Excerpt: The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

Crown Publishers • July 5, 2016 • Price: $26.00 hardcover • 368 pages

ISBN: 978-1-101-90612-5 • eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-90613-2

Summary

In her debut novel THE WOLF ROAD (July 5, 2016; Crown), author and managing editor at London’s Titan Books Beth Lewis introduces us to a world decimated by an unnamed, apocalyptic event and inhabited by desperate people accustomed to hunting, tracking, and killing to survive. Among them is Elka, the young heroine whose unmistakable voice guides us through the untamed landscape of the area formerly known as British Columbia on her journey to escape the horrors of her own past.

Everything Elka knows of the world she learned from the man she calls Trapper, a solitary hunter who took her under his wing when she was just seven years old. He has taught her how to shoot, track, set snares, and start fires—all the skills necessary to survive in a wild, lawless land where men are at the mercy of the elements and one another. But when wanted posters begin appearing in town, Elka realizes that the man she thinks she knows so well is harboring terrible secrets. The more Elka finds out about him, the less sure she becomes about her own identity—especially as she begins to recover some of the painful memories she’s kept at bay throughout her childhood.

As the horrific facts emerge, Elka makes her escape, armed with nothing but her knife and the survival skills he’s taught her. She sets out in the hope of finding her true parents, who traveled to the frozen north years earlier in pursuit of gold, but Elka can tell by the shadows that follow her that Trapper’s on her trail—and he won’t be letting his little girl go without a fight. As she encounters physical hardships, violence, and loneliness that at times test her sanity, she also strains to distinguish between fact and fiction in her own recollections. Ultimately, she will have to turn and confront not just Trapper but the dark reality of her past.

THE WOLF ROAD is a tautly suspenseful cat-and-mouse tale of justice and revenge, played out against a vast, unforgiving landscape—told by an unforgettable, tough-as-nails young heroine fighting desperately to escape the terrors of her childhood and rejoin humanity.

Goodreads

Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository

Excerpt

His eyes searched the trees. Black as pitch them eyes, black as disease and disorder and hate and lies. He grinned, flat white teeth like gravestones, and twirled his little fish gutter in his fingers, flinging blood everywhere, rolling out the red carpet.

“Elka, you know I don’t mean you no harm.” His voice turned friendly. “I’d never hurt my Elka.”

He wandered around like a blind man, trudging through the snow, steam lifting off his body. Always hot after a killing. He was lean, carved out of wood some say, and but for the tattoos had a face you’d take home to your mother. He leaned up against a cottonwood tree, panting to keep the cold out, getting sick of hide-and-seek.

“Could a’ killed you a hundred times, girlie,” he said, slow. “Could a’ taken my pig sticker and cut your neck to navel while you slept. Could a’ peeled your skin off easy as boiled trout.”

I remembered all those years calling him Daddy and felt sick.

“Could a’ made my winter boots out of your back,” he carried on, voice getting more excited, smile getting bigger, like he was reeling off courses at a feast. “New belt out of your arms. Could a’ stuffed my mattress with your silky brown hair.”

He laughed and I felt sicker. He raised his knife, pointed it into the trees, right at my face though he didn’t know it.

“You’d make a fine pair of boots, Elka girl.”

Heard it all before but it didn’t stop the cold creeping up my back, cold that weren’t snow. Cold that weren’t ice and winter. I’d heard him say worse but never to me. I was still afraid of him, the things he’d done, the things he made me do. But damn if I wasn’t trying to turn it to good.

“All these months you been looking for me, Kreagar, and I found you first.”

I raised up my own knife. Weighted right nice for throwing. I told him in my head to stay there against the tree, told him don’t you move a muscle.

“I been worried something rotten for you, Elka. This world ain’t no place for a kid like you on your own. There are worse things than wolves in the dark. Worse things than me.”

But for the blood he could have been a normal Joe out on a stroll. But for the kid’s scalp swinging in the breeze, he could’ve been anyone. But he wasn’t. He was Kreagar Hallet. Murdering, kid-killing bastard Kreagar Hallet. Took me far too long to figure that out and no prettied-up words would change it now.

I stood up on the branch without making more’n a snowflake shudder and wound back my arm. Breathed out. Pictured him like a deer. Threw my knife with all the force I had, straight and true and hit him in that soft spot just below the collarbone. That metal went through his shoulder into that tree, pinned him hard, heard that wood thud you get during target practice. And I’d done a lot of target practice. Damn if that weren’t a perfect shot.

