Kristina's Books & More: October 2013

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Blog Tour: Cassie Scott Paranormal Detective by Christine Amsden!

CASSIE SCOT PARANORMAL DETECTIVE

Series: Cassie Scot, #1

Publisher: Twilight Times Books

Publication Date: May 15, 2013

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Mystery

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cassie-Scot-ParaNormal-Christine-Amsden/dp/1606192752/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369051620&sr=8-1&keywords=Christine+Amsden

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cassie-scot-christine-amsden/1115049717?ean=9781606192757&isbn=9781606192757

Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Cassie-Scot-Audiobook/B00FA89FZ8/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1379697202&sr=1-1

SECRETS AND LIES

Series: Cassie Scot, #2

Publisher: Twilight Times Books

Expected Publication Date: November 15th 2013

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Mystery

Cassie Scot, still stinging from her parents' betrayal, wants out of the magical world. But it isn't letting her go. Her family is falling apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one who can save them.

To complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her. Sparks fly when they team up to find two girls missing from summer camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness. Book 2 in the Cassie Scot Mystery series.

Christine Amsden has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams. (You can learn more here.)

In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.

Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children, Drake and Celeste.

Author Links:

Website: http://christineamsden.com/wordpress/

Blog: http://christineamsden.com/wordpress/?page_id=200

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristineAmsden

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Amsden-Author-Page/127673027288664?ref=hl

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1030664.Christine_Amsden

Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/117845642477854934607/posts

Christine Amsden's CASSIE SCOT PARANRMAL DETECTIVE Tour - 10/10 - 10/31

10/10- Book Monster Reviews

http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/2013/10/christine-amsdens-cassie-scot.html

10/13 - Romance Junkies

http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/

10/16 - Book- Marks The Spot

http://caughtinasnyderwebb.blogspot.com/

10/17 Curse of the Bibliophile

http://curseofthebibliophile.blogspot.com/

10/20 Book Pages and Dripping Ink

http://bookpagesanddrippingink.blogspot.com

10/21 Just Paranormal Romance

www.JustParanormalRomance.com

10/23 - Fundinmental

http://www.fundinmental.com

10/24 Eclipse Reviews

http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com

10/25 - Books-n-Kisses

http://www.books-n-kisses.com/

10/26 - Book Lovin' Mamas

http://booklovinmamas.com/

10/27 - Wicked Readings by Tawania

http://wickedreadingsbytawania.blogspot.com

10/29 - You Gotta Read Reviews

http://yougottaread.com/

10/30 - Mad Hatter Reads

http://madhatterreads.blogspot.com

10/30 - Over the Edge Reviews

http://overtheedgebookreviews.blogspot.com/

10/31 - Kristina's Books & More

http://kristinasbooksandmore.blogspot.com/

11/04 - 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!

http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com

11/6 - LITERAL ADDICTION

http://www.literaladdiction.com/author-ambushes.php

11/9 - Books Books and More books

http://booksbooksmorebooks.blogspot.com/

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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Trailer Reveal and Book Spotlight: Foreplay by Sophie Jordan!

Before she goes after the life she’s always wanted, she’s about to find the one she needs.

Pepper has been hopelessly in love with her best friend’s brother, Hunter, for like ever. He’s the key to everything she’s always craved: security, stability, family. But she needs Hunter to notice her as more than just a friend. Even though she’s kissed exactly one guy, she has just the plan to go from novice to rock star in the bedroom—take a few pointers from someone who knows what he’s doing.

Her college roommates have the perfect teacher in mind. But bartender Reece is nothing like the player Pepper expects. Yes, he’s beyond gorgeous, but he’s also dangerous, deep—with a troubled past. Soon what started as lessons in attraction are turning both their worlds around, and showing just what can happen when you go past foreplay and get to what’s real…

Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she's also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler.

My website: http://www.sophiejordan.net/newadult/news.html

Foreplay excerpts: http://www.sophiejordan.net/newadult/foreplayexcerpts.html

Giveaway: http://www.sophiejordan.net/newadult/contestexcerpts.html

Sophie’s Newsletter sign-up: http://www.sophiejordan.net/newadult/contact.html

I craned my head to look around. “How are you going to find a table in this zoo?”

Emerson gave me an insulted look. “Oh, we’ll get a table. Leave it to me.”

“Here.” Georgia thrust some money in my hand. “First pitcher on me.”

“The only pitcher. We don’t need to buy our own drinks.” Emerson shook her head like we both had much to learn and motioned for me to move on toward the bar. “Go on. And while you’re there keep an eye out for you-know-who.”

I watched as they disappeared into the throng, convinced now that the whole point of sending me to the bar was for me to scope out the player bartender we’d come here looking for. I worked my way through the crush, wading through bodies until I stood in line behind a pair of giggling girls.

“Yeah, that’s him,” a bleached blonde said to her friend. “Lydia said he was hot, but OMG … that’s putting it mildly.”

Her friend fanned herself. “If he would mess around with Lydia, he’s going to think he hit the lottery with us.”

Who talked about themselves like that? I couldn’t help myself. A laugh escaped me. I slapped a hand over my mouth.

The dark-haired girl glared over her shoulder at me. I quickly dropped my hand and tried to look innocent, angling my neck as though I was impatient to place my drink order and not eavesdropping.

The blonde slapped her arm. “You’re so bad, Gina.”

Gina returned her attention to her friend. “Well, hopefully I’ll get to be bad with him tonight. I call dibs.” She waved a ten-dollar bill, clearly trying to gain the bartender’s attention.

I shook my head, regretting every time I'd ever judged Emerson for her lack of inhibitions. Compared to these two she was a Girl Scout. Clearly they were discussing my bartender. Wait. When did he become mine? I winced. From the sound of it, he belonged to every female that passed through Mulvaney’s doors.

I reminded myself that I would not be hooking up with anyone tonight … especially a bartender with a reputation for swapping DNA with the entire female population of Dartford. Thanks, but no. I couldn’t imagine myself with someone so undiscriminating. I had standards. There was no way I could contemplate messing around with someone like that. Even if it was to gain some much-needed experience to win over Hunter.

And then I saw him.

The air froze in my lungs. He stepped up in front of the two girls, bracing his arms against the bar top. I heard his voice, low and deep, over the steady drone of the bar. “What can I get for you?”

I gawked, unable to blink. I had an unobstructed view of him in the space between the girls. The blood rushed in my ears, and suddenly it was last night all over again and I was on a lonely stretch of country road, the acrid smoke of my overheating car filling my nostrils as I stared at his familiar face. That dark blond hair cut close to his head. The tall, lean body that had bent over the engine of my car less than twenty-four hours ago. I could see him even more clearly now, but I hadn’t been mistaken in my initial assessment. He was hot. His jaw square and strong. His features like something chiseled from marble. There was a shadowy hint of stubble on his face, and his eyes were so piercing a blue they looked almost silver.

He looked just a few years older than me. I could see that now. It was probably just the way he held himself. Experienced. Capable. He wore a well-worn cotton T-shirt with Mulvaney’s stretched across one of his impressive pecs. Dimly I wondered if his shirt looked as soft as it felt? If his chest was as solid?

The girls were tittering like seventh-graders now. Gawking at him, too. I felt like someone sucker punched me. My rescuer. My bartender. Mulvaney’s man-whore. One and the same.

“What can I get you?” he repeated.

“What’s good?” Gina propped her elbows on the bar, no doubt flashing him some of her cleavage.

He rattled off the various beers on tap like he had done it a hundred times before, which he probably had. His gaze slid the length of the bar as he talked, assessing the crowd.

“Hmm. What’s your favorite?” Gina called.

Shaking his head, he looked back down at her. “Look, I’ll come back to you when you make up your mind.” His eyes snapped over them to me. “What’ll you have?”

My mouth parted, surprised that he was addressing me, that he dismissed them so easily. Just like that. And when they were flirting with him no less.

His eyes narrowed with recognition. “Hey. You.” He nodded slightly at me. “How’s the car?”

Before I could answer, Gina sent me a withering look and then turned back to him. She waved her money in his face. “Excuse me. We were here first.”

Sighing, he looked back down at them, his expression a blend of annoyance and boredom. “Then order already.”

She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder. “Forget it. The service here sucks. We’ll go somewhere else.” Turning, they shoved past me.

He didn’t even watch them depart. With his stare fixed on me, he shrugged one shoulder and flashed me a half smile that made my stomach lurch. I stepped up to the bar, trying to look confident. Like I hung out in bars all the time.

He braced his hands on the edge of the bar, leaning forward slightly. “Now what can I get for you?” His tone was decidedly friendlier than when he spoke to the other girls, and heat swarmed my face. I’m sure it was just because we knew each other—in a way—but it still made me feel special. Singled out.

I lowered my gaze, eyeing his arms. The muscles bunched. A tattoo peaked out from beneath his sleeve and crawled down his tanned bicep and forearm, stopping at his wrist. It looked like some kind of intricate feathered wing. I would have liked to study it further, but I was already conscious that I was ogling him, and I still hadn’t answered his question.

“Um. A pitcher of Sam Adams.” I knew Emerson liked microbrews.

“ID?”

“Oh.” I fumbled for the fake ID Emerson made me get last year for the one time she dragged me to Freemont’s.

He glanced at it and back to my face. A hint of a smile played about his lips. “Twenty-four?”

I nodded, but my face went from warm to scalding.

“Guess you just have one of those baby faces.” He didn’t wait for a reply. Still smiling faintly, he stepped away.

My eyes were drawn to his broad back. His T-shirt hugged the muscled expanse. He wore a pair of well-worn jeans, and the view from the back was almost as nice as the front. Suddenly the bar felt oppressively hot.

He set the full pitcher and a stack of cups in front of me.

“Thanks.” I handed him the money. He took it and moved to the cash register.

In the moments he was gone, I tried to think of something to say. Something cute and engaging. Anything that might draw out our conversation. I didn’t let myself consider why. Or that suddenly I wasn’t so averse to the idea of talking to him. Flirting with him. Flirting.

My throat closed up, panicking at the prospect. How did Emerson do it? She made flirting look so effortless.

He returned with my change. “Thanks,” I murmured, dropping it into the tip jar.

“Take care.”

I looked up but he was already gone, moving on to the next customer. I hesitated, staring after him. Shaking my head, I reminded myself not to ogle. Tucking the cups under one arm, I held the pitcher with two hands and dove back into the throng. Only I didn’t make it two steps before someone bumped me. The pitcher flew from my hands, somersaulting amid bodies, sloshing beer everywhere. People cried out, wiping ineffectually at their doused clothing.

“Sorry!” I apologized to their glaring faces, grateful that I, at least, had somehow managed to stay dry.

Bending, I retrieved the plastic pitcher from the plank floor just as my pocket started to buzz multiple times in quick succession.

I dug it out of my pocket and read the text.

Emerson: Found table. Still at bar? Did u see him?

Rolling my eyes, I tucked the empty pitcher under my arm and texted her back.

Me: Yes. Yes.

Sighing, I squeezed back to the front of the bar and set the pitcher down on the surface. My gaze searched for him. He was serving customers a little way down the bar now, bending his lean body over the counter to better hear orders. I waited until he caught my gaze. He sent me a nod of acknowledgment. I nodded back.

My phone vibrated in my hand again. I glanced down.

Emerson: U r taking 4ever. Better be making out w/him 2 take this long

I snorted and was in the process of typing back to her when he arrived in front of me. He nodded at the pitcher. “That was quick.”

“Yeah.” I hastily slid my phone back in my pocket, almost as if I feared him seeing the texts about him. I smiled wanly. “I didn’t make it three feet.”

“Ah.” He nodded in understanding, bracing his hands on the bar top again. The action stretched his shirt taut over his chest and pulled it against his shoulders. “I’ll let you in on a secret. Nice girls get eaten alive in places like this.”

I stared at him for a moment, his words sinking in. I moistened my lips, reaching deep inside me where some reservoir of female instincts dwelled. “Maybe I’m not that nice.”

He laughed then, a short, deep sound that sent ripples eddying through me. My face flushed. I smiled hesitantly, unsure if his laughter was good or bad.

“Sweetheart, you’ve got ‘nice girl’ written all over you.”

The "sweetheart" made my stomach flutter. Until the rest of his words sank in. You’ve got "nice girl" written all over you. I frowned. Nice girls didn’t win the guy. Hunter’s ex-girlfriend flashed across my mind. She had been sexy, with sleek, surfer-blond hair and designer clothes that showed off her body. Sophisticated. Not your girl-next-door type at all. Not like me. No one would accuse her of being a nice girl.

“You might be surprised,” I bluffed.

“Yeah.” He nodded, his gaze skimming me, and suddenly I wished I had worn something besides a shapeless sweater. “I would be.”

I clamped my lips shut to stop myself from arguing with him. He thought I was a nice girl because that’s how I looked. I wasn’t going to change his mind with words. That was the kind of thing one proved.

He bent his arm and tapped his elbow. “Use your elbows to get through out there.”

He stepped away and filled another pitcher. He set it down in front of me. I fumbled for my money in the tiny purse strapped across my chest.

He swiped a hand through the air. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Really? Thanks.”

He pointed out into the main room. “Just remember to use those elbows, Nice Girl.”

With that parting tip, he moved down the bar to the next customer. I stood there and stared after him for a moment, contemplating our exchange. Nice Girl. It echoed through my head. Fantastic. That’s how he thought of me. No name. Simply that.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Cover Reveal: Surrender to Temptation by E.B. Walters!

Book Title: Surrender to Temptation

Series: The Fitzgerald Family

Author: E. B. Walters

Genre: Contemporary Romance - Suspense - Sensual

Presented by: Page Flipperz & As You Wish Tours

Banner Made by: Julia Hendrix

A playboy in hiding
A woman searching for answers
Will he let her in or send her packing?

After a tragic accident, Chef Chase Fitzgerald left his life in Los Angeles behind and moved to a ranch in Montana. He's convinced that all he needs to be happy are his horses, a few ranch hands and the Big Sky Country. Until one day, Nikki Savoy walks through his doors with her city clothes, sexy mouth, and a body designed to drive a man insane.

Nikki wants to know the truth about the accident that left her sister in a coma. Getting a job at Chase’s ranch is just the beginning. Throw in a crafty housekeeper, a cantankerous old cowboy, a few adorable horses, and an attraction that can’t be denied, and you have a recipe for disaster or romance. Will Nikki get her answers or will Chase offer her something better?

EDNAH WALTERS grew up reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and dreaming of one day writing her own stories. She is a stay-at-home mother of five humans and two American short-hair cats (one of which has ADHD) and a husband. When she is not writing, she’s at the gym doing Zumba or doing things with her family, reading, traveling or online chatting with fans.

Ednah is the author of The Guardian Legacy series, a YA fantasy series about children of the fallen angels, who fight demons and protect mankind. AWAKENED, the prequel was released by Pill Hill Press in September 2010 with rave reviews. BETRAYED, book one in the series was released by her new publisher Spencer Hill Press in June 2012 and HUNTED, the third installment, will be released April 2013. She’s working on the next book in the series, FORGOTTEN. Visit her at www.ednahwalters.com

Ednah also writes YA paranormal romance. RUNES is the first book in her new series. IMMORTALS is book 2. She is presently working on book 3, GRIMNIRS (Release date TBA). Read more about this series and the world she's created here www.runestheseries.com

Under the pseudonym E. B. Walters, Ednah writes contemporary romance. SLOW BURN, the first contemporary romance with suspense, was released in April 2011. It is the first book in the Fitzgerald family series. Since then she has published four more books in this series. She's presently working on book six. You can visit her online at or www.ebwalters.com.

AUTHOR LINKS

BOOK LINKS

Sarah Gilman's Ghosts of the Falls: Author Interview & Review!

Ghosts of the Falls

Sarah Gilman

Release Date: 10/28

Genre: Ghosts, Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Entangled

Determined to prove she’s fit for the family business, exorcist Jade Clarence knows the assignment waiting in Maine is her last chance. Born into a family of exorcists, Jade’s unorthodox ideas have gotten her into trouble in the past...and cost the life of a client.

After haunting a Maine state park for more than a century, Dutch Hutchinson will do whatever it takes to bring an end to his unfulfilling existence. When an act of arson brings a beautiful exorcist to town, Dutch takes corporeal form in order to spend his last hours in her company.

Jade quickly uncovers Dutch’s true identity and finds herself falling for the man behind the spirit. But when Jade’s legacy threatens their future, they will have to overcome the greatest of odds—life and death.

Amazon Goodreads BN

Sarah Gilman started her first novel in third grade. She never finished that story, but never gave up the dream. Her fascination with wings also began at that age, when images of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis captured her imagination and never let go. Now a paranormal romance writer, she employs her love of writing to bring the allure of winged creatures to the pages of her novels. Sarah lives in Vermont with her supportive husband and two spoiled cats.

Sarah writes for Entangled Publishing.

Website: http://sarahgilmanauthor.wix.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Gilman_Sarah

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Gilman-Author/161335997299439

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4971675.Sarah_Gilman

Tell my fans a little bit about yourself and your books.

I’m a Vermonter-foodie-cat lover-book addict hell-bent on spending as much time reading and writing as possible.

How many books have you written? What are their titles?

I have three books—two novels, one novella—in the Return to Sanctuary series. Wings of Redemption, the stand-alone novella, won 3^rd place in the 2013 RWA Prism Awards. Out in Blue, my debut novel, is book one in the series. Deep in Crimson is book two.

Ghosts of the Falls, a novella, is a stand-alone story and my fourth book published with Entangled.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

I read, I cook—no really. When I make dinner, it takes hours—and I shoot arrows at hay bales. The latter is a great stress reliever.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

The first advice I received as an aspiring author was simple and it’s the most important thing I’d like to pass on: It can happen. Getting published, that is. At the time I was barely considering publication for my half-finished novel; such a thing seemed as unlikely as getting elected president. But this author told her story of writing her first book, falling into a publishing scam, recovering, getting an agent, and becoming a bestseller. After I read that, I thought for the first time: What if…

Always wonder what if…

What’s your favorite scene/line from your works?

My favorite line from Ghosts of the Falls is one of my favorite lines overall. The heroine has a fear of heights, and the hero says:

“Sorry. You face malevolent spirits for a living, yet here you are in my arms, afraid of a perfectly good bridge. Pardon me while I gloat.”

What's the hardest thing about writing? The easiest?

Time management is difficult for me. I type slow and I ponder for long periods of time before I write a scene. I’ll never be one of those 5000-words-every-day writers, but I do have enough ideas to write a book every month. The result is a glut of unfinished projects as I move from one to another and back again. If only I could spill everything unto the page faster! But I’m managing, and I’m trying different things to better organize the process.

Easiest? Ideas, hands down. I’m never without a dozen.

What are you currently reading?

Sleep with the Lights On, by Maggie Shayne. It’s my first time reading Ms. Shayne and I absolutely love her writing style. I have a lot of books to read to catch up with her!

What are you currently working on?

I have a half-dozen in-progress manuscripts. I’m working on book one in a new dragon series, another Return to Sanctuary book, an angel fantasy novel, and a vampire short story, among others…

What books did you read as a child?

One of the earliest books I remember is a ghost story my mother read to me. I can’t recall the title or the story, but it had the ghost of a horse trapped in a building. The character set it free.

I read a lot of science fiction when I was young—Dad gave me Isaac Asimov novels. The Myst books (and games) introduced me to fantasy. I also read a lot of mysteries as a teen.

What genre is your favorite to read?

I still read science fiction, fantasy, and mysteries, but paranormal romance is the winner.

How has your life changed since you began writing?

I never used to cook much. Store bought sandwich bread and frozen pasta meals were typical in our home. But writing came with some much needed “day job” changes, and I took a break to focus on writing and personal healing. We needed to tighten the budget, and I couldn’t justify purchasing a loaf of bread when a bag of flour was cheaper. I started making everything from scratch, and even though I trimmed our food budget in half, we now eat the best food, all the time. So I discovered a love for cooking and for real food. Win, win!

Do you listen to music while you write?

Some days I like the quiet, some days I need the energy that comes with music. Sister Hazel is my favorite band. I also listen to Owl City, dance music, jazz (especially old jazz)…the list goes on. There’s very little music I don’t like.

What's been your favorite moment as an author?

There have been so many wonderful moments, from The Call, to the first glowing review, to getting to write and knowing that the story will eventually be published. I do have an above-and-beyond, oh-my-god, now-I-can-die-happy moment, but I can’t be too specific because it’s still a secret. I got to meet my publisher in person and she told me about someone—that’s the part I can’t share—who read my book and is interested in pursuing film rights in the future. The important part is, I love this person’s work, so the fact that they read and liked my book, even in part, is enough to send me to the grave with a big stupid grin, even if the film options don’t get bought.

Out of all of your characters, who is your favorite?

Whichever one I’m writing at the moment. When a story idea has taken hold, I fall asleep and wake up seeing a character dealing with the conflicts in their story, and the constant battle they’re fighting tears me up inside until I get it all on the page.

You’re stranded on a desert island. What books do you take with you?

All! Really. When stressed, I hoard things, especially books.

Another lovely story from Sarah Gilman!

Ghosts of the Falls may be a short story, but it's got everything that makes a full length story amazing and is set at just the right pace. Sarah writes about ghosts just as well as she writes about her angels. (This was my first ghost story and I was not disappointed!) I love that she based this off of something that really happened. It gives the story an extra punch. The writing is fabulous and pulls you in from the get go. There are amazing descriptions of the park and it felt like I was there! The feisty exorcist and the sexy ghost are an explosive couple. It's a wonder their cabin didn't burn down! The ending is sweet and not predictable- which made the story even more unique.

And the cover is GORGEOUS!

You really can't go wrong with any of Sarah's books. So pick them all up and enjoy!

5/5

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October 28 Interview and review

Kristina's Books & More

http://kristinasbooksandmore.blogspot.com/

October 28 Spotlight

Sapphyria's Book Reviews

saphsbookblog.blogspot.com

October 30 Spotlight and review

Sabrina's Paranormal Palace