Showing posts with label YA Contemporary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YA Contemporary. Show all posts

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Blog Tour: Weird and Wonderful by Cece Barlow



Weird and Wonderful
by Cece Barlow
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: February 13th 2017



Blurb:


Gin Autry must finish the last semester of high school in eclectic Austin with her hippie grandmother while Gin’s brother waits for heart surgery in Houston.

Instability reigns, but Gin uses the principles of feng shui to find balance and send positive energy to her brother. She also secretly hopes her voice-over actress dream will advance and true love will show up.

Instead, she falls for the wrong guy and clings to the wrong dream. Nothing in Gin’s life is balanced, but when death threatens her brother, she discovers true balance is about listening, compromise, and the guy in the friend zone.  


Excerpt:

"Still mad about what I said about your vlog?" Aaron smiled at me and stroked my cheek. The brilliance of his smile was marred by his grotesque red eye and the swelling on his cheekbone. "Why do you care so much what I think? You have a dream. You shouldn't let my opinion or anyone else's sway you from it."
"But your opinion is important to me," I said.
"But it shouldn't be necessary for you to chase after a dream." He brushed back my hair and tucked it behind my ears. "If you want to be a voice-over actress, do it. Don't wait for me to put a seal of approval on your dream."


About the Author:




Cece Barlow writes books for young adults and the young at heart. She's a dash of fun, mixed in with some smart cookie and a splash of capable. She started her first fan fiction group in junior high and never stopped writing. Today, she writes about girls with lofty dreams and about the absolute craziness of falling in love.

When Cece's not writing, she curls up with a book, heads to a popcorn blockbuster, or kicks back to watch shooting stars. If she sees the moon in the daytime, she thinks she's lucky.

Cece lives in College Station, Texas with her college sweetheart Tim and two cats - one evil and one good.

Author Links:


Why I Write about Ordinary Girls (From the Author)

I write fun and heartfelt stories, but I also have a mission. I tell stories about girls whose lives are continual shuffled to the side in today's literature. I love blue collar teens. These girls do not work at trendy cupcake shops or as mystery-solving detectives. They have jobs, that require elbow grease, humiliation, and perseverance. They work construction, fast food, grocery stores, and bowling alleys. Their lives are not focused on high school. They often have tough times at home, usually a function of failing health (mental and physical), drug addiction, and poverty.

The socio-economically privileged girl doesn't interest me. My girl is ordinary, and she plans to fix her own problems. She is trying to figure everything out (love and life) just like everyone else. She hungers for an education, but knows a mountain of debt is coming her way. She's making serious missteps in life because she is innocent and inexperienced, but my girl is also finding the grace of reinvention. Her life is valuable and worthy. I hope that you join me in my celebration of the ordinary girl. I hope you celebrate the everyday life.


Blog Tour Organized by:



Monday, April 17, 2017

Synchrony is Free!


Hey there, guys! 

Synchrony, the second book in my YA Contemporary series The Destiny Trilogy is free on Amazon today through Wednesday. If you miss the sale, don't worry. It's always free to read if you have KindleUnlimited.

Blurb:

Against all odds, Destiny fought for love and won. Her story continues when she finds herself facing an entirely new set of problems, leaving her with festering doubts.

When she discovers her boyfriend, Isaac's, terrible secret, she is completely shattered. As the darkness threatens to engulf her, Preston, her childhood friend, comes to the rescue, giving hope that with time she could be whole again.

When heartbreaking disaster strikes her friends, Destiny must learn to heal her heart by giving unselfish service to others before Isaac walks back into her life, threatening to rekindle feelings she’d hoped to bury forever.

Praise for Synchrony:

“Synchrony's characters are so real that you almost feel as though you are a part of them.” 
-Tammy’s Tea Time Book Blog

“The sequel added more depth to the first novel. I think this book will be one that I will reread over and over again!” 
-HotGuysInBooks.com

"People often measure good books by us not wanting to put them down, while this series certainly accomplishes that...my standard of a good book is met only when I have to force myself to slow down or I'll miss the excellent writing that is weaving the compelling storyline. Much akin to hiking to the summit only to have missed the breathtaking Vistas along the way. Don't rush through this book to see how it ends and miss the talent Ms. Hale has for creating imagery, situations, and characters that allow you to experience the story and not just read it." 
-Amazon Reviewer

Want to start with the first book? Destiny is on Amazon for only $2.99 or you can also read it free if you have KindleUnlimited. 

Blurb:

Destiny Clark, a young Mormon girl living in Tennessee, is wildly infatuated with Isaac Robinson, the headmaster's son at her Baptist high school. When they're cast together in the school's production of Les Misérables, Destiny is horrified to find that she has to be publicly humiliated by acting out her true feelings of rejection onstage.