About the Author

Beth Lewis was raised in the wilds of Cornwall and split her childhood between books and the beach. She has traveled extensively throughout the world and has had close encounters with black bears, killer whales, and great white sharks. She has been, at turns, a bank cashier, a fire performer, and a juggler, and she is currently a managing editor at Titan Books in London. The Wolf Road is her first novel.

Website: www.bethklewis.co.uk

Twitter: @bethklewis



Tour Schedule:
7/11: The Story Sanctuary - Spotlight
7/13: Dizneeee's World of Books - Excerpt
7/15: Storybook Slayers - Spotlight
7/19: Here's to Happy Endings - Excerpt
7/21: No BS Book Reviews - Q&A
7/25: I Turn the Pages - Mood Board
7/27: Take Me Away to a Great Read - Excerpt
7/29: A Book & A Latte - Q&A
8/2: Novel Ink - Spotlight
8/4: Life According to a Bibliophile - Review
8/8: Bookish Lifestyle - Q&A
8/10: Emily Reads Everything - Review
8/12: Reading is Better with Cupcakes - Review

Praise for THE WOLF ROAD:

“An unrelenting psychological thriller of wilderness survival wrapped in a terrifying hide-and-seek game of trying to escape an unspeakable past. … Fans of suspense with a touch of horror will be pulled into Elka’s intense struggle to find peace and redemption as the whole truth is finally revealed.”

—Booklist on The Wolf Road

“Arresting…[an] odyssey that highlights the striking wilderness landscape and Elka’s grit.”

—Publishers Weekly on The Wolf Road

“A white-knuckle trip through a gritty, frightening, and all-too-plausible post-apocalypse. You won’t know whether to root for or be afraid of heroine Elka, and you won’t be able to put the book down.”

—Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts 

“A remarkable first novel that drew me in from page one. I was reminded of the beautiful savagery of Cormac McCarthy’sThe Road and the elegiac overtones of Dickey’s Deliverancewhile reading—but Lewis has crafted something completely unique here, carried so powerfully along by the voice of its indelible young narrator.”

—Nick Cutter, author of The Troop

“Addictive and compelling…an apocalyptic thriller with a dark, horrible heart. It’s impossible not to root for Elka as she fights her way through a chilling—but disturbingly familiar—wasteland.”

—Kelly Braffet, author of Save Yourself

“Stark and soulful, The Wolf Road is a brutal yet poignant journey into the truth of one girl’s origins in a shattered wilderness. It masterfully dances between the savagery of the wild and the raw, blunt humor of frontier logic. A rollicking, striking read.”

—Robert Jackson Bennett, author of City of Stairs 

“Dazzling…a literary thriller that weaves lush language and unforgettable characters into a genuine page-turner.”

—Scott Hawkins, author of The Library at Mount Char

“An extraordinary novel—dark and funny and full of wild energy. Elka is a brilliant creation—fierce and vulnerable at the same time. Her story and her voice pull you in from the first page and never let you go. Gripping and unforgettable.”

—Antonia Hodgson, author of The Devil in the Marshalsea

Excerpt & Giveaway: The Telling by Alexandra Sirowy:

I'm happy to share a part of THE TELLING by Alexandra Sirowy with you today! 

Make sure to check each blog part of the tour (listed below) to find different chapter excerpts!

Book Title: The Telling

Author: Alexandra Sirowy

Release Date: August 2, 2016

Summary 

A chilling new novel about a girl who must delve into her past if she wants to live long enough to have a future when a series of murders that are eerily similar to the dark stories her brother used to tell start happening in her hometown.

Lana used to know what was real. That was before, when her life was small and quiet. Her golden stepbrother, Ben was alive. She could only dream about bonfiring with the populars. Their wooded island home was idyllic, she could tell truth from lies, and Ben’s childhood stories were firmly in her imagination.

Then came after.

After has Lana boldly kissing her crush, jumping into the water from too high up, living with nerve and mischief. But after also has horrors, deaths that only make sense in fairy tales, and terrors from a past Lana thought long forgotten. Love, blood, and murder.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Chapter 2 part 1

What comes next happens fast. It’s getting dark and everyone is out of breath, their panting magnified in my ears. Becca’s whimpers are desperate and grinding, bouncing off the trees. I want to tell her to shut up already, I need to concentrate. Josh leaves the surface, and there’s only black lapping water where he was.

