Stitch Blog Tour Stop by Samantha Durante

Welcome to my stop on the Stitch tour by Samantha Durante

Blurb:

Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa’s body screams at her to run… but yet she’s powerless to move.

Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees – and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell – Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.

Because what Alessa hasn’t figured out yet is that she’s not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university’s idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface…

The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.

Guest Post

Samantha Durante’s Top 10 Places to Visit

When Heather asked me to write a guest post about the top ten places I’d like to visit, I have to admit I was a little daunted at first.  I’ve done a lot of traveling and have already been to many of the places I most want to visit, and on top of that, when it comes down it, I’m really a homebody.  I think my favorite place to visit is my kitchen.

So as I thought more and more about where I would most like to go, a lot of places occurred to me – the Greek islands, Lake Como, Paris and the French countryside, the tiger reserves in India, etc. – but the places I MOST wanted to go to were a physical impossibility.  Why?  Because, sadly, they don’t exist.

The reality is that if I could truly go anywhere, all the places I’d choose are ones from my favorite books, movies, and videogames.  Here are my top ten:

10. Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory



Two words: Chocolate River.

9. Aladdin Sultan’s Palace



Who doesn’t want to take a magic carpet ride around this place?  Also, Jasmine was by far the coolest Disney princess.  Why?  Because her best friend was a tiger!

8. Ellesméra



It’s my ultimate fantasy to live in a really elaborate tree house and be able to communicate with my dragon (or cat or dog would work fine too.  I don’t need a dragon...).  Ellesméra would be a pretty ideal location for that fantasy to come true.

7. The Shire



This place is the definition of cozy, don’t you think?  Granted, it might be a little difficult for me to maneuver given that I’m 5’8” and the average height of a hobbit is 3’6” (thank you all-knowing Wikipedia).  But even so, seems like a pleasant place to retire someday.

6. Raccoon City



Okay, I’ll admit that perhaps it’s weird to want to visit a town that’s infested with hoards of zombies and other nightmarish blood-sucking mutant bioweapons.  But don’t you ever have one of those days where nothing would make you feel better than popping the heads off a couple undead?  Maybe that’s just me.

5. Jurassic Park



Assuming everything stayed in its cages… this would be awesome.

4. Naboo’s Lake Country



Ah, Lake Country, site of the uber-romantic secret wedding between Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala – you know, before Anakin went all psycho-child-murderer in Episode 3.  All I can say is GORGEOUS.  (Incidentally, the scene in the movie was filmed at Lake Como, which is up there on my list of real-life places to visit.  Coincidence?  I think not.)

3. Narnia



There’s nothing I love more than talking animals, and Narnia has them in abundance.  Aslan, being gigantic and cute, also reminds me of my dog (who sadly has passed).  I just wanna bury my hands in his soft fluffy mane and cuddle up for a nap!  Don’t you?

2. Hyrule 



I’ve spent more time wandering around this world than I have my own hometown, and I know it like the back of my hand.  First thing I’d do is break Epona out of Lon Lon Ranch, then we’d take off across Hyrule field, go frolicking in Kokiri Forest, do some shopping in Hyrule Castle Town and Kakariko Village, take a splash at Lake Hylia, and finally end our day at the spa at Zora’s Domain.  (What, haven’t you heard the music in Zora’s Domain?  Don’t even try to convince me there’s not a spa hidden somewhere in that cavern!)

1. Hogwarts



Need I say more?

Stitch Purchase Links

Amazon (print $9.99 & Kindle $2.99): http://www.amazon.com/Stitch-Trilogy-Book-1/dp/0985804602/
Smashwords (multiple e-book formats $2.99): https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/208278
Barnes & Noble (Nook $2.99): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stitch-samantha-durante/1112193442Also available in the iTunes store ($2.99 e-book)

Other Stitch Info

Genre/Keywords: Paranormal Romance, Ghost, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult, New Adult

Length: 75,000 words (314 pages)

Sample chapters: Ch1-5 (38 pages) http://www.samanthadurante.com/stitch/sample-chapters/

Release date: August 1st, 2012

Blog tour dates: August 15th – October 31st, 2012

Samantha Durante lives in New York City with her fiancé, Sudeep, and her cat, Gio. Formerly an engineer at Microsoft, Samantha left the world of software in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and a lifelong love of writing. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha is currently working full time for her company Medley Media Associates as a freelance business writer and communications consultant. Stitch is her first novel. Learn more about Samantha at www.samanthadurante.com.

Social Media Links

Facebook:
Stitch - http://www.facebook.com/stitchtrilogy
Author Samantha Durante - http://www.facebook.com/authorsamanthadurante

Goodreads:
Stitch - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15779886-stitch
Author Samantha Durante  - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6453465.Samantha_Durante

LibraryThing:
Stitch - http://www.librarything.com/work/12870151/book/88297636
Author Samantha Durante - http://www.librarything.com/author/durantesamantha

Shelfari:
Stitch – http://www.shelfari.com/books/30363286/Stitch-(Stitch-Trilogy-Book-1)
Author Samantha Durante - http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a1002689147/Samantha-Durante/

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Decatur Book Festival Adventure

Welcome to the after DBF hangover :) 

I would first like to say that if I forgot someone ... It was sooo not on purpose, I'm still reeling from all the amazing awesomeness!

I cannot begin to express how much fun I had this weekend! I will go ahead and tell you know that I forgot to mention my amazing friend Georgia Cates, Michelle Muto (head desk) and I cannot talk about 

Amy Bartol or M. Leighton or Nancy Straight enough but I will just leave it at All the Awesome!

So... if you dare watch as me and my girly talk enough to have to have 2 vids :) 

Final Edits Info :
http://www.final-edits.com/

Whatcha think? Let me know...

Amy Bartol Week Day 7 GIVEAWAY!!

Ok so here it is the last day :( I'm so happy and sad all at the same time. Oh this is exactly the feeling I have with each book I finish in this series.

I would first and foremost like to thank Amy!! Thank you for creating such an Amazing world to escape into. Thank you for putting up with me and doing all this for this week! Finally, Thank you for becoming such and amazing friend!

*wipes tear* 

Would you like to win a Print Copy of Inescapable? Signed by the Awesomesauce Amy Bartol? Well, It just so happens I have an "extra" copy! I will be taking the entries from all the comments made from the week and on this post. So If you commented each day you get one entry for each one :)  Winner to be Announced 9/4/12

Exalted Tour Stop by Ella James *Stained Review*

Welcome to SupaGurl Books stop on the Exalted Tour!

Today I have for you my review of Stained and an amazing giveaway *Julia's Converse All-Stars*

STAINED (YA paranormal romance) :

After a fire destroys seventeen-year-old Julia's home and kills her foster parents, she chases the half-demon responsible across the country and back, determined to avenge her family and discover why a host of celestial baddies want her dead. With Julia is enigmatic hottie Cayne, who has his own score to settle with the half-demon, and who might be just as dangerous as the creature he and Julia hunt.

*Nominated best debut novel at UtopYAcon 2012.*

ABOUT ELLA:

Ella James lives in Alabama with her amazing husband, energetic baby, and mopey dog. Her books have been nominated best debut novel and best sci-fi/fantasy at utopYA Convention 2012, received a Flamingnet Top Choice Award, and been featured on numerous Amazon bestseller lists. She is the author of the popular Stained Series, the Here Trilogy, and Before You Go—all YA romance—and has four more titles forthcoming in 2012.

and now.... My Review:

I learned about Stained while I was at UTopYAcon 2012. I was really interested and YAY I got to read it. I will say this, The Cover : I love ... everything about the cover is relevant to the story it holds inside! 

Julia and her story drew me in from the get go. She knows something is "off" with her but when she is thrust into this new existence for her...does she ball up and whine? Nope she rolls with it and takes it as it comes. She is a strong female character but not in a I will kick your butt kinda thing she has a great heart and great morals and sticks by the people she cares for. She meets the secretive Cayne and nothing is the same for her.

I loved the dynamic between Julia and Cayne. Nothing is thrown at you and it's not an insta kind of thing. They grow throughout the book and they play well off each other. I love the writing it flowed well and it all made sense. As I went on this journey with Julia I found that the way she is written was amazing. The story itself is engaging and there is action, drama, and love :) 

Make sure you add this as a book to be read if you haven't already do so :) 

!!Giveaway!!

So at this stop you have the chance to win 

Julia's Pink Converse All-stars! 

What, oh SupaGurl do I need to do to be entered you ask?? Well ... Leave a comment about the review, tour or ask Ella James a question below. Leave a way to get ahold of you by either e-mail, twitter handle, Facebook.. good ole smoke signals.

Amy Bartol Week Day 6 *Deleted Scene*

On today's Amy Bartol week Day of Awesome.... I have another Great Deleted Scene for ya!

FROM INESCAPABLE – CHAPTER 14 – OPPOSITES ATTRACT: “DIRTY LAUNDRY”  

When I originally wrote this scene in Inescapable, I intended it to be the first meeting between Candace and Evie and I wrote a separate scene for the field hockey game. My manuscript was really long, so I decided to combine the “initial meeting” and the “field hockey game” into one scene. Chapter 14 was once entitled “Dirty Laundry,” but was then changed to “Opposites Attract.” 
**
In my room, I separate my clothes into piles of darks, lights, delicates and dry cleaning. Then, I walk down the hall to the girls’ room to wake them up. Brownie lets me in, still half asleep, and I give Buns back her bracelets that she let me borrow the other night. I remember my conversation with Russell in the closet at the Delt house and cringe. I don’t feel up for rehashing it, so I don’t mention it to the girls. Instead, I help them gather up their laundry and we make several trips out to the car to load the clothes into the Golden Goose.

We arrive at the laundromat and it’s definitely more populated than Saga had been this morning. It’s apparent that we’ve arrived none too soon because there are only a few machines unoccupied in the whole place. Buns, Brownie and I share a few of the available washing machines. The girls start loading them while I go to get quarters from the change machine.

I’m having trouble getting my ten to stay in the machine long enough for it to process it, but finally, it begins spitting out change like a slot machine and I smile triumphantly. Looking up, I gaze across the washers and see Russell and Candace seated in muted, orange-colored plastic chairs by the dryers. Candace doesn’t see me. She doesn’t even seem to notice that Russell has stiffened in his seat. She just continues on with her incessant chattering. Russell looks pale, like he’s nursing a major hangover. His lips are white with strain around the edges and his eyes are red. 

Good! Serves you right. I hope she talks your ear off, I think uncharitably. I collect my coins and head back to my laundry.

Buns brought nail polish with her, so we hop up on one of the rectangular laminate tables provided for folding clothes and Buns paints my toenails for me. Brownie is sitting nearby, reading a fashion magazine and pointing out interesting new trends to us. I’m surprised to notice that my cherry-colored toenails have intrigued several of the young men in the establishment. Some of them are coming closer to watch it being applied. A couple more guys from Crestwood move from the other end of the laundromat to our side. Taking up positions near us, they’re talking loudly about the “sick party” they attended last night. One slams the other for not hooking up with anyone.  

When the washer that has our delicates spins to a stop, Buns winks at me whispering, “Watch this, sweetie.” Hopping down from the table, she goes to her laundry basket, bringing out a wooden dowel that has several branches on it. Setting the dowel on the folding table, she walks over to the washing machine that contains our delicate load. Lifting the lid and collecting the contents, mainly comprised of undergarments, she carries the basket over to the folding table.

Reaching into it like the M.C. at a bingo parlor, Buns withdraws my sexy, delicately laced, black bra that Molly had talked me into buying, along with several others. Molly had insisted that I get them because she said, “You might need them one day.” Buns holds my bra up and exclaims, “Sweetie, this is so lovely, where did you get it? You can’t put this in the dryer. I’ll hang it on the tree so it doesn’t get ruined,” she says, draping it on one of the wooden branches of the drying rack. The men near us stop talking.

I don’t know whether to blush or laugh, so I do both. “Here, these can’t go in the dryer either,” I say, pulling out the matching panties and holding the flimsy piece of fabric up for her scrutiny. 

“Oh, they’re so pretty,” she says and her eyes are twinkling. “Let me show you the panties I ordered from Paris!” she replies, and when I see them, my blush turns scarlet.

When we finish hanging our laundry up, I notice the guys have moved closer to mill around by the empty folding tables next to ours. One of them has started a conversation with Brownie, chatting about our field hockey game this afternoon. “We should all braid our hair for the game,” Buns suggests.

“Okay,” I reply, thinking it’s a good idea; since my hair is so long I have to pull it back anyway.

“Yay!” she squeals, happy that I’m giving her free reign. As Buns braids, a few more men come over to admire the drying rack and are quickly brought into the fold. 

“Don’t miss our first game—it’s at 4 o’clock today near the field house.” The young men quickly agree to be there before finishing their laundry. 

“Buns, what’s your major going to be?” I asked her speculatively.

“Education. I want to teach,” she replies as she wraps a hair tie around my braid.

“You’re kidding?” I say in shock. “You’re going to be a teacher?”

“What do you think I should be, sweetie?” she asks me with an amused smile.

“I was thinking advertising and marketing,” I reply.

“No. That can be soulless work,” she says. “I like children. They’re ruled by their id in preschool. I understand them because they’re just like me, all id,” she says, grinning. 

“I see your point,” I smile. “Do you want me to braid your hair?”

“Can you?” she asks excitedly.

“Sure, hop down,” I say as we trade places and I braid her hair. 

When I’m finished, I jump down from the table and go to the vending machine to get a bottle of water. Russell is still here with Candace. They’re unloading their laundry from a dryer and the thought of their clothes commingling makes me want to vomit. Walking back to our folding table, I sip on my water. The laundromat is starting to clear out. Men don’t really take much time folding their clothes. It’s sort of a one-fold-and-done type crowd. 

Emptying the dryers, we use a couple of carts to wheel our laundry back to the folding tables. Since the drying rack occupies a corner of one table, Buns and Brownie start sorting their clothes on the table facing mine. They toss my clothes to me from their basket and I do the same to theirs. I’m almost done sorting, when I hear Candace coming up the aisle. I turn to see her wheeling a heap of clean clothes to the unoccupied table on my left. 

“See, Russell, I told you there are empty folding tables over here,” she says in a sweetly mocking way.

I haven’t explained the Russell situation fully to Buns and Brownie yet. They’re drawing their own conclusion. The girls are looking at me as if to get my permission to go in for the kill. As subtly as possible, I shake my head at them, indicating I don’t want them to attack. I want to try to smooth things over with Russell. I want him not to hate me. 

“Hi Russell, you remember Brownie and Buns, right?” I ask with forced cheerfulness when he settles in next to me at his table.  

He doesn’t look at me; he looks at Buns and Brownie. “Yeah, I remember them. Hey, y’all,” he says as he lifts his chin in greeting.

“Hi, Russell,” Buns and Brownie say in sing song unison.

Brownie asks, “Candace, are you ready for the game this afternoon?”

I perk up, hearing the question. Candace is a Kappa! 

Candace’s smile is Cheshire Cat-like as she replies, “Yes, we’ve been practicing a lot at our house in the back yard. You know, we have a huge back yard compared to your house.” 

“We know Candace,” they say in unison. I bite my lip because it comes off a bit mocking. 

Candace seems oblivious to it. “We’ll be hard to beat this year, especially now that I have a good luck charm.” Candace says, hugging Russell’s arm.

“Congratulations on your game yesterday, Russell,” Brownie says kindly, changing the subject while looking from Russell to me, assessing the situation.

“Thanks,” comes his polite reply.

We’re all saved from trying to make any more small talk as Candace, again, launches into a one-sided conversation with Russell. She’s telling him about a hideous outfit some girl had chosen to wear to the party they’d been at together last night. I don’t feel saved for very long, however, since she goes on and on about it. I’m beginning to feel trapped. 

Pausing in the folding of my clothes, I pull out a bottle of aspirin from my bag. Shaking out a couple tablets into my hand, I use my water to wash them down. I glance over at Russell who’s eyeing my bottle of aspirin. I shake out two more and set them on the edge of my table, along with my bottle of water. He ignores my gesture and continues folding his clothes. 

Noticing my underwear on the rack, I blush again and glance at Russell. Quickly, I pluck my items off it. Russell watches to see which of the underwear belongs to me. The white around his lips gets somewhat paler as several lacy and sheer bras and panties are folded neatly in piles on top of my other clothing.

“Are you ready to go, Evie?” Brownie asks me, picking up her laundry basket.

“Uh huh,” I answer. Sooo ready to escape...

“You’re Evie?” Candace asks me incredulously, then turns on Russell and says, “She’s Evie?” Her hands are on her hips and she’s tapping her foot.

“Candace, don’t—” Russell begins, but Candace ignores whatever he was about to say by addressing me directly.

“You know, you shouldn’t break into peoples rooms and mess with their computers. It’s probably a felony,” she stabs at me with her finger. “People might think you’re a psycho.”

Is that the gossip that’s going around about the firewall I had had installed for Russell? How did this get so twisted? A blush of mortification creeps over my cheeks as I turn to face Candace. 

“You’re right, Candace, it was a stupid thing for me to have done,” I say quietly, not looking at Russell. “I thought that I was helping out a friend. But I was wrong; we’re not friends. Good luck in the game tonight.”

I leave the laundromat as quickly as possible. The girls follow me out and neither of them says a word to me until we’re in the Golden Goose and heading for our dorm. “Okay, sweetie. Spill it,” Buns orders.

I tell them about the firewall and wait for them to accuse me of being a psycho. Neither of them does, in fact, Buns says, “Sweetie, anytime you feel like breaking up with me, I could use a new flat screen. In fact, I think if it had been a flat screen, Mason would have his fat head in front of it, praising your very name as we speak.”  

“You know, I do believe you have a point, Buns,” I say, feeling a little better. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter because Russell beat the crap out of it and now it’s scrap metal.”

“Evie, don’t feel bad about the firewall,” Brownie says. “If you want to feel bad about something, feel bad about his rebound girl. Candace is nasty.”

I agree, but don’t say it. I’ve been wrong about so much lately that I don’t trust myself to have an opinion about Russell’s rebound girl. I just hope she’s on defense tonight in our game.  

Sooo.... Whatcha Think?? if you have read Inescapable... is this version more to your liking or the way she put it in?