INNOVATIVE ONLINE BOOK TOURS: Kieran Kramer Interview

Welcome to this stop on the

Loving Lady Marcia tour, sponsored by

Innovative Online Book Tours!!

Kieran Kramer

Please join me in welcoming historical romance writer Kieran Kramer, author of the wonderfully entertaining new novel, Loving Lady Marcia!  I have recently reviewed the book for Innovative Online Book Tours, and today I'm presenting Kieran so we can get to know her a little better.

Maria: Kieran, I officially welcome you to A NIGHT'S DREAM OF BOOKS! 

Kieran:  Thank you so much for the invitation, Maria!  I'm truly honored to be here!

Maria:  You're more than welcome.  Now on to the interview!  Here are the questions.

1.) What's your background as a writer?

I won the Literary Award in high school—I was my school's newspaper editor.  Years later, in my 20’s, I was an editor and analyst at the CIA and was published in some classified magazines disseminated to the Pentagon and Capitol Hill. In my early 30’s, I was a freelance journalist and weekly health columnist for a regional section of The Charlotte Observer. In between all those things, I always knew I wanted to write fiction, but I didn’t start until my 30’s.

Book Review: Underworld, by Meg Cabot (13th review for The 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge)

 

 

Here's my thirteenth review for this

wonderful challenge!!

 

For the rules and a list of hosting blogs,

just click on the challenge button in my sidebar.

There are great prizes involved,

so be sure to check out

the rules and consider joining in!

 

 

Goodreads Synopsis

 

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.
Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance... on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves...

 

 

Waiting On Wednesday #47: Midnight City, by J. Barton Mitchell

This is a weekly book meme, hosted by

Jill @ Breaking the Spine,

which features future releases that
we book bloggers

are eagerly anticipating!

Here's my pick for this week!

Midnight City
(The Conquered Earth, #1)
J. Barton Mitchell
Hardcover, 384 pages

St. Martin's Griffin

Expected Publication:

October 30, 2012

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance,

Young Adult

INNOVATIVE ONLINE BOOK TOURS: Loving Lady Marcia, by Kieran Kramer

 

 

 

Welcome to this stop on the

Loving Lady Marcia tour,

sponsored by

Innovative Online Book Tours!!

 

 

Today is the Release Day Review Blitz!!

I am not only doing a review,

but also having a giveaway,

thanks to the author, Kieran Kramer!!

 

 

 

 

 

Goodreads Synopsis

 

 

In the House of Brady, three very lovely girls have hair of gold—and hearts to match—but finding a match among the gentlemen of London is one comedy of errors that could bring down the house…

Of the three Brady sisters, Lady Marcia has always seemed the girl most likely to lead a perfectly charmed life. But after a handsome cad breaks her heart, she swears off love and devotes her life to teaching girls at a private school. In spite of her family’s wish for a London debut, Marcia is happy where she is—until terrible news sends her back to the Brady clan…and into the arms of an unexpected suitor.

 

Shelf Candy Saturday #32: Savage, by Willow Rose

 

 

Welcome to

Shelf Candy Saturday!!

This weekly meme/blog hop, hosted here,

features beautiful book covers!

It was originally hosted by

Stephanie @

Five Alarm Book Reviews,

a blog I really miss...

 

  

 

 

If you'd like to participate, just grab my button (or create your own), write your own post, and link up in the Linky widget at the bottom of this post.  Just be sure to click on "Read more" so that the entire post will open up. 

 

As a bonus, you can include information on the artist, designer, and/or photographer in your post, but it's not required.  You can simply feature a cover and explain why you love it!

 

 

 

 

Here's my pick for this week!

 

 

 

 

 

Savage

(Daughters of the Jaguar #1)

Willow Rose

Paperback, 447 pages

DMC

June 14, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

(16 and up)

 

 

INNOVATIVE ONLINE BOOK TOURS: The 5 Moons of Tiiana, by Paul T. Harry

 

 

Welcome to this stop

on the blog tour

for The 5 Moons of Tiiana,

sponsored by

Innovative Online Book Tours!!

 

 

Goodreads Synopsis

Captain Rez Cantor is a diplomacy officer in the Imperial Army, and personal attaché to Princess Leanna, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the Emperor, and sole heir to the Melelan throne.

 

On the eve of a treaty signing ending the twelve-year-war between the alien-hybrid Relcor and the Empire, Rez Cantor learns that the Imperial family has been slated for death. Under orders from his Queen, Rez is given his final command–save the Princess at all costs.

Overcoming incredible odds, Rez abducts Leanna, and the two flee Melela along with others of the Imperial guard. Unfortunately, their ship is nuked as it enters warp creating an event horizon that sends the ship 128,000 light years across the galaxy to the Moons of Tiiana. It is on one of these moons that Rez awakens on a beach–injured and alone–without the Princess.

So begins the sojourn of Rez Cantor upon the moons of Tiiana: five moons stagnating from a 2000-year-old war that has left its alien races in limbo and decay. Five moons that crave a hero bold enough to lead their people out of the darkness. Five moons that hold the future of the Melelan Empire deep within the ashes of war.

Waiting On Wednesday #46: Dark Storm, by Christine Feehan

This is a weekly book meme, hosted by

Jill @ Breaking the Spine,

which features future releases that
we book bloggers

are eagerly anticipating!

Here's my pick for this week!

Dark Storm

(Dark Series #23)

Christine Feehan

Hardcover, 384 pages

Berkley

Expected Publication:

October 2, 2012

Genres: Paranormal Romance,

Urban Fantasy

On My Bookshelves #30: Science Fiction Books Waiting To Be Read...

It's another laid-back Sunday, just before the week's work madness begins, and I'm taking stock again...  For the longest time now, I've been facing a dilemma that I'm sure is common to many, if not most, bookworms and obsessed bibliophiles like me: how to balance reading books I already own, with books I want to buy, and do end up buying.  I don't know why I'm so compulsive about buying new books, when I have so many sitting around on my bulging shelves, that have been there for years, unread! 

My non-bookworm husband has been asking me, a long time now, to stop buying books until I finish reading all the ones I already have.  However, the lure of the new is just too much of a temptation...  My compulsive book buying has gotten even worse ever since I became a book blogger.  When I visit other blogs, I can't help but notice the soon-to-be-published, as well newly released, tantalizing books featured by the bloggers, and my addiction simply kicks into high gear! 

I don't think I'll ever be able to manage this problem...

Now that I've finished reading Paul T. Harry's excellent novel,  The 5 Moons of Tiiana, my appetite for science fiction has definitely been whetted.  So I went to my shelves and grabbed some SF books that I really should have read by now, to share them with you all.

To get more information about these books, just click on the pictures, and you'll be taken directly to their Goodreads pages.

Shelf Candy Saturday #31: The Hound and the Falcon, by Judith Tarr

This meme/blog hop was originally started by Stephanie @ Five Alarm Book Reviews. After many excellent and visually exciting posts, she decided to stop hosting it, and asked me if I would be interested in continuing with it. Of course I enthusiastically agreed to do so!

The purpose of the meme remains the same -- to display a beautiful book cover that has caught our eye. We can also include information, if available, about the cover illustrator, designer, and/or photographer.

If you'd like to participate, just write your own post, grab my button (or create your own), and link up in the Linky widget at the bottom of the post. (Be sure to click on "Read more" first, so that the entire post will open up.)

Here's my choice for this week!

The Hound and the Falcon

Judith Tarr

Hardcover, 728 pages

Doubleday Book Club

1986

Genre: Fantasy

Waiting On Wednesday #45: Dodger, by Terry Pratchett

This is a weekly book meme, hosted by

Jill @ Breaking the Spine,

which features future releases that
we book bloggers

are eagerly anticipating!

Here's my pick for this week!

Dodger

Terry Pratchett

Hardcover, 336 pages

HarperCollins

Expected Publication:

September 13, 2012

Genre: YA Fantasy

GUEST POST: A Warning For Using Photos, by Author Mary Ellen Quigley

Mary Ellen Quigley

Please join me in welcoming paranormal romance author Mary Ellen Quigley, who recently weighed in on the hot issue of using images on your blog without permission from the copyright owner.

Many bloggers might have heard about, or read, Roni Loren's own shocking experience through her own article, "Bloggers Beware...", published on her blog.  Quigley has also posted an article regarding this on her blog, Mary Ellen's Musings.  It quotes from Loren's article, and then expands upon it.

We bloggers all need to be aware of this highly-important issue.  Although there are many, many blogs on the Internet, and we might think ours will never be spotted, we cannot afford to become complacent.  Newer blogs in particular might attempt to brush this off by thinking that "no one even knows my blog exists".  You just never know!

Now on to Mary Ellen's terrific article! 

Shelf Candy Saturday #30: Star of the Morning, by Lynn Kurland

This meme/blog hop was originally started by Stephanie @ Five Alarm Book Reviews.  After many excellent and visually exciting posts, she decided to stop hosting it, and asked me if I would be interested in continuing with it.  Of course I enthusiastically agreed to do so! 

The purpose of the meme remains the same -- to display a beautiful book cover that has caught our eye.  We can also include information, if available, about the cover illustrator, designer, and/or photographer.

If you'd like to participate, just write your own post, grab my button (or create your own), and link up in the Linky widget at the bottom of the post.  (Be sure to click on "Read more" first, so that the entire post will open up.)

Here's my choice for this week!

Star of the Morning

(Nine Kingdoms #1)

Lynn Kurland

Berkley Sensation

December 5, 2006

Genres: Fantasy, Romance

ANNA KARENINA: A Review of Sorts...

 

 

When I first saw this read-along, hosted by Steph @ Five Alarm Book Reviews (who recently decided to take down her blog), I had mixed feelings about it... I wanted to participate, yet, I hesitated, because of my own personal experiences with an unfaithful husband.  I finally  decided to plunge in, for the simple reason that I had never read Tolstoy, and I do enjoy literary challenges!

I realized, only too late, that I had made a mistake.  During the first two weeks, I was pretty much able to follow along, even answering the excellent questions posted by Steph on her blog, and then linking up to her posts.  I also visited other participating blogs and commented on their posts.

By the third week, I was in trouble... I was actually forcing myself to keep reading.   I was never able to get past Part 5, quite honestly.  The problem was the very same one I encountered when I attempted (and did succeed in doing so) to read Wuthering Heights: I had to follow the activities and life choices of characters whose ethics and morality were totally skewed, selfish, and evil.  I could neither relate to nor sympathize with these characters.  I could not like them, because their actions were too self-serving and despicable.   They only cared about themselves, their own desires (in the case of Vronsky and Karenina), or thirst for revenge (in the case of Heathcliff).

Waiting On Wednesday #45: The Shadowy Horses, by Susanna Kearsley

This is a weekly book meme, hosted by

Jill @ Breaking the Spine,

which features future releases that
we book bloggers

are eagerly anticipating!

Here's my pick for this week!

 

The Shadowy Horses

Susanna Kearsley

Paperback, 432 pages

Sourcebooks Landmark

Expected Publication,

October 1, 2012

Genres:

Gothic Fiction,Supernatural Fiction,

Romance, Mystery

I discovered this fascinating book

through a fellow blogger,

Jessie @ Ageless Pages Reviews!

When I read her review,

I just knew I had to get this book,

which I'll do as soon as it's released!

You can access Jessie's wonderful

review HERE.

On My Bookshelves #29

My Sunday book meme

highlights books that I own,

but have somehow never gotten to,

as well as those wonderful books

I would love to re-read!!

 

Here are my picks for this week!

Wings of the Wicked

(Angelfire #2)

Courtney Allison Moulton

Hardcover, 516 pages

HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books

January 31, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance,

Urban Fantasy

From the Goodreads Synopsis

Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

Amazon Purchase Link

Shelf Candy Saturday: #29: The Cry of the Icemark, by Stuart Hill

This meme was originally started by Stephanie @ Five Alarm Book Reviews.  She will no longer be hosting it, so she asked me if I would like to continue it.  I was definitely interested, so here I am!

The original meme button

The purpose of the meme remains the same -- to display a beautiful book cover that has caught our eye.  We can also include information, if available, about the cover illustrator, designer, and/or photographer.

Any blogger wishing to participate can just write their own post, grab my button (or create your own), and link up in the Linky widget at the bottom of the post.  (Be sure to click on "Read more" first, so that the entire post will open up.)

Here's my choice for this week!

The Cry of the Icemark

(The Icemark Chronicles #1)

Stuart Hill

Hardcover, 472 pages

The Chicken House/Scholastic, Inc.

April 1, 2005

Genre: YA Fantasy

INNOVATIVE ONLINE BOOK TOURS: Interview with Mary Hart Perry, author of The Wild Princess

Welcome to this tour stop

to promote

The Wild Princess,

sponsored by

Innovative Online Book Tours!

Mary Hart Perry

Please join me in welcoming author Mary Hart Perry to A Night's Dream of Books!   Her new novel, The Wild Princess, promises to be a fascinating historical read--one that I'm really looking forward to immersing myself in!

Thank you Maria, for inviting me to visit your beautiful blog.

You're very welcome, and thanks for your compliment.  Now on to the interview!

1.      What is your background as a writer?

 

I didn't start out wanting to write fiction. But I loved reading and decided to try my hand at writing short stories for children. It was harder than I thought, but I was hooked. Story telling is addictive. I kept at it for 12 years before my first novel was published. I've written for children, teens and adults and have had over 40 novels published under various pen names, including Kathryn Johnson, Kathryn Jensen, K.M. Kimball, and Nicole Davidson.