Duncan makes it to the shore and his voice booms, “Carolynn, call 9-1-1.”

And she says, “My effing cell is in the car.”

Willa shouts, “Run for it.”

And then they stop making noise—except for Becca, who’s still wailing—so I assume Carolynn runs for her phone. I get caught up in the enormous unlikelihood of seven of us and not one cell, and then I want to smack my forehead because there’s no service at the spring.

Rusty vanishes too. He and Josh are diving for the girl. And I think, What is she doing down there? A split second later, I dive also.

I swim blind, the surface gone too dim to illuminate below. I wriggle through the black, my chest squeezing with the increased pressure. My hands jab the bottom. It’s soundless as death, and I wonder if Ben can hear anything where he is. Stupid to believe he could be anywhere, dead is dead. And I’m not dead, even if sometimes I wonder if we’d be together if I were. That’s a nightmare thought, the kind that filled the first month after we buried Ben’s empty coffin.

There’s a ripple in the water to my right—Josh or Rusty scouring the spring for the girl. The girl. I was below a minute ago and there was no one except loneliness and memories of Ben—but aren’t those two actually the same? My arms sweep back and forth, legs propelling me forward. Pressure behind my eyeballs. Too long since the surface. And that must be the case, because I have the inkling that I’m an astronaut in space and I’m only dreaming that I’m in water.

My arms close around something—no, someone—waxy and firm. I take hold and yank and yank, ripping the form free from an invisible grip. She’s slender in my arms, all sharp angles and poking bones. I wonder if she’s a kid as we surface, and I gasp so hard it’s a punch in the lungs.

“Help,” I sputter. Everything is silver edged. Rusty’s arms windmill toward me. His hands skate over mine to get a grip on the girl, which is good because she’s slipping, her breasts smushed against my arms as I try to keep hold. Breasts, so she’s not a kid. Rusty floats her on her back, and with an arm hooked under hers, he cuts through the water.

“Over here, man,” Duncan calls, crouched on the shore, blood smeared across his face. Josh jerks his head to the ladder, and we swim for it. Rusty must have reached the shore, because Duncan adds, “Lift her. Yeah, yeah, yeah, a bit higher.”

My arms go shaky and dumb as I climb from one rung to the next. I’m at the top, swinging a leg over a boulder, when Duncan shouts, “Holy shit, I know her.” Becca cries out from where she’s curled on her towel, the skipper hat and her face ducking intermittently behind her knees. “It’s Maggie Lewis,” Duncan says.

About the Author

Alexandra Sirowy is the author of The Creeping and The Telling. She was born and raised in Northern California, where she attended a women’s college as an undergraduate and received her MA at the University of San Francisco. She is a voracious reader, the oldest of three children, an avid traveler, a record-holding high school long jumper, a gourmet cook, a feminist, and forever grateful to her parents for reading to her as a child. Alexandra lives in Northern California with her husband.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Photo by Vivian Sachs

Giveaway

The publisher is giving away a copy to one of my blog readers!
This is for US entrants, 13+ only.
Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule:
7/11: The Book Cellar
7/12: Dizneeee's World of Books
7/13: I Turn the Pages
7/14: Actin' Up With Books
7/15: Such A Novel Idea

His Hometown Girl: Blitz (w/ Excerpt & Giveaway)

Summary & Cover

He'd always managed to best her…

Jodi Chapman will do whatever it takes to get top care for her autistic son. If that means going home and convincing local farmers to sell their land, so be it. Even if her biggest opponent, childhood rival Daniel Gleason, is equally determined to convince farmers to buy into his co-op plan. And he's not playing fair.

Facing off against Daniel is the last thing Jodi wants. The attraction that's always fueled their competitiveness is as strong as ever and just as distracting. But with both their futures on the line, and years of distrust between them, how can they ever be on the same side?

  PREORDER

Excerpt

The music began and Mary gave Daniel a little shove. “Have at her. Indulge us for old times’ sake. Everyone thought you two would make a great couple when you weren’t scrapping.”

He looked down at a dismayed Jodi. “Guess we can’t disappoint our fans.”

She threw her hands up and he swept her into his arms. And just like he thought, the feel of her brought back their middle school days. He recalled his sweaty palms on her tiny waist and how much he’d tripped because, instead of counting the steps, he’d counted the freckles on her nose. Kind of like now.

“Mr. Martin had some crazy taste in music,” she surprised him by saying, a far-off look in her eyes. “How did that count as exercise?”

Being around her raised his blood pressure. She was the best cardio he could imagine. They moved across the crowded floor, weaving in and out of other couples.

“No idea.” When the tempo changed he twirled and dipped her, their mouths nearly touching as he bent her over his arm for a long, breathless moment. The feel of her made his blood surge.

“Let me up,” she said in a rush, and pushed at his chest, her touch electric. When he straightened, he pulled her closer and smoothed the hair that had come loose from her bun, her locks like silk. He inhaled the light, fresh scent of her and his body tightened against hers. His eyes dropped to her lips and he remembered her taste: honeysuckle and lemon drops. Kissing her had felt like kissing sunshine and for a moment he lost himself in the glow of that memory.

“Daniel,” she whispered, her eyes shimmering up at him, her voice husky. “People are watching.”

“Let them.”

When she trembled in his arms, he knew she was remembering the afternoons he’d held her this way. How they’d lie snuggled in the deep grass together, the blue sky their only witness. It’d been magic. The ultimate trick, however, was her disappearing act. The thought sobered him and he loosened his grip. She challenged, exhilarated, frustrated and attracted him like no other. Yet she had crushed him, too, and he sensed that could happen as easily now as it had then if he wasn’t careful. He wasn’t just at war with her, he also battled himself.

As he guided her through the swaying couples, their bodies moved in perfect sync. Suddenly he thought of her ex and felt a rush of jealousy at the thought of her in another man’s arms.

“I’m sorry to hear about your divorce,” he said, and felt her stiffen.

“I got through it,” she said lightly, her eyes sliding from his.

“Do you still see him?” An irrational need to know how much time she still spent with

the man seized him. It didn’t matter—or it shouldn’t—yet somehow, it did.

A laugh-snort escaped her and her gaze flew to his. “Not since he left.”

“What about Tyler?” he blurted. The guy might be a fool for not returning Jodi’s love,

but he must at least care for his own child.

The music ended and he led her to a table by the window. After pulling out her chair,

he straddled his.

Jodi caught her lower lip between her teeth and gazed outside. The sun had set

completely and the moon was up, a wedge of creamy white casting its reflection onto the

lake. Night wind rattled tree branches, knocking them against one another. “Not Tyler, either,” she said at last, her voice sounding empty. Scraped out.

He found her cold fingers beneath the table and wrapped his palms around them. “He’s a terrible father.” And a horrible person. Who would abandon his wife and child? He’d known she was a single mother, but he’d never known that she was raising her son entirely on her own. After this night of revelations, she’d surprised him again and he admired her even more. What a strong, caring person.

Jodi nodded, her face bleak and beautiful. “Tyler wouldn’t stop crying after his dad left until—”

She froze, then yanked her hands away and stood. “I’ve got to go.”

“Jodi.” His voice stopped her. “I—I—” He broke off, searching for the right words the way he might grope for a light switch in the dark.

She glanced around the bar, the faraway look gone, her expression sharp. “We shouldn’t do this. It’s not good for either of us to get this personal. My focus is on Tyler. Not bars. Not men.” She gazed at him, her eyes pleading. “Not you.”

Before he could stand, she flew out the door, leaving him again.

About the Author

Karen Rock has adored romance since receiving Harlequin Presents books from her grandmother each summer. She formed her Young Adult writing partnership, J.K. Rock- pseudonym for the CAMP BOYFRIEND series, with her sister-in-law and Blaze author, Joanne Rock in 2011. When Karen heard of a call for submissions to Heartwarming, Harlequin’s latest line, she was inspired by the possibilities of writing unforgettable, deeply romantic, tender love stories that mothers would feel comfortable sharing with their daughters. When she’s not writing, Karen loves scouring estate sales for vintage books, cooking her grandmother's family recipes, hiking the ‘high peaks’, and redesigning her gardens. She lives in the Adirondack Mountain region with her husband, daughter, and two Cavalier King cocker spaniels who have yet to understand the concept of “fetch” though they know a lot about love.

For more information about Karen's upcoming books, check out her website at http://www.karenrock.com, Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/karenrockwrites or follow her on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/karenrock5 . She’d love to hear from you!

   

GIVEAWAY #1
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
-$50 Amazon Gift Card
-SIGNED copy of HIS HOMETOWN GIRL by Karen Rock


2nd & 3rd PRIZE WINNERS
-SIGNED copies of HIS HOMETOWN GIRL by Karen Rock

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GIVEAWAY #2

GRAND PRIZE WINNER
-$25 Gift Card (Amazon or B&N)
-Shadow's Curse by Alexa Egan
-A Cursed Embrace by Cecy Robson
-His Reluctant Rancher by Roxanne Snopek
-Free Fall by Karen Foley

To enter: Pre-order a copy of HIS HOMETOWN GIRL on Kindle http://amzn.to/1eveD3C or Nook http://bit.ly/1ktNqWq!

Email a copy or picture of your receipt to karenrock@live.com along with-
Your name:
Your email address:
Blog you found the contest on:

You'll be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to either Amazon or Barnes and Nobles (your choice) as well as the four books in the prize picture.

The Deep End of the Sea - Excerpt

We are thrilled to share an excerpt for Heather Lyons' THE DEEP END OF THE SEA! THE DEEP END OF THE SEA is a New Adult Fantasy set for release February 13, 2014 and definitely one you need to add to your TBR pile!

About The Deep End of the Sea 

What if all the legends you've learned were wrong?

Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard. As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.

But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.

Excerpt
I let it happen again.

The temple settles into that stagnant silence I’ve long learned to loathe, and these are the most cohesive series of words I can string together for many long, desolate minutes. I let it happen again. Resolutions apparently mean nothing, even if crafted under the best of intentions. Had I not, just this very morning, recited a daily pledge held dear to my heart: I shall not let myself be used for death?

And yet, a man is dead, and I was the weapon that slayed him.

I move closer to where he now stands, forever frozen in terror, and press my shaking hand against his outstretched stone one. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, though he cannot and never will be able to hear my words. “So, so sorry.”

His eyes, wide and mercifully detail free, offer me nothing in return. Once I commit his features to memory, I construct a life history with a name worthy of his sacrifice. Walt was single (I can’t bear the thought of spouses and children, thus my collection of singletons) and a bit of a daredevil when he wasn’t volunteering to teach literacy to adults in poverty stricken urban areas. He’d gone spelunking at least a half-dozen times, sky diving twice, and bungee cord diving off some crazy bridge in Colorado just once, on his thirtieth birthday. Walt liked to write poetry; how could he not, when his now-deceased parents had named him after one of the greats?

Walt liked to talk about poetry, too, which means he needs to be with others like him. I strip off my flannel work shirt, down to a tank top, and get to work. Shoving stones around when half of one’s body is reptilian isn’t the easiest of tasks, requiring a great deal of precision and care.

As I always tend to do when placing a new statue, I can’t help but flash back to the one and only time I’d broken one of my victims. I’d been tired—he’d snuck upon me when I’d been sleeping—and an overestimated shove sent poor Nikolaos face first against the temple floor. I’d spent most of that night collecting the pieces which once made a whole man, blubbering in misery. As penance, his head, missing an ear and part of his nose, still sits on a shelf in my bedroom. Treat us gently, I like to imagine him telling me nightly before I sleep. We deserve your care.

I have not failed Nikolaos since. Over the ages, I’ve developed a routine to transfer the statues around the island that includes wrapping the bodies in a thick quilt before putting them up on casters. It takes a painstaking amount of time to shift them short or long distances, but each person deserves nothing less from me.

Walt’s group sits just outside the temple. They are the philosophers of our island; it only seems natural they would find much to appreciate in both the sun and the stars. I struggle with his body over the stairs—they are tricky to maneuver for me even without hauling a two hundred pound statue—but eventually, I get him exactly where he’ll fit in best.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Walt,” I tell the still faces forming a cluster near a non-functioning fountain. “His poetry is as beautiful as his namesake’s.”

I angle Walt so his eyes face theirs. It’s late afternoon, and there is soft orange light filtering down upon their features. It’s a beautiful sight, which only saddens me, because all of that talk about death and beauty being intertwined is one of the biggest loads of crap I’ve ever heard. Death isn’t beautiful. Too often than not, it’s messy and brutal; even when done in sleep, there’s still that theft of breath, that failure of a heart. Death is an act of violence.

I should know. I am one of the most prolific murderers in history. And I think about death constantly.

I often wonder what my own death will be like, if I am ever blessed to embrace it. I’m not too picky in my imaginings; I’ll take any sort by this point. Logically, I’d prefer a less painful exit, but, knowing my luck, it’ll be as ruthless as once reported and still widely believed.

It ought to be noted I have some of the most wretched luck to ever be doled out, so there is that.

The sound of waves crashing against the shore sends my eyes to the horizon. I’ve tried to drown myself in those waters more times than I ought to admit over the years, but the sea always spits me back out. I’ve also tried overdosing on pharmaceuticals, stabbing myself in the chest and eyes (which was just as painful as you’d imagine), and throwing myself off a cliff. Melodramatic, yes, and all ineffective for an immortal cursed with impenetrable skin and a digestive system apparently filled with acid.

Death is not my friend. At least, not yet.

About Heather Lyons

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Camp Christmas: Book Blitz (w/ TWO Giveaways!)

Welcome to my stop during the Book Blitz for Camp Christmas (Camp Boyfriend #1.5) by J.K. Rock!

Camp Christmas is a novella in the Camp Boyfriend series. It is free to download on the Spencer Hill Contemporary website. While it is part of the Camp Boyfriend series, it can also be read as a standalone. So far, this series contains 3 books: Camp Kiss (Camp Boyfriend #0.5), Camp Boyfriend (Camp Boyfriend #1), and Camp Christmas (Camp Boyfriend #1.5).

This Book Blitz was organized by Lola's Blog Tours. It is scheduled to run from December 17-21. You can view the complete tour schedule on the Lola’s Blog. 

Thanks to Lola, Joanne, and Karen for all of the fun information to share!

Camp Christmas (Camp Boyfriend #1.5)
Authors: J.K. Rock
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Category: Young Adult
Release date: December 17, 2013

Summary:

Hannah never meant to be a mean girl – at Camp Juniper Point or at her high school. It just sort of happened during one painful year when her parents split and her life fell apart. Who knew being mad at the world would catapult her to popularity? But since changing the status quo would make her some serious enemies, she’s prepared to ride out her time until graduation. That is, until a camp friend calls her on the act during their school ski trip. Will Julian out her to her friends? Or will the guy she once accused of being King of the Nerds make her wish she was a whole lot more like him?

Download Camp Christmas!

Free on SPC website // 99¢ on Amazon

Excerpt (I have to share the one excerpt with kissing...of course!)

Hannah

Julian paid attention to me. And not just today.

The realization that his dark eyes had followed me other times—at school, at camp—warmed me inside for all of a second. Until I remembered what he would have seen most of the time.

Me doing whatever I needed to in order to maintain my status.

“Don’t make excuses for me,” I snapped.

I would have skied away and left this conversation behind, but all of a sudden, Julian reached toward me. He’d pulled his glove off at some point and now, his bare fingers brushed over my cheek. Warm from the glove, rough from scaling icy cliffs, his touch moved slowly along my skin while his face loomed closer to mine.

My heartbeat skittered into some nonsensical rhythm, the sound echoing in my ears until it drowned out everything else.

“Your dad left the year you pushed Lauren,” he reminded me softly.

“That doesn’t make it right to take the hurt out on everyone else.” I looked down, unable to meet those kind brown eyes.

“No.” His hand cupped my jaw. Tipped my face up, toward his, until I looked at him again. He was closer now. So close I could breathe his breath, minty and warmer than the chilly Adirondack air.

“Why would you like someone like that?” I didn't like me much these days. Guilt made my chest go tight with each icy breath.

Guilt…and something else.

“Because.” His touch moved down my neck, the tips of his fingers sliding beneath my hair. “Once you realize that you’re strong and smart and funny—that you don’t need the designer clothes or Missy’s approval—you’re going to blow everyone else away.”

Normally, I’d argue with this. But seeing myself reflected in his eyes, I could almost see what he did. Or maybe I just really, really wanted to.

“You’re crazy,” I reminded him, my hand landing on his chest where his heart would be.

Even through my glove and his jacket, I could feel his warmth. A visible shudder happened when I touched him.

Like he’d been waiting for it for a long time. His eyes closed for a second.

“Yeah. Probably.”

We stood there for one timeless second, letting the snow swirl all around us and letting the darkness fall. Then his eyes opened and locked on me.

“Stay still,” he warned, his voice a little rough and his touch anything but.

My heartbeat went ballistic. I couldn't have moved if I’d tried.

He came closer. His lips landed on mine in a kiss I never would have expected. The contact was soft and sweet, gentle and unhurried. My eyes fell closed, senses focused on the feel of him.

I wondered if his heartbeat pounded as hard as mine beneath my gloved hand. But beneath my lips, he took all the time in the world. I’d been kissed before, but always with guys who acted like they knew what they were doing.

There’d been sloppy kisses. Fast kisses. And hard, aggressive kisses that mashed lips on teeth.

Not Julian. His mouth teased over mine like a guy determined to get it exactly right. I felt dizzy from it and had to put both hands on him to steady myself.

“Hannah.” He whispered my name over my lips as he broke the kiss. His forehead fell against mine. He dragged in raspy breaths as we stood together in the cold night that was almost fully dark. “We should—”

“I know.” I nodded. Backed up a little. I was totally flustered and confused about what just happened, even though the goose bumps all over my arms told me I’d liked it.

A lot….

Interview

How did you come up with the inspiration for the Camp Boyfriend series?

The brainstorming process is so fluid and fast-moving sometimes it can be tricky to trace where an idea originated! But we talked about writing a “summer” story since so many interesting changes happen over a summer when you are in high school. From there, we jumped to the possibility of summer camp, and the idea for Camp Boyfriend started developing. We were both inspired by our own experiences at summer camp.

Who is the main character in the Camp Christmas book and what was the inspiration for her?

Hannah is the main character, which we’re very excited about because it can be interesting to write a character who is viewed one way and sees herself in another way. The girls in Munchies Manor see Hannah as a mean girl. But we wondered… are they right? Is she really mean and if so, why? We ended up really connecting with Hannah and we hope readers will too. She goes on to have some interesting roles in future books, too.

What does the main character in Camp Christmas like to do in her spare time?

Hannah has a secret geeky side and she knows way too much about Star Trek, but she would die before she let that particular bit of information get out! But for the right guy, she does let her guard down so we can know her better.

How many books will the Camp Boyfriend series contain?

We have three books planned and three novellas, so six stories in all. We've staggered the releases to that there is a free novella to precede each book.

Who designed the covers for your books and how went the process of developing them?
The tremendously talented author/designer Jennifer Rush designed the first two covers in the series. You can see more of her work here. Since Jennifer’s writing career keeps her plenty busy these days, we've been working closely with our publisher, Spencer Hill Contemporary, to maintain the spirit of her wonderful layouts in the rest of the artwork.

Earlier books in this series

Camp Kiss (Camp Boyfriend #0.5)
Summary:

The Camp Kiss That Started It All…

Lauren Carlson, a fourteen-year-old expert on the cosmos, superheroes, and science fiction trivia has a crush on her longtime camp friend, Seth. Last summer she’d dreamed about upgrading their relationship to BF/GF status and this year she has a plan… if only her well-meaning cabin mates wouldn't interfere before she’s ready. She hasn't even adjusted to her new braces yet, let alone imagined kissing Seth with them. When a dare pushes her out of her comfort zone, will she and Seth rocket out of the friend zone at last? There’s only one way to find out…

Camp Kiss is free to download on the Spencer Hill Contemporary website or 

you can buy it on Amazon.

Camp Boyfriend (Camp Boyfriend #1)
Summary:

The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.

They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.

But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?

Purchase Camp Boyfriend:

Amazon (kindle) / Amazon (paperback) / B&N / Kobo / The Book Depository

About the Authors:
Sisters-in-law, Joanne and Karen Rock, write Young Adult books under the pseudonym J.K. Rock. They bonded on a set of bleachers, watching their respective Rock boyfriends play baseball, and later, as young wives married into the same big family. Today, they have fun reliving teen drama on the pages of their YA books in their ongoing Camp Boyfriend series, which reviewers have noted for its authentic treatment of navigating relationships and self-identity. Individually, Joanne and Karen write adult romance books for Harlequin. Joanne is a three-time RITA Award nominee and Golden Heart winner. Her books have been reprinted in twenty-six countries and translated into twenty different languages. Karen's debut romance, WISH ME TOMORROW, has garnered critical acclaim for its sensitive portrayal of a cancer survivor's journey. You can learn more about their upcoming projects and previous releases at http://jkrock.net

Find J.K. Rock around the Web:

Website / Series website / Joanne’s Twitter

Karen’s Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Goodreads

More About the Authors - Top Ten Lists

Top Ten Favorite Movies
Joanne: Sense and Sensibility (Ang Lee version), Picnic, Room with a View, This Property is Condemned, Silver Linings Playbook, Shawshank Redemption, Steel Magnolias, The Thomas Crown Affair, Notorious, & seasonal favorites (Scrooge with Albert Finney)

Karen: Titanic, Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet (Baz Luhrmann version), Rent, Phantom of the Opera, A Walk to Remember, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Bridget Jones's Diary, Juno, Edward Scissorhands, & The Notebook

Top Ten Favorite Books

Joanne: Wuthering Heights, The Woman in White, Name of the Rose, Pride and Prejudice, Nobody’s Baby But Mine, Charming the Prince, Before I Fall, Mists of Avalon, The Once and Future King, & Lord of the Rings

Karen: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Song of Ice and Fire Series, Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy, Before I Fall, Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars, Hunger Games Series, The Lord of the Rings Series, Gone Girl, & The Mortal Instruments Series

Top Ten Favorite Foods
Joanne: Stone crab, Lobster, Alaskan King Crab (sensing a theme??), Steamed Clams, Chicken Wing Dip, Creme Brulee, my mother-in-law’s German Chocolate Cake, Karen’s Chicken Parmesan, warm homemade bread, & scones

Karen: Pizza (Brooklyn style), Chicken Wings, Quesadillas, Nachos, My Nonna’s Chicken Parmesan (which I copy - thanks for the shout out, Joanne), Fried Zucchini, Poutine (french fries smothered in gravy and cheese - it’s a Canadian thing), Friendly’s Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae (5 scoops!), Rum Cake, my mother-in-law’s Black-and-White Cookies, & Kettle Corn

Top Ten Favorite Drinks
Joanne: Margarita, Amaretto Sour, Good Amaretto straight, gingerbread latte, my own espresso, hot cinnamon and ginger tea, Karen’s husband’s pina coladas (a million calories, I’m sure), a good Barbera, a simple Chianti, but nothing beats ice cold water on a hot day

Karen: Cherry Coke, Cranberry Sierra Mist, Sunny D, Friendly’s Chocolate Fribbles, McDonald’s Strawberry Extra Thick Shakes (with the whip cream and cherry), Iced Mocha Latte, Caramel Macchiatto, Frozen Margarita, Strawberry Daiquiri, Pina Colada, & anything tropical served in a coconut with an umbrella

What Are Ten Items on Your Bucket List?
Joanne: See the Mediterranean, rent a house abroad for at least a month, take a girls' only road trip, visit the British Museum, train trip through Canadian Rockies, plant a fabulous garden at least once, walk through Florence, take a literature class with a brilliant professor at a famous university, buy a beautiful handbag, & learn how to cook one truly amazing dish

Karen: Meet Johnny Depp, be an extra in one of the Mortal Instruments, Divergent, or Hunger Games movies, get a novel critique from John Green, scuba dive and get to see whales, dolphins, or turtles underwater, write a book that becomes a movie, voice an animated character, stay in a real castle, live in Italy for a year, stay in one of those bungalows over the water in Bora Bora, & travel to a country in need and spend a year helping building homes, digging wells, teaching in a school, anything...

Giveaways
There are TWO blitz-wide giveaways!

This first giveaway is for US residents only. 
One US winner will receive:  

• 1 signed copy of J. Lynn's FRIGID
• 1 signed copy of Kimberly Sabatini's TOUCHING THE SURFACE
• 1 signed copy of J.K. Rock's CAMP BOYFRIEND
• 1 journal
• 1 Chinese lantern
• 1 pen
• Stickers
• Assorted bookmarks
• Friendship bracelets
• 1 Camp Boyfriend pen and mini-flashlight
• 1 Bath and Body Works Triple Moisture Cream in Aruba Coconut.

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The second giveaway is open Internationally. One winner will receive:

• $25 Amazon gift card 

a Rafflecopter giveaway