Avah LaReaux Press Kit

Meet Author Avah LaReaux

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A saga fiction writer, Avah LaReaux has a talent for penning stories that focus on the lives of everyday people while conveying messages of empowerment, optimism, and inspiration. Beginning her writing career as a poet, Avah first realized her love for the craft as a youth. Since that time, Avah has transitioned from poetry to novels and yet maintains the same passion for writing as she had as an elementary school poet.

In 2002, Avah began writing her first novel, Bastards, and found the characters of the novel to have "lives" of the own. From this novel, Avah's debut release, What's Done In the Dark, as well as what has become the Lost & Found saga series was born. In April 2008, What's Done In the Dark breathed its first breath and was subsequently re-released with an alternate ending in May 2009. Currently, Avah is preparing for the release of the fourth installment to the Lost & Found series, Smoke and Mirrors.

Publishing under Blue Planet Publishing, the imprint owned by her and her husband, Avah strives to produce works that are relevant as well as entertaining. Avah's work and prose have been featured in various anthologies including In-Between Days and Under A Quick Silver Moon in the United States and abroad in the United Kingdom in the anthology Theatre of the Mind. Information about Avah LaReaux and her works as well as her blog forum can be found at http://www.avahlareaux.com/.

Synopsis: Bastards

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One life truly affects another. How much more accurate would that statement be if the lives were linked by blood? Meet the young Marcus Clayton and the residents of the Bradhurst community as they live, learn, and love according to their own rules. Will morals win out over physical desires or will lust overpower better judgment and foundational teaching? Join the journey, meet the players, and discover how what’s done in the dark leads to a siren’s song.

Press Release: Bastards

2010-04-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

Author Avah LaReaux Redefines a Common Word With Her Third Release

San Antonio, TX, April 26, 2010 – Blue Planet Publishing announces the third release in Avah LaReaux’s Lost & Found saga series, Bastards. Sized at 5 x 8, the paperback is categorized under Saga Fiction and Fiction – Family Life. The title is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $14.95.

About the Book (Excerpts & Info):

One life truly affects another. How much more accurate would that statement be if the lives were linked by blood? Meet the young Marcus Clayton and the residents of the Bradhurst community as they live, learn, and love according to their own rules. Will morals win out over physical desires or will lust overpower better judgment and foundational teaching? Join the journey, meet the players, and discover how what’s done in the dark leads to a siren’s song.

Deftly constructed at 373 pages, Bastards is being aggressively promoted to appropriate markets with a focus on the Saga and Family/Relationship Fiction categories. With worldwide wholesale distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and pervasive online availability through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and elsewhere, Bastards meets consumer demand through both retail and library markets with a suggested retail price of $14.95.

Additionally, Bastards can be ordered by retailers or wholesalers for the maximum trade discount price from the Blue Planet Publishing vendor wholesale bookstore at www.bppbooks.com/vendors.

ISBN: 978-09824298-6-0
Format: 5 x 8 Paperback
SRP: $14.95

For more information or to contact the author, visit www.avahlareaux.com or contact the author’s publisher, Blue Planet Publishing, at www.bppbooks.com.

About the Author:

Award-winning saga fiction writer, Avah LaReaux, is the author of the Lost & Found saga series for which What’s Done in the Dark, Song of the Siren, and Bastards are the first three releases. Avah pens stories centered on everyday characters under extraordinary circumstances, with plots that have all the drama of a T.V. series, in book form. Enter the mind of Avah LaReaux at www.avahlareaux.com.

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Synopsis: Song of the Siren

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Distracted by years of abuse and racial bigotry, Renee Toliver emerges from her ashes to find happiness miles away from her family farm and the dark secrets that have been kept hidden in a barn. But when Renee finds solace in her new friends, friends her father would never approve of, will she cower under his lies or rise like the Phoenix? Soon enough, Renee finds that it is true that the forbidden fruit is always the sweetest and resisting temptation isn't in the cards for her. If only the Oracle could have shown her the dangers of engaging with jealous men. As lies unravel and careers end abruptly, Renee is forced to face the truth of her actions and the devastation it promises to bring.

Press Release: Song of the Siren

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Blue Planet Publishing Announces Song of the Siren, the Second Installment In the Lost and Found Saga Series from Kansas City Author Avah LaReaux

Kansas City, KS, May 1, 2009 – Blue Planet Publishing announces the second release of six by author Avah LaReaux entitled Song of the Siren. The 5 x 8 Paperback in the Sagas and Fiction – Family Life categories is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $14.95. Song of the Siren is Ms. LaReaux’s second novel published with the publishing house.

About the Book (Excerpts & Info):

Deftly constructed at 293 pages, Song of the Siren is being aggressively promoted to appropriate markets with a focus on the Sagas and Family Life Fiction categories. With U.S. wholesale distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and pervasive online availability through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and elsewhere, Song of the Siren meets consumer demand through both retail and library markets with a suggested retail price of $14.95.

Additionally, Song of the Siren can be ordered by retailers or wholesalers for the maximum trade discount price in quantities of ten or more from the Blue Planet Publishing vendor wholesale bookstore at www.bppbooks.com/vendors.

ISBN: 978-0-9824298-0-8

Format: 5 x 8 Paperback

SRP: $14.95

For more information or to contact the author, visit http://www.avahlareaux.com/ or contact the author’s publisher, Blue Planet Publishing, at www.bppbooks.com.

About the Author:

Welcome to the creative mind of Avah LaReaux. A writer inspired by the human condition, Avah LaReaux uses the power of the written word to captivate and entertain her readers. She has a talent for penning stories that focus on the lives of everyday people while conveying messages of empowerment, optimism, and inspiration. Avah LaReaux’s work and prose have been featured in various anthologies including In-Between Days and Under A Quick Silver Moon in the United States and overseas in the United Kingdom in the anthology Theatre of the Mind. Her current novel, Song of the Siren, is the second installation of six in the Lost and Found saga series.

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Synopsis: What's Done In the Dark

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It’s been one year since Marcus severed ties with his ex and relocated his family from Charlotte, North Carolina to Atlanta, Georgia. Past deeds have been forgotten and dirt swept under the rug, but the old adage is true - what’s done in the dark will be brought to the light. A late phone call drudges up old wounds and promises to bring with that pain an undeniable reality. How will Marcus’ new truth affect his family and the home he has spent years trying to rebuild? Better yet, can Marcus’ wife Lynette continue to harbor her own secrets right under her husband’s nose? Join the saga as light exposes darkness and truth reigns - this time with a twist.

Press Release: What's Done In the Dark

2009-06-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

Author Avah LaReaux Releases Debut Title, What’s Done In the Dark, with Alternate Ending

Kansas City, KS, May 26, 2009 – Blue Planet Publishing announces the alternate
ending release of Avah LaReaux’s debut novel, What’s Done In the Dark. Sized at 5 x 8, the Paperback is categorized under Saga Fiction and Fiction – Family Life. The re-released title is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $14.95. Previously released in conjunction with Outskirts Press in April 2008, this year’s release includes an additional ending and is published solely under the Blue Planet Publishing imprint.

About the Book (Excerpts & Info):

It’s been one year since Marcus severed ties with his ex and relocated his family from Charlotte, North Carolina to Atlanta, Georgia. Past deeds have been forgotten and dirt swept under the rug, but the old adage is true - what’s done in the dark will be brought to the light. A late phone call drudges up old wounds and promises to bring with that pain an undeniable reality. How will Marcus’ new truth affect his family and the home he has spent years trying to rebuild? Better yet, can Marcus’ wife Lynette continue to harbor her own secrets right under her husband’s nose? Join the saga as light exposes darkness and truth reigns - this time with a twist.
Precisely constructed at 184 pages, What’s Done In the Dark is being aggressively promoted to appropriate markets with a focus on the Saga and Family/Relationship Fiction categories. With worldwide wholesale distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and pervasive online availability through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and elsewhere, What’s Done In the Dark meets consumer demand through both retail and library markets with a suggested retail price of $14.95.

Additionally, What’s Done In the Dark can be ordered by retailers or wholesalers for the maximum trade discount price from the Blue Planet Publishing vendor wholesale bookstore at www.bppbooks.com/vendors.

ISBN: 978-09824298-1-5
Format: 5 x 8 Paperback
SRP: $14.95

For more information or to contact the author, visit www.avahlareaux.com or contact the author’s publisher, Blue Planet Publishing, at www.bppbooks.com.

About the Author:

A writer inspired by the human condition, Avah LaReaux uses the power of the written word to captivate and entertain her readers. She has a talent for penning stories that focus on the lives of everyday people while conveying messages of empowerment, optimism, and inspiration. Avah LaReaux’s work and prose have been featured in various anthologies including In-Between Days and Under A Quick Silver Moon in the United States and overseas in the United Kingdom in the anthology Theatre of the Mind.

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Title Reviews

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What's Done In the Dark

Jennifer Coissiere of APOOO Book Club – 4 STARS!

Avah LaReaux's What's Done in the Dark, the first book in her Lost and Found Series, delved into the reality of the true meaning of family, love and forgiveness… There are no dull moments at all.

Melissa Levine of Independent Professional Book Reviewers – 5 STARS!

Each scene pulses with a distinctive rhythm. Passion is fleshed out in vivid, hot descriptions making it a lead character in its own right… What’s Done in the Dark is an exciting, sexy, emotional story. It is the type of book that is read in one sitting… and then read again.

“Miss Missy” of Readers Paradise – 5 STARS!

I am absolutely changed by Marcus and Lynette's story and I curtsey to Ms. LaReaux for introducing me to such wonderfully developed characters.

Lesa “AngelLesa” Trapp, Host of the BlogTalk Radio Hit Show “The Odd Mind” and Publisher of “The Odd Mind Magazine” – 5 STARS!

… Avah has come out of the gate full blast! The book is easy to read and is one you will not want to put down.

Melesha Oglen, President of Southern Allure Book Club – 4 STARS!

This is a must read and a page-turner, you are wanting to see what happens next.

Leigh O'Donovan of Author’s On The Rise – 4 STARS!

Readers will be wondering what decisions the characters will make, and how that will affect their lives. In the end, it will make readers think before they do anything in the dark.

Leona Romich of OOSA Online Book Club - 4.5 STARS!

What's Done in the Dark by Avah LaReaux is a great sequel. I would recommend that readers read Song of the Siren before reading What's Done in the Dark so they can really follow this saga in full. I love the characters in this novel because they are so true-to-life... In reading this book you will find yourself picking sides. Whose side will you be on?

Monica Sykes, A book lover - 5 STARS!

What's Done in the Dark, first book release for Avah LeReaux, is a captivating tale of lies and deception. The characters are well-developed and take you on a journey of love, deceit, adultery, and forgiveness... I recommend this for anyone wanting a book to cuddle up with, as Avah takes you on a picturesque journey of love and red hot love scenes. Enjoy!

Author, Linda Herman - 5 STARS!

I had the pleasure of reading this book in one setting...I couldn't put the book down.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I read the book with the alternate ending and though the alternate ending was far more dramatic, I must say, I favor the original ending.

Job well done Ms. LaReaux-well done! I highly recommend the Lost & Found series: What's Done In The Dark, Song of the Siren, and Bastards.

Kellia Hicks, A book lover - 5 STARS!

I purchased this book for my mother who hates to read, and she read it in day! She definitely recommended this book to all her friends!

Song of the Siren

Distinct Ladies Book Club – 5 STARS!

...This was a very good book about racism. The way Avah brings the characters of this book to life is amazing. I would recommend this book as a must read.

OOSA Online Book Club – 4 STARS!

... Song of the Siren by Avah LaReaux is a book that will grab you from the very first page. The story was a very good read that leaves you hanging at the end, but it just makes this reader even more eager to find out what is going to happen next. This would make for a great summer read.

Southern Allure Book Club – 4 STARS!

Song of the Siren by Avah LaReaux is a book that will grab you from the very first page. The story was a very good read that leaves you hanging at the end. Overall, this a very good read about racism and all the obstacles and heart ache that comes along with it. I recommend this book to all readers and book clubs.

Tamara Grant of Literary Lovers Book Club – 4.5 STARS!

Renee Toliver left home and never looked back. After finding what she thought was true love, she finds that it's not meant to be and she's left to pick up the pieces and move on with her life. She finds success in her career as a sport journalist and finds love in the arms of Marcus Clayton, a young NFL rookie who happens to be married. Marcus and Renee share a passion in their turbulent relationship that keeps each of them coming back for more. But is that relationship any good for either one of them? They both find that passion is not always enough to keep them together, but it doesn't mean their relationship is over that easily.

Avah LaReaux is a great new author with a talent for storytelling. Readers will find themselves engrossed in Song of the Siren, as they become engrossed in a tale of passion, lust, and a search for love.

Missy Brown of Readers Paradise - 4 STARS!

Enchanting seductress or conniving bird

Sometimes when you least expect it life will throw you a curve ball... Renee grew up in Alabama in an old Southern Baptist household where her father ruled... Marcus Clayton was smart and a pretty boy of sorts. The women of North Carolina found his blend of cultures intoxicating...

LaReaux does a fantastic job of storytelling; she knows how to capture the reader and hold their interest. Her single themed story based on human conditions will cause readers to reflect on their own lives. As I was reading Song of the Siren I kept thinking about how everything belongs to God and we have to take care of our talents for the time we have them. A lesson Renee and Marcus will do well to learn. Excellent secondary story from the Lost & Found series; this one based on temptation and desire.

Bastards

Author, Ni'Cola Mitchell – 5 STARS!

Avah LaReaux has mastered the art of story-telling. In her tale, Bastards, Ms. LaReaux has spun a story filled with laughter, tears, and most of all entertainment. She is very clever with turning a word that usually possesses a negative stigma into a powerful literary work. This authoress will make you look at yourself in the mirror and ask, “Am I a bastard?” Kudos, Avey!

Author, Recha Peay – 5 STARS!

Bastards is Avah LaReaux at her best. Through the voice of Marcus, she skillfully re-defines a traditional term. Bastards is a fast-paced page-turner that kept me on edge from beginning to end.

Awards and Nominations

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2008 Debut Author Award of Excellence
What's Done In the Dark & Song of the Siren
EDC Creations

2008 Best Newcomer of the Year and Fiction Author of the Year Nominee
Author Expo 2009
Southern Allure Bookclub

EDC Creations Top Book Award
Song of the Siren
Our Passions: Mixed Genre Fiction/Erotica/Urban Literature
First Quarter 2009
http://edcmagazine.blogspot.com/2009/06/first-quarter-best-books-2009.html

EDC Creations Reading List Fall 2009
Song of the Siren
Mainstream and Women's Fiction
http://networkedblogs.com/p12033149?a=share&ref=nf

Blogs, Articles, and Spotlights

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Blog

Subscriber Newsletter (http://www.avahlareaux.com/)
On My Mind
Content: Inspirational thoughts and tools for practical application to real-life issues

Author Blog
The A-Spot
www.avahsblog.blogspot.com
Content: General writing, daily chronicle, announcements

Articles

Contributing Writer
TheSop.org
http://www.thesop.org/
Articles: What Happened to Good Old "Southern Hospitality"; The End of a Train Ride; The Real Show Stopper; Edward "Ted" Kennedy: The Death of Dynasty; Been There Dunne That: An Account of the Life of Author Dominick Dunne; To Whom Much is Given; President Obama is Now a Peace Prize President; Another Huckleberry Adventure

Spotlights

Author Inteview
Wednesdays & Fridays Blog
http://wednesdaysandfridays.blogspot.com/
September 8, 2008

Featured Author
Wednesdays & Fridays Blog
http://wednesdaysandfridays.blogspot.com/
September 21 - 25, 2008

Featured Author
The Rusty Knight
http://www.therustyknight.com/
September 23, 2008

Author Spotlight
Authors of MySpace
www.myspace.com/myspace_authors
September 28 - October 5, 2008

Featured Author
Sankofa Literary Society
April 16, 2009

Featured Book Trailer
Song of the Siren
Sexy Ebony BBW African American Book Club
November 2009

Featured Author
Shades of Romance Magazine
www.sormag.com
February 15, 2010

Book of the Month
Readers Paradise
What's Done in the Dark
March 2010

Featured Author
The Unique Reviewer
createauniquexperience.blogspot.com
March - April 2010

Featured Author
Sexy Ebony Book Club
www.sexyebonyauthors.blogspot.com.
July 2010

Read & Recommended
OOSA Online Book Club
Song of the Siren & What's Done in the Dark
www.oosaonline.com
February 10 & 24, 2012

Ego or Hero Character Interview
Pat Bertram
January 2012

Appearances

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Archived Blog Talk Podcasts

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/avah-lareaux/

Individual Show Appearances

The Odd Mind Magazine
Blog Talk Radio Show
www.blogtalkradio.com/theoddmind
April 30, 2008; July 28, 2008; June 29, 2009

The American Perspective
http://www.thesop.org/
August 10, 2008; April 30, 2009

Black Authors Network
Blog Talk Radio Show
www.blogtalkradio.com/Black-Author-Network
September 13, 2008; September 29, 2008; May 4, 2009; May 6, 2009; November 27, 2009

Tha Risque Cafe
www.blogtalkradio.com/therisquecafe
June 7, 2009

Southern Allure Blog Radio
www.blogtalkradio.com/Southern-Allure-
June 8, 2009

Real Talk With Tina Brooks McKinney
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/tinabrooksmckinney/2009/08/18/REAL-TALK-WITH-TINA-BROOKS-MCKINNEY
August 18, 2009

Risque Radio
Radio Interview, WRUG Radio
March 12, 2010