Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Tsu Review, aka, What the heck am I going to do with another social media platform?... Never mind, so pretty...

I started an account on tsu yesterday (you can check me out here: https://www.tsu.co/aleahbarley ) and I really like it. I tried out helo and a couple of other different "facebook killers" but this is the first one that I think will stick around, because:
  • The interface is amazingly pretty... so pretty... 
  • There are some writers/bloggers I recognize who are there already and using it in a productive way (Rockstars of Romance, etc.).
  • All your friends and followers see all your posts.
  • Apparently they're going to share advertising revenue with users, I'm still trying to figure this out but it's an interesting premise.
  • It can hook into your facebook/ instagram/ twitter/ pinterest/ tumblr/ etc. so you can post to a bunch of places when you post to tsu. So you're not losing anything. I like that alot.
Mostly I just love the interface... So pretty...

Just some thoughts. :)

Aleah Barley

Friday, December 5, 2014

How to Pick a Good Lipstick Color and Review: Bite Luminous Creme Lipstick

Okay, so a couple of weeks ago I was in Sephora getting my free Birthday Gift (woohoo, free lipstick and mascara... the lipstick was a crappy color but I desperately needed mascara. Apparently that stuff goes bad after a few months so my two year old mascara definitely needed to be tossed) and I bought a double-sided Bite lipstick from one of those bins near the counter.

You know what I'm talking about... Don't lie.

I'm not a big lipstick girl but I loved it... seriously... this stuff is like lip crack. It's creamy without being too heavy. It doesn't smell or taste like much (I used to have a cheesecake flavored lipgloss but I ate it). It's made of food grade products in Canada (my neighbor to the south... roflmao... seriously, I live in Detroit, check it out on a map). Bite lipstick is a definite WINNER.

A few weeks later I went back to Sephora for a full sized lipstick in a better color... dun-dun... lightning flash.

I suck at picking colors. I really, really, suck. So, I have a new technique I'd like to share with you. It's called "Go to Sephora and Get Someone There To Help."

Sephora's great. It's full of friendly people who know about makeup, are paid to help you, and will give you samples of super expensive moisturizer to try out (moisturizer reviews coming soon!). A nice woman swatched some against my hand and was like "this one."

It's called Rose and it looks great.

Check it out here! http://www.sephora.com/luminous-creme-lipstick-P283903?skuId=1611284

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Romance Adventures Blog Hop: Cars, Clowns, and Zombies

Hi everyone! Welcome to the Romance Adventures Blog Hop. My name's Aleah Barley and I write rip-roaring romantic adventures including car chases, explosions, clowns, and zombies... not all in the same book. :)

Sometimes people ask me how I come up with ideas... the truth? When I get stuck while writing a book I add a rush of action and then like to see how my characters handle the crazy fall out.

Of course... in real life my biggest adventure is trying to eat all the Thanksgiving leftovers (without gaining a hundred pounds). In a death defying feat that critics are calling "hilarious" and "unrealistic" I'm attempting to eat most of a turkey, half a pumpkin pie, six mini apple pies, chopped liver, cheese, and ALL THE STUFFING. What about you? What's your biggest adventure for 2014?? Leave a comment below to win an e-book copy of one of my books. 

Honey from Too Hot to Handle is a reformed car thief who needs a place to stay after someone burns down her house. There's only one man she can trust--Detective Jack Ogden. This book is full of fast cars and hot men. It's all about American Muscle... and the occasional act of arson.

Check out Too Hot to Handle today and watch the sparks fly!

In Leaving Las Vegas, Glory is a West Virginia Wild Child and Luke is a Las Vegas billionaire who always gets what he wants... and right now he wants her. From underground poker games to car chases and gun fights, this book has it all!

Check out Leaving Las Vegas Today and be ready for an explosive good time!



If mad-cap contemporary romances (and crazy clowns--thank you so much American Horror Story, lol) are more your thing then check out Tempting the Ringmaster... when a circus girl falls for a small town cop things are sure to get firey. With plenty of quirky characters and surprises, Tempting the Ringmaster is fun, fun, fun.






Then there are the zombies... In Dead SexyGemma Sinclair is a mortuary attendant and ace zombie hunter who always sees the world in black and white--up until she stun guns the wrong dead guy in the ass. D.S. Thomas Conroy is tall, dead, and sexy. He's also a special agent for the Department of Undead Americans and he needs Gemma's help to investigate missing zombies in the Motor City.

Readers love Dead Sexy! They're comparing the series to the Walking Dead, True Blood, and Stephanie Plum. One click Dead Sexy today and don't forget to check out the sequel--Dead Set--available now!


Blog Hop List.... visit all the sites and share some love!

1.
 Liza O'Connor

2. Daryl Devore

3. Jennifer Lowery

4. Andrea R Cooper

5. Melissa Keir

6. Karen Lopp

7. Aine P Massie

8. Gaeille Vanderspek

9. Joceline Farrah

10. Jenna Jaxon

11. Gina Danna

12. Melissa Kendall

13. Sharon Cullen

14. D'Ann Lindun

15. Nikki Lynn Barrett

16. Tricia L. Quinnies

17. Lisa Kumar

18. Georgia Lyn Hunter

19. Sheri Fredricks

20. Susan Sheehey

21. Aleah Barley

22. Stacey Brutger

23. Bobbi Romans

Saturday, November 1, 2014

How I Blew My Budget in Three Easy Steps

Today I blew my weekly budget.

I know what you're thinking... how could you possibly do that Aleah? You had a plan. You were going to have one hundred dollars in spending money a week! You were going to stick to it and be awesome! Maybe you overspent on Sunday--25 dollars in takeout is an awful lot, but Indian food is totally worth it--but you got right back on track. You took your lunch to work. You recommitted to buying black coffee instead of lattes (seriously though, work coffee has gotten so, so bad). There's no reason you should be over budget.

Okay, maybe three reasons:

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Why Skip the Latte and Solve Your Finance Woes is a Bullshit Philosophy... and Why I'm Skipping the Latte Anyway

Once upon a time a very long time ago (the nineties) someone said: If people just stopped buying lattes they could save so much money!!! And thus began the gospel of "give up something cheap you like today for moderate savings in the future."

Let's do the math.

I buy *mumble mumble* lattes a week...

Monday, October 27, 2014

Get Wicked With Entangled Blog Hop: Sexy Charcters and Sinful Costumes

What's your costume going to be this year? Last year I went as the Wicked Witch of the East. Black dress. Striped tights. Red high heels. (Give me an idea for this year's costume in the comments--or just tell me one of your favorites--toenter to win an ebook copy of one of my books... drawn on Halloween). My two books with Entangled are Leaving Las Vegas and Too Hot to Handle (Tagline: He stole her heart, she stole his car). If the main characters were going to a Halloween party this weekend they'd definitely go all out. How would they dress? Take a peak and find out...

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Detroit is for Zombies... and Dog Parks

When I first moved to Detroit it seemed like a war zone. There were no thai restaurants, no fancy coffee shops, and no dog parks. Today, we've got three dog parks:
  • The Detroit Dog Park on 17th and Rose Street--It's got a killer view of the train station and is close enough to Astros to pick up a flat white on the way. The dogs are friendly. No small dog area.
  • Shinola Dog Park on Cass and Canfield--Privately owned by Shinola, the fences are a little lower and there is a small dog owner (although everyone hangs out in the big dog area). The dogs are friendly... the people are a little more pretentious. You can walk to Melt afterwards for an ice cream.
  • Grand Circus Dog Park at Adams and Woodward--Downtown dogs and downtown people. If you live downtown then this is the park for you. Otherwise... there's no parking.
Which one is your favorite? Did I miss any? Have you seen any zombies at them??


Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Vampires vs. Zombies: 50 Shades of Undead Hotties

I write novels that stomp all over the fine line between urban fantasy and horror. Set in Detroit, the Dead Sexy series is made up of fast paced adventure stories with lots of mystery and tons of romance. The heroine is a mortuary attendant/hunter and the hero is dead... really dead... he's a zombie.

Some people have been asking: "Why zombies? Why not vampires? Vampires are sexy." I totally understand. Vampires are sexy. Brad Pitt is sexy. James Marsters is Sexy. Robert Pattinson is sexy. True Blood is all about the sexy. Why is that?

First, let's take a look at vampires:

Monday, September 29, 2014

Hot Hero Blog Hop--D.S. Thomas Conroy

I just want to thank Jodi Linton for inviting me on this blog hop. Her book Pretty Reckless is devestatingly funny and the follow up--Whatcha Gonna Do with a Cowboy--is hot, hot, hot!
Now.... here's the hop!
What is the name of your character? Is s/he fictional/historical?
D.S. Thomas Conroy is a fictional government agent without a hope or a pulse. He's a zombie.
When and where is the story set?

The story is set in Detroit in a recent future--twelve years after the zombie apocalypse.

What should we know about your character?

D.S. might be dead, but he's still sexy. He takes care of what's his, does a damn good job, and isn't above cracking heads for a good cause.

What is your character's goal?

D.S. wants to find out who's "disappearing" zombies from the streets of Detroit. As an agent for the Department of Undead Americans it's his job to enforce the law.

What is screwing up your character's life (main conflict in writerly speak)?


Just when he thinks he has a handle on being a member of the walking dead he meets a woman so full of life she knocks him sideways--and stun guns him in the ass.
What is the title?
Dead Sexy
When can we expect the book to be published or when was it published?
Available Now: http://j.mp/abDeadSexy
Check out Jodi Linton, Lauren Smith, and Incy Black for more information about their heroes today!

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Dead Set--Chapter One



A corpse slammed into me from the side, the scent putrid and gut wrenching. Brute force sent me flying, and I careened into a crumbling wall.
The job was supposed to be easy, but when you hunt the dead for a living, easy is relative.
I rolled back onto my feet and checked my stun gun. It had less than half a charge, enough to take down a human or a charging mountain lion, but not enough to incapacitate a full-grown Biter with a taste for human flesh.
Damn.
The stun gun clattered to the floor, and I grabbed for my Bowie knife. The best way to incapacitate a Biter is to jolt them full of 150,000 volts of electricity. Second best is to take out the major joints, knees, elbows, wrists, and ankles. Take out a kneecap and even the most nerve damaged dead man will pay attention. More importantly, without their kneecaps they can’t keep themselves upright to attack.
The pair of dead men I’d been fighting circled warily. Strips of skin were hanging like Christmas ornaments off their faces, but they weren’t completely feral. They still had enough sense to watch out for my knife.
“What’cha. Doing. Little. Girl?” The one on the right growled. “You. Shouldn’t. Be. Here.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.”
My name’s Gemma Sinclair, I’m twenty-one years old, and I’m a mortuary attendant. Back before the rising that would have meant preparing bodies for viewing and holding the hands of grieving relatives. These days, it means that I hunt dead people for a living. Monsters. Biters. Zombies.
Not that I’d ever use the ‘z-word’ in polite company.

Friday, September 19, 2014

The Missing Partner by Liza O'Connor

Hi everyone! I just want to intro Liza O'Connor's post by telling you how excited I am about her new book: The Missing Partner. Xavier and Vic are amazing. They're absolutely my favorite historical detectives... and I'd even put Xavier's deductive ability up against the crime solving prowess of Gemma and D.S. from Dead Sexy and *brand new* Dead Set... although I'd bet on D.S. in a fight, lol. Now, here's Liza to tell you why you should read The Missing Partner!
Aleah




That's right. To celebrate Book 2, The Missing Partner's early arrival,
Book 1 is only 99 cents from 9/15 to 9/21. So grab it NOW before it returns to $3.99.

What's The Missing Partner about?

Glad you asked. 




The Adventures of
Xavier & Vic
Book 2
The Missing Partner
By Liza O’Connor
Cases to be Resolved:
The ‘New Woman’ Who Lost Her Old Mind
The Lost Servant of Dante’s Hell
The Disappearance of a Very Important Man
The Abduction of Sneaky Snake by a Grand Elephant
The Cat Who Wore Too Much



Vic Hamilton takes the reins of the investigation office, while Xavier Thorn disappears on an assignment for the British government. Her caseload is entirely ‘lost and recovery’ cases. In the midst of solving all her client’s problems, she learns that the government has lost Xavier. With the help of the gypsy pirate Jacko, and her driver Davy, Vic rushes against time to rescue everyone.
Most alarming, she befriends and hires a dangerous criminal as an employee of Xavier Thorn’s Private Inquirieswithout Xavier’s permission.


Davy insisted upon making the tea, so she could sit and explain her night’s excursion without distraction. At least, that was the reason he gave for working the stove. She suspected he had yet to forget the small fire she started two months ago.
That fire had not been her fault. Xavier had distracted her with kisses and pulled her into their bedroom. Fortunately, Davy arrived before anything of importance burned. Unfortunately, the small mishap seemed to have seared into his memory. Since then, he usurped her every attempt to use the stove.
She sat down and stared at the handsome pirate. “A friend of my Aunt Maddy’s has been incarcerated in an asylum by her husband for supporting the suffragettes. He claims she has lost her mind, but in truth, she’s only lost patience living with a stupid man.”
Naturally, Jacko laughed.
“This is not funny. How would you like it if I had you locked up for nothing more than your annoying smile? Just because I don’t like you constantly laughing at me, doesn’t give me the right to declare you insane and incarcerate you.”
Jacko lost his smile and nodded. His damn eyes continued to sparkle with amusement, but if she complained about them as well, she’d appear petty.
“Tell him what you’re planning,” Davy grumbled as he tended the stove.
Vic ignored Mr. Busybody and focused on Jacko. “I’ve discovered where Mrs. Carson’s being held. Tonight, I plan to sneak in and get her out.”
Well, at least that killed the amusement in his eyes. Now Jacko looked like a sinister, deadly pirate. “Where is she?”
“A place called Bedlam.”
His eyes darkened and his hands twitched.
“Have you heard of it?”
He nodded.
“Have you ever been in it?”
With narrowed eyes, he glared. “Not because of my laugh. But I have removed people from it before.”
Vic’s heart quickened. “Truly? Then I take it back. I’m very glad Davy called you in.”
“You’re welcome,” Davy muttered as he joined them at the table.
She reached over and covered Davy’s large hand. “Thank you, Davy, for bringing me skilled help.”
“How long has your friend been there?” Jacko asked.
“She’s been missing for two months. It took her daughter awhile to determine she was not on holidays as her husband said.”
Jacko grimaced. “By now she may have really lost her mind. How old is she?”
In her fifties.”
“Attractive?”
“No.” She wondered at Jacko’s questions. Does he only save young, attractive women?
“Well, she might still be sane, if they’ve left her alone.”
“If who’s left her alone?”
Davy nudged Jacko’s arm. “Vic don’t need to know that.”
Her agitation focused on Davy. “I do if it’s pertinent to my case!”
“It’s not. We just determined that. So let it drop!”


Book 1
The Troublesome Apprentice

 Only 99 cents from 9/15 – 9/21


Book 2
The Missing Partner




First, I got tired of telling my proper blog. Now, I’m tired of telling my improper bio. So what’s left?
Liza O’Connor was born, raised badly, left the South/Midwest and wandered off to find nicer people on the east coast…and employment, there were no jobs in the Mid-west. There she worked for the meanest man on Wall Street, while her psychotic husband tried to kill her three times. (So much for finding nicer people.) Then one day she declared enough, got a better job, divorced her husband, and fell in love with her new life where people behaved normally. All those bad behaviors has given her lots of fodder for her humorous romances. Please buy these books, because otherwise, she’ll become grumpy and write troubled novels instead. And given her past, they will likely traumatize you.
Mostly humorous books by Liza:
Saving Casey – Old woman reincarnates into troubled teen’s body. (Half funny/half traumatizing)
Ghost LoverTwo British brothers fall in love with the same young woman. Ancestral ghost is called in to fix the situation. There’s a ghost cat too. (Humorous Contemporary Romance)
A Long Road to Love Series: (Humorous Contemporary odd Romance)
Worst Week Ever — Laugh out loud week of disasters of Epic proportions.
Oh Stupid Heart — The heart wants what it wants, even if it’s impossible.
Coming to Reason — There is a breaking point when even a saint comes to reason.
Climbing out of Hell — The reconstruction of a terrible man into a great one.
The Troublesome Apprentice — The greatest sleuth in Victorian England hires a young man who turns out to be a young woman.


FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT 
Investigate these sites: