A Date of Godlike Proportions: Book Blitz

So, I'm back with another fantastic book blitz for Tellulah Darling. I am such a fan of Tellulah's. She is an absolutely funny, funny, funny lady. Make sure to check out the extra author fun with the About the Author section. She honestly makes me laugh!

Book & Author Details
A Date of Godlike Proportions by Tellulah Darling
(The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #2.5)
Publication Date: December 20, 2013
Genres: Comedy, Mythology, Young Adult

Synopsis

There’s bound to be pressure when it takes 2500 years to get to a second date. Which is exactly why Theo Rockman, a.k.a. Prometheus, would rather not go. With his best friend gravely injured and the fate of humanity still on the line, Theo has all sorts of creative excuses to avoid dating swoon-worthy god and love of his life, Hephaestus.

YA romantic comedy gets an epic mythological twist in the free (at select retailers) short story A Date of Godlike Proportions (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy Book 2.5). Being human hasn’t killed Theo, but this date just might.
Excerpt
Great. The cavalry had arrived. I flicked my gaze over to my other best friend Hannah, staring at me incredulously from her position in the doorway, where she had joined Festos.
Festos patted Hannah on the shoulder affectionately before edging past her to leave.
I reluctantly tore my eyes from his retreating figure to meet her bemused gaze.
Allies. That’s what I needed. “There’s too much at stake right nowlike your future for examplefor us to be going out on a
She flapped a hand at me. “Get dressed.”
I looked down at what I was wearing. Which was basically what I always wore. A long-sleeved black T-shirt and baggy black pants. “I’m dressed.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Pierce,” she called out.
Her boyfriend trotted into the room at her call. “Yeah, love?”
Hannah pointed to a spot in front of me. “Stand there and look pretty, so this idiot gets the picture.”
Pierce nodded. He got into position and, with a toss of his blond tousled head, adopted the most pouty model boy expression imaginable. He winked at me, obviously amused.
Hannah blinked at him. “Whoa. That’s pretty … pretty.”
“Down, Saul,” I said. “Besides, he’s the God of Love. I’m sure there’s some kind of inherent pretty built into his DNA. With me?” I cast a skeptical look down at myself. “Festos knows what he’s getting.”
Pierce pulled up a desk chair and turned it around to straddle it.
Hannah kicked my legs away so she could sit down on the bed next to Sophie. She picked her friend’s hand up to clasp between her own. Her lip quivered as she stared at her friend but she quickly replaced any concern with a determined glare my way.
She crossed her legs and leaned forward toward me. “Have you seen that boy’s room? It’s like a hurricane went off in there. He’s going nuts trying to find the perfect outfit for this special event and you can’t even get changed?” She tucked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear.
I swung my head in Sophie’s direction. “Did you not notice your bestie lying there unconscious?”
Her hand tightened on Sophie’s. “Don’t be an idiot. Or drag Soph into this. We’re here. Nothing else is going to happen to her. She needs to heal. And don’t pull any of that ‘fate of the universe’ crap either. It’s one night. So, next excuse. I’ll shoot that down too.”
I closed my eyes. There was silence for a blessed moment.
“You feel guilty, don’t you?” She spoke softly.
I shrugged, my eyes still closed.
I felt her make the sign of the cross over me. “I absolve you of guilt, Prometheus.”
I gave a faint smile. “I’m not Catholic.”
“Well, I have no idea how to absolve a Greek God.”
“Titan,” I murmured. “And I’m not even that anymore.”
Purchase A Date of Godlike Proportions
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About the Author
Tellulah Darling
noun
1. YA Novelist
2. Alter ego of former screenwriter and instructor
3. Sassy minx

Geeks out over: cool tech.
Squees for: great storytelling.
Delights in: fabulous conversation.
Writes about: where love meets comedy. Awkwardness ensues.

     

10 Things You Didn't Know About Tellulah Darling

1) I am too lazy to learn songs properly, choosing instead to just fit whatever word seems closest to the phonetic sound I hear. This means that nothing I sing makes any logical sense. However, they are all wildly creative. Every once in a while I actually figure out what the words are supposed to be and realize how much sense the song now makes. What's funny is that there are certain songs I'm suck in a perpetual loop with. I learn what they are, promptly forget and go back to my nonsense, and then have that deja vu moment when I understand them again. Maybe I was dropped on my head as a child.

