Authors, Kai Strand & LA Dragoni

  Perfectly You by Robin Daniels Ivy Nixon is the student body Vice President at Franklin High School. Each year, the school holds a date auction to raise funds for the senior class graduation party, and this year, Ivy’s in charge. Planning the event is a huge task and Ivy is determined to prove she can get the job done right. Unfortunately, she’s still one participant short and her deadline is looming. Andy Walker, her cute but socially reclusive art class table mate, is her last resort. He may not be popular, but he’s funny, talented, and full of surprises. With a makeover and some major social marketing, Ivy is sure he could fetch a decent price at the auction. Andy reluctantly agrees to help, but the more time Ivy spends with him, the more her feelings shift from professional to romantic in nature. To top it off, she’s done her marketing so well, that other girls are starting to notice Andy too. Come auction time, will Ivy be able to let him go to the highest bidder? O...

I'm excited to share the cover for the upcoming #YAcontemporary, This Life Isn't Mine by Dominique Laura. About the book: Most nights, when I close my eyes, my dreams are filled with memories from my past life, the one I lived before this. I remember who I was and the people in that life, and I don't want any part of this one. Everly Hope Davis isn't who I want to be, but she's who I am. In the beginning I fought against her and everything in her world, but it's impossible to hate something when you're living it every day, when the people involved make it a life worth living. I'm trying to make the best of it now, but deep down I know this life isn't mine. Preorder link:  (PREORDER FOR 99 CENTS!):  http://a.co/hObcR5P Cover designer:  Liv's Lovely Designs Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/dominiquelaurawrites Twitter:  @DomLauraWrites Instagram:  DominiqueLauraWrites Amazon Link:   https://www.amazon.com/au...

I'd like to welcome Beverly McClure to Stands of Thought. She is visiting today to share her brand new book with us, Princess Breeze. For months, Breeze Brannigan has heard nothing from Cam, the prince she met at school and who disappeared one night, without telling her goodbye. On the night, she graduates from middle school, however, he contacts her and invites her to visit Isla del Fuego, his home. Who could refuse such an invitation?           Breeze along with her whole family and best friends, Amy and Allison, soon sail to the island, where she and Cam renew their friendship. But danger lurks; a legend comes to life; and Breeze finds herself in the middle of a battle that can have one winner. PRINCESS BREEZE is available at Amazon , Barnes and Noble , and 4RV Publishing .  Since Breeze gets to travel in her newest book, I asked Beverly McClure to stop in today to share with us one of her favorite vacation spots. Tak...

Proof of Lies (Anastasia Phoenix, #1) by Diana Rodriguez Wallach Published by Entangled Teen  Published on March 7th, 2017  Genre: YA Contemporary/Mystery Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28143051-proof-of-lies?ac=1&from_search=true Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/index.php/proof-of-lies.html Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Proof-Lies-Diana-Rodriguez-Wallach/dp/1633756084  B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/proof-of-lies-diana-rodriguez-wallach/1124230937?type=eBook  Some secrets are best kept hidden… Anastasia Phoenix has always been the odd girl out, whether moving from city to international city with her scientist parents or being the black belt who speaks four languages. And most definitely as the orphan whose sister is missing, presumed dead. She’s the only one who believes Keira is still alive, and when new evidence surfaces, Anastasia sets out to follow the trail—and lands in the middle of a m...

Santa Muerte (The Daniela Story Book 1) by Lucina Stone   Amazon    Lucina Stone blends Mexican folklore with modern technology and time travel in this seductive new series where the lines between right and wrong, protagonist and antagonist, truth and fiction, love and lust, and life and death have never been more blurred. THE YEAR IS 2030. IN A DRAMATIC, final attempt to free her inner demons, twenty-year-old Daniela Delgado tempts fate and winds up on a strange farm in 1923. With an olive complexion due to her Mexican/Italian heritage and a fresh pixie cut, she is mistaken for a “boy of color.” Her only shot at survival now is to play it cool, pose as “Danny,” and figure out how to get back home to her two, loving moms. And then she meets Daphne—an abused, motherless farm girl in desperate need of freedom and a friend. Having escaped Daphne’s father, the two of them are now roaming the streets of New York City disguised as a young aristocrat and her male ser...

Today I welcome Deirdra Eden to Strands of Thought. She's here to talk a little about her new release, Hidden Fire . Take it away, Deirdra. There are terrifying things in the world. Perhaps there is truth behind the tales of the monster in the closet and under the bed. They are the creatures in the dark places that wait for us to let down our guard. Stories and parallels have been used since the beginning of time to teach children and adults how to fight what they can’t always see, or worse, the big bad wolves who pretend to be grandma. The Watchers is another tale of good vs. evil, with mythology based on supernatural beings from the Apocrypha. Although it is a fantasy similar to the types of fantasies you would enjoy in a Tolkien or C.S. Lewis tale, The Watchers takes places in this world and weaves through historical events while remaining relatable for the modern reader. The Watchers, like everyone on this planet, have been given gifts and unique talents to battle d...

Blog Tour Schedule Amnesty by Jo Noelle Cassie is going to heaven—if she can get amnesty from hell in the next twenty days. Her assignment is to change the eternal destination of a girl in Albuquerque to earn admittance into heaven. No sweat. But when Cassie returns to earth during her three-week, mostly-mortal assignment, her old habits get in the way, (apparently habits don’t die when you do), the partners assigned to help her are anything but helpful, and it turns out the girl she is supposed to help is the only enemy she made on her first day of school. Oh, I’m so going to hell. Things aren’t all bad—it helps to have a hot angel on your side. Mmm-Marc. Even though he’s all about heavenly business, Cassie would like to make it personal. Assignment with benefits. This young adult novel is a coming of age story with a clean romance, packed with action and suspense. Excerpt:      Moments blink like snapshots flashing on a screen. Bright lights strain against...

  Blog Tour Schedule Between Now and Never by Laura Johnston Buh boom, buh boom. My heart thrusts with a force that takes me by surprise. Telling me something I don’t understand. A splitting pain, a longing to slip back under. They tell me I was in a hit-and-run, but I can’t remember what happened that night. All I know is that I woke up with pictures in my pocket, a card from one of those photo booths in the mall. And I’m in the pictures. Cody Rush. Me and… Julianna. Her brother was there that night, and my dad, the FBI agent, was the one who put her mom behind bars. What’s the connection? And why won’t Julianna talk to me now? Somehow, she holds the key to it all, and getting close–real close—to her for the answers I need will be no hardship at all… Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo Excerpt— Photo Booth JULIANNA We listen to the monotone voice reel off instructions. Four pictures. A light will flash before each picture is taken. Etcetera. How I end...

    Lexi's Pathetic Fictional Love Life    Lexi Middleton has been socially invisible to her classmates, but starting her junior year, that’s going to change. First, she’s determined to hook a boyfriend, ensuring dates with flowers and possible kisses on the doorstep. Second, she wants to be a writer for the school paper, even though it freaks her out to think of everyone judging her by her punctuation and metaphors. High school is difficult enough—keeping up her grades, dealing with increasing sibling rivalry, and trying to stay out of the way of her personal nemesis, Amberlee—but when Lexi catches the eye of her long-time crush, she also becomes the focus of mean-girl tactics. Caught between who she was and who she wants to be, Lexi must decide how to confront a bully, and choose who to let into her heart. Purchase from AMAZON * Barnes & Noble   Tour Schedule   Author Jo Noelle Jo Noelle grew up in Colorado and Utah but al...

I'm excited to announce that Lumpy and Wheezy will be taking their story on tour! Starting tomorrow, December 10th, THE LUMPY DUCKLING and I will be touring the blog-o-sphere with book spotlights, reviews and interviews. And though there will be fun galore, my tour host, I Am A Reader, and I are offering a giveaway of a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash as extra incentive to join the fun. You'll find the tour schedule here . Please make your way through the stops and thank the hosts for their generous time and attention on THE LUMPY DUCKLING. Help me spread the word. Click the bird to tweet about the tour:   Join us December 10th through the 18th. See you around the blog-o-sphere!

Today, World of Ink Book Tours brings us Adventures of Nutty and Twittles – Oh Nuts I Lost My Sister by Dennis Marcoux. Book blurb:  Nutty and his sister Twittles set out to play a fun game of hide "n" seek with their friends. When Twittles is the only one missing, the game quickly changes.  Nutty has to find his sister because she may be lost in the dark and dangerous Forrest. Kai: Thanks for visiting, Dennis. What age range is Oh Nuts targeted for?  Dennis:  4-7 Kai: Can you share a memory of yours or a story of you from when you were within the age range of your target readers? Dennis:  I was about 6 yrs old and went to the ocean with my family.  My parents warned       me about going into the water without them.  I did not listen to them and went       into the ocean alone. A wave pulled me under the water and when I surfaced I was       unable...

Today, thanks to Pump Up Your Book tours, we get a sneak peek at ESCAPE THROUGH THE WILDERNESS by Gary Rodrigiuez.  Title: Escape Through the Wilderness Author: Gary Rodriguez Genre: Tween/Young Adult Christian Adventure Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Tate Publishing (June 2014) ISBN-13: 978-1-63268-201-7   Purchase at: https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781632682017 and at http://www.amazon.com/Escape-Through-Wilderness-Gary-Rodriguez/dp/163268201X/   About the book: Sixteen-year-old Savannah Evans walks with a slight limp thanks to a gymnastics’ accident that dashed her Olympic dreams, but didn’t stop her from attending an adventure camp in Idaho. At Camp Arrowhead, she quickly befriends Jade Chang and Rico Cruz, but Conner Swift taunts Savi because of her injury. When the four are teamed together for an overnight white-water river rafting adventure, Savi refuses to get in the same raft with Conner. Unfortunately, the director wil...

Hey everybody! I was unpacking books at a signing and came across a copy of King of Bad with a torn cover. Since I can’t sell it, I decided to hold a giveaway instead! Along with a signed, slightly damaged copy of King of Bad, I’m also giving away several sets of character trading cards . These cards have been specially designed for book one in the series. There will be a separate design for each book – so be among the first to own a set of the King of Bad cards. About the book: Jeff Mean would rather set fires than follow rules or observe curfew. He wears his bad boy image like a favorite old hoodie; that is until he learns he has superpowers and is recruited by Super Villain Academy – where you learn to be good at being bad. In a school where one kid can evaporate all the water from your body and the girl you hang around with can perform psychic sex in your head, bad takes on a whole new meaning. Jeff wonders if he’s bad enough for SVA. He may never find out...

Today, thanks to Pump Up Your Book, I'm shining a spotlight on Book of Dreams by Sylvie Michaud. Thanks for letting me share your book with my readers, Sylvie!  Title:  Book of Dreams Author: Sylvie Michaud Genre: Children’s bedtime stories Paperback: 24 pages Publisher: Crafty Canuck, Inc. (March 28, 2012) ISBN-13: 978-0-9782955-8-5 (Print Soft Cover) Kindle: B00BTPBX0Q About the book: Book of Dreams sees Baby Raccoon’s parents use clouds to share their dreams of a better future. In the story, Mama and Papa use clouds to share their dreams about a healthy planet and vibrant future for Baby Ringtail. In the book, Baby Ringtail asks Mama and Papa, “Why is every cloud a different shape?” “Clouds are pictures in the sky that help us dream,” Mama Ringtail replies. Purchase at: Amazon soft cover: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Dreams-The-Ringtail-Family/dp/0978295587 Amazon digital: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Dreams-The-Ringtail-Family-ebook/dp/B0...