...may the countdown begin!...

We were going to wait and do a 30-day countdown, but we just couldn't resist. So, LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN! Follow me, my blog, or After The Ending on FB if you want a taste of what juicy morsels lie ahead!

33 days and counting until the release of Into The Fire!

Here's one of our favorite Dani quotes from the book.
Hmmm...I wonder what she could possibly be talking about...

...Carly Phillips news and cover reveal!...

Do you LOVE Carly Phillips? Contemporary romance? Witty prose and lovable characters? Does your bookshelf look like mine?? Okay, maybe more organized, but you get the point.

Carly's newest series, Dare To Love, won't disappoint! I'll be reading an ARC for review, so I'll have more to share with you all soon, but in the meantime, here's more about the book, the cover, and all the steaminess that awaits us!

New York Times Bestselling Author Carly Phillips turns up the heat in her newest sexy contemporary romance series, and introduces you to the Dare family... siblings shaped by a father's secrets and betrayal.

Since finding out his father had another family on the side, Ian Dare swore to be the upstanding, responsible man his cheating parent had never been. When it comes to his relatives, he gives his all but in relationships he offers the bare minimum. But one glimpse of sensual Riley Taylor arouses his dominant and protective instincts and Ian is entranced. He will do anything to possess her ... and does. But any future with Riley must include him extending an olive branch to the half-brother who is a constant reminder of the pain he'd rather forget.

Independent and always in control, Riley Taylor makes no apologies for choosing men carefully. Relationships have never been a priority and she believes herself hardened to domineering men - until she meets charismatic Ian Dare. He manages to turn a simple kiss into an all out assault on her senses and when he takes control in the bedroom, she's stunned to discover she likes it. As their affair heats up, they soon realize they complete each other in ways neither imagined. But Riley's past is closer than she cares to remember, and her struggles with Ian's dominance might just cost her everything.

Dare to Love is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, itunes, and Kobo starting November 18th!

Extra! Extra! More CARLY PHILLIPS news hot off the press!

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Dear Readers,

I know I’ve been teasing everyone for a while now about some exciting news that I have in the works. And I now have the official go-ahead to tell the world what's coming next for me! Are you ready? I’m so ready to share. I’ve been DYING to shout from the rooftops and have had a hard time keeping the news to myself. But here you go:

I’m going Indie.

That’s right. Instead of publishing my next series of books with a traditional publisher, I’ve decided to self-publish the series. Don't worry, I'll explain what this means for you. But first ...Why am I making the switching to Indie you ask? Well after a lot of research and many debates with myself, I made the decision to self-publish my next series for one primary reason: YOU, my readers. The rise and success of self-publishing has obviously made a huge impact on the industry, and many of my readers have reached out to me personally, encouraging me to make some changes.

Although my publishers have always been very good to me and I’ve very much enjoyed working with them, there is a good reason for me to make the switch. More control. Making the move to indie is giving me more control over my books. I’m no longer tied to a specific word count set by a publisher. I have more control over the editing process. I can make the final decisions on covers, release dates, blurbs and content. And the most important factor: I now sets the price points of my books. Making the switch to self-publishing is giving me total control to make both myself and you, my readers very, very happy.

The first book in my brand new Dare to Love series (also titled Dare to Love) is set to release on November 18th 2013.

Coming soon, you can pre-order DARE TO LOVE exclusively at iTunes. On the day of release, you can find the books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo. In addition, the book will be available in paperback too! Of course I’ll send a newsletter, but be sure to follow me on social media (links below) in order to get the most up to date information as it happens! For my paperback readers: This bears repeating: YES these books will available in paperback as well as eBook!

https://twitter.com/carlyphillips


https://www.facebook.com/CarlyPhillipsFanPage


A fun note about the story...In the past my books have been sweet and sexy contemporaries with a small town setting, but with Dare to Love I’m turning up the heat. The Dare to Love Series will be steamier, sexier and hotter than anything I’ve ever written. And I can not wait for you to read it!

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I'm so excited that Carly will be joining us indie authors in the self-publishing world. Welcome, Carly!

My favorite Carly Phillips series is The Hot Zone. You gotta love those Jordan sisters and the hunky athletes they represent. Which are your favorite?

Stay tuned for more about Carly Phillips's new book and Happy Reading!

Lindsey

...Into The Fire, Book Two of The Ending Series Cover Reveal...

The Virus changed them, but that was only the beginning…

…death…mutation…insanity…corruption…terror…

…all that remains is hope.

In the wake of destruction left behind by the Virus, it took Dani and Zoe months to find each other. But their reunion was short-lived. Dani has been taken, and though little distance separates them, they might as well be worlds apart.

From the moment she hears Dani’s scream, Zoe’s only goal is to save her best friend. She and her companions scramble to come up with a rescue plan, but when a ghost from Jake’s past reappears, lines are blurred, decisions become harder, and secrets are revealed…and some secrets are best left buried. To keep heartache and fear from consuming her, Zoe must cling to her determination. She will see Dani again.

Dani awakens inside the final hold-out of civilization: the Colony. Remnants of the former world surround her—electricity, safety, social order—but all is not what it seems. As she faces her most manipulative adversary yet, she loses sight of who she is and who she can trust. Friends become enemies, enemies become allies, and allies will betray her. Dani will have to decide what she’s willing to do and whose lives she’s willing to risk if she is to have any chance of breaking free.

...After The Ending, Alternate POV...

Any After The Ending fans out there? Yes! I've heard from some of you!

Check out the book's blog for this exclusive alternate POV from a chapter that you no doubt know and love...Read Jason's perspective and get a much anticipated glimpse inside his mind.



For early and inside information, sign up for The Ending Series Newsletter here.

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Lindsey

...writers remember...

You can't fail at writing...unless you quit.

"If you write a hundred short stories and they’re all bad, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed. You fail only if you stop writing. I’ve written about 2,000 short stories; I’ve only published about 300 and I feel I’m still learning. Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he’ll eventually make some kind of career for himself as a writer."

RAY BRADBURY (1967)

...proper romance giveaway...

I love me some proper romance!

While I love Jane Austen, I can only re-read her intricately crafted stories so many times before I need something new and exciting. I'm always looking for a great book, and I KNOW that I can count on Julianne Donaldson to deliver. I'm really excited about her second novel, Blackmoore.

She's having a giveaway! Check it out!




Her debut novel, Edenbrooke is also truly wonderful, so I hope you'll check it out, too! You're going to want all of Donaldson's stories on your bookshelf. They're perfect for a cold winter day when you can curl up and get lost in an intriguingly beautiful read.




I can't wait for whatever she has in store for us next!

...World War Z movie review...

World War Z Movie Review (2013)
By Lindsey Pogue

Rating: PG-13/ 116 minutes

Genre: Action | Adventure | Horror


Starring: Brad Pitt, David Morse, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz

Director: Marc Forster

Book Adaptation: World War Z, By Max Brooks (Apocalyptic Horror)

LP’s Rating: 5/5 stars

Basic Overview: A pandemic spreads throughout the world infecting billions of people, and in turn collapses armies and governments leaving everyone who's left to scramble for answers. Retired United Nations investigator Gerry Lane (Pitt) is called upon to investigate the origin and science behind the virus that’s threatening to destroy humanity itself. In order to keep his family protected, Lane agrees to traverse the world, digging up and following leads he hopes will lead him to the origin of the virus.

My Review. Although I’m an avid reader and I co-author a post-apocalyptic sci-fi book series, I’m not typically an end-of-the-world sort of reader. Movies, however, are a completely different story. When I heard they were making WWZ into a movie, and that Brad Pitt was going to star in it, I instantly thought, “this is going to be…interesting.” It was difficult for me to picture and really get excited about Brad Pitt and zombies. However, going into the movie knowing little about it, I had little to no expectations about the film, and I ended up being very pleasantly surprised by the story line. Don’t get me wrong, I like Brad Pitt as an actor. Who doesn't? But Brad Pitt and zombies didn’t seem like a believable or satisfying pairing to me. I was wrong.

Why did I like it? WWZ isn’t your typical zombie story—it has complexity, science, intrigue, and tons of on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense and action.

It’s realistic. WWZ isn’t about a genetically altered badass or crazy gunslinger who single-handedly try to save the world nor was it about power hungry extremist. It's more organic than that. Yes, Lane is the hero of the story, but he doesn't save the world on his own, or do it with any ease whatsoever. Lane's drive is more human and relatable than say, Alice from Resident Evil (even though I love her). This movie is thoughtful and realistic in terms of what actions would be taken, the anatomy of the virus, and how and who might actually be able to get to the bottom of it and discover weakness, cures, and so on. WWZ, to me, seems feasible, which makes the story that much more frightening and realistic. It's more of a behind-the-scenes look at what the government (at least what remains of it) would do in order to stop the virus, who they’d call upon to help, how the world as a whole is affected, and so on.

Suspense. Without giving too much away, this movie is stressful—in a good way—to watch. Just when you think Lane might catch a break, that some of his team members might live or that answers may have been uncovered, the situation gets worse and the plans fall apart. Lane is forced to think of his feet and work with strangers in nearly every scene just to stay alive. Nothing in life is ever easy, right? There is little about this movie that's convenient, another reason why I appreciated it so much. All 116 minutes are a struggle and every minute of it you're hoping Lane will catch a much needed break.

The science. The more “interactions” Lane has with the infected, the more he observes. What sets them off? Who is it that they kill? Is it everyone, or…? Why? The more he sees, the more questions he has about their weaknesses and the way the virus works. Everything has some sort of weakness, right? What is the biology of nature? As a hypothesis begins to form, Lane is forced to make some very hard decisions as to how exactly he’s going to test them, making every moment up until the very end, thrilling.

My recommendation. I really enjoyed this movie, but that’s me. I’m not a fan of over-the-top horror movies like so many of them are. For a movie to be truly unsettling and considered “scary”, it needs to be plausible and this story does that for me. It makes me think…what if? I would recommend it to anyone who likes a deeper level of involvement from the audience—an action/horror film with complexity, humanity, and a character's sheer will to stay alive--if not for his family than for himself. This movie makes me want to read the book.Check it out.