Check to see if your a winner

PLEASE make sure to check and see if you won the giveaway and get with Joann about your prize. I'm not going to track everyone down to make sure you get your prizes! 

Check here to see if your a winner!!!

And the winners are...

Signed books:

1. Brittany Hiester
2.  Michelle Lewis

Signed Bookmarks:

 1. Hayley Lafferty
 2. Lori Decker Fenn
 3. Natalie Cleary
 4. Gina Hunnicutt
 5. Emily Patterson
 6. Tracey Spiteri
 7. Tarah Ryfa
 8. Alicia Guest Hall
 9. Cassandra Hicks
10. Tea Jones 

Congratulations ladies, please contact Joann with your address so she can mail out your prizes!  

 You can contact Joann here: 

Facebook , Website , @joannsowles on Twitter

 

Review of Laney & Darkness

By: Kim

I absolutely love the first two books in this series. I've read them each multiple times, and I always discover something new and interesting. Oliver is one of those characters that you just want all to yourself (which I do, so find your own. lol) and Laney is your everyday college student that we can easily relate to. Along with a whole cast of characters that fall in perfectly with the story. You will love and hate them all at some point.

These books took me back to my teenage days and had me laughing out loud! (which drew some interesting looks from strangers)  I became invested in the characters, and I felt their emotions through out the series. I'm eagerly awaiting book three, which Joann is currently working on now! (write faster Joann!! ) ;) 

This isn't one of those series that you can just pick up any book and start reading, I highly suggest you start with Laney, so your not lost in the Darkness. :) (yes, I have my clever moments) But seriously, Darkness picks up exactly where Laney left off, so your not left wondering what happened in between! 

Enter for your chance to win a signed copy of Laney, but you HAVE to read this series, even if that means buying both books!!

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Darkness by Joann I. Martin Sowles (Brookehaven Vampires book 2) Review by Nadja

A great continuation of this fabulous love story. We dive a little deeper into Oliver’s history and other characters (old and new) are introduced and explored more. Laney is in a tough situation and keeps over thinking and questioning things that she shouldn’t be. Follow your heart...always! Without giving it away, I have to say, I was extremely pleased with book 2 as well and I to, also can’t wait for book 3! Mrs. Sowles is such a fabulous author…her writing Is very vivid and clear, to the point of feeling like you are really there experiencing everything as it happens. THAT my friends, is the type of book I love…one that takes me there. Thanks Joann for sharing such an awesome story.

Laney by Joann I. Martin Sowles (Brookehaven Vampires book 1) Review by Nadja

If you’re looking for an “all American” Love story…I think you have found it in the here with Laney and Oliver.  It’s sweet and innocent, yet full of passion. When I first read Laney, I thought, wow! This is refreshing to read. So glad it wasn’t one of those “I’m a vampire, so you have to love me” kind of stories. It was earned and not automatic. I couldn’t put it down and about had a stroke waiting for Darkness. I highly recommend this to everyone who loves a good love story. I bow to you Mrs. Sowles ;)

Darkness (Book 2 in the Brookehaven Vampires) Review by Erin

The second installment of Joann I Martin Sowles' Brookehaven Vampires series,’ Darkness’ picks up right where Laney leaves off and boy does it come in with some serious passion. Mrs. Sowles has your heart racing right from the get go. This book really takes us so much deeper into the relationship between Laney and Oliver. Oliver's vampire history is more explored and gives us such insight into how things have come to be in the present, but still leaving us with quite a few unanswered questions. Laney is pushed to her emotional limits and begins to question almost everything in her life, but through it all Oliver continues to be there for her. Mrs. Sowles explores more of the secondary characters and we are able to get to know Felix, Carter, Hayden and Julz better. They are all such intriguing characters with incredibly deep histories that add so much to this already jam packed passionate story. Mrs. Sowles was able to make me feel many emotions in Laney but puts it all out there in Darkness. This book brings all these emotions out with double the intensity. No matter the good the bad or the ugly the love and passion Between Oliver and Laney is always there and all consuming. I loved getting to know all of the characters better and the interesting dynamics in all of these relationships. I was completely consumed by Darkness and can’t wait for book 3! Mrs. Sowles, thanks again for this fantastic story and sharing these amazing characters with us.

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Laney (Brookehaven Vampires, book 1) review by Erin

 Laney is a fantastic paranormal romance between two unique characters...a human and vampire! (yeah I know it’s been done before) but this is not like the others. Mrs. Sowles brings many twists to the ordinary vamp/human romance. She is able to provoke emotions on many levels that many stories of the same genre cannot do. Laney is a college student, most characters in other books are usually in High School. This lends a little more maturity to the characters and story line. Laney is a strong character with an awesome sense of humor and a loving heart. She isn’t always a whiney-self-reflecting-gonna be the martyr type girl. Cue Oliver...he's sexy and mysterious. This is typical for many stories but where he is set apart is his realness, depth and sincerity. Mrs. Sowles makes you forget(at times) that Oliver is a vampire. He has insecurities and isn't always self confident and egotistical as many vamps tend to be. Besides his obvious sexiness, Oliver's sincerity, humor and love for Laney draws her and the reader to him without reservation. Although this is a wonderful romance, let’s not forget that it is paranormal also. It has all of the intensity and action any great paranormal story should have. There are so many "OH MY" moments I can’t even count.  The range of emotions that Mrs. Sowles can extract from a reader is incredible. I laughed, cried, had face splitting smiles, got jealous, angry and had butterflies throughout the entire book. Needless to say I LOVE Laney! Thank You Mrs. Sowles!

Interview & Giveaway with Joann I. Martin Sowles (author of Laney and Darkness)

1. Do you sing in the shower? If so, what song? Yes! I listen to music while in the shower and I sing along, quite loudly, to all of my favorite songs. 

2. Do you say what’s on your mind? Possibly a little too often…

3. Favorite food, if any? That changes often. Right now my favorite food is Yancey’s Fancy Smoked Gouda. It is so yummy! 

4. What would we find in your purse? Um… Way too much stuff: My cell phone, Mickey Mouse wallet, hand sanitizer, a notebook, snacks, mints, several pens, a bottle of Motrin, a nail file, old shopping lists, and a ton of receipts that need tossed. I think it may be time to clean out my purse.

5. Do you have a secret? Lots of them, and they aren’t all mine. ;)

6. What would we find in your closet? Secrets and a whole lot of flip flops. ;)

7. Do the characters ever take over and change the course you had originally planned? Quite often, actually. I try to keep them on the path I have planned for them but every once in a while they change it up on me and then I have to change our original course a bit. 

8. Where does the creative magic happen? (where do you do most of your writing) I do all of my writing in my office. 

9. Do you strictly write on your computer, or do you jot notes down on napkins? I have notebooks all over the house and I always have one in my purse. I am constantly jotting down notes but I when I actually write, that is all done on my laptop. 

10. Do you need silence to write, or is there music playing in the background? Silence would be ideal, or even music playing softly in the background would be fantastic but, in my house, I play music in my office to drown out the noise of the rest of the house.

11. Do you still enjoy writing, or has it become a ‘job’? I still love writing and I can’t imagine it ever feeling like a chore. Writing is my sanity. 

12. How did you come up with your characters names? Usually a name will just come to me, other times I really need to put some thought into it. Especially if the names I come up with keep starting with the same letter. Recently I introduced two new characters and they both started with the letter D. That just wasn’t going to work so, after some contemplation, I have given them new names.

13. What is your favorite book/series? Oh, geez, I have so many! I love Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampires series, Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse series, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance saga, Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush series, and J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series- just to name a few.

14. How many books will there be in the series? I do not have a set number of books to tell Laney’s story. I can tell you that, at this point, there will be at least four more books to tell her story. 

15. Does writing get easier after the first book? For me it has. With my first book, Laney, I was nervous that others would not like it. Of course I thought it was pretty good but I also think my singing voice isn’t too shabby (I’ve been told differently). ;) Once I released Laney to the world and positive responses came back it boosted my confidence. I felt like I could actually do this. Now, after my second release, Darkness, I have a little more experience and now, while working on my future releases, I find myself more comfortable when writing. 

16. Do you get writers block? How do you get past it? Thankfully, (and I’m knocking on wood here) writer’s block is not something I have had a problem with. Occasionally I’ll have a problem finding the right word or phrase so I will take a moment to close my eyes and take a breath and that usually helps. Sometimes I get restless while writing and can’t focus so I’ll take a break and come back to it once I’ve stretched a bit and had a snack and possible a little time outdoors.

17. Does the time of day make a difference when you’re writing? The time of day does not make a difference; it’s a matter of finding time in the day to get any writing done. But typically, I prefer to get started writing as soon as my day starts. Writing makes me happy and my brain seems to function a little better in the mornings. 

18. When it comes to your series, do you find yourself on the side of the vampire or human? I think that really depends on the particular human or vampire. 

19. Tell me something I don’t know? I am an enthusiast of ancient history and the middle ages, Arthurian Legend, and Greek Mythology. 

Thank you for the interview and to all who have taken the time to read it. I invite all of you to visit my website where you can read the first 3 chapters of both Laney & Darkness.

Much Love,

Joann I. Martin Sowles 

www.brookehavenvampires.com

There will be 12 winners in all! Spread the word, share it with your friends, post it on facebook, send out a tweet...  :) 

Also, check back each day this week for reviews of the books! 

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Joann's Purse, & New items

These were some of the first book purses that I made: 



The author of these purses will be with us this week for an interview and giveaway! :) 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

I have a couple of these                  With the last movie coming out

charms for sale in my shop:             soon, I have a few books ready
                                                         for custom orders!

Coming Soon! Author interview, review and giveaway

The Brookehaven Vampires by Joann I. Martin Sowles

A highly recommended read! If you haven't read this series..do so NOW!

Give Peace a chance!

No one says it better than John Lennon! 

"Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace"

PEACE BLITZ TOUR

Thank you, Mcv Egan, author of  The Bridge of Deaths.
  August 15th Peace Blitz Tour and GIVEAWAY!  One of the prizes is a custom book purse from me! ENTER TO WIN below!   

Please visit all of these wonderful sites and spread the peace!

  A Piece of Peace
Amelia Curzon
Anne Chaconas, Writer 
Author Bette A. Stevens
Book mews and tattle tails
Book Purses
B o o k s 4 T o m o r r o w
b00kr3vi3ws
christine bonner  Close Encounters with the Night Kind
Combermere Abbey 
Devoted Mommy of 3
Diary of a Writer in Progress
Get Lenin by Robert Craven  Graciela Zozaya
Halley Elise  Heaven's Garden Productions
Hope With Change
Joseph D. Smith
keeperofthesword
Lift You Up
Mallory Heart Reviews
margaret west
Nomi's Paranormal Palace
Opus 'N' Pen
Paulette Mahurin
Pavarti K Tyler at Fighting Monkey Press
Rise of the Vampire
Russell Bittner 
Simple Clockwork by Nancy Cudis
Tela's Notes
Tela Wallen Fiction
The Author Zackary Richards
The Bridge of Deaths
The Journey
The Persecutio of Mildred Dunlap
The story of a girl...
Think in ink
Wendy's Bookcase

Yvonne Mikell

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Daniele Lanzarotta Rocks

I've read all of Daniele's books, and she is one of my favorite authors. 

(and no, it's not because she named  a character after me, though that doesn't hurt. lol )

She has written two amazing series, and has plans for more in the future. She is also the master of cliff hangers!

Daniele's Books:

 

The Imprinted Souls Series:

 Entrapped in her grief and sorrow, Lexi roams through life with no purpose. She has not been the same ever since an accident took away her high school boyfriend and soul mate. For a while, Lexi could still feel Matt with her and the dreams reassured her that they were still connected, but with time, the dreams started to fade and the pain of his absence deepened. She was convinced that he was gone, and with him, so was part of her soul, the part of her soul that had been imprinted by Matt.

It would take a different type of imprint to bring Lexi back to life, but that imprint would come with a price. The dangers of being with a vampire who still has strong ties to his human life, and the possibility of losing what is left of her connection with her one and true soul mate, Matt; a hidden connection that still lives within the shadows of what is left of her soul.

The Academy of the Fallen Series:
 Kayla is a 16-year-old girl who was adopted when she was little. She lives a normal life, with great friends, loving adoptive parents, and well... a not-so-great boyfriend. But the reason why she was given up for adoption was far from any usual reason. She was meant to be kept away from the Academy and anything else related to the supernatural beings that could hurt her.

Unfortunately for Kayla, it was only a matter of time before she encountered the creatures from the Otherworld, and there is just no running away from the beings that she can now see.

In trying to protect Kayla by keeping her away from the Academy, she may have just been put in even more danger.


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Wide Awake-Academy of The Fallen Review by Erin

Wide Awake was a paranormal book with different twists to the norm. First of all Kayla is a good character. She is a very strong young woman and has learned to really keep who she is...or who she thinks she is. Wide awake starts with a haunting type feel and has you wondering what the secrets are behind these hauntings. Enter Hunter, also a really strong character, mysterious and a little dark. Although we don't really get to know enough about him( hopefully that will be explored in book 2). The book  then shifts to the paranormal and really gets going. I really did enjoy this book and will definitely read book 2. Although at times I felt that some scenes and conversations were a bit rushed and needed more detail or to be explored more. Maybe the author didn't want to give too much away because the end was definitely a cliff hanger. Overall a good read.

Review

                        Imprinted Souls Review by Nadja

When I first started reading this, I thought, hmm..this story sounds familiar. But as I read more, I realized, this has it's own story. I got totally sucked in by Lexi, Leah, Adrianne and Tyler. The bond between Lexi and Tyler is strong and she doesn't know why at first, but she soon figures it out and quite fast I might add :)

I'm happy to say, I have moved on to Bloodlust, book 2 in this series and I'm loving it! Thank you Daniele!

Character Interview with Kim Duncan

Coming to us live from the Academy of the Fallen, it's Kim Duncan.    Okay, not really... I mean, who has time for 'live' when the olympics are on?  But it sounded good at the time. ;) Please enjoy this interview with the character from Daniele Lanzarotta's Academy of the Fallen series. (and yes, Kim defintely gets her awesomeness from me)

 If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Kim: It would definitely be my ability to see the things that I can see.

What can you offer the world?
Kim: I’m not sure what I can offer the world, mostly because I haven’t been out in the real world for so long. I do know what I can offer the Academy, and that is protection. Over the years I’ve developed skills to keep ghosts and demons out, skills stronger than anyone else’s.

  What’s your strongest opinion on “The Fallen” saving the world?
Kim: I practically grew up around the fallen and sometimes, I still don’t know what to think, but I do know that the fallen ones like Ethan give me hope. Too bad they need many more like him to save the world, and that is something they don’t have.

Do you sing in the shower? If so, what song?
Kim: *laughs* No… music distracts me. It’d be the quickest way to let the wards down. Demons would be inside the Academy in no time.

  What’s your greatest talent?
Kim: My greatest talent is my greatest curse: being able to keep demons and ghosts away.

  Do you say whats on your mind?
Kim: Not usually. I wish I was more like Kayla in that way.

 Are you a peacekeeper?
Kim: I think so. I hate drama and I do what I can do prevent it.

  Do you have one special friend? If so, who?
Kim: I’m friends with a lot of the haunted. We have a lot in common, being able to see ghosts, demons, and all, but I’m not sure I’d say any of them stands out as a special friend.

 What is your worst fear?
Kim: The thought of spending the rest of my life protecting this place instead of actually living my life.

 What do you want written on your epitath?
Kim: I’d probably go with an inside joke like, ‘Kimberly Duncan - No longer haunted, but thinking about coming to haunt you and see what it feels like to be on the other side of this game.”

  Favorite food, if any?
Kim: Mac and Cheese and hot dogs. It reminds me of home, before I was brought to the Academy.

 What tangible object symbolize you, if any?Kim: Haha. A lock. It fits in well, don’t you think? I mean… considering I keep certain beings out of the Academy.

What would we find in your purse?
Kim: Books!

 What makes you laugh/cry?
Kim: I can’t say that I laugh much. There is nothing to laugh about when your world revolves around hiding and protecting others who are hiding. I’d rather not talk about what makes me cry.

 Do you have a secret?
Kim: Doesn’t everyone?

 You’re doing intense spring cleaning. What is easy for you to throw out? What is difficult for you to part with? Why?
Kim: I’m not the type of person who gets attached to things. I would however, have a hard time letting go of pictures of my mom and dad.

 What would we find in your closet?
Kim: Mostly jeans and shirts. It is pretty boring, but I’ve lived here since I was 8 and everything is provided by the Academy

Kim, Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this!
Kim: It was my pleasure Kim, thank you for lending Daniele your name so that I could continue on my journey into book 3, Sins of the Fallen -which will be released on December 4th!


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Interview and Giveaway with author Daniele Lanzarotta

  Alright guys, this week we are featuring Daniele Lanzarotta, author of two great series, Imprinted Souls, and Academy of the Fallen. 

