COVER REVEAL FOR RICOCHET!!

You know when you've got something incredibly exciting to share and you can't yet, so you kinda go a little crazy in the time you're forced to wait? I was there.  For the entire SUMMER that I had to sit on this reveal.

While writing The Fallen back in January, I was hit by a dark and gritty story, set in Detroit, but not part of the Sons of Wrath world.  I knew this one would be a contemporary romance from it's very beginnings and I kept it on the backburner, unsure of whether or not I wanted to jump into a whole new genre.  To me, it felt like starting over.

Then sometime in May, I was casually perusing Specular's portfolio on Facebook and my eyes immediately zeroed in on one helluva striking image.  The face fit the character for this story so freaking perfectly, I was mesmerized.  I decided I HAD to have him on the cover.  Long story short, I contacted the photographer and that was all it took - the MC in this story refuses to be ignored and the book is practically writing itself, now that I've got my muse.

Before I show this baby off, I have to thank the very talented Chris Davis (photographer) and the insanely gorgeous model.  Holy hella hotness!  He's a British model too, so you KNOW there's a sexy accent to go with dem looks.

I imagine something like this:

Also huge thanks to my brother Ryan (who happened to hog all of the design talent in the family), for taking the time to design the cover.  As one of the founders of a thriving business, he always has a lot on his plate, but never hesitates the many times I approach him with, "So I have this idea ..."  ❤

Thanks so so much to all the contemporary bloggers (I've never had so many bloggers participate in sharing the cover!) who are helping out with this reveal, and to the readers and bloggers (particularly my street team) who helped connect me to them.  Love yas!! ❤

Okay, I know, I know.  You didn't come here to read a story.

So without further delay, here is your first glimpse at Ricochet's cover and blurb! Add it to your Goodreads shelf and be sure to enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win an ARC before it releases!

Screen-licking is encouraged ...

RICOCHET

By Keri Lake

Adult Contemporary Romance - Standalone

Expected Release Date: Spring 2015

Image credit: Specular

BLURB:

The only sure way to destroy a man is to take what he cannot live without.

Three years ago, I had everything.

A beautiful wife.

A son.

A reason for living.

Until a ruthless task force, assembled under Mayor Michael Culling, with a brutal strategy to make the streets of Detroit ‘safe’, ripped away everything I loved in a deadly hunt called The Culling.

They tried to kill me, too. I wish they had. Now I'm cursed by the memories of that night, and the words I whispered to my dying wife.

A promise—to avenge the wrong and set it right.

I’m no longer Nick Ryder. I’m a masked vigilante. Faceless. Loveless. Fearless. A man with nothing left to lose—one who's seen the dark and violent truth behind the city’s flawless veneer.

Michael Culling doesn’t know who I am. Or what I want. All he knows is that I’ve kidnapped his beautiful wife.

An eye for an eye—isn’t that how the saying goes? And Aubree Culling is the perfect pawn to destroy him.

If she doesn’t destroy me first.

************

Add it to your GOODREADS SHELF!

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RICOCHET PLAYLIST:

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My First Vlog

UPDATE:  VLOG POSTED ON JEAN BOOKNERD SITE.  CLICK HERE AND ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF SOUL AVENGED!

Okay I'm going to keep this post short this week.  Just wanted to take a moment to share a first experience for me:  vlogging.  I know for many, it's not a big deal--sitting in front of a camera with no one around and chatting is just a natural thing for some people.  For me though, it's absolutely frightening.

But I'm all about facing fears, so here goes ...

This is a vlog that I was asked to prepare and discuss the characters of Soul Avenged, but since there was a bit of a mix-up, I'm just gonna give you a sneak peek.  I can now cross vlogging off the list ...

Next up on that list of to-dos?  Jumping out of an airplane.

WINNERS OF THE SOUL AVENGED GIVEAWAY!!

The Soul Avenged Blog Tour has officially ended and I'm actually kind of bummed about that.  Not gonna lie--it’s been a lot fun hopping around from blog to blog!  Like I've been partying for the last month and now the hangover's setting in. So you probably want to know--who won the big giveaway?? 

Here are the winners: a Rafflecopter giveaway

ALSO!

I did a bit of prowling through the posts and Holly Collins was selected as winner of the $10 Amazon gift card!

Congratulations to all and thank you for following the tour.

But now that the tour is over, what’s to come?

I’ll give you an update on what I’ve got going on in my secret lab (and a little sneak preview of Sons of Wrath #2).  Before I do that though, I have to thank all of the FANDAMNTABULOUS bloggers who spent the month pimping my book.  You are just too wonderful for words.  Some of you tweeted and shared FB updates for other bloggers as well and I'm just amazed by the camaraderie of the blogging community.  I’m so glad to have met all of you and I look forward to talking books and working with you on future releases!  Some of you also left very humbling reviews as well and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that!  Bloggers are my heroes!  Seriously, I love LOVE you guys.

For readers who want to keep up on the latest in paranormal romance and urban fantasy, these are some of the best blogs on the net to check out: (click on the links)

Lola’s Reviews Bookaroo-Ju Delphina Reads Too Much Romancing the Dark Side K-Books Scribbler’s Sojourn Talk Supe The Raven’s Quill J.A. Belfield Bawdy Book Blog Reading Infection Bianca2b Booked & Loaded Reading Between the Wines I Smell Sheep Readaholics Reviews PRUFReads Blog The Jeep Diva Rabid Reads Jocelyn Adams Paranormal Reads Bitten by Paranormal Romance Book Monster Reviews Carolyn Brown Blog The Autumn Review GraveTells Reviews News Twimom227 Steve McHugh Blog Paranormal Itch Reviews Jean BookNerd Paranormal Book Club Urban Fantasy Reviews Moonlight Gleam Bookshelf The Reading Cafe Bitten by Books – Virtual Launch Party! Book Lovin’ Mamas Synchronized Reading DemonLover’s Books & More Pages of Forbidden Love Awesomesauce Books Herding Cats & Burning Soup Paranormal Cravings Under the Covers A Simple Love of Reading Fictional Candy

In addition to these kickass bloggers, I have to say thank you so much to readers who:

  • Stopped by the blogs to check out the book
  • Left comments
  • Read the book
  • Liked me on Facebook
  • Followed me on Twitter
  • Left a review for Soul Avenged on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble
  • Added Soul Avenged to your TBR lists
  • Chatted with me at the Soul Avenged Release Party

I appreciate your interest in the series!  I've got some fun and exciting things on the horizon so stay tuned!

Okay so WHAT'S NEXT???

First, if you missed them on the tour, I’ll be posting all of the Wrath Brother snippets right here to my website with links to the original blog posts.  Those fun little snippets will give you a peek at the banter that you can expect from these guys.

Second, Sons of Wrath #2 is already written.  But because I want to give you an even better story than Soul Avenged, I’m really tearing this sucker up in the edits before the editor stabs it with a sharp pen.  Next it will go to my lovely beta readers, who I’m hoping will claw the hell out of it.  After that, it’ll begin its journey toward publication.  All nice and shiny.  I’ll tell you--this one's a little bit darker than Soul Avenged and is probably my favorite story so far.

Here's a quick little snip (super short) from book 2:

Virgin.  The purity of the word cast a chill down his spine, like a stark white page about to be spattered with black ink.  Yeah, no lie, it kind of made him want her more.  Tasting her would only be the appetizer to what he had running through his mind—the main course, he’d spend hours savoring.  And she’d sure as hell be de-virginized by the end of it. 

Many times over.

Who?  My lips are sealed!

I will keep you updated on progress.  If you liked my Facebook page, you’ll find I’m pretty active there, keeping readers informed of what’s going on.

ONE MORE THING.

I have an idea in mind and I'd thought about doing a separate post but because this is going to be totally experimental on my part, I'm actually keeping it low key for now.  I'm running a Cover Model Contest for the Sons of Wrath #2!!  So I've been dropping off flyers at various locations where I might find a hunky guy to represent one of these sexy alpha brothers.  At first I wasn't sure how this would go, but the entries are coming in!  So I decided to open the contest up a little bit.

Do you know a physically fit male between the ages of 21-35 who is looking to build his modeling portfolio?  Send a head and torso shot (no full-on nudity please) to:  keri@kerilake.com .  Please indicate 'Model Search' in the subject line and be sure to provide contact information.  All entries will be reviewed and if a particular entrant has 'the look', he will be contacted with further details.

Okay...that's it for now!

I love chatting with readers and bloggers so if you have questions or just want to say hi @mention me on Twitter or post on my FB wall!

 

 

Sneaky Peek of SoW: Soul Avenged

I'm pretty damn excited today for two reasons... One, it's Friday. What is it about this day of the week that makes me want to sit outside and sip on a margarita?

And second, I get to share a small excerpt from my WiP, Soul Avenged (Sons of Wrath, #1).  You'll finally get to meet Ayden, the badass who's been going fist-to-fist with some of the other MC's in my head.

This won't be very long, just enough to give you a taste of what I've been up to while locked away in my crazy secret laboratory.  So find a comfy chair, grab your drink of choice and have a read.  Comments are welcome.

Most of the musical inspiration for this series came from Paramore and NIN, but I had to include this song as it fueled the excerpt and the scenes that followed.  I recommend turning down your speakers...

Bodies

Ice water.

The frigid sensation sliced through Ayden’s veins, leaving a numb trail in its wake as she stepped through the remains of the abandoned factory - one of many havens for the crack addicts and prostitutes.

A vile stench assaulted her nose, a potent blend of piss, sex and rotted meat, as garbage crunched beneath her boots.  Foundation had collapsed all around where she stood, crumbled as if the building would fold into the depths of hell.

Graffiti spattered the walls, giving the impression that gangs were the real threat - ‘We don’t die, we multiply.’

Right.  Like gangs own any part of this city anymore. 

The old Packard Plant - a ghostly haunt for tormented souls.  Shitholes were cropping up everywhere, much more rapidly than ever before.  Detroit once a thriving city, brought to ruins.  Grey and lifeless like the suffocating overcast that loomed during daylight.

A Beretta, loaded with silver bullets and a silver parrying dagger rested at one of Ayden’s hips, a silver bullwhip at another, as she moved past comatose bodies and decaying corpses.

Feeding grounds, like a bait pile.

Deadened eyes, zombified, slowly tracked her movement in the darkness, squinting, as though craving the light that hers didn’t need to see.  Humans so strung out on drugs, they failed to recognize the half-eaten carrion were once their own kind.

Not that knowing would stop them.  They’d apparently chosen to face danger rather than kick their addiction, roaming the streets every night in search of their next high.

Lambs. 

They were already dead.  Death just hadn’t come to collect yet.

The blissful sigh of a hopped-up junkie reached her ears.  She snarled her lip.  “Enjoy it while it lasts, asshole.”

It’d be one thing if they were homeless.  Hell, she might’ve fired a warning shot to evacuate.

The homeless didn’t come here though.

Neither did the police - making it the perfect spot to get wasted and hustle some money.  Shots fired would’ve been nothing more than a momentary distraction before their minds slipped back into their ignorant state of euphoria.

Screw ‘em.

For any other girl, the place promised very bad things - an opportunity for a sadist to live out wild fantasies without ever getting caught.

But for Ayden?  Humans posed no threat. Their fragile bodies would shred like paper dolls against the work of her hands.  Lucky for them, she sought something else to sate her thirst for bloodshed, something far more threatening than their most psychopathic criminal - and she’d tracked it here to the surrounding cornucopia of human flesh.