Showing posts with label not a writer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label not a writer. Show all posts

Jane Austen Giveaway Hop

Thursday, October 18, 2012


Welcome to another awesome giveaway hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, and vvb32reads.


This month has been the month of giveaways on my blog, so don't miss out because I plan on taking a break from them during November and December. There are only two more left for this month so stay tuned!


As I wrote Fateful, I felt like my vampire would be somewhat like Mr. Darcy plucked from the past and dropped into our modern day.  The charming hero would probably be considered a bit cheesy in our time, but to me, that would simply make him more interesting. This reviewer, The Library Mouse, really caught onto what I was trying to accomplish with these characters. I absolutely love her review and must share it with you...Thanks again Library Mouse!

"The Fateful series was what I can only describe as a beautifully sweet vampire tale narrated using the style of Jane Austen.

Set in the present day, Danielle isn't your usual main female character. She's not a tomboy trying to act tough, she's not an antisocial creature because she's peculiar in some unexpected way and she hasn't got a personality that sets her apart from the usual crowd. Danielle is a regular girly girl. She doesn't do blood, gore, violence, injuries or dead bodies (undead or otherwise). It almost felt like she had been literature-transplanted out of a Jane Auste novel and into modern day time with a couple of upgrades. With a penchant for wearing skirts and dresses, a fondness for pastel colours and a rather strong artistic streak for painting scenery; Danielle was a typical girl and not what most recent heroines are like. Her parents were so concerned with her fragility and female defenselessness that they insisted she have karate lessons, to the extent that when we meet her she is a lethal-when-necessary black belt. The good this will do her, in the paranormal world she is rudely awakened to, I'm not sure of.

The combination of strength and weakness in this character was complex and forever changing depending on the perceived angle, forcing me to stop and reflect several times. The fact that she was able to defend herself in our reality, but that when put into the context of a paranormal one she was weak and harmless made her all the more real to me.

Through all her trials, adventures, fortunes and misfortunes, unlike most characters who adapt quickly to the knew knowledge, Danielle remained faithful to her beliefs, ideals and female squirmishness.
From what would appear a very simple and easy to understand character, I would not have expected the depth and incredible number of facets that I found. Danielle's simplicity was endearing and eye opening, making me dwell and appreciate aspects of a paranormal romance and situations I had not previously considered.

Ofcourse this series would not be complete unless our Austen-like fan, found her corresponding Mr Darcy.

Ethan was a worthy Mr Darcy alter-ego for this paranormal romance. Forever a gentleman despite the course of centuries having passed him by, he held fast to his upbringing, ideals and traditions. The only modern thing about him were his clothes (which he had no choice in unless he wanted to arouse suspicion and generate medical mental health interest) and his love for his  cars. I found his jealous and slightly possessive streak surprisingly sweet and funny, considering he had nothing to fear as Danielle had eyes for no other.
He was a Mr Darcy attempting to adapt to the current century whilst desperately trying to cling to his ways of life, and I loved every second I read of it. He was a night in regular clothing but who knew how to wield a sword, treat a girl like a lady and get any parents' blessing. What can I say, he was without a doubt too good to be true.
True to his century he was looking for someone special, a girl and not a tomboy; someone to whom he'd be willing to give the world and his life.

Unlike most romances, Ethan and Danielle didn't fight what they felt for each other. They knew it to be true and real, which is all that mattered to them. What they did have to fight was everyone else, to preserve what they had and their future.


Cheri Schmidt narrated their sweetly moving story, that revealed itself to be more than I expected. Confronting present day issues and morals, the more I read the more I enjoyed it.

I particularly appreciated Cheri Schmidt's ability to describe beautifully romantic scenes that made me feel at peace whilst sitting alongside the characters.

Everything about this series screamed Jane Austen, from the setting, the manner of speaking, down to the behavioural quirks. Being an admirer of Jane Austen's work, narrative style and storyline I very much enjoyed this series. Unlike most paranormal romances which are described as forever but feel more like an immediate lightning passion, The Fateful series spoke of a steady strong burn that would last forever where it counts the most: heart and mind.

The Fateful series was a sweet and tender paranormal romance that I would recommend to anyone in search for a tale of modern nights in shining armour with a hint of magic."


Synopsis for Fateful:
A huge fan of Jane Austen, Danielle hopes to find her own Mr. Darcy when she leaves Colorado to attend art school in London. Of course she knows it's silly to wish for that, naive even. But she's met enough males who lacked respect for women, a growing trend it seemed. And at nineteen...well.... However, on only her second night there she gets lost and is threatened by a stalker who proves to be immune to her martial arts training. Before she is completely overpowered, she is then saved by Ethan Deveroux.

While Danielle does find the romance she seeks in Ethan, he's no Mr. Darcy. Her hero is held by a spell which fractures their chance at a happy ending. During the day Ethan is closer to mortal than immortal and can date her like any other man. Yet, as the sun sets, the powerful magic of an ancient curse returns and the evil of that spell is revealed. When that magic begins, Danielle's fairytale romance ends because Ethan Deveroux is a vampire.

...Note: This series is not suitable for anyone who doesn't like glittering fairies, vicious pixies, hot vampires, the dashing Mr. Darcy, arachnids, or large amounts of snogging...

If you've already read and loved The Fateful Trilogy, then enter the giveaway only for my readers that is posted on my Fateful Facebook fan page and win a signed copy!!!

And now for the giveaway!!!


The Prize:
The Nook, or Kobo, or Kindle eBook copy of either Fateful, Fractured, or Forever. (You must have an account with either Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or Amazon to accept this prize. USA only UNLESS you have an account with those US sites, then you may enter. Kobo can go to Canadian or US readers.)

To Enter:
(This giveaway just closed. Thanks to all who entered. I'll contact the winner soon!)
Simply follow my blog via GFC or email subscription and fill out the form below so I know who to contact if you win.

Gratitude Giveaway Hop ~ Win Danielle's Pearl Necklace

Saturday, November 19, 2011


Here is another giveaway hop for you hosted by the delightful I Am A reader, Not A Writer and All-Consuming Books. This giveaway runs from November 17th to the 27th. Winners will be chosen on the 28th. Good luck!!!

I'm grateful to all of my loyal readers who read and liked Fateful, and took the time out of your busy schedules to tell me how much you liked it, and posted good reviews for me. Nothing motivates me more to keep writing more than getting a good review! To thank you for your kind words, here is what I'm giving away...

The prizes:
~The grand prize is a copy of Danielle's pearl necklace as mentioned in Fateful, book 1 in the Fateful Trilogy. This necklace is made with white glass pearls and antique brass accents. This necklace has an extender chain on the back, but I'll customize it by making it either longer or shorter as needed. The pair of matching earrings are shown in the second photo. This set is slightly chunky, but very flattering on and it will soon go up for sale on Etsy. (If you loved Fateful, then think of this for Christmas! ;) Take a look...



~And the runner-up prize is a beaded bookmark, custom made for you in your favorite colors. There are two shown in the pictures below.



Thanks for entering!!! With more than 200 entries I think I had a great response to this giveaway. I'll notify the winner via email as soon as I choose the name.

Have you read the books yet? If not, you should so you'll know why this necklace is very significant, and so you know why more than 17 thousand copies have sold, and so you're ready for the release of Forever! I'm just saying...

Back to the Books Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, August 31, 2011



~This giveaway is now closed~

Back to the Books Giveaway Hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Buried in Books

This Giveaway Hop will run from September 1st to the 7th. Don't miss out because there are so many chances to win prizes!

What is a giveaway hop?
Simple - Each participating blog hosts a giveaway and then we link up together allowing our followers to hop easily from one giveaway to another. For followers this means lots of chances to win free books.

To win the prizes from Cheri Schmidt, here is what you need to do:

Mandatory entry: Follow my blog and mention it in the comments section of this post. Don't forget to let me know your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

For extra optional chances to win: (You may do one, some, all, or none of these...)
Become my friend or follow me on Goodreads
Like me on Facebook
Pin my book cover on Pinterest and link to either my blog or website. Or just repin this one.

Again, let me know which ones you've done in the comment's section of this post. Winners will be drawn randomly and notified via email. There will be first, second, and third place winners.

Prizes:
~A signed paperback copy of Fateful, or Fractured, or Fair Maiden. Each book comes with a handmade beaded bookmark.
~Get the e-book copy of Fractured, or Fair Maiden gifted to you from Amazon. (Since Fateful is on sale for .99 cents, I'm not including it as an option in this giveaway except for the printed copy.)
~A pretty handmade bookmark like the ones in the pictures below.




Good luck and thanks for stopping by to say hi!
Note: originally I'd said USA only. But I changed my mind. I will open-up the eBook and the bookmark to international readers as well.

What are readers saying about the Fateful Series?

This literary arts teacher reviewed both books on her blog and put them on her summer reading list for her students: "They were both phenomenal books, and the best part is there is a 3rd in the series. Woohoo! I can’t wait!"
"All I can say is I love this book! It pulled me in quickly, and I instantly fell in love with Ethan. He is one of the most likeable characters to be introduced in a long time. Dare I compare his likeability to Edward Cullen? I loved Cheri Schmidt's writing style. I finished this book in a day because I couldn't put it down, and I can't wait to start the next one." ~Christine


"I read this book front to back in one day.....I was useless to the world in all other ways but I HAD TO FINISH IT. Its a different spin on the vampire and with just enough detail to give the great visual image but with a quickly evolving plot. Not to slow....Not to fast....so you can enjoy the ride! LOVE LOVE LOVE" ~ Glo


"I usually don't take the time to write reviews (and I wouldn't consider this one a review) BUT I absolutely LOVED this book and Fractured. I couldn't put my book (kindle) down. I kept wanting to read more and more. I loved the romance in the book. I fell in love with Ethan! I loved how much of a TRUE gentleman he was!!!"
~ Anonymous