As their rehearsals begin, Destiny realizes the unimaginable: Isaac has developed deep feelings for her despite their religious differences and the fact that he has a girlfriend.
But will they be able to find their place amongst the backbiters of their ultra-conservative world?

Weaving around Destiny and Isaac's alternating viewpoints, Destiny is the first book in a series inspired by the characters of Les Misérables and explores heartbreak, self-discovery, intolerance, and love.

Praise for Destiny:

“Hale is a talented author, who writes deep and dynamic characters in VERY difficult situations.” 
-Ramblings on Reading Book Blog

“Religion is a touchy subject for everyone, and the most common protocol is to simply keep your mouth shut about it, so to read a YA that is highly focused on religion is a refreshing change.” 
-Shadow Kissed Cassie

“A delightful read. I flew through the pages, putting aside other books I was reading at the time, as I was drawn into Destiny Clark's world and her teenage troubles.” 
-Jennifer Thompson

“The heart of the story is the romance, but religion and faith come in as close seconds. Cindy Hale writes both Baptists and Mormons sympathetically, portraying both as people with strong beliefs. She doesn’t preach religion but allows her characters to feel faith and express it in a way that gives them depth. There are antagonists in both religions and good people in both religions. In the end, religion is deeply important to her characters, and both Destiny and Isaac must discover what they believe and find a way to be together despite their differences.” 
-Kaylynne R.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Destiny is FREE!

Remember that book I wrote back in 2013?

Destiny?

Well, I finally decided to break down and do a free promo with Amazon. 

Right now it's currently sitting at #347 in the entire free kindle store #1 in both its categories and #25 out of all the free kindle books for Teen and Young Adult. Today I have given away 500 free copies so far, and it's only 3:24 on day 1 of the 5-day promo. 



Want your free copy? 

Grab it here: smarturl.it/destinybookone

Blurb:
Destiny Clark, a young Mormon girl living in Tennessee, is wildly infatuated with Isaac Robinson, the headmaster's son at her Baptist high school. When they're cast together in the school's production of Les Misérables, Destiny is horrified to find that she has to be publicly humiliated by acting out her true feelings of rejection onstage.

As their rehearsals begin, Destiny realizes the unimaginable: Isaac has developed deep feelings for her despite their religious differences and the fact that he has a girlfriend.
But will they be able to find their place amongst the backbiters of their ultra-conservative world?

Weaving around Destiny and Isaac's alternating viewpoints, Destiny is the first book in a series inspired by the characters of Les Misérables and explores heartbreak, self-discovery, intolerance, and love.

Praise for Destiny:

“Hale is a talented author, who writes deep and dynamic characters in VERY difficult situations.” -Ramblings on Reading Book Blog

“Religion is a touchy subject for everyone, and the most common protocol is to simply keep your mouth shut about it, so to read a YA that is highly focused on religion is a refreshing change.” -Shadow Kissed Cassie 

“A delightful read. I flew through the pages, putting aside other books I was reading at the time, as I was drawn into Destiny Clark's world and her teenage troubles.” -Jennifer Thompson

“The heart of the story is the romance, but religion and faith come in as close seconds. Cindy Hale writes both Baptists and Mormons sympathetically, portraying both as people with strong beliefs. She doesn’t preach religion, but allows her characters to feel faith and express it in a way that gives them depth. There are antagonists in both religions, and good people in both religions. In the end, religion is deeply important to her characters, and both Destiny and Isaac must discover what they believe and find a way to be together despite their differences.” -Kaylynne R.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Destiny 99 Cent Sale and Giveaway

I'm running a giveaway over on my Facebook author page. I'm offering a signed copy of Synchrony. All you have to do is share the sale on social media and comment on the post where you shared it and how many times.   You can also help out by supporting my headtalker campaign. It's easy and only takes a couple of clicks.   this-summer-1

When Destiny Clark is cast alongside her long-time crush Isaac Robinson in their school’s production of Les Misérables, Destiny is horrified to find that she has to be publicly humiliated by acting out her true feelings of rejection onstage. As their rehearsals begin, Destiny realizes the unimaginable: Isaac has developed deep feelings for her despite their vastly different backgrounds and belief systems.

But can they find the true message of love in a world full of judgement and fear?

Weaving around Destiny and Isaac’s alternating viewpoints, this modern-day retelling of Romeo and Juliet is the first book in a series inspired by the characters of Les Misérables and explores heartbreak, self-discovery, intolerance, and love.
 

