Shades of Summer - Joy Elbel

   

  Title: Shades Of Summer (The Haunting of Ruby Series)
  Author: Joy Elbel
  Pages: 465
  Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Blurb: Love…the only thing more powerful than death. Seventeen year old Ruby Matthews spent the last year of her life crippled by guilt and grief over the death of longtime friend and boyfriend Seeley “Lee” Lucas. Feeling that a change of scenery might snap her back to reality, Ruby’s father moves the family out of their home in the Philadelphia suburb of Trinity and into small town life in Charlotte’s Grove, Pennsylvania. Life is better here for Ruby—she quickly makes friends with handsome Zach Mason and his twin sister Rachel. Every moment spent with Zach makes life and love seem possible again. But passion comes with a high price. Things are not what they seem at Rosewood, the Matthews’ historic plantation-style home. Paranormal activity at the mansion intensifies as she draws closer to Zach. Is it Lee—coming back to claim her heart and maybe even her soul? Or is something more sinister hiding in the shadows? Ruby must delve into her own past and the history of Rosewood before it is too late.

  About Joy Elbel

Joy Elbel lives in Central Pennsylvania which is also the setting for her first novel. "Shades of Summer" is the first installment of the four part The Haunting Ruby Series. A serious fascination with ghosts and a love of reading led her to want to create her own works of fiction. She admits to spending way too much time on Facebook and not enough time with Matt, her boyfriend and muse. She will be releasing the second book in the series, "Phantoms of Fall", in early December 2012. She is currently working on a second series of young adult novels. http://joyelbel.blogspot.com/

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Shades of Grey - Jasper Fforde

Title: Shades of Grey
Author: Jasper Fforde

This book is set in the future in a world where the visibility of colours is what sets your social status, and the protagonist, Eddie, sets out on an adventure that leads him to question the way society is run and the mysteries that surround East Carmine.

I found the plot really interesting and absorbing from the start as the world was fully developed and was entirely believable. I found that even when there wasn't something action filled happening, the mystery kept me gripped.

The characters are what kept me hooked on this book. The side characters really supported the main plot and were completely developed which is rare for side characters. My favourite was Jane, her feistinous and attitude made her a more human character than the rest of the inhabitants of Fforde's new world.

The writing style was easily understandable and interesting to read as there were some parts very unique to this version of the future. I really liked the way the names reflected the character's colours and despite this being quite a lengthy book, it flowed well from beginning to end.

Overall, I would give this 5 out of 5 stars as the writing , plot and characters dragged you into the world and I can't wait to read the sequels.

Opening the Ball - Nathaniel Simpson

Title: Opening the Ball

Author: Nathaniel Simpson

This book is about a young boy called Jonathan who is recruited into a mysterious paramilitary academy for gifted boys. When he and two of his friends are chosen to take part in an elite program, they must survive one of the bloodiest days of battle of the Civil War.

The plot was an interesting one, keeping me gripped from the start. It combines many of the aspects of literature that I like; clever plot twists, exciting action and the right level of emotion that draws you in and makes you really care for the characters. I like the introduction of time travel and the way it was used in the story, along with the way the characters and setting were authentic and believable.

The characters were very relatable and by the end of the book I really was concerned about each of them. Jonathan was a solid and well-rounded protagonist and I think that the author gave just enough back-story to him so that the reader could understand his personality and the way he was. Also I like the side characters as there were interesting personalities and it was surprising who I, as a reader, sympathised with.

The writing style was easily understandable and well-written. I found that the story was well researched and authentic when discussing the Civil War in America; with the weapons and clothing being very convincing to the reader, as well as the characters.

Overall I would give this 4 out of 5 stars because although I really loved the plot and the whole story, I found the ending to be a bit abrupt (this is probably due to it being the first in a series), however, I would still definitely recommend this.

Undertow - Kiri R. Newton

Title: Undertow
Author: Kiri R. Newton
Publication information: Bookpal Australia (2012)

This book focuses on Zoe, a young Australian girl who after a tragic plane crash meets a dashing merman named Josiah. From that moment on Zoe's life changes completely, and flash eleven years forward, and we see that everything is getting very dangerous for Zoe when Josiah suddenly appears back into her life.

Undertow is quite short at only 291 pages long so I managed to read this in just a few hours. I think that for this type of young adult book, the plot was exciting and held my interest but at points became predictable as the story contains many of the typical YA themes; mermaids, love triangle, family conflicts, romance. Despite the predictable nature of the plot, I think that had I been a few years younger I would have thoroughly enjoyed this book so I would recommend it for anyone who usually enjoys young adult literature or readers who are between 14 and 18, as personally I think that readers of this age would definitely get more from the story.

Our main protagonist is Zoe. She seems to be the typical sort of YA girl; girly and hopelessly romantic but in the end tough and willing to fight. I never really connected with Zoe as a main character but I really liked the character of Josiah. I found him to be much more believable and relatable than any of the other characters, even though he is a merman. I found some of the side characters interesting and the use of history to describe the various families to the reader was an effective tool. The characters were at times slightly annoying, mostly because they did not react to strange things in the ways that I think the average person would. I can't really say much about this though as I don't want to ruin the story for anyone wishing to read this but I think that, had the reactions to things been more believable or dramatic, I would have been able to connect to the characters a lot more.

The writing was good but as I said before, this would definitely be better suited to someone a bit younger. The language used in this book is a lot more straight-forward than I am used to and not too descriptive which means that Undertow is a great little quick read with an interesting plot.

Overall, I would give Undertow by Kiri R. Newton 3.5 out of 5 stars and I would recommend this book to younger young adult literature readers and anyone who enjoys a good mermaid tale!

Undertow by Kiri R. Newton Teaser!

Author Kiri R. Newton has stopped by today with a teaser from her new book Undertow.

The room reminded Zoe of an oversized English conservatory, filled with deep sea plants that swayed gently in the gentle currents that seeped into the room. There were sponges, a variety of corals and sea weeds. Among these crawled sea slugs, starfish, crabs, lobsters and other sea creatures. Nestled among the garden there were statues, cannons and figureheads, but the centrepiece belonged to a massive black grand piano. The black lacquered wood shone even in the muted lights, upon a plinth at the centre of the garden. “It’s beautiful,” Zoe breathed. Nox smiled as he began to lead her upwards to the piano before settling behind it. Zoe perched beside him on the stool. “I love it, too. I come in here a lot, just to play and be alone. I think music is like therapy for me. It helps me make sense of the crazy world I‘m in, or at least drowns it out for a while.” “Play something for me,” Zoe pleaded. Nox fumbled a couple of notes then began to play. Zoe shut her eyes as he began to sing, his voice dragging her into a dizzying depth, the sounds of the piano carrying magically underwater. Zoe could feel him move beside her as he threw himself heart and soul into the song. Zoe could feel herself being dragged into that place along with him. Nox’s voice sounded a lot like Josiah’s, but his voice had a deeper, more resonant sound. The effect on Zoe was the same; she found herself being swept away by his music. When Nox finished he placed his arm around her waist. This time Zoe couldn’t repress the shiver which came partially from his cold touch but also from every nerve ending tingling after listening to him sing. Nox must have noticed her reaction, because he looked down at her, bit his lip and shifted away, his face falling dramatically. Zoe watched as he rested his hands on the top of the piano, twisting the silver ring on his thumb with a pained look on his face. “I’m sorry. It’s not ‒” Zoe tried to explain. “No. No, it’s not you. It’s me. This. Us. It’s wrong,” Nox’s voice whispered in her mind. “You shouldn’t be forced into it like this. I want to be with you, but not like this.”  

Title: Undertow
Author: Kiri R. Newton
Publisher: Bookpal Austrailia
Blurb: For far too long these sailor-drowning, ship-sinking sea sirens have been portrayed as happy, peaceful creatures who want nothing more than to fall in love with a prince and live happily ever after. Undertow is an unconventional twist on one of the oldest mythological creatures known to man.

Buy Links:
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Media Links: Website

About Kiri R. Newton

Its weird right but as an author I could tell you about my characters inside out and yet when people ask me to talk about myself I go all quiet. Anyways, here I go. I am a child of ‘91 born in Jandowae, a tiny little town out past Dalby. When I was five my parents decided to pack everything up and move to Tonga in the South Pacific after Dad visited there and mum fell in love with the place after reading a book about it. So I grew up in a third world country, fluent in a second language by the time I was eight and lived amongst the locals who I was friends with. When I was thirteen my father passed away and due to the fact that the government refused to pay my mum a pension over there like they did my father, we were forced to move back to Australia. As for my writing career, I started writing progressively longer short stories in Grade 5 where one teacher noted on my report card that ‘I had unique ideas and an unusual talent’. By Grade 7 I had completed my first novel a post-apocalyptic fiction where cats are the highest life form and live basically as we do and follows the lives of a litter of cats, the characters based on a litter of cats belonging to my neighbour. I continued writing different things from horsey stories to Phantom of the Opera fan-fiction right through my teenage years, nothing serious, mostly just a lot of scribbling. In Grade 12 I realized that if I was going to be serious about being a writer I needed to finish stories, not just have a lot of random scribbles to my name. So forgoing all my assignments I finished my second book called Dynamite which is an Australiana tale about a racehorse. Two years later I went on holidays to Fiji, came home and three months later Undertow was completed. In the middle there I wrote a Tolkien-esque fantasy epic called The Dark Assassin with my now ex-boyfriend. The year after that I completed Hazardous, which will be my next published title.

Scarlet Woods by Brooke Passmore Release!

Today is the release day of Scarlet Woods by Brooke Passmore!

Title: Scarlet Woods
Author: Brooke Passmore
Publisher: Self Published
Blurb: Past, future, and love all exist in the door through time. Modern and independent seventeen year old Morgan Westbrook thought she had seen all there was to her home town of Scarlet, Georgia, but one day while walking in the woods behind her house she discovers a mysterious door masked behind the trees. After admiring the door’s timeless beauty she walks through its entrance to venture into more woods, but what she doesn’t know is that the door is a gateway through time that takes her back to the year 1863 during the days of the Civil War in Scarlet. Without knowing that she had traveled back in time, she stumbles upon Danny Carson, an attractive young man who is appalled to see that Morgan is wearing skimpy modern clothes instead of a nineteenth century dress. Although they find each other completely different than anyone they’ve ever known, they cannot help but feel drawn to one another. After spending time in another century, she discovers that she's time traveled back to the year 1863 and that the door took her there. For months she and Danny journey back and forth through the door to experience the joys of traveling to both of their centuries. When dilemmas of unwanted marriage, slavery, and war are thrown at them, they must face the perils that time travel has delivered them in both the future and the past.

  Teaser:

March 14, 1863, Danny Carson was riding his black horse underneath the budding trees of the woods. He heard the crackle of rushing water hit against the pebbles and sharp rocks in the creek as the orange sun descended from the face of Scarlet, Georgia. Winter had disappeared and Danny was thrilled. He hated winter; it was always a cold and lifeless season. Dull brown trails and naked branches weren’t a welcoming atmosphere, but now since spring had finally arrived, color had returned to the trees. Spring brought out so much greenery and life in the woods with its ivy spiraling up trunks, weeds and wild flowers blooming at tree roots, and the sun tanning the leaves while birds zipped through the branches. People in Scarlet didn’t dare enter the woods late in the evening. They feared the idea of foul killers or fictional monsters haunting the trees at night. But when it came to the woods Danny was fearless. He’d visit at any time of day to get away from things just for a little while. He found the depths of the trees, the forever running creek, and the prowling Spanish moss to be an escape from his regular routine. Plus, he being practically the only visitor at any time of day gave him the full run of the place. The woods were his. As soon as the sun winked at the ground and was about to depart from the sky, the storm had begun. The dark night clouds began to mix with purring thunder. Noticing how gloomy the day had become, Danny tensed up in his saddle. “Oh no…” He grumbled. His horse Nashville was a handful when it came to storms and was terrified of loud thunder. Then the lightning started ripping through the sky. Danny tightened his grip on the reins as the first set of thunder stung his ears. Nashville came to a halt on the dirt trail and let out a few worried neighs at the feel of raindrops plopping against his coat. Danny rolled his eyes. “Whiny baby,” He stroked Nashville’s neck to help calm him down. As more lightning nicked the gray sky, rain showered onto the forest floor. In a matter of seconds Danny and Nashville were drenched. Rapid rain pounded onto the creek and the thunder produced a drummed even beat that taunted the black horse. Skittish and now ill tempered from the storm, Nashville scooted his burly legs back in reverse and shuffled his hooves on the dirt path. Danny had a firm hold on the reins trying to control him. “Calm down Nash! It’s only a bit of loud noise. Toughen up!” The thunder became more prominent in the endless dark sky. Nashville gave out a loud neigh and began to buck in the air, unbalancing Danny’s weight on the saddle. “Steady! Stop it Nashville!” He said to his horse as he began to feel his feet start to slip out of the stirrups. One large wave of lightning slashed through the clouds with a bright bolt. Thunder roared out like a hungry lion about to attack its prey, nearly shattering Danny’s eardrums. Nashville couldn’t take it any longer. His front legs kicked off the ground, arching his back into the air. Danny lost his balance and accidentally let go of his reins while being thrown off his saddle. “No Nash!” He yelled as he fell into the wet mud below. The second he was out of the saddle Nashville took off running into the rain. Danny tasted chunky bits of mud as he sat up in a small pool of brown slush. He snarled seeing his horse run off into the distance. “Nashville! Come back you dumb horse!” Nashville didn’t show any signs of slowing down. Danny stood up cursing under his breath as he chased his horse down the trail he had taken. “Stop Nashville!” Danny yelled through the feverish raindrops. He darted through bushes and stepped on thorns with his wet boots. Every other step of his chase he spat out dirt that had crept in between his teeth. “Stupid horse, stupid horse!” He kept muttering to himself. With one last echoing neigh, Nashville took a sharp turn behind a hill and was out of sight. Danny ran a bit faster, hoping that he wouldn’t lose his horse’s tracks. After he took the same turn behind the hill, he came upon three possible paths that Nashville could have taken. He looked for hoof tracks in the mud but this area of the forest was rockier than the rest of the woods and left no footprints to be seen. There was no telling which way Nashville went. Placing the tips of his fingers to his mouth, Danny let out a high pitched whistle that screamed through the trees. Usually when he would whistle Nashville would instantly come to his side, but this time he didn’t show. Danny whistled three more times, but all that was around him were the trees and the rain. With his head hung low, he began to walk back the way he came, realizing that his horse wasn’t coming back to him. He was covered in mud and was expecting a plum colored bruise on his rear from being bucked off his saddle. Now that he lost Nashville in the woods, he had to walk back home soaked in the rain. Danny hoped that Nashville would be smart and find his way back home whenever the storm settled. He didn’t want his horse to go too far from home, but little did he know how far away his horse would run off to. Running as fast as his hooves could take him, neighs burst from Nashville’s lips at each strike of thunder. He dodged past the wooded trees with remarkable speed as the rain penetrated his sight. Feeling frightened, he wanted coverage from the rain and desired to escape the storm. He slowed down to a steady trot, but his legs were still fidgety. He needed to find shelter. Coming upon a hill he didn’t recognize, Nashville staggered up the hill in hopes of evading the thunder that seemed to loom over him. He came to find more green oaks and weeping willows with saggy limbs that suspended just inches off the ground at the top of the hill. His hooves left tracks in the mud as he jogged around to view his new surroundings. His hooves stomped on wild flowers that sprouted all over the ground. The rain seemed tamer up on higher ground. Even with the gloomy sky hanging overhead, this part of the woods felt like a more positive environment. The gallant trees that encircled him gave Nashville a strange comfort and made him feel safe for some reason. Nashville quickly stopped in his tracks to admire a massive object standing before him. It was a door, but not just an ordinary door. It was a rich chocolate brown that had two doors in one just like an entrance of a grand church. It didn’t belong to any building structure, wall, or fence and stood alone. One of its doors was partially open. Nashville inched up to it and nudged the opened door back further to create a bigger opening. What he saw inside the entrance was the exact same forest, or was it? The ground he stood on was wet and miserable with rain attacking the earth. On Nashville’s side of the door the sky was a lifeless color with drained out clouds, but looking through the door was the setting sun shining its warm rays on the dry ground. The grass wasn’t wet and the trees didn’t drip rain off their leaves. Everything through the door was light and calm. It was as if the other side of the forest was a completely different place and was free from the vicious storm. How was that possible? This other side of the door was definitely odd with its drastic weather differences, but since Nashville was a horse he didn’t think too much of it. He entered the peaceful atmosphere through the door’s opening. A warm wind blew a light breeze against his wet coat after his first step through to the other side. There was no harsh rain and no loud thunder ringing in his ears. He was positive that this was the better side of the woods. Nashville turned his soaked body back to face the door he came out of. It was ajar and he could see the unbearable rain continue to pour onto the grass on the side he just exited from. One final thunder erupted but it was contained inside the door sounding distant and far away, even though he stood only a few feet away from the entrance of the storm. Nashville shook his head from side to side, slapping his long mane against his neck trying to get every raindrop off of him. He neighed out a happy tune and trotted through the dryer parts of Scarlet Woods.

 

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  About Brooke Passmore

 

  I live in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and am a 22 year old young woman who probably will never fully grow up. As a kid I played with Polly Pockets, swam in my swimming pool practically every day during the summer, and went on vacations to Disney World with my family (favorite days of my life). I loved telling stories as a kid by playing with my Polly’s and dressing up like princesses with my friends. Eventually everything that went on in my busy imagination I wrote down on paper in the late hours of the night. When I was in sixth grade I moved into a new house with woods directly behind my backyard. I’d walk about the woods and loved trampling through the creek or getting lost in the trees. These trips through the woods gave me my inspiration for my book trilogy Scarlet Woods. My main character in my book is Morgan who lives in a house where the woods are right behind her backyard. My love for trees and anything woodsy definitely shows in my book and I hope I painted a pretty picture in readers’ heads about what Scarlet Woods looks like. My favorite candies are Skittles and M&M’s. I put ketchup on practically anything with meat (even with chicken quesadillas). I’m a great fan of Florence and the Machine, The Beatles, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Birdie, and recently The Civil Wars. My favorite books are The Hunger Games, Shiver, and Wither. My favorite movies are Titanic and Gone with the Wind. The Vampire Diaries is the wonderful TV show I’m obsessed with (I’m a Delena lover!!). I hate ads on youtube that I repeatedly have to skip every single time I want to listen to the newest song from Glee. I love to smile, laugh, and purposefully sing loud and off key whenever my brother is around just to pester him. I have a cat named Phoebe who we named after Phoebe from Friends, a yorkie named Coco who we named because he likes to eat Cocoa Puffs, and a shih tzu maltese we named Indy after Indiana Jones. My favorite princess is Cinderella but I think my personality is a tie between Ariel and Belle so they’re all my ultimate faves. If I could choose a century to time travel to I’d probably choose the Victorian age, the roaring 20’s, the 1950’s, or the 1940’s. I think the Victorian age and the 1940’s were probably the most romantic eras in history and the 20’s and 50’s would probably the most fun!

Casual Vacancy to be TV Drama Series!

Although I haven't yet read The Casual Vacancy by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, I am excited to share that the BBC have decided to make a TV dramatization that will hopefully be aired in 2014.

I'm sure many people would agree that this would make an exciting change to the usual film adaptations that come from books, as sometimes, television dramatizations can bring a fresh look and feel to a book. Most of the television adaptations of books that I have seen have been really well made and true to the books, including Terry Pratchett's The Hogfather and Going Postal and also many of Charles Dickens' novels.

Although there hasn't been much information released about Rowling's new venture, I am sure that it is something that all her fans will be thoroughly looking forward to.

Author Spotlight: Willow Cross

Here is an author spotlight on an amazing indie author, Willow Cross!

About Willow Cross:

Willow Cross resides in Arkansas with her husband, two children still young enough to live at home, an enormous cat named Bitsy, and a neurotic dog named Tank. Her home has been known to host the occasional ghost and several of her friends profess to be witches. Although she dearly loves Vampires and Werewolves, they are never invited for dinner.

Media Links: Facebook Twitter Website Blog  

Her Books:

The Dark Gifts: Birthright

For one-thousand years, Druid prophecies foretold of a young witch destined to alter the fate of both human and immortal alike. This witch-turned-vampire would be capable of harnessing the supernatural abilities of both and, in a bloody rise to power, would rule with unwavering control.

Unwillingly thrust into a world she never dreamed existed, Liz Markum is catapulted into an ancient war between rival vampire factions. She must choose between those she loves and the ever-present darkness attempting to devour her very soul.

Only one question remains: Will Liz claim her birthright or surrender to the dark gift?

One choice.

One chance.

Two destinies.

You can find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and most online retail ebook stores. Print edition is available from Amazon and Createspace.

The Dark Gifts: Inheritance

It all started with a gift... When Sarah and her older brother received a house from an Aunt they never knew existed, they counted it a blessing. For the first time in her young life, Sarah had a real home. Within months, the once beloved dark gift revealed a hidden curse.  As the full moon rose into the heavens, the only person she’d ever been able to count on had become a monster. Desperate to save her brother, Sarah embarks on a nightmarish journey into their lineage in hopes of discovering answers and a cure. If only she’d known beforehand...her brother wasn’t the worst monster out there. And he certainly wasn’t the most dangerous. To make matters worse, they’d been searching for her since the day she was born. You can find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Also available in print!  

Afterlife: A Dark Gifts Companion

Companion to Birthright.Two hundred years before the battle of the fortress, a young man named William Townsend had to die.William had big plans. He would become a valiant soldier, fall in love, have a family, and die. In fact, he was certain it would happen in that exact order. But fate is a fickle taskmaster and things almost never go as planned. And sometimes, just sometimes, your true destiny will greet you in the afterlife. Free on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online ebook stores.

The Bloodstone Oracle: A Dark Gifts Companion

Two centuries before the great Immortal Battle, a radical clan of witches united with one of the most powerful Druidic families. Under attack from the evil Kiana and her minions, they conspired to prevent the extinction of their ancient magical bloodlines.

Little did they know the magic forged during that All Hallows Eve would not only secure the continuation of their lineage, but would in fact create a new being, a new magic, that could someday save the entire world.The Bloodstone Oracle is the second short story companion to

The Dark Gifts series.Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online ebook stores.

Rise of the Demons: Oceans of Red Volume 1

By 2015 the streets of Los Angeles have been transformed from a thriving metropolis to a hostile world ravaged by demons bent on assimilating the human race. Standing between this total apocalypse of humanity and their chance for survival is 19 year old Remy Martin. A warrior in her own right, trained to think on her feet and kill if the situation requires, she is flanked by her older brother and younger sister. Together, they devise a plan to take back the streets. Against the wishes of their father, who commands the resistance forces, they venture into unknown realms of the supernatural in a race against time with the fate of the entire world in their young hands. You can find it FREE on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and most online retail ebook stores as a FREE download.  

Demon Evolution: Oceans of Red Volume 2

Remy's saga continues as the siblings uncover a sinister plot to not only posses the human race, but to replace them entirely. Will she accept her destiny and learn to control the new-found power within her?

You can find it on Amazon and Smashwords. and Barnes and Noble and most online retail ebook stores.

Haunted

Have you ever heard something go bump in the night and wonder if someone was there? Only to go looking for the cause of the noise and find nothing at all. Or how about unexplainably feeling like you’re being watched when you’re completely alone? Things disappearing for no reason or strange ghostly footsteps in the hall? This book is a collage of short stories about a few of the otherworldly experiences I’ve had. Although they are not movie worthy, you may find them interesting. All the stories are %100 true. Nothing has been added for dramatic effect. You can find it on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Smashwords for only .99 cents

A Christmas Miracle

 

A short inspirational story about a single mother and a very special Christmas.
You can find it on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Smashwords

A Higher Calling

 

A daughter’s mistake.

A mother’s wrath.

An impossible choice.

Sophie’s plans were simple: Leave the supernatural behind and raise a child of her own creation. For twenty years life couldn’t have been better, until the day her daughter showed up on her doorstep bloodied and bruised. They say, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” But the wrath of a mother, whose only desire was to protect her child, is unfathomable. Those pure of heart can rest easy. However, if you carry the slightest tinge of darkness, beware the Higher Calling.
You can find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and most online ebook stores.