A Howl in the Night by Courtney Rene - Virtual Tour and Giveaway!

Today we're welcoming author Courtney Rene to the blog on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the paranormal YA, "A Howl in the Night".

Courtney is giving away $5 Amazon GCs to two randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops)! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

Courtney was brave enough to share five things about herself that we might not know. Thanks, Courtney!

There are many things about me that the world all ready knows. Here are a few that most don’t.

1. I am afraid of the dark. This is somewhat funny, as I love horror movies, and monsters and ghost stories. How can I still be afraid of the dark? No real answer there. I can tell you that we don’t leave the hall light on at night for the children. Oh no. We leave it on for me. Need something from outside in the car after dark? Go get it yourself, as I am not going out there alone!

2. I sleep walk and sleep talk. Yes, apparently I am quite the entertainer once I’m asleep. The only time this has actually been an issue was when I was pregnant. Everyone was worried I would go outside and into the road and be hit by a car. Why they only worried about this when I was pregnant is beyond me. If I wandered into the road pregnant or not, and was hit by a car, hello? I would still die. Also, just as an FYI, I am just as clumsy while asleep as I am while awake. Nice huh? I can’t even be graceful in my sleep. So, not fair.

3. My perfect date activity is going to a movie. I know a lot of people would say a weekend away, or a five star restaurant. Nope. Take me to the movies, buy me some popcorn (extra butter) and I am happy as I can possible be. No need to drop a ton of money on me. I’m a cheap date.

4. A lot of my fans and friends know that I am a Harry and David Gummy Bear snob, but most do not know that I am also quite the shoe addict. I LOVE shoes. All shoes. Heals, sandals, wedges, flip-flops. I love them all. My favorite part of the changing of the seasons is the opportunity to buy new shoes. I am not a fan of snow, but it gives me the perfect excuse to get out my boots.

And last, but not least:

5. There are several places that I want to visit before I die: Scotland, Ireland, Rome, Italy, and Greece. There is one place that I want to visit right NOW: Australia. I have been planning a trip there since I was eighteen. I have travel guides galore. I do research on things to do and see for fun. Life keeps getting in my way and holding me back, but not for much longer. I want to see the land, the ocean and the reef. I want to watch the surfers. I want to go on treks through the desert like Steve Irwin. I want to listen to the people talk. So many things to do and see and experience there. I can’t wait to go, and I hope it’s sooner rather than later.

There you have it, five things that you maybe didn’t know about me. Exciting huh? I lead a wild life, can you tell? What about you? Is there one thing you could share that we don’t know? Something fun and silly or even embarrassing, the people want to know!

Sweet Sixteen is supposed to be a turning point in your life. The world is before you in all its glory, just waiting for you to reach out and grab it. Right? For Abigail Staton, no. Not so much. Not only does she suddenly lose her best friend due to a fight, but out of the blue her mother expects her to believe that the father, she has never met, is actually a werewolf. With that revelation, Abby is thrust into the world of two wolf clans who are not only fighting each other, but also fighting for Abby, one of the few females born to the shape-shifters. Her father is determined to pair Abby up with Derek, a very dominant and overwhelming shifter. Abby vehemently balks at this union to disastrous results. When war is declared between the two clans, Abby has to decide what side she is actually on.

EXCERPT:

Then a new thought crashed into my brain. “Wait a sec. If my father is a werewolf . . .,”

“Not a werewolf, just a wolf,” my mom said interrupting me.

“Okay fine,” I said. If her story was true though, I had to wonder, what did that make me? It was my turn to pop up off the bed and pace around. What about me? Was I going to grow hair and fangs and run around trying to bite people? “Oh, God.”

It felt as if my life was over. How was I supposed to finish school if I turned into a wolf every time the moon was full?

Would it hurt to change? It always looked like it did in the movies. I had seen that werewolf movie where the guy runs around London eating people. The change was always accompanied with screaming and pain. Was I going to hunt down my friends and family and eat them?

I didn’t know if that was really how it worked or not, but before I could work myself up into a real freak fest, my mom said, “I have watched you all your life Abby, and I have never seen anything wolf-like about of you. I promise. That worry has always been in the back of my mind, but nothing has ever come of it. You’re fine. Come on, you don’t even like meat.”

Courtney Rene lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. She is a graduate and member of the Institute of Children’s Literature. Her writings include magazine articles, short fiction stories, several anthologies, and her Shadow Dancer series, published through Rogue Phoenix Press. For a complete listing, visit http://www.ctnyrene.blogspot%20com/. Feel free to contact her at ctnyrene@aol.com

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