Release Day Blitz- THE MA OR THE MONSTER by @aamnaqureshi_ With An Excerpt & #Giveaway! @CamCatBooks, & @RockstarBkTours

I am so excited that THE MAN OR THE MONSTER by Aamna Qureshi is available now and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for 2 finished copies of the graphic novel from Vault & Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, check out the giveaway info below.

About The Book:

Title: THE MAN OR THE MONSTER (The Marghazar Trials #2)

Author: Aamna Qureshi

Pub. Date: August 30, 2022

Publisher: CamCat Books

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 320

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Order a signed copy directly from Aamna!

She made her decision. Now she has to live with it.

Durkhanai Miangul sealed her lover’s fate when she sent him through a door where either a lady or a lion awaited him. But her decision was only the beginning of her troubles. Durkhanai worries that she might not be the queen her people need or deserve when conflict threatens her kingdom.

Her presumed-dead father comes back with a vengeance and wishes she join him in his cause. But her family’s denial of his revenge forces Durkhanai to take matters into her own hands and she must decide whether to follow the traditions of her forefathers or forge a new path on her own.

Buy Book 1, THE LADY OR THE LION now!

 

Excerpt:

Weeks passed. No one came to visit her, and she stopped waiting. As the weather around her chilled, she felt her heart frosting over. Faintly, she felt she had rid her system of him. Perhaps she would never feel a thing again.

But then, he came to her, while she was curled up in bed, crying.

She didn’t know how he came to be there, just that one moment she was pushing tears back into her eyes, and the next there was a body beside hers. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know that it was him.

“Come, sit up,” he coaxed, and she did as she was told. He knead-

ed the tension from her shoulders with the hard curves of his palms.

“What worries you?” he asked. She sighed in response.

“I can’t bear it anymore.”

“You can,” he told her. “And you will.”

She turned to look at him and instantly fell into a hug against his chest. She was safe.

They stayed like that for some time. She strained her ear in search of his heartbeat. But he was calm. Sure. Solid.

She pulled back, looked up at him. Gently, his fingers cupped her face like wine—he tipped her chin forward to drink, but paused at the last whisper before skin met skin.

He waited.

And so, soft as sin, she pressed her warm lips against his. He tasted like a thousand stars bursting in her mouth. His fingers murmured across her skin, cold as ice, but everywhere he touched her felt like fire.

She kissed his cold cheek. He tasted like winter: pine-needle and frost, everything that freezes your nose but warms your soul. She was inexplicably warm and closed her eyes in comfort.

Instinctively, she reached for his lips once more—only to find they were not there. He was gone.

 

 

When she awoke from the dream, she felt unaligned. As though her

soul had been roughly shoved back into her body. She was paralyzed, as she was when she awoke from nightmares, her body frozen with fear—yet this was the opposite, for when she awoke, her reality was the nightmare.

Slowly, the ice burned away. The pain was sudden and swift, knocking the breath from her lungs. Durkhanai began to cry. She loved him. The realization struck her.

She loved him.

And there was nothing to be done.

 

About Aamna Qureshi:

Aamna Qureshi is a Pakistani, Muslim American who adores words. She grew up in a very loud household, surrounded by English (for school), Urdu (for conversation), and Punjabi (for emotion). Through her writing, she wishes to inspire a love for the beautiful country and rich culture that informed much of her identity. When she's not writing, she loves to travel to new places where she can explore different cultures or to Pakistan where she can revitalize her roots. She also loves baking complicated desserts, drinking fancy teas and coffees, watching sappy rom-coms, and going for walks about the estate (her backyard). She currently lives in New York. Look for her on IG @aamna_qureshi and Twitter @aamnaqureshi_ and at her website aamnaqureshi.com. 

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE MAN OR THE MONSTER, US Only.

Ends September 20^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour- WRASSLE CASTLE BOOK 3: PUT A LYD ON IT! by @PaulTobin, @ColleenCoover & @Knightofpaper With A Guest Post & A #Giveaway! @readwonderbound, @thevaultcomics, & @RockstarBkTours

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the WRASSLE CASTLE BOOK 3: PUT A LYD ON IT! by Paul Tobin, Colleen Coover, & Galaad Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: WRASSLE CASTLE BOOK 3: PUT A LYD ON IT!

Author: Paul Tobin, Colleen Coover, Rebecca Horner (Colorist), Galaad (Illustrator), AndWorld Design

Pub. Date: September 6, 2022

Publisher: Wonderbound

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 96

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

It’s the end! And it’s time for Lydia to step into the ring for a slam-to-the-mat finish … something that she has trained for her entire life. For fans of The Nameless City, Lumberjanes, and She-Ra!