Also, check back in tomorrow, because we have a special guest interview with one of the characters from Academy of the Fallen, Kim Duncan. I know what your thinking, but isn't that you... YES, yes it is!  ;)

Interview with Daniele

1. What inspired you to write your first book?
Vampires got in my mind and wouldn’t leave until I wrote it *laughs* At the time, I was reading a lot of ya books: House of Night, Twilight, Vampire Academy, and many more.  At one point, I wanted to create and control my own characters and world.  I started writing Imprinted Souls and didn’t look back. 

***Thank you!

2. If you could meet any one person - who would it be?
Just one? I’d love to meet Richelle Mead.  She is one of my favorite authors.

3. Where do you find inspiration for your characters?
My characters are not usually based off anyone I know… it is one of those things that just happen.  Typically, I know that I want a character with certain personality traits, and I just build them from that point on. 

4. Do the characters ever take over and change the course you had originally planned?
Yes, and I love it when that happens.  Imprinted Souls’ Nicholas was the first character to do that.  He was never supposed to have that big of a role, but I’m glad he took over the story the way he did.

*** Me too!

5. Do you need silence to write, or is there music playing in the background?
I can’t write without music.  Music inspires me and gets the writing going.

6. Do you still enjoy writing, or has it become a ‘job’?
I LOVE writing… always will.

7. What is your reaction to bad book reviews?
The very first bad review I received felt awful.  I even contemplated naming one of my vamp’s snacks after the person who left that review. *laughs * Fortunately, most of my reviews are good.  Of course, I occasionally get a bad review.  I read it, tell myself that each person is entitled to their opinion, read a good review, then I just let it go.  

*** They aren't worth snacking on. ;)

8. How did you come up with your character names?
For the older vampires, I search for popular names from the year and country where they were born and then choose a name I like.  For others, they are usually names that I like and my husband doesn’t. Hubby will never approve of those names for possible future kids, so I use them on characters. *laughs *

*** Hey, they're like your kids. It counts.

9. What is your favorite book / series?
My favorite book is actually not out yet and I don’t think I can share the name of the book or author at this point, but it should come out this year and I will be sharing it on Facebook and Twitter.   I can’t choose just one favorite series, but here are my top favorites: Morganville Vamps, Mortal Instruments, Georgina Kincaid, and The Darkest Powers.

10. Best & Worst thing about being an author?
There are so many ‘best’ things.  The top ones are creating new worlds and characters, interacting with readers, hearing readers reactions to your story.
 The worst thing is finding pirated copies of your book out there, and having to take time away from writing to take those down.

*** There is only one good pirate... Johnny Depp. lol

11. Which of your book series do you connect with the most?
I love both, but I believe it is Imprinted Souls.  That was my first book series, and the first of my characters that I fell in love with.  Then there is Nicholas, who I share a lot of personality traits with… yes, sarcasm is the main one.  I just got so attached that at some point I could imagine exactly how the characters felt in each situation.  Writing the last few chapters of that last book was tough.  Thank god for spin-offs. *laughs *
***Yes, THANK YOU for the spin offs. I'm not ready to loose Nick just yet! ;)

 
12. Does it get easier after the first one?
It does get easier.  You get to know the characters and their personalities and at some point, the story practically writes itself.  It turns into a game of actions and consequences.  You throw something at the character and you know exactly how they would respond.

13. How do you get past writers block?
I choose not to believe in writers block. *laughs *  If I don’t feel like writing a specific scene, I jump to another scene and then go back.  There are things that help me get my mind into writing, and those are usually clearing my head and picturing the story, and listening to music.

14. Does the time of day make a difference when you’re writing?
It does!  I don’t even attempt to write during the day anymore.  It has to be nighttime.

*** That must be your vampire side.

15. Tell me something I don’t know?
I was actually going to write a blog post about this, but here it is:  I watched vamp movies even before I was born *laughs *.  The other day my mom said that for some unknown reason she used to watch a lot of vampire movies while she was pregnant with me.  

*** Thank you Mom. ;)

16. Rain or shine? 

Shine… or snow.  No rain though.

17. Favorite drink?      

Mt. Dew aka my official writing drink *laughs *

18. Inside or outside?     

Outside

19. Have you been keeping up with the Olympics?
*hides *  Sadly, I haven’t.  Writing tends to distract me whenever I try to watch TV. *laughs *
*** please continue writing! I'll let you know who wins the gold.

 
20. Favorite sport?       

Hockey!

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I hope you enjoyed the interview. 

Please visit Daniele and thank her!!

Facebook pages: Imprinted Souls, Academy of the Fallen
 Website, Twitter, or Blog


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