Holly Kelly signed with Clean Teen Publishing in 2013. Her first published book Rising, quickly hit the best-seller lists and has maintained its status on those lists since its release in September 2013. The sequel in The Rising Series titled, Descending, was released in late March 2014. It also hit best-seller status--reaching all the way to #1 in Mythology on Amazon. And then the third installment, Avenging, was released on April 21, 2015 and is also a top best seller!

​I asked Holly some questions to learn a little more about her. We've never met in person, but we are virtual friends and I can tell you, she is a sweetheart!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I considered myself a writer when I started writing. I think people put too much stock into what it means to be “a writer”. To me, if you write, you’re a writer—end of story.

What inspired you to write your first book?
My first book was a mishmash of everything I’d been reading. But my first published book, Rising, was something special. I actually got the inspiration for Rising from a picture. It was a picture of a mermaid, but this mermaid’s tail was unlike any I’d seen before—it was flesh colored. And it got me thinking, what if a mermaid was born on land, but she didn’t know she was a mermaid? She simply thought she was horribly deformed. That day, I started writing.

Do you have a specific writing style?
I’m a pantser—which means I don’t outline, I write by the seat of my pants. I’ve tried outlining; in fact, I spent a lot of time outlining Avenging—the third book in the Rising Series. I hoped that it would speed up my process. It turned out to be a complete waste of time for me. I couldn’t for the life of me, stick to it. It felt constrictive and unnatural, and it actually slowed me down—a lot. I ended up abandoning it and just wrote. I just let the story lead me, and often I’m just as surprised as my readers when something exciting happens or when secrets are revealed.

What books have most influenced your life most?
This is a really hard question! I simply love books—paranormal, fantasy, contemporary, romance… there are just so many. It’s easier to say what authors have influenced me. My favorite author is Amy Harmon. She writes mostly contemporary and a few paranormal. Her books are powerful! I’ve never read an author who has more heart than Amy Harmon! With her books, you laugh, you ball your eyes out, and you become so involved with the characters, that you literally feel you are inside the story. Some of my other favorites are J.K.Rowling, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Julie Garwood, Janet Evanovich, Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Mull, and Rick Riordan.

What are your current projects?
I’ve got two projects right now. I’m currently working on a new book called Cursed by the Fountain of Youth. It’s a paranormal romance with a crazed, murdering lunatic; ghosts; forbidden love; and the curse of eternal youth. And then next book introduces a twisted version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This one comes from my love of all things Halloween. It’s a spooky story with witches, headless horsemen, severed heads, and a Beauty and the Beast-style romance.

​Wow. That work in progress sounds great! If you'd like to learn more about Holly and her books, you can visit her at http://authorhollykelly.com

About Rising
​In a war between the humans and the inhabitants of the sea--humans will lose. Xanthus Dimitriou--the most lethal Dagonian to rise from the ocean--is on a mission to save mankind from annihilation. But first there's one small thing he needs to do... kill a beautiful young woman in a wheelchair.

Killing her doesn't start out as part of his plan. He entrenches himself deep in the human world. Aligning with his enemies, he prepares to send them to Triton to face their punishment. Then Sara Taylor rolls onto the scene. Xanthus knows at once she's a criminal. And her crime? Being born. She's a human/Dagonian half-breed, an abomination. Killing her should be an easy job. All he has to do is break into her apartment, slit her throat, and feed her body to the sharks. Simple, right? Wrong. If only she weren't so beautiful, so innocent, so sweet...

Saving the world may have to wait. It appears Xanthus has a woman to save. But protecting her may cost him his own life.

​Get your FREE copy today!

​Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks

Susan Harris is a writer from Cork in Ireland. An avid reader, she quickly grew to love books in the supernatural/fantasy and Dystopian genre.  She writes books for young adults and adults alike.

When she is not writing or reading, she loves music, oriental cultures, tattoos, creepy snow globes, DC shoes, stationary, anything Disney, Marvel movies, psychology and far too many TV shows. If she wasn't a writer, she would love to be a FBI profiler or a PA for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto. You can sign up for her newsletter here. Or visit her at http://www.susanharrisauthor.com/

Shattered Memories 

A terrible tragedy forced Alana McCarthy to forget a year of her life and now she is to be executed for a crime she does not remember committing, the murder of her entire family. Lost and alone, Alana is terrified of unlocking secrets buried so deep inside her mind that she's willing to forget the one person who could set her free.

Daniel Costello hasn't forgotten about Alana and will do anything and everything to protect the girl he loves But first Alana needs to unlock her memories and find out the truth about what happened the night her family were killed.

The day of her execution is set. Together, will Alana and Daniel be able to uncover the truth behind her family's deaths before it's too late?

Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/zzqm3z4
Amazon.com: http://tinyurl.com/jsokgdl
Itunes: http://tinyurl.com/jugutb6
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/glzjd4z

Tamara Grantham was born and raised in Southeast Texas. She earned a Bachelor's degree in English from Lamar University. After marrying her husband David, she followed him through his training to become a burn surgeon, which consisted of moving from Vidor, Texas to Galveston, Texas, then to Tulsa, Oklahoma, back to Galveston, and they finally settled in Wichita, Kansas. Tamara and David have five active, sweet, and almost always well-mannered children, ages zero to ten years. Their two pets, June--the Jack Russell Terrier, and Chester--a black cat, help to keep the house lively (in addition to the children.)

When Tamara isn't writing or tending her children, she enjoys taking walks through the woods, eating chocolate, and very infrequently, she enjoys a good night's sleep. You can learn more about Tamara and her books by signing up for her newsletter. Or visit her here:
http://www.facebook.com/tamaraclairegrantham
https://www.twitter.com/tamaragrantham
http://www.tamaragranthambooks.com

Visiting Faythander is a nasty business. Forget the fairies and unicorns, most people come back with lost memories and mental problems. Olive Kennedy knows. She's the therapist who treats patients suffering from Faythander's side effects. Despite her empty bank account, she takes pride in her job as Houston's only Fairy World medical doctor. She's never failed to cure a client--until now.

Traveling back to Faythander wasn't on Olive's to-do list. But she has no choice. The fate of both Earth and Fairy depends on her ability to stop an ancient being called the Dreamthief. To complicate matters, she may be losing her heart to someone who can't love her in return. Saving the world, she can handle. Falling in love--not so much.

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords

Everyone please welcome Houston’s only Fairy World psychologist, Olive Kennedy. Dr. Kennedy has a medical degree in psychiatry. Since graduating medical school, she spent a year doing research in Boston, and now lives in sunny Galveston, Texas, where she counsels her clients who have mental abnormalities.

Today we’re going to learn a little more about who she is what she does in her spare time when she isn’t saving Fairy World…

Moderator: Olive, can you tell us how you made your career choice?

Olive: Yes. After living on Earth for several years, it was apparent to me that there was no treatment for patients who’d visited Faythander and returned with no memories. I would meet people suffering with depression or some type of psychoses, and realize that they’d been to Fairy World. Also, many of the people collected fairy world figurines of some sort or another, which clued me in that these people were true Fairy World travelers. I did a year of research in Boston where I crafted my laptop box, and where I developed my methods for diagnosing patients. My mentor, Dr. Hill, helped me to accomplish this, although I still have yet to convince him that Faythander exists. After I moved away from Boston, I set up my practice in Texas where I’ve been helping my clients ever since.

Moderator: When you’re not working, what do you do for fun?

Olive: Talking walks (but not on the beach!), reading, and knitting. I enjoy making something from almost nothing, and it takes my mind off my problems. I know I don’t fit the stereotype, but there are some days where I would much rather sit at home and knit. My cat is also appreciative of my hobby, as he has proclaimed himself the master of my yarn basket.

Moderator: If you could visit anywhere, where would you go?

Olive: There’s a lovely fortress in Faythander up in the mountains that I wouldn’t mind going back to.

Moderator: Favorite color? Sports team? Animal?