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Exciting News and Author Interview + Giveaway with Kelly Oram

Exciting CINDER & ELLA news + Giveaway! Exactly two years ago, a little book titled Cinder & Ella made its way onto Amazon. And then it exploded, making it's way to # 1 on Amazon in all of its categories and even hitting the top 20 on all of Amazon. (Way to go Cinder & Ella!) And nearly every day of the two years since its release, author Kelly Oram has received requests for an epilogue or a short story or something--anything--that would give readers more of their beloved Brian (aka Cinder) & Ella. It may have taken 2 years, but Kelly has finally decided to grant all of those requests, which means:

Cinder & Ella is getting a SEQUEL!!

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That's right people, there's a whole second book coming! But that's not all. Not only has the book been announced, it's less than 5 months away, and today we're revealing the cover and blurb! Along with this cover reveal the first book, Cinder & Ella, is also getting a new look. They've redesigned the cover to match the sequel.

THIS: CINDER_ELLA_cover_FINAL

           

IS NOW THIS:

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Title: Cinder & Ella
Author: Kelly Oram
Publisher: Bluefields
Pages: 312
Buy Links: AMAZON & KINDLE UNLIMITED  

Written by the inestimable Kelly Oram, Cinder & Ella is a contemporary Cinderella re-telling set in present day Hollywood. 4.8 out of 5 stars with over 1,500 reviews on Amazon!    

Summary:

What would you do if your anonymous Internet best friend turned out to be Hollywood’s hottest celebrity?
Cinder458: Your blogaversary is coming up, right? 
EllaTheRealHero: Do all those Hollywood friends of yours know you use words like blogaversary? Cinder458: Of course not. I need your address. Got you a blogaversary present.
Cinder got me a gift? My heart flipped. Not that I was in love with my Internet best friend or anything. That would be utterly ridiculous. The boy was cocky and stubborn and argued with everything I said just to be infuriating. He also had lots of money, dated models—which meant he had to be hot—and was a closet book nerd. Funny, rich, hot, confident, book lover. Definitely not my type. Nope. Not at all.
 It’s been almost a year since eighteen-year-old Ella Rodriguez was in a car accident that left her crippled, scarred, and without a mother. After a very difficult recovery, she’s been uprooted across the country and forced into the custody of a father that abandoned her when she was a young child. If Ella wants to escape her father’s home and her awful new stepfamily, she must convince her doctors that she’s capable, both physically and emotionally, of living on her own. The problem is, she’s not ready yet. The only way she can think of to start healing is by reconnecting with the one person left in the world who’s ever meant anything to her—her anonymous Internet best friend, Cinder.

***
Hollywood sensation Brian Oliver has a reputation for being trouble. There’s major buzz around his performance in his upcoming film The Druid Prince, but his management team says he won’t make the transition from teen heartthrob to serious A-list actor unless he can prove he’s left his wild days behind and become a mature adult. In order to douse the flames on Brian’s bad-boy reputation, his management stages a fake engagement for him to his co-star Kaylee. Brian isn’t thrilled with the arrangement—or his fake fiancée—but decides he’ll suffer through it if it means he’ll get an Oscar nomination. Then a surprise email from an old Internet friend changes everything. With a heartwarming online celebrity romance reminiscent of Jennifer E. Smith’s This Is What Happy Looks Like, bestselling young adult author Kelly Oram has struck gold with her new adult contemporary retelling of the timeless fairytale classic Cinderella.

"A story that has it all: tears, laughs, sparks and a drop-dead swoonworthy hero. Give it a while and DreamWorks will pick up this story for a movie adaption, no doubt." Anna Katmore, Author of Play With Me & Neverland 

"Both funny and heart-wrenching, Cinder and Ella will give you all the feels. It’s the best twist on the Cinderella tale I have come across. I am not just a fan of Kelly Oram. I am an addict." Cassie Mae, author of Switched & How To Hook A Bookworm 

"Cinder & Ella is a beautiful modern-day fairytale with a great cast of characters that made me laugh and swoon. It had me staying up late at night to read just one more chapter, and at the end, I was left with a big grin on my face." Cindi Madsen, USA Today Bestselling Author of Falling For Her Fiancé & Cinderella Screwed Me Over

 If this hasn't convinced you to check this book out, you can preview the prologue and first chapter by reading along with Kelly Oram.

And now for the moment you're all really waiting for...

 

Are you ready...?

 

Okay...here it is!!!

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Title: Happily Ever After
Series: Cinder & Ella #2
Author: Kelly Oram
Publisher: Bluefields
Release Date: February 14, 2017
Buy Links: Signup to Kelly Oram's NEWSLETTER to be notified upon release.

