Monday, October 31, 2011

Alphabeasts {Sponsor & Review}

Today I have a fun and cool product to share with you all! These little beasts are extra soft and adorable.

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They have one beast for each letter in the alphabet. On one side is the capital letter and on the other is the lowercase letter. I was sent Alphie with the letter A. I absolutely love these little monsters! They are cute, soft, and they teach the young ones the letters in the alphabet!

 

Leave it to the experts…

 

Introducing Alphabeasts... plush, loveable, learning
companions created to teach children their ABC’s and
how to spell while having fun at the same time.

Each of the 26 Alphabeasts has a distinctive design
characteristic and physical attribute that makes them
unique from one another. The beasts are two-sided with
contrasting colors front and back, and are adorned with
upper and lower case alphabet characters on each side
to enhance learning and playful functionality.

Alphabeasts are designed to augment the learning process
at home or in-school. Their presence captivates children’s attention and encourages them to participate in meaningful learning experiences. Lessons, games and other activities are only limited by one’s imagination when incorporating the Alphabeasts into a child’s routine or playtime.

 
 
About the creators…
 
 

Two cool dads, one brilliant idea, 26 irresistible creatures. Fathers Andy Ferguson and Chad Whitman truly understand the importance of education, parent and child interaction, imaginative play and learning through fun. It was their desire and passion to create a line that provided fun while learning. And so they did. Today, they are proud to introduce Alphabeasts, the new learning companions. Andy and Chad encourage you to share the joy, fun, play, love and learning experiences these adorable beasts have to offer.

 
 
These little Alphabeasts are not only adorable, but they also make learning fun. Imagine having a child who doesn’t argue when its time to learn the alphabet. Instead you could tell them to go get Alphie and reward them if they bring back the right letter, or maybe you could even have a hide and go seek and let them find the letters and then explain to them what they are. There are just endless possibilities when it comes to the Alphabeasts!
 
On their website they even have activities that children can enjoy and there are even fun videos to watch!
 
Playtime photo
 
 
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Stick around for the Under the Tree Giveaway on Nov. 8th for your very own chance to win a beast of your own!
 
 
Enjoy!
 
Ashley Suzanne
 

Niki Burnham {Sponsor Spotlight}

Niki Burnham

 

Breaking Up (Is Hard to Do) is a collection of four short stories centered around the theme of surviving breakups. I wrote the first story, Last Stand, which is a breakup told from the guy's point of view. The other stories are by authors Terri Clark, Ellen Hopkins, and Lynda Sandoval.

I'm (thankfully) different than my characters. I keep my life interesting by traveling whenever I can find cheap airfare; they keep their lives interesting by making glorious mistakes! I will say, however, that I was a study machine when I was in high school, which also goes for both Jenna Kassarian (from Sticky Fingers) and Peyton Lindor (from Shot Through the Heart.) Unfortunately both Jenna and Peyton have the tendency to use schoolwork as an excuse to hide from romantic trouble.

I was a huge reader, and still am! I read everything I could get my hands on, which was usually whatever the library carried at the various army posts where my father was stationed. Lots of Robert Ludlum, Agatha Christie, Jean Auel, Jack Higgins and Helen MacInnes mixed in with SE Hinton and Judy Blume. I didn't have any favorite author; I was always happiest with whatever I was reading while I was reading it.

Jennifer Echols has a couple of releases planned, and I'll snag both of those the moment they come out. I'm also looking forward to the book Carolyn Mackler is writing with Jay Asher. I'm a huge Mackler fan.

I'm currently working on a novella. However, just this week I released a new romantic comedy called Shot Through the Heart. I'm very excited about it, as it's my first new book in a few years. It follows four teenagers through a senior year water gun tournament with a two-thousand dollar grand prize. Writing water gun combat scenes in between kissing scenes was a lot of fun!

 
 
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
 
Look for the giveaway coming soon during the Birthday Bash!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Citrus Lane {Review}

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Today I received a neat box through the mail. It was filled with sunscreen, a hat, a toy, and some other fun stuff for baby to use outdoors!

I would like to introduce you all to Citrus Lane, a monthly subscription service where you can receive anything from the baby shower to their toddler years. It is designed to grow with your baby and stay with the throughout. It provides some of the key things that they made need.

 

Leave it to the Experts…

 

We think of our monthly boxes as care packages for parents! With a subscription to Citrus Lane, you'll receive a monthly box filled with 4-5 healthy and delightful baby products recommended and reviewed by real moms.  The goodies inside will be tailored to the age of your child. We're dedicated to helping parents discover the best baby products on the market. Sometimes it's an undiscovered gem that catches our eye. Other times, it's a tried-and-true parent favorite. Either way, we're looking for that certain something - a wow-factor that makes us say, "Ah-ha! Now this is something every parent should know about!"

 
 
Example boxes…
 
 
Deluxe Shower
shower box for boys
 
Welcome Baby – Month 1
welcome home box
 
Starting Solids – Month 5
starting solids box
 
Bedtime Play – Year 2
bath and brushing
 
 
So as you can see these boxes come fully equipped with all things baby, but in my little box I received there was even a little snack for moma! Just what we need for that extra boost while chasing the little ones. Not only would these boxes be fun to receive ourselves, but they also would be neat gifts to give to a mommy-to-be! Now she will have what she needs each month while the baby grows.
 
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Citrus lane is offering up a 50% off coupon code for the first box, so now instead of the normal $25, your first box will only be $12.50!! That is a complete steal! Just click on the link subscribe below and then enter in this code…CITRUSHALF
 
 
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Dream. Create. Inspire!
 
Ashley Suzanne
 

The Lost {Guest Post & GIVEAWAY}

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Release Date: August 1st 2011
Publisher: Forever
Age Group: Adult {Erotica}
Pages: 336
Format: Kindle

 
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Adam Bruno is no ordinary millionaire. The heir to an ancient race possessing a dark, powerful magic, he can shapeshift and create energy. His gifts make him a living weapon and have forced him to live in seclusion. But now an inhuman force hunts down Adam-just when he finds someone who makes him feel more human than he ever imagined possible . . .
Home from combat in Iraq, Bobbie Carerra wants only peace, yet soon joins Adam in a terrifying battle against paranormal enemies who hide in plain sight. She's drawn to his strength of mind and body; he's attracted to her courage and intoxicating energy. Their scorching passion can either transport them to the heights of ecstasy or-if Adam's powers rage out of control-destroy them. But when an invisible brotherhood tightens its nets and someone Adam trusts betrays him, only a heartrending decision can save them.

 
 
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Guest Post
 
 
Let’s all welcome Caridad to Ashley Suzanne today!
 
 

First of all, early 21st birthday, Ashley! I hope you have a great one. Thanks so much for having me with you today to chat about THE LOST, my paranormal romance novel from Grand Central Publishing.

THE LOST is the first book in the SIN HUNTERS series. The Hunters are a race of energy gatherers that are hiding in plain sight in various locations, including the Jersey Shore.

Now, you may wonder why I would set a paranormal romance along the Jersey Shore, so here goes…

First of all, most of the Jersey Shore is nothing like that show that shall not be named. Plus may I point out that most of those guys are not even from Jersey!

But back to the reason for the location.

I’ve always been a water baby. I’m a Pisces and I was born on an island – Cuba. When we came here as refugees, I ended up living on another island – Long Island in New York.

I loved living close to the beach. During the summer, we would spend lots of time at the beach, body-surfing and taking in the sun (yes, back then we didn’t know better). Looking for shells or spending a lazy Sunday morning fishing. The water was everywhere and I could so identify with it, Piscean that I am.

Many years later I moved to Jersey and found myself falling in love with the different towns and beaches along the shore. So different from where I grew up. Nobody really lived on Jones Beach and somehow my invite to Martha’s home in the Hamptons kept on getting misplaced. LOL!

But on the Jersey Shore, regular people actually live near the shore and each of the towns has its own unique flavor. Plus, nature is all around you in the various wetland areas and lakes adjacent to the beaches.

Those nature areas were the perfect place for the Hunters to gather their energy and use it for an assortment of things.

And of course, what could be more romantic than a moonlight stroll or swim? Perfect for some sexy scenes.

If you’re not familiar with the Jersey Shore, I hope The Lost will give you a taste for an area that I truly love. I also hope that maybe one day you’ll get to visit for yourself.

Thanks again for having me with you, Ashley. I really appreciate it.

 
 
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Giveaway
 
One lucky commenter will receive my paperback copy of The Lost and this shirt below to match!
 
 
RULES
 
US only
18 and older
Leave a comment below with a way to contact you!
Ends Nov. 4th
 
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Hope you all enjoy Caridad’s guest post today and don’t forget the ever growing giveaway list on the sidebar!
 
 
 
Happy Reading!
 
Ashley Suzanne
 

Thursday, October 27, 2011

November Giveaway Events {Coming Soon}

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Under the Tree is a week long giveaway hop event being hosted by Mommy's Reviews and Giveaways and Life With Two Boys.

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My birthday is November 13th and I will be 21!! I am celebrating with a giveaway that was suppose to be just on the 13th, but thanks to all the sponsors and authors, it will now take place on the 12th-14th!!

Check out the pre-giveaway NOW!

{I still need donations for the shipping costs, please help me out by donating a dollar or two so that I can get the prizes out on time and won’t have to use all my birthday money}

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Now with all that being said, over the next couple of days you will be seeing sponsor spotlights here on the blog, I strongly encourage you to read over them and visit their sites. I have some pretty amazing sponsors!!

I am also still accepting donations for both giveaways!

 

Please help me with the shipping costs, I would hate to not be able to get the prizes sent off!

Ashley Suzanne

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Destined {Giveaway}

Release Date: October 25th 2011
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 325
Format: Hardback
Source: Publisher

 
Destined
 
"...Zoey is finally home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side, and preparing to face off against Neferet – which would be a whole lot easier if the High Counsel saw the ex-High Priestess for what she really is. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, Rephaim and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together – if he can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow…"
 
 
 
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Giveaway
 
One Ashley Suzanne reader will win a finished copy of Destined.
 
US/CA ONLY!
 
In order to win, just leave a comment with a way to contact you!
 
ENDS NOV.7th
 
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Happy Reading!
Ashley Suzanne

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Unforgiven {Promo & Excerpt}

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Unforgiven 

Riley Beckett's past just came back to haunt her . . . and this time, he's got a gun.

When Gage Lawton finds his brother shot dead on his back porch, every shred of evidence points to one person: Gage's former lover, Riley. He and she didn't part ways on good terms, and he's not planning to rekindle anything now--not when he's got a revolver pointed at her head and a finger on the trigger.

A year after Riley swore she and Gage were over, he returns in a hail of gunfire. One look into those achingly familiar blue eyes and she knows how wrong she was to let him go, but now far more than their heated past stands in the way. A twist of fate puts them in the crosshairs of a killer, leaving Riley with two slim options: trust her greatest betrayer or face a murderer on her own.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Something was wrong. Was the dark playing tricks on her? Riley Beckett froze, arm outstretched, hand poised to toss her keys on the table just inside her front door. But she didn't let go. Instead of dropping them in their usual spot, instinct whispered for her to feather pieces of the makeshift weapon between her knuckles. Heart pounding, she pressed the keys in a silent, white-knuckle grip and prayed her concerns were her imagination, that the paranoia of coming home alone to a dark house was getting the better of her. 

One, two steps in. Wood planks echoed underfoot. She fought to breathe in air that grew thinner with every tense second.

Three steps.

Then it hit her. The scent. His scent. And with it a flush of memories. The burn of hot grass on her bare skin. Rough hands, a tender touch. Love so sweet she ached for it, her dreams raging, and her body drenched with need.

Their first time.

Her last.

"Gage?" Her voice broke on the single syllable. Riley's grip on the keys tightened, her blood raging hot and cold all at once.

A creak sounded from the corner chair. Her eyes refused to adjust in the darkness, but not even the faint light kept the blond streaks in his russet hair from giving him away. Like rays of sunshine, she used to tease, and her words never failed to draw a scowl across his rugged face.

"Riley."

God help her, her name on his lips sounded as it always had. Coarse. Dangerous. Forbidden. Even before . . . The memory surged, hot and vivid, leaving a metallic taste in her mouth. White heat assaulted her from every corner of the room.

The keys fell to the floor with a clink.

"An eye for an eye, is it?" His voice sounded unpracticed, as if he hadn't spoken in a long while.

She couldn't see his face, but she knew his expression. Flat and humorless. Broken. She remembered the day he stopped smiling. Every part of her wanted to flee, but she stood frozen to the spot.

"What do you mean?" Riley wondered if the words, whispered and weak, had the strength to make it across the room. Hadn't she always known she'd shatter the next time she saw him? Hadn't she dreamed of it anyway?

"You have to ask?" Gage laughed, cold and hollow. "Billy's dead. Hell of a thing to come home to, Riley. My brother blown to bits on my back porch."

"Oh, God." Riley swayed, bile rising in her throat. The room filled with a distant buzzing. She took one unsteady step to the side and stumbled.

When she found his gaze, it was over the business end of a revolver.

He leveled the gun in her direction. Everything else in her world trembled, but his aim held rock steady. Unyielding.

His eyes burned blue and bright. "What I want to know, sweetheart, is why you did it."

He worked his finger over the trigger, and a veil of blackness threatened her last discerning thought.

 

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Buy the Book

Noble Romance | Amazon

 

About the Author

Sarah and her husband of over fourteen years live on the mid-Atlantic coast with their six young children,
all of whom are perfectly adorable when they're asleep. She often jokes that she writes to be around
people who will listen to her, but her characters aren't much better than her kids. Fortunately, her
husband is quite supportive, having generously offered to help her research "the good parts." She's never
had to ask twice.

 
 
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Blogger Note
 
I don’t know about you all, but this book seems smoky :] Hope you all enjoy and please don’t forget to donate for my Birthday Bash! I have a list of books to giveaway, but it is going to be hard to ship when the shipping jar is empty. I always hated asking for money, but I need you all :( I am giving away  mystery prize pack for those that enter!!
 
 
Happy Reading!
Ashley Suzanne

Prize Pack Giveaway!!

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EEEKK! I am so excited about this upcoming giveaway!! I have so many books and prizes to giveaway that it is completely giving me the shakes :]

As you all may know. I am in desperate need of donations for shipping costs! I wish that I could mail these all out myself, but I need you guys to help me with that. So for all of those who donate (it doesn’t have to be a fortune, every little bit helps!) they will be entered to win….

This little prize pack!

Unforgettable Between Carrier 

All you have to do to enter is click on the little doante button at the top of the blog sidebar, put in your amount and submit!

Then come back here and leave a comment saying that you did donate and you are entered!

- Leave email in comment

- US ONLY

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Please help!

Ashley Suzanne

Haunted Halloween Push-Up Pops

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Have any of you seen the push-up cake pops around the blogosphere? I am sure that you will fall in love with them once you see how fun they are to make and how easy they are to take on the go.

First you will need to find some push-up containers. You can do this by simply going to Amazon {duh! they have everything} and typing in push-up containers :] Once you receive them simply bake a batch of brownies in a mini muffin pan.

Put a small amount of icing into the pop container, put a mini brownie on top.

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Frosting, brownie, frosting, brownie. You get the idea. Just layer brownie and frosting all the way to the top of the container. Put the last brownie upside down as the final topper.

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Put the cap on and then serve them in style!

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Hope you all enjoy this tasty recipe and that you all have a wonderful and safe Halloween!

 

Love from the Oven!

Ashley Suzanne

Monday, October 24, 2011

Hide’n Go Seek {Promo & Giveaway} CLOSED

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Hide'n Go Seek


A twisted game of Hide’n Go Seek forces an unlikely alliance between a no-nonsense FBI agent and a search-and-rescue worker.
Celebrated search-and-rescue worker Kali Jordon has hidden her psychic abilities by crediting her canine partner Shiloh with the recoveries. But Kali knows the grim truth—The Sight that she inherited from her grandmother allows her to trace violent energy unerringly to victims of murder. No one knows her secret until a twisted killer challenges her to a deadly game of Hide'n Go Seek that threatens those closest to her.
Now she must rely on FBI Special Agent Grant Summers, a man who has sworn to protect her, even as he suspects there's more to Kali and Shiloh than meets the eye. As the killer draws a tighter and tighter circle around Kali, she and Grant find there's no place to hide.
Are her visions the key to finding the latest victim alive or will this cruel game of Hide’n Go Seek cost her…everything.
 
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Excerpt
 
Twenty minutes later, Kali made her way to the kitchen. She fed Shiloh on the deck in the morning
sunlight. Running her fingers through her shoulder-length hair, she remembered last night's painting. She
headed to her studio to take a look. She'd almost reached it when apprehension washed over her.

The door was closed.
She never closed the door after painting. It wasn't good for the wet canvases, besides, the room only
had a small window so the paint fumes built up fast. A frown wrinkled her forehead. Had she simply
forgotten? She had been deadly tired last night.

Bolstering her courage, she pushed the door wide and flinched as the fumes rushed out almost
stinging her nose. "Oh gross."

Holding her breath, Kali crossed to the window, shoving it as far open as it would go. Fresh air
surged into the small space. She'd love a huge studio, except painting wasn't exactly a full time career for
her – no matter how much she'd like it to be. It was a release for when depression and madness overcame
her soul. Maybe later, when she no longer did rescue work, she could indulge her art as a creative hobby
instead of as an outlet of pain and turmoil.

Walking around the easel, Kali stopped midstride.
The painting stood where she'd left it. With surreal and strangely enticing clarity, blacks and purples
and browns popped off the canvas. Heavy paint splotched at places, then thinned and stretched across the
top.

She stepped back and frowned. Up close, besides the heavy amount of paint, the picture resembled
a distorted nightmare. Not surprising. Still, she caught a glimmer of an intentional design. She tilted her
head and looked at it from a different angle. Nothing changed.

Sniffing the air, Shiloh ambled into the doorway.
Kali smiled down at the dog. "Not very sweet smelling, is it?"
She glanced back at the jumble of colors and stilled. There. She studied the abstract mess, letting the
colors move and form to reveal the image hidden within.

Shivers slid over her spine.
Oh my God.
No way.
Kali blinked. It was.
There was no mistaking the image of a person buried under small bushes, civilization of some kind
crouched on the horizon with a series of rough rock formations soaring behind the bushes.

"What the hell?" she whispered.
Kali was not a great artist, by any means. Blind escapism kept bringing her back to the process
because it worked. She painted with wild abandon. The paint slapped on canvas with no thought
discharged her emotions. For some reason it always worked.

And it always looked like shit.
This, on the other hand, was ingenious. Sure the subject matter was gruesome; however, given her
volunteer work, not unexpected. Especially after finding the letter.

The artistic abandon was still there. The paint was so thick in spots the picture was almost three-
dimensional. The terrain had depth and movement. The light was dark and terse, yet still shone with
gruesome clarity—and way beyond her artistic abilities.

"It's fucking brilliant."
It was also scary as hell.
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About the Author
Dale Mayer

Dale Mayer is a prolific multi-published writer. She's best known for Tuesday's Child,
her romantic suspense novel that was one of the final four in the Kensington
Brava/Romantic Times contest this last year. Besides her romantic suspense/
thrillers, Dale also writes paranormal romance and crossover young adult books
in several different genres. To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in
many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion
gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her
Career Essentials Series
in ebook format.


Find the Author


Buy the Book

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Giveaway

Dale is generously offering up a eBook copy of Hide’n Go Seek for one lucky reader.

Ends Oct 25th.

Just leave email below in comments!

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Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to check out all the awesome giveaways happening over there in my sidebar!




Happy Reading!
Ashley Suzanne