Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 223

#Excerpt: SNAPPED by Ketley Allison

Teaser:I stepped closer to them with Nate forced to follow in order to keep hearing me. “Slade’s journey has exposed me to more areas of this country than I ever could have traveled to on my own,” I said in answer to his question. “And when my time comes to be a lawyer, I plan to show him a different world, too.”“Oh really?”He was mocking me. Was he mocking me? The liquor blurred his face into one of disbelief and disdain. “Maybe not in the traveling sense, but he’s interested in my path, same as I support his.”“All right.”“We balance each other out.”“Okay.”“Our differences...” My voice became louder, my hand gestures more forced. “They’re what brought us together in the first place.”“Sure,” Nate said after a long draw from his beer.And with that dismiBook & Author Details:SNAPPED by Ketley Allison
(The Snapped Series, #1)
Publication date: November 1st 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:“We have someone who saw you struggling with the deceased before using that knife. Your best friend, and our eye witness.”
In nine weeks Charlie Miller’s life goes from high-rolling perfection to a crypt of sin. All it takes is one night, one blade, and her boyfriend, best friend and new friends all either end up as suspects or dead.
Nate Westcott, a pierced, tattooed, charismatic lawyer, is a man she can’t have—but a seductive danger she can’t ignore. He’s cocky, infuriating, brilliant and wrong, yet he makes her question whether she really is the good girl she wants to be or more like the selfish killer everyone thinks she is.
And her body wants him in ways she’s not supposed to crave.
As the weeks close in, cracks start forming in her everyday world of pro football golden boys, law school domination and New York City nightlife. Everyone she cares about is at risk because one of them doesn’t love Charlie back. In fact, they want her out of the way. Disposed of. Set up. One more step, and all Charlie has to do is fall through.
Week 1 starts now.WHO WILL SNAP?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22438058-snapped?ac=1
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O08P6MA/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00O08P6MA&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2
AUTHOR BIO:Ketley Allison began her career by writing books as birthday presents for her friends (with her friend as the main character and opposite a super sexy lead, of course) before ending it in order to walk down a path she thought she was supposed to follow.

The writing bug never left her--and, in fact, would often bleed into the official papers she was supposed to write--so now Ketley's putting down her suit and finally following her dream. While her friends are no longer the stars of her books, she still throws in bits and pieces of them into each and every one of her characters.

As a result, her books tend to focus a lot on friendships as well as love, because let's be honest, friends are what really get you through--especially when your epic love turns into epic heartbreak.

Learn more about Ketley by visiting her website at www.ketleyallison.com
Author links:http://ketleyallison.com/https://twitter.com/KetleyAllisonhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7190347.Ketley_Allison


 

#Excerpt: GLADIATOR'S BRIDE by Nhys Glover

  Nhys will be awarding a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner. a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

#Review: ATTRITION by S.G. Night

3 of 5 stars
ATTRITION is an impressive debut for Mr. Night. The opening chapter pulled me right in, but there were so many typos and missing words that it definitely took away from the enjoyment of reading the book. The main character, Racath Thanjel, one of the few remaining Majiski is the reluctant hero and the world he inhabits is nicely fleshed out. I found it curious though that whatever skill or magic power he needed at the moment to overcome and defeat his enemies seemed to come to him at just the right time. Also, the middle of the book dragged with the telling of the histories of God. My harshest criticism is the way the narrator kept inserting himself in the middle of scenes. It was jarring to be in Racath's POV and then be pulled out of it when the narrator comments on something. This is not to say it's a bad book, far from it. When you factor in how young the author is, it is quite a feat. With the skill of a good editor, this book could definitely be 5 stars.

#Excerpt: MAX BLIZZARD & THE GEM OF CAMELOT by Patrick Hatt

"The name is Davy Jones and I've been the keeper of Merlinia and the entrance to Davy Jones’s Locker for many years at Merlin's request." Davy Jones bowed, hoping he would get some recognition from his name."Davy Jones? Wasn't he a pirate who stole everything he could get his hands on? At least that is what the stories tell," Bandaid questioned, looking to Arthur for verification."I see my name precedes me." "Lempilightess! Pemestra! Take him!" King Arthur ordered, having heard the stories of Davy Jones and not trusting him whatsoever. Lempilightess and Pemestra readied their Camelot Candles as Dregg stood between them and Davy Jones."Dregg not let you take little blob man." Dregg clenched his huge fist and readied for a fight."Now now. There is no need for a fight. What is it with everyone not wanting to trust me? First those three kids and now you. All I did was what Merlin told me to do.""Wait! Kids? You've seen Max, Trudesile and Lester?" Bandaid waved for Lempilightess and Pemestra to halt their attack."Yeah, I've seen the supposed high and mighty trio. I wasn't sure they were any better than the heroes I locked up. But when they stopped Titania, I became a believer.""So the dearies are okay?""I let them in Davy Jones’s Locker, so they could…" Davy Jones took a few steps closer to Bandaid and King Arthur and lowered his voice to a whisper, "Go after the Gem of Camelot."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~BLURB:Max Blizzard was like any other drone living in Earth's realm until the arrival of his eighth birthday. On that day his imagination awoke and Max started thinking for himself. He was an outcast the moment he let people know about his imagination. That moment also unknowingly set forth a chain of events years in the making. By having imagination, Max had given Sir Dreadvent exactly what he wanted, a way into Camelot's realm.
Now Max and his friends, Trudesile and Lester, must complete the quest that Max's father, Merlin, set out for him years ago. They must find the Gem of Camelot to defend the realm from Sir Dreadvent's and his sevesties. Their perilous journey will take them from the shores of Merlinia and the ship of Davy Jones to the fields of Avalon, in the hope that they can save Camelot, save Earth and save all the lost realms that have been consumed by Sir Dreadvent and his sevesties on their quest to remake the universe.
A tale about where your imagination can lead if you choose to follow it, with creatures large and small joining Max Blizzard on his journey. King Arthur, Oberon, Hercules, Apollo and other heroes of imagination believed to be myth will become truth as Max and his friends face the trials ahead. Let your imagination lead the way to Max Blizzard and The Gem of Camelot.
Buy link:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Max-Blizzard-Camelot-Patrick-Hatt-ebook/dp/B00NF3DKPG/ref=twoen-20
AUTHOR Bio and Links: Patrick Hatt can be found in the East Coast of Canada. He hates writing these things but doesn't mind talking in the third person. He dabbles in a little of this and a little of that, not afraid to attempt something new.
He is owned by two cats, one of whom has his own blog, It's Rhyme Time. Yeah a rhyming cat, who knew? He would be considered a both person when it comes to cats and dogs.
He is also quite the movie and TV buff. As you can probably tell does not take himself seriously and has more stuff in his head than is needed. Thus the novels as just one more form of release. Thanks for the visit and enjoy!
Links:
http://rhymetime24.blogspot.comhttps://twitter.com/PatHatt24https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6451538.Pat_Hatthttp://www.pathattbooks.comhttp://www.amazon.com/Max-Blizzard-The-Gem-Camelot-ebook/dp/B00NF3DKPGhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/patrick-hatt
Patrick will be awarding a $25 Amazon.com gift card or $25 Paypal cash, winner's choice to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 

#SALE, only .99 each - 2 Romance Christmas Collections including USA Today Best-Selling Author Donna Fasano

Join 10 New York Times, USA Today and National best-selling authors. Celebrate the holiday season as Santa delivers our Christmas gift to you: a boxed set of stories brimming with emotion, holiday spirit and happy ever afters.
Amazon buy link - .99http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Christmas-Brides-Ruth-Cardello-ebook/dp/B00O3NFR2Q/ref=twoen-20

Recipe for Love by Ruth Cardello, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.
All Madison Andrade wants for Christmas is a place to hide and she finds it in the home of a lusty French chef. Richard D'Argenson's recipes are famous, but they lack one necessary ingredient--love. Spend a steamy holiday with this unlikely couple and fall in love -Andrade style.

Must Love Santa by Nina Bruhns, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.
Detective Nick Palladin just needs to close one last case in Vice--going undercover as Santa--before getting his Christmas transfer to the K-9 Unit. But when a cute little fluffball and the knockout holding her leash stumble into the op and are attacked, Santa and his faithful dog come running to the rescue!

An Almost Perfect Christmas by Donna Fasano, USA Today bestselling author.
Aaron Chase is desperate to give his daughter a perfect Christmas and elicits the help of Pediatric Nurse Christy Cooper to do it. When Aaron's impish eight-year-old talks them into a make-believe wedding, can the magic of Christmas make the vows stick?

Christmas Captive (The Decorah Security Series) by Rebecca York, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author.
How did hard-driving businessman Jordan Campbell end up in a coma? And can nurse Hannah Andrews use her psychic talent to connect with him and trap his would-be killer? As she and Jordan work together, she knows she's putting her own life--and her heart--at risk.

The Army Doctor's Honeymoon Baby (The Army Doctor's Series) by Helen Scott Taylor, USA Today bestselling author.
Army doctor, Blair Mackenzie, secretly loves his childhood friend, Lorna, and protects her in the African refugee camp where they work. Lorna depends on Blair--he's her best friend, the only man she's ever loved. She longs to admit her feelings but a family secret from their past prevents her.

Kiss Me Santa by Patrice Wilton, USA Today bestselling author.
Widowed schoolteacher, Cindy Harris meets Brad Williams--posing as Santa--when she takes her young son to the mall. Imagine her surprise when he shows up as the hot-shot realtor selling her family home. Sparks fly between them. Can the magic of Christmas give them the best gift of all -- love?

An Unusual Christmas by Mona Risk, USA Today bestselling author. 
Running away from Christmas celebrations and the demons of her past, Dr. Jillian has dedicated her life to saving third-world children. In Belarus, a baby girl, four little boys, and a handsome doctor may teach her the true meaning of Christmas.

A Cowboy for Christmas by Annie Jones, USA Today bestselling author.
A single mom who has pinned all her hopes on reviving a popular tourist dude ranch gets a Christmas surprise that may change everything when her son asks Santa for a new dad. And that very night a Christmas-skipping cowboy shows up at their door.

The Christmas Honeymoon by Alicia Street, USA Today bestselling author.
Quiet librarian Serena always loved Christmas, until she was jilted before her December wedding. A year later, while trying to rekindle her tarnished holiday spirit, she meets Damien, handsome daredevil--and a total Scrooge. Their unlikely mutual attraction brings on a challenge that leads to one very romantic Christmas.

She's Not You by Mimi Barbour, USA Today bestselling author.
Sick and widowed, running scared from a man who insists she belongs to him, Belle is forced to let the charmer down the hall help out. Not just for her sake, but it's Christmas, she's in trouble and her little girl has decided their sympathetic neighbor is her special hero.


This holiday season, warm your heart with 14 Sweet Christmas Kisses, a bundle of PG-rated romance novels and novellas from USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors.
Amazon buy link - ONLY .99http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Christmas-Kisses-Fourteen-Romances-ebook/dp/B00NDEO7T0/ref=twoen-20

Sweet Christmas Kisses takes you from small-town USA to England, Scotland, and even Ecuador; from the beach to snow-capped mountains, and to the wild--sometimes magical--west. The Sweet Christmas Kisses bundle will bring you laughter, tears, and always joy, for more than 1600 pages.  Foreword by New York Times bestselling author, Brenda Novak.

Almost Perfect Christmas by Donna Fasano, USA Today bestselling author. Aaron wants to give his daughter a perfect Christmas and elicits Christy's help to do it. When they're talked into a make-believe wedding, can a real one be far behind?

Mistletoe in Maine (Holiday Brides Book #3) by Ginny Baird, Award-winning and National bestselling author. A single mom takes her kids on vacation in Maine and meets a handsome innkeeper, a young widower with a teenage son. A winter wonderland love story about faith and new beginnings.

The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby (Army Doctor's Baby Series) by Helen Scott Taylor, Award-winning and National bestselling author. An army surgeon with twins falls for the nanny, but will her secret destroy their happiness?

Stormy Times by Beate Boeker. International author. A rock star, vet, and puppy meet in a blizzard and sparks fly...

The Christmas Promise by Melinda Curtis, USA Today Recommended Read, Award-winning and National bestselling author. When a chocolate heiress bumps into a wounded warrior during Christmas, chaos ensues thanks in part to three fairy godmothers...er, a trio of meddlesome nuns.

Merry Christmas, Darling by Denise Devine, Award-winning author. A desperate bachelor enlists his neighbor to pose as his wife to appease his dying mother and unexpectedly finds love under the mistletoe.

Some Christmas Magic by Raine English, Award-winning and National bestselling author. She's been dumped... He wants to win her back... A last-ditch effort to save her Christmas might result in her most romantic holiday ever.

Christmas in White Oak by Aileen Fish, National bestselling author. Forced to face his past, a young widower tries to grant the Christmas wish of his first love.

Lucky Break Christmas: Homecoming by Patricia Forsythe, Award-winning author. Their marriage is in trouble...until a judge, two kids, a quirky hometown of old friends, and the Christmas spirit of forgiveness step in.

Beach Christmas by Grace Greene, Award-winning and National bestselling author. Jessie Dawson hopes to arrange the perfect beach Christmas for her family, but when it all falls apart a special delivery from the past may inspire a new Christmas wish.

Her Christmas Cruise by Mona Risk, Award-winning and National bestselling author. The perfect fiancé is a cheater and the Christmas wedding is off, but the would-be honeymoon cruise may offer Julia a dream companion.

A Scottish Christmas by Roxanne Rustand, Award-winning author of over thirty novels.
When Lucy Davis receives a mysterious letter inviting her to the Scottish Highlands to receive an inheritance, she expects to deal with it quickly--until she discovers it's a historic B&B with a handsome, mysterious resident who might just be the man of her dreams.

Small Town Christmas by Magdalena Scott, National bestselling author. Past loves, a family in mourning, a little boy with a big heart. Christmas in Serendipity, Indiana is full of surprises!

By Christmas (Covington Falls Chronicles, Book 4) by Kristin Wallace, Award-winning and National bestselling author. She was a jilted bride. He's her ex-fiancé's brother. She's trying to save Christmas. He's disrupting her peace on earth. Together they find a holiday happy ending

New #Paranormal release: VAMPIRE ADDICTIONS, THE RECRUITER by Thea Atkinson

Whet Your Appetite For More Vamp Fiction
Thea Atkinson  
Vampire Addictions: The Recruiter: vol 1  
Release Date: Oct 31, 2014 
Get your copy from Amazon today. http://www.amazon.com/Recruiter-novella-paranormal-vampire-Addictions-ebook/dp/B00O5CUEQO/ref=twoen-20 
Sassy Jade Sanchez has just been dumped after four years of devout monogamy, and she's starving for a little affection. Her self-esteem is shattered, her confidence damaged, and she's had so many ugly cries she's afraid her face will never be the same. 
Enter hot as hell Sam, who asks her to an upscale costume party. It sounds like just the ticket to squeeze the last bit of melancholy from her system. Hell, if she's lucky, smoking hot Sam might make a move on her. Three drinks in, and Sam abandons her to a greasy Dracula who seems bent on getting her into some sort of S&M action that involves teeth and necks and declarations that her vulnerability tastes like Chianti. She'd knee the guy in the groin except her feet have taken root to the tiles. It takes the handsome and enigmatic host to extract her from the costumed nosferatu, but it's an ironic rescue at best. She's been recruited, and vampire bait ain't nothing if it isn't fresh. 
~~~**********~~~
A little taste from the opening:I've always told myself a good old-fashioned cry is as good to the psyche as grease is to machinery, but after four days of slicking my spirit with that particular lubricant, I wasn't feeling the relief. In fact, I was beginning to worry my face would forget how to make any other expression except ugly cry.
Four days.
A full day for each year I'd devoted to the bastard who had fooled me into thinking monogamy could be as good for the soul as confession. Of course, I'd believed he thought the practice just as spiritual as I did. Of course, I was the sole devout practitioner. Of course, I was an idiot not to see the signs. I needed a good exorcism, that was what. Rid myself of the demons of grief and regret. Get the hell out there and just rile things up. Get my party on. Get my drink on. Get my what the hell am I going to do without that bastard blubbering on.
I settled for a mocha swirl latte because who was I kidding? My complexion looked like someone had scoured it with acid. My eyes could barely peer through the swollen sausages that used to be my lids. No way I could find any sort of Jade juju with my face looking like a raw turkey's ass. I'd need at least a week to recover, and all I had was the weekend. Halloween weekend at that. I'd taken three sick days from the vet's clinic where I worked the desk and I knew by the tone of the vet's voice that if I didn't show on Monday, my ass would never get the luxury of imagining such a wondrous thing as a turkey ever again. Like it or not, it was back to the land of the norms who hadn't had their hearts ripped out by a cheating bastard. Or at least, back to the land where those who had, have at least managed to move on. So coffee and sugar would have to do.
Which is how I met the hot-as-hell Sam. Which is how I managed for the first time in four days to find a tattered edge of my self esteem's cloak close enough that I could steal a tentative grip on it. Which is how I ended up on a rampage of apocalyptic proportions trying to find a costume at four o'clock Saturday afternoon for a party that started at nine. "This is it? Really?" I said to the rental clerk, a gorgeous mulatto chick at least three years older who obviously never had a man pull on the string of her self-esteem. "This is all you have?"
She quirked a charcoal brow at me over hazel eyes. "Honey," she said, making me want to pinch her sensually thick and wax-balmed lips. "Any sane woman booked their sex kitten costume weeks ago."
"Do I look sane to you?"
Her appraising eye ran my length from hair to heel before she placed her palms on the counter much like a bartender does when he's about to tell a patron he's had too much to drink. I braced myself. "What you look like is shit," she said.
To read more, click over to Amazon to download/preorder your copy. Want to know when Thea releases her next book? Sign up Sign up for her release newsletter OR sign on as an advanced reader (FREE releases in return for frank, honest reviews).

Interview with L.A. Casey

Do you have a favorite character? Nope, I love all my babies equally, lol.
Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?No, but I will towards the end of the Slater Brothers series.
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?I like control, and I’ve have a few indie friends have bad experiences with publishers so, for now, I’m happy going it alone.
What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?I like to sit alone in my room at my desk in total silence. Music distracts me so I leave that for when I’m thinking.
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?Outline, I find everything much easier to flow when I do things this way. Something’s still happen out of the blue, but the outline helps me shapes this accordingly and I like that.
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?Yes, my manuscripts are definitely in need of a cleaning up before I publish.
What have you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?Never to give up even when the going gets tough.
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?Yes, they are on sale on B&N, iTunes, and Kobo.
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?For promoting I’m just with the basics, Facebook, twitter and blogs. I’m hoping to learn of new avenues in the future.
What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?Get ready for a long road of pulling your hair out, but also for the joy and happiness self-publishing gives.
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?This will sound weird, but I love playing around with make up. I’d sit and happily down someone make up for ages if they let me.
What’s next for you?I’m currently writing my second novella and third book, so hopefully only great things. 
Book & Author details:Alec by L.A. Casey
(Slater Brothers #2)
Publication date: August 17th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:Keela Daley is the black sheep of her family. She has always come second to her younger cousin Micah. Even in the eyes of her mother, Micah shone bright, and Keela faded to black. Now, in adulthood, Micah is a bride-to-be and the spotlight is solely on her. Keela is a low priority…or so she thinks.

Alec Slater is a bachelor, never one to bed the same woman, or man, twice. He is a free agent who does what he pleases and answers to no one; that is until a fiery Irish redhead with a temper to match her hair colour knocks him on his arse. Literally.

She hates to admit it, but Keela needs a favour from the cocky Slater brother, a huge favour. She needs him to not only escort her to Micah’s wedding, but to also pose as her boyfriend. Alec agrees to help Keela, but has certain conditions for her to abide by. He wants her body and plans to have it before anyone can say I do.

What he doesn’t plan on is losing his heart as well as the possibility of losing his family when someone from his past threatens his future.

Alec owns Keela, and what Alec owns, Alec keeps.Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20737459-alec?ac=1
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Alec-Slater-Brothers-L-Casey-ebook/dp/B00MSVERYE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408381032&sr=8-2&keywords=Alec+by+L.A.+CaseyB&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alec-la-casey/1120159998?ean=2940046332728

AUTHOR BIOL.A. Casey was born, raised and currently resides in Dublin, Ireland. She is a twenty two year old stay at home mother to an almost two year old German Shepherd named Storm and of course, her four and half year old (the half is apparently vital) beautiful little hellion/angel depending on the hour of the day.

Her first novel, Dominic, was released on March 17th, 2014, and on March 21st, 2014, it became an international Amazon bestseller.
Author links:https://twitter.com/LAWritesBookshttps://www.facebook.com/LACaseyAuthorhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7759811.L_A_Caseyhttp://www.lacaseyauthor.com/  
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)$100 Amazon gift card
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Book Tour Blast: LOVE ME TO DEATH by Marissa Clarke

Book & Author Details:Love Me to Death by Marissa Clarke
(Underveil #1)
Published by: Entangled: Select
Publication date: October 28th 2014
Genres: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Synopsis:Medical research scientist Elena Arcos has always lived her life under the radar. When she is shot in a convenience store robbery, Elena finds herself rocketed into supernatural insanity courtesy of a sexy immortal law enforcer. He’s convinced she’s some kind of freaky half-vampire thing and that her deceased dad was the real deal: a blood sucking monster. Yeah, right.
Nikolai Itzov never anticipated battling the urge to kiss the offspring of his father’s murderer. As a Slayer, an elite law enforcer descended from Azrael himself, his orders from the Underveil General are clear: Kill her or die.
Nikolai and Elena find themselves in a life and death battle to stop a plot designed to lift the Underveil and enslave humans. With her analytical mind and his centuries of training, they might be able to foil the plot with their lives and maybe their hearts intact. But in order to succeed, he must help her become the very thing he hates the most: an Undead.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16005226-love-me-to-death?ac=1
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8Uk5uP00VQ
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IWUXU3Y/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00IWUXU3Y&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-me-to-death-marissa-clarke/1118427587?ean=9781622663910
AUTHOR BIO:Marissa Clarke lives in Texas, where everything is bigger, especially the mosquitoes.

When not writing, she wrangles her rowdy pack of three teens, husband, and a Cairn Terrier named Annabel, who rules the house (and Marissa's heart) with an iron paw.  She loves to connect with readers, so follow/friend her on Facebook and Twitter or shoot her an email from her website "Contact" page.
Author links:http://www.marissaclarke.com/https://www.facebook.com/marissaclarkeauthorhttps://twitter.com/MaryL_MarissaChttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6525929.Marissa_Clarke

GIVEAWAYBlitz-wide giveaway (INTL)50$ Amazon Gift Card5x eBook copies of Sleeping With the Boss by Marissa Clark
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 

Interview with Dean C. Moore

Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
In The Warlock’s Friend, Cleo, a witch, was originally conceived as one of many dotting the enchanted forest of Thresdar.  But the instant I introduced her (or rather the instant I was introduced to her by whatever force was guiding my hand), I fell in love with her witty comebacks and personality.  She grew into a co-protagonist and sidekick to the hero, Heldor, with equal weighting and importance when it comes to determining the outcome of the story.

Similarly, in Escape From the Future, the arch-villain was conceived as this mysterious cloaked figure.  While he took on depth and breadth of character with each rewrite, he is ultimately surpassed as the force to be reckoned with by his protégé, Alicia.  It’s her coming of age story, the meteoric ascendance of her paranormal powers that kept stealing center stage from him.  I went with that and the story is a lot stronger for it. 
The Warlock’s Friend is perhaps as much sci-fi as it is paranormal fantasy. What’s more, there is a parallel present element that will make fans of the TV series, Supernatural, smile.  Escape From the Future is sci-fi and paranormal fantasy mixed with urban fantasy.  It takes some experience blending two or more genres seamlessly because the trick is to avoid turning off genre purists.  Sci-Fi folks, for instance, will tolerate more technical writing, whereas fantasy folks will start to roll their eyes and skim over those sections.  But over the years I’ve learned to balance the needs of both readers better. 
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?
I did.  Quite frankly it’s an endeavor I recommend solely to masochists.  With industry consolidation going the way it is, it takes a board of ten or more people to sign off on the book.  So breaking in for an unknown writer is nigh on impossible.  What’s more, the gatekeepers have become corrupted, to my thinking.  Their own jobs are at stake with each title they pass up the food chain to higher and higher level gatekeepers.  So, for that reason, there is little inclination to pass on anything that doesn’t remind them of the last hundred books they’ve read just like it.  In short, fear over taking unnecessary risks continues to squeeze writers with original voices right out of the equation. 
I could go on with the insanity of pursuing traditional publishing outlets these days, but I’ll spare you the rant.  Suffice to say it’s easier to win the lotto.  Smaller publishing houses offer a loophole, but the advances are considerably more humble, and you have to ask yourself do you want to settle for ten percent royalties when you could do much better self-publishing? 
But don’t take my word for it.  Here are three links from people who have successfully published through mainstream publishers, including one best-selling author, and swear they will never go this route again, at least not until they sense the tide changing back to something more amenable to writers. 
http://janefriedman.com/2014/07/21/i-left-my-agent/#.U86IHUw8uCs.twitter
http://www.jeremywbrown.com/fuck-the-gatekeepers-part-1-advice-for-new-fiction-writers/
http://indiereader.com/2013/04/next-time-ill-self-publish/
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?Quite a few things, some of which I’ve mentioned above.  Going the route of acquiring a traditional publisher means waiting at the very least two years to see your title make it on to the shelves.  And that’s assuming you hit nothing but green lights all the way.  You query an agent, and the first agent says, “Yes, I’ll represent you!”  Most people will not be so lucky and will spend a year or more acquiring an agent.  Then you have to hope the first publisher they send your book to will be excited enough about it to pick it up.  In reality, that’s usually another odyssey that takes a year or more before hitting pay dirt.  But let’s say you beat the odds.  From the moment the publisher gets his or her hands on the book it will now be, at a minimum, a year before they approve it and another year before it publishes.
Because I write a lot of sci-fi merged with paranormal fantasy, the first thing I had to ask myself was, could I afford to wait that long?  Or would my sci-fi by that point read more like ancient history?  Honestly, the world is moving too fast to accommodate those kinds of timelines.  Hell, in six months the entire global arena has changed.  Who could have predicted the Occupy Movement in the U.S.?  Or similar uprisings around the world?  According to our government, no one could have predicted ISIS.  Now, imagine this was some other industry.  Imagine the publishers had ordinary folks for customers, who weren’t used to being abused and kicked around.  Do you think they’d still be in business if they told their customers, “Thank you for your order.  We’ll get back to you in a couple years.” 
Then there’s the fact that I’m fairly prolific, not hugely so.  But you’d be surprised what you can do with great time management, and years of practice honing your craft.  Add to that a Morgan Freeman-like mandate to do as much as possible, owing to getting off to a late start and feeling like I need to make up for lost time, and well… Suffice to say no publishing house on earth would even be inclined to keep up with me.  Keep in mind that most writers writing full time with even mediocre time management skills can knock out probably two books a year, providing they’re average length books as opposed to tomes.  And part-timers who have a day job can maybe do one novel a year with excellent time management.  So my vacillating between two and three titles really doesn’t make me a speed demon.  But it’s still too fast for traditional publishing houses to deal with.
Let’s not even go into talking about the wasted time querying agents and publishers, preparing synopses after the fact (since I don’t use them to write.)  I calculated one time that the amount of time I’d wasted simply seeking representation (inside of one year) would have been much better spent writing another novel.  That was all the math I needed for a wakeup call.
Okay, I need to get off this subject because I clearly have an axe to grind!  Really, I’m the nicest, calmest person you’ve ever met, and my face hardly ever turns red as it’s doing now in the mirror.  I’m going to forego taking my blood pressure at this time as well.
But for a cool down after such a strenuous emotional workout, I’m going to mention that “indie author” doesn’t carry the kind of stigma it once did.  Probably because far more famous, established writers have come to the same conclusions I have.

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?
I belong to an ever growing circle of writers who critique one another’s work, ever-growing because you can never have enough eyeballs on your early drafts, or for that matter, your later drafts.  Also because I don’t just write paranormal fantasy or sci-fi but sometimes merge the two genres, and occasionally stray off the beaten path entirely and pen something like Love on the Run, which is a romantic comedy and action-adventure involving a couple of bank thieves.  Some editors have a wide ranging reading palate so feel comfortable editing me wherever I go.  Others like to stick to one or another genre.  So with that critique circle segmentation in mind, I’m forever looking to widen my number of cross-reviewers.  Partly because I’m fairly prolific as I mentioned above, and partly because I’m a bit of a workhorse with an entirely unreasonable writing and editing schedule that might well burn people out otherwise.  Not everyone is into power drinks and superfoods and esoteric meditative practices and P-90X just so they can keep slamming out books.  Some choose a more human as opposed to paranormal path. J
What have you learned during your self-publishing journey?
That self-empowerment is very intoxicating.  I love being able to control every facet of the writing, editing, publishing, and marketing process and conversely I like the fact that my fate is no longer in anyone’s hands, save, of course, my own, and the reading public.  And I’d much rather take my chances with them than with an old school model suitable to another age in which only one percent of writers get to make it and the other ninety-nine percent are left out in the cold.  Not because they aren’t good enough, but because with industry consolidation it just makes more sense to give 80 million to Steven King for his next book than spread that money around and take a risk on 80 writers at a million dollars each or 160 writers at… I’m too tired to do the math.  You get the idea.  Why is this?  Because with industry consolidation they’d just be competing against themselves.  They own or represent all the other writers!  
To take their side of things (though it begrudges me to do so), in all fairness, it’s very hard to establish a brand name for a new writer. So much so that they don’t let you die once you do become a household name.  Clive Cussler has been transformed into a factory that will be turning out books in his name long after he’s dead.  Mercifully, while it’s a bit of a slog, with a little more self-empowerment, one can take steps to become more recognizable to people.  Virtual books tours like this one help!   
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?
I’m mostly on Amazon and Goodreads when it comes to sales outlets.  The current exception is CreateSpace where you can buy my paperbacks directly.  And please do use that outlet over Amazon, as the royalty paid to writers is better.  At some point in the future I may sell books directly off my own website, at least for certain promotions, i.e. autographed copies.  And I’m contemplating, based on demand, using Lulu since I can do hard cover books and special large print editions with them that I can’t presently do with CreateSpace.  You’d pretty much have to use my “Contact Me” form on my website if you want some of these more elaborate alternatives such as a hard cover or a large print edition.  Otherwise, I have higher priorities right now, such as getting out the audiobook versions of my twelve and counting titles.  For indie authors, as with much of the industry these days, the sales are more in e-books and audiobooks than printed books.  That said, I really want to be as flexible for people as I can be.  I know my parents could benefit from large print edition books! 
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?I have my own website, and there you can click on the Events tab to find out what I’m up to at any given time.  I do host an indie book review blog as a way of paying it forward.  But being a voracious writer means some corners get cut.  I used to be a heavy reader at one time.  Witness the thousands of books in my library.  But I’ve since cut back to essentials pertaining to researching my next novel.  As a consequence, I’m lucky if I do two to four reviews a month.  I’m certainly not about to pose any threat to serious bloggers.
I use Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Pinterest, more or less in that order, at least when it comes to promoting my books on social websites.  On Twitter I’m mostly networked with other writers, and we help to promote one another’s titles.  I have the largest following there.  The downside is my twitter feed reads like an endless billboard of book ads and promos.  I myself tune it out after a while, so I try to be a little less aggressive when promoting my own work.  Beating people over the head with the same message over and over again is never a good marketing approach, in my opinion.
Google+ I use more for curating content and posting video clips, pictures, and news articles of interest to other sci-fi and fantasy writers like myself.  When I use Google+ for getting the word out on my books, I’ll likely be a lot more selective and understated than with Twitter. 
Facebook, I must confess I have a love-hate relationship with.  More hate at the moment.  They want a DNA sample to prove you’re a blood relation every time you try to do any networking with professional colleagues, or fans.  And they just don’t seem to get that I market my books under a pen name, not my real name.  So when I created an author’s page under my pen name, they were cool with that.  The problem is anytime someone hits “like” on the page it doesn’t show unless they’re using their real name as opposed to their pen name.  Are you beginning to see why it’s more hate than love currently in this love-hate relationship? 
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been locked out of my Facebook account because I tried to follow too many people at once.  “You’ve been hacked!”  “No, you ditzes, I’m networking.  Bite me.”  Deep breath, Dean.  Time to switch the subject before you start sounding like just another hater.
That said, please do “like” me as it does help people to find me and my books on Facebook.  And like it or not, for unfathomable reasons, most of the world is on Facebook and continue to prefer it to other sites.  And sometimes you just have to go where the people are, and pray that someday they too will be as enlightened as you, and come over and visit you on Google+ or (really, fill in the blank however you want.)
Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?
Yes.  They require entirely different states of consciousness!  Both are creative processes, and fun in their own way, but marketing brings out more of my business side, and that’s another character altogether.  And when he’s on stage, he doesn’t want to surrender the spotlight to the flakier, soft-edged writer, with no sense of boundaries or time schedules, or discipline as to when to put down the pen and start doing something else.  Actually I think there’s a diagnosis for people who have trouble changing from one thing to the other.  When they’re in any one groove they’re fine, but getting them to switch tracks in their brain requires some kind of jolt akin to electroshock, or possibly meds. 
I’ve tried every possible way of carving up my time: market first; write second. Next day, repeat.  Or vice versa.  Nope, doesn’t work.  Now I write for 9 months of the year, market for 3 months.  I hate to say it but that seems to be working out best.  The hard part about it is that’s 3 months I’m not writing!  And it just kills me.  Remember all my earlier rants about the benefits of self-publishing over traditional publishers?  Well, this isn’t one of them.  It would be oh so nice to dump all my marketing concerns on someone else’s lap.  But in all fairness, the only people who get to do that anymore are the top one percenters, the James Pattersons of the world.  Mid-list authors who may be every bit as professional and good but who have smaller followings have been on their own for some years with marketing.  Precisely why many of them started bailing to the self-publishing circuit, since if they have to do all the work anyway with building an audience, better they do it for a larger percentage of the take.
What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?Go for it.  There’s never been a better time to be a writer.  It’s true that most books don’t make much money.  But that’s because, going the traditional route, so much of the money is squeezed out of the system by way of overhead, that there’s little left for the writer to live on.  What’s more, if they aren’t going to promote your book, just throwing it on a bookshelf somewhere is right up there with putting a note in a bottle and setting it adrift on an ocean. 
But you can change the equation.  With self-publishing, you can make a little less humble of an amount off of each book, and you can also add to your revenue over time by getting out more titles until at some point you hit critical mass, and it is a living.  So definitely don’t write just one book then get discouraged when no one buys it.  Some concessions have to be made to the fact that we live in a media saturated age.  And it just takes people a while to find you.  I think Seinfeld was in its last season on TV before I stumbled on to it.  Homicide: Life on the Streets, was halfway through Season Two.  And these are major networks with no shortage of advertising outlets.  The flip side to that is you don’t have to be as discovered or as famous because you don’t have that kind of overhead.  You just need a humble following of readers who are devoted to you, love your work, and are eager for more.  And it’s a worldwide market!  How hard is it to find just a few hundred folks in all the major English speaking countries of the world (counting countries where English is a 2nd language, not a first)?  You can afford to be pretty obscure in your writing tastes, and with a humble enough lifestyle still get by.  So learn to live cheaply until you can get discovered, and hopefully by then you’ll have something more philanthropic to do with your money than plotting how to buy your first Mercedes roadster.
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?Photography.  Nature (including hiking, camping, and snapping pictures.)  Dance.  I used to do modern dance for some years in College with the Martha Graham Dance company.  To this day I frequently return to a lot of the old routines and stretches before breaking into something more freestyle as part of my own aerobics regimen.  And I’m an audiophile.  I have a really elaborate stereo system for tweaking the most sound quality out of digital disks to make them play like pristine vinyl records.  It’s budget-audiophile, definitely, as this is one hobby that can get ridiculous fast cost-wise.  But if I ever do make it big with my writing, I can see indulging in some upgrades to my system! 

THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY: 

$20 Amazon GC – random commenter$20 Amazon GC – random Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/09/virtual-book-tour-blood-brothers-escape.html
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#Excerpt: A NEED SO INSATIABLE by Cecilia Robert

Excerpt:I stalk toward the car, my fists twitching at my sides. Another thud comes from the house. The image of her wrapped in someone’s arms is replaced by one that entirely chills my blood. I change directions and dash across the lawn to the front door. It’s locked. I lift my foot to kick it in, but pause when I hear sounds coming from the backyard. I round the corner, scanning the area. Two large backpacks lay on the lawn. A smaller one tumbles to the ground beside them. I jerk my gaze up, trailing it along the rope dangling from the roof.What the fuck?Sophie leans out a window on the second story, grabs the rope, murmuring under her breath, and wraps her booted legs around it, sliding down expertly. I groan, readjusting the front of my jeans as I watch her curvy ass descend. I move to stand below the window and wait, my hands ready and twitching. Who said stalking doesn’t have its benefits?“What are we rehearsing for? Grand Theft House, or this is just a nightly thing?”She squeals, flailing, and plunges into my arms, cursing words that have my ears burning. I let her squirming body slide against mine until her feet touch the wet grass.I duck my head, leveling my lips to the shell of her ear. “Ladies don’t curse.”She shivers, and whirls around to face me, her eyes on fire and her cheeks flushed. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m nowhere close to a lady. What the fuck are you doing here?”“Saving you from breaking that pretty little neck.”She stomps to the backpacks and picks them off the ground. “I don’t need saving.” One bag goes over her shoulder, the other around her chest.“What’s with the Sedan outside?”Her hands stop adjusting the smaller bag, and she sways as she tries to balance the extra weight. “They’ve been watching my house since my dad passed away.” She starts to walk toward the bushy fence on her right.“Where are you going?”“To my Honda.”“In the bushes?” She ignores me, and walks off. I grab her arm and spin her around. I’m not in the mood to argue. If Josef called Kravic to tell him I was hanging around, we might be sitting ducks right now. “We need to talk. Now.”She frowns. “I’m staying at Jace’s, and need to get back before everyone gets nervous.” Her gaze darts around. She licks her lips before looking up at me.“They’ll be fine. Trust me. I have someone watching their flat. Look, I know about the people following you and Lilli around.”She stumbles back, her eyes wide. “Wha--how did you know? Did Jace tell you? Oh my God, she did, didn’t she? I’m going to kick her ass from here to Russia.”I step forward, grabbing her shoulders. “Stop freaking out, Sophie. Jace didn’t tell me anything.” She tries to shake herself from my grip, but I don’t let her go. “There’s so much I want to tell you, but we need to leave, okay? Trust me.”“Not now--”“Damn it, Sophie, listen to me! I know these men. They’re not here because they want to play house with you.”“Of c--wait a second. You know them?” Shit! This is not how I wanted to explain things. I nod once. I’m already balls deep into my confession. No point in trying to deny it now.She studies me, and, for just a moment, I see fear reflected in her eyes. “And you want me to trust you, Rafael? How the fuck am I supposed to do that?”She abruptly wiggles out of my hands, and darts toward the front of the house, dropping the backpacks.“Damn it all to hell!” I tear after her, scooping her up before she rounds the corner. She shrieks,  flailing her legs and arms, trying to dislodge my hold. One foot hits my balls. “Fucking hell! Stop that right now.” I growl in her ear.Of course, she doesn’t. Clenching my jaw, I drop to the ground, making sure my body takes the impact, then flip around so she’s on her back. I pin her arms to the ground.“Are you trying to castrate me? Seriously, Sophie, stop this struggling shit right now.”“Let go of me you, you--”“Sophie.”She stops, glaring up at me. Tears swim in her eyes, reflecting the moonlight. She blinks hard, as if to push back the tears. Our ragged breathing fills the quiet night.“Are you ready to listen to me?”She swallows, and nods. I wait until I feel her body relax beneath mine, then ease my hands off her arms, and unpin her legs from my thighs. Her knee jerks up, toward my groin, and I tilt my hips fast.“Bloody hell!” I grab her biceps, let my body drop onto hers, and capture her mouth with mine, swallowing her yelp.Christ, she tastes like fire and tears and fear. Her mouth is the most fantastic thing I’ve ever tasted. Her bunched muscles relax beneath my fingers as a whimper rushes through her mouth. Pulling back, I nip her jaw, tracing a path to her ear and running my tongue over its outline.“You taste so damn good, Sophie. Want to kick me again?”She doesn’t answer. I pull back, quirking a brow at her. Fuck, she’s so beautiful with her flushed cheeks and plump, sweet lips.She shakes her head.“Good.” I brush that little dimple on her chin with my fingertips. “Trust. Me.”She bites the corner of her bottom lip and nods. “This talk had better be good, or I might stab you while you sleep.”

Book & Author Details:A Need So Insatiable by Cecilia Robert
(Hearts #1)
Publication date: March 8th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:“You’ve owned me from the moment I walked into that music room. You’ve wrapped yourself in my heart and mind. I can’t get you out. I don’t want to.” ~ Rafael Van Rees
Sophie Fisher’s life is on fire. If she’s not ducking around corners or slipping out of windows to escape the debt collectors her father’s death has left knocking on her door, she’s dealing with her rebellious, fifteen-year-old sister, Lilli. And, as if that’s not enough, Rafael Van Rees crashes into her life—literally—bringing with him a past the public has no idea of. Can she unravel his mysteries before he unravels her, or will his presence finally force her to face the demons she’s trying to outrun?
Rafael Van Rees prides himself on being in control of his destiny, music and women. As far as he is concerned, his past is a black cloud in the distance–until he meets Sophie, that is, and his world spins out of control in more ways than one. He knows the darkest sins and secrets eventually reveal themselves, but when it comes to Sophie, he’ll stop at nothing to protect her from his past. Even if it kills him.**Mature Content Warning** 17+ for language and sexual content
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17315544-a-need-so-insatiable?ac=1
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Need-So-Insatiable-Hearts-Book-ebook/dp/B00IWAZG2W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414176040&sr=8-1&keywords=A+Need+So+Insatiable
AUTHOR BIO:I write YA, NA and Adult. My motto: Passion rules. I enjoy writing stories about people finding love in the most unexpected places, coupled with adventurous journeys, whether it's urban, fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary or paranormal romance. There's always a happy ever after, no matter how long it takes to get there.

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Author links:https://www.facebook.com/CeciliaRobertBooksNAAdulthttps://twitter.com/Cece_writeshttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5263768.Cecilia_Robert
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)A signed copy of A Need So Insatiable2x $10 Amazon Giftcardsa Rafflecopter giveaway