ET BLACK FRIDAY 50% OFF SALE!!

Still yearning for an e-version of PHOENIX: THE RISING written by little ol' me? Evernight Teen is having a BLACK FRIDAY 50% off sale on all titles. There are now 18 and PHOENIX: THE RISING is their #1 BESTSELLER! Here you go!

SCAVENGER HUNT! WIN A KINDLE!!

Today kicks off Evernight Teen's Autumn Scavenger Hunt and you have a chance to win...are you ready for it???

A Kindle!

And that's not all!  Three commenters here will receive $10 Evernight gift certificates! Take a look at the books on Evernight Teen and let them know which titles you’d love to read and why. (Of course, I'm pretty partial to that hottie, Eli Sullivan, who's decorating the cover of PHOENIX: THE RISING!!)

Follow the link below to all the participating blogs, then answer the questions. The answers can be found on each author’s blog.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NWZLXTL

The question for my blog is.....

What did I "confess" on Feb. 8, 2013?

One winner will be randomly chosen from the participants who answered all questions correctly.

Other participating authors include:

Sasha Hibbs, Stephanie Lawton,
S.X. Bradley, Trakena Prevost, Diana Stager, Christine Klocek-Lim, Amaris Chapman, Melissa Frost

Want to Win a Signed Copy of Phoenix: The Rising?

Hey, all!

The Pufferbilly Days signing event was a success! I couldn't believe all the folks who showed up. I made many new friends and got to revisit some old memories with many friends I hadn't seen in over 30 years! (Yes, I am THAT old!) Take a look at the print I had signed by all those who stopped by. I'm honored to have gotten all THEIR autographs! It's decorating the side wall of this page, and will also be decorating my wall at home. I love my peeps!

In celebration, I'm going have a drawing to give away one signed copy of Phoenix: The Rising. To enter the drawing, make a comment below AND sign up as a member of this blog. If you are already a member (thank you!), then just make a comment. You will, however, need to be located in the continental U.S. to participate. **sad puppy**. (Sorry my other peeps! Shipping costs necessitate this!) Make sure you comment and sign up by 11:59 pm, Central, Saturday, September 22.

Hope to read your comments and see your beautiful faces decorating my side wall soon!

The ELI SULLIVAN EXPRESS is heading to Pufferbilly Days!

Don't you just LOVE hometown festivals?? Boone, IA, my sweet hometown nestled smack-dab in the middle of the Iowa cornfields, will host Pufferbilly Days this weekend and I'll be having my first official book signing event a the local book shop, appropriately named, The Book Shoppe (dontcha just love it?) on Sunday, Sept. 8 from 11-3!

Now, if any of you have read even a part of PHOENIX: THE RISING, you'll know what I'm talking about when I mention the ELI SULLIVAN EXPRESS in the title of this post. My hottie, Eli Sullivan, is gracing the door of the book shop and has garnered more than a few shocked/curious eyebrow quirks, swoons, and tsk-tsk-tsks by the locals, followed by loads of questions. The shopkeeper giggled as she told me of explaining that this is a gritty, upper young adult paranormal aimed at the Twilight audience, and that the cover is a picture of the Phoenix, a fallen angel (see the wings??) Well, all I can say is that the cover is doing its job by attracting attention and sales.

I'm now in pre-signing event mode, making sure I have enough copies, putting books on reserve, making bookmarks, and getting just-the-right-type of signing utensils stowed in my pack.

As far as Pufferbilly Days is concerned, I'll be heading there to visit the beer tent on Friday night, and....possibly Saturday night, maybe take in the parade, and of course, I'll visit the craft fair! I'll eat a bratwurst (or possibly two) with sauerkraut and mustard, drink overpriced Diet Coke, and visit with friends I haven't seen in years. I'll listen to the Standing Hamptons, drink beer, and laugh as the festivities are periodically accompanied by the whistle of trains as they roar through the middle of downtown Boone, always remembering that this is one reason I love being from a small town in the heart of the Midwest.

Watch out Boone, the Eli Sullivan Express is heading to Pufferbilly Days, and I'm heading HOME!!

http://www.thebookshoppe.net/ai1ec_event/bette-maybe-teen-book-signing/?instance_id=235

FIRST KISS...

FIRST KISS...

Julie held her chin high, praying that her eyes and her voice wouldn’t betray her. “I’m fine. Really.” Her voice cracked as a single tear broke through, sliding down her cheek and over her swollen, split lips.

 

Eli took a step closer and cupped her face in his hands, turning it up to meet his gaze. “No, Jules, you’re not.”

He traced the trail of the tear down her cheek. Her lips parted as his finger brushed them, and she watched in wonder as he lifted his finger, wet with her tear, to his own lips. She shook her head slowly in confirmation as more tears cascaded down her face.

