Blog Tour- THE NAME OF RED by @Beenaxkhan With an Excerpt & #Giveaway! @RockstarBkTours

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE NAME OF RED by Beena Khan Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About the Book:

Title: THE NAME OF RED (Red #1)

Author: Beena Khan

Pub. Date: May 15, 2020

Publisher: Amazon Publishing

Formats: Hardcover,Paperback, eBook

Pages: 314

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Smashwords

Grab the eBook for .99!

A Literary Fiction, contemporary DEBUT novel.

Recommended for fans of Sense and Sensibility, The Forty Rules of Love, and A Walk To Remember.

Two strangers on the same path.

Survivors. Companions.

They will be each other’s salvation.

On a rainy, winter night, a mysterious woman in a red dress seeking shelter comes inside the restaurant Kabir was busy working in —primarily the bar— and night after night, drink after drink, she comes back to the same spot. That is where he sees her for the first time.

Hundreds of patrons around her try to speak with her daily, but she dismisses them. It appears she wants to remain in a blissful peace alone with her booze and books. After seeing the mysterious woman reading a book, and because of his shy nature, Kabir gains entrance into her life by anonymously leaving books with notes for her.

The Name of Red is the story of two strangers, two different personalities who meet on a winter, rainy night who challenge each other. They have a connection which blossoms into a friendship due to their fondness of books. But they both have secrets that can bind them together or threaten their newfound relationship forever.

This can be read as a standalone book.

Book Trailer:

Excerpt:

The restaurant Ferdaus was filled with a buzzing crowd.

The smoke around the people twisted and formed curls, illuminated under the bar lights. The atmosphere was a hazy cloud, lingering against their clothes. Several people came in seeking shelter from the pouring rain outside. The customers of the restaurant turned to look at the entrance door- bell jingling. They glanced at the large crowd coming as the glass door was pulled open, and they watched as someone newstepped in behind them.

The woman walked into the bar for the first time in the winter rain.

She didn’t have an umbrella on her; her little sleeveless dress ended at her ankles, fully drenched. Her wet dress clung to her body, showcasing the outlines of her curves. In one hand, she was carrying the skirt of her dress. Suddenly, she let it go, and her long, bare arms moved upwards as she tried to fix her damp hair which had darkened in intensity due to the rain. It fell past her shoulders, the strands sticking to her face. She attempted to comb through the tangles with her fingertips.

The men watched her movements hungrily, their eager faces drawn to her and at the sight of someone new. Their eyes trailed from her face, to her wet body, then back to the movements of her hands entwined in her hair. Under her arm, she carried a book and a trench coat. It appeared strange she wasn't wearing the coat when it was pouring outside and freezing in the middle of November. Men were left mesmerized by her, and she turned heads as she walked by. Something radiated from within her, drawing the men around her in.

The women who were with some of these men noticed their gaze on the unfamiliar woman. Now they stared at her with jealousy and anger.

Who is she? they wondered.

About Beena:

Beena Khan lives in a suburb in Queens, New York in her apartment. She is 27 years old from Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. She is an immigrant who moved to New York when she was five years old. She currently holds a Masters Degree in Developmental Psychology from Cuny School of Professional Sciences. She enjoys reading, writing, and netflixing. This is her debut novel.

Her website is www.beenakhan.com. Sign up for her  newsletter where you can subscribe for book news, writing tips, upcoming releases, and exclusive content!

Sign up for Beena’s newsletter here!

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | BookBub

Giveaway Details:

10 winners will receive an ebook of THE NAME OF RED, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/15/2020	Lone Tree Reads	Excerpt
6/16/2020	Jaime's World	Excerpt
6/17/2020	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
6/18/2020	BookHounds	Excerpt
6/19/2020	Books a Plenty Book Reviews	Review

Week Two:

6/22/2020	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
6/23/2020	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
6/24/2020	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
6/25/2020	JaimeRockstarBookTours	Instagram Stop
6/26/2020	The Eclectic Review	Review

Blog Tour- PARAGON by @AldersonShauna With An Interview & #Giveaway! @ZimbellHousePub, @RockstarBkTours

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the PARAGON by Shauna Alderson Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About the Book:

Title: PARAGON

Author: Shauna Alderson

Pub. Date: June 16, 2020

Publisher: Zimbell House Publishing

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 398

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Now that high school is over, Randi just wants to live her quiet life in her little town, but it doesn’t feel right without her friends there. Ever the daredevils, they’ve gone to seek adventure in the capital city of Grandin, and Randi can’t help but feel left behind. Not to mention that she definitely can’t stop thinking about that kiss she and Eddy shared before he left.

When Randi discovers a mysterious mark on her skin that matches an illustration in A Handbook on Paragonhood, she’s thrown into a world of powerful gods and ancient magic that she thought only existed in the myths. She’ll have to step out of her comfort zone-and into the dangerous streets of Grandin-to find a way to protect herself and the people she loves.

Randi’s not the only one with a secret, and she finds herself questioning who she can trust. Randi will have to wrestle with what it means to be a Paragon and how far she’s willing to go to do what’s right.

With the fate of the world on the line, can she live up to being one of the chosen?

Interview:

Hey Shauna!! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on Books I’m glad you could stop by for a chat! PARAGON sounds AWESOME and I can’t wait for everyone to read it!

For the readers: can you tell us a little bit about the PARAGON and the characters?

PARAGON is about a girl named Randi who discovers she has the mark of the gods on her skin, making her one of seven Paragons (or protectors of the world) who are being hunted down for their powers. Only thing is, she doesn’t have the power that’s supposed to go along with the mark, and now she has to find another way to defend herself.

As a character, Randi is genuine, excitable, and a bit nervous. To find a way to defend herself, she starts travelling with her childhood friends: handsome Eddy (who Randi’s had a crush on since forever), serious Neil, no-nonsense Anne, and party-girl Kendra. She also befriends Louis, an easy-going mentor of sorts.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on an untitled novel about a female demon slayer who ends up working with a greater demon to find and destroy the demon nest. After the first draft is done, I’ll be switching to PARAGON’s sequel. Yay!

Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?

I don’t know if I’m supposed to admit this, but all of the characters were inspired by a different aspect of myself. To be specific:

Randi = desire to be braver

Eddy = desire to save the world

Neil = workaholic tendencies

Louis = love of philosophy

Anne = love of supernatural phenomena

Kendra = love of music

Fun fact: After writing PARAGON, I found I’d taken on some of Randi’s traits that I didn’t have before (or maybe I did but just wasn’t aware of them). I started loving long hair, and I started saying “super” all the time instead of “really” (although I think the supers all ended up being changed to “really” anyway in later drafts).

Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?

My favourite character to write was Louis because he gets all the good philosophical discussions, and my good friends know how I LOVE philosophical discussions. My least favourite character to write was Kendra simply because she’s the most different from me, so she was the hardest character to nail down.

What is your favorite passages/scenes in PARAGON?

… All of them? Just kidding.

I love all the romance scenes because they’re by far the most fun to write (who needs exposition and plot anyway?). Besides those, I love this one scene where Randi is sort of watching a montage of creation as she swears to protect it.

What kind of research did you have to do for the story?

Uh, I perused photos to inspire the settings for the book. Does that count? And I had to look up a bunch of words since language is hard.

Actually I try to avoid research wherever I can (hence why I write fantasy instead of contemporary), but it’s true that a writer must hit the books—aka, Google—at some point. I had to research different injuries—how serious they were, what they’d look like, how long they would take to heal—as well as personality types (I do this all the time to inform the characters), a bit of quantum physics (I DON’T do this all the time), and small things like how many libraries there are in cities of different populations.

Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?

Mr. Darcy, I think. I’d like to pick someone from a teen novel, but those boys are always so angsty and/or arrogant. Oh, kind of like Mr. Darcy.

What inspired you to write YA?

I can’t really say I was “inspired” to write YA because I’ve been writing YA since I was a teen myself and just never stopped—or grew up. I suppose I’d say I haven’t been inspired to write another genre at this point. I contemplated writing historical fiction once, but as I said before, research and I don’t agree with each other. Still, I continue writing YA because I love how teens/young adults can feel powerless and powerful at the same time, and how experiences are still new and yet becoming mundane.

Lightning Round Questions

What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?

I’m reading Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. Weiss. After that, I seriously need to read The Toll by Neal Shusterman. I MUST know how the series ends!

Instagram, Twitter or Facebook?

Twitter (@AldersonShauna), although I’m currently living under a rock on there. Ehehehe…

Favorite Superhero?

Batman, hands down.

Favorite TV show?

Avatar: The Last Airbender. “Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not.”

Sweet or Salty?

Sweet.

Any Phobias?

Claustrophobia, along with a phobia of my plants being infested with bugs.

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

“Soft Universe” by AURORA. Actually, anything by AURORA.

2020 Movie you’re most looking forward to?

I don’t know any 2020 movies except the Mulan remake, so that’s my choice. (BONUS: Mulan is my favourite Disney movie!)

Thanks so much Shauna for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read PARAGON!

Thank you! J

About Shauna:

Shauna Alderson is a Young Adult fantasy writer and author of PARAGON (Zimbell House, 2020). She began writing teen fantasy even before she was a teen. After she “grew up”, she completed creative writing courses (and a BA in Development Studies) at the University of Calgary. When not reading or writing, she can usually be found teaching ESL, composing on the piano, creating art, or volunteering abroad. She also enjoys dessert, Studio Ghibli films, and being the silliest person she knows. Connect with her on Twitter @AldersonShauna.

Photo by Laura Grace Photography

Website | Twitter | Instagram |  Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/15/2020	Lone Tree Reads	Excerpt
6/16/2020	BookHounds ya	Interview
6/16/2020	JaimeRockstarBookTours	Instagram Stop
6/17/2020	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
6/18/2020	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
6/18/2020	Rajiv's Reviews	Instagram Stop
6/19/2020	Lifestyle Of Me	Review

Week Two:

6/22/2020	The Try Everything	Review
6/22/2020	jenifer_reads	Instagram Stop
6/23/2020	Two Chicks on Books	Interview
6/24/2020	Locks, Hooks and Books	Review
6/25/2020	cosmiclattesandbooks	Review
6/25/2020	cosmiclattesandbooks	Instagram Stop
6/26/2020	Book Bustle	Review
6/26/2020	Book Bustle	Instagram Stop

Blog Tour- DEVIL'S WAYS ANTHOLOGY by @Dragonwellbooks With Excerpts & A #Giveaway! @RockstarBkTours

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the DEVIL'S WAYS ANTHOLOGY by Dragonwell Publishing Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About the Book:

Title: DEVIL'S WAYS ANTHOLOGY

Authors: Nancy Kress, Ben Loory, R. S. A. Garcia, Michael Swanwick, Andy Duncan, Curtis C. Chen, Darrell Schweitzer, Imogen Howson, Edwina Harvey, Avram Davidson, J. M. Sidorova, Nancy Kress, (Edited by Anna Kashina and J. M. Sidorova)

Pub. Date: June 25, 2020

Publisher: Dragonwell Publishing

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 270

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

There is no light without dark; no highlights without shadows; no good without evil. The Devil is where things happen. Where stories begin. This collection brings together stories from multiple cultures, featuring the Devil both as an abstract concept and a creature, a terror, a force of nature, an enemy, a trickster, and so many more.

Step into the world of shadows, and travel through Devil's many incarnations spanning centuries of history and myth, from the Ancient Greece, African and Caribbean folklore, dark ages in Europe, all the way to the present day.

This anthology features new and established authors from diverse, multicultural backgrounds.

“The Devil goes globe-trotting in this eclectic anthology that explores the many guises of the Dark Lord across cultures and ages. Persephone D’Shaun’s shocking “Nzembe” is a twisted tale of zombie-like creatures set in the plains of Africa with an ending some readers will find hard to stomach. An unnamed girl tries to steal back her heart from her winged lover in R.S.A. Garcia’s lyrical “Fire in His Eyes, Blood on His Teeth,” which draws from Caribbean folklore and the legend of Nanny of the Maroons. Feminist themes carry through many of the tales. Imogen Howson’s “Frayed Tapestry,” which follows an amnesiac woman and her manipulative husband, is a bit too on the nose, but elsewhere gender dynamics are handled more gracefully, as in “Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown” by Michael Swanwick, in which 15-year-old Su-yin follows her father into hell, where she must endure a series of horrible dates in order to save him from eternal damnation, and in Nancy Kress’s brilliant “Unto the Daughters,” a powerful reimagining of the story of Adam and Eve. Though horror fiends may be disappointed to find little blood-curdling terror, there are very few duds among these wide-ranging tales. Readers are in for a devilish treat.”—PW Review

Excerpts:

1. The opening of Persephone D'Shaun's "Nzembe":

"Last week all the nzembe-born children in town went into trances.

The week before that, leopards sat together on my grandmother’s porch for an entire day, keeping her inside. Later, many women came to her for help, insisting they had fallen into sleep in the middle of the day and been violated by evil spirits in the shape of vulgar children.

And the week before that, Henriette claimed to have seen a sharp-toothed boy peeking at her from one of the thick clusters of palm trees that grow near Little River.

I do not want to think about these things, but today memories are thick and dry like wild grass in the place between towns, tinder in my mind, needing only the smallest spark to destroy the fragile peace I have built.

Today…"

2. The opening of R.S.A. Garcia's "Fire In His Eyes, Blood On His Teeth":

"He comes to me with fire in his eyes and blood on his teeth. Sometimes the blood is his enemies. Sometimes it’s mine. Eventually, it’s mine. Always.

He is different today, striding across the sandy soil toward my home with scuffed, much-mended boots. Often, he’s charming and beautiful, like the first time I met him. Smooth brown skin and white smiles, smelling of freshly scraped coconuts. Sometimes he is fierce and tall and smells of the salty sea, with a glorious shining beard braided around the fuses he hides beneath his battered hat. His teeth are longer, yellow, and his skin burned from the sun. They call him a pirate then, and men on land and sea tremble to speak his name. He has harsh words, but there are no teeth for me yet. They come later.

They come with the fire and a shadow on the sun."

3. The opening of J.M. Sidorova's "Escape Goat":

"A man was leading a goat to a precipice. When they got there and the man readied to bind the goat’s feet, the goat said, “Stop right there, human man.”

The man froze and stared.

“You think I don’t know everything about you?” the goat said.

Goats’ eyes are notoriously hard to read. And the man had been in the blazing sun since morning, walking the high desert, and admittedly had addressed the goat on several occasions—as those things go—with a criticism or simply sharing an observation. So it was easy for him to slip into a conversation with the goat: “What on earth are you talking about?” the man said.

“She had black hair and blue eyes,” the goat replied. “She cried the first several times. Until you gagged her with her favorite rag doll. After that, when you came to her she would bite on that doll ahead of time.”

The man stumbled back as if pushed, and sank down.

The goat said, “Shall I go on?”

“It was thirty years ago,” said the man. “She was—” But he could not finish saying what she was."

4. The opening to Imogen Howson's "Frayed Tapestry":

"The first time it happened was almost a year after he’d married her. They were giving a drinks party, and the spacious top-floor apartment was filled with sleek, beautiful people in immaculately cut trousers, or little black dresses and the discreet glint of gold jewelry.

Candy had been busy since the first guests arrived. Clym liked her to keep the canapés coming and make sure he was supplied with ice for the drinks. With that, as well as welcoming new guests and trying to make sure she remembered everybody’s names, she’d scarcely sipped her own glass of wine.

So, afterwards, although she tried to blame the alcohol, she knew she couldn’t.

She was in the kitchen, cutting up more lemons for the gin and tonics. She had a gleaming steel bowl of them, glossy polished yellow next to the duller green globes of limes, and a neat little serrated knife to slice them into perfect rounds. But then, of course, she had everything. She’d seen it reflected in her guests’ eyes. Her, this nineteen-year-old, already with a beautiful apartment, a handsome, adoring, powerful husband…

The knife slipped."

About The Authors & Publisher:

Founded in 2012, Dragonwell Publishing is based in the US Northeast and publishes 4-6 books a year, focusing mostly on science fiction and fantasy. Dragonwell Publishing titles have been featured by Publishers Weekly, ForeWord Magazine, RT Book Reviews, San Francisco Book Reviews, and Portland Book Reviews, and highlighted by Historical Novel Society and Mythopoetic Society. Our books have been among the winners of the 2013 ForeWord Book of the Year Award and 2014 Independent Publishers Book Award.

Get to know all the authors here on the Dragonwell Publishing Site!

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/22/2020	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
6/23/2020	BookHounds	Excerpt
6/24/2020	Jaime's World	Excerpt
6/25/2020	Hurn Publications	Review
6/26/2020	Miss Elizabeth	Review

Week Two:

6/29/2020	Jazzy Book Reviews	Excerpt
6/30/2020	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
7/1/2020	jypsylynn	Review
7/2/2020	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
7/3/2020	JaimeRockstarBookTours	Instagram Stop