sweatshirt in such hot weather, but it was too late—the girls did a double take when they realized who he was.

Oliver looked up at them and I noticed his hesitation, but then he grinned at me and grabbed my hand. “Come on.”

We flew down the steps before the girls had a chance to shout out his name. By the time we reached the first floor, I was breathless. Not because I was out of shape, but because something about being with Oliver as he was chased was surprisingly exhilarating. I could hear feet pounding down the stairs and a chant of, “Oliver! Wait up!” but we didn’t stop.

Pushing open the door, Oliver poked his head out into the hallways to make sure the coast was clear before tugging me after him. We raced down the empty hall, and I realized we were going in the wrong direction. The pool was on the other side of the hotel.

“Hey, where are we going?” I asked. “I thought we were meeting the guys at the pool?”

“We’re making a pit stop,” he whispered to me as we crept down the hall. His eyes were scoping out possible fangirls, his body pressed up against the wall as if that might hide him. Oliver squeezed my hand as we continued to tiptoe down the hall and it was then that I realized our fingers were still intertwined.

I slowly looked down at our hands, not sure of what to do. A nagging thought ran through my head. Don’t get too close! After tonight, you’re never going to see him again. But it was hard to pull away. The tingles that were shooting up my arm felt too good to let go of, and Oliver didn’t seem to mind.

“Bond, James Bond,” he muttered to himself. With his free hand he was pretending to hold a gun as he peered around the corner. Screw it, I thought and smiled. I was going to enjoy tonight and worry about my heart later. “All clear,” he muttered again.

We cautiously continued down the hallway like any good spy would until we reached a set of metal doors with circular windows that revealed the kitchen beyond.

“What are we doing here?”

“Dinner time,” he said and rubbed his stomach. “I’ve got a surprise for you.” Oliver shoved the doors and they swung open with ease. We were blasted in the face by thick, hot air that smelled of fried food.

It was well past dinnertime, but the kitchen was bursting with activity. I watched as a woman in a hair net chopped up carrots, her knife a flashing blur. Meat sizzled on a nearby grill as a cook flipped it over. A boy with a mop and bucket zoomed right by us, water droplets spraying everywhere. He was hurrying to clean up a carton of milk that had spilled across on the floor.

“Are we allowed to be in here?” I asked. I wanted to leave before someone noticed us and we got kicked out.

“Of course,” Oliver said, like it was perfectly normal to stroll into a hotel kitchen. “Xander has some really dangerous food allergies. We always stay in the same hotels, and the kitchen staff learns exactly what he’s allergic to. I’ve gotten to know everybody who works here.”

As if on cue, one of the cooks shouted at Oliver. “Perry, my man! How’s it going?”

Oliver grinned at me, before turning back to the cook. “It’s going great, Tommy,” he answered. “How about you?”

I smiled and bit my lip as I listened. It was nice to see him interacting with regular people, like he wasn’t someone famous.

“Same old, same old. The rest of the guys coming down to see me?”

Oliver shook his head and rolled up his sleeves. “Not tonight, but I’m sure they’ll be down for breakfast,” he said, and I watched in confusion as he washed his hands in a nearby sink. What the heck was he doing?

“They better,” Tommy joked as he turned back to stir something that was simmering over the stove.

When he finished scrubbing his hands, Oliver turned back to me. “I kind of have this thing for cooking,” he explained. “You’re not allergic to anything, are you?”

“Um no…” I said slowly, completely confused.

“Great,” he said, cutting me off. “You just wait here. I’m going to go whip us up my favorite.”

I stared after him in as he made his way over to a huge refrigerator and began pulling out ingredients. Is the lead singer of America’s most popular boy band about to cook me dinner?

He was.

HeartbreakersGraphic

About the Author

AliNovakAli Novak writes contemporary young adult romance and is a recent graduate of the University of Madison Wisconsin’s creative writing program. She wrote her first full length novel, My Life with the Walter Boys, at the age of fifteen. Since posting the story online, it has received more than 33 million reads and is now published by Sourcebooks Fire.

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Posted in Giveaway, Spotlight, Young Adult on August 4, 2015

Welcome to Day 2 of Science Geek Appreciation Week with Author Kelly Oram! If you missed yesterday’s post about The Avery Shaw Experiment, you can check it out HERE. And don’t forget to stop by the Facebook party for all kinds of extra bonus material, games and giveaways. There’s a new giveaway every day. CLICK HERE TO PARTY!

Now… On to the cover reveal for The Libby Garrett Intervention!

The Spanish Fork High Science Squad is back in this hilarious and heartwarming companion novel to The Avery Shaw Experiment.

Libby Garrett is addicted to Owen Jackson’s hot lovin’. But the sexy, popular college basketball player doesn’t appreciate all of Libby’s awesomeness. He refuses to be exclusive or even admit to people that they’re dating. The relationship is ruining Libby and she’s the only one who can’t see it. 

When Libby’s behavior spirals completely out of control, her best friend Avery Shaw and the rest of the Science Squad stage an intervention hoping to cure Libby of her harmful Owen addiction. They put her through her very own Twelve Step program—Owen’s Anonymous—and recruit the help of a sexy, broody, hard-as-nails coffee man to be her official sponsor.


Adam Koepp has watched Libby Garrett for years. How could he not notice the sassy girl with the purple skateboard and helmet plastered with cat stickers? But in all the years he’s crushed on her, Libby has failed to take notice of him. Why would she when he was just a nobody high school drop out who served her apple cider several times a week? Especially when she was hooking up with a guy like Owen Jackson—a guy with a college scholarship and more abs than Kyle Hamilton.

Adam finally gets the chance to meet Libby when his co-worker Avery Shaw recruits him to take Libby on the journey of a lifetime. With his ability to play Bad Cop and his experience with the Twelve Step program he’s the perfect candidate to be Libby’s sponsor. But will he be able to keep his personal feelings out of the matter and really help her the way she needs? And will Libby hate him when he forces her to take an honest look at herself?

Teasers

Libby
Avery sighed. “This isn’t an attack, Libby, it’s an intervention.”
My head snapped Avery’s direction.  “Homegirl says what?”
Avery smiled again, but this time it was full of determination. “You have a problem, Libby. We’ve all come here tonight because we love you and we’re worried about you.”
“Okay, someone definitely cooked up something special in the chem lab or something. You’ve all officially gone mental. I’m not on drugs.”
Avery shook her head. “But your relationship with Owen is just as destructive.”
I’d heard enough. “An intervention?” They were comparing me to a drug addict and saying Owen was my crack? “I came here to apologize to all of you and this is what I get?” I jumped to my feet. “This is such equus ferus feces!”
I bolted for the door and got about three steps before Adam intercepted me, blocking the way like a lean, tattoo-covered wall of attitude. He stood in a typical bouncer’s stance with his feet shoulder width apart and his arms folded across his chest. Though he wasn’t particularly tall or bulky, he was still intimidating. I glared up at him. “And you’re a gluteus maximus!”
Adam’s face pulled into a frown and he looked to the group to translate. Aiden grinned. “That’s Libby speak for ‘This is horse shit’ and ‘You’re an ass’.”
Adam brought his gaze back to me, and I kept up my glare, refusing to take it back. I waited for him to flip out on me, but was shocked when his lips twitched as if he was fighting a smile. I had to be wrong, though, because there was no way this jerk had a sense of humor. “Get out of my way.”
He face hardened again. “You sit that luscious little gluteus maximus of yours back down on that couch right now,” he said, “or I’ll put it there myself.”
It really does not happen often, but I was rendered completely speechless. I was also unable to move, save the way my eyes tripled in size as I gawked at him. He gave me a dry look and added, “Capisce, Cider Chick?
Adam