2) I love to travel but hate flying. As a result, I spent much of my life gripping the arms of my airplane seat while whispering "please don't fall" for hours on end. Happily, my doctor informed me a couple years ago (while staring at me like I was an idiot upon hearing how I coped) that since my way didn't work, I might want to try drugs. Miracles of modern science, indeed!

3) Speaking of travel–the first time I went to Italy, I was 15 yrs old. We were in Heathrow waiting for our flight to Rome and I'd fallen asleep stretched out across the chairs at the departure area. I woke up to the sight of the Italian National Football (Soccer) team seated around me. Even at that tender age, I was partial to that particular flavour of man candy. So I shot up and might have tried to shove my little brother under a seat in an attempt to look like a worldly solo traveller. Yeah, right. I wish you all a similar wake up call with *insert group of hot men of your choice*.

4) I was a professional screenwriter for 12 years. Crazy things happen in writers' rooms. On one of my favourite shows to work on, the showrunner and I plotted out the entire season arc's battle using Smurfs. This was for a kids' show. We'd renamed them with our characters' names and did their voices and everything. On another, not a kids' show, there was an actual meeting to discuss the star's wife's Playboy photos. There can be this intimidating mystique around film and television. Don't believe any of it.

5) I forget that my husband is one of my followers on Twitter. This leads to a lot of head shaking when I've been a bit too vigorous discussing hot guys - fictional or otherwise and steamy reads. I try to push the excuse that it's simply ways of interacting with social media friends and readers. I think I’ve gotten away with it but I’m not sure because I am no longer able to make eye contact with him.

6) I hold a Masters' Degree in Film Theory. Yes, you read that right. In watching movies. Okay, and criticizing them. Possibly the most useless degree known to mankind. Not only that, I did my Master's thesis on Gender and Spectatorship in the animation of Chuck Jones. Which means that I watched Bugs Bunny Cartoons for two years. My family despaired. They used to lie and say I was studying journalism. I share this with you so that if your family gives you any grief about your area of study, you can use me as an example of how it could be so much worse. You're welcome.

7) I think that the right shade of lipstick and a great head of hair can be a woman's finest accessory. Who's with me here?

8) I think the world needs more choreography. I have a constant soundtrack in my head and like to tap dance my way through the day. Which in my head comes off like a brilliant Gene Kelly-esque routine. I take no responsibility for how it looks in reality. Obviously, you all just need to see things in my special way.

9) I love my Kindle because it allows me to read my steamy romances to my heart's content without the constant judging I get from haters who obviously are down on love. I've found that if I nod my head sagely whilst reading, people think I'm engrossed in some deep literary classic and perhaps feel bad for not reading such a weighty tome themselves. I feel no guilt for this. I've had too many years of snotty reactions to all the genre reading I've done.

10) Since I write romantic comedies, I'll share a couple of my favs with you. Book: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie. This is the smexiest book around. (Ha - autocorrect wanted it to be the smelliest book around.) Film: When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride. Don't make me choose. It could get ugly.

Thanks so much for having me! And if anyone wants to chat books, romcom or otherwise, let's friendvite on Goodreads or email me on my site www.tellulahdarling.com.
Tellulah Darling's Top 5 Romantic Comedy Films

1) When Harry Met Sally - This movie is the gold standard of romcoms. It's funny, it's insightful, the characters are flawed and deluded and above all it's totally fabulous and all about love. Also, I'm a sucker for "best friends becoming more" films. In fact my first novel, Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls was written precisely because I love this film so much.

2) The Princess Bride - I've met people who don't like this film with its whimsey and wit and magic and love. They are cold dead people. No judgement. I'm just saying. It also wins for best way to say "I love you."

3) Scott Pilgrim Vs the World - There have been a lot of crappy romcoms in the past decade or so but this isn't one of them. The premise of having to battle Ramona's seven evil exes is so fun and executed with such glee. The love triangle (square?) is wonderful and I love Kieran Culkan. There is no downside to this film. So over the top and yet wonderfully deadpan at the same time.

4) His Girl Friday - If, like me, you like your banter witty and your leads so very deluded in their feelings for each other, then this is your film. The dialogue is gunfire fast and whip smart. I love, loathe, and love again Cary Grant's character, while Rosalind Russell gives as good as she gets. A classic for all the best reasons.

5) Strictly Ballroom - Any film whose HEA is captured in a joyous dance number is okay by me. Plus it's an ugly duckling story and the scene with Doris Day singing "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps" makes me swoon like nothing else. Another totally over-the-top film but if you can't go big when it comes to love, then go home.

I hope I gave you some new romcom favs today. Let me know which ones you love!


Dream Killers: Book Blast (w/ Giveaway)

Dream Killers
The Dream Killers
“The Dream Killers” is geared for fans of “Once Upon a Time”. The first season (2013-2014) consists of 6 novellas called episodes. It follows River as he tries to escape the pirate Captain Bo, the guardians of the Sea of Dreams, the runners, the elders, and the master mechanics.

Captain Bo is after the dreamnet that River stole from him. He uses it to capture dreams to power devices for all those who sail the Sea of Dreams. They’re all the Nightmare Realm’s failures. They have no place and no purpose. Some are good. Some are bad. Most are just in it for themselves. Bo doesn’t care what price he has to pay in order to get the net back from River.


The guardians of the Sea of Dreams are also after that net, and all those like it. The nets are dream killers, and the guardian Teandra has sworn to destroy any who hold it.


The runners, elders, and master mechanics are searching for any rogue Dreamlander. They need strange gifts, anything of power they can use to bring down Dreamland and rebuild her in their image.


As River struggles to figure out who and what he is, he also has to protect Bo from the sea’s guardians, the kids he’s collecting from the rabid dreamplanes, and himself from a mysterious force that seeks to send him back to where he came from–wherever that might be.


Each episode takes River, his merry crew, and our set of villains through adventures where we discover nuggets of information that will help the heroes in the main novels (Dreamland Stories – Nightmare’s Dream). Each “Dreamland Story” novel can be read as a stand-alone, but there are tons of compelling nuggets that will be revealed through reading each book, and the supporting stories of “The Dream Killers”.


Graveyard of Dreams (The Dream Killers #1)

Dream Killers Cover
My name’s River, and I’m a dream killer.

The Sea of Dreams spat me out without any memories of who was or where I came from. I’ve spent years traveling Dreamland in our gypsy caravan, searching for clues. All I’ve discovered is that the all-powerful elders are collecting people like me—Dreamlanders who don’t fit in.

Then I met a man who sails the Sea of Dreams, the one place all Dreamlanders fear. One touch of those ocean waves could shred the soul. Yet, he’s like me. He can hear the water’s whispers, touch her waves, and watch her dreams. My answers are out there—on his ship, on that sea.

Somewhere out there is the graveyard of dreams.
Dream Killers will be FREE from January 8th to 11th.
Download your copy from Amazon.com

About the Author

SM BLoodingSM “Frankie” Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, and Jack the Bird. Jack has refused to let her to take up the piano again, but is warming to the guitar. It might help that Frankie has learned more than two strings. She’s added a few more Arabic words to her vocabulary, but don’t invite her into conversation yet—unless, of course, you’re willing to have a very . . . slow . . . conversation.

She’s dated vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins. Yes. She has stories.


BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 1/31/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Review: The Promise of Rain

Title: The Promise of Rain (Book 1)
Author: Rula Sinara
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming
Genre: Romance (Clean)
Release: January 1, 2014
Source: ARC from author

Summary & Cover


He wants to take her child out of Africa...

The Busara elephant research and rescue camp on Kenya's Serengeti is Anna Bekker's life's work. And it's the last place she thought she'd run into Dr. Jackson Harper. As soon as he sets eyes on her four-year-old, Pippa, Anna knows he'll never leave...without his daughter.


Furious doesn't begin to describe how Jack feels. How could Anna keep this from him? He has to get his child back to the States. Yet as angry as he is with Anna, they still have a bond. But can it endure, despite the ocean--and the little girl--between them?

Purchase The Promise of Rain
Thoughts
Wow. Wow! It was so refreshing to read such a clean romance. I thoroughly enjoyed The Promise of Rain.

Our main characters, Anna and Jack, are long-time friends. Anna has trust issues about men and love due to her father. Jack has trust and love issues due to his birth parents. 

Jack was adopted after his biological parents died from drug overdoses. He was grateful and loved his adoptive family, but never could say the word, "love."

Anna loved Jack, but refused to be the one to say it. 

After graduating from college, Jack and Anna took their friendship to the next level. Anna was leaving for Africa and Jack proposed. Anna thought he was only proposing because they had taken that big step in their relationship. She turned him down and ran to Africa so she could do her elephant project.

Jack, not knowing that Anna got pregnant that night, shows up at her elephant camp to see a little girl who is a mirror image of himself.

The story alternates POV between Anna and Jack. It's actually nice to get into both of their heads. It makes their stubbornness so much more understood.

With all of the bickering, doubting of feelings, deciding to build back a friendship, and the daughter living situation, the background story is about the poaching of elephants in the Serengeti. I absolutely love that Sinara was able to build such a creative and visionary place for my mind. I empathized with those sweet baby elephants and with the funding crisis Anna and her team were having.

If you love a great heartfelt (or heartwarming...haha! Get it!?!) book, this is definitely one to add to your TBR list. So much information and great reading and tears at the end.

A review copy was provided. All thoughts are my own and I have not been persuaded in any way.

Rating
The Promise of Rain definitely deserves 4 lovey-dovey Mickeys from me! I loved the story and the passion for the elephants, poaching, and Africa. I love when an author has such a strong connection to the topic.

About the Author
After a childhood enriched with exotic travels and adventures (both in books and real life), Rula
Sinara is now settled in rural Virginia with her husband, three boys and crazy but endearing pets. When she's not writing, she's busy attracting wildlife to her yard, watching romantic movies (despite male protests) or researching trees on her garden wish list.

Her debut novel, The Promise of Rain (Harlequin Heartwarming), will release January 2014. It's set primarily at an orphaned elephant rescue camp in Kenya's Serengeti and is the first of three books in a series.

Rula enjoys interviewing fellow authors and is a Special Contributor for USA Today's Happy Ever After blog. Find links to her interviews and discover more about her at www.rulasinara.com or www.awritersrush.blogspot.com.


SARC 2014 - January Sign-Ups

2014 has begun! Can you believe it? The Standalone Reading Challenge, SARC, is back for a third year! This time, Hafsah, from Iceybooks, has a new co-host this year...ME! Britta may return next year, but for now, it's Hafsah and me! (Thanks Hafsah!)

The Standalone Reading Challenge is easy and fun - plus you'll get a chance to win some awesome prizes. Read more about the challenge and SIGN UP HERE. Be sure to grab a button for your sidebar too!

So what are you waiting for? Read a 2014 standalone - if you're not sure what counts, check out our list of Standalones here - write your review, link up, and get your name in the hat for January's prize pack!
(1) KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSE ebook
(1) NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE YOU ARC
(1) MORE THAN GOOD ENOUGH Paperback
(1) PIVOT POINT Bookmark
(1) FRACTURE Bookmark

Special thanks to the donators:
H.S. Stone
Crissa-Jean Chappell

Please note, prize pack contents are subject to change. Open to US Only.

And if you still haven't signed up, do so HERE.

So what are you waiting for? Read, Review, and Link up!




2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Ahhh, now this is a challenge I NEED! The ladies over at Bookish are hosing this great challenge and I am excited to give it a whirl! I have 3 book cases loaded with books that I've bought, won, or been gifted and I just haven't read them. YET!

2014 is going to be my year to tackle my book cases. Oh, don't get me wrong. I will still be reading ARCs and new 2014 releases, but this is truly something I need to do. When I look at some of the books I own, I immediately want to grab them and read them right then, but it's just not possible.

The levels:
1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - First Kiss
31-40 - Sweet Summer Fling
41-50 - Could this be love?
50+ - Married With Children

I think with my track record for challenges, I'm going to try to keep it simple. I'm going to aim for 11-20 - A Friendly Hug. I like hugs! :)