Olive: Color--red—because it’s my natural hair color. Sports team--? No idea. What are sports? Animal? Cat, or dragon, depending on which world we’re speaking about.

Moderator: Do you have a favorite book?

Olive: Do I have to choose just one? I guess I’ll have go with The Dragonsmith (a Faythander novel, so don’t try to find it at your local B&N.) My step-father read it to me as a kid, and it brings back fond memories.

Moderator: What advice would you give to those struggling with depression?

Olive: Get help. You’re stronger than you think, but you can’t do it alone. Depression is a nasty disease. It’s worse than any illness you can catch, because it brings you to a dark place, and those feelings of sadness can become so overwhelming that many people choose to take their own life rather than suffer anymore. My methods are designed for those who’ve visited Fairy World, but there are many reasons for depression, and the only way to get treated is to talk to someone. Do not try to go it alone. When you’re depressed, your brain has trouble handling even simple situations, so it’s best to get treatment.

Moderator: What’s one thing about yourself that’s quirky or different?

Olive: Just one thing? Let’s see—I hate coffee. They didn’t have it on Faythander, and it tastes absolutely disgusting if you’re not accustomed to it. I much prefer a steaming mug of hot cocoa with whipped cream and peanut butter. Hey, don’t knock it till you try it.

Moderator: Describe yourself in three words:

Olive: Impulsive, resilient, determined.

Moderator: Do you consider yourself a hero?

Olive: No. I’m an ordinary person. Others might call me a hero, and I wouldn’t want to disappoint them, so I probably wouldn’t argue, but I have faults just like everyone else.

Moderator: Is there anything you want people to know about you?

Olive: I love to laugh. Sometimes the best cure for gloom and doom is laughter, and I try to bring humor into tough situations.
​
Also, I’ve heard through the grapevine that some of my heroics have been recorded. I’ve read the book and it’s wildly entertaining, so if you get the chance to pick up Dreamthief, I am sure it will add a little laughter, a little adventure, and a lot of fun to your otherwise ordinary life, which, I believe, is why the author wrote the book in the first place.

Kasi Blake is a YA Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy writer with a semi-serious addiction to chocolate. Born in sunny California, she now lives on a farm in the Midwest with a dog, two cats, ducks, chickens and cows. When she has the time, she haunts local bookstores, hangs out with friends, and tries to catch up on her reading list. The rest of the time she’s working on her next novel. Visit her at http://www.kasiblake.com.

Bait (Order of the Spirit Realm)
 
After sixteen years on the run, Bay-Lee joins her emotionally distant father at his New Zealand school. On her first night there, he dumps her on the doorstep and walks away. Big surprise. Minutes later, a bag is thrown over her head, and she’s kidnapped for Orientation. The hunter in charge calls her Bait. According to him, that’s all she’s good for, to be used to draw out monsters for experienced hunters to kill. 

Before Bay-Lee can move up to the rank of Hunter, she will have to prove herself, battle wraiths, a reaper in disguise, and a stampeding border monster. With the addition of her classes, she’s going to be way too busy for a social life. Falling in love is not on the agenda. 

Then, she meets Nick Gallos. With the intimidating rank of Warrior, Nick is gorgeous, arrogant, and just plain rude to her. It’s obvious from their first meeting that Nick is hiding a dark past overflowing with secrets, and her father is right smack in the middle of it. Nick seems to be using her to get even with her father, and she won’t tolerate that. What a jerk. 

So, why can’t she stop thinking about him? 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kasi-Blake/e/B004ZH6MJM

iTunes: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/bait/id642022597
 
Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/252449 

C.J. Hart is a full-time writer who lives in Sydney, Australia, with a crazy pooch named Abbey and a boisterous, somersaulting rescue budgie (parakeet) named Kaleb. Her days are spent living in her fictional worlds and consuming way too much caffeine. She has an (unhealthy?) obsession with all things cupcake- and coffee-related plus Kerouac and YA dystopia/fantasy books. C.J. can often be found surrounded by books, marathoning crime shows and munching on vegan goodies, on Twitter (@authorcjhart), Pinterest, or dancing in a rainstorm.

C.J. hopes to one day visit Rio and is currently learning Brazilian Portuguese. ​​C.J. Hart is a pen name for Renee Shearer, who also writes adult fiction as Renee Swann. You can visit her at www.cj-hart.com. Now, let's learn a little more about C.J.:

Do you listen to music while you write? Yep. I make playlists for each book.

Coffee or tea? Juice or Soda? Coffee, definitely. And neither.

What is one non-writing-related accomplishment or event or special moment you’re proud of? This is a tough one...but I'd say: each year for my birthday I ask for money instead of presents and donate it all to This Star Won't Go Out foundation (TSWGO.org). After reading the book of the same name by Esther Earl, a sixteen year old girl living with metastasized papillary thyroid cancer, it changed my life forever. Donating to TSWGO helps other families who are suffering from financial hardship related to childhood cancer. Esther's birthday was the day after mine, so that's how this tradition came about.
​
Do you have a favorite television series? I have several...NCIS, Supernatural, Charmed, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, SVU, and more.

About The Hunted:
The Native American Navajo tribe has stories of a monster so wicked, so blood-thirsty, that they are to be hunted down and slaughtered. But are they just legends? Or is something sinister lurking in the shadows? The Yee Naaldlooshi—skinwalkers—have the ability to transform themselves. And they can be anyone. Anything.

The Hunters—a group dedicated to tracking the creatures—are hot on their trail and they won’t stop until every last one is dead. But are they all as evil as foretold? Seb, alpha of the Taylor, Arizona reservation pack, begins to question the acts of their kind. But he’s broken a rule and must choose between killing the girl he loves or risking everything to save her. Cassie must fight for her survival. The pack is after her. And they’re no joke. Cass is about to find out how sadistic they can be.

​Pick up your copy of The Hunted for FREE! Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks

Erica Kiefer’s debut novel Lingering Echoes was published by Clean Teen Publishing in November 2013. She continued the series with Rumors (A Lingering Echoes Prequel) and her newest release Vanishing Act. All of her books can be read as stand-alone contemporary YA fiction, touched with romance, emotional drama and suspense. With a degree in Recreation Therapy from Brigham Young University, Erica’s experiences working with at-risk youth have influenced the realistic and relatable nature of her writing. Her first inspirational non-fiction entitled Borrowed Angel (published in April 2014 with Currawong Press) describes the loss of her infant son and her journey towards healing.
​
Married since 2005, Erica resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her four children and can often be found satisfying her sweet-tooth with chocolate-chip cookies and a glass of milk. One day, she hopes to dust off her collegiate rugby skills and dive back into the game. You can connect with Erica on Facebook and Twitter.

Erica's Top Ten List

1. I have lived in five countries including the United States, Taiwan, Fiji, Thailand, and Indonesia.
2. My mother is from Thailand and my dad from the US.
3. Sadly, I am not biligual.
4. My husband thought I was Hawaiian when we first met, which is one reason he was interested in me. He figured Thailand was a close 2nd! ;)
5. I am horribly, embarrassingly ticklish on my neck, a fact my family has abused since childhood.
6. Soda and candy do not tempt me, but baked goods like chocolate chip cookies do!
7. Waffles and crepes with berries and cream will win me over any day. I chose a fancy, scrumptious waffle over a birthday cake this year. Yum!
8. 2nd grade was the year I decided to be an author some day.
9. Ten years of marriage has given me four beautiful, crazy children ages 4, 3, 10 months, and one son in heaven.
10. My husband says right before I crash at night, I get silly hyper for five minutes and then I'm out!

“This is a story of heartbreak. Of hope. Of finding your way after everything has shattered, and maybe even letting go of the echoes of the past.” — Kristen Jett, Pen And Muse

If only Allie Collins could go back to that tragic day one year ago, perhaps she could escape the guilt that haunts her. In reality, there was no altering her cousin’s death or the role she played.
​
Then she meets Damien Michaels, a dark-haired stranger on a dirt bike, who seems to watch Allie and know more about her than he should. Veiling his own secrets, including a mysterious scar and unexplained tattoo, Allie knows she shouldn’t trust him—especially as she digs up a past Damien desperately wants to forget. She also doesn’t believe in summer romances, yet she finds her attraction to him growing beyond his striking grey eyes. Unfortunately, Allie discovers too late that he is hiding a dark past which is far from over, endangering her life and those she loves.