Summary: The end of one story is often the beginning of another. Hollywood heartthrob Brian Oliver and his Cinderella princess Ellamara Rodriguez have finally found love outside the digital world. But leaving their anonymity behind creates a whole new set of obstacles for the nation's new favorite sweethearts. With the stress of Brian's fame and the pressures of a new relationship weighing down on them, the It Couple quickly begins to wonder if they can hold on to their newfound joy, or if maybe happily ever after is only a fairy tale.

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***Sign up for Kelly's newsletter to be notified when Happily Ever After releases!***




Author Info & Links:


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Kelly Oram 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. Don't miss the latest news from Kelly Oram! Sign up for her newsletter to receive e-mail notifications for all of her new releases, events, sales, & giveaways. This is a monthly newsletter often with exclusive giveaways and freebies from some of her favorite authors.


Author Interview:

Tell us a little bit about you.

I love to read and I'm a ginger. 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!

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 roll.

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.)



Where did you grow up? Tell us a little of your childhood. 

I grew up with two amazing, loving parents and a bunch of siblings that I only realized were amazing after I grew up and moved away from them. We moved around quite a bit, but I spent the majority of my life in Colorado, Michigan, and California. My childhood was crazy and chaotic at times but fun and full of love. I have no complaints.

What was it like living in Los Angeles right out of college? 

LA is crazy, and the film industry is rough. It was overwhelming for my husband and I to go there when we were so young, had never been there, and had no family within hundreds of miles. But it was an adventure. We learned a lot, grew up a lot, and have a lot of great memories of our time there.

Share with us one thing most people do not know about you? 

Umm… like I mentioned about in the fun facts, I modeled a little bit as a teenager and once competed in the Miss Michigan Teen USA pageant. Neither modeling, nor the pageant circuit was really my thing and I quit both pretty quickly. But it was an experience I’m glad I had. I got to do something that not many get the chance to do. I also learned that I belong behind the spotlight, not in it. LOL.

If you could pick one, which one of your books would you make a movie based on? 

Hmm. I think it would be a toss up between Serial Hottie and Cinder & Ella. Serial Hottie is just fun and I can totally picture it being done similarly to The Burbs, or Suburbia. A fun quirky murder mystery romance. I’d love it. But I’m also a HUGE sucker for anything Cinderella, and it’s always done so well in the movies. Seeing Brian and Ella on the big screen would be so awesome.

Do your family and friends read your books? 

Some of them. The ones who enjoy reading do. I never expect people I know to read my work, and I only encourage them if I think they will genuinely enjoy my stories. As a writer, I know not everyone is going to love my work, but my friends and family don’t always believe me when I say it’s okay if they don’t like my books. I’ve had friends read my books because they were curious but who don’t normally read the YA romance genre and then they felt really bad when they didn’t like it. It’s really okay. But it’s also fun when someone I know comes up to me and says, “OMG I finally read one of your books and I loved it!”

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be? 

Uh… are there other options? Kidding. Well before this I was a stay home mom and it worked well for me. I’d also love to give musical theater a shot. Broadway would be fun!

 What inspired you to write Cinder & Ella?

I didn’t need to be inspired for this one. I have ALWAYS wanted to write my own Cinderella story. It’s my favorite fairy tale. I will watch and read every single Cinderella adaptation I can find. And I will read or watch them over and over and over again. So ever since I started writing, I knew that one day I would write a Cinderella retelling of my own. I simply had to wait for the right idea. I actually had the idea of the celebrity and the “normal” girl knowing each other from an online roleplaying game and meeting up at a fantasy or gaming convention sitting in my “idea” folder. And one day when I was between projects I was looking over my list of ideas and I thought that would be the perfect idea for a Cinderella story and voila … Cinder & Ella was born.

What scene was your favorite to write?

My favorite scene to write was probably the scene where Brian and Ella finally meet face to face. That’s not necessarily my favorite scene in the book, but it was a lot of fun to write. To think up the moments and conversation that would make Brian recognize Ella, and getting to have them banter as strangers was a lot of fun! Seriously, not to be egotistical or anything, but when Brian told Ella to say car for him… I almost died laughing. Kinda thought I was a genius for a while. (Of course, then I went back and read the first draft when it was done and realized that genius was a bit of a stretch! LOL) But anyway, yeah, the face-to-face was a lot of fun.

Who is your favorite—Brian or Ella? 

Pshhh. That totally depends on which one of them I’m dealing with and how they are treating me at the time. Kind of like my kids, it’s hard to play favorites, but well behaved characters are usually higher on my list than the difficult ones.

Connect with Kelly: 


Website * Newsletter * Facebook * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads * Google+ * Reader Squad/Street Team * GR fan group

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