Altercation--the New Release from Tamara Hart Heiner: A Blog Tour Hijack Stop

The Author Tour:
       Tamara Hart Heiner

      Tamara Hart Heiner was last featured here on 

Tossing It Out about a year and a half ago while on her blog 

tour for her novel Perilous.  The 

success of that book has led to 

the recently released sequel 

called Altercation. 

         Once again Tamara is making the blog tour

rounds to promote Altercation.   And she's got a contest to go celebrate her tour.  Tamara offers more information below.   Visit Tamara's blog Chasing Dreams for more book, tour, and contest information.

 The Book:

 Altercation  : The FBI promises Jacinta Rivera and her friends that they are safe. Jaci wants desperately to believe them but weeks of hiding from their kidnapper, alias "The Hand", have left her wary. Hidden from the public eye in an FBI safe house, Jaci must reconcile both the mysterious disappearance of her father and the murder of her best friend.

 A betrayal lands Jaci back in the grasp of The Hand, shattering her ability to trust and leaving her to wonder if she will ever piece together her broken life.

Buy it now: 

Altercation  paperback $15.95  on Amazon: 

or ebook at $4.99

  The Contest:

More Information:   http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com/2012/05/all-around-world.html

Prizes: EVERY DAY I will randomly select one person who made a comment on

that day's blog. The winner will then get to decide if they would like an

ebook copy of PERILOUS or ALTERCATION.  There's just one catch: there must

be AT LEAST ten comments on that day for me to do the giveaway.

But if that's not enough, leaving a comment also gets you entered into the

PRIZE DRAWINGS. This won't be random; it's cumulative. Every comment you

leave counts as 1 point. If you are a follower on my blog, you get 1

point. Every time you tweet or share on Facebook about the tour, it's one

point. I'll even add it up for you; just include me in on the tweet

@tamaraheiner or on Facebook @tamarahartheiner (unless you don't trust my math,

 and then feel free to tally it up and send it to me).

THIRD PRIZE: 50-page critique of something of your choice (if you're not a writer, a $5 amazon.com gift card)

SECOND PRIZE: lot of five YA books

FIRST PRIZE: $20 gift card to Amazon.com

 Here's the blog tour for Altercation in case you'd like to go back to visit any of the previous stops or catch the ones coming up:

June 1 - Lydia Kang
June 4 - Rashelle Workman
June 5 - David West
June 6 - Tristi Pinkston
June 7 - Shannon O'Donnell
June 8 - Kate Hart
June 11 - Jennifer Shirk
June 12 - Saumya
June 13 - Justine Dell
June 14 - Laurel Garver
June 18 - Elizabeth Mueller
June 19 - Bonnie Harris

June 20 - Nichole Giles

June 21 - Marsha Ward
June 22 - Jo Ramsey
June 25 - Arlee Bird
June 26 - Laura Bingham
June 27 - Carrie Harris
June 28 - Jenni James
June 29 - Deborah Davis

Altercation $15.95 link on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Altercation-Tamara-Hart-Heiner/dp/1937178218

ebook for $4.99:

http://www.amazon.com/Altercation-YA-Suspense-ebook/dp/B0085AJQEI

Tamara Hart Heiner

YA author

tamarahartheiner.com 

         My review of Altercation is on Amazon.  Be sure to be 

here on Wednesday for something very different.

.

Is This Book Perilous? Yes it is.

          Today I am finally getting around to reviewing one of the books that was included on my 2010 Christmas Holiday Reading List.  Author Tamara Hart Heiner from the blog Chasing Dreams is the author of the YA book Perilous.

          As far as I know I don't think I've ever read anything that is considered young adult or teenage literature unless the Tom Swift and Hardy Boys series would fall into this genre.  I wasn't totally sure what to expect from a genre labeled as "Young Adult", but Heiner's first published novel is pretty much what I thought I would find.

          Since I guess I am a good ways past the "young adult" phase I decided that I would have to try to read Perilous through the eyes of a younger reader and imagine how they might see this novel.   My impression that most teens, male and female alike, would enjoy the story and the way Tamara presents it.  And for that matter so did I as an older reader.

               This is an exciting action thriller that moves with intensity.  Four teen-age girls witness a jewel heist at a shopping mall and are abducted by the burglary gang.  They are taken from Idaho to the headquarters of the gang's ringleader, a notorious criminal known as "The Hand", who hides out in Quebec, Canada.  The stakes are raised after the girls escape from the gang's hideout and attempt to make their way home on foot, not knowing whom to trust since The Hand is intent on finding them.

             The story relies on some rather extreme coincidence and some illogical behavior from the characters, but that's what helps make the story more intriguing.   Some readers may need to add an extra dose of willing suspension of disbelief to keep from rolling their eyes at some things in the story, but I think most younger readers will be fine with it.  I was certainly willing to go along with all of it in order to enjoy the story.  Tamara has skillfully presented the story so that everything happens with a natural flow and the readers are kept on the edge of their seats to see what happens next.

            Perilous is mostly a road story--a journey home.  Tamara does an exceptional job of depicting that journey.   In fact, I pulled out my North American highway atlas to see if the places she mentions and the route her characters take were accurate.  The author did her research well.  I was able to follow the teens' journey and felt like I was right there with them.  I was very impressed by sense of place and the descriptions of settings in the novel.

          This book deals with some mature and serious themes including violence and rape.  It raises some questions of moral ambiguity related to stealing, divorce, and corruption.  However, all of these issues are presented discreetly and in good taste.  The issues allow for some good topics of discussion and thought.  Perilous is a wholesomely presented story of real life problems and is suitable for all teens. 

            Tamara Hart Heiner's Perilous is a book that parents should feel comfortable in allowing their teenagers to read.  It's also a book that I would recommend to adult readers who like a well told story that avoids bad language and scenes that one might deem offensive.  This is a fun reading diversion that deals with relevant topics. 

            One of the bigger issues that some may find with this book it that it leaves a lot of loose ends.  Those who want their endings neat and resolved may be disappointed.   This book demands a sequel or perhaps even a series.  I was sad to see the book end where it did and was left wanting more.  Now I'll have to wait for the next book.  Don't leave us waiting too long, Tamara.

*******************************************

Check this out!

Karen Gowen is posting something today (2/22/11) about how to use the A to Z Challenge to gain more followers.  Be sure to check her blog, Coming Down the Mountain, to learn from a blogger who has successfully helped many increase their numbers of followers.

And this!

Tizzy at Impossible Dreams is looking for some more participants in her NIFTY FIFTY Blogfest to celebrate her first 50 followers.  It happens this Saturday February 26th.   If you're looking for a bit of diversionary fun with a chance at a cool prize, why don't you check it out.

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Right Before My Very Eyes....

           For over a year I've been trying to find my copy of J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye.   I had started reading it and only gotten into the first few pages when I lost track of the book.   In all my years of reading I had never read this iconic novel.   Salinger's death last year reminded me to dig my paperback version out of the garage and finally read it.  I did.  Then it disappeared.

          Buying a new copy was not something I wanted to do.  I knew it was in the house somewhere.  Sometimes I would remember it and look around to see if I could find it.  I rearranged all of the books in my garage in hopes that Catcher had somehow made it back there.  I spent considerable time and energy over the past year trying to find the book again.

         Then the other day I found it right here in my home office on one of my bookshelves.  I wasn't even looking for it--I was looking for another book.  There it was right before my very eyes where I had probably looked at it a multitude of times without realizing what it was I was seeing.

          Now that I have found it again I am going to place it in my stack of to-read books that I had posted about before the Christmas holidays.   After I have read Catcher I will post my thoughts about it.   But first I'm going to finish those books from my holiday reading list.

          One of those books is Perilous by fellow blogger Tamara Hart Heiner.  I was part of Tamara's book tour back in December, but I had not yet read the book due to my preoccupation with NaNo.  Now I'm almost finished reading Perilous and will offer my review here next Tuesday.  After that I will try to get through the rest of my list.

           Have you read Perilous?  Have you read Catcher in the Rye?    Did you ever look for something to eventually find that it was right there in front of you the entire time?  Why do you think this sometimes happens?

----

Holiday Reading List: 2010

            Christmas holidays are indeed a busy time for most of us, but if you are like me you probably have some extra down time that you can set aside for reading.  Since I'm driving this year and not flying like I usually do, I won't have much free travel time to read.  However I'll probably have some relaxation time in the motels at night as I trek across country.

             During my visits with family I know I'll be busy having a good time with them, but since I tend to rise early I'll undoubtedly have time for quiet reading since I won't have a computer to distract me.  And it's probably not going to be constant hustle and bustle.  I'm  sure I'll have those moments during the day when I can read a page or two or even more.

Here are the books I'm taking with me on my Christmas Vacation:

          Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor by Brad Gooch -- I started on this one in September and I want to finish this up first.  It's a biography of one of my favorite authors.  If you've never read any of O'Connor's work, you really should treat yourself to it.  She is most noted for her short stories.  They are dark, funny, and bizarre.

The Shack by William P. Young --- I had never really intended to read this somewhat controversial book, but some family members read it and really liked it and said that I should read it as well.  I have a negative opinion from what I've heard about it, but I want to read it so I can discuss it with those who have read it.                                                      

        Burning Down the Shack (How the 'Christian' Bestseller is Deceiving Millions) by James B. De Young--  The Shack inspired so much controversy that books were written about the book.   I want to read another side of the argument.

Finding God in the Shack by Roger E. Olson  -- This book was sent as a companion study to The Shack.  Maybe I'll read this if I'm not "shacked out" by the time I get to it.   I'll see how interested I am in the topic after reading the other two books.

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen -- This is a book that sounded like it had an interesting premise.  It looks like a quick easy read that will be a time-passer during lulls in the festive events of the season.

Owen Fiddler by Marvin D. Wilson -- We know this author as The Old Silly.  I won this signed copy from Marvin after the Beware the Devil's Hug book tour.  I want to read this on the way home so I can do a fresh review on Tossing It Out after vacation.

                                      

  Perilous by Tamara Hart Heiner-- I promised that I would eventually  review this one when I hosted a stop on Tamara's book tour.  I'm hoping to have this review up in early to mid-January. 

     This might sound ambitious, especially for a slow reader like me.  But I figure I might as well set my sights high.  And who knows when that extra reading time may come along and I need books to read.  And if I somehow finish these, I still have a lot of books left at my mother's house that I never got around to reading when I was in high school and college.      

     Have you read any of these books?  If so what did you think of them?   Are any on your 'to read someday' list?     Do you have any special books that you are planning to read during the holidays?

---

A Perilous Book Tour: Tamara Hart Heiner

           This is not a dangerous blog tour, but it is Tamara Hart Heiner's blog tour for her debut novel Perilous.  And though not really a perilous tour, this has to be one of the longest virtual book tours in the history of blogging.  Now at nearly two months of making the blog rounds, if you haven't heard about Tamara Hart Heiner and Perilous then you must lead a sheltered blog life.



Tamara Hart Heiner
YA author
http://www.tamarahartheiner.com/

              One needs only to look at the blog tour stops which I have listed at the end of this post to see the Tamara has a lot of support amongst fellow bloggers, which is an excellent position to be in when you want to promote your book.  Tamara's blog is called Chasing Dreams.  If you have never visited her blog, I encourage you to do so and become a follower.  For more information about Tamara and her work you can go to her website.  between the two sites you will find biographical background, information about her novel, and other nifty stuff.




           And what about Perilous?   Here's the official blurb:

Jaci Rivera has plans for her sophomore year: go to regionals with the track team, make the honor roll, and eat too much pizza with her best friends, Callie and Sara. Her biggest concern is Amanda, the pushy girl who moved in a few months ago.
What she doesn't plan for is catching a robber red-handed, or being kidnapped. The desperate thief drags her and her friends 2,000 miles across the Canadian border. They escape from his lair, only to find that he has spies and agents watching their path home, waiting to intercept them and take them back.


Then Jaci finds something out about her family. Something which irrevocably connects her to their kidnapper, and makes her question their chances of escape.


              It sounds pretty exciting.  Unfortunately, I have still not had a chance to read it, but I plan to soon.  When I do read it, I will do an actual review on Tossing It Out.  In the meantime, in addition to reviews on Amazon and elsewhere, you can check out the tour links that I have provided below and find several very fine reviews from some other bloggers whom you may enjoy checking out. 

            But what about the contest?

           Yes, there is a contest that Tamara is having and it's well worth putting your name in the blog hat.

She's going to be running two contests during the tour: one book giveaway
and one Kindle giveaway.

Book giveaway: The winner of this contest will be randomly chosen. Every
person who comments on any post during the blog tour will be entered into

a random drawing for a book. Which Tamara can autograph, if they want. The

contest begins on Nov. 16 and ends on Dec. 15.

Kindle giveaway: This contest is point-based and begins Oct. 15 and ends
Dec. 15. Whoever has the most points wins the Kindle. There will only be
one Kindle given away. Here are the points:

1 point: blog comment (can comment on all the blogs, multiple times, on
the tour)

1 point: follow Tamara's blog (http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com/)

1 point: retweet


2 points: blog about the blog tour


5 points: purchase the book (ebook or paperback, must email Tamara the

confirmation email) if they actually buy the book in the store they can

mail her a copy of the receipt.


Have them add up all their points as well as their proof (links, etc) and
email it to Tamara at the end of the blog tour (tamara at tamarahartheiner dot

com)

Good news! You can earn an infinite number of points!



     Now you may ask, "Where can I get a copy of Perilous?

Here is the ebook link: www.amazon.com/dp/B0045JLQCI

You can now also buy the actual book from Amazon. or Barnes and Noble or from Tamara's site.

And don't forget to visit Tamara's blog and let her know you saw it right here on Tossing It Out.
http://www.tamarahartheiner.com/


And now here is the line up of her tour if you'd like to go back and check any of the stops you've missed or want to come back for the remaining stops. 

Oct. 15 David J. West

Oct. 18 Nichole Giles

Oct. 19 Talli Roland

Oct. 20 Guinevere Rowell

Oct. 21 Mary Gray

Oct. 22 Frankie

Oct. 25 Mary Greathouse

Oct. 26 RaShelle Workman (interview)

Oct. 27 T. Anne Adams

Oct. 28 Valerie Ipson

Oct. 29 Ann Best

Nov. 1 Christy Dorrity

Nov. 2 Chrstine Bryant

Nov. 3 Rebecca Blevins

Nov. 5 Annette Lyon

Nov. 8 Jennifer Daiker

Nov. 9 Carolina Valdez and Jaime Theler

Nov. 10 Elizabeth Mueller

Nov. 11 Christine Danek

Nov. 12 Elle Strauss

Nov. 15 Niki

Nov. 16 Lynn Parsons

Nov. 17 Danyelle Ferguson

Nov. 18 Elana Johnson

Nov. 19 Sarah McClung

Nov. 22 Suzanne Hartmann

Nov. 23 Marsha Ward

Nov. 24 Tara McClendon

Nov. 29 Courtney Barr

Nov. 30 Tristi Pinkston

Dec. 1 Cheri Chesley

Dec. 2 Karen Gowen

Dec. 3 Melanie Jacobson

Dec. 6 Kristie Ballard

Dec. 7 Melissa Cunningham

Dec. 8 Arlee Bird

Dec. 9 Debbie Davis

Dec. 10 Taffy Lovell

Dec. 13 Sheri Larsen

Dec. 14 Joyce DiPastena

Dec.15 Diana Miezcan

       And one more thing!   How about a brief book trailer to get a taste of what you're in for when you read Perilous.

Good luck Tamara Hart Heiner and Perilous!

.