When I looked at Libby, she shrugged as though she was as helpless in this situation as I was. “Help me, Coffee-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”
It was so Libby.
“Okay.” I prayed I wasn’t making a huge mistake.
Kate and Avery both squealed and pounced on me, giving me hugs. I was still wary, but their energy was contagious and I cracked a smile.
“Thank you, Adam,” Avery said. “You really, really are the best. Is there any chance you could get started tomorrow? Libby managed to say no to Owen tonight, but if we don’t help keep her distracted tomorrow, she’s going to end up in his very expensive hotel suite tomorrow night.”
And just like that, all my reservations about this disappeared. I was all in, and failure was not an option. Libby was never going to end up in that jerk’s bed ever again if I could help it. “Tomorrow’s as good a day as any. I’m off work at two.”
Libby was already at the door trying to escape, but she stopped before turning the knob. “Actually, I need you ready to go at seven thirty in the morning. Avery already cleared it with your boss. He was more than happy to take your shift. He said he’s been trying to get you to take a vacation day for months.”
My head reared back. “You cleared my schedule tomorrow?”
Libby looked me right in the eyes and grinned wickedly. The smile did something to my insides. “You’re mine tomorrow, Coffee Man,” she purred jokingly.
I stopped breathing. Hers. Yes. Yes I was. Heaven help me, but I was hers. This was so bad. If I wasn’t careful Libby Garrett was going to break me. I had to take control of this situation fast. I don’t know what kind of look I had on my face when I stalked across the room toward her, but her eyes widened and she backed up until she bumped into the door. “You’ve got that all wrong,” I said, placing my hand on the door beside her head, trapping her in front of me.

I’d meant to intimidate her a little, but when she sucked in a breath and shivered, I lost control again. I leaned in a little too close and my next words accidentally came out in a possessive growl. “Starting tomorrow, Cider Chick, you are mine.”
Coming October 24th! 
Available for preorder now at: 


Special preorder price of $2.99. 
(Two dollars off the normal listing price of $4.99)

 

This follow-up companion novel to The Avery Shaw Experiment can be read as a stand alone. (But where’s the fun in that?)  The Avery Shaw Experiment is only $0.99 right now. So why wait until October to meet Libby when you can fall in love with her right now for only a dollar?
 Download The avery Shaw Experiment at Amazon * iBooks * B&N * Kobo


For more bonus material, teasers, games, and chances to win things like signed books and swag stop by the Facebook event, happening now through Friday.

Giveaway

About the Author

Kelly wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She’s obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.

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Posted in Giveaway, Guest Post, romance, Spotlight on August 4, 2015

MadeForUs

Title: Made For Us
Author: Samantha Chase
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: The Shaughnessy Brothers, Book 1

Synopsis

Can’t make time for love?
The Shaughnessy brothers have spent the years since their mother’s untimely death taking care of each other and trying to make their father proud. Oldest son Aidan is hard-working, handsome, successful-and still single. Sure, he’d like to have his own family someday, but who has the time?

She’ll show him how to find it
Zoe Dalton, a stunning designer Aidan meets on one of his construction jobs, has the beauty and heart to make Aidan realize how much he could be missing. But it’s not easy to break down walls you’ve spent years building up. Now there’s a major storm bearing down on the North Carolina coast, and it could be catalyst enough to force Aidan and Zoe into some major decisions of the heart.

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Guest Post: Top 10 Things to Do While Walking the Dog(s) by Samantha Chase

Hey, Everyone!  I’m Samantha Chase and super excited to be here today talking about my new contemporary romance, Made for Us, book one in my new family series, The Shaughnessy Brothers.  And I have to tell you, this family series is one that I know you are going to fall in love with as much as I have.

There are six siblings and at the point that you’re going to be meeting them, seventeen years has gone by and we see how the loss of their mother still affects who they currently are.  Each book will not only introduce you to an individual Shaughnessy as they navigate through their life and eventually find love, you get to spend a lot of time getting to know the rest of the family, as well.

While neither of our main characters in Made for Us have a dog, they do dog-sit for one – an adorable American Eskimo named Baron.   And me personally?  I have a sassy pug named Maylene.  So what do I do when walking her?  Hmm…

  1. Listen to music
  2. Wave and talk to the neighbors
  3. Talk to my faithful dog about the things we’re seeing
  4. Make a mental list of things I need to do that day
  5. Calculate my steps/heartrate/calories burned – and then high-five myself!
  6. Work on the plot for my current or next book
  7. Dream about being inside where there’s air conditioning
  8. Consider if Maylene really needs to be on a diet or if my vet is overreacting to her curviness
  9. Wonder how my neighbor’s grass is so green when mine is half dead
  10. Smile and give thanks that I have a dog to keep me company

 

About the Author

SamanthaChaseNew York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

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Posted in 4 paws, Cozy, Giveaway, mystery, Review on August 3, 2015

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Beyond a Doubt (A Carol Childs Mystery Book 2)
Cozy Mystery
Paperback: 244 pages
Publisher: Henery Press (July 14, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1941962732h
E-Book ASIN: B00W5VI838

Synopsis

When reporter Carol Childs is called to the scene of a body dump she has no idea she’s about to uncover a connection to a string of missing girls. Young, attractive women drawn to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood via an internet promise of stardom and romance have been disappearing. A judge’s daughter leaves behind a clue and a trip down Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame reveals a connection to a high powered real estate mogul and to a cartel targeting girls for human trafficking.

Old Hollywood has its secrets, its impersonators and backdoor entrances to old speakeasies and clubs where only those with the proper credentials can go. And when Carol Childs gets too close, she finds herself politically at odds with powers that threaten to undue her career and like the very girls she’s seeking, disappear.

Books in the Carol Childs Mystery Series:

  • SHADOW OF DOUBT (#1)
  • BEYOND A DOUBT (#2)
  • WITHOUT A DOUBT (#3) January 2016

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Review

I really enjoyed this book and despite the fact that I didn’t start with book 1 in this series (this is only the 2nd book), I don’t feel like I missed out too much on the personal story between Carol and Eric and even the friendship between Carol and Sheri.

This was a good twist on a topic that we don’t see a lot in the news, sex trafficking. I was sort of surprised that Carol made this connection so early in the book. I’m not sure what tipped her off that this is what was happening to the missing women and young girls in the city. Carol rightfully suspects a certain character, but some of what is revealed about this character is definitely mind boggling. I don’t want to give anything away, but the author touches on some important issues.

Definitely an enjoyable read and I need to go back and read book 1 and can’t wait for book 3!  We give this 4 paws up!

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About This Author

nancy silvermanNancy Cole Silverman credits her twenty-five years in news and talk radio for helping her to develop an ear for storytelling. But it wasn’t until 2001 after she retired from news and copywriting that she was able to sit down and write fiction fulltime. Much of what Silverman writes about today she admits is pulled from events that were reported on from inside some of Los Angeles’ busiest newsrooms where she spent the bulk of her career. In the last ten years she has written numerous short stories and novelettes. Today Silverman lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Bruce and two standard poodles.

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

July 21 – Babs Book Bistro – Guest Post

July 22 – readalot – Review

July 23 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – Spotlight

July 24 – dru’s book musings – Guest Post

July 25 – Christa Reads and Writes – Review

July 26 – Frankie Bow – Interview

July 27 – Latte Da – Guest Post

July 28 – Musings and Ramblings – Guest Post

July 29 – Hobby Lady – Spotlight

July 29 – Lilac Reviews – Guest Post

July 30 – My Devotional Thoughts – Review

July 31 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review

August 1 – A Blue Million Books – Interview

August 2 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – Spotlight

August 3StoreyBook Reviews – Review

August 3Brooke Blogs – Guest Post

Posted in excerpt, Spotlight, Young Adult on August 3, 2015

Welcome to Day 1 of Science Geek Appreciation Week with author Kelly Oram–a fun-filled week of teasers, interviews, games, giveaways, and lots and lost of science! We’re going to kick off the week by introducing you to the stars of the Spanish Fork High Science Squad–Club President Avery Shaw and her newest recruit, Grayson Kennedy–in their debut novel The Avery Shaw Experiment.

Title: The Avery Shaw Experiment
Author: Kelly Oram
Publisher: Blufields
Pages:221
Available: AmazoniBooksB&NKobo

Summary: When Avery Shaw’s heart is shattered by her life-long best friend, she chooses to deal with it the only way she knows how—scientifically. 

The state science fair is coming up and Avery decides to use her broken heart as the topic of her experiment. She’s going to find the cure. By forcing herself to experience the seven stages of grief through a series of social tests, she believes she will be able to get over Aiden Kennedy and make herself ready to love again. But she can’t do this experiment alone, and her partner (ex partner!) is the one who broke her heart. 

Avery finds the solution to her troubles in the form of Aiden’s older brother Grayson. The gorgeous womanizer is about to be kicked off the school basketball team for failing physics. He’s in need of a good tutor and some serious extra credit. But when Avery recruits the lovable Grayson to be her “objective outside observer,” she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for, because Grayson has a theory of his own: Avery doesn’t need to grieve. She needs to live. And if there’s one thing Grayson Kennedy is good at, it’s living life to the fullest.


Teasers:
Avery

I was so out of it that I’d slipped into the bathroom while Grayson was in the shower, and I didn’t even notice until he poked his head out from behind the curtain with a surprised look on his face. “Aves, babe, I’m a little busy here.” He cocked an eyebrow and gave me a crooked smile. “Unless you’re planning to join me…?”

Just then there was a loud knock on the door, and my mother’s worried voice called out to me. I looked up at Grayson and in a moment of sheer panic didn’t think twice before jumping behind the curtain with him.

“Whoa! Avery! I was only teasing!”

I could hear Grayson, but I couldn’t really respond. I leaned my back against the cold tile wall and closed my eyes, letting the hot water rain down on me.

There was another knock, louder this time, and then the door opened. “Avery? That you in here, sweetie?”

I frantically shook my head, praying that Grayson would do the right thing. 

“Sorry, Kaitlin. It’s just me.”

“Oh. Sorry, Grayson. I thought maybe you were Avery.” 


“Yeah, I get that a lot,” he teased.

My mom laughed and then sighed heavily. “If you see her after you’re done, tell her I’m looking for her.”

“Will do.”

The door clicked shut and things got quiet. I stood there for so long that my head started to hurt and I got really dizzy. My knees buckled.

Grayson quickly caught me under the arms. “Avery, breathe,” he commanded.

I took a breath. As oxygen flooded my lungs, I realized it was probably the first breath I’d taken in minutes. Literally.

“Aves,” a low steady voice said. I felt hands on either side of my face. I opened my eyes, and Grayson’s beautiful piercing blue ones were staring down at me from just inches away, taking up my entire field of vision. “You good now?” he asked.

I may have been breathing, but I would never be “good” again. I flung my arms around him and began to release gut-wrenching sobs into his chest. 
Grayson

I always looked at her as sort of a pesky little sister, but that all changed the day my brother dumped her. Why, you ask? Let me put it this way: When a girl lets you be the one to hold her as her entire world falls apart, even though you’re ass naked, it changes the way you see her. The soaking-wet, see-through t-shirt didn’t hurt, either.


“You look really nice,” I blurted, unable to hide my surprise.

The compliment startled her. She blushed and looked at her feet as she mumbled, “I need to blow my hair dry.”

I grinned. “Don’t want to have to explain to anyone how it got wet, eh?”

She turned even brighter red but then glared at me. “I just don’t want my hair to freeze.”

I laughed as I threw my hands up in surrender and then laughed even harder when she stalked past me into the bathroom.

I leaned against the door and watched, curiously, as she dried her hair. There was something oddly fascinating about watching Little Avery Shaw primp. She’d never seemed like such a real girl to me before. She wasn’t so little anymore, either.

She caught me staring at her in the mirror, so I quickly said, “I thought dorks were supposed to have bad hair and horrible, frumpy fashion senses.”

“Just because I enjoy learning doesn’t mean I’m a dork,” she said, insulted.

“Two words for you Aves: science club.” 

This week only, The Avery Shaw Experiment is on sale for just $0.99! Make sure to snag a copy while it’s cheap! 

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For more bonus material, teasers, games, and chances to win things like signed books and swag stop by the Facebook event, happening now through Friday.

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About the Author

Kelly wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She’s obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy. 
          

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Posted in 4 paws, cooking, Cozy, Giveaway, Guest Post, mystery, Review on August 2, 2015

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FUDGING THE BOOKS

Fudging the Books (A Cookbook Nook Mystery)
Series: A Cookbook Nook Mystery (Book 4)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (August 4, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-0425279403
E-Book ASIN: B00QH8320E

Synopsis

The Agatha Award–winning author of Stirring the Plot returns to the Cookbook Nook in Crystal Cove, California, where February brings Pirate Week, National Chocolate Month—and bitter murder…

Pirate Week is sweeping through Crystal Cove and keeping Jenna Hart and her bookstore, the Cookbook Nook, plenty busy. But she’s not too swamped to also host the local Chocolate Cookbook Club’s meeting—especially because the guest of honor is her friend, candy maker and cookbook author Coco Chastain.

Jenna whips up a delicious event amidst the rowdy festivities, but the mood is soon broken by robberies, simmering tempers, and a dead body—Coco’s editor, Alison. The suspects turn out to be more plentiful than a pot full of gold doubloons, so to prove Coco isn’t responsible for the dastardly deed, Jenna will have to stir up some clues and figure out who’s the real sticky-fingered killer…

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Review

It is hard to believe this is the 4th in the series! Another mystery in which I didn’t guess the killer. I definitely thought it was the wrong person. I was a bit surprised to learn who it was but it made sense once all the reasoning was laid out as to why. There are comments about Jenna being in town a short time and all of a sudden the murder rate increasing. Luckily she has a lot of people on her side that don’t think she is involved even though she ends up on the wrong place at the wrong time.  Of course it wouldn’t be a cozy if the main character is the killer!

I like how the author brings in titles of other books (cookbooks, mysteries, etc). I want to read them all!  I have oodles of cookbooks and I do want to go buy more (especially the chocolate ones) but don’t have enough space.

We give it 4 paws up!
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Exclusive Recipe from Daryl!

I’m doing lots of promotion for Fudging the Books, the 4th in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series. Needless to say, I’m focusing on the “fudge” part by sharing lots of chocolate recipes. It turns out that a lot of my readers like chocolate. Go figure! LOL

Yes, this is a picture of a birthday cake. When I made this recipe, I had three birthdays in a week. I needed something easy to make. For months, I’d wanted to try putting coconut in a cake. I’d heard all the good things derived medically from eating coconut. For example, lots of populations have thrived for generations eating massive amounts of coconut, and these nations have less heart disease. Also, eating coconut increases energy. Hmm. I can always use more of that!

I discovered a yummy recipe in a Bon Appetit Magazine, March 2014, while I was waiting in the doctor’s office, of all places. (Well read and thumbed through after a year!) What else was I going to read? I forgot to bring a book. No cell phone use. And the wait was lo-o-o-o-o-ong.

Like I said, this recipe is EASY-PEASY! And this tasted like a big Mounds bar. I bet if you added almonds, it would taste like an Almond Joy. It was delish!

Savor the Mystery!

Daryl Wood Gerber

Tasty ~ Zesty ~ Dangerous

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Chocolate Coconut Pound Cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (*if using gluten-free flour, add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Frosting & sprinkles, if desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8 x 4” loaf pan; line with parchment paper. Make sure some of it hangs over the side. This makes it VERY easy to remove the cake from the pan.

Mix the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and coconut flakes in a bowl and set aside. [*If using gluten-free flour, add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum.]

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, coconut oil, and sugar on medium-high until it’s fluffy, about 5 minutes. It takes a while for the coconut oil to mix so be patient. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each time. The mixture will get very light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Mix.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the dry ingredients, one-third at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Do not overmix as it will cause the cake to split. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

Bake cake for about 60 -70 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. In my oven, it took 60 minutes. Then I turned off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes more. Remove the cake from the oven and let sit for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

This will keep for a good week. Keep at room temperature.

Note: The Bon Appetit recipe asked for the coconut to be put in at the last (not in the dry ingredients) by making a canal in the middle of the cake batter, pouring in the coconut and topping with 1 tablespoon of sugar. I missed that instruction – oops! – which is why my coconut flakes were incorporated in the dry ingredients. It tastes like a Mounds bar!

 

About the Author

darylwoodgerberDARYL WOOD GERBER writes the nationally bestselling Cookbook Nook Mystery series featuring a cookbook store owner who is an avid reader and admitted foodie, set on the coast of California. As AVERY AAMES, she pens the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling Cheese Shop Mystery series featuring a cheese shop owner amateur sleuth, set in the fictional town of Providence, Ohio. Daryl’s short stories have been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, and other awards. Fun tidbit: as an actress, Daryl has appeared in “Murder, She Wrote” and more.

Find Daryl here: Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

Find Avery here: Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

 

 

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August 1Booklady’s Booknotes – Review

August 2StoreyBook Reviews – Review

August 3fuonlyknew – Review

August 4Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review

August 5Griperang’s Bookmarks – Review

August 6Babs Book Bistro – Review