Friday, March 29, 2013

Xpresso Presents A Book Blitz For Frailties of the Bond by Angela Brown

Excerpt:

Luca veered into the woods for his normal scenic route home. Broad tree trunks stood tall, a legion of nature’s soldiers deeply rooted and strong. He closed his eyes briefly, skin tingling. He sensed another presence. He’d felt it before, but it felt almost tangible this night. 

The setting sun crept from its throne in the sky leaving a trail of golden fingers splayed out over the familiar cliff side in the distance. For a moment, Luca smelled the scent of apricots. His heart skipped a beat. His mind wandered back to the red letter…then further back to that fateful day. 

A twig snapped nearby. His ears perked and he paused mid step. Glancing around, he spotted a raccoon shaking itself free of a small heap of fallen leaves. He let go of a breath he hadn’t realized he held. Whoa, maybe I’m thinking about Vivie a little too much. 

He turned his mind to other things, like the trouble he’d face when he got home. He forgot to call his mom and tell her he was going to the gym. No telling how pissed she was. 

Arriving home, he took the steps two at a time, focused on digging his keys from inside his bag. He reached one hand out, grasping for the door knob. 

Instead, nothing but air. 

He finally looked up, startled at the sight before him. The door didn’t stand ajar or slightly open. 

It. Was. Gone.

In Frailties of the Bond, it only takes one bite to change a life. 

Two teens...

Two lies...

Their paths collide...

When one bite changes a life. 

NEO – Network of Extraordinaires and Otherworldlies: 

Those who answer the call from NEO play their part in maintaining balance in our ever-changing times. With power-hungry malcontents, jealous gods, and even those with misguided good intentions, the fate of our world has oft been held in the hands of unsung heroes such as those that are members of NEO. 

But before NEO, these heroes and heroines had lives, loves, issues and interests that didn’t involve saving mankind. 

In Frailties of the Bond, it only takes one bite to change a life… 

After a hiking trip gone wrong, sixteen-year-old Luca should have been dead. Since then, he’s drifted from one school day to the next, annoyed by the looks of suspicion. When a vampire attack claimed his mother and forced his first shift into animal form, Luca set out for Texas, vengeance bound, only to discover so much more when Aimee crossed his path. 

Flesh-born of vampire parents sixteen years ago, Aimee shouldn’t exist. Magic, though, made dreams come true for an undead couple desperate for a child all their own. But this magic came with a price, a cost Aimee discovered after one forbidden bite.

Buy links:

Goodreads:

Goodreads author page:

Angela Brown in the Pursuit of Publishness blog: 

Amazon author page:

Partners in ParanormYA (with Gwen Gardner):

Twitter:

PIP Facebook: 

Excerpt:

I parked in front of Geekout, our video game and RPG hang out, then walked the few paces to where Mouse stood. “Tell me you didn’t.” I smiled, knowing full well she’d bought a new outfit for our little venture. 

“Perfect timing!” she squealed, dumping her purchases with Matt and yanking me, Charlie, and Shelley back inside. 

It was the only place vampires could shop no matter what time of day. No windows. No sun. 

I loved looking at the clothes, mostly Old World fashions and fabrics for tailor made outfits, with a few of them on display. Alessandro , the owner, kept a close eye to the “What’s hot, What’s not” section of the PQ. I adored being in the know, but I wasn’t into the trends. 

I loved my high top converses and Doc Marten boots. Graphic tees every day of the week. Cargo jeans with ten pockets and “NO” to cute capris. Mom taught me how to walk in heels but I stayed away from them as much as possible. 

Before I could whine, Mouse had me in front of the corsets, a red half-piece held aloft for inspection. “You have your mother’s double-decker cleavage but your father’s ripped abs. I would hate you if you weren’t my friend. 

I rolled my eyes. 

She tsked. “Let’s get Alessandro to measure you.” 

I opened my mouth. “I--” 

Mouse lifted her finger. Alessandro quickened to us in a blur. 

“Miss Chevelianne, how may I assist you again?” He bowed to Mouse. 

When he lifted his eyes to me, I noticed a flicker of shadow quickly replaced by sky blue. 

“Are the garments I sold you not meeting your needs?” He focused on Mouse. “We can certainly rectify that if -” 

“No,” Mouse interrupted, flashing her winning smile. “My friend here needs something.” She didn’t give my name. Not needed. Older fangs knew me as a freak of nature, the blood sucker born from the womb instead of turned like a real vampire. I’d heard the whispers and let them be.

Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Angela now calls Central Texas home.

Reading and writing have been lifelong passions. It was around the time she gave birth to her forever-love, nicknamed Chipmunk, that she really took writing seriously. After all, how could she teach her child to follow her dreams if she hadn't tried herself?

As a YA fantasy/sci-fi reader and author, she favors the magical, mysterious, the darker side of life...even harbors a secret fright for things that go bump in the night.

NEVERLOVE is a special project spawned from a blog-challenge-turned-blog-opera, the Abby and Basil affair. It is the first in the Shadow Jumpers series. 

FRAILTIES OF THE BOND is the first in a series of novellas and short stories introducing heroes and heroines of the secret organization, NEO – Network of Extraordinaires and Otherwordlies.

Five Things You May or May not Know About me 

1. I stole a box of Chiclets gum when I was five. Guilt tore me apart. I haven’t had the stomach for stealing anything since. 

2. My then fiancé couldn’t attend my senior prom due to distance, so I had his name drawn on my left ring fingernail in white to match my all white dress. 

3. I’m addicted to chocolate and Wild Cherry Pepsi (lol!! Most of you probably already know that.) 

4. I’m a middle child (who may or may not suffer from that silly middle kid syndrome lol!!) 

5. I’m an Aquarius J 

Did someone happen to check my horoscope today? If it’s bad news, I’d rather remain blissfully ignorant lol!

Excerpt:

The pulse of the bass line traveled across the field and rattled the body of Mouse’s Challenger, the rave at full swing. Glow sticks waved in the air to the fast-paced rhythm of synthesizers high on musical ecstasy. The bouncer tore our tickets, spouted his “don’t cause a riot” act then gave us a head nod, universal for “get the hell in already”. 

Shelley drifted into bloodlust, fangs extended, eyes glossed over with a dull yellow sheen. By party’s end, they would be a blazing gold after she got her fill. She peeled from us and disappeared from sight. 

Mouse stayed with me just long enough for a Thor look-alike to ask her to dance. She chucked me the peace sign and left. 

There I stood. All alone. By the bar. 

Three feet away, a vampire fed on a girl. Out in the open! It was a spectacle I hadn’t seen before. Her blood ran like red tendrils pooling onto her cleavage. Sloppy eater. 

“Care for a Bloody Joey?” the bartender asked, pulling me out of the moment, and probably saving me from the embarrassment of gawking like the newbie I was. 

“A bloody who-what?” 

“Bloody Joey. Mary’s supply always depletes five minutes after the party starts. We still have Joey, Alexander and Alice. I’d recommend Joey. His blood has a smooth texture.” 

I was stuck, too ashamed to ask if he would put the blood in a cup or pass the person over the bar. 

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