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN IS HERE! IT’S THE CHAMPIONSHIP: FOR FREEDOM (HER BROTHER’S) and GLORY (HER OWN)!

Lydia Riverthane readies herself for the finals of the Wrassle Castle tournament, hoping to win her brother’s freedom and get back his good name. But Lydia and her diverse group of friends, Chelsea, Nyle, and Dee, discover that the plot against the Riverthane family goes deeper than any of them thought. Lydia will have to dig deep and unlock the secrets behind her own wrassling if she wants to have any hope of saving her home and family.   

Book 3 of the three-book original graphic novel series.

"A rock 'em sock 'em hum-dandy knock-out of a graphic novel!" 
Shannon Watters, Co-Creator of "Lumberjanes"

Buy the first 2 books in the WRASSLE CASTLE series now!

 

What are some of your favorite video games? Table top games?

Paul: I play a fair amount of video games! Great way to delve into stories and relax at the same time. Let’s see…Skyrim. Borderlands. Katamari Damacy. Plants vs. Zombies (the original, for mental downtime while writing) Witcher. I liked Mass Effect, although I’m part of the “what the ding-dang was that ENDING?” crowd. I’ve spent an “I-won’t-admit-how-much” amount of time playing No Man’s Sky, tooling around in my spaceship and finding new planets to explore. I’ve been lucking enough to do a substantial amount of comic writing for two of these projects, and will likely soon be starting a third one.

Colleen: The Disgea series are pretty much my ideal videogames—I love turn-based strategy battles, and the stories are sassy and delightful. I also love that you can pretty much power up in Disgea FOREVER, which means unlimited play value (it’s not replay value if you never ever stop!)

 

What are some of your favorite television shows and movies?

Paul: Right now, I’d say What We Do In The Shadows, and Only Murders In The Building. Letterkenny. All Of Us Are Dead. I loved The Wire. I still have fondness for some staples of my youth, like Monty Python, Benny Hill, and The Goodies. For movies, the ones that come to mind are My Neighbor Totoro, Iron Giant, pretty much anything by Wes Anderson, Booksmart, Oh Brother Where Art Thou?, Old Boy, Knives Out, tons of others that I’ll regret not remembering as I answer this question. I’d love to enjoy more horror films, but find most of them to be pretty lacking. The last one I enjoyed was Na Hong-Jin’s “The Wailing.”

Colleen: Most of my visual media entertainment consists of history, knitting and sewing YouTubes these days! Dr. Octavia Cox does amazing deep dives into Jane Austin and other English literature. I like Bernadette Banner and Morgan Donner for history-themed sewing, and I enjoy Roxanne Richardson for knitting history and techniques!

 

 

About Paul Tobin:

Paul Tobin is the New York Times best-selling author of the Plants vs. Zombies graphic novels, as well as a wide range of other titles for all ages of readers. Paul wrote extensively for Angry Birds, and for Marvel’s all-ages “Adventure” line, and teamed with artist Benjamin Dewey on the Eisner-nominated I Was The Cat graphic novel, and with his Plants vs. Zombies artist Ron Chan for their recently released Earth Boy graphic novel. Along with his wife, artist Colleen Coover, Paul is the creator of the multiple Eisner-Award-winning Bandette comics featuring the antics of the world’s best—and most charming—thief. Paul and Colleen also teamed up on their Banana Sunday graphic novel, and now as the writing team on Wrassle Castle. Paul lives in Portland, Oregon, where he feels that it rains frequently enough, but not hard enough.

 

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

About Colleen Coover:

Colleen Coover is a comic book storyteller and illustrator living in Portland, Oregon. With writer Paul Tobin, she is the co-creator of the comics Banana Sunday and Bandette. Colleen and Paul are the co-writers of Wonderbound’s new series Wrassle Castle, drawn by the artist Galaad. When she is not making comics or creating illustrations for a variety of clients, Colleen spends her time spinning yarn, knitting sweaters, and eating ice cream. She is a member of Helioscope, a collective of Portland-based creators. colleencoover.net

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

 

About Galaad:

Galaad is a French comic book artist and a former freelance illustrator, animator, concept artist, and storyboard artist for the entertainment industry – specifically for video games and animation.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive a finished copy of WRASSLE CASTLE BOOK 3: PUT A LYD ON IT!, US Only.

Ends September 20^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

8/22/2022	WOTTAREAD BOOKS BLOG	Guest Post
8/23/2022	@allyluvsbooksalatte	IG Spotlight
8/24/2022	Ya Books Central	Guest Post
8/25/2022	BookHounds YA	Guest Post/IG Post
8/26/2022	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
8/27/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt

Week Two:

8/28/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Guest Post
8/29/2022	Lisa-Queen of Random	Guest Post/IG Post
8/30/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Guest Post/IG Post
8/31/2022	hauntedbybooks	Review
9/1/2022	Little Red Reads	Review
9/2/2022	hodophile_z	IG Review
9/3/2022	Nagma | TakeALookAtMyBookshelf	IG Review

Week Three:

9/4/2022	Laurenreads._	IG Review
9/5/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
9/6/2022	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
9/7/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
9/8/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
9/9/2022	Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting	Review
9/10/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post

Week Four:

9/11/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
9/12/2022	Celia's Reads	Review/IG Post
9/13/2022	Books a Plenty Book Reviews	Review
9/14/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
9/15/2022	@jypsylynn	IG Review
9/16/2022	@enjoyingbooksagain	IG Review

Blog Tour- FLESH EATING CHEERLEADERS FROM OUTER SPACE by @WeAreDren With Excerpts & A #Giveaway! @RockstarBkTours

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the FLESH EATING CHEERLEADERS FROM OUTER SPACE by James Mascia & Felipe Obando Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: FLESH EATING CHEERLEADERS FROM OUTER SPACE #1

Author: James Mascia & Felipe Obando (Illustrator)

Pub. Date: June 22, 2022

Publisher: Dren Productions After Dark

Formats: Paperback (only available on the Dren Productions site), eBook

Pages: 29

Find it: Goodreads, Dren Productions Website, Amazon

When a meteor crashes in the middle of campus, the students at Pullman University didn't realize that they were being invaded. These space creatures are able to inhabit and take over the human body. So, what happens when a group of cheerleaders are caught in the middle? They become these flesh-eating cannibals, of course.

Soon, the problem isn't going to be the creatures, it's going to be the monsters that these cheerleaders become.

 

Excerpts:

 

About Dren Productions After Dark:

We are a publishing company, specializing in everything fantasy, sci-fi, and horror. We have books, comics and games. Something for everyone. So come on in and check all all the awesomeness!

Website | Kickstarter | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of FLESH EATING CHEERLEADERS FROM OUTER SPACE, US Only.

Ends September 6^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

8/22/2022	Bookhounds	Excerpt/IG Post
8/23/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
8/24/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Post
8/25/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt
8/26/2022	@see_sadie_read	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

8/29/2022	Wanderingwitchreads	Tik Tok Review/IG Post
8/30/2022	The Real World According to Sam	Review/IG Post
8/31/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
9/1/2022	@thebookishfoxwitch	IG Review
9/2/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review

Blog Tour- FAVORITE DAUGHTERS by @laurellit1 With A Guest Post & #Giuveaway! @brwpublisher, & @RockstarBkTours

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the FAVORITE DAUGHTERS by Laurel Osterkamp Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: FAVORITE DAUGHTERS

Author: Laurel Osterkamp

Pub. Date: August 25, 2022

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 314

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, TBD, Bookshop.org

Elyse Gibbons is out of her depth when, as an undergrad at Columbia, she's befriended by campus superstars Aubrey Adam-Drake and Marina Hunt. While Aubrey's grandfather is a former U.S. president and Marina's dad is a notorious mob lawyer, Elyse was raised in Pennsylvania by a single mother/language professor who made Elyse learn Chinese for allowance money. As her high-profile life evolves, Elyse must use the strength and perseverance she gained from her humble roots, even while joining ranks with the powerful and elite. Then, handsome and enigmatic Finn joins the three friends to form a tightly knit group of four, and life becomes even more complicated.

Years go by, Elyse is further drawn into Aubrey and Marina's world of influence and intrigue, and she will risk everything for her friends and for Finn-the love of her life. When Elyse becomes embroiled in her own political career, it's clear that one misstep can lead to earth-shattering consequences, one lie can cause devastating ruin, and to survive unscathed, betrayal is the only option.

Reviews:

2022 Maxy Awards Finalist
Firebird Book Award Winner (Women's Fiction)
Indies Today Finalist (Contemporary Fiction)

"...a riveting, moving novel, but also a rally cry for readers to find their power." -Jackie Jacobi, author of The Ravens

 

Guest Post:

My original inspiration for Favorite Daughters came from the surprising friendship between Chelsea Clinton & Ivanka Trump. But to write an entire novel, I had to find a balance between fiction and reality. Here’s a rundown of my major characters and their real-life inspirations.

Aubrey Adam Drake/Chelsea Clinton

I'm a Chelsea Clinton fan, so I wanted to make the character inspired by her, Aubrey Adam Drake, sympathetic and compelling.

While Chelsea is the daughter of an ex-President and a former Senator/Secretary of State, Aubrey's background is a bit different. Her grandfather was once President, and he's created a political dynasty, with Aubrey's mother and uncle both vying for Congress and eventually, the Presidency. Meanwhile, Aubrey's father is royalty from Liechtenstein. Aubrey faces a lot of pressure to enter politics herself, and her biggest challenge is finding a way to say no to her grandfather.

Key Quote: "What if, with all my privilege and opportunity, I was born with this obligation to do good? And if fixing the world isn't my job, then whose job is it?"

Marina Hunt/Ivanka Trump

I won't lie; I don't like Ivanka Trump. And yet, since she inspired a character in Favorite Daughters, Marina Hunt, I needed to make her three-dimensional. It was important that she came off as flawed, but also occasionally sympathetic. Like Ivanka, Marina's relationship with her father is complicated and a major factor in her life. She is used to living in the public eye, and she's good at creating an image and seeming like she has it all together. But Marina has a secret, and she's vulnerable in ways you would not expect.

Key Quote: "Did I break some unspoken sisterhood code by hooking up with him? I'm asking honestly because I don't always understand the rules that everyone else just seems to get automatically."

Finneas Beck/Jared Kushner

When I began writing Favorite Daughters, Jared Kushner was a complete enigma. He was first known as the son of a Democrat, albeit one who went to jail in connection to illegal campaign contributions. He was the handsome yet soft-looking man by Ivanka's side, whose picture was omnipresent, but who never seemed to speak in public. And he was given a ton of responsibility by Donald Trump.

Now, he's slightly less mysterious, although not by much. Finn, his alter-ego in Favorite Daughters, is also written as a mystery. He's actually the love interest of my protagonist/narrator, Elyse Gibbons, and it takes her pretty much the entire novel to figure him out.

Key Quote: "I'm no better, Elyse. I let them use me too, and I enjoyed the benefits. But you're wrong if you think Marina understands me. She's not capable of understanding anyone, not even herself. But you, you've always seen me for exactly who I am."

Elyse Gibbons/Alexandria Ocasio Cortez

The connection here is very lose. Originally, Elyse was entirely made up. It wasn't until my fourth or fifth revision that I gave her some of AOC's qualities. Mainly, I liked the idea of her magnetism, that she could project such strength and poise, and rise so quickly in the world of politics, even though she was an outsider.

Key Quote: "If you're aware of my existence, chances are you either love me or hate me. But I am here to tell you this: I am not important. I don't think politics is about individual leadership, but it should be about finding the wisdom and moral courage to do what's right."

 

Link to original post: https://laurellit.com/favorite-daughters-major-characters-their-real-life-inspirations/

 

About Laurel Osterkamp:

Laurel Osterkamp is the author of roughly a dozen novels, but she's sort of losing track. Her new novel, Favorite Daughters, will be released by Black Rose Writing in August 2022. Currently, she is on leave from teaching high English and Creative Writing. That's because she is completing her MFA in writing from Lindenwood University, polishing up one novel and finishing a second. Please visit her website/blog, https://laurellit.com/ for book recommendations, writing tips, and info about her writing. She'd also love for you to follow her on Bookbub  and/or on Facebook

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of FAVORITE DAUGHTERS, US Only.

Ends September 20^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

8/22/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Guest Post
8/23/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Spotlight
8/24/2022	BookHounds	Guest Post/IG Post
8/25/2022	Better_0ff_Read	IG Spotlight
8/26/2022	Epic Book Society	Excerpt/IG Post
8/27/2022	Writer of Wrongs	Excerpt

Week Two:

8/28/2022	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Spotlight
8/29/2022	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
8/30/2022	@jael_and_jenessa_reads	Review/IG Post
8/31/2022	@allyluvsbooksalatte	IG Spotlight
9/1/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt
9/2/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Guest Post
9/3/2022	Lisa-Queen of Random	Guest Post/IG Post

Week Three:

9/4/2022	Fire and Ice	Review/IG Post
9/5/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
9/6/2022	RavenzReviewz	Review/IG Post
9/7/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
9/8/2022	@booksrn_rashi	IG Review
9/9/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
9/10/2022	@books_carry_dreams	Review/IG Post

Week Four:

9/11/2022	@bujos_n_books	IG Review
9/12/2022	@jypsylynn	Review/IG Post
9/13/2022	Fire and Ice	Review/IG Post
9/14/2022	@jodieangell_author	Review/IG Post
9/15/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	Review/IG Post
9/16/2022	@jacleomik33	IG Review