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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Innovera Yakov

YANR_BlogTour_IV_RDB Title: Innovera Yakov By: Kia Garriques Summary: Innovera Yakov is a beautiful world of crystals that turns under five moons and two brilliant suns that never set. Flitters take care of domestic chores while Starbirds and Starflies soar through the never-ending sunlight of this crystalline world. The Circle of Knowing decides their fate; the forbidden forests of the Dimmer Zone swallow trespassers. And at the very edges of Innovera Yakov there is the terrifying watery darkness of Verheer. We meet Ayana, the healer and lonely outcast with her scarred face; Vinton, her protector (or is he her imaginary friend?); Gamma and Blu Tara, the beautiful, fiery twins who can kill with one look. These twins are important characters in the book. They could hardly be more different from each other. Krave, beloved by Gamma, hated by Blu Tara, ‘tall and upright as a polished spear with a beautiful crop of golden hair that cascaded down his back in waves’; his ‘brother’ Skylar, pure trouble with ‘muscles on his arms and legs that stood out in lumps’; Ryder with his crystal spear, forever seeking Ayana’s approval although she, refusing to believe she's worth it, can only wonder, ‘What does he see in me?’ And Ice, mysterious, dangerous, murderous with eyes like bright furnaces who feeds on Innoverans. These young Innoverans are often haunted by a forgotten past recalled only in strange dreams. They form friendships, make enemies and face constant physical and emotional challenges that test them to their limits. They have amazing powers; they can fly, they can communicate through 'thought-words', their minds can travel to other worlds. They harbour secrets. But life is not easy on Innovera Yakov and the young Beings must live in constant fear of Blu Tara; ‘What I want, I have. What I can’t have, I destroy.’ They find that the great powers they are gifted with are nothing compared to the dangers they face. They must shelter from Solar-storms. To fall in love is dangerous. Lovers long to combine to become stronger, better Beings but it can go terribly wrong and when that happens they perish. Their survival is further threatened by Ice, who consumes Innoverans and holds both Blu Tara and Ayana in his control. Everyone seeks a partner with whom they can ‘merge.’ This desire to ease the passage through life by joining forces with a true companion, is one of the main themes of the story. Love for Blu Tara, is a terrible thing. She tells her sister, ‘It is a curse. You will scoop out your core and abandon it just to have the Being that you love... You will steal another person’s life force if it makes it easier to get it. You will kill or die for it. And you’ll hate yourself for the weakness that it brings on you.' They are told that they must embark on 'The Journey', this journey will be more terrifying than any of them could imagine and a strong leader must be elected from their midst. They are shocked to discover who that leader is, none more so than the chosen one herself. Many of them will perish as they make their way through the watery darkness of Verheer while battling the army of underworld warriors bent on destroying and consuming them. Finally, diminished in strength and numbers, they reach their journey’s end only to learn the final brutal truth. innovera

Excerpt

Blu Tara stared her sister in the face. ‘Let me tell you what you don't know about love, Gamma. It is a curse. You will scoop out your core and abandon it just to have the Being that you love. You will steal another person's life force if it makes it easier to get it. You will abandon the world you have been cradled in, betray everything and everyone you care for. You’ll give up your name for it.’ Blu Tara's voice went soft and dreamy. ‘You will gladly close your eyes and embrace the world of darkness. You will kill or die for it. And you will hate yourself for the weakness that it brings on you. So don’t talk to me about love.’ Gamma shook her head. ‘You're not making sense,’ Blu Tara. ‘You talk as if... I’m the one who should be upset about all this.’ Blu Tara lifted her hand dismissively. She pointed a hot finger at Gamma. ‘Anyway don’t forget what we are.’ 'And what are we?’ Gamma glared at her.. 'Different. Strange. Something to be frightened of. Two Beings that can fuse and burn everything to ashes. That's the way they all see us down there. That's what the Stardog wants from you - the powers you possess. ‘I hate them all. With their suspicious, shiny faces and their empty games. I hate that Voice which drones on and on at us in the Learning Dome as soon as we've finished resting. Innoverans! All those perfect, pretty Beings; they remember nothing — it’s the curse of this shallow, shining world. Tell me, Gamma - what do you remember of the world we come from before your Odors Apeno dumped us here?’ Gamma swung around to face her sister fully. ‘Blu Tara! What's got into you? Where’s all that coming from? I've never heard you speak like that before. This is about Krave and I- not you!’ Krave and you - don't make me laugh. And, oh! Here’s a big difference — between you and I this time, Twin Sister. It’s the answer to your question that you brought me up here to ask.’ Blu Tara mimicked Gamma's soft and musical voice, Why do you want to kill Krave? Here's the answer, Gamma. I will do whatever I have to do to save myself. I'm the half of you that's not like you. I don't have a weeping heart. Now I'm out of here. I need my Rest.
  Reviewers Wanted: Review Innovera Yakov on amazon for your chance to Win A Kindle Fire. Love reading and reviewing books? Want the chance to win a Kindle Fire? Kia Garriques’ Innovera Yakov fantasy series launches today on Amazon with The Journey of a Thousand Eyes. This story is an action-packed fantasy drama where characters with powers of healing and destruction live, love, compete and disappear without a trace while they are being prepared for the Journey. To celebrate the launch of ‘Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes’, Kia is giving away a Kindle Fire to one lucky winner, as well as the chance of having their work promoted by Kia herself across her website and social media. To enter the competition, simply follow these instructions below: 1.Write a short review on Amazon about your favourite scene from the book, who your favourite is and why, and what you think the main message of the book is 2.Then, send an email to competitions@kiagarriques.com including a link back to your review on Amazon, in order to be entered into the competition. Put the title ‘Innovera Yakov Kindle Competition’ in the subject line of the email. The winning entry will be the most creative and original response to the book and will be chosen by Kia Garriques herself. In addition, the top ten inspiring entries will have their work promoted in a blog which Kia is currently working on, called ‘Up and Coming Writers to Watch in 2013’. In recognition of their creativity, Kia will be turning the spotlight on these writers by presenting their biographies and a link to their current work. RULES: 1:This competition will run from the launch of ‘Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes’ on today and is open to entrants from any country 2: Anyone may enter, but entries are limited to one per person 3: The winner will be selected by Kia Garriques after the first 250 reviews have been received. Make sure to get your entry in early to stand the best possible chance of being entered into the competition and winning your very own Kindle. If you send your review of Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes before March 31st 2013, then you will be eligible to win a $20 amazon gift card. Be sure to send on your review via email to competitions@kiagarriques.com to claim this exclusive offer or leave a link to your amazon review in Kia’s Wattpad comment section. So, what are you waiting for? Get ‘Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes’ now and prepare to enter a whole new world of magic and mystery, danger and adventure. Click here to get the ebook on amazon now. Author Links Twitter Goodreads Facebook Tumblr Wattpad Pinterest Website Audio Link to listen to the first chapter of the book. Read the first chapter of the book here Author Bio Kia Garriques studied writing and English literature at University and has been a published short story writer since 2009. Her first story “The Invisible Alien Watcher” was published by Micro Horror in 2009 and reprinted by Pill Hill Press in 2011. Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes – is her first novel in the ‘Worlds’ series and will be out on amazon mid February. visit www.kiagarriques.com/books to read the first chapter. Book Blurb: Innovera Yakov – The Journey of A Thousand Eyes takes you into a world of excitement and danger where thoughts and feelings are overheard and minds can travel to other worlds. Be prepared to immerse yourself in a world where falling in love could cost you your life and nothing is as it seems. Innovera Yakov – The Journey of A Thousand Eyes is the first book in an action-packed fantasy drama series where characters with powers of healing and destruction live, love, compete and disappear without a trace while they are being prepared for the Journey.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Dirty Dancer


Here's the blurb for the first book from my Dirty Dancer series, which is due out either at the end of this year or near the beginning of 2014. It's based around Trey, a minor character from Behind the Hood, and is new adult.


Dirty Dancer Vol. 1 (Dirty Dancer #1)
by Marita A. Hansen.

Trey has always considered himself too soft, his pretty-boy looks and big heart getting in the way of surviving in the most dangerous neighbourhood in New Zealand. To counter what he thought were faults, he joined a gang at a young age, took up boxing and bedded every girl who took his fancy. But after the leader from his gang viciously attacks a rival, Trey chooses to help save the man's life. As a consequence, he is kicked out of the gang.

Devastated over the loss of his friends and the only life he's known, he begs his mother to move out of the area, the threatening messages he receives from the gang-leader also behind his decision. His mother agrees, but on one condition: He must sign up to the place she works at, a prestigious dance school in one of the wealthiest suburbs in Auckland, where the biggest danger a student has to face is being rejected by a clique of girls, their leader Summer Vega having the power to make someone's life hell.

When Trey turns Summer down on his first day at the school, more concerned with the promises he'd made to his mother - to only concentrate on his studies, something he'd neglected in the past - Summer brings winter to his life, freezing him out of all the top dance opportunities the school has connections to, as well as making him a laughing stock by picking on his Maori accent and his underprivileged background.

Trey does his best to ignore Summer, but when her actions start to threaten his mother's job, he confronts her, demanding she stops. Summer agrees, but, like his mother, has one condition: That Trey becomes her boyfriend. He begrudgingly accepts with the intention of ruining every date they go on, so Summer will dump him. But when he starts to fall for her, will his actions destroy a love he never thought was possible, or will Summer stick by him, even when his dangerous past comes knocking at her door.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Crying Out Silent


I have FINALLY started writing book 2 from the Graffiti Heaven Series. Well, I didn't just start, but have had failed attempts at getting it going, unlike Behind the Lies, which just flowed, mainly because it was a direct link on from Behind the Tears. However, on Friday night I stayed up really late because I got an idea for Crying Out Silent, and my fingers just went on its own tap dance across the keyboard, not wanting to stop. The thing that set this book off was, like the beginning of Graffiti Heaven, a real experience, which I often incorporate in my books. Although Graffiti Heaven's first chapter was based around someone else's experience, I decided to pull out of the hat one of my own for Crying Out Silent. However, I have weaved it into the story in a different way, because this is not my tale, it's Llewellyn Davies'.

This leads me onto the main characters in this book. Obviously, I've let slip Llewellyn is one. You will remember him from Graffiti Heaven as the shy gay, red-headed boy who is picked on by Ant. He has a MAJOR part in this book and develops a friendship with Ash Rata, the other main character in Crying Out Silent, because both of them have had similar experiences, to Ash's shock. I have only written from Llewellyn and Ash's points of views at the moment, but just to let you know, Jenna Hamilton will AGAIN have her own point of view chapters. I think my editor would kill me if I didn't put her in there, but anyway, her chapters are a means to see into Kelley's situation, the runner who is now unable to walk. Plus, Jenna has linked herself closely to Ant, and because of him and her problem with not being able to let Ash go, she again causes trouble, her jealousy now wrongly aimed at Llewellyn, who she sees as a bad influence on Ash, because she's believes all the lies that Ant has filled her head with, plus she needs any excuse as to why Ash doesn't like her.

And a special note, this will be my first book written in first person (I instead of he). I haven't done this before, because I don't tend to like doing it, but because of the diary writing the boys do, it's necessary - and it actually works well, giving a different insight into the characters without the barrier that third person perspectives have.

One warning: I know I put this book to be due out this June, but because my other series has become more popular, namely Behind the Tears propelling it, I have to force myself not to be distracted by this book (even though I want to be), because Behind the Lies needs to come out first. Plus, I also work, so I have to choose one over the other. However, it does not mean that this book is being put on hold completely, I will keep working on it, I just need more time, and to take stock that more people want Behind the Lies first, which DEFINITELY 100% has to come out in June. So, I am now looking at September for the release of Crying Out Silent. Don't tell me off! I'll try my hardest to get it out sooner, but I have to make sure that Behind the Lies is my number one priority with my writing.

P.S. I will add updates when I can, so you know I'm not slacking, and that I'm trying my best to get this book out for you.

#SPECIAL NOTE: It is looking like Behind the Lies is going to have a name change due to the direction that the story line is going. The name I'm considering strongly now is: BEHIND THE LENS.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

FREE TODAY - Behind the Tears




FOR TODAY anyway!

To trust is to get hurt, to be loved could end in death.

Everyone sees Ash as the toughest of the Rata brothers, the tall, tattooed man who is untouchable. But not many know of his past, of a tormented youth, which almost saw him take his own life. For ten years he's lived with the nightmares of his stepfather raping him, and how it destroyed his family. Further tormented by his first love leaving him, he tries to move forward with his new partner Beth, but is unable to open up to her, his past continuing to eat away at his soul.

Beth knows Ash is keeping her in the dark, and every word he doesn't say, every secret he keeps, pushes her further into his brother's arms, someone who doesn't understand boundaries, a trait that has given Dante a wild reputation: the man every woman wants to bed. Hedonistic and uncontrollable, Dante desires Beth to the point of madness, his bipolar condition worsening with the stress of his hidden desires. He wants to control her, to take her, but he is deeply reliant on Ash, and like his brother, he hides his true nature. On the outside he shows a confident swagger that gets him the attention of both sexes, but on the inside all he wants is one woman who sees him as more than a sexual object.

Sledge, the youngest of the three Rata brothers, finds himself in a different situation, dealing with the affections of his best friend: Beth's brother Corey. Diagnosed with cancer, Corey wants Sledge more than life itself, even though he believes Sledge is homophobic and would find him disgusting if he confessed his love. But when another man shows interest in Corey, Sledge's jealousy eats away at him, and makes him reassess his sexuality, and whether he could be more than a friend to Corey - whether he could be his lover.

As the Rata family's love life is thrown into tangles, the brothers' stepfather escapes from prison with one thing on his mind: To get Ash once again. Someone he will kill for - and has killed for.

*Dark Romance (R18)




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