E.J. Stevens's Blog, page 62
October 2, 2012
Q+A with Faith Hunter + Haints Excerpt
Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Faith Hunter. Faith writes the Urban Fantasy Skinwalker series, featuring Jane Yellowrock: Skinwalker
, Blood Cross
, Mercy Blade
, Raven Cursed
, Death's Rival
and two short story compilations, Cat Tales
and Have Stakes Will Travel
. Her Rogue Mage novels, a dark, urban, post-apocalyptic, fantasy series—Bloodring
, Seraphs
, and Host
—feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage. A role playing game based on the series, Rogue Mage, is due out in the fall 2012. Under the pen name Gwen Hunter, she writes action-adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Faith and Gwen, she has 20+ books in print in 27 countries.
Interview with Faith Hunter:
EJ: When did you begin writing?
Faith: In tenth grade, a teacher told me I had a talent for writing, and that I should make my career. I believed her, and started researching the writing life immediately. It still took a lot of years to find an agent and a publisher, but all the prep time was worth it because, frankly, it took that long for me to hone my craft. Very few of us go into writing with all the skills that the art form requires. By the way: I tracked that teacher down a few years ago and thanked her. She has meant a lot to my life, probably one of the top 5 or 6 people to influence the person I am today.
EJ: What brought you to the paranormal genre?
Faith: I always wanted to write fantasy, but I couldn’t find the voice. As Gwen Hunter, I wrote mysteries and thrillers and suspense for nearly 20 years. And then urban fantasy came along, and a tough female character voice—like that in thrillers—was perfect for the genre. Urban fantasy is a thriller, with vamps and weres and witches. Such fun working with twisty story arcs with magic in them.
EJ: If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
Faith: Healing. So I could (sounds corny) help people.
EJ: Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
Faith: Death’s Rival will be out in October 2012, and it takes Jane deeper into her own Cherokee past as well as introduces a new story arc for the series. The cover copy says it all!
Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross—especially if you’re one of the undead…
For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane. But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey.
Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.
The Rogue Mage World Book and Role Playing Game has been Kickstarted and is in production as I write this. I have 2 more Jane Yellowrock books to write, and then I have nothing. No contracts. But I want to do a few more Jane books, and maybe a couple of standalone spinoffs, one with Rick LaFleur as main character and one with Molly Everhart’s witch family. If I can find a publisher for them. The market trends will guide that, of course.
EJ: If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
Faith: I have no idea. I fear I don’t watch movies. Yeah I know. Gasp gasp gasp. But I’m open to any female actress Hollywood can find who is 6 feet tall, Cherokee, and has mad fighting skills. Oh – and yellow eyes. (rolls my own)
Death's Rival (Jane Yellowrock, #5) by Faith Hunter
Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross—especially if you’re one of the undead…
For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to …a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane.
But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey. Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.
Haints Excerpt:
Haints is a short story taken from the e-book compilation released in September 2012 HAVE STAKES WILL TRAVEL. It is written from Molly Everhart Trueblood’s point of view, the story giving us a vision into who and what Jane is, early in her career.
Haintsby Faith Hunter
“Nothing unusual here, Molly,” she said.I watched Jane Yellowrock as she crawled across the floor of the old house on all fours. Most adults looked foolish or ungainly when crawling, but Jane was graceful, her arms lifting and moving forward with feline balance, her legs raising and lowering, toes pointed like a dancer, even in her western boots. My friend moved silently in the hot, sweaty room, easily avoiding the bird and mouse droppings, the holes in the old linoleum, and avoiding the signs of recent reconstruction—the broken plaster walls, large holes in the floor, and the shattered remains of the toilet, tub, and kitchen sink in the corner. Her shoulder blades lifted up high with each crawling step, visible beneath her thin T-shirt, her head lowered on the thin stem of her neck, moving catlike. I envied her the grace and the slenderness, but little else. Jane was more alone than anyone I had ever known.Now she breathed in with a strange sucking hiss. Flehmen behavior, she called it, using her hypersensitive senses to smell things the way a cat would, the way a mountain lion would, sucking air in over her tongue and the roof of her mouth, her lips pulled back and mouth open. Mostly, she did it only when she was alone, because it sounded weird and looked weirder—not a human action at all. But because I had asked her for help, and because no one but me would see her, she did it now, scenting for the smell of . . . of whatever.As I watched, Jane crawled out of the half-renovated kitchen and into the dining room beyond. We were both dressed in old jeans and T-shirts, clothes that could get filthy and be tossed into the washer, and already Jane looked like something the cat dragged in, which was funny in all sorts of ways. Jane Yellowrock was a Cherokee skinwalker, and her favorite animal form was a mountain lion. She called it her inner beast, which I still didn’t understand, but I figured she’d tell me someday.I’d met Jane in the Ingles grocery store, when a group of witch haters caught me in the frozen foods section and harassed me. None of us Everharts were officially out of the closet then but most townspeople were okay with my family maybe carrying the witch gene. It was the out-of-towners who had the problem—a group that wasn’t from the religious right, but were just as rabid. I still don’t know what Jane did—she stepped in front of me so all I saw was her back—but the haters departed. Fast. I gave her my thanks and a card to my family café and we parted ways.The next morning Jane came into the Seven Sassy Sister’s Herb Shop and Café, and nearly cleaned us out of bacon, sausage, and pancakes. The appetite of that morning was because she had just changed back from an animal form and needed calories to make up for the shift, but I didn’t know that then. I just thought it was a crying shame that a woman who was so skinny could eat like that. If I tried to shovel in that much food, even half that much food, I’d weigh four hundred pounds. I think I gained three pounds just watching her eat, that first day.And then the group of witch-haters from the day before started picketing out front. I guess they were in town and figured they should make the most of it. They were carrying signs about not suffering a witch to live—the usual crappola—and chanting, “Save our children! Save our children!” Two cars pulled by and slowed, as if to turn in, and then pulled on away. This kind of attention was going to be damaging to business.Jane paid her bill, went outside, and revved up her bike. And revved up her bike. And revved up her bike again. At which point I realized she was doing it on purpose. Then she did something to the engine, and revved it up again. And black smoke came out. So Jane rode in circles around the parking lot, shouting to the witch haters, “So sorry about the noise! I have engine problems!” After about ten minutes of noise, the witch haters left. It was so cool! I thought the twins, Boadacia and Elizabeth, were going to have twin cows. That’s Jane. A loaner with a cause. Any cause, as long as it’s protecting someone. She sneezed, bringing me back from my daydreams to my friend crawling around on the floor of a deserted, possibly haunted house.
Thank you Faith for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Faith Hunter and her books, please visit her website.
, Blood Cross, Mercy Blade, Raven Cursed, Death's Rival and two short story compilations, Cat Tales and Have Stakes Will Travel. Her Rogue Mage novels, a dark, urban, post-apocalyptic, fantasy series—Bloodring, Seraphs, and Host—feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage. A role playing game based on the series, Rogue Mage, is due out in the fall 2012. Under the pen name Gwen Hunter, she writes action-adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Faith and Gwen, she has 20+ books in print in 27 countries. Interview with Faith Hunter:
EJ: When did you begin writing?
Faith: In tenth grade, a teacher told me I had a talent for writing, and that I should make my career. I believed her, and started researching the writing life immediately. It still took a lot of years to find an agent and a publisher, but all the prep time was worth it because, frankly, it took that long for me to hone my craft. Very few of us go into writing with all the skills that the art form requires. By the way: I tracked that teacher down a few years ago and thanked her. She has meant a lot to my life, probably one of the top 5 or 6 people to influence the person I am today.
EJ: What brought you to the paranormal genre?
Faith: I always wanted to write fantasy, but I couldn’t find the voice. As Gwen Hunter, I wrote mysteries and thrillers and suspense for nearly 20 years. And then urban fantasy came along, and a tough female character voice—like that in thrillers—was perfect for the genre. Urban fantasy is a thriller, with vamps and weres and witches. Such fun working with twisty story arcs with magic in them.
EJ: If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
Faith: Healing. So I could (sounds corny) help people.
EJ: Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
Faith: Death’s Rival will be out in October 2012, and it takes Jane deeper into her own Cherokee past as well as introduces a new story arc for the series. The cover copy says it all!
Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross—especially if you’re one of the undead…
For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane. But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey.
Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.
The Rogue Mage World Book and Role Playing Game has been Kickstarted and is in production as I write this. I have 2 more Jane Yellowrock books to write, and then I have nothing. No contracts. But I want to do a few more Jane books, and maybe a couple of standalone spinoffs, one with Rick LaFleur as main character and one with Molly Everhart’s witch family. If I can find a publisher for them. The market trends will guide that, of course.
EJ: If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
Faith: I have no idea. I fear I don’t watch movies. Yeah I know. Gasp gasp gasp. But I’m open to any female actress Hollywood can find who is 6 feet tall, Cherokee, and has mad fighting skills. Oh – and yellow eyes. (rolls my own)
Death's Rival (Jane Yellowrock, #5) by Faith Hunter
Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross—especially if you’re one of the undead…
For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to …a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane.
But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey. Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.
Haints Excerpt:
Haints is a short story taken from the e-book compilation released in September 2012 HAVE STAKES WILL TRAVEL. It is written from Molly Everhart Trueblood’s point of view, the story giving us a vision into who and what Jane is, early in her career.
Haintsby Faith Hunter
“Nothing unusual here, Molly,” she said.I watched Jane Yellowrock as she crawled across the floor of the old house on all fours. Most adults looked foolish or ungainly when crawling, but Jane was graceful, her arms lifting and moving forward with feline balance, her legs raising and lowering, toes pointed like a dancer, even in her western boots. My friend moved silently in the hot, sweaty room, easily avoiding the bird and mouse droppings, the holes in the old linoleum, and avoiding the signs of recent reconstruction—the broken plaster walls, large holes in the floor, and the shattered remains of the toilet, tub, and kitchen sink in the corner. Her shoulder blades lifted up high with each crawling step, visible beneath her thin T-shirt, her head lowered on the thin stem of her neck, moving catlike. I envied her the grace and the slenderness, but little else. Jane was more alone than anyone I had ever known.Now she breathed in with a strange sucking hiss. Flehmen behavior, she called it, using her hypersensitive senses to smell things the way a cat would, the way a mountain lion would, sucking air in over her tongue and the roof of her mouth, her lips pulled back and mouth open. Mostly, she did it only when she was alone, because it sounded weird and looked weirder—not a human action at all. But because I had asked her for help, and because no one but me would see her, she did it now, scenting for the smell of . . . of whatever.As I watched, Jane crawled out of the half-renovated kitchen and into the dining room beyond. We were both dressed in old jeans and T-shirts, clothes that could get filthy and be tossed into the washer, and already Jane looked like something the cat dragged in, which was funny in all sorts of ways. Jane Yellowrock was a Cherokee skinwalker, and her favorite animal form was a mountain lion. She called it her inner beast, which I still didn’t understand, but I figured she’d tell me someday.I’d met Jane in the Ingles grocery store, when a group of witch haters caught me in the frozen foods section and harassed me. None of us Everharts were officially out of the closet then but most townspeople were okay with my family maybe carrying the witch gene. It was the out-of-towners who had the problem—a group that wasn’t from the religious right, but were just as rabid. I still don’t know what Jane did—she stepped in front of me so all I saw was her back—but the haters departed. Fast. I gave her my thanks and a card to my family café and we parted ways.The next morning Jane came into the Seven Sassy Sister’s Herb Shop and Café, and nearly cleaned us out of bacon, sausage, and pancakes. The appetite of that morning was because she had just changed back from an animal form and needed calories to make up for the shift, but I didn’t know that then. I just thought it was a crying shame that a woman who was so skinny could eat like that. If I tried to shovel in that much food, even half that much food, I’d weigh four hundred pounds. I think I gained three pounds just watching her eat, that first day.And then the group of witch-haters from the day before started picketing out front. I guess they were in town and figured they should make the most of it. They were carrying signs about not suffering a witch to live—the usual crappola—and chanting, “Save our children! Save our children!” Two cars pulled by and slowed, as if to turn in, and then pulled on away. This kind of attention was going to be damaging to business.Jane paid her bill, went outside, and revved up her bike. And revved up her bike. And revved up her bike again. At which point I realized she was doing it on purpose. Then she did something to the engine, and revved it up again. And black smoke came out. So Jane rode in circles around the parking lot, shouting to the witch haters, “So sorry about the noise! I have engine problems!” After about ten minutes of noise, the witch haters left. It was so cool! I thought the twins, Boadacia and Elizabeth, were going to have twin cows. That’s Jane. A loaner with a cause. Any cause, as long as it’s protecting someone. She sneezed, bringing me back from my daydreams to my friend crawling around on the floor of a deserted, possibly haunted house.
Thank you Faith for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Faith Hunter and her books, please visit her website.
October 1, 2012
Cover Reveal: Blood and Mistletoe, An Ivy Granger Novella
Time for a cover reveal! Feast your eyes on the cover for Blood and Mistletoe, a novella in the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens.
Blood and Mistletoe (Ivy Granger #1.5)
Holidays are worse than a full moon for making people crazy. In Harborsmouth, where many of the residents are undead vampires or monstrous fae, the combination may prove deadly.
Ivy Granger, psychic private investigator, returns to the streets of Harborsmouth in this addition to the bestselling urban fantasy series.
Holidays are Hell, a point driven home when a certain demon attorney returns with information regarding a series of bloody murders. Six Harborsmouth residents have been killed and every victim has one thing in common--they are fae. Whoever is killing faeries must be stopped, but they only leave one clue behind--a piece of mistletoe floating in a pool of the victim's blood.
The holidays just got interesting. Too bad this case may drive Ivy mad before the New Year. Heck, she'll be lucky to survive Christmas.
Blood and Mistletoe is an Ivy Granger series novella. For more information visit the Ivy Granger series website.
Blood and Mistletoe available November 20, 2012.
Blood and Mistletoe (Ivy Granger #1.5)
Holidays are worse than a full moon for making people crazy. In Harborsmouth, where many of the residents are undead vampires or monstrous fae, the combination may prove deadly.
Ivy Granger, psychic private investigator, returns to the streets of Harborsmouth in this addition to the bestselling urban fantasy series.
Holidays are Hell, a point driven home when a certain demon attorney returns with information regarding a series of bloody murders. Six Harborsmouth residents have been killed and every victim has one thing in common--they are fae. Whoever is killing faeries must be stopped, but they only leave one clue behind--a piece of mistletoe floating in a pool of the victim's blood.
The holidays just got interesting. Too bad this case may drive Ivy mad before the New Year. Heck, she'll be lucky to survive Christmas.
Blood and Mistletoe is an Ivy Granger series novella. For more information visit the Ivy Granger series website.
Blood and Mistletoe available November 20, 2012.
September 28, 2012
Blogoversary Giveaway Winner
Congratulations Mom Blogger winner of our
3 Year Blogoversary Giveaway
at From the Shadows! Mom Blogger will receive an ebook copy of my new novel
Shadow Sight
, the first book in the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series, and a $10 Amazon Gift Card (or book from The Book Depository up to $10 value).
Thank you to all who entered.
**Giveaway winners selected using Random.org unless otherwise specified**
Thank you to all who entered.
**Giveaway winners selected using Random.org unless otherwise specified**
September 27, 2012
Cover Reveal: Release by M.R. Merrick (Protector #3)
Time for a cover reveal! Feast your eyes on the cover for Release, the third book in the Protector series by M.R. Merrick.
Release (Protector #3) by M.R. Merrick.
After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions becomes the least of his problems.
Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he’s willing to go to stop his father. Meanwhile, Tiki’s virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent’s past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.
Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he’s made - especially regarding Rayna. One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn’t know anything. The light doesn’t always quell the darkness, the monsters don’t always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn’t always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight.
Release available December 10, 2012.
Release (Protector #3) by M.R. Merrick.
After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions becomes the least of his problems.
Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he’s willing to go to stop his father. Meanwhile, Tiki’s virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent’s past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.
Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he’s made - especially regarding Rayna. One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn’t know anything. The light doesn’t always quell the darkness, the monsters don’t always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn’t always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight.
Release available December 10, 2012.
Ivy Granger at Snowdrop Dreams
Ivy Granger and her best friend Jinx take over today's Deserted Island post at Snowdrop Dreams.
Visit Snowdrop Dreams to learn what Ivy would bring if stranded on a deserted island. Ivy and Jinx are characters from Shadow Sight , the first novel in the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens. More Ivy and Jinx adventures coming soon in Blood and Mistletoe, an Ivy Granger novella, releasing November 20th!
Visit Snowdrop Dreams to learn what Ivy would bring if stranded on a deserted island. Ivy and Jinx are characters from Shadow Sight , the first novel in the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens. More Ivy and Jinx adventures coming soon in Blood and Mistletoe, an Ivy Granger novella, releasing November 20th!
September 25, 2012
A Dawn of Dragonfire Character Interview + Giveaway
Please welcome today's returning guest author Daniel Arenson. Daniel is the author of Firefly Island, Flaming Dove, Eye of the Wizard, Blood of Requiem, Tears of Requiem, Light of Requiem, and A Dawn of Dragonfire.
Keep reading for a chance to win A Dawn of Dragonfire by Daniel Arenson.
Character interview: Lyana and Bayrin from A Dawn of Dragonfire
EJ: Today we welcome Lyana and Bayrin, siblings from Requiem, a land of people who can become dragons. Lyana, let's start with you. Tell us about yourself.
Lyana: First of all, you may call me Lady Lyana Eleison. I am a knight of Requiem, a member of the ancient order of bellators. I know many people these days no longer bother with titles – my oaf a brother, for example – but I still care about tradition.
Bayrin: You care about your big head, more like.
Lyana: Bayrin! Be quiet! You will have a turn to speak. *sigh* Do you see what I must deal with? Where was I? Oh yes, as I said, I am Lady Lyana, a knight of Requiem, one of only fifty who guard the realm. In human form, I have red hair and green eyes. I turn into a blue dragon with golden horns. In addition to being a knight, I am betrothed to Prince Orin Aeternum, and will soon be a princess, then a queen consort one day.
Bayrin: Imagine the size of her head then! No crown would fit her.
Lyana: Bayrin! I might have a big head, but yours is completely hollow! Will you please be quiet?
Bayrin: Me? Be quiet? How little you know me, dear sister. In fact, I will now tell the readers a little about myself. Well... I'm Bayrin. And... hmmm...
Lyana: Nothing much to speak of, is there?
Bayrin: Lyana, quiet! I didn't interrupt you, did I?
Lyana: What? You—
Bayrin: AHEM! As I was saying, dear readers, I am Bayrin Eleison. I can turn into a green dragon (one much faster and stronger than Lyana). I'm older than Lyana, and much better looking, and quite smarter too, and overall better liked and—
Lyana: BAYRIN! Don't lie to people. I will tell them the truth. Bayrin, my oaf of a brother, is the biggest blockhead in Requiem. He is the son of great parents – our father is captain of the City Guard, and our mother is the High Priestess – but do you think he cares? Do you think he ever tried to become a knight or priest? No. He spends his days singing in alehouses, or chasing girls, or sleeping past noon. The only time he enters the armory is to draw rude drawings on shields.
Bayrin: Not true! I’ve entered the armory for more than that. I once also placed a frog in your helmet.
Lyana: Place some sense in your head instead! Bayrin, you are five years older than me. When will you grow up? When will you make something of your life? Come to court now and then! Pick up a sword and join the army! Pick up a book and learn to read and write!
Bayrin: I know how to read and write!
Lyana: Scribbling rude limericks on alehouse walls doesn't count, Bayrin. Won't you ever do something with yourself? At least get a haircut and a shave, you look like a sheepdog. I swear, Bayrin, if you weren't my brother, I would punch some sense into your hollow skull.
Bayrin: Ladies and gentlemen, this is the real Lyana. Forget knighthood or betrothals to princes – it's mostly lectures.
Lyana: That does it. It's time for punching!
Bayrin: Ouch! Lyana, stop that!
EJ: I think this interview is over... We hope you enjoyed meeting Bayrin and Lyana. You can read more about them in A Dawn of Dragonfire, the first volume of Dragonlore, a new epic fantasy series.
A Dawn of Dragonfire (Dragonlore #1) by Daniel Arenson.
The people of Requiem, an ancient kingdom, can grow wings and scales, breathe fire, and take flight as dragons. Their hearts are noble, their wisdom great, their kingdom a land of beauty and peace.
This peace will soon burn. From the south, a fire rises. Birds of flame take flight. The phoenixes soar, beasts of heat and wrath, large as dragons and cruel as wildfire. Their purpose is one: destroy the land of dragons.
Requiem's dragons have defeated countless enemies. Their claws are sharp and their flames bright. But how can they fight the phoenixes, creatures woven of sunfire itself?
In 2011, the Song of Dragons trilogy introduced readers to mythical Requiem. Today, after 100,000 copies sold, a new dawn rises. Dragonlore returns to Requiem with an epic story—for both new readers and old fans—of blood, steel, and dragonfire.
Thank you Daniel, Lyana, and Bayrin for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Daniel Arenson and his books, please visit his website. Check our sidebar for links to past interviews with Daniel and his characters.
**A Dawn of Dragonfire Giveaway**
We are giving away an ebook copy of A Dawn of Dragonfire by Daniel Arenson to one lucky winner.
To enter, please leave a comment on this post (include your email address so we may contact you if you win). This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends October 11, 2012 midnight EST.
Keep reading for a chance to win A Dawn of Dragonfire by Daniel Arenson.
Character interview: Lyana and Bayrin from A Dawn of Dragonfire
EJ: Today we welcome Lyana and Bayrin, siblings from Requiem, a land of people who can become dragons. Lyana, let's start with you. Tell us about yourself.
Lyana: First of all, you may call me Lady Lyana Eleison. I am a knight of Requiem, a member of the ancient order of bellators. I know many people these days no longer bother with titles – my oaf a brother, for example – but I still care about tradition.
Bayrin: You care about your big head, more like.
Lyana: Bayrin! Be quiet! You will have a turn to speak. *sigh* Do you see what I must deal with? Where was I? Oh yes, as I said, I am Lady Lyana, a knight of Requiem, one of only fifty who guard the realm. In human form, I have red hair and green eyes. I turn into a blue dragon with golden horns. In addition to being a knight, I am betrothed to Prince Orin Aeternum, and will soon be a princess, then a queen consort one day.
Bayrin: Imagine the size of her head then! No crown would fit her.
Lyana: Bayrin! I might have a big head, but yours is completely hollow! Will you please be quiet?
Bayrin: Me? Be quiet? How little you know me, dear sister. In fact, I will now tell the readers a little about myself. Well... I'm Bayrin. And... hmmm...
Lyana: Nothing much to speak of, is there?
Bayrin: Lyana, quiet! I didn't interrupt you, did I?
Lyana: What? You—
Bayrin: AHEM! As I was saying, dear readers, I am Bayrin Eleison. I can turn into a green dragon (one much faster and stronger than Lyana). I'm older than Lyana, and much better looking, and quite smarter too, and overall better liked and—
Lyana: BAYRIN! Don't lie to people. I will tell them the truth. Bayrin, my oaf of a brother, is the biggest blockhead in Requiem. He is the son of great parents – our father is captain of the City Guard, and our mother is the High Priestess – but do you think he cares? Do you think he ever tried to become a knight or priest? No. He spends his days singing in alehouses, or chasing girls, or sleeping past noon. The only time he enters the armory is to draw rude drawings on shields.
Bayrin: Not true! I’ve entered the armory for more than that. I once also placed a frog in your helmet.
Lyana: Place some sense in your head instead! Bayrin, you are five years older than me. When will you grow up? When will you make something of your life? Come to court now and then! Pick up a sword and join the army! Pick up a book and learn to read and write!
Bayrin: I know how to read and write!
Lyana: Scribbling rude limericks on alehouse walls doesn't count, Bayrin. Won't you ever do something with yourself? At least get a haircut and a shave, you look like a sheepdog. I swear, Bayrin, if you weren't my brother, I would punch some sense into your hollow skull.
Bayrin: Ladies and gentlemen, this is the real Lyana. Forget knighthood or betrothals to princes – it's mostly lectures.
Lyana: That does it. It's time for punching!
Bayrin: Ouch! Lyana, stop that!
EJ: I think this interview is over... We hope you enjoyed meeting Bayrin and Lyana. You can read more about them in A Dawn of Dragonfire, the first volume of Dragonlore, a new epic fantasy series.
A Dawn of Dragonfire (Dragonlore #1) by Daniel Arenson.
The people of Requiem, an ancient kingdom, can grow wings and scales, breathe fire, and take flight as dragons. Their hearts are noble, their wisdom great, their kingdom a land of beauty and peace.
This peace will soon burn. From the south, a fire rises. Birds of flame take flight. The phoenixes soar, beasts of heat and wrath, large as dragons and cruel as wildfire. Their purpose is one: destroy the land of dragons.
Requiem's dragons have defeated countless enemies. Their claws are sharp and their flames bright. But how can they fight the phoenixes, creatures woven of sunfire itself?
In 2011, the Song of Dragons trilogy introduced readers to mythical Requiem. Today, after 100,000 copies sold, a new dawn rises. Dragonlore returns to Requiem with an epic story—for both new readers and old fans—of blood, steel, and dragonfire.
Thank you Daniel, Lyana, and Bayrin for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Daniel Arenson and his books, please visit his website. Check our sidebar for links to past interviews with Daniel and his characters.
**A Dawn of Dragonfire Giveaway**
We are giving away an ebook copy of A Dawn of Dragonfire by Daniel Arenson to one lucky winner.
To enter, please leave a comment on this post (include your email address so we may contact you if you win). This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends October 11, 2012 midnight EST.
September 18, 2012
Q+A with James Lyon (Kiss of the Butterfly)
Please welcome today's paranormal guest author James Lyon. James is the author Kiss of the Butterfly.
EJ: When did you begin writing?
James: At age 19 I began keeping a diary, which helped me discover the magic of the written word. On a whim I entered a creative writing contest in college and won an award. Since then, my work as an historian and political analyst meant that I was constantly writing Op/Ed pieces, long analytical reports, book chapters, and even entire books, as well as editing other people’s work. At one point I noticed that about 90% of published fiction is poorly written insults the intelligence, and I decided I could do better. At the time I was living in Belgrade, Serbia, which provides great inspiration for a writer. I began writing “Kiss of the Butterfly” in 2005 and finished 120,000 words within 6 months.
EJ: What brought you to the paranormal genre?
James: Long ago and far away across an ocean, a most curious anecdote from a dusty old book grabbed my attention while I was writing my doctoral dissertation at UCLA. In 1476, Vlad III (Dracula) committed atrocities under the cloak of medieval Bosnia’s forested mountains, culminating in a bloody massacre in the mining town of Srebrenica. A little over 500 years later, in July 1995, history repeated itself when troops commanded by General Ratko Mladic entered Srebrenica and slaughtered nearly 8,000 people, making it the worst massacre Europe had seen since the Second World War. For most people, the two events seemed unconnected. I, however, wondered if there might be a metaphysical connection.
As I worked and lived in Bosnia and Serbia and travelled throughout Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Slovenia, it soon became apparent that vampires were embedded in the culture. I began studying Balkan vampires in folklore, and soon discovered that we get our English word “vampire” from the Serbo-Croatian “vampir”. Then I discovered even greater peculiarities, such as vampire trials in Croatia, vampire autopsies by Austrian Army military surgeons in Serbia, laws against killing vampires dating from the 1300s, etc. Even today you can read reports in the local language newspapers about vampires being reported in certain villages. Clearly, something was going on. I began to put two and two together, and “Kiss of the Butterfly” was born.
But just because there happen to be vampires (and a couple of mangy werewolves) in “Kiss of the Butterfly” doesn’t mean it’s paranormal. Here in the Balkans such creatures seem to lurk in the background of everyday life: in politics, the economy, society, the arts, etc. In fact, they lurk quite nicely, thank you. And it’s not as if just anyone can lurk: inexperienced lurkers usually get arrested for stalking.
EJ: If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
James: X-Ray vision. I could microwave food with a single glance, and read books without turning the pages.
EJ: Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
James: Gee, let’s see…love triangles, a car chase in a Yugo, fanged blood-suckers, naïve stake-wielders, epic love that spans the centuries, sexy foreign accents, fine wines in exotic locations, and crumbling communism. And no sparkly vampires! Who could ask for anything more?
“Kiss of the Butterfly” has something for everyone and doesn’t fit into any particular genre: there is romance, adventure, and it is definitely a thriller. Readers will enjoy the fast-paced “Da Vinci Code” style of action and discovery. And there are a few places where it gets just a teensy bit scary, but not Steven King scary.
Along the way you’ll find out about “real” Balkan vampires, their characteristics, and how they differ from the pop culture vampires we see in today’s books and films. You’ll find out the answers to questions such as: what shape and color are a vampire’s eyes?; where does a vampire’s power lie?; where do vampires sleep on Good Friday?; what is the relationship between vampires and butterflies?; and what happens if a vampire bites you?. Spoiler alert – just any old stake won’t kill a vampire.
EJ: If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
James: Steven -- Andrew Garfield (Spiderman 2012); Mrs. Lazarevic -- Angelina Jolie. Marko Slatina -- Jude Law; Ian McKellen -- Professor Nagy. Rade Serbedzija -- Professor Ljubovic; Hugh Laurie -- Professor Stojadinovic; Ralph Fiennes -- Lynx. The roles of Vesna, Katarina, Bear and Tamara should all be played by actors and actresses from Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia.
Who do I not want in the movie? Kristin Stewart… Robert Pattinson… Tom Cruise… Shia LaBeouf… Megan Fox… Kate Hudson… Matthew McConaughey, to name a few.
Kiss of the Butterfly by James Lyon.
In the year of his death, 1476, the Vojvoda of Wallachia -- Vlad III (Dracula) -- committed atrocities under the cloak of medieval Bosnia’s forested mountains, culminating in a bloody massacre in the mining town of Srebrenica.
A little over 500 years later, in July 1995, history repeated itself when troops commanded by General Ratko Mladic entered Srebrenica and slaughtered nearly 8,000 people, making it the worst massacre Europe had seen since the Second World War.
For most people, the two events seemed unconnected…
Meticulously researched and based on real events, “Kiss” descends into the chaos of Yugoslavia's breakup, creating a phantasmagorical tapestry of allegory and reality,divided loyalties, friendship and betrayal, Good vs. Evil, virtue and innocence lost, obsession and devotion, desire and denial, lust and rejection. It is about the thirst for life and the hunger for death, rebirth and salvation, and the search for faith. From Bosnia to California, to Belgrade, Budapest, Novi Sad, and back to ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, “Kiss” blends history and the terrors of the Balkans as it explores the darker corners of the human soul.
And there just may be some vampires. But not the sparkly, gothic romance kind. These are "real", Balkan vampires, based on authentic folklore from the region that first introduced the word "vampir" to the world.
Thank you James for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
James Lyon is an accidental Balkanologist, having spent the better part of 32 years studying and working with the lands of the former Yugoslavia. He has a Ph.D. in Modern Balkan History from UCLA and a B.A. in Russian from BYU. He has lived in Germany, Russia, England, Massachusetts, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Utah, and California, and spent the better part of 18 years living in the lands of the former Yugoslavia, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia, and has worked in Macedonia and Kosovo. He has traveled widely, from Africa to Latin America to the Middle East, and all over Europe. He currently works in Sarajevo and bounces back and forth to Belgrade. In his spare time he likes sailing through the Dalmatian islands and eating Sachertorte in Vienna at the old Habsburg Imperial Court’s Confectionary Bakery, Demel. He lost his cat in the forests of Bosnia and can’t find it. If you see a black and white cat that ignores you when you call the name “Cile II”, a reward is being offered…provided the cat hasn’t turned into a vampire.
EJ: When did you begin writing?
James: At age 19 I began keeping a diary, which helped me discover the magic of the written word. On a whim I entered a creative writing contest in college and won an award. Since then, my work as an historian and political analyst meant that I was constantly writing Op/Ed pieces, long analytical reports, book chapters, and even entire books, as well as editing other people’s work. At one point I noticed that about 90% of published fiction is poorly written insults the intelligence, and I decided I could do better. At the time I was living in Belgrade, Serbia, which provides great inspiration for a writer. I began writing “Kiss of the Butterfly” in 2005 and finished 120,000 words within 6 months.
EJ: What brought you to the paranormal genre?
James: Long ago and far away across an ocean, a most curious anecdote from a dusty old book grabbed my attention while I was writing my doctoral dissertation at UCLA. In 1476, Vlad III (Dracula) committed atrocities under the cloak of medieval Bosnia’s forested mountains, culminating in a bloody massacre in the mining town of Srebrenica. A little over 500 years later, in July 1995, history repeated itself when troops commanded by General Ratko Mladic entered Srebrenica and slaughtered nearly 8,000 people, making it the worst massacre Europe had seen since the Second World War. For most people, the two events seemed unconnected. I, however, wondered if there might be a metaphysical connection.
As I worked and lived in Bosnia and Serbia and travelled throughout Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Slovenia, it soon became apparent that vampires were embedded in the culture. I began studying Balkan vampires in folklore, and soon discovered that we get our English word “vampire” from the Serbo-Croatian “vampir”. Then I discovered even greater peculiarities, such as vampire trials in Croatia, vampire autopsies by Austrian Army military surgeons in Serbia, laws against killing vampires dating from the 1300s, etc. Even today you can read reports in the local language newspapers about vampires being reported in certain villages. Clearly, something was going on. I began to put two and two together, and “Kiss of the Butterfly” was born.
But just because there happen to be vampires (and a couple of mangy werewolves) in “Kiss of the Butterfly” doesn’t mean it’s paranormal. Here in the Balkans such creatures seem to lurk in the background of everyday life: in politics, the economy, society, the arts, etc. In fact, they lurk quite nicely, thank you. And it’s not as if just anyone can lurk: inexperienced lurkers usually get arrested for stalking.
EJ: If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
James: X-Ray vision. I could microwave food with a single glance, and read books without turning the pages.
EJ: Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
James: Gee, let’s see…love triangles, a car chase in a Yugo, fanged blood-suckers, naïve stake-wielders, epic love that spans the centuries, sexy foreign accents, fine wines in exotic locations, and crumbling communism. And no sparkly vampires! Who could ask for anything more?
“Kiss of the Butterfly” has something for everyone and doesn’t fit into any particular genre: there is romance, adventure, and it is definitely a thriller. Readers will enjoy the fast-paced “Da Vinci Code” style of action and discovery. And there are a few places where it gets just a teensy bit scary, but not Steven King scary.
Along the way you’ll find out about “real” Balkan vampires, their characteristics, and how they differ from the pop culture vampires we see in today’s books and films. You’ll find out the answers to questions such as: what shape and color are a vampire’s eyes?; where does a vampire’s power lie?; where do vampires sleep on Good Friday?; what is the relationship between vampires and butterflies?; and what happens if a vampire bites you?. Spoiler alert – just any old stake won’t kill a vampire.
EJ: If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
James: Steven -- Andrew Garfield (Spiderman 2012); Mrs. Lazarevic -- Angelina Jolie. Marko Slatina -- Jude Law; Ian McKellen -- Professor Nagy. Rade Serbedzija -- Professor Ljubovic; Hugh Laurie -- Professor Stojadinovic; Ralph Fiennes -- Lynx. The roles of Vesna, Katarina, Bear and Tamara should all be played by actors and actresses from Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia.
Who do I not want in the movie? Kristin Stewart… Robert Pattinson… Tom Cruise… Shia LaBeouf… Megan Fox… Kate Hudson… Matthew McConaughey, to name a few.
Kiss of the Butterfly by James Lyon.
In the year of his death, 1476, the Vojvoda of Wallachia -- Vlad III (Dracula) -- committed atrocities under the cloak of medieval Bosnia’s forested mountains, culminating in a bloody massacre in the mining town of Srebrenica.
A little over 500 years later, in July 1995, history repeated itself when troops commanded by General Ratko Mladic entered Srebrenica and slaughtered nearly 8,000 people, making it the worst massacre Europe had seen since the Second World War.
For most people, the two events seemed unconnected…
Meticulously researched and based on real events, “Kiss” descends into the chaos of Yugoslavia's breakup, creating a phantasmagorical tapestry of allegory and reality,divided loyalties, friendship and betrayal, Good vs. Evil, virtue and innocence lost, obsession and devotion, desire and denial, lust and rejection. It is about the thirst for life and the hunger for death, rebirth and salvation, and the search for faith. From Bosnia to California, to Belgrade, Budapest, Novi Sad, and back to ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, “Kiss” blends history and the terrors of the Balkans as it explores the darker corners of the human soul.
And there just may be some vampires. But not the sparkly, gothic romance kind. These are "real", Balkan vampires, based on authentic folklore from the region that first introduced the word "vampir" to the world.
Thank you James for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
James Lyon is an accidental Balkanologist, having spent the better part of 32 years studying and working with the lands of the former Yugoslavia. He has a Ph.D. in Modern Balkan History from UCLA and a B.A. in Russian from BYU. He has lived in Germany, Russia, England, Massachusetts, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Utah, and California, and spent the better part of 18 years living in the lands of the former Yugoslavia, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia, and has worked in Macedonia and Kosovo. He has traveled widely, from Africa to Latin America to the Middle East, and all over Europe. He currently works in Sarajevo and bounces back and forth to Belgrade. In his spare time he likes sailing through the Dalmatian islands and eating Sachertorte in Vienna at the old Habsburg Imperial Court’s Confectionary Bakery, Demel. He lost his cat in the forests of Bosnia and can’t find it. If you see a black and white cat that ignores you when you call the name “Cile II”, a reward is being offered…provided the cat hasn’t turned into a vampire.
September 16, 2012
Cover Reveal: Brush with Death
Time for a cover reveal! Feast your eyes on the cover for Brush with Death, the fourth book in the young adult paranormal Spirit Guide series.
Brush with Death (Spirit Guide #4) by E.J. Stevens.
Samhain was scary, but graduation is downright terrifying.
Yuki and Emma's recent brush with death has unexpected consