Promo - Penguin at Comic-con 2009

For those of you who won’t be able to attend this weekend’s Comic-con, Penguin is giving readers a chance to win two of their most highly anticipated books coming this fall, Level 26, an incredible new high tech thriller by CSI creator Anthony Zuiker and Dracula: The Undead by Bram Stoker’s grand nephew Dacre Stoker, along with limited gift bags that are only available at Penguin’s Comic-con booth (#1117).

Visit Penguin’s Comic-con page for full details, great content from some of your favorites including Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Marjorie M. Liu, Laurell K. Hamilton, a sneek peak at the first of the “cyber bridges” that will accompany Level 26, information about new books coming this fall, and a discount on books at Penguin.com!

Follow Penguin at Comic-con on Twitter!

If you will be in San Diego this weekend, it would be great to have the chance to meet your favorite authors and have your books signed. Penguin, therefore, has arranged for 7 of their fan-favorite authors to appear at an Off-Site Event at BORDERS (Gaslamp District) in San Diego on Saturday at 8pm. Fans will get the chance to listen to a fantastic panel and discussion with some of the biggest names in SF and Fantasy.

Saturday July 25th: Off-Site Comic Con Author Event: Science Fiction & Fantasy Panel Discussion and Signing:

BORDERS at 8:00 pm
668 6th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101

Have your books signed by your favorite Ace, Roc, & DAW authors:

Patrick Rothfuss
Kat Richardson
Rob Thurman
Thomas Sniegoski
Amber Benson
Seanan McGuire
Jeanne Stein

*Be sure to check our the trailer when you visit Penguin's page for Level 26!


Kimberly Swan, DarqueReviews.com

Promo - Monica Ferris Contest

Monica Ferris is looking for a boyfriend for her sleuth, Betsy Devonshire. If you’re familiar with the Needlecraft Mysteries now’s your chance to be a part of it!

Here’s what Monica has to say:
You have until November 15 to invent a fictional male boyfriend for my sleuth, Betsy Devonshire. He needs a name, a physical description, and a solid outline of his character. Add any details you like, such as how they meet – though that’s not necessary. Oh, I need to like him, too. Winner gets his/her choice of one of the five prizes – plus a copy of Blackwork (in which the new boyfriend will appear), suitably autographed.

For more details on rules, prizes, and how to enter, please visit her website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Promo - Fan Fiction Contest with Sourcebooks, Inc. and Linda Wisdom

Give us your best HEX!
A Fan Fiction Contest with Linda Wisdom

Ever wondered why Jazz and Nick argue so much? Have you imagined a hilarious scenario with Irma? And I’m sure you’ve thought up a ton of escapades with Fluff and Puff! Why not write your very own Hex Fan Fiction piece?

Linda Wisdom and Sourcebooks Casablanca are pleased to present an exciting contest—Tell us your own short story starring the characters from 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover and October 1 release, Hex Appeal!

Rules (follow them or we might kick you out of the Witches Academy!)
1. Choose any character you like and give them an original story!

2. 1500 words maximum, sent in a Word Document or in the body of the email Erotica is ok, but nothing too scary (no bestiality, necrophilia, pedophilia; no slander of public people; no black magic; no Wiccan or black magic spells, cursing in the regular sense is okay—we just want to have as much fun as possible!).

3. Send your story to Linda’s publicist, Danielle Jackson, at
danielle.jackson@sourcebooks.com, no later than 5:00pm CST on October 25, 2008. (All stories submitted will become the property of Sourcebooks, Inc. to avoid copyright complications. Please email Danielle with any questions about this.)

4. The Winner, chosen by Linda, will be announced on her Myspace page the morning of Halloween!

So what do you get if you win? 2 runners up with received autographed copies of the first two books in the series, 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover and Hex Appeal.

The Grand Prize Winner will also receive the autographed copies, AND the winner’s name will be used as a character in the fourth book in Linda’s Hexy series, out in October 2009!

We look forward to your stories! Good Luck!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Dorchester's 2008 Mr. Romance Contest....

This is such a great idea, just had to share. *grin*

It’s time for DORCHESTER’S 2008 MR. ROMANCE CONTEST!
All you hot and horny women who go weak-kneed at the sight of washboard abs and flirty tresses better get ready or get your inhaler, cause these dudes are righteously buff and they’re ready for their close-up.
One month from now, eight men will strut their stuff down the runway, flash their pearly whites and flex that one muscle that can win them the gold—personal charm. Dorchester’s 2008 Mr. Romance winner will have to put everything on the line and let it all hang out to rise to the top of this packed stable of stiff competitors. It’s winner take all, baby. Love is a battlefield.
Beginning April 7, Dorchesterpub.com will reveal two models a day in all their pixilated, spray-tanned glory. Learn their stats, love their lats and dream away about dinner for two with beefcake tartare for starters. After four days of hunky reveals, voting will open to the Dorchester public and that’s when the real fun begins. See the models’ ranking go up and down; who’s hot and who’s not. Will it come down to a cheeky little wink or something much bigger? Log on to dorchesterpub.com and find out!

http://www.dorchesterpub.com/Dorch/SpecialFeatures.cfm?ID=2445

For All of You Lynsay Sands Fans....

Marta Acosta has a fabulous new interview up with Ms. Sands AND a chance for readers to win a copy of The Accidental Vampire. So pop on over there and comment! http://martaacosta.blogspot.com/ Good luck!

Winner - Lynsay Sands Book Giveaway

A big thank you to everyone who participated, and to Avon Books - Harper Collins who has sent me the set of galleys that include all three of the upcoming releases by Lynsay Sands. The Accidental Vampire, Vampires Are Forever, and Vampire Interrupted. They've also sent the promo item to go with each of the books.

The winner is......

Kara

Congratulations Kara! If you'd please contact me at darque reviews @ gmail.com (no spaces) with your mailing address, I'd be happy to get your goodies in the mail for you!

Thanks again for stopping by, and for all of the great comments....

Kimberly

Winner - Happy Hour at Casa Dracula

A big thank you to everyone who stopped by to enter the contest or say hi to Marta Acosta!

The winner of a copy of Happy Hour at Casa Dracula is:

PamK

Please contact me at darquereviews @ gmail.com (no spaces) with your snail mail info so we can get your new book out to you.

Congratulations PamK! If you haven't read Happy Hour at Casa Dracula, or Midnight Brunch, you're missing out on a really good time. Like Marta suggested the other day....if you're not able to get a copy of your own, then check your local library. You'll be happy you did! :)

Lynsay Sands - Book Giveaway

The wonderful folks at Avon Books - Harper Collins have sent me a set of galleys that include all three of the upcoming releases by Lynsay Sands. The Accidental Vampire, Vampires Are Forever, and Vampire Interrupted. They release the end of December, January and February. That would be pretty wonderful to have your own set to read long before they hit the shelves, right? They've also sent the promo item to go with each of the books. All you have to do is stop by and leave a comment anytime between now and November 30th to be entered to win. One winner will win all three of the books and cute promo goodies that go with them. The winner will be announced on December 1st, so be sure to stop by and see if it's you!

Don't forget to read the interview with Ms. Sands while you're here!

Good Luck, and Happy Reading! :)

Happy Hour at Casa Dracula - Book Giveaway

Have you read Happy Hour at Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta? If not, now is your chance to win a copy of your own! All you need to do is leave a comment on this post any time between now and midnight Friday (November 16th). If you can also tell us the name of Marta's next book in the Casa Dracula series your name will be entered twice and you'll double your chance to win. Here's a hint: Scroll down and read Marta's interview.

Please be sure to check back on November 17th when the winner will be announced.

Good luck, and happy reading!

Tantalize - Contest Winners!

Hi Everyone! Thanks so much for stopping by yesterday and sharing your Halloween and favorite reads. My wish list has grown, of course. *grin*

Everyone's names went into a hat this morning, most of them twice, and 2 were picked. :) The winners are:

Lil

Cheryl

If you'd contact me at darquereviews @ gmail .com (without the spaces) with your snail mail information, I'll be happy to get these wonderful books out to you!

Thanks again...hope your Halloween was all you wanted it to be!

Tantalize - Book Giveaway

How would you like to win a copy of Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith? If you haven’t already met Quincie Morris and enjoyed an evening at Sanguini’s, now’s your chance!

Candlewick Press has been kind enough to share two beautiful hardcover copies to give away. From now until midnight October 31st stop by and tell us what your plans are for Halloween for a chance to win. To double your odds, share the title and author of your favorite paranormal read. Be sure to check back on November 1st for the winners!

Be sure to scroll down to learn more about Ms. Leitich Smith and Tantalize!

Happy Halloween!

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Plans for Halloween?

Any special plans for Halloween? In between taking the kids trick or treating, giving out candy to all of the neighborhood ghosts and goblins, and generally eating enough candy to last through the year….be sure to stop here at Darque Reviews for a special treat. With many thanks to Candlewick Press, I have two lovely hardcover copies of Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith to giveaway. On October 31st I’ll have a review posted, an interview with Ms. Leitich Smith, and two chances for you to win a copy of her young adult/dark fantasy romance, Tantalize. In the meantime, here’s the blurb to whet your appetite:

CLASSIFIED ADS: RESTAURANTS

SANGUINI'S: A VERY RARE RESTAURANT IS HIRING A CHEF DE CUISINE. DINNERS ONLY.

APPLY IN PERSON BETWEEN 2:00 AND 4:00 PM.

Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses -- or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything? TANTALIZE marks Cynthia Leitich Smith’s delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.

Are you predator or prey?

Tempting, right?
You can visit Cynthia Leitich Smith at her website, here:
http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/
Visit Candlewick Press, here:
http://www.candlewick.com/

Juno Books - Dancing With Werewolves Contest

You all know how I love this book, so click on over there and see if you can win!
See details below:


Juno Books (http://www.juno-books.com/) is celebrating Halloween and the release of DANCING WITH WEREWOLVES by Carole Nelson Douglas (http://juno-books.com/dancing_with_werewolves.html) with THE [Dancing With] WEREWOLVES QUIZ
(http://juno-books.com/werewolf_quiz.html)

Participant could win:
-- An Autographed copy of DANCING WITH WEREWOLVES by Carole Douglas
Nelson
-- The Wolf Man: The Legacy Collection (DVDs of: The Wolf Man /
Werewolf of London / Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man / She-Wolf of
London) from The Universal Monster Legacy Collection Series
-- Stand in the Fire - a live album (recorded in 1981) by Warren
Zevon [remastered and recently re-released] featuring (what else)
"Werewolves of London"

All they need to do is provide the name of the book or story and the
author of the ten werewolvian literary excerpts and email the
answers to info@juno-books.com with the subject WEREWOLF CONTEST.
Deadline is October 30. Winners will be announced on Halloween.

A don't miss our ALBINO VAMPIRE COCKTAIL PAGE (http://juno-books.com/albino_vampire_cocktail.html
albino_vampire_cocktail.html) -- it's delicious.

You can also download a a PDF of The Dancing With Werewolves
Bookmark (http://juno-books.com/dww_bookmark.pdf) as well as one
(http://juno-books.com/blood_magic_bookmark.pdf) for BLOOD MAGIC by
Matt Cook ("http://juno-books.com/bloodmagic.html).

Kitty Takes a Holiday - Contest Winner!

Hi All!

Thanks so much to everyone who came out to leave a comment for the Kitty Takes a Holiday Contest. :) The winner is: Debra! Congratulations Debra! Please contact me with your snail mail info at DarqueReviews @ gmail.com (no spaces) so we can get your new copy of Kitty Takes a Holiday out to you. I hope you'll enjoy Kitty's adventures as much as I have!

Thanks again everyone, and please be sure to check back soon for more new reviews and contests in the future.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Contest - Book Giveaway

How would you like to win a copy of Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn? If you haven’t already been hooked by Kitty and her adventures, here’s your chance. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post between now and July 31st. Be sure to check back on August 1st when the winner will be drawn and announced!

Here’s the blurb from the back cover:

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES KITTY A DULL GIRL After getting caught turning wolf on national television, Kitty retreats to a mountain cabin to recover and write her memoirs. But this is Kitty, so trouble is never far behind, and instead of Walden Pond, she gets Evil Dead. First someone leaves grotesque animal sacrifices on her front porch to curse her, then werewolf hunter Cormac shows up with an injured Ben O'Farrell, Kitty's lawyer, slung over his shoulder. Two hotties and one Kitty in a single-room cabin-can the situation get more tense? When a wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes starts sniffing around the cabin, Kitty wonders if any of them will get out of these woods alive...

Check out an excerpt…here……and you can also read my review…here. Have fun, and good luck to all who come out to play!

* The winner has been announced! You can click here: Kitty Takes a Holiday winner! to see if it's you. :)