Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 205

#Review: SINGULAR & EXTRAORDINARY TALE OF MIRROR & GOLIATH by Ishbelle Bee

  3 of 5 stars
I was not sure what to expect with this book and it started out great with the tale of local policeman Goliath rescuing little Mirror from her deranged grandfather. Mirror's two sisters were not so lucky and their death affected Mirror more than she could ever understand. I really enjoyed the author's voice especially when she focused on the relationship of Mirror and Goliath, but then the book started to divert into many little vignettes that on the surface had nothing to do with Mirror. All of the stories had elements of bizarre behavior, outrageous animals and a darkness that no child should have to endure. 
I applaud the author's imagination and the bizarre characters certainly came alive on the page. The writing was unique, entertaining and confusing at the same time, but with so many side plots, it was easy to lose sight of Mirror and Goliath.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Singular-Extraordinary-Tale-Mirror-Goliath/dp/0857664425/ref=twoen-20

Interview with Wesley Banks, HOPE IN EVERY RAINDROP

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series? Hope In Every Raindrop is about a best-selling author (Katie Price) who struggles to find her next big story when she happens upon America’s rarest dog breed and the man (Kyle Walker) that raises them.
If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?I ended up using 99designs.com for my cover design and it was a great experience. I still run ideas past my cover design probably every couple weeks for other graphic choices.
I was very involved, mainly because I knew exactly what I wanted the cover to look like. The difficult part was receiving over 150 designs and having to narrow it down and choose.
What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?It really depends on the scene. When I’m writing a major scene (one with a lot of drama or conflict) I typically do listen to music. However, when I’m writing more technical aspects of the book (or outlining, editing, etc.) it’s usually in silence, with the exception of the window I keep open next to my desk.
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?Both. I do an overall outline of every scene before I start writing. But once I get into the scene sometimes I can’t follow the outline because the decisions certain characters begin to make changes the course.
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?Definitely. Honestly, without my editor I would be lost in my own little writing world.
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?You can get Hope In Every Raindrop at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, GooglePlay, and Kobo.
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads. However, I’m most active on Facebook and Instagram.
Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?This is actually what I’m struggling with most right now. I completely underestimated how much time it takes to market a book.
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?For sure. Although I don’t practice engineering anymore, I’m still a Professional Engineer, and I think that has a huge impact on my writing. I also absolutely love my dogs and going on adventures with my wife. Most recently we took an awesome 16 day trip across the US, when we moved to Oregon.
Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?Dogs. Chocolate (I love chocolate chip cookies!). Neither. Talk (in person) or Text (if not in person), not a huge fan of talking on the phone. I like the day better, but I’m a bit of a night owl.

Author BioWesley Banks was born in 1983 and grew up on the west coast of Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering.  After spending over 7 years building movable bridges from Florida to Washington he decided to focus on his true passion: writing.
Wesley recently moved from Florida to Oregon to get back to the great outdoors that he’s love so much. He lives with his wife Lindsey, and his two dogs, Linkin and Story. Most of his time these days is spent writing, with as much rock climbing, hiking, or skiing as they can fit in.

Interview with Travis Simmons

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?What Lies Behind is about an automaton who is slowly coming into awareness, something that she didn’t even know was possible. As she gains awareness she’s also gaining free will and realizing the abusive life she’s living isn’t one that she wants to live. She longs to feel what it’s like to be human, and that’s the real driving force behind the novel. Cass wants to escape her programming and live like a person. At first I hadn’t planned for this to be part of a series, but as the book came to a close I realized this was just the first story of a much larger series that will span many years with many different characters and show us the promise and the horrors of a future with androids.Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?I did try the traditional publisher route, but not initially. The thing with traditional publishers that always irritates me is the waiting! I have these stories and I just want to share them with people, and the wait for a traditional publisher is long because they have so many other authors that have books theywant to share with the world! Right now I have a zombie series signed with a traditional publisher and I can’t wait for that to hit the shelves.  If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?This cover was actually a premade cover that I saw and just had to have. I had the plans for this novel kicking around in my head and wasn’t sure I was going to write it until I saw the cover, and then I knew I had to do it.  What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?Normally I listen to music, but it has to be instrumental or new age because a lot of the beat and lyrics of most songs distract me. I do find that different genres of music help me write different scenes. I even have a heavy metal playlist for when I write fights scenes in some of my other novels.Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?Most often I have to have a clear roadmap of what I need to write and what points need to be covered in order to get me from point A to point B. That doesn’t mean those pesky characters don’t change their mind mid-scene though.  Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?I’m actually very lucky that my best friend is an editor so she goes over all of my work a couple times before I publish.What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?That seems to change a lot. I’m really having fun interacting with people on facebook and twitter. My blog could use a little work, and I’m trying to see how best to use it. Honestly I don’t see a huge kickback in interaction on my blog.Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?Not really marketing and writing. I have a bigger problem juggling my personal life and my work. It seems like I’m a very busy person that longs to be a hermit.  Besides writing, do you have any other passions?I love cooking. I also love eating. It’s probably a good thing I can cook, huh?What’s next for you?I never really know. I have plans to write a vampire hunter serial and finish up the nine book series I’ve been working on now for a few months. I can’t wait to see where the characters take me!

A gripping, dark science fiction romance by International Bestseller, Travis Simmons. Cass is a robot with a past. A past she can’t remember. When her current owner, Natalia starts taking out her frustration on Cass her memories come back little by little.What she wants more than anything is to be like humans; an android. To be loved and to feel and to be treated as an equal. Not an automaton like she is.She finds that in Brandon.Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/What-Lies-Behind-Science-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00ZO50OM0Amazon author profile link: http://amzn.to/1FZO0oz 
Author Bio:Travis Simmons was kicked out of magic school for his refusal to study and his penchant for mundane activities like cooking. While selling his sword he stumbled upon dogs that he wrongly thought were magical and imagined he could commune with them. After a vicious zombie attack in which witches helped him push back the undead horde, Travis found himself apprenticed to a necromancer.
Afraid that winter was coming, Travis tucked into his magical studies, but always chased his dreams of writing tales science fiction tales and fantasy stories where he could explore his wild imagination about life on other planets. Adamant that Travis learn the esoteric ways of the occult, his master made his life a horror of practice and studies. But no matter how he tried, he could never conquer Travis' questing mind.
Website: http://travissimmons.net/Google+: http://bit.ly/1IwLaaQPinterest: http://bit.ly/1cpGxDeTwitter: http://bit.ly/PKtyzz

Interview with M. Pax, PRECIPICE

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?Precipice opens with the galaxy on the brink of war. My characters scramble to insure the survival of the their homes, the Backworlds. They face bad and worse choices. The tagline is the theme of the book: Salvation comes at a price. Precipice is the sixth book in the Backworlds series.
Do you have a favorite character?Pauder is an old man and a veteran from a previous war. He’s paranoid and not quite right in the head. He adds a lot of humor to the stories. The Backworlds wouldn’t be the same without him.
Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?My main character is a bartender with dreams of grandeur named Craze. He had several sidekicks in the first book, The Backworlds. Many fans wrote telling me how much they loved his friends Talos and Lepsi. As a consequence, their roles in the sequels were expanded. I love writing for Lepsi and Talos, so was happy to do it.
Captain Talos dreams of a trade route to honor his mother, who died from a plague. He wears a badge that says, ‘Carry On.’
Lepsi was kidnapped and enslaved by the enemy now threatening the Backworlds with annihilation. He makes up songs to torment a brother who made Lepsi’s childhood agony.
If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?Erin Dameron-Hill is my graphic artist. She was recommended to me by another author (recommendations are the best way to hire people). I send her a completed questionnaire to get a new cover, but leave a lot up to her. She’s the design/book cover expert and does a fantastic job. On Precipice’s cover I only made one change - the color of the tagline.
Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?Every three weeks I meet with the Word Herd (so we dubbed ourselves). We send our work ahead of time to be read and marked up. They catch things I never would and make suggestions I would never think of. For example, Mike is forever harping on me to pull the camera out for a wider view.
I rely on my critique partners to help me make better beginnings, stronger characters, and more exciting plots. Best of all, we have a good time and laugh a lot. There are five of us in the WH.
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?My outlining is evolving. I always had a loose one in my head: a beginning, the major plot points, and where I wanted to end up. Getting from point to point was fluid. From there I progressed to writing the tagline, blurb, and character arcs before starting. Now I do a full outline. I may not stick to it, but I do it.
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?I can’t get out of my own head to see what I missed or what I said 500 times. My editor is an essential part of my team (my cover artist the other). Kelly Schaub has edited my past five novels. She’s fabulous to work with.
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?B&N / iBook / Googleplay / Smashwords / Kobo / inktera / Scribd
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?My husband and two cats for starters. They keep me sane. I work as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory every summer. I love looking at the stars and learning from my fellow astronomy buffs. I also love exploring the quiet corners of Oregon and taking a lot of photos... a whole lot.
What’s next for you?
I write another series called The Rifters. The third book, The Reader, is next. After that, book 7 of the Backworlds, Free Fall is on the schedule.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:M. Pax is author of the space adventure series The Backworlds and the contemporary science fiction series The Rifters, plus other novels and short stories. Fantasy, science fiction, and the weird beckons  to her, and she blames Oregon, a source of endless inspiration. She docents at Pine Mountain Observatory in the summers as a star guide, has a cat with a crush on Mr. Spock, and is slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. Learn more at:
https://mpaxauthor.comTwitter - https://twitter.com/mpax1FB - https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-Pax/115874581852313

See what inspires The Backworlds on Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/mpaxauthor/Amazon - http://hyperurl.co/PrecipiceAMAZONB&N - http://hyperurl.co/PrecipiceBNiBook - http://hyperurl.co/PrecipiceAPPLEGoogleplay - http://hyperurl.co/PrecipiceGPSmashwords - http://hyperurl.co/PrecipiceSMKobo - http://hyperurl.co/PrecipiceKoboOther - http://mpaxauthor.com/mpaxworks-books-and-stories/the-backworlds-series/precipice/
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/04/vbt-precipice-by-m-pax.html 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 

Interview with A.J. Krafton, THE HEARTBEAT THIEF

What inspired the story of The Heartbeat Thief?It started with a single scene, a conversation between a young woman and a mysterious stranger who steals up beside her at a funeral. A lot of my stories start out like this, a single scene with no other context. It’s as if I happen across a conversation between strangers and only see one tiny snippet of their story. Sometimes, the scenes get written and tucked away in an “ideas” folder on my hard drive, lying dormant. Sometimes, a trickle of life stirs within, and a story grows out of that tiny seed. Sometimes, the seed germinates and grows and blooms into a novel. That’s what happened with that first passage—it was the seed that grew into The Heartbeat Thief. I went back to the oldest draft of the story and found that original seed. Here is the passage as I’d first written it:
That frightens you, doesn't?She didn't turn to look at him. His presence was like a thick fog, tenuous yet flowing, something she felt along her skin. She didn't need to look at him—she knew right where he was. That sense of nearness, something she recognized even for all his strangeness. She knew him. Didn't know why, or how. And she didn't care. It was simply what was.She pinched her lips together, watching a woman bent in grief, clutching a handkerchief to her mouth. “Doesn't it frighten everyone? Dying--in such a sudden way—“Ah, it's not the suddenness, or the surprise, or even the shock. It's the brick wall at the end of the road of life. You don't like the ending, no matter how it comes.She tilted her head, just enough that she could capture him in her periphery. “No. I don't like the ending.”He drifted closer, hovering just over her shoulder, like an umbrella. His mouth close to her ear, he chuckled a sonorous tone. Why would you? Your beauty, faded? Your charms, withered? Your friends and admirers, all gone away? You'll die alone, bienaimee. Everyone dies alone.She tugged her shawl tighter about her shoulders. “Don't say that.”But it is truth. Oh, if only there was a way to avoid all that.“No one lives forever.”Do they not?His voice held such a curious tone, a tease in the words that caught her attention. “In the afterlife, yes.”In this life.She faced him, locking her gaze with his. His dark eyes glittered and a smile tugged at the corners of him mouth. “Why would you say things, here?”Where better to admit the truth? He stole behind her, trailing his finger along her shoulders. In this place, life meets death. They stare each other in the face. The only difference between them is that the dead no longer care.He drew back, his sudden withdrawal leaving a cold mist on her skin. The only question that remains is…do you still care, bienaimee? She wrinkled her nose. “Of course, I still care.”Then, he said, his voice deepening into a throaty chuckle. Don't die.She turned to admonish him for his audacity but, when she spun around, he was gone.
No way could something like this stay dormant in a dusty old file. The stranger’s mystery and his shadowy threat and the promise of eternal life simply held me captive, and I knew it would haunt me until I wrote it.That was where The Heartbeat Thief came to life.
Where did the characters get their names?One character was named by a fan on Facebook, one name was inspired by a song, and one simply named himself. Felicity Keating is a close friend of the main character, and was named in an impromptu contest I held on Facebook. I had a name for her but I felt like doing something spur-of-the-moment. I loved the suggestion of Felicity because it was so fitting for the character and what she symbolized. (The Facebook Friend who suggested the name is mentioned in the Acknowledgements section of the book.) The main character is Miss Constance Fyne, who prefers her nickname “Senza”. Her given name, Constance, alludes to the word “constant”. The suffix con- means with. Senza is Italian for “without”.  Her last name Fyne is a play on fine, or fin: French for end. Senza Fyne is a play on the Italian word senzafine, which means “endless”. Fitting name for a girl who seeks the secret to eternal youth. I love the word senzafine. I learned it when I heard the Italian metal band Lacuna Coil sing their song of the same name. It’s my absolutely favorite LC song. One line of the song, when translated into English, fits Senza perfectly: I’m standing still in this moment of pure madness…I don’t know if I wish for good or evil although perhaps sin will give me more…Playing opposite to Senza is a tall, mysterious stranger who teases her with secretive smiles and suggestions of magic. From their first meeting, he calls her bien-aime, which is French for “beloved”. When she demands his name, he listens to the tolling of a nearby church bell before calling himself Mr. Knell. But he has an older name. A much older name. And it will take Senza a very, very long time before she realizes just who he truly is. The song “Senzafine” fits him, too. One particular verse fits Senza’s dark seducer perfectly. There is no life without me. There is no choice without me. And Senza utterly believes him.
How did the work of Edgar Allan Poe inspire this story?I’ve been a Poe fanatic from an early age. There is something about that tragic man that keeps me captivated: his unwavering stare into the depths of the shadows that filled his life, his penchant for beautiful, melodramatic language, his undying devotion to the people he’d loved and lost.
My favorite Poe spots are in Baltimore (where he’d once lived and is interred) and in Philadelphia (where one of his homes has now become part of the National Park Service [http://www.nps.gov/edal/index.htm]). It’s believed that his story “The Black Cat” was inspired by the basement of that house. (I have a black cat Webkinz that I would love to stick into a hole in the wall there but the husband says NO THAT’S VANDALISM AND JAIL and other husband-type warnings. Such a party pooper.)
A few years ago, I had the chance to visit the Rare Books department at the Philadelphia Free Library, where they had Poe’s work on display. I could have spent a week in there, with only a thin pane of glass between my hand and the pages touched by Poe’s very pen. The original manuscript of Rue Morgue was inches away from my face. I was in complete thrall. (The husband rolled his eyes and moved me along.)
While my short stories and poetry often pay a small tribute to him, this is the first full-length work that I’ve devoted to his style. I let all the wonderful macabre shadows creep in and take over while I was writing. The Heartbeat Thief also includes specific references to “The Masque of the Red Death”.
In “The Masque of the Red Death” a wealthy lord turns his home into a sealed fortress in an effort to protect himself and his close friends from the Red Death, a plague that was spreading through the country. One night he threw a party for his guests…but someone unexpected showed up. The unexpected guest was dressed as a ghoul bathed in blood and everyone fell dead at its feet. (The End.)
Elements of “Masque” are present throughout The Heartbeat Thief. Excerpts from Poe’s story are used in the section introductions, setting the tone of the chapters to follow. The novel’s structure was also loosely based upon the flow of Poe’s story—Prince Prospero's seven apartments now become the seven major settings of the story. I used color references and allegorical context to connect Senza's journey through time to the passage of Poe's ill-fated party goers, right the very last black room, where Death awaited them all.
Overall, I hope that the theme, the atmosphere, and the character’s obsession with life and death would do my idol proud. I hope to visit Baltimore again soon, just to stop into Westminster Burying Ground [http://www.eapoe.org/balt/poegrave.htm] for a moment to say hello, to offer another bit of thanks for his unending inspiration, and to leave a few pennies on his gravestone. 

Book & Author Details:The Heartbeat Thief by A.J. Krafton
Publication date: June 12th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult
Synopsis:Haunted by a crushing fear of death, a young Victorian woman discovers the secret of eternal youth—she must surrender her life to attain it, and steal heartbeats to keep it.In 1860 Surrey, a young woman has only one occupation: to marry. Senza Fyne is beautiful, intelligent, and lacks neither wealth nor connections. Finding a husband shouldn’t be difficult, not when she has her entire life before her. But it’s not life that preoccupies her thoughts. It’s death—and that shadowy spectre haunts her every step.
So does Mr. Knell. Heart-thumpingly attractive, obviously eligible—he’d be her perfect match if only he wasn’t so macabre. All his talk about death, all that teasing about knowing how to avoid it…When her mother arranges a courtship with another man, Senza is desperate for escape from a dull prescripted destiny. Impulsively, she takes Knell up on his offer. He casts a spell that frees her from the cruelty of time and the threat of death—but at a steep price. In order to maintain eternal youth, she must feed on the heartbeats of others.
It’s a little bit Jane Austen, a little bit Edgar Allen Poe, and a whole lot of stealing heartbeats in order to stay young and beautiful forever. From the posh London season to the back alleys of Whitechapel, across the Channel, across the Pond, across the seas of Time…
How far will Senza Fyne go to avoid Death?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25153751-the-heartbeat-thief?ac=1
Purchase:(the first two days of release will be selling at 99cents)Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Heartbeat-Thief-AJ-Krafton-ebook/dp/B00UZC9W7U/ref=twoen-20
AUTHOR BIO:AJ Krafton is the author of New Adult speculative fiction. Her debut The Heartbeat Thief is due out on Kindle in June 2015. Forthcoming titles include Taking' It Back & Face of the Enemy. She's a proud member of the Infinite Ink Authors. AJ also writes adult spec fic as Ash Krafton. Visit Ash at http://ashkrafton.com
Author links: https://twitter.com/ajkraftonhttp://ajkrafton.blogspot.ca/https://www.facebook.com/AJKrafton
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)Signed copy of The Heartbeat Thief
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 

#Review: THE WATERBORNE BLADE by Susan Murray

  5 of 5 stars
This epic fantasy follows Queen Alweena as she flees Highkell when her cousin Vasic, the traitor, attacks the citadel with the lofty goal of becoming the next King. Alweena soon finds out that her pampered lifestyle has ill-prepared her for life on the run. While being sheltered with the monks, her gift of 'the sight' takes an unexpected turn when she is brought before the ancient seer. Alweena now believes she should have never left Highkell in the first place and attempts to return. That's when everything goes sideways.
This is an exciting story full of twists and turns. The writing is sharp and the characters fully fleshed out. No one is all-good or all-evil, but fall somewhere in the middle. Alweena is a complicated young queen who tries to understand her magic while trying to stay alive one day at a time. My favorite character was Weaver, the battle hardened soldier, charged with keeping Alweena safe. The author keeps us interested as she slowly lets details about Weaver's life come to light. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, another unexpected twist throws everyone into chaos. I was sorry to see this story end on a pretty big cliffhanger without book 2 being available for sale. Fans of epic fantasy will thoroughly enjoy this action-packed 500+ page novel.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Waterborne-Blade-Susan-Murray-ebook/dp/B00JI48WZE/ref=twoen-20

Interview with Auden Johnson, CHAINS OF THE SCIELL

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?Chains of the Sciell is Book 2 of the Merging World Series. The series surrounds a family of beings called Sciell and Miners who pull Energy from Darkness, store this Energy inside themselves and use their bodies to mold it into electricity, shields, weapons, attacks, almost anything they can think of. They also feed off and manipulate a person’s inner Darkness.
In Chains of the Sciell, certain members of this family had their memories altered. They still have their power. They don’t know their past. They’re kidnapped and trapped in this mansion that feels familiar though they have no memories of the place. The enemy wants to break them. They want the power the trapped Sciell possess. The Sciell’s memories slowly return. They become better at controlling their power. The enemy always watches. The mansion poisons them while it feeds on their power, keeping them trapped and weak. The trapped group needs to remember their past and their powers in order to escape.

Do you have a favorite character?I can feel my characters glaring at me over my shoulder. I’d say Divine and Josephine are my two favorites with Blae as a close third. But, I also really like Aliceanna’s tartness. Kaige’s devotion to his sister is so sweet. This is so hard. I can’t chose just one. The characters’ personalities make them so much fun to write. They’re all extraordinarily loyal to their family. They totally spoil each other.

Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?Bel (Belial) Styne was supposed to be a small character. I didn’t intend to give him any chapters. Towards the end of Book 2, Chains of the Sciell, and all of Book 3, I found myself writing more chapters from his perspective. I don’t know why. It didn’t change the novel.

Are you currently under a traditional publishing contract for future books or do you have manuscripts that you will self-publish? Are you doing both?I’m working with a small press publisher, Aubey LLC. It’s been a tremendous help. I’m not big on the whole networking thing. My publisher talks with people to get me speaking engagements. Because of Aubey LLC, I was able to do two book signings at Book Expo America. Since it’s a small publisher just starting out, I design my own book covers and interiors and I put my books online using BookBaby and Amazon KDP. I handle all the online marketing and promotion. So, I’m a hybrid author. I have a publisher but I still self-publish my books, sort of. I like it this way. Designing a book is so much fun. I enjoy being elbow deep in the publishing process.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?I usually start with a “what if” question. My current WIP started with “what if some creatures ate people soul’s while they’re leaning against the subway doors?” The Merging Worlds Series started with “what if the monster who eat people, weren’t actually monsters?” Then, I just start writing. I stop along the way to do some world building maybe consult Pinterest for some setting inspiration. Sometimes, I have music or Netflix on the background. When I’m in the zone, I don’t hear anything. I can work with or without background noise.

What have you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?Trial and error is the name of the game. You come across book marketing advice and try it on your book. It doesn’t work. You start the process all over again with another marketing technique. There is no one size fits all when it comes to book publishing and promotion. That’s incredibly frustrating, but that’s the way the industry is. Research book promotion then use that as inspiration to create your own unique way of marketing your book.
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?You can find Chains of the Sciellon Barnes and Noble, iTunes and Kobo.

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram and Pinterest. I also have a blog, which I update 2-3 times a week. Google+ groups helped me meet a lot of interesting writers and get some useful advice. Funny enough, I did not want to get on social media. I thought it would be a pain. As soon as I started one, I was hooked. I just kept signing up for more. Being on social media is actually a lot of fun.

What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?Do your research. Far too often, I come across poorly formatted books or a cover that screams self-published. People still judge a book by its cover. Also, don’t get discourage if things, sales, don’t go the way you expect. They never do. You have to keep moving forward, keeping trying new things. Hold on to why you decided to self-publish.

Besides writing, do you have any other passions?
I recently got into nature photography. Don’t know where it came from. I had this low-tech camera and it irritated me because I couldn’t take the kind of pictures I wanted. Then, I bought an awesome Cannon, a real camera, and that was all she wrote. I have thousands of pictures on my computer. I don’t know what it is about photography that I find so…inspiring. I love strolling through the park with my camera around my neck, ready to capture the perfect picture.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:Auden is a dark fantasy writer. As a kid, she created her own books by folding several construction papers in half and stapling them down the middle, adding her own illustrations. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get away from writing. 
She holds a B.A. in English, a M.S. in Library and Information Science and she studied Creative Writing in England. She is a Research Assistant for Aubey LLC and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY- working towards her Masters in Publishing at NYU. Her short stories, No Vacancy, Clipped Wings and Welcome to My World and her novellas Visible Through Darkness and Shadows under the Light are now available through Amazon. The Sciell is her first novel. Chains of the Sciell was released June 2.
Find her at: http://audenstreasury.blogspot.com/Tumblr/ audensdarktreasuryInstagram/ audenjohnsonTwitter @audendjAubey LLC
   Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/04/vbt-chains-of-sciell-by-auden-johnson.html

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Interview with Heather Letto, IMPLANTED

Hey there! Thank you, so much, for including me on your blog today and getting the word out about IMPLANTED, the second book in The Ascension Series!
Tell us about your journey so far in this series. Well, let’s see. Like many authors, this series began when a “what if…?” idea sparked in my head, followed immediately by fast finger action (on the keyboard). After that, came the season of endless hair-pulling with a lengthy detour (changing of publishers and discernment of direction.) Finally, after rounding up of the troops (aka, perfect editors and amazing cover designer), I marched forward. Impervious re-released in the spring and now *taking large breath and chest puffing with pride* I can finally move into the “guts” of the story that began with IMPERVIOUS.
Guts of the story? How so?Let’s just say, IMPERVIOUS was the loading of the weapon… IMPLANTED is the pulling of the trigger. (The final book will be the shot heard ‘round the world.)
Ah-ha! So this is a trilogy! Yes. But I let’s not get ahead of the curve. I’m going to keep the final installment a bit of a mystery for you. What I can say about IMPLANTED is that it will answer some questions that lingered with the reader after IMPERVIOUS… yet it might stir up a few more.
Wow! Can’t wait… So, tell us a little more about the author. We’ve also head that you are a gypsy-nerd. What does that mean, exactly?LOL! It means my life is in a constant state of flux! My husband and I have dedicated this season of our lives to meandering about the U.S. He’s a software nerd. I’m a book nerd. And for the past ten months, we’ve been traveling about the contiguous United States in a one-ton dually (um, nerd-speak for big pick-up truck) towing a very bougie trailer… glamping (aka glamour camping). We spent most of the winter checking out the corners and crevices of sunny Florida and right now, as we speak, we’re hunkered down in Hungry Horse, Montana! (Glacier Park). I guess, much like my character, Fran, you could say I like to think of myself “off the grid.” (However, I try to maintain good WIFI and cable TV… and, I’m Accountable.)
Lastly, two quick personals… Do you work in your jammies? LOL! Well, typically it’s more like shorts and a tank. But, every now and then, I suppose I’ve been known to keep the jammies on for the better part of the morning.
Favorite munchies while you work?Blueberries! Fresh, plump and juicy! (and coffee… always coffee at my right hand.)


Book & Author Details:Implanted by Heather Letto
(Ascension #2)
Publication date: June 2015
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult
Synopsis:After a narrow escape from the city of Impervious, Fran’s heart aches for the ones she left behind. Will her brother ever connect the dots? And, what about Pete? Could he, along with the remaining Rebels, have survived the Council’s violent oppression?As Fran ponders the fate of her friends, an even more disturbing revelation drops into her world—the knowledge that she, along with anyone who had lived underground remains implanted with the sinister presence of the Council. A fate rendering her powerless to save.Yet one with pure blood, untouched by the Council’s defiling, lives among them. Could he be the new lifeline of hope? Is salvation of the city worth risking the life of this one-and-only?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25355679-implanted
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Implanted-Ascension-Book-Heather-Letto-ebook/dp/B00WZOIKDI/ref=twoen-20
AUTHOR BIO:I’m a book-writing, selfie-taking, latte-drinking, social media gal. I’m living a good life on the road as a full-fledged Bedouin (Well, except, my tent is actually a fully-equipped RV.) Me and my partner-in-crime (Benj) tend to hunker down wherever the skies are clear and the temps stay in the 70’s. We call ourselves Gypsy Nerds because we aimlessly wander the U.S. with glasses perched upon our noses and faces jammed into computer screens (for the first half the day... The second half of the day is typically devoted to playing because we’re also somewhat immature.)

Like most authors, the characters I create are my extended family.  And like most readers, when the story ends, I get a little sad. In real life, I have two handsome, hardworking, grown-up boys who know how to make their Mama proud! *Waves to Joey and Mike!*

The Ascension Series is my debut into the world of YA fiction.

I’m living what I love and loving what I live! 
Author links:http://www.heatherletto.com/https://twitter.com/hletto2
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)Signed copy of IMPERVIOUS and IMPLANTED + a $25 Amazon gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Book Tour Blast: UNFORGIVEN by Stephanie Erickson

Mackenzie Day is reeling from the death of her best friend, Maddie. She's lost her rock, her partner in crime, and her only family in one fell swoop. With that loss, Mac has lost track of herself, and the things she cares about, including her mind-reading abilities. When the opportunity for vengeance arises, she becomes so blinded by her hatred that she no longer recognizes the person she's become. As her empathy towards others slips away, even she can't believe how far she is willing to go to claim justice for Maddie.

Without her moral compass and her sense of self, how can she possibly stop a group of mind-reading terrorists from killing tens of thousands of people? Can she see past her anger to care about anything besides retribution? How can she save her newfound family, when she can't even tell the difference between herself and those who are truly unforgiven?
 Buy links:Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Iv2OLc
iTunes: coming soon
Nook: http://bit.ly/1MHZ3U7
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1QLr9hD
Google: http://bit.ly/1HqxqyKPut Unforgiven on your TBR list here.Enter the Goodreads Giveaway for Unforgiven . 
Join Stephanie's Newsletter to get Book 1 - Unseen for free!   
About the author:Stephanie Erickson has always had a passion for the written word. She pursued her love of literature at Flagler College, in St. Augustine, FL, where she graduated with a BA in English. She has received several honors in her writing career, including recognition in the 72nd Annual Writer’s Digest Competition. After graduation, she married and followed her husband in pursuit of his dream. The Cure and The Blackout were written to reignite Stephanie’s passion, when she found the time. Now that he is settled in his career, it’s her turn to devote more time and energy into writing.

Stephanie currently has 4 projects planned for 2015. Unforgiven is book 2 in the Unseen trilogy. The trilogy will be complete in September with the release of Undivided. Stephanie, of course, loves to read and write. She also enjoys living on the beach on the Florida’s Treasure Coast. Most of all, she and her husband are in love with their baby girl.
Follow Stephanie onFacebook | Twitter | Newsletter/Website | Literary AddictsEnter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card 18+, giveaway ends June 24th 11:59 pm EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#Review: A SHATTERED COURT by M.J. Scott

3 of 5 stars
"A Shattered Court" is the story of Lady Sophia Kendall as she waits to find out whether or not she will be blessed with magic on her 21st birthday. In the kingdom of Anglion, if a young woman is blessed with magic, she undergoes a ceremony binding part of her magic to the goddess and then she is married off to the highest ranking noble.
I liked the idea of this novel and it was a quick read. When we first see Sophia, she is the demure lady-in-waiting to the princess. Her birthday is in two days, but then the unthinkable happens and the court is attacked. Sophia is on an errand with Red Guard Cameron MacKinnon when the explosions start. Cameron's training kicks in and he whisks Sophia out of the capital via portals. Of course, Sophia's powers manifest while she's in Cameron's company and that leads to some interesting events. This is where I expected to see more of Sophia's character grow in response to her powers. Unfortunately, she remains the demure pawn. This was disappointing and further on when I thought she was getting a back bone and standing up for herself, the writer once again sticks her back in the box of passive. Cameron is the reluctant hero and he was the typical take charge kind of guy. There are a couple of explicit love scenes which are not appropriate for younger YA readers. Just when the book started to get interesting, it ends on a cliffhanger. The writing is well done, but I think we could have had less of pretty dresses and more "meat" in the plot. The story was interesting enough that I will probably read the next one.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.