Introducing author Fiona McShane and her novel Bluebells, book 1 in the Wolf Land series, fantasy based in Irish history: 1. Tell us a little about yourself. I wonder if this is a difficult question for every author? I always feel more comfortable expressing myself through my fiction rather than talking about myself in reality! But here goes: I live with my husband in a little cottage in rural Ireland - a house we are doing up VERY slowly. I'm lucky, because I live with the man I love, and I get to spend a lot of time writing. 2. When did you start writing, and why? Even before I could write, I was telling stories. Once I COULD write, I didn't stop. My school teachers would have me read my stories out at school assemblies. I was incredibly shy and mumbled my way through! It's only very recently that I've gotten past that shyness - at least enough to publish some of my work. 3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write? I love to read and write in many genres. So far I have published in both the romance and paranormal genre. The characters and their stories are always fully formed in my mind before I begin to write. I know I'm finished a book when it's as close as possible to the story that's been playing in my mind. And I enjoy every moment of the process. 4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books? Wolf Land Book One: Bluebells is my latest release. The second book in the Wolf Land series - Storyfalls - will be out this September. 5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series. The Wolf Land series was inspired by my interest in that time period of Irish history - the late 1600s. The wolf 'problem' in the country was making it difficult for settlers to clear land. The forests were areas of freedom for the wolves and the tories (Irish rebels). Because I also have a love of fantasy, I thought: what if the reason that the wolf hunters found Ireland so difficult to clear was that our wolves were ... something different? And so the story began. 6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them? I love all of my characters. In my mind, they live. I know what becomes of them long after the books end, and I wish I could tell you everything I know about them! In the Wolf Land series, the two main characters are Sorcha Moore and Rory Farrell. At the Bealtaine festival, they share a kiss so special that the scent of bluebells fills the air. The very next day, Rory leaves the village, breaking Sorcha's heart. But their village is a special place - a place where unusual wolves reign. And in this village, despite all odds, their love remains constant. It is this constancy that makes me love these two characters so much. Even in horrific circumstances, they remain true to each other - and true to themselves. 7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book. When I was beginning to write the Wolf Land series, we adopted a stray dog. It was full moon, and he howled like a wolf in his sleep. He has done the same every full moon since then. I've given him the nick-name Little Wolf. 8. Blog/site link, and where your book is available. I will be launching a blog very soon. Until then, I can be found on: Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon author page You can buy my books on Amazon
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Introducing author Vanessa MacLellan and her new book, Three Great Lies, out today! 1. Tell us a little about yourself. I'm a tattooed, vegetarian, outdoorsy woman with one head in the clouds and the other firmly settled in my hiking boots. I'm an environmental engineer by day, author, runner, reader, gamer, naturalist by night (and weekends). 2. When did you start writing, and why? When I was a wee lass I'd make up stories to tell my mother while she was gardening. I think it started there. My favorite subject was Baggy Piggy, who had a curly Q tail that never ended (I knew this, because I drew him incessantly with pink crayons). I remember, before I could even write, 'writing' (aka doodling) on paper and then reading them to my great grandmother. Storytelling is in my blood. I guess that's enough of a reason why. Though the fact that I enjoy it doesn't hurt. I have little people in my head (doesn't every author) that want me to explore their worlds, flesh out their personalities and goals and give them something to do. I can't take all the credit, it's partially their fault. 3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write? I write speculative fiction. Mainly fantasy, though I mix horror and magical realism in there. I write fantasy because fantasy is what first got me excited about reading. I remember my older sister, Audrey, handing me the first of the Pierce Anthony Xanth novels, and I was astounded at these magical places, characters with magical talents, all of the magical beasts. Magic. Magic. Magic. I wanted that. To live there. Be special. Be something more than just human. And I read as much fantasy after that as I could. Tolkien, Eddings, Pratchet, Weiss and Hickman, Duncan. You know the era and the authors. That's what fueled me as a young reader. I hope to fuel other readers too. And the joy comes from creation and imagination. Of speculating: What if? and expanding from that. I am the master of my own universe, what is not to like? 4. What is your latest book? Any forthcoming books? My debut novel, Three Great Lies, releases August 6th. It's fantasy, with historical and literary trappings. It carries a bit of a Finding My Place in Life theme. Jeannette Walker, a modern scientist, ends up in ancient, mythological Egypt. Though she constantly casts doubt on the existence of such a world, she has to learn to live in it. While trying to save her mummy friend's soul from a wicked tomb robbing ring, she realizes a few important things about life. What those are, well, you'll have to read the book! I have one complete manuscript for a dark fantasy I'm currently shopping out, and am working on a modern super hero series. There's always something I'm working on. 5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of Three Great Lies. Ancient, mythological Egypt. It never rains. People's lives aren't equal. Prayers constantly dance upon lips. Beer is a meal. Sand is a major filler in the bread. Children of gods walk the street with the heads of animals and prophecy on their lips. To Jeannette it's, of course, a total shock. There are people about in public naked and jackals speak. A mummy—a desiccated, lumbering thing—chases her through the crowded streets, accusing her of stealing his ba! It's not necessarily a friendly place, but people are people, and even Jeannette is able to find friends in ways she never expected. 6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them? Jeannette Walker is my protagonist. She's mid-twenties, a scientists with a jilted past. She still holds the hurt from a past betrayal and has learned to trust nobody and nothing. I love her voice and her mind-chatter. And she's got a good heart that struggles to show through her armor. Abayomi is the dead man walking, a reanimated mummy who seeks his lost ba container so he can continue on to the afterlife. He's a perfect citizen who knows his place in the world and doesn't seek to unbalance tradition. Until his friends are endangered, then his loyalty shines like a beacon. True best friend material! Sanura is the young daughter of Bast, cast out from her litter. She's lost and alone and Jeannette saves her--saves her—and she'll never forget such gifts. Sanura, like most young people, is soul-searching, trying to found out exactly why she's been cast away and what her purpose and place is in life. Her journey is one everyone can connect with. She's the spirit of the story. 7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about Three Great Lies. A major aspect of the book (the stray dog theme) sprang to life at an agility dog show. The midsummer day was baking hot and I had parked myself under a tree for the next show. A Jack Russell Terrier was looking at me, with that intelligent tongue-lolling smile terriers have. Honestly, the dog was smiling. And that was the original start of the novel: "The dog was smiling at her." It's since changed, but that line and scene are still in there, the theme planted throughout the novel. The story just unfolded from that one dog's smile and here we are now. 8. Any challenges with getting Three Great Lies to where it is today? Three Great Lies has been on a long journey. In 2008, I wrote my fifth NaNoWriMo novel. That was Three Great Lies. It was titled simply "Egypt" back then. It was a 50,000 word rough draft. Then I added extra plot threads and themes, and it topped out at 140,000 words. That's quite an addition! Then there were years and years of critiquing and editing. Finally in 2013, I begin seeking representation for Three Great Lies, and it was picked up by Hadley Rille Books (which was the most perfect place for this book to land). Now for the rough stuff. As I was due my edits, my publisher had a stroke. (Though he insists he was abducted by aliens to an alternate universe.) It was terrible, we weren't sure if he would make it. The entire press huddled together in worry and anticipation. I was wavering between feeling devastated for my publisher's situation and worrying about the state of my book (and feeling so so guilty for that.) But he did pull through and has worked tirelessly on my novel, by my side every step of the way. Now, we're here, and my novel is published! I think other authors might have pulled their book to seek other representation, but I knew Hadley Rille and my publisher were perfect for my book. 9. What's your writing process? First and foremost, Three Great Lies was a 'pantser' book. I didn't have an outline. I wrote forward from the smiling dog on guts and intentions. I had this idea of where I wanted to go, with no map on how to get there. Now, I am an outliner. I think the process, for me, would have gone so much faster if I'd had a more solid idea of the substance of the story. As it was, lots and lots and lots of editing and rewriting were necessary to make this book shine. When I'm in the thick of writing and editing, I try to work on the novel every single day. It keeps my writing sharp and my mind on the storyline. It keeps me from losing plot threads and missing finer details. For me, every day is the way (ooh, that even rhymes.) And another thing I've learned: Do not work heavily on writing in the summer. I like to play outside too much and I feel guilty if I don't write. Now, I just hold up my hands and let it all go. Summer, for me, is play time. No guilt for taking some time off writing. Because, we're our worst guilt-trippers. 10. Blog/site link, and where your book is available. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ You can find Three Great Lies at Amazon Thanks for reading! I hope you come by and check out my site and my novel. It was a joy to write and I hope it brings joy to you as well. Three Great Lies: While vacationing in Egypt. . . Jeannette Walker, a cynical scientist jaded by swarms of tour groups and knick-knack shacks, is lured by a teenage tour guide to visit a newly discovered tomb. No other tourists there! Inside the chamber, she tumbles down a shaft and 3000 years back in time. Now, in a world where deities walk the streets and prophecy stinks up the air, Jeannette is desperate for normal and the simple pleasures of sanitation and refrigeration. However, a slave master hawking a cat-headed girl derails her homebound mission, and Jeannette—penniless in this ancient world—steals the girl, bringing down the tireless fury of the slaver. Saddled with a newly awakened mummy and the cat-headed girl, Jeannette, through her unparalleled experience gained from watching spy movies, contrives a plan to free them from the slaver's ire, but will she have to dive into the belly of the beast to succeed? Publisher's Weekly Review: MacLellan’s fun debut drops Jeanette, an American tourist in Egypt, into ancient Thebes. After she wakes Abayomi, a mummy who’s lost his key to the afterlife, her journey of discovery is filled with danger and thrills. A great sense of character evolution drives the plot, as Jeanette learns that her safe, mundane, passive modern life can’t compare to the active role she takes in freeing Sanura, a child of Bast, from slavery, or working to stop tomb robbing. Her friendships with Abayomi, Sanura, and others form organically, leading to an unlikely but well-handled romantic subplot. Supernatural elements help develop the world around Jeanette, but don’t overpower it. The descriptions feel like what a modern person in Jeanette’s situation would notice, rather than generic scene-setting. A strong conclusion sets this light fantasy a notch above its peers. (Oct.) Read on for an excerpt from Three Great Lies:
1. Tell us a little about yourself. I was born out west in Aurora, Colorado. Due to that, I began skiing when I was 3. Now if you put skiis on my feet I would face-plant. I then moved to Salt Lake City, Utah - I don't care what anyone tells me there is not a more beautiful place than Spring in the mountains. I have lived in Dayton, Ohio for about 26 years now. I am married and we have a little boy that steals my heart daily. I am Greek, German, Irish and Scotch. 2. When did you start writing, and why? The minute I could hold a crayon, I started “writing”. I would make picture books and tell stories about them. My sister is 8 years older than me and says I used to driver her nuts with it. When I was in college I would be writing a short story while doing the rest of my course work. I got a lot of dumbfounded looks and a lot of “why?” My answer to them? “I need a break.” Why did I start writing? I loved creating. I started reading and never stopped. From reading, my imagination was developed to a healthy level. Some may even say, to a very active level. My son is very imaginative as well, and I love and encourage it the way my parents did with me. 3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write? I write whatever strikes my fancy. However, Demons is a fantasy/paranormal/action/romance…they don’t have a category like that for classification purposes, so I call it either fantasy or paranormal romance. I decided on this genre because that is who Delaney is. Let me explain, I created Delaney before the world I surrounded her with. She was a Hunter, so my book automatically led me to fantasy and the love of her life, Az, is a Demon so paranormal romance. I try not to confine myself to one genre, if something strikes me I will write it. I’ve even written children’s stories with my son. What do I enjoy about it? I love my world and my characters. I wouldn’t want them any other way. Some of them are flawed, of course, who’s perfect? But that is what I love about it. There is perfection in their imperfections. 4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books? My latest book is Demons, A Hunter’s Novel, Book 1. It’s going to be a three book series, Demons is out now (Kindle and paperback on Amazon), Darkness (book 2) should be out by July, and Destiny (book 3) will be out either late 2015 or early 2016. I am also writing a standalone romance, that I got the idea for while I was in Las Vegas, that has the working title of An Unknown Place. 5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series. The world that surrounds our main characters is filled with supernaturals. Demons, mostly, surround our characters, but there are still others, Drovers (supernatural shifters that have to stay within a certain radius of their leader), Werewolves, Vampires, Fairies and even Angels. The group that keeps the supernatural population in line is the Hunters. They protect the humans from knowing about supernaturals as well as keep humans physically safe from them. 6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them? Delaney (goes by Laney) Hinders is the female lead, the heroine. She is tall at 5’ 10”, curvy, with black hair and light blue eyes. She is a Hunter. We meet her at a very dark time in her life. She has been in a self-imposed, self-hating haze for six months due to her breakup with her boyfriend, which doesn’t seem to be a strong enough word for their connection, Azrael. This book deals with a lot of her pain and the fall out of past decisions, as well as supernatural issues. And with all of this on her plate, there still a budding strength in her. In the next book, well, she’s pretty kick ass even though and in spite of some things that happen. Azrael is a Delaney’s boyfriend, her heart, her Demon. He is absolutely dedicated to Delaney, from start to finish. He would do anything for her, but she won’t let him. Delaney is Hell-bent on protecting him, and all Azrael wants to do is the same. Az knows they are better together than apart. He is also very high up in the Demon ranks – second in command, as well as a born Enforcer (he keeps Demons in line when they violate their rules). He moved up when Delaney broke it off with him. The fact that Azrael is willing to give up anything for Delaney is what every woman wants to hear…except Delaney. Az’s heart is my favorite thing about him. He’s a walking contradiction. Aniese is one of Delaney’s two best friends. They grew up together. Aniese was an orphan, taken in by her father and raised to be a Hunter. Anie was a Hunter until she was bitten by a Drover. She became a Drover and kicked out of the Hunter organization. She is kept in the loop, however, due to her relationship with Laney’s father (Janesh, pronounced Yan-esh). She is also Laney’s stylist. She’s all smartass and attitude down to her core. Her hard exterior and soft insides are what I love about her. Caden is the other of Delaney’s best friends. Cade is on the Hunter Counsel. He moved up quickly because he is a hard worker. Even though he is on the counsel, he also still fends for his friends. He was the one to approach Laney and tell her that the Hunters would eventually find out about Az and her’s relationship. He was the one to push for their breakup. He is a Hunter to the core, but also loves his friends. Cade was there to support Delaney and check on her when she broke it off with Az. He was the only one who was aware of Delaney’s spiral into a pit of despair. He walks a fine line but does so, for those he cares about, gladly. It’s what I love about him. 7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book. Every chapter of my book is started with a quote from a song. It takes a lot of listening and writing, but you can tell where my music tastes lie. :) Demons: A Hunter's Novel, book 1:
Delaney Hinders is on a ride with no rules. After breaking up with her boyfriend and coming out of a six month self-imposed haze, she finds herself being followed by every supernatural in a 100 mile radius. Her life is changing rapidly. As Delaney tries to figure out who can be trusted and who is on her side, she realizes that she cannot live without her Demon... Available at Amazon About the author: Felicite was born in Aurora, Colorado and lived some of her early years in Salt Lake City, Utah. She could ski way before she could walk. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a degree in English, and a concentration in creative writing (I know, shocker). She now lives in Dayton, Ohio with her husband Chris and their son Ethan. Felicite keeps herself on this side of the padded cell by vegging out on Sherlock Holmes (BBC with Benedict Cumberbatch), reading someone else's work, playing with her son and exercising (which are sometimes one and the same). She finds joy in the small things in life and wants to do one thing that scares the crap out of her each year. Where to find Felicite: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads I'm happy to announce that my buddy Joshua Winning (profiled here) has a new book out: Ruins, book 2 of the Sentinel Trilogy (read my review of book 1 here). I beta-read Ruins and, basically, it was awesome. The first book, Sentinel, was really good, and Ruins is a more-than-worthy successor. From my comments to Joshua: "I was never bored! Every scene was interesting and well-paced, and necessary to the story. I didn't find myself reading something and wondering why it mattered. Also, after that ending, you'd better get Inferno out fast!" So, it's good. Check it out on Amazon! Ruins (The Sentinel Trilogy, Book 2), by Joshua Winning Second instalment of the critically-acclaimed Sentinel Trilogy. In his desperate search for answers about the Sentinels, an ancient society of guardians that his parents once belonged to, fifteen-year-old Nicholas Hallow is tipped into a fresh nightmare of terrifying monsters - and even more sinister humans. As Nicholas is challenged to become a Sentinel, he must track down a mysterious girl with the help of a grumpy cat. Meanwhile, an uprising of evil threatens to destroy the Sentinels and send the world spiralling into chaos. Learn more about the Sentinel Trilogy here. About the Author: Joshua Winning was born in Cambridge, but don't hold that against him. He's attempted to escape reality for most of his life by writing. As a child, that involved poring diligently over anything by C.S. Lewis or Robin Jarvis. When he's not writing about Sentinels, Joshua can usually be found watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Wire and Daria. He also works as a freelance journalist, writing about movies for Total Film, Little White Lies and movieScope. Joshua currently lives in North London with his cat Mia. Unfortunately, she's not a great conversationalist, but he's working on it. 1. Tell us a little about yourself. I'm a back-up cook for a franchised restaurant, I've just turned forty, I'm enjoying my adventures in writing and I'm a chocoholic. 2. When did you start writing, and why? I started writing when I was about 12. Mostly because I was a book-worm with a big imagination and I couldn't contain the ideas that were growing in my head from the fantastic worlds I was reading about. 3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write? I write fantasy, adventure, urban fantasy, and sci-fi. All with a bit of suspense and romance. Because none of it's real. It bends to my rules and I can shape it to my will. My Imagination. It never ends and it continues to surprise me. 4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books? Latest book was the sequel to my Red Summer series: Wil's winter. A series that was supposed to be as I had originally wrote Red Summer as a stand-alone story. But the characters decided they didn't want to end there. So currently I'm working on a third book for that series, to tie up all the loose ends. At the same time I'm putting the final touches on the first book of my sci-fi series 'Mostly Human'. 5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series. Mostly Human: A sentient ship, called L’loi, arrives and begins preparations for a mass exodus to other galaxies in order to preserve Human lives and cultures. Honey Cantrell is the girl we follow as her life is drastically altered when one of seven Orbs L’loi sends out to find qualified leaders find her instead. Violently. On top of that her Orb had been tampered with and filled with surprises none of them are ready for. All of the drama and action takes place on a bracelet of terra formed islands in the Pacific Basin. 6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them? Major Char.- Honey Cantrell (Human) Major Char.- Sammus De (Djins) Minor Char.- Evvie(Human) Minor Char.- Jet(Djins) Minor Char.- Jelia(Djins) Minor Char.- L’loi (Ship) Minor Char.- Bo(Djins) Minor Char.- Kiet/Ke’lil (Gaimarian) I like that my characters are all going to be themselves to the fullest. Selfish, smug, arrogant, biased, evil, vindictive all of it. I have no formula for them. 7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book. I’m a geek. I love and collect anime, comics and video games. I love getting lost in RPGs and escaping real life in my imagination. My stories are never planned. They’re all either daydreams or dreams that have stuck with me until written. Antoinette's books are available at Amazon. Where to find Antoinette: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads Introducing author Lynn Thompson and her short story collection Dark Fates: Just in time for nightfall, fun, but still on the dark side: Wrong Number Valerie’s insomnia is getting worse. Every time she closes her eyes darkness surrounds her and something scary lurks in its wake. If she doesn’t get sleep soon she’ll go crazy, but can she face her dream filled fears? Dwarfs Eve Amber, Derrick, Lydia and Josh visit the cemetery on Halloween night under the full moon. Ambers gut instinct tells her not to go, but she never could say no to Derrick… Tavern Cat The local tavern was Ranald’s second home, until one night he didn’t show. The bartender gets worried about him. After visiting the sick old man at his home the bartended is convinced that once the Scot is better he will be back to warm his favorite barstool… Ghostly Wanderings Bar fights, ghosts, and Summer… Harry doesn’t realize this will be his last night alive. If he’d only changed his ways before the beginning of the evening things might have been different, but Harry was out to have some fun... The Devil in Disguise Pete puffed out his chest to try and show some enthusiasm. The last time and only time he fought he almost killed the guy because of his size. But this man was entrancing his woman, along with all of the others and the women either didn’t seem to notice or didn’t care... Te Amo Victoria’s restaurant is booming and all it took was a couple of spells; unfortunately the church down the hill is not happy with her or her methods of successes. Victoria is surprised and not prepared at how far they will go to close her down and run her out of town. Shadow Man Killian had heard the rumors about this place being haunted, but was hard pressed to believe them. At least not until this night, working graveyard shift… Karma Belle is on a mission to keep bad karma in its place. Katrina wants to play and Lori’s stuck in the middle without realizing it. Can Lori fix her karma before Belle has to fix it for her? What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books? Dark Fates is my last short stories book. It was so much fun to write I wanted to write another one. Dark Fates-Madness will be coming out soon, though the short stories in Dark Fates-Madness have a more serious note to them than in Dark Fates. I am also writing a YA novel, Samantha Sungold- Tarnished Gold. which I hope to have published in 2016. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series. Dark Fates-Madness has four short stories: One Way Ticket, Teen Spirit, Calla Crossing, and Zack's Promise. Dark Fates-Madness deals mainly with teen angst and how fragile teen age minds can be. Though Tyra's story does evolve into her later years. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them? Where to start? Some of my characters I wouldn't even hang out with! Tyra, Calla, and Zack top the list of favorites. Tyra for her strong will, Calla for her love of life, and Zack because of his kind heart. Dark Fates is available at: Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble Find out more about Lynn Thompson and her books at: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest Join Lynn's mailing list at contact@lynnthompsonbooks.com for New Release Dates. Attn: Add me to the mailing list. About the author: Lynn Thompson’s place is in the Land of Enchantment, where the sky is turquoise blue, the fires rage, and there is rain and/or snow without a cloud in the sky. Lynn lives with her husband, son, dog, cat, and a tank full of fish. In her spare time she loves to hike, camp, read and write fiction. She has a degree in graphic arts and web design, but doesn’t have a specific genre that she writes her books in. She has written two novels: Blake-A Montana Dayton Novel and Sterling-A Montana Dayton Novel. She also has written two short stories: Dark Fates and News Worthy. Introducing K.K. Gould, author of paranormal romance/suspense: 1. Tell us a little about yourself. I live in Northern Michigan with my husband and two beautiful kids. When I'm not busy refereeing 'potty talk' between my 4 and 6 year old, I enjoy reading, writing, crocheting, and knitting. As a family we love being outside. Northern Michigan's four seasons provide the perfect setting for camping and exploring the outdoors. In order to pay the bills I work as a CT technologist in a busy ER. I have worked in the medical field for fifteen years at many different hospitals around the country. 2. When did you start writing, and why? I went through a time in my life where I hated my job. I dreaded going to work and dealing with my patients. I work third shift in a busy emergency room. Part of my frustrations stemmed from policy changes that affected the way I cared for my patients. I allowed myself to get to a point where I saw all of my patients as drug seekers, alcoholics, or just plain crazy, and Administration was 'the enemy.' I didn't like feeling this way about people, and I didn't like feeling trapped. I tried journaling. As I sat staring at a blank piece of paper a story popped in my head. I started writing ideas, building characters, and scenes. Next thing I knew I had an entire book series in my head. I had all the characters pictured and they've been clamoring to have their stories told. I began writing and suddenly I realized many of my patients were actually sick, and not just there to take up space. I felt like I was back to my old self. The old self that had some level of compassion for the people in my care. 3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write? I write paranormal romance/suspense. I love a story with a strong female lead and her male counterpart. A 'big picture' element is critical. A part of the story that's bigger than just the romance between two people such as; good vs. evil or saving an entire species from extinction. I think these elements add great suspense in a story. I love being able to save the world in my writing. 4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
I am currently working on a paranormal romance/suspense series titled the Immortal Savior Series. At this time I'm planning on five books. However, I have a couple novellas in mind. This is my first published work. The first book in the series, titled Vengeance, was released in March. The second is titled Awakened and is due to be released in the next couple months. My first novella featuring Shane and Layla from Vengeance will be out in the fall, no title yet. 5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series. My books are paranormals that take place hidden within the human world. These vampires, shifters, fae and other immortals live, work and play hidden amongst the humans. The Organization is responsible for maintaining the secrecy of Immortals. Eliza the main character works in a human hospital. The first book contains scenes of her interacting with human patients and physicians. She must suppress her immortal abilities in order to maintain her secret. 6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them? The main character in the Immortal Savior Series is Eliza North. She is an Immortal hybrid; part vampire, shifter, and fae. She has a tortured past, which helped mold her into a strong, self-sufficient female. She's not afraid of anything. My favorite thing about her is her strength and her vulnerability. Jovey Morris (Jo) is Eliza's best friend. She's a nurse and an empath. She is also very strong and independent. She always says what she's thinking even if it offends. It earns her friends and enemies. Jace Waylen is another of my favorite characters. He was the one that found Eliza after she escaped from her prison. He and Liza are close. He treats her like a little sister. My favorite thing about Jace, besides his sex appeal, is his sense of humor. Fredric Hahn is the main villain in Vengeance. He is a vampire that was hired to catch shifters and fae to sell on the vampire 'black market.' He captured Eliza and became addicted to her blood. When she escaped he searched for her, determined to find out why her blood was so powerful. Hahn is a villain, but his over the top brutality keeps you wanting to know what he'll do next. Vengeance is available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo Where to find K.K.: website | Facebook | Pinterest | Tsu | Goodreads Today I'm pleased to feature a special book for a good cause: Nightshade Reads presents their debut fantasy anthology, featuring eight of the genre’s freshest up-and-coming independent authors. Get ready for One Crazy Night, packed full of magical encounters, dark secrets and shocking revelations. Get a glimpse into a powerful queen’s dark and brutal backstory in Aoife Marie Sheridan’s Bellona. In Louise Nick’s Love Magic, a homemade love spell goes disastrously wrong for two amateur teen witches. A young woman is captured by beautiful, dangerous creatures in M.H. Soars Elements: A teenage boy falls in love, but things quickly become complicated in R. Holland’s Lady in Black. Sara Furlong Burr brings a broken man’s troubles to light as he is offered a solution by a mysterious stranger in The Recruit: Emma Faragher spins a dark origin tale of sisterhood and magic in Necromancer Lineage. The kindness of a stranger takes a homeless young man by surprise in The Keymaker by Teshelle Combs. Sharon Stevenson’s Reanimator brings death and magic together to change the fate of one young man’s life: All proceeds from sales of this anthology will go to The Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Organisation. Purchase Links: Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00THX82YM Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00THX82YM Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121346571?ean=2940046614855 Nook UK: http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/one-crazy-night-by-m-h-soars/2940046614855 Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/518865 Other Important Links: You can add this book to your TBR pile on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24822007-one-crazy-night You can like our facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/NightshadeReads You can find out more about the charity this anthology supports here: https://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/ Author Links: Sara Furlong Burr: http://sarafurlongburr.blogspot.co.uk/ Teshelle Combs: http://teshellecombs.com/ Emma Faragher: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Emma-Faragher-author/140453732798952 R. Holland: http://www.rhollandbooks.com/ Louise Nicks: http://www.sorensaga.com/ Aoife Marie Sheridan: http://www.aoifemariesheridan.com/ M.H. Soars: http://www.mhsoars.com/ Sharon Stevenson: http://sharonstevensonauthor.com/ About the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Charity: This charity was chosen as it is one that is close to all of the Nightshade Reads author’s hearts. Researching blood cancers and the prevention of these illnesses, Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research believes that everyone should be able to live their lives to the full. They have been working for over 50 years to beat blood cancers and donations really do make all the difference to their research. You can find out more about this charity and the wonderful work that they do here: https://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/ About Nightshade Reads: Nightshade Reads is an independent author collective and One Crazy Night is their debut short story anthology. Eight authors who write YA & NA novels in the fantasy, paranormal, and dystopian genres make up this collective. These authors have worked hard to bring together a collection of exclusive stories that are all set on One Crazy Night, and they decided that all proceeds from sales of this book will go to the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Charity. You can keep up with the works of this collective here: https://www.facebook.com/NightshadeReads Kyra sez: This is a cause that is close to my heart, and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to help get the word out about this anthology. Nineteen years ago in April, my good writing friend Shiori lost her battle with leukemia. We met in a science fiction/fantasy workshop at our local community college, and eventually split off into a smaller workshop/critique group with one other person. We would meet at Coffee Etc. one night a week (where, since I don't drink coffee, I would indulge in the yummy German chocolate cake and raspberry lemonade) and talk about writing and other things, laugh, and support each other in our writing and our lives. Shiori was a talented and dedicated writer of Star Trek fanfic, even though everyone in the workshop laughed at her and pointed out that she couldn't publish it. Sadly, she died just before or right at the dawn of the great age of Internet fanfiction. She was 42 years old and left an 8-year-old son.
I was pregnant with my younger son during the last months of her illness. It was a difficult pregnancy and I didn't touch base with her for several months until shortly after my son was born. I was shocked when she died a few weeks later, and at that point I learned from our other writing friend that Shiori had refrained from telling me just how sick she was, because she knew I was already stressed out with my pregnancy. It was her gift to me, the only gift she was able to give me in the end stage of her illness - that and a card, which she bought during her last expedition out of the house and sent to me. I still treasure it. One of the books I workshopped with Shiori and our other friend is the book that eventually became Sarya's Song. A big turning point with that book came when they laughed at the love scene in the original version. Not to my face, of course, but while they were reading at home, and they were very apologetic when they told me about it, but it had to be said. It stung at first, then I realized they were right to laugh. Not only was the scene all wrong, but so were Sarya and Adan's entire characters. It's because of Shiori that Sarya's Song is the book it is today, and it's dedicated to her. I wish she could have read the final version, and it's my hope that proceeds from the sale of One Crazy Night will help more cancer patients enjoy more books, more cake, more laughter, and more years with their friends and families. Watch for my upcoming review of One Crazy Night; so far it's lots of fun! Introducing author N.J. Paige and her novel Rise of the Nephilim: Fire and Blood: 1. Tell us a little about yourself. First, I want to thank you for having me as a guest on your blog. A little bit about me: well, I'm a mom of two wonderful children and wife to the best husband in the world-my best friend. 2. When did you start writing, and why? This may be a little cliche, but I began in high school. I found it as a way to express all my frustrations as a teenage girl. 3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write? My goal is to write across many different genres. However, currently, I find that I'm drawn to Fantasy/Science-Fiction. The most important thing for me though, no matter what genre I happen to be writing in, is to support the foundations that I believe to be the foundations of Humanity-love, empathy, honor. 4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books? My latest book is a new series, Rise of The Nephilim: Fire And Blood. Its foundations are love and empathy-two of Humanities foundations I referred to earlier. Also, you are the first to know, my new release, Code Human, will be out 4/25/2015. Its foundations lie in love, honor, empathy, and I'll add, respect. Both series have kick-butt heroines who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. 5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series. Rise Of The Nephilim: Fire And Blood is set in an subterranean world-Babylon, where there are large lakes, cave structures with some modern utilities such as electricity. Think of a medieval village, with some sort of modernity. Its core is beneath New York City. In this world are strange beings-Epochs, Imps, and Fallen Angels, not to mention Nephilims. 6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them? Well, some of my characters are Maxine Lauren-the main charater. Although Maxine has been bullied all her life for her unique features, and has every reason to hate the world, it is her love for her family and for Humanity that will save the world. Also Amand, Maxine's Fallen Angel father. He is set on destroying the world, for he so hates Humanity, but his love for Maxine, his Sarai, and her human mother, Maybie, is cutting that hate down a little at a time. And I must not forget Mathias, the golden Angel from the Realm of Angels. He is Maxine's first love. And he is willing to risk everything to protect her and to show his love for her-an unforbidden love. 7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book. Hmm. A fun fact. Let me think. Well, I have a passion for gardening. And one of my dreams is to one day build a home that is completely off the grid and will provide food for me and my family via greenhouses and so forth. Aslo, I love to hike and do all kinds of outdoorsy stuff. 8. Blog/site link, and where your book is available. Rise of The Nephilim is available at Amazon. Where to find N.J.: Website | Goodreads | Twitter I want to thank you again for having me as your guest. [Kyra sez: You're welcome :-) My pleasure!] Read on for an excerpt from Rise of the Nephilim: Fire and Blood: 1. Tell us a little about yourself. I’m a mom, writer, and attorney. I spend every free second reading or writing. My three-year-old daughter knows our local librarians by name. We spend a fair amount of time reading in our house, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I grew up reading Mercedes Lackey and J.R.R. Tolkein, dreaming away in the infinite worlds that were opened up to me in books. 2. When did you start writing, and why? I started writing in high school because I just couldn’t help it. I would get bored, and because I have no artistic ability instead of doodles I would write out little character bios. I earned a creative writing degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and it was there that I started writing in earnest. 3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write? Fantasy, paranormal, and dystopian novels tend to be the projects that really ignite my imagination. I love the world building and character development that goes with them. The day dreaming that begins the writing process is my favorite part. 4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books? Currently, I’m working on the sequel to Bringer of Light. I wrote the first half as part of NaNoWriMo last year, and I’m close to having a complete first draft. I also have a dystopian novel that I wrote for NaNoWriMo in 2013 with a Choctaw main character that I can’t wait to finish later this year. I’ve also got an urban fantasy novel that I’m excited to write with my writing partner, Sara Kincaid, based in Kansas City. 5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series. The world in Bringer of Light is one on the brink of all out war. The dark mage Mercer is descended from a race that once dominated the world, and he is bent on reclaiming what he views as his birthright. The kingdom of Arten borders Mercer’s territory and has spent generations beating back his advancing forces. In Arten, they view magic itself as the enemy to ensure that all magic users are reported and either executed or banished. It would be too dangerous for them to have one of Mercer’s recruits able to climb too high in their army. In other nations, Mercer’s attacks are far more insidious, but more on that later (spoilers). 6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them? The two characters with main point of view are Lynden Trenadin and Jonathen Oren. Lynden is a Queen’s Champion, an elite warrior chosen to fight beside the queen in Arten. She is the catalyst character for the whole series. I dreamed her up first and everything else evolved from there. She values friendship and honesty, and the important moments for her are those spent around a campfire drinking tea and swapping stories. She’s driven, but she would never leave a friend behind. I love that she thinks of her friends as family and would stand by them unconditionally. Jonathen Oren is a captain in the queen’s army. He is Lynden’s oldest friend. They spent their childhood learning to be warriors like their fathers as they ran around the campfires of various campaigns. He’s always thinking about the greater good. Jonathen is the guy everyone turns to in a moment of crisis. He will always have your back. 7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book. I wrote a big portion of Bringer of Light when I was in class during law school. It looked like I was diligently taking notes on Contract Law when really I’d just reached a part of the story that I couldn’t stop. Thank goodness I didn’t get called on during those moments. 8. Blog/site link, and where your book is available. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads Pick up your copy of Bringer of Light today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble Bringer of Light: For generations, the kingdom of Arten has stood alone against the ancient dark mage Mercer, a man no longer bound by time. But when King Wern is kidnapped, Queen Arin will risk everything to get him back. Lynden Trenadin is chosen to join the ranks of the elite Queen's Champions both for her prowess as a warrior and her remarkable resemblance to the queen. She has spent her life battling at Arten's borders, but now she must defend the queen with her life as they journey to their enemy's castle. When the tide of battle goes against them, Lynden unleashes a magical power she didn't know she possessed. Even though she saved hundreds of warriors, Lynden is forced to flee in shame for her use of forbidden magic. Now on the run, Lynden must raise a rebellion to free her country from the tyranny of the enemy she thought she'd destroyed. A band of loyalists and an enclave of ancient mages aid her in her efforts, but with a dark mage bent on her destruction, Lynden must discover a way to harness her new magic before it is too late. About the Author: J.R. Boles is a fantasy and fiction writer currently hanging her hat in the Heartland with her husband where they spend their free time chasing after their fearless daughter. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a degree in English and American University Washington College of Law. |
AuthorI am Kyra Halland, author of tales of fantasy, heroism, and romance. Sign up for my email list
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