Savvy Saturday: Teen Quiz with Morwenna from Children of Neptune

Welcome back to Savvy Saturday! Today we have a very special guest here with her author. If you didn’t know yet, author Makenna Snow has her first book, Children of Neptune, coming to your e-reader or bookshelf this July! Makenna has brought one of her characters to chat with us today, Morwenna. Let’s give them both a warm welcome! Ladies, can you tell us a little about yourselves?

Morwenna: Hi Everyone! Makenna is actually the pen name for two sisters (Jill and Jodi) who write YA fiction together. Makenna honors the memory of their grandmothers — bold women with big dreams. Jill and Jodi find inspiration in both contemporary interests, like science and nature conservation, and historical currents, like classical mythology and ancient cultures.

Makenna: Morwenna is a Beta year student at Quadrivium. She was top in her class last year. She will make sure she rises to the top this year too. Morwenna trains and plays hard. Her friends know she’s intense and love her for it. She can be brutally honest, but it’s only because she expects the best.

That's so wonderful! We can't wait for your book to be released. Because this book is set in high school, we decided to take a page of the teen scene and make this interview a teen quiz. Borrowing Teen.com’s “On a Scale of One to Ariana Grande, How Much of a ‘Dangerous Woman’ Are You?” we are going to have Morwenna answer the questions to find out her “Dangerous Woman” level. Sound like fun Morwenna?

Morwenna: Sounds like something I can easily handle 😉. Let’s do it.

Let’s get started! First question: What do you fear most?
1. Scary movies
2. Spiders
3. Heights
4. Not just spiders—ANY kind of bug

Morwenna: Heights

What crime show would you NOT watch?
1. CSI
2. Law & Order: SVU
3. Bones
4. Criminal Minds

Morwenna: Law & Order: SVU

What monster would you scream at if you saw it IRL?
1. Frankenstein
2. A ghost
3. A vampire
4. A werewolf

Morwenna: A werewolf

What’s one clothing item you’d wear no matter how crazy it may look?
1. Leggings
2. Comfy Shoes
3. A tie-dye dress
4. A neon tank top

Morwenna: A neon tank top

Which theme park is your go-to place?
1. A water park
2. Six Flags
3. The state fair
4. Disney(land or world)

Morwenna: Six Flags

How likely are you to ride a roller coaster?
1. You won’t go on exceptionally high roller coasters, but everything else I fair game
2. You’ll go on any type of ride
3. Maybe 50 percent likely
4. There’s a zero percent chance

Morwenna: I'll try any type of ride

Pick your favorite shot from the “Dangerous Woman” video.

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

Morwenna: Number 4

Which diva would you do a duet with?

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

Morwenna: Mariah

Which movie genre do you watch most?
1. Drama
2. Indie
3. Romantic comedies
4. Horror

Morwenna: Horror, definitely.

How adventurous are you really?
1. You are always up for something new
2. You’ll do anything outdoors
3. You hate adventures
4. You go on adventures, but only with friends

Morwenna: I like a new adventure.

That's the last question! Let's see what the quiz says. Your result:

You are definitely an Ariana on the "dangerous woman" scale. You laugh in the face of danger and are a total daredevil. Not only are you fearless when it comes to taking risks, but in relationships, you jump in with both feet from the beginning. You are SO confident in all that you do, so men and women should watch out when you enter the room.

How do you feel about that?

Morwenna: That sounds exactly right!

Lookout for Morwenna in Children of Neptune, to be released July, 2017. Preorder on the CBG website.

Contest!

It's been awhile, but we are having a multi-platform contest! This one is easy. We need twelve readers (no CBG authors, sorry guys!) to tell me what Champagne Book they would most like to read on the beach and why. A lucky two of the twelve will win their choice of book! All twelve will be featured on Savvy Saturday on the CBG blog in a special Reader's Choice edition. Comment on this post to enter, or check out the Facebook Group Page. Contest ends Thursday June 29th at midnight or whenever we receive twelve entries. You can find all of the CBG books here: http://champagnebooks.com/store/index.php

Savvy Saturday: Rom-Coms for the Beach

Love a good romance? Love it more with a bit of humor? Check out these six great rom-coms that you need for those lazy days on the beach or by the pool.


Braless in the Buick

Allie Stephenson is starting over. After years of trying to make her marriage work, she’s single and settling down in the suburbs with her son, M. J. Unfortunately for her, other forces have decided that it is just the right time for a man to slip into her life, home, and heart.

When Jake Donally moves into the neighborhood, the ladies all take notice. So far, he’s kept a low profile. However, that all changes when Allie breaks his Bonsai, and the wall he built around his heart, come tumbling down. Unfortunately, Jake is not all that he seems, and he’s been looking for a chance to get to know Allie much better.

Available for $2.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.



Confessions of The Sausage Queen

Bill Ludowski, owner of Kassenburg’s largest employer - Bill’s Big and Tasty Sausage- dies whilst he and Mandy Minhouser’s grandmother Lila Rose were doing their best Adam and Eve imitation under the hydrangea bushes. That Gran and Big Bill had an affair that began around the same time as World War II is a secret that everyone in town knows. But a new secret is about to be revealed. Big Bill has bequeathed the sausage factory to Lila, with Mandy as CEO.

Mandy doesn’t know squat about the sausage biz and Bill’s grandson Hughes, the factory’s CFO, does everything in his power to close the Big and Tasty. But Mandy has the one thing that Hughes doesn’t-- family and friends willing to put themselves on the line to save the factory. With hope, faith and a whole lot of luck, Mandy and company might manage to do just that.

Available for $4.95 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

Getting Over It

Dumped by her long time lover while on a romantic getaway to Paris, Abby Fulton figures she’s had about enough heartache in her life. When a sexy seatmate on her long flight home takes an interest and offers some carnal diversions, a few naughty moments might be just what she needs to bolster the ole ego.

Prince Willem of Ragnovia loves being a playboy and when opportunity knocks for a little mile-high fun, he jumps at the chance. When fate turns in his favor and delivers the airline cutie right into his arms, a seductive game of cat and mouse is on.

Can Abby resist the charms of the handsome prince, or will she end up as another notch on his royal belt?

Available for $2.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

Kiss Me

Running late for her spoiled stepsister’s bachelorette party, Lacy Goodlow is forced to speed—snagging a hefty traffic ticket and the interest of Officer Jared Kelly. Their paths collide again in the middle of the bachelorette party when Lacy plays an embarrassing game of Fact or Fun and she hands him a napkin that simply says Kiss Me. A full-blown attraction takes off, but so does conflict once it’s revealed that Jared and Lacy’s stepsister, Angela, had a tumultuous fling and she still claims territorial rights.

Available for $3.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.





Romeo's Dead but Juliet Faked It

While landscaping, Gretchen Parks, a descendent of a powerful witch queen, uncovers a vampire in her backyard. Time’s are tough and she filches treasure from his staked skeleton, unaware she’s just broken her ancestor’s curse. Once awake, suave Frenchman Jean sets his sights on Gretchen. His belle laide, beautiful ugly woman, is far from being a romantic. Convincing a jaded middle-aged woman that she’s still smoking is tough work, but turning her into a vampire hottie may get him staked. Toss in a coven of goddess-worshipping witches and a pack of supernatural wolves and watch this cheery town squirm like a chemical-soaked ant hill.

Can’t witches, goddesses, vampires, and townsfolk all get along? Apparently not in this memorable tale of how matches not made in Heaven sometimes work and why walking in the woods at night is ill-advised (unless you want to catch your neighbors dancing naked in the moonlight).

Available for $1.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

The P-Town Queen

Nikki Silva thinks she’s blown up her life. Divorced, funding for her shark research cut off, she’s moved back to Provincetown to live with her father. Nikki’s written a grant proposal funded by a commission run by her ex-husband Ned, who would rather not give money to his ex-wife.

Marco Tornetti wants to turn a Newark spaghetti joint into a trendy bistro. His silent partner, Fat Phil Lagosa, wants to use the place to solicit questionable business deals. When Fat Phil turns on Marco and has him marked for a hit, Marco knows he’s in too deep.

Marco escapes the hit man and takes the first bus out of the city. Marco figures that Phil would never look for him in Provincetown‘s gay community. But when he meets Nikki, he finds that pretending to be gay isn’t as easy as it would seem.

Available for $3.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

Tattle and Wrye column June 2017 edition

FROM THE DESK OF

DONA PENZA TATTLE, ESQ.

AND

ASSOCIATE WRYE BALDERDASH

Greetings,

"Ahhh chooo." Tattle blows her nose loudly. "Summer colds are just not fun.

"That's why you should catch them in the winter!" Wrye does a two-step and ends with a, "Tada!"

"Not funny."

"Then how about, why did the cheerleader put extra salt on her food in the summer? She wanted to do summer salts!"

"We are not here to tell jokes."

"Yes, I am, I am the MC for announcing the finalist for the Tattle and Wrye Awesome Book Cover Awards."

"This is serious." Sneezes. "The artists worked very hard on their covers." Sneeze. "And it was very difficult to choose the finalist." Sneeze. Blow. "Got it?"

Wrye hands Tattle one tissue after another. "Bless you."

Tattle nods a thank you, and then clears her throat.  "It is our honor to announce the finalist for this prestigious award. Every cover was eye-catching and appealing. CBG has fantastic artists, which made it nearly impossible to decide. So, we came up with criteria and a points system to be as fair as possible."

Wyre grins, mouthing, "All my idea."

"Ok... Ok... Yes... All Mister Logical's idea."

Wrye pulls out a white board and writes all the criteria on it to share with the readers. Tattle taps her foot as he painstakingly makes it appear as if typed.

CRITERIA

Attention grabber

Complexity

Artistic talent

Creativity

Unique

Conveys intrigue

Captures the book's intent

Excellent use of color

Imagery

Imaginative

Beauty

Emotionally provocative

Shows masculine strength

Creates a sense of romance

Use of Fonts

Ratio of author to title

Compelling

Composition

Pick-me-upper

Mystic

Contemporary

"Now, finally," announces Tattle, "our finalist!

A Wicked Truth - Cover Art by Ellie Smith

Untamed - Cover Art by Staci Perkins

Traitor Knight - Cover Art by Trisha FitzGerald

Home World - Cover Art  by Ellie Smith

Imagine - Cover Art by Trisha FitzGerald

Absence of Light - Cover Art by Ellie Smith

We congratulate each and every one, and we are totally amazed by your talent.  The winner will be announced in July along with the winner of the Tattle and Wrye Book Award.

Until next month, keep reading!

Dona Penza Rutabaga Tattle, Esq. and Associate Wrye Balderdash

of Blather City, Wannachat

Created and written by:  Angelica Hart and Zi

Books by: Angelica Hart and Zi

KILLER DOLLS ~ SNAKE DANCE ~

CHASING YESTERDAY ~ CHRISTMAS EVE...VIL

http://www.champagnebooks.com/

Books by: Vixen Bright and Zachary Zane

STEEL EMBRACE

BOOK NOOKIE-A LIBRARIAN'S BUIDE TO THE DO-ME DECIMAL SYSTEM

http://www.carnalpassions.com/

angelicahartandzi.com

Savvy Saturday: Sneak Peek at Children of Neptune, Book 1

Coming June 21st, 2017

“Get me out of here,” she whispered. Jet crept slowly along the ancient stone passage and waited for instructions. Inky blackness closed in as her heart hammered in her chest.

“Come on,” she whispered again, impatience rising. She had no choice but to wait; if she took a wrong turn, she’d be discovered and her plans ruined. Finally, a voice reached her.

“Take the next left and you’re free all the way to Sofana Park.”

There was no audible sound with his words, only what Jet could hear in her own mind. She followed the dark tunnel until she reached a wall with iron rungs forming a ladder. Jet climbed to the top and pushed away the large stone blocking her exit. Blinking against the harsh sunlight, she emerged from the tunnel, then returned the stone and hurried along the path leading away from her prison.

Coquina shells crunched under her sandals, and the wind whipped her long, dark hair around her head. The promise of the sea hinted the air, and Jet walked faster, her heart skipping with excitement. At last, her coconspirator’s sleek, black body emerged from the forest, and Jet smiled.

“Peppercorn, now isn’t the time to hunt. You have to help me get back so I’m not late.” She spoke aloud.

Her pet sable stared at her with his brown eyes and snorted. Peppercorn’s entire body was covered in luxurious, black fur, save for a tuft of white on his head. He was beautiful, Jet thought. And he knew it.

~~~

Sixteen-year-old Jet can talk to animals with her mind, but she gets tongue-tied with someone her own age. She can use her ancient powers to hydroshift, but she's still figuring out how to be smooth out of the water.

Sheltered behind the palace walls, Jet trains to become queen of a secret island. All that changes when she's forced to accept a mission she isn't prepared for—fitting in at high school. Her powers, never before tested, are pushed to their limits.

She learns that handling high school life is just as complicated and dangerous as the mystery that brought her there. Her journey leads her to friendship, romance, and her first taste of freedom. But betrayal threatens to take all that away.

Jet faces an enemy that could cost her everything she loves. She must succeed…or die trying.

~~~

Children of Neptune is the first in a series about a teenager’s intertwining journey of magical abilities and self-discovery. Preorder for $3.99 at champagnebooks.com.

Sneak Peek at Love on Longboat Key

~Coming June 2017~

Julie stretched out her long pale legs and flexed her even paler bare toes. She could hardly believe her good luck. Just yesterday she’d been bundled in a down coat and fur-lined boots, yet now she wore white cargo pants, a thin cotton T-shirt, and red rubber flip-flops. Basking in the warmth of the Florida sun took some of the sting off spending the holidays with her quarrelsome mother and father.

Sitting under the Bodhi fig tree on the outermost edge of the park was her favorite thing to do. Years ago, the Bodhi tree had been toppled in a hurricane, but thanks to conservation efforts, it had been replanted, taken root again, and thrived. Julie loved the idea of sitting beneath a tree that had overcome the odds. She thought of this bench under the Bodhi as her personal refuge, the spot where she always found all the peace and quiet she craved.

Until today.

The longer Julie sat there in delicious silence, the more she became aware of a voice. A male voice. A louder-than-necessary voice. She turned and glared at the tall, sandy-haired guy crunching down the shell-lined path. He was so busy half-shouting on his cell phone he didn’t even give her a glance as he walked to the edge of the railing that hemmed the water.

For all Julie knew he was yet another self-absorbed thirty-something guy, the kind she often saw in the hallways at work, who gathered his sense of self-importance from how tightly he was tethered to his iPhone. He sure was dressed the part of an insurance executive on casual Friday, in a crisp blue Oxford shirt, khaki pants, and leather deck shoes. He only lacked the socks. And he was taller than normal. In the halls of Pilgrim Mutual, his head probably would have grazed the tiles of the low ceiling.

In any case, he was disturbing the peace. Julie felt annoyance surge within her until she heard him say, “No, Mom, I don’t think that’s what Dad meant...it doesn’t matter, so give it a rest...come on, it’s Christmas, I’m here for all of a week, is it too much to ask for you to just get along with each other?”

His conversation came to an abrupt end. He pressed his thumb down on the phone and cussed the F-word under his breath. When he turned back, his forehead wrinkled and his jaw clenched, Julie recognized all too well his look of frustration, since whenever she had to deal with her mom and dad, she felt her own face tighten in exactly the same way.

He let out an exasperated breath when he saw her. “Sorry.”

“For what?” she said.

“Swearing. Arguing. And otherwise interrupting your Zen.” He gazed over his shoulder at the calm water of the bay. “I’ve been here less than twenty-four hours and already my parents are driving me crazy.”

“Join the club,” Julie said.

“You here for the holidays, too?”

Julie nodded. “It’s like being a teenager all over again.”

“Exactly. Only they’re the ones who crack up the car and need to be grounded for misbehaving.” He looked down the shell-lined path. “Are your parents here with you?”

“No, they’re home arguing about graham crackers.”

“Graham crackers?”

“Don’t ask and I won’t tell.”

“Fair enough.” He smiled. “Mind if I sit for a sec?”

Julie scooted over on the bench. Ordinarily she wasn’t drawn to guys who looked like they could have been college basketball players. And she wasn’t overly fond of the preppy look, but there was something endearing about the rolled sleeves on his pressed Oxford shirt, his creased khaki pants, and his boat shoes. He needed only to put on a navy blazer, a striped tie, and a pair of socks to look like an overgrown schoolboy.

Bench where Julie meets Joseph

Love on Longboat Key
Julie Joseph dreads spending Christmas in Florida with her cranky elderly parents. Yet that changes when she arrives at Sun Tower and meets the eligible bachelor whose equally quarrelsome parents have just moved into the penthouse.

Thomas Briggs IV is hardly the type Julie has dated in the past: he's tall, handsome, and out-of-this-world wealthy. He's also the son of the CEO of Pilgrim Mutual Insurance, where Julie works as a copywriter.

She has just a few days to date Thomas before they both have to return to the ice and snow blanketing the Northeast. There's one big problem: Julie's rival for Thomas's affection happens to be her gorgeous, but mean-spirited, CEO boss at Pilgrim Mutual.

Can Julie overcome the odds to win Thomas's heart?

Love on Longboat Key is a sweet holiday tale about finding romance on the beach. Preorder at the Champagne Bookstore soon!

Savvy Saturday: Author's Picks

Last week, we saw some of the editor's choices for summer. This week, we asked our authors what books they would pick for a day at the beach, and this is what they had to say.

"I would choose to read Jan Romes' Kiss Me--because I am a sucker for pink covers and anything to do with bachelorette parties!"
- Meg West

Kiss Me

Running late for her spoiled stepsister’s bachelorette party, Lacy Goodlow is forced to speed—snagging a hefty traffic ticket and the interest of Officer Jared Kelly. Their paths collide again in the middle of the bachelorette party when Lacy plays an embarrassing game of Fact or Fun and she hands him a napkin that simply says Kiss Me. A full-blown attraction takes off, but so does conflict once it’s revealed that Jared and Lacy’s stepsister, Angela, had a tumultuous fling and she still claims territorial rights.

Available for $3.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.


My pick for a perfect beach read would be Makenna Snow's forthcoming Young Adult Children of Neptune. Because what better to read beside the ocean than a story about the daughter of the God of the Sea? Mystery, romance, adventure, and hydroshifting? Awesome! Plus the ability to go Dr. Doolittle? Sweet! Take my money! I can't wait for this to come out, and in fact have already pre-ordered my copy. Now if I can only make it to the beach...

- Keith Willis

Children of Neptune

Sixteen-year-old Jet can talk to animals with her mind, but she gets tongue-tied with someone her own age. She can use her ancient powers to hydroshift, but she's still figuring out how to be smooth out of the water.

Sheltered behind the palace walls, Jet trains to become queen of a secret island. All that changes when she's forced to accept a mission she isn't prepared for—fitting in at high school. Her powers, never before tested, are pushed to their limits.

She learns that handling high school life is just as complicated and dangerous as the mystery that brought her there. Her journey leads her to friendship, romance, and her first taste of freedom. But betrayal threatens to take all that away.

Jet faces an enemy that could cost her everything she loves. She must succeed…or die trying.

Available for $3.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

I love mythology and when I read that Ada can manipulate electricity, I was intrigued. After all, which side will she gravitate to with power literally at her fingertips?

- Amy McKinley

Daughter of Zeus

The future can be a terrifying prospect, especially when Ada Freyr discovers she can manipulate electricity. Ada is grief-stricken when her abilities result in the death of her husband. and terrified of being discovered by the Prominent-run State. Unusual citizens are labeled Undesirable, and are never seen again.

Ada drives to Atlanta, intent on finding her father. She blames everything that’s happened on him, and vows to kill him for ruining her life. However, once Ada meets her father, she realizes he’s no longer the alcoholic she remembers: he’s now a Congressman with a family and a new name, ready for a Senator’s seat.

Ada’s scheme lands her on the Undesirable list, leads a stranger to stalk her, and stunts her relationship with her siblings. Soon, she has to decide which is more important: a vendetta, or forgiveness.

Available for $3.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

[I picked Cold Sweat for] Two reasons. I love a great romantic suspense and I love a strong heroine.

- Makenna Snow

Cold Sweat

Seventeen-year-old Hope Craig is deaf and training hard to make the biathlon Olympic Team. But when she is kidnapped from the groomed trails and taken to a remote cabin in the mountains, she must battle more than the elements to survive.

On the hunt for her daughter's abductor, Colonel Amelia Matheson enlists the help of Richmond Morgan, a local Sheriff who once hurt her. To find Hope, Sheriff Morgan and Colonel Matheson must untangle a web of secrets, including their own.

Using her wits and skills, Hope sets out to escape the mountains and save the man her mother had sent to rescue her – a man who is not who he appears to be.

Available for $0.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

Safari Stew by Veronica H. Hart. I hate the word "craft", but she knows how to structure a sentence and a story properly. It takes the burden off the reader when they aren't compensating for a writer blundering around and knocking things over. She also has a wry take on things; her humor is genuine and uncontrived. I can definitely get one of her books sandy, and read it with sunglasses on.

- Bob Bickford

Safari Stew

Doll Reynolds receives word that her missing husband, Barclay, has been discovered teaching in a South African university. Rather than call the school, she arranges a trip to confirm the information for herself. Six of her Blender friends join her for support. Old Howard arranges a luxurious safari as a side trip to either celebrate finding Barclay or to console Doll if she doesn’t. Either way, the trip leads to murder.

Available for $4.95 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

I tend to like Sci-fi like Keith Willis.

- Colleen Myers

Traitor Knight

When Morgan McRobbie rescues a damsel-in-distress from a dragon, he expects she’ll swoon, murmuring “My hero!” Instead, Marissa has only loathing for the man everyone believes will betray Kilbourne. That’s fine with Morgan. A woman in his life would just complicate things.

A high-level informer threatens the kingdom’s security, and Morgan is out to stop him. Posing as a turncoat himself, he walks a fine line between honor and betrayal. A single misstep could result in disaster, and his mission is fraught with distractions: the pesky dragon, a pair of conniving courtiers, and the disillusioned damsel who’s certain Morgan can’t be trusted.

If Morgan’s going to save the kingdom, win the girl, and manage to stay alive, he’ll need to step up his game. Because the traitor is lurking in the shadows, and his scheme calls not just for the betrayal of Kilbourne, but also the destruction of Morgan McRobbie.

Available for $4.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.

Elfin Nights. Lush, vivid setting descriptions. Author uses all five senses to bring her world alive.
Superior worldbuilding, gripping conflict, and excellent pace. Basically Brantwijn rocks. Plus, the sex is hot.
- Celia Breslin

Elfin Nights

A fae Knight’s life belongs to the monarchies, but for Finn of the Morrigan, his life comes second to his heart. And his heart belongs to his ladies.

The changeling princesses of the Springtime elves share a unique bond with their Knight—a bond that must remain perfectly secret. When the Queen of the Elves discovers their passionate love, she curses and exiles Finn from the elfin lands forever. With their guardian sent away to a lifeless wasteland, the royal changelings have no defense when the unseen enemies of the Four Courts attack, and the House of Elves falls.

To save his loves, Finn will need to break out of prison, undertake a perilous journey across the lands of Thairy, face wicked creatures, rogue Knights, and one of the most dangerous monsters in the fae world.

The enemy will soon learn what it means to provoke a true Son of War.

Available for $1.99 on Amazon, Kobo, and at the Champagne Bookstore.