 

“No. I’m not.”

 

She knew he was going to kiss her—and she wanted it to happen—more than she had wanted anything before in her life. Her breath hitched in her throat as vivid streaks of color flickered in the sapphire depths of Eli’s eyes, like tongues of fire in the night sky. She couldn’t wait any longer. Without another thought, she reached up and entwined her fingers in the back of his hair, pulling him close.

 

“Kiss me, Eli,” she pleaded breathlessly.
   

And he did.
   

Eli’s breath quickened as he lowered his lips to hers, kissing her softly—almost hesitantly—at first. Julie felt a slight sting on her tender, injured lips, and then a familiar sense of euphoria soaked in as the pain melted away and passion took its place...a passion she had never experienced before. Her mind whirled as colors flew in front of her eyes, and she felt Eli respond with the same urgency she was feeling, his kiss pulling her deeper into the maelstrom of lights that now blinded her. Too soon, the colors swirled into a spiral of white light, reduced to a pinpoint, and then disappeared from Julie’s vision...

PHOENIX: THE RISING $0.99 on kindle for one week only... paperback on sale for $12.98.

START YOUR ENGINES!!!

Get those KINDLES fired up folks! PHOENIX: THE RISING (by little ol' ME) and all other Evernight Teen titles: Shrapnel by Stephanie Lawton, Disintegrate by Christine Klocek-Lim, Unraveled by S.X. Bradley, Blood Hex by Erin Butler, Slayer for Hire by P.E. Cunningham, and Elysium by Sylah Sloan are on sale for $0.99 (NINETY-NINE CENTS!!) for one week only! Don't have a Kindle?? You can get a free app for just about any computer, tablet, smartphone or Kindle Cloud Reader here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=sa_menu_karl?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

Annnnd, since you're here, why not become a member? I'd love to have you!

Bette

Guy Writing...

I've found that I LOVE writing from the male point of view. After cutting my teeth on Eli in PHOENIX: THE RISING, Collin Jamison, the hot Manhattan executive who has found his way to the quaint Midwestern town of Boone, Iowa, is coming alive in book two of THE TIP TOP CAFE: FOUR SISTERS series, I'LL TAKE MANHATTAN. Here's a snippet from Collin's point of view. Enjoy!
  

Collin watched from a shadowed spot by the cart shed as Jeannie left the country club. He thought maybe she had called a cab, but when she took off walking down the street, he knew she wasn’t thinking straight. He gave her a few minutes, and as soon as he saw her stumble and kick her shoe to the side of the road, he took off.  She was bawling so hard by the time he came up behind her that she didn’t even notice.

“Need a ride, stranger?” She glanced at him, but didn’t break her wobbly stride.

“Go AWAY!!” The words strangled in her throat.

Collin rolled along silently beside her. There was no way he was abandoning her. He had the full scoop on the suit now. Ross Williams. Former classmate. Banker.  The man who held the purse strings of this woman’s life. The man who could make her or break her, and he knew it. That gave him leverage. She was a sitting duck, and from the look of it, he just broke her.

Jeannie suddenly stopped walking and moaned. “Okay.” She limped over to the Harley, hiked her dress up and climbed on behind him. He took off without a word. As soon as he hit Highway 30 and opened the throttle, Jeannie wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into him, resting her dampened cheek on his back. He knew he’d just rescued her from something, but he didn’t know quite what.

After a few minutes, her hands slid from his waist to his chest and she clung to him.  He knew she was upset, but the feel of her body pressed up against him, her breasts warm against his back, her long, naked legs straddling his thighs, was just about more than he could take, and he felt guilty for taking any pleasure from it. Still, even guilt couldn’t make this feeling go away.

Collin slowed as he descended the hill that led to her house.  In some silly, selfish way he didn’t want the ride to end. She was totally dependent on him right now. He felt--foolishly and a bit self-righteously--like the proverbial knight in shining armor rescuing the damsel in distress, and damn, it felt good. At the same time, he was madder than hell that a man could have this effect on her, that another man could have this much control over her life.

Collin pulled to a stop beside the garage in his usual parking spot on the crushed, white, limestone. Before he could even turn off the engine, Jeannie swung her leg over the seat and dismounted without a word. The feel of her hands, her legs, her body, separating from him left him cold and empty. The last fifteen minutes he had felt more needed than any other time of his life, and now he just felt … alone.

ET Summer Kick-Off Blog Hop!

Yowzers! What better way to start the summer than with a BLOG HOP featuring the crazy awesome Evernight Teen authors (including YOURS TRULY) and other amazing YA bloggers. Not only will you be introduced to some fantastic YA authors and their newest releases, but you'll also be in the running for some great prizes, including an e-copy of all our great books (including one of my very own PHOENIX: THE RISING), a $10 amazon gift card, and a brand-spanking-new Kindle Paperwhite offered by Evernight Teen.

And now, for your reading pleasure (and a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift-card from me and the Kindle Paperwhite from ET)...simply leave a comment with your email address after this excerpt (and I'd especially LOVE it if you'd become a member of this blog!):

***

 

Julie pushed the door open and walked inside. Eli lay silently on the hospital bed, staring at the same game on TV that Simon was watching in the waiting room. He still sported a neck brace, and he looked incredibly uncomfortable. Julie walked by his bed and sat on an orange, vinyl-upholstered chair in the corner of the room. Eli looked over at her and raised his eyebrows. Her heart flipped in her chest. Even in a hospital gown and a neck brace, he was still the hottest guy Julie had ever seen.

           “That was probably the worst three dollars I ever spent. I hardly got to see any of the game at all.”

“You mean you didn’t buy an activity pass?”

Julie shook her head and leaned back in her seat, trying to appear relaxed. “I hadn’t planned on attending any games. I’m not normally a sports fan.”

“Wow, then I feel pretty honored that you came to see me.”

Julie smiled. “You should be.”

Eli started to smile, and then winced, obviously in pain.

Julie hopped off the chair and ran to his side, clutching his hand in hers. A jolt of electricity raced up her arm. She was so glad to feel it, but it immediately began to wreak its normal havoc on her.

“Are you okay?” She was now breathing too hard, and those familiar spots of color were beginning to cloud her vision.

“I’m gonna be okay, Julie, but you look like you’re about to pass out. You better sit.”

Julie nodded. She did feel like she was going to pass out. She took a step away from the bed, intent on heading back to the ugly orange chair in the corner, but Eli still had hold of her hand, and pulled her back.

“Sit here, on my bed.”

Julie had no time to protest. She knew if she didn’t sit, she’d end up on the floor. She sat, pulled her hands out of Eli’s, closed her eyes, and breathed deeply, trying to gain control of herself.  By the second breath, she was feeling a bit better. She opened her eyes to a smirking Eli Sullivan.

“What?” she snapped. His smirk immediately softened into a concerned smile.

“I’m sorry my touch has this ... effect on you. It doesn’t seem to affect anybody else quite like this.”

“Besa Soobedda.”

Liana stood in the doorway. She whispered the words again and nodded towards Julie. The foreign words meant nothing to Julie, but she could see Eli understood them. His brow furrowed.

“No, Liana. It’s too late.”

Liana backed out of the doorway and disappeared down the hall. Julie looked at Eli suspiciously.

“What did she say?”

Eli crossed his arms across his chest and stared at the ceiling. “Nothing you need to be concerned with.”

“It must be something important if you said it was too late. Too late for what?”

Eli started to shake his head, but stopped with a groan and a gasp of pain. “Ah, cripes, Julie. It’s nothing. She’s just a meddling old woman who needs to mind her own business.” Julie was about to push for an answer again when Eli closed his eyes and grimaced. Droplets of sweat spotted his forehead and upper lip.

Julie slid off the bed and grabbed a washcloth. She held it under a stream of cold water, rung it out, and laid it across Eli’s forehead.

“Is it bad?” she whispered.

Eli bit his lower lip. “It’ll pass. It always does.”

Julie sat helplessly by Eli’s side and watched as Eli fought silently against the pain that wracked his body ... the healing pain of immortality. It was mind-boggling. Eli should be dead, or at the very least, paralyzed from his injury, and here he was, on his way to being completely healed. Julie wondered how many times he’d already gone through this. Had he ever actually experienced death?

The grimace on Eli’s face relaxed bit by bit as his breathing slowed. He was asleep. The worst of it must be over. Julie slid softly off the bed, careful not to disturb him, and curled up in the orange chair. She stared at Eli ... at the steady rising and falling of his chest. He just cheated death. Death. It was something she’d spent most of the last five years thinking about. But it was her own death she contemplated. The thought of someone else dying, someone she ... cared about, frightened her, more than the reality of her own death ever could. Her death was inevitable. It was just a matter of time.

 

***

 

 REMEMBER TO POST A COMMENT WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card! (Don't forget to sign up as a member of this blog, pretty please!)

 

For a chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite, just participate in the blog hop! Each time you participate, your name goes into the drawing, so the more you hop, the more chances you have of winning! Also, don't forget to visit the other blogs for a chance at some other great prizes. Thanks for stopping by!

 

And now for the blog-roll! 

1. Christine Klocek-Lim	2. The Cinderella Diaries	3. Sasha Hibbs
4. Susan X Bradley	5. Diana Stager	6. Love, Laughter, Friendship
7. Larissa's World	8. Reader Girls	9. Kristin @ Young Adult Book Havem
10. Amy's Book Den	11. Buffy's Ramblings	12. Flirty and Dirty Book Blog
13. Unputdownable Books	14. The Hope Chest Reviews	15. Addicted To Novels
16. Book Labyrinth	17. Book Angel Booktopia (Int)	18. Erin Butler
19. Stephanie Lawton	20. Author Rebecca Hart	21. The Book Faerie

Going Public!! Confessions of a Pastor's Wife...

I finally got my nerve up and contacted a few newspapers in the area to promote Phoenix: The Rising and let the locals know that there's an author amongst them. Now, I realize that most people would be shouting it from rooftops, but not me. I didn't know how the town would take to a local pastor's wife writing romance...but, they seem to be okay with it! So, here's the article...

http://tricountytimes.com/news/slater-author-has-first-book-published.html

Slater author has first book published

Buy Photo

Bette Maybee of Slater had her first book, “Phoenix: The Rising,” published Jan. 10. She said the book is “purely for entertainment” and targeted for young adult readers. Photo by Whitney Sager

1

By Whitney Sager

Shortly after being published, this Slater author’s book has received 5-star ratings and already has a sequel in the works.
Bette Maybee of Slater recently penned her first published book, “Phoenix: The Rising.” The young adult novel is a fictional tale of the rebirth of the Phoenix in Mono Lake, California, and the Nephalims’ attempts to prevent the Phoenix’s rebirth in order to claim immortality. As part of their attempts to identify the Phoenix, the Nephalim seek any 17-year-old with green eyes and red hair, including Julie Mason, with the intent to kill them. Spun in with the Nephalims’ hunt is a romance story between Mason and Eli Sullivan, the Phoenix.
When Maybee finished the book last year, she submitted it directly to several publishers to see if any would publish it. Her book was chosen as the launching title for Evernight Teen, a publishing company who was looking to begin their line of teen books. “Phoenix: The Rising” was published Jan. 10 and has since become the top-selling book on Evernight Teen’s website.
“It’s an honor for me,” Maybee said of her book being chosen as the launching title.
During the approximately eight months Maybee spent writing the book, she said she most enjoyed developing the characters who make up the story. One character, Lucy, is added toward the middle of the story line. Maybee hinted that Lucy struggles with an internal conflict, but only those who read the novel will find out what the struggle entails.
“It’s exciting because the audience may hate her, but end up loving her,” Maybee said.
While some authors make an outline for a story they are writing and stick to it throughout the writing process, Maybee takes a different approach. She knew how she wanted the story to end and had some ideas for what should happen to get to the ending point, but she did not follow her original outline. Letting the characters and their dialogue guide her through the writing process made it that much more fun.
“I knew where I wanted to go, but the road there is not always straight,” Maybee said.
Fans of the “Twilight” series will enjoy this book, Maybee said, because of its paranormal qualities and romantic story-line. Maybee also added a few “Stephen King-worthy scenes” that she says make the novel that much more intriguing. Many who have read the book and left comments on various sites where the book is sold have said they hope there is a sequel. Maybee said she is trying to decide whether or not she should focus on writing the sequel, or continue work on the second of her “The Tip Top Cafe” romance series.
“The Tip Top Cafe” was the first book she wrote and is currently in submission. She plans on writing four books in the series, which will evolve around events from her childhood. While based off her childhood, the series will be fictionalized and not an autobiography.
She got the inspiration to write her first book while reading the Twilight series with her daughter four years ago. Maybee came to the part in the series where first loves were being discussed, and it reminded her of a letter she received from her first love. She dug the 33-year-old letter out of the drawer where she keeps it and let her daughter read it so she could experience what a first love was like. After reading the letter, Maybee’s daughter encouraged her to write a story about it.
“I got that inspiration from her and realized what I had been missing,” Maybee said of the push to get her writing.
Maybee has always enjoyed writing and the language arts. She served as a language arts and creative writing teacher before taking on her current role as Assistant to the Chair of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Iowa State University. She now spends evenings and weekends writing and blogging from her home in Slater, where she lives with her husband, Tim, and one of their three children.
“Phoenix: The Rising” is available in either paperback or electronic formats on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, EvernightTeen.com, and other major distributor sites.

DISINTEGRATE Cover Reveal!!

Coming April 19, 2013!

• Young Adult, Paranormal, Suspense
• Word Count: 51,000
• Published By: Evernight Teen

Description:
Emily just wanted a normal life: a boyfriend, college, two parents who loved her. Instead, her dad disappeared when she was fourteen and her life at college is anything but ordinary.
When you can manipulate matter like putty and you have no idea why, how do you pretend to be like everyone else? What happens when you meet a guy who has the same powers? Do you trust him to help you find the answers you need?
Emily desperately wants to believe that Jax can help, but the stakes grow higher than she’d ever expected: someone is after them and they’re not afraid to use violence to get what they want.

Page Flipperz Ya: Phoenix- The Rising - Book Review - Author Intervi...

Page Flipperz Ya: Phoenix- The Rising - Book Review - Author Intervi...:   Id like to introduce everyone to meet Author Bette Maybee. I had the pleasure of Reading her Debut Ya Novel Phoenix- The Rising and h...

Celebrate St. Paddy's Day with a GREAT READ!

 

Not only is the kindle version of PHOENIX: THE RISING still on sale for 99 cents on amazon.com, but ALL the books from my awesome publishing sisters are 50% off on Evernight Teen! This includes all e-book versions available on Evernight Teen, which MEANS, if you have an e-reader that's not a kindle, you can finally get PHOENIX: THE RISING for your device at the bargain price of less than $3.00!!  Just click on the banner to take advantage of this one day sale!

HAPPY ST. PADDY'S DAY!

Ooo...shiny!! BLOOD HEX Cover Reveal!!

Two girls. Four centuries. One curse.

Isabella started it--all because a boy fell in love with her--but it ends with Sarah.

They meet in secret, Isabella and Thomas, during the witching hours while the rest of the villagers hide behind locked doors. And even though she's scared, she wants Thomas more. He'll protect her from the night, from his father who'll decide her future, from the paranoia-fueled hunting parties taking away innocents.

Centuries later, seventeen-year old Sarah runs away to an aunt she never knew she had. Her dad? Dead. Her mother? A liar. All she wants is memories of a father she never got--memories her mom refused to give her--memories she is determined to get from her aunt, her father's journal, and a town full of crazies.

What she discovers is her father's death isn't as innocent as everybody claims, and everyone--the Wiccans, the townies, even her quasi-boyfriend--all seem to be hiding something. The secret the history-rich town lives to keep entangles Sarah into a centuries old witch curse.
 
BLOOD HEX by the fabulous Erin Butler is set to be released in early April with Evernight Teen. Isn't this cover fantastic??

And NOW, an excerpt for your enjoyment...

I took it all in. Giant banners announced “Adams Colonization”, eerie witch posters and mannequins with stringy green hair and large, red eyeballs stared back. The guards along the stage dressed in old brown suits and hats I guessed were supposed to be replicas of what the first settlers wore. The costumes reminded me of pilgrims. They stood at attention, faces impassible as they monitored the crowd. The picture sank into my brain, this parallel reality where past met present in a jumbled mesh.

Drake leaned into me again. “Sorry. I should have told you.”

No wonder why she said she was too busy to hang out with me. I snuck forward a little, caught up in the surprise appearance of Rose. The arm that had been touching Drake instantly chilled. He was so nice. And cute. But the reason why I came here was up on that stage.

Rose’s voice rang out, low and seductive. “On this day in 1610, our ancestors inhabited a foreign land. Today, we call that piece of land Adams, Virginia.” Scattered applause swelled through the park. “Our ancestors brought with them superstition…and fear from England. Men and women, children—all terrified of one thing.” Rose's hypnotic voice was mesmerizing and I leaned forward even more. “Witches.” The stare of an old, wise woman lingered over everybody and when her eyes met mine, a pool of black reflected the licking orange flames.

“They fled here, terrified of the supernatural. They hoped to start a new life. One without the constant paranoia. They failed. Our ancestors lived in complete, maddening, unrelenting fear their entire lives. Are we like them?” Audible no's and descending grunts rose from the crowd. “No. We're not.” Her voice pitched higher, and louder. “Today, we embrace our history. Today, we stare the supernatural in the face and laugh at it.” Loud cheers erupted from every corner of the park and Rose shouted over them, “Today, we celebrate!”

Rose motioned to the side of the reaching flames. Two men in the ugly brown trousers and jackets nodded. “During this opening ceremony, we will conquer fear as they did back in the old days.” The men pulled at ropes, hoisting a cross into the air. Mounted to the cross beam was the body of a woman, her mouth agape in horror.

I drew in a sharp breath. I felt Drake move next to me so I turned my gaze on him. A sly smile graced his face. He put his arm around me, pulling me closer. “Are you scared?” he whispered.

I couldn't speak. These people were freakin' crazy. My eyes darted through the crowd, looking for a policeman—somebody—who might stop this.

“Don't worry. We always do this on opening night,” Drake said, pulling me even closer, rubbing my shoulder with his hand.

I wanted to scream at him to do something, to help the poor woman. He only sat smiling, eyes bright with anticipation. I knocked his hand off me and pulled away, but before I could wiggle free of Drake's arms and run to the fire pit, the cotton clothes the woman wore caught fire from the reaching flames underneath. My breath clogged my throat. I didn't know whether to scream first, or cry.

The flames spread fast. The waistline already edged with black char before the fire incinerated it. Dark gray smoke furled over the helpless woman and puffed up toward the blood red sky.

A bit about the author...
Erin Butler lives in upstate New York where winter is her arch nemesis. She prefers to spend her time indoors reading and writing, but ventures out for chocolate, sunshine, and to perform her librarian duties at a local library. She lives with her very understanding husband, a stepson, and doggie BFF, Maxie. Erin’s dreams of becoming an author started in Kindergarten when she wrote her first story about witches, the eloquently titled, six-sentence page-turner, “The Three Witches”. Now, she likes to write longer works for teens in many different genres. 
 Here are a few links to Goodreads and Erin's website:http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17335703-blood-hex
www.erinbutlerbooks.com

PHOENIX: THE RISING .99 STARTING 3-13!!

Fantastic News!! PHOENIX: THE RISING (Kindle edition) will be on sale for $0.99 (YES, NINETY-NINE CENTS!!) for ONE WEEK starting tomorrow, March 13! This is NOT about making money (as I won't be making any on this sale!), but it's about getting my book into the hands of readers and building a following! You can help make this happen. Buy one when it goes on sale. Buy one and gift it to a friend to spread the word, SHARE THIS POST ON YOUR FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and tell your friends and co-workers. This is the chance of a lifetime for me, but it will only be successful with your help! Read the reviews on Amazon to see what readers think so far! Watch the ranking rise on the Amazon page along with me! THANK YOU!!! 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-The-Rising-ebook/dp/B00AZQ80II/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363135860&sr=8-1&keywords=bette+maybee

Can you say, VALENTINE'S BLOG HOP??

The first ever Evernight Teen Valentine's Blog Hop is here!! Join in the fun for your chance to win some fantastic prizes from Evernight Teen and Evernight Teen's fabulous authors, including YOURS TRULY from February 14 through February 17!

It's easy! My challenge is for you to read the excerpt below and answer the question that follows in the comment section. You also need to leave your email address so I can email your fantastic prize, which is....DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!....a digital copy of PHOENIX: THE RISING. That's all you have to do, but I will also love you forever if you'd "share" this post on your Facebook or Twitter account, AND, when you find yourself on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, please "LIKE" PHOENIX: THE RISING (we authors COVET "likes" and "shares"!) Once you're done with my challenge, click on the linkies for the other authors and Evernight Teen to see what glorious challenges they have in store for you! And now, for the excerpt and challenge question:

EXCERPT:

Allison was just beginning to nod off when she heard two car doors slam. She swung her feet off the Natuzzi and scanned the room. TV—off . Cushions—straight . Dirty glasses—in the dishwasher . Just as the front door opened, she yanked her almost-forgotten ear buds out, cutting off Katy Perry in mid-chorus, and stuffed both the buds and her iPod in the pocket of her running shorts.

Allison pasted on a smile as first Mrs. Paulsen—and then Mr. Paulsen—entered the room. Mrs. Paulsen, a slightly overweight, frump of a woman who looked closer to fifty than her actual age of thirty-four, smiled sweetly with her too-red lips and cocked her head to the side as she patted Allison’s arm.

“How’d things go tonight, dear? Did the boys give you any trouble?”

Allison raised her eyebrows and lied through her newly braceless teeth. “It went really well. The boys had a good time.”

Mr. Paulsen pulled out a money clip and sauntered over to Allison as his wife went upstairs to check on the boys. He was obviously on the far side of forty, but tried to dress the part of a younger man in low-riders and a striped tee pulled dangerously thin across his bulging mid-section.

“Are you sure you don’t want a ride home?” Mr. Paulsen handed her a twenty-dollar bill, warm and limp from the ride in his front pocket. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to my favorite babysitter.” Paulsen’s eyes shifted from Allison’s face down to her chest, where they stayed for several uncomfortable seconds before moving back up.

Allison felt the hot rush of blood to her face as she folded the bill and stuck it in her pocket. She wiped her hands down the front of her shorts. It didn't help. “No thanks, Mr. P. I’m training for cross country. Besides, my parents are fine with it.”

Paulsen thought for a moment then traced his tongue between the seam of his lips. “All right, but if you change your mind, just call. I can be there in a flash.”

Forcing a smile, she pulled open the front door and sprinted away, trying to gain as much distance in the shortest amount of time possible between herself and the ogling pervert.

Allison fell into her pace, running parallel with the broken yellow line down the middle of the road that led to her father’s small sheep ranch located just two miles outside of Palisades. Cars rarely frequented this lonely stretch of road, so it was quite a surprise when she saw the dim glare of headlights headed her way.

The car, which was coming at a good clip towards her, slowed as the headlights illuminated Allison’s moving form. Her heart skipped a few uncertain beats, and she instinctively moved to the side of the road. A rush of adrenalin kicked in and her pace quickened. As the car passed, a hand shot out the driver’s side window and waved.  “Hey, Chica!” 

Allison breathed a sigh of relief and smiled to herself as she waved back. She recognized the voice as one belonging to a Paiute boy from her History class, but she couldn’t recall his name. 

Allison returned to the middle of the road and settled into her pace once again. She removed a band from her wrist, gathered her curly auburn hair and secured it into a high ponytail, never breaking stride. About a half mile up the road, she saw the lights of her house and decided to sprint. As she kicked it in gear, the roar of a racing engine came up behind her. She turned to see headlights bearing down on her. Too late.

The crack of bone and snap of ligaments registered in Allison’s brain at the same time her face slammed onto the hood of the car. It was at that moment she realized she had been hit, and she wondered why it didn’t hurt. A microsecond later, she was airborne, catapulting off the hood when the driver hit the brakes. 

I’m Superman!  Clark’s words echoed in her head as she flew through the air. She could see her legs extending outwards, following her in flight, but they didn’t look right. The knees were bent the wrong way. Backwards. Backwards was not good. She couldn’t run with them backwards. 

She heard another crack as she landed. The blacktop seemed to mold itself around the back of her head, cradling it like a stinky, black, memory foam pillow. Allison felt no pain, only a muddy sluggishness that seemed to be clouding her senses. She was, unfortunately, still lucid enough to taste the metallic tang of blood as it pooled in the back of her throat, choking her. Still lucid enough to come to the horrible realization that she couldn’t turn her head to spit it out ... or cough ... or feel her body. As she struggled for one last breath, someone spoke.

“See, I told you she had green eyes.”


QUESTION:

There are two reasons Allison didn't accept a ride from Mr. Paulsen. One is obvious, one is only hinted at by Allison's reaction to Paulsen. Give me one of those reasons, or both, if you can (if you get one right, your name still goes in the drawing for the prize!)

Now write your answer and your email address in the comment box, then HOP on over to the next blog by clicking on one of the 7 links below. Thanks and have fun! (The winning name will be drawn on the 18th.)

Blogger:

Confessions...

I have a confession to make...I'm a signing event virgin. I've never even attended one**sigh**and here I am, on the brink of having one of my very own. In my hometown. With people who know me--some as I am now, but most, as an awkward, skinny, shy teenager who sang a lot, snuck cigarettes in the girl's bathroom, and always had her nose buried in book.

It's scary thinking about meeting the very people who have, are, or plan on reading your book. What do I say? What do I write? Will anyone even show up??

Question Time:
For my author friends: What have been your experiences with book signing events?
For my regular friends, old and new: What do you expect at a book signing? If I had one, would you even considering attending?? If so, would you want me to provide books for purchase/signing?

I'd really love to have your feedback!

Oh, BTW--Only 2.5 days until the Goodreads Giveaway of a paperback copy of PHOENIX: THE RISING!

Other news: PHOENIX: THE RISING has earned a Silver YA Bestseller Star on All Romance and continues to be the Top Seller on Evernight Teen. A HUGE "THANK YOU" to all of you for your support, whether it's from buying a copy, writing a review, or hitting that ever-helpful "LIKE" or  "SHARE" button on Amazon, Evernight Teen, Barnes and Noble, or Facebook!! You ROCK!!

Watch Out for SHRAPNEL!!

I'm so excited to be able to feature my friend and fellow Evernight Teen author, Stephanie Lawton, acclaimed author of WANT, on The Cinderella Diaries today! Stephanie's newest upper-YA novel, Shrapnel, is now available from Evernight Teen.

Happy Book Birthday, Stephanie!!

Isn't this cover luscious??!!

 

 

 

 

  

A little about the book...

It’s been six years since Dylanie and her family visited a Civil War site and the place came alive with cannon fire. Problem was, no one could hear it but her.

Now she’s sixteen, her dad’s moved out, her mom’s come out of the closet and Dylan’s got a spot on Paranormal Teen, a reality TV show filming at historic Oakleigh Mansion. She’ll spend a weekend with two other psychic teens—Jake and Ashley—learning how to control her abilities.

None of them realized how much their emotional baggage would put them at the mercy of Oakleigh’s resident spirits, or that they’d find themselves pawns in the 150-year-old battle for the South’s legendary Confederate gold. Each must conquer their personal ghosts to face down Jackson, a seductive spirit who will do anything to protect the gold’s current location and avenge a heinous attack that destroyed his family.

 

The story is told from three characters’ POVs, but the main one is Dylan, a tomboy with a bad attitude. She transforms herself into a goth goddess, and it’s her that you see on the cover. It’s a strange mix of paranormal romance/magical realism/historical fiction/soft horror/and just a touch of LGBT.

 

About the Author...

 

 

Stephanie Lawton 



After collecting a couple English degrees in the Midwest, Stephanie Lawton suddenly awoke in the deepest reaches of the Deep South. Culture shock inspired her to write about Mobile, Alabama, her adopted city, and all the ways Southern culture, history and attitudes seduce the unsuspecting.

A lover of all things gothic, she can often be spotted photographing old cemeteries, historic buildings and, ironically, the beautiful beaches of the Gulf Coast. She also has a tendency to psychoanalyze people, which comes in handy when creating character profiles

 

Where can I buy Shrapnel, you ask??

 

Evernight Teen

Amazon

AllRomance

 

 

 

 

Do You Want to Win an E-copy of Phoenix: The Rising??

So, I forgot to hit "checkout" when I ordered my print copies of Phoenix: The Rising the other night. My own book!! I. AM. AN. IDIOT! My sister even has a copy in her greedy little hands right now, and now I have to wait two days to get mine.

You don't have to miss out! If you'd like to win an e-copy, just go to the blog below and leave a comment about your favorite song from my playlist (which is awesomely awesome!) Only one person has commented so far, so you'll have a good chance of winning!

http://talesofbooksandbands.com/2013/01/14/phoenix-the-rising-by-bette-maybee-blog-tour-book-playlist-giveaway/

Phoenix: The Rising on the Blog Tour Bus!!

Whew!  This blog tour gig is intense! Thought I'd stop by my own blog and let you know what has happened so far...

I started off the tour with a character interview  and giveaway at Bookish Temptations. Saturday I traveled over to My Guilty Obsession and made a guest post. And now, the infamous podcast interview with Girls in the Stacks is here! You can learn all my secrets about Phoenix: The Rising and writing! I'm a bit hard to hear at the beginning, but after I get rid of the jitters, all is okie-dokie!

http://girlsinthestacks.com/podcasts/ya-podcast/2013/01/chatting-with-ya-author-bette-maybee/

Oo-oo, you can also listen to it on iTunes, which is pretty cool!

Tomorrow, I'll be moving on to Tales of Books and Bands and share my playlist for Phoenix: The Rising. I hope you all tune in!

Talk to you later!

PHOENIX: THE RISING RELEASE DAY!!

BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!! I am so amazingly pumped to announce that my debut YA paranormal,

PHOENIX: THE RISING 

was released tonight on Evernight Teen and Createspace.

 

 

 

Live buy links as of tonight!

Amazon--print and e-format

 

Evernight Teen--e-formats and link to print

 

Createspace--print (POD)

 

Tomorrow morning 1-11-13 e-formats will be available on All Romance, Smashwords, and Bookstrand. It will be on Smashwords affiliates (Sony, Kobo, B&N, Diesel, Apple, etc.) within 2-4 weeks.

  

My Blog Tour begins tomorrow with the incredible Bookish Temptations. Check it out!

 

11th Bookish Temptations--character interviews and giveaway
12th My Guilty Obsession--guest blog and giveaway
13th Girl in the Stacks--podcast and giveaway
14th Tales Of Books and Bands--Book Playlist and giveaway
15th Evernight Teen--Guest blog, excerpt and giveaway
16th Stephanie Lawton--Guest blog, excerpt

My web-presence

http://www.bjmaybee.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/BetteMaybeeAuthor

https://www.facebook.com/bette.bushoremaybee

https://twitter.com/BetteMaybee

 

Thanks so much for all your support! I couldn't have done it without you!

EEEK!! Only SIX days until PHOENIX: THE RISING debuts!!

OMG! I can't believe January 11th is coming up so fast! It's like I just breached the summit of a the first hill on a roller coaster and am on the fastest, scariest, most thrilling ride of my life!

Things have really started rolling in my writing world! My blog tour is almost totally booked. I started this morning with a SKYPE interview with Stacy and Shannan from girlsinthestacks.com that'll be aired as a podcast shortly after my release. These girls are BESTIES and they totally made me feel welcome. The best part of all? I think they actually like my writing! Girls in the Stacks rock, and I hope I get to work with them in the future!

For other blogs on the tour, including the fabulous Bookish Temptations, My Guilty Obsession, and Tales of Books and Bands (to name a few!) I have been writing guest blogs, playlists, and character profiles. It looks like I'm gonna be one busy girl for a while!

Only SIX MORE DAYS...