Lingering Echoes is book 1 in the series. It can be read as a stand alone.  Get your copy today for FREE.

​                                                   Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks

Sandy Goldsworthy was raised in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, blocks from the rocky shores of Lake Michigan. As a child, she fantasized about becoming an author. She jotted story lines in spiral notebooks and drew images of characters that never came to life. Her passion for putting pen to paper began when her high school English teacher inspired her to be more descriptive in her work. Ever since, Sandy dabbled in creative writing, searching for that perfect shade of red and that character you want to get to know.

Admittedly, Sandy is addicted to coffee and dark chocolate, and is obsessed with all things paranormal. She records more movies and television shows than is humanly possible to watch in a lifetime, and swears there's a ghost in her house. When not writing, Sandy can be found curled up on the couch nose-deep into a book, or trying to catch up on that recorded season of some paranormal series. Visit Sandy at http://www.sandygoldsworthy.com/and sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/2dZHj

Fans of Eleanor & Park and The Book Thief will love this startling and heart-warming take on Peter Pan.
 
Set in 1953, NORA AND KETTLE explores the collision of two teenagers facing extraordinary adversity. Kettle, an orphaned Japanese American, is struggling to make a life in the aftermath of an event in history not often referred to—the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and the removal of children from orphanages for having "one drop of Japanese blood in them." Nora, the daughter of a civil rights lawyer who is building a compensation case for the interned Japanese Americans, is barely surviving her violent home and dreams of a life outside of the brownstone walls. Their meeting is inevitable, devastating and ultimately healing. Their stories, a collection of events, are each on their own harmless. But together, one after the other, they change the world.
 
Nora and Kettle is the stunning debut of The Paper Star Novels from Clean Teen Publishing. The novel is garnering a lot of attention including a starred review from Booklist Magazine who calls Nora and Kettle: "Lyrically written, this powerful and at times painful read captures the reader and does not let go."

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOOK? Nora & Kettle by Author Lauren Nicolle Taylor is arriving at Barnes & Noble stores TODAY.

If you email a picture of your receipt for Nora & Kettle (print edition), CTP will send you some signed swag from the author. Make sure to include your mailing address with the picture. Emails can be sent to: info@cleanteenpublishing.com.

Also, share a picture on the Clean Teen Publishing Facebook page of Nora & Kettle on the bookshelf at Barnes & Noble or a picture of Nora & Kettle on YOUR bookshelf (Or with you holding it) and you will be entered to win a Clean Teen Publishing Mystery Box! We will be giving away 1 box per every 10 entries through the end of the month. (So the odds of winning are great!) :D

Full details on the website here - http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/find-nora-kettle-at-barnes-and-noble-and-win-a-prize/

#New #Print #Books #DiverseReads #WeNeedDiversBooks #History #OwnYourStory #CleanTeenPublishing

Excerpt from Reluctant Guardian
     This is it. This is my moment, and I'm not going to let some stupid boy and a bunch of his idiotic friends scare me into failing. Closing my eyes, I float through the closed door, letting myself enjoy that slight pull on my soul as I meld with the wood for one second, feeling its aliveness, its purpose. This is one part of being a spirit that is genuinely cool. Everything is alive.

       Once through, the brightness in the room surprises me. As unexpected as that is, what amazes me even more is that the glow radiates around one person in particular.

       Brecken.

        He sits sprawled at his desk, his feet clad in heavy, black combat books, his ankles crossed. A thick, ratty sweatshirt stretches over his wide shoulders, and even though his hair is a mess, it fits him, making him much sexier than is healthy for a seventeen year old boy.

You can start Reluctant Guardian for FREE today! Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords