The Stars Are Ours

The Musings of a Dreamer

Happy Release Day to Melissa Andrea and her New Book Baby *The Edge of Darkness*




Title: The Edge of Darkness
Author: Melissa Andrea
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Day: May 31, 2013
Blitz Host:  HYPERLINK "http://ambersupernaturalandya.blogspot.com/p/lady-amber-tours.html" Lady Amber's Tours



Synopsis:

After a tragic accident, Araya Noelle is left with a constant reminder that nothing is forever.

Instead of dwelling over her loss, she plays the hand she's been dealt without complaint. In a world as black as hers, there's no room for bitterness, no time for regret. Sheltered from the outside world, Araya has become suffocated by a life she has no control over. Until Ryland Dare comes crashing into her life.

You don’t know true darkness until you've felt the light…
Like a firecracker, showering her with colorful sparks of freedom, Ryland quickly sweeps Araya away from her dark existence. For the first time since the accident, living in darkness is no longer something Araya wants to do willingly. Unleashed by the shadows of her reminder, being with Ryland, Araya touches light. Together they will learn what it’s like to be alive for the first time.

At the edge of darkness, a ray of light, will dare them both to live.



Author Bio:



Melissa started reading in high school when she found her mom's romance book collection and has been hooked on books every since. She became a complete book-a-holic, starting her own collection and improving her reading skills. Most of the time she could finish a book walking around the store, while her mom shopped.

She wrote her first short story in high school for a competition in her writing class. It was a child's book called 'Arnold' - it was about an ant who believed he could do anything. Oh by the way, she won!

She has written many stories since then, but this will be her first YA paranormal/fantasy and the first book she will have published.

She lived in Mesa, Arizona with her husband of six years, and her 3 beautiful daughters. 

30 Day Love-My-Body-Health Challenge




Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to weight less. 50lbs ago I felt fat and insecure. Now I curse myself for not adoring my tiny waist and thick, muscular legs. Not gonna lie, ya'll, I am flab-a-licious. Rolls galore. I was so ashamed of my weight gain for a long time, but after my recent epiphany, I decided that my body needs to be celebrated--regardless of my imperfections, because each "flaw" is mine. Beauty cannot be defined by a particular body type. We cannot compare ourselves to the ladies on TV, magazines, plastered across our Facebook pages. Saying we are NOT beautiful is not setting an example to our daughters, nieces, or loved ones. We have to look in the mirror and accept who we are and what the mirror reflects.

So, guess what?! I'm beautiful. I may not look like a Victoria Secret model, but this body is mine and I need to celebrate how far it has brought me.

Now, this doesn't mean that I will CHOOSE to treat it poorly. I have… for a while (sorry, body!). But my shift in perspective and self-love demands me to re-evaluate how I treat my body. Since my weight gain, I have terrible feet pain, more fatigue, increase in light-headedness, shortness of breath, back/neck pain. All in all, I am falling apart. 

BODY! YOU DESERVE BETTER! 

So, I need to make some changes. Increase the veggies, decrease the sugar. Increase the water, decrease the soda. Increase the lean protein, decrease the starchy carbs. Work my ass off (well, not really, I **and my hubs** kind of like my bubble butt) at the gym. My goal is to be healthy and strong. 

Eventually, I would like to get involved with dance and martial arts. 

Here is my plan:

30 Day Challenge



10 Glasses of Water Per Day
5 Workouts a Week
4 Cups of Veggies a Day
No Starchy Carbs after 3pm
No Food after 7pm
TRY for 7.5 Hours of Sleep per night (2hr Increase)
No Soda

*whew! That sounds semi-terrifying! But, in 30 days I will report my journey--the ups/downs and results… even if I fall off the wagon. 

So here I go :)

Are you on your own body-love journey? Have you lost weight? Or have a success story? Please share! We are all in this together!



One by Mari Arden Cover Reveal!

Here is the BEAUTIFUL full wrap for Mari Arden's ONE!



This cover was done by the amazing Regina at Mae I Design!

Book Blurb:


Jules Hendricks has had a string of bad "firsts."
 Embarrassing first kiss. Traumatic first date. An obsessive first boyfriend she can't understand. 
It's taken her years but she's finally able to leave her small town life behind for a new start as a freshmen at UW- Madison. For Jules this chance to be independent and rebuild her life is an opportunity she won't ever let anyone take from her again. She's determined to make something of herself without a man by her side, in front, behind or anywhere near her. 
Reid "Pax" Paxton is the star quarterback for the UW Badgers. His brush with death makes him understand how precious life is, and how important it is to take life by the horns, unafraid. Jules knows he's dangerous for her. Dark hair. Smoldering eyes. Killer smile. That dimple. That body. Those arms. Pax is everything she's trying to run away from, but she can't help coming back for more. Slowly he begins to show a life together can be more than just a dream. It can be their reality. The truth about reality is it's not always sunshine and butterflies.
Sometimes it's a wasteland. 
Sometimes secrets can't stay buried.
Sometimes your past will find a way to hunt you down. 

Book Excerpt:

ONE

**Warning: the contents of this book are intended for readers 18+ and older due to explicit adult situations.

"Do I make you nervous?" His husky drawl drips like chocolate covering a ripe, round strawberry. Does he make me nervous? Does a simmering volcano make an ant nervous?
I swallow. "Nervous? I'm not nervous," I babble, refusing to look at him. I'm in physical pain. What's that thing I do where I take in air, and then let it out? Oh yeah, breathing. I need to do that. 
Like right now. 
I make a strangled sound and inhale through my nostrils, taking in the smoky air like a ravenous puppy finding milk. Instantly I feel Pax's heat next to me. Soon I'll be immersed in it, wrapped in it. 
Wrapped around him
So does that make me nervous? Only a hundred kinds of nervous.
"Time to begin!" Cade yells, as he jogs back to Pax and I, flashing his pearly whites. He pounds Pax on the back. "Don't drop the ball," he grins. 
"As if I ever do."
Cade turns to me. I see the second he registers my cleavage is exposed to the world. His eyes appraise me slowly. He gives me an appreciative grin. "Well, hello there."
"Hi," I reply. "Um, should we start now?" I don't mean to be rude, but I'm a second away from vomiting every cell inside me, and call me crazy, but I'd prefer not to start off my year known as the Vomiter. 
"Yes," Pax glares at Cade. "Let's start." He inserts himself between us, blocking Cade's view of me. His firm, half naked body is next to my face. Pax's musky cologne combined with a sweaty scent unique to him assails my nostrils until my senses are reeling out of control. 
Cade chuckles, looking amused. I want to glare at him. I don't find anything amusing about this. "Ready when you are."
Pax turns to me, his emerald eyes dark pools in the sunlight. This close I see every glorious inch of him, from the tiny stubbles of black hair covering the lower part of his face to the rippling six pack decorating his stomach like a tattoo. I don't dare look any lower. My pulse skitters. I forget to breathe. Something hard and hot unfurls in my belly. Unable to tear my gaze from him I watch helpless as his mouth drifts closer, until he' so close his breath mingles with mine.
"Ride me."

Excerpt copyright 2013 Mari Arden




Mari Arden's BIO: 

I'm Mari Arden (Mari rhymes with safari). Teacher by day, author by night. When I'm not living my double life I like to hike and try foods from all over the world. Up until recently, I used to be scared of dogs. Even puppies. True story. Now I'm just afraid of anything with more than six legs. I write to soothe my soul and to, hopefully, entertain YOU. 

Adventurous? Come join my double life!

Mari Arden
Author of the "Fireborn" series
www.mariarden.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mari-Arden-author/493749174011347
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6897452.Mari_Arden
www.twitter.com/mariarden

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