Sandra Cox's Blog, page 259

VBT: Against The Wind

Where the Title “Against the Wind” Came From The title comes from the historical event that is woven through the story. On June 9, 1817, a group of village men from Derbyshire rose up in rebellion against the Crown, intending to march on London with “thousands” of others to take control of the government. It was dubbed “the Last Revolution in England,” though it might have more accurately been called a government-inspired provocation to action, designed to justify repression.
After the war with France ended in 1814, England suffered from great social, economic and political problems. Many of the major issues were the direct result of the war, but others were the necessary product of the changes occurring throughout society, some of which had begun earlier. Machines were replacing workers. Added to that, the Corn Laws kept food prices high and some very bad weather destroyed crops. The discontent these occurrences brought, and the distress in the lives of the working people, culminated in a series of events, including the uprising in the Midlands in June of 1817.
The rebellion was just what the leaders of the British government needed to justify sending a strong signal to the masses that no revolution, such as had occurred in France, would be tolerated in England. The hundreds of villagers who rose up with the pikes and crude weapons (though a few had pistols) to march to Nottingham and thence to London were ignorant of the true facts—that the government itself had stirred their rebellion. In truth, they fought “against the wind,” hence the title for my Regency romance that features this little known event in England’s history. The trailer for my book brings this out—and the love story between Sir Martin and Katherine. You can see it here: http://youtu.be/F39tLElacYM. BLURB:   A night in London’s most exclusive bordello. Agent of the Crown Sir Martin Powell would not normally indulge, but the end of his time spying against Napoleon deserves a victory celebration. Yet, such pleasure will not come cheap. The auburn-haired courtesan he calls “Kitten” is in truth Katherine, Lady Egerton, a dowager baroness and the daughter of an earl as elusive as she is alluring. She flees a fate worse than death. But Martin has known darkness, too, and he alone can touch her heart—as she has touched his. To the English Midlands they will steal, into the rising winds of revolution. EXCERPT:  “Is making love something you do not wish to do?” he said. “As I recall, you seemed to enjoy it as much as I did.” Then, more tenderly: “Besides, I have missed you, Kitten.”
“No…I cannot. I am not your…your…” She could not bring herself to say the word. Their one night together had been a wonderful, amazing, and yes, passionate experience, but it could never happen again. She had escaped for one dreadful night into a dream. Into his arms. As much as she wanted those around her again, wanted to lie with him, she could not allow it. This was not who she was. Not who she was raised to be.
Placing his hands on her waist, he pulled her against him. The heat from his broad chest overwhelmed her as she stared into indigo eyes now stormy with desire. “You opened a door, Kitten, I’m unwilling to close.” AUTHOR INFORMATION: As a child Regan Walker loved to write stories, particularly about adventure-loving girls, but by the time she got to college more serious pursuits took priority. One of her professors thought her suited to the profession of law, and Regan realized it would be better to be a hammer than a nail. Years of serving clients in private practice and several stints in high levels of government gave her a love of international travel and a feel for the demands of the “Crown” on its subjects. Hence her romance novels often involve a demanding Prince Regent who thinks of his subjects as his private talent pool.
Regan lives in San Diego with her golden retriever, Link, whom she says inspires her every day to relax and smell the roses. LINKS:website: www.reganwalkerauthor.com/blog: reganromancereview.blogspot.com/twitter: @RegansReviewRegan will be awarding either Racing with the Wind OR Lunchbox Romances that tie into the triology,The Holly and the Thistle and The Shamrock and the Rose (winner's choice) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.The tour dates can be found:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/04/virtual-book-tour-against-wind-by-regan.html

VBT: Hidden

5 Musts Every Story in Your Genre Should HaveI love reading YA fiction. My kindle is bursting with them. While there is no formula (that I have found) that makes a great YA book, a few things stick out in my head when comparing books I love.Compelling CharactersAll of my favorite YA books (mostly Paranormal and Fantasy) have compelling characters. We have to meet someone interesting on the first page, and they have to suck us in enough to continue to care about their lives until the last. I fall in love easily, so I rarely meet a YA main (or supporting) that makes me want to stop reading a book, but it’s possible. The character must be gripping, original, flawed, and loveable. That is much harder to write than it is to notice in something you’re reading, but as a writer, creating characters is one of my favorite things to do.A good opening. The opening sets the tone of the novel. As a reader, I want to be yanked into this world, thrown on a roller coaster, and not allowed to get off until it’s over. As I writer, I beg the gods to show me how to do this. It’s difficult but important. It’s not just the first page. It could be someone’s last. Think about or go back and read the openings from your favorite YA books. Did you fall in love with the character? Feel sorry for them? Want more of them? Of course, you did. That’s why it’s your favorite.High stakes.I’ve read a few books that had a cool premise, started well, and had a loveable character … but the stakes weren’t high enough. Those lose me. I want life or death, not I may be hated at school to the end of eternity. But that’s just me. I want to worry about the character, fear for their life. Others may be different, but I would guess that they at least want interesting stakes, even if it’s not a nail biter.Believable relationshipsJust because YA readers are teens (and those of us who refuse to grow up), doesn’t mean they can’t spot weak relationships. As a believer of love at first sight, it’s easy for me to believe in the relationships in the YA books I’ve read. I love the idea of meeting someone on Monday and not being able to imagine your life without them on Tuesday. For some readers, that annoys the crap out of them. To me, it can be quick, it just has to be genuine and interesting. A big finish. No one likes a let down. I think YA books have to deliver whatever thing they’ve been building up to. I don’t want to read 80,000 words and never get to the big fight, or the break up, or have things summed up so fast I think I may have missed something. I love YA books that finish big, with a shock, yet the answer was there in my face all along. I love to go back to chapter one and say “Ohhhh. I see it now.” It makes the time I’ve invested worthwhile. These five things, in my opinion, are vital to YA books. It certainly isn’t a recipe, and keep in mind that each of these aspects are subjective. A character that is compelling to me may be boring to someone else. Stakes that are high to me may make another reader yawn. But when you find a YA book with the right balance of these five elements for you, you’ll probably find that you can’t put it down.


BLURB:  
Sixteen-year-old Leah Grant has given up on being normal. She’d settle for stopping the voices in her head, intrusive visions of the future, and better odds of making it to her seventeenth birthday.
That’s the thing about pretending to be human in a world where magic used to exist – at any moment, her cover could be blown and she’ll be burned to death like the rest of the witches.
Everything changes when she loses control of her powers and flees the orphanage she grew up in. She desperately wants to be invisible but finds her face plastered on every news channel as humans panic over the possible resurgence of her kind. And now the hunters won’t give up until they find her.Making friends for the first time in her life and falling in love with one of them drives her to discover why she is unlike any being she’s ever met – human or otherwise. The dangerous powers inside of her that would repel Nathan, her new, handsome reason for living, are priceless to some. The locked up forever kind of priceless. And to others, they are too dangerous to allow her to live.
Let’s hope she can stay hidden.EXCERPT:  Sienna snatched last week’s Chemistry test from my desk. I hadn’t turned it over. I knew it was a D minus.She cackled and passed it around.“Leah, you would think someone who spends most of her time alone would have better grades,” she said. Her birds laughed on cue. “What do you do all day? Obviously not study.” She gasped slowly like she’d gotten a revelation in that blonde head of hers. “You fantasize about us, don’t you? You probably sleep in Whit’s old bed to feel close to her.”Laughter spread around the room like an airborne disease. Disease. I shivered. That was an intriguing thought; I could almost hear the sound their bodies would make against the floor when it hit.“Leah, come on. Say something. Scream at me, it’s been a while. At least cry,” Sienna said, laughing and leaning into my desk, closer to danger.I didn’t cry. I never cry. And if I were going to, it wouldn’t be because of Sienna. I had bigger problems. I’d just broken a promise I’d made to God to not think about hurting His people, His children. And today was not the day to piss Him off.My old roommate, Whitney Nguyen, graciously returned my test as she cackled with the rest of the birds. She liked the idea of me pining over her, but she knew I didn’t spend my free time thinking about her or sleeping in her old bed. After fourteen years of hard labor as my roommate, she’d given up on being friends or me being remotely normal. The current theory to explain my oddness was that I was in love with all of the girls and consumed by lust.As long as they didn’t know it was magic.AUTHOR INFORMATION: M. Lathan lives in San Antonio with her husband and mini-schnauzer. She enjoys writing and has a B.S. in Psych and a Masters in Counseling. Her passion is a blend of her two interests – creating new worlds and stocking them with crazy people. She enjoys reading anything with interesting characters and writing in front of a window while asking rhetorical questions … like her idol Carrie Bradshaw.   LinksWebsite: mlathan.comTwitter: @hiddenseriesPinterest: http://pinterest.com/hiddenseries/Buy links: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=B00A6301BO 
One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
 Encourage your readers to follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better their chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/04/virtual-book-tour-hidden-by-m-lathan.html
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4343/

BBT: Island Shifters

BLURB:The idyllic lives of four elemental shifters living in the exiled land of Pyraan are shattered when a tour of legion duty gives witness to a brutal enemy invasion.  Despite the heroic efforts of the shifters, the land falls to the invaders.  As the only survivors, the four friends are forced to flee south into the lands from which they were banished to warn of the invasion.  Heartbroken and weary, the shifters soon learn that the safe haven they hoped to find is cloaked in danger.  Throughout a journey fraught with prophesy, betrayal and peril, an enduring friendship prevails, love blossoms, and a riveting saga unravels.EXCERPT:Kiernan heard them coming with her heart in her throat and leaned in closer to Beck as they lay side by side in a furrow of soil atop one of the fortifications created by the earthshifters the evening before.  The ominous sound of thousands of feet rushing toward her in the pre-dawn darkness was as frightening as it was meant to be.  Jaimes Atlan warned them that Adrian Ravener would try to intimidate them.  He would want them to make mistakes out of sheer terror.
I am with you, Princess, said Bajan, who was crouched behind her.  Do not be afraid.  Any creature that gets close will have me to deal with.
Bajan, just in case….  she began, but he cut her off.
Do not make it sound like the end, because it is not.  I promise.  You will have time to torment me for many years to come.
I do not mean to torment you.
I would not have it any other way.
Despite her fright, she smiled at the Draca’s words.
The long, sinister sound of the enemy battle horn wrenched Kiernan back to the present in a rush.  Every fiber of her being urged her to run, to get away from there.
Death was coming, and she was right in its path.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and drew on the power of her magic to calm her mind.  She was a warrior, she chided herself.  A protector.  If death was coming for her, it would have a fight on its hands.AUTHOR Bio and Links:Fantasy author, Valerie Zambito, lives in York, New York with her husband and three sons.  After having been involved in a busy sales career for twenty years, a passionate love for great storytelling, world building, character creation, and all things magic have led to the release of her epic fantasy series, Island Shifters, and young adult, paranormal romance series, Angels of the Knights.Books:Book One:  Island Shifters - An Oath of the BloodBook Two:  Island Shifters - An Oath of the MageBook Three:  Island Shifters - An Oath of the ChildrenBook Four:  Island Shifters - An Oath of the KingsAngels of the Knights - FallonAngels of the Knights - BlaneClassroom HeroesWebsite:  http://www.valeriezambito.com/Buy Links:Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Island-Shifters-Fantasy-Series-ebook/dp/B0063EONHSBarnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/island-shifters-an-oath-of-the-blood-valerie-zambito/1107956340iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/island-shifters-oath-blood/id489783195?mt=11Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/107230Valerie will be awarding several print copies of her book to randomly drawn commenters during the tour (US only) and a grand prize of a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. The tour dates can be found here:   http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/04/virtual-blurb-blitz-tour-island.html

Monday

Yes it is.
Last week I went on my Summer Schedule, bless my boss's heart. And I mean that sincerely, not in Southern Parlance:) Which means, I go in early Monday through Thursday, work late and take off Friday's. Ahh. It feels weird being home on a Friday but it's a good weird. Since the hubby is still hobbling around, I was going to mow this weekend, but it continued to rain, so I went out on the porch and read a couple of books instead. grin. One of them Randy Wayne White's North of Havana. I always find notable quotes in his stories. Here's a couple:
'Guilt is the curse of those who care.' 
and
'Friendship is defined, not measured, by one's willingness to go to the aid of another. It is an obligation that blends conscience and accountability. Very, very few are worthy of the word.' 
Granted these are spoken from his Doc Ford's point of view. But insightful, don't you think? One of the reason's I enjoy his work, besides the  obvious--he writes a damn fine mystery--is his character's study of human nature.
Completely off topic, Belle Kitty woke me from a nightmare. I dreamed I was witnessing a murder. She got right in my face, nudged and cried till I woke up then flopped down beside me. I was very appreciative because I was next on the man's hit list. And speaking of murder, I'm thinking about trying one, just on paper mind you. After I finish the other ideas rolling around in my head. But that's for another day. And as far as Monday goes, hope your day is productive and your evening relaxing and enjoyable.

Weekend

Enjoy your weekend.

SBB:Phantom and Demon by Laura DeLuca

BLURB: Demon, Book TwoWhen Justyn and Rebecca set off for the New York School of Performing Arts, they think their dreams are about to come true. To their dismay, they aren’t in high school anymore, and the competition is steep. Rebecca must compete against accomplished singers for a role in the production of Demon Barber, including a stunning Gothic diva with her sights set on Justyn
It doesn't help that things keep disappearing from their apartment or that Rebecca's father refuses to accept that Justyn is an essential part of her life. Yet, all this seems minimal in comparison to the serial rapist terrorizing the campus.
Consumed by fear and obsessed with revenge, Rebecca and Justyn start living the story of Sweeney Todd—both on and off the stage.Blurb: Phantom, Dark Musicals Book #1:Rebecca lands the lead role of Christine, the opera diva, and like her character, she is torn between her two co-stars—Tom the surfer and basketball star who plays the lovable hero, and Justyn, the strangely appealing Goth who is more than realistic in the role of the tortured artist.
Almost immediately after casting, strange things start to happen both on and off the stage. Curtains fall. Mirrors are shattered. People are hurt in true phantom style. They all seem like accidents until Rebecca receives notes and phone calls that hint at something more sinister. Is Justyn bringing to life the twisted character of the phantom? Or in real life are the roles of the hero and the villain reversed? Rebecca doesn’t know who to trust, but she knows she’s running out of time as she gets closer and closer to opening night. Only when the mask is stripped away, will the twenty first century phantom finally be revealed. EXCERPT:Demon“What the hell are you looking at?” Livy demanded.
At first Rebecca just ignored her hostility. She walked back to her cubbyhole and opened it to stowaway her bags until practice was over. She was going to forget the whole stupid idea and just walk away. But Livy was still standing there, leaning against the lockers, looking just as sad as she did angry. Rebecca couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. She was reminded of how horribly everyone had treated Justyn during the production of Phantom and thought perhaps Livy was just as misunderstood.
“Livy,” she started, “can we talk for a minute?”
The Goth just gave her a dirty look. “I don’t know what we could possibly have to say to each other.”
“I just wanted to apologize about what happened at the party,” Rebecca spoke with as much sincerity as she could muster. “No matter how we feel about each other, I never meant to … to embarrass you the way I did.”
Rebecca had never seen the cliché of flashing eyes come to life like it did at that moment. “Don’t you dare!” Livy spat. “Don’t you dare pity me!”
“That’s not what I meant,” Rebecca tried to explain, though she knew she was fighting a losing battle. “I just regret—”
“Do you want to know what I regret?” Livy interrupted and actually shoved Rebecca against her locker. “I regret not ripping every strand of hair out of that pretty little head of yours when I had the chance. This isn’t high school, Becca! We aren’t going to be friends. And I’m not going to stop until Justyn is mine and you run back to New Jersey with your tail between your legs. Is that clear enough for you, deary? Don’t try to make nice with me again.”
Livy stomped away, and Rebecca just stood there, feeling shocked and a little stung. She couldn’t believe how vicious Livy could be. So much for olive branches. Instead of trying to hand her one, Rebecca should have shoved it straight up her….
“Wow.” Frankie came up beside her, shaking his head. “It’s girls like that who give PMS a bad rep. I seriously think the next play she should star in is the Taming of the Shrew.”
“There’s no taming that one,” Rebecca replied, still shaking her head. AUTHOR Bio and Links: Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart.  In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the editor of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years.  Her current works include Destiny, Destiny Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan, Player, and Demon.Social Media Links: http://authorlauradeluca.blogspot.comwww.twitter.com/authorldelucawww.facebook.com/authorlauradeluca
  If you haven't read the first book in the series, now is a great time to get your copy. To celebrate the release of Demon, Phantom is now on sale for only $1.99 exclusively on Amazon!http://www.amazon.com/Phantom-ebook/dp/B007Q3W7XC/Buy Links for Demon:Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Dark-Musicals-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00C32YAKY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364527596&sr=1-1&keywords=demon+laura+delucaSmashwords:http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/299593Barnes & Noble:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/demon-laura-deluca/1114955103?ean=2940016600147 

Laura will be awarding to a US Only Winner: a signed copy of Phantom with original cover, crystal geode, rough crystal point, stone pendant, sterling silver pentacle pendant, mini Buddha figurine, smudge stick with abalone shell, 2 Gothic style key chains, incense set with leaf holder and lavender purification bath salts to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

More Exciting Times At The Cox Household

Where to begin?
Maybe with the assassination of a big ass, brown, fuzzy spider the night before a showing...or the brown stain I saw on the ceiling....or the day spent in Urgent Care with the hub's.
Okay, I'll start with the brown stain on the basement ceiling.
We had a last minute showing scheduled for the next day and I was in cleaning-frenzy mode. The hubs asked for a grilled cheese. Seriously, take the time to grill a sandwich plus dirty a skillet? Really? What was he thinking? Never fear,  I didn't starve him, I did fix him a TV dinner which required dirtying zero dishes.  It was after the TV dinner, I went downstairs and saw the brown stain on the ceiling.
OMG.OMG. Total panic. How does a brown stain get on the ceiling?  My mind immediately leaped to plumbing issues. What else could account for a brown stain? Reason reasserted itself when it dawned on me there was no plumbing in that section of ceiling. Okay, I went from fear to spooked. How did that brown stain get there? Very woo-woo. After stewing about it for awhile, I finally figured out the answer.
The hub's had spilled a cup of coffee the day before when I was at work and since he couldn't bend had left it. It apparently soaked through the floor to the ceiling below. Whew. I never thought I'd be so relieved over a coffee stain.
As I'm painting over the spill, I glance to my right and there's the mother of all spiders. Big. Brown. Hairy. As close as I can tell it was a Huntsman Spider. Harmless and shy. Ha! It doesn't look harmless and shy, it looks like a brown tarantula. Arming myself with a dust rag, I grab him up and throw him outside. I'm a big believer in live and let live unless its ants. I do exterminate ants.  And mosquitoes.
With the removal of the spider and the mystery of the stain solved, things calm down for the night, if not the rest of the week.
The hub's wakes up with a rash covering his body so off we go to urgent care where we spend the majority of the day.  They do blood work, take him off his meds, prescribe new ones and tell us if that doesn't work its back to the hospital he goes.
Fingers and toes crossed that from here we go back to our uneventful routine.
Oh yes and did I mention we discovered the hound is terrified by those horrible helium monsters that we humans know as balloons? We discovered this when I brought the hub's home from the hospital. But in every cloud there's a silver lining. The hound is not supposed to go upstairs but since she flouts authority she usually makes a trip up there about every other night. I have no doubt her sole purpose is to annoy me. The hub's got the brilliant idea to put the balloons at the top of the stairs. It worked like a charm. She hasn't ventured upstairs since the helium monsters were placed at the head of the stairs. The down side...listening to her growl at them.

BBT:Highlander's Hope

BLURB:   Not a day has gone by that Ewan McTavish, the Viscount Sethwick, hasn't dreamed of the beauty he danced with two years ago. He's determined to win her heart and make her his own. Heiress, Yvette Stapleton, is certain of one thing; marriage is risky and, therefore, to be avoided. At first, she doesn't recognize the dangerously handsome man who rescues her from assailants on London's docks, but Lord Sethwick's passionate kisses soon have her reconsidering her cynical views on matrimony. On a mission to stop a War Office traitor, Ewan draws Yvette into deadly international intrigue. To protect her, he exploits Scottish law, declaring her his lawful wife—without benefit of a ceremony. Yvette is furious upon discovering the irregular marriage is legally binding, though she never said, "I do." Will Ewan's manipulation cost him her newfound love?    EXCERPT:Highlander's Hope Excerpt-London Inn Scene Ewan jolted awake. “Merde.”
He had fallen asleep with Yvette in his arms. Shooting a worried glance at the window, he recognized the first golden blush of daybreak sweeping across the hazy sky.
Sucking in a strangled breath, he grasped the inexperienced hand fondling him. Blast it. The towel had come loose while he slept, of course.
“Yvette,” he whispered as she showered kisses across his bare chest and neck. Grasping her roaming hands, he ensnared her in his embrace, and raised his voice. “Yvette, wake up.”
He gave her a gentle shake. Dark lashes trembled, rising to reveal drowsy eyes. A smile lit her face when her gaze met his. She lifted her hand, caressing his face, her fingers lingering on his scar before she raised herself up and kissed the mark. Caught up in the powerful spell, he almost forgot himself. He fought the urge to throw reason to the wind and kiss her with all the desire he was holding in check. “Yvette. . .”
Ewan knew the moment she awoke. He felt her stiffen in his arms and heard her small cry of shocked dismay. She pressed at his chest with both hands. He released her and watched her scramble across the bed. She stopped in the middle, facing him. Her hair swirled around her, settling in shimmering waves about her hips.Dawn’s glow lit the room. He could see her expressions. Shock—followed by confusion, then complete horror as she realized the full scope of her situation.AUTHOR INFORMATION:A life-long Oregonian, Collette Cameron was born and raised in a small town along the northern Oregon coast. Today she makes her home in a rural community, 30 minutes west of Portland. Her Victorian farmhouse sits on a one-acre certified wildlife habit, interspersed with a plethora of gardens: English, rose, butterfly, rock, water, and of course, vegetable.
A voracious reader of romance since her teens, she even named her daughter after a heroine in her favorite romance novel. An enthusiast of times gone by, and anything related to romance, she writes Historical Romance, with a dash of inspiration, a pinch of humor, and a liberal portion of suspense.
Having dabbled in interior decorating in her youth, Collette returned to school, graduating summa cum laude from Oregon State University, and going on to obtain her Master's Degree in Teaching. She is member of Romance Writers of America, Rose City Romance Writers, The Beau Monde, and Love Faith and Hope, Inc.
Some of Collette's favorite things include unique blends of coffees and teas, trivia, Cadbury Milk Chocolate, inspirational quotes, and scented candles. Her Christian faith, husband, three adult children, and five miniature dachshunds round out her life quite nicely! When she's not teaching or writing, she enjoys amateur photography, bird watching, gardening, interior decorating, rock-hunting, boating or fishing on the Columbia River, and reading. LINKS:Book URL:http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/meet-collette-cameron/highlanders-hope-by-collette-cameron/This is not a "buy" link. My Links:Website:http://collettecameron.com/Blog:http://blueroseromance.com/Facebook Fan Page:https://www.facebook.com/collettecameronauthorFacebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/collette.cameron.5Twitter:https://twitter.com/Collette_AuthorSoul Mate Publishing Author's Blog: http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/
 Collette will be awarding a gift basket that include a gift card, blue rose tea cup, blue rose soap, vintage looking cameo pendant, shortbread, tea, and other goodies to a randomly drawn commenter during the tours.
The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/02/virtual-book-tour-highlanders-hope-by.html

VBT: Angel of Syn

WITCHES OF THE SYN-IVERSEThe original topic of this post was going to be “the beliefs of today’s witches.”  I would’ve been happy to write something about that, but I don’t have a clue.  Despite a period of time in my youth when I wanted to be a witch (I don’t think any of my “spells” actually worked otherwise Tommy Kingston would’ve turned into a two-headed frog in fifth grade), I’m not a member of the witch or Wiccan societies.  So, I don’t feel qualified to try to represent their current beliefs.What I can talk about are the witches in the world of my Synemancer series.  Their world is similar to ours except supernatural beings live side-by-side with normal humans.  The major groups are witches, wizards, Nightkinds (vampire-like beings), and werewolves.  The witches and Nightkinds are organized into Houses who act like governing bodies for their kind.  Houses are often associated with major families and affiliated beings or humans, much like small kingdoms.  Werewolves form packs.  Wizards are too independent to want to belong to any organized group.The supernaturals have a major law enforcement group called the Portalkind Security Council (PSC) which serves as their highest criminal justice organization.  The PSC is like the human system’s Federal level and the Houses are the State and Local levels.  In Angel of Syn, the PSC are trying to capture Cara.The major witch religion is called Druccan, which is a combination Druid, Wiccan, and other religions.  Druccan’s believe in preserving nature, the divine is both feminine and masculine, and there is a universal life-force that surrounds and connects every living being.  Druccan’s are not prudish about exploring sensuality or multiple relationships before marriage.   But vows are taken seriously once a commitment is made. Witches are born with a wide variety of abilities and different levels of power.  One of the rarest and most powerful is the Synemancer.  Only witches can be Synemancers.  Synemancers draw power from other supernatural beings to fuel their own magic.  They can weave multiple energies together to create power more potent than any of the individuals could have achieved on their own.  The Synemancer exchanges a piece of the other person’s soul with her or his own to form a strong emotional, spiritual, and physical connection.  Cara Augustine is the only living Synemancer of her generation.  In the middle ages, witches were hunted down and killed by humans during the Great Purge.  Synemancers were especially feared for their ability to bind others to them so were completely wiped out. This history is a major problem for Cara because there’s no one left who can teach her to harness and use her abilities.  There are many legends and mysteries surrounding Synemancers that have yet to be brought to light.  Like, what the heck are all those orbs? Why are they attracted to Cara? And why do they always pop in at the worst possible moments?I hope that this provides some insight into Cara Augustine’s magical, dangerous alternate reality.  Would I want to live in that world?  Um, yes but probably more as a visitor than a resident.  A tourist perhaps.  Maybe a foreign-exchange student.  But even for a short amount of time, it would be exciting.
BLURB: Cara is a fugitive, pursued by the Portalkind police for breaking a major covenant. When she accidently made a werewolf her witch’s familiar, it amounted to enslaving a human. And the punishment is death. On the run for her life, she and her companions stumble into a strange paradise dimension. But they quickly find the dangerous world is filled with strange creatures, deadly and beautiful. And, because she’s quickly learning a Synemancer’s life is never simple.  Cara has to deal with an amorous Nephilim (half-angel half-witch), a dangerously deranged French werewolf, and the darkly handsome Nightkind she just might love. Each powerful supernatural man has his own reasons for wanting to possess Cara, body and soul. But if the Portalkind police catch her, she’ll be in a fight for her life. EXCERPT:The nape of my neck tingled with the familiar sensation of being stalked. I glanced over my shoulder to see my bodyguard, Azrael. He was named after the angel of death, but he was no angel—in any sense of the word. I used to think it was a nickname. It wasn’t. We were both witches, but he came with specialized security training.  He watched me from his favorite indoor spot halfway up the stairs to the second story of our Berkeley hills house. His sky blue eyes stared at me hungrily.That stare reminded me of a hawk watching a tasty mouse.  Irritated, I took a last bite from my nearly finished apple, turned, and threw the core at him with deadly precision. I’d been practicing using non-magical self-defense skills. My magic skills were unreliable to say the least.The apple core flew between the wooden posts directly at his beautiful face. He deftly caught it in a blur of motion, put it up to his nose, inhaled deeply, and slowly licked the apple. His eyes never left me. AUTHOR Bio and Links: Mertianna currently lives with her husband, son, and three dogs in Northern California. At a young age, while traveling the globe with her military family, she discovered the joys of reading. Armed with a fascination for science fiction, the paranormal, and fantasy, she amused, shocked, and impressed her teachers with her imaginative stories.
As an adult, reality reared its boring head, and she joined the business workforce. After many years working as a professional manager while secretly wishing she was a writer, she took a detour from the corporate world to immerse herself in the fictional worlds of her own making.
Mertianna has accumulated multiple graduate degrees in business and survived years of doctoral studies in psychology, all of which undoubtedly has influenced how her characters behave or don’t behave as the case may be. Buy Links: 
Mertianna will be awarding a canvas tote bag printed with the book cover on one side and a saying on the other("Are you a syn-er?"), and filled with goodies plus a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY). The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/03/virtual-nbtm-tour-angel-of-syn-by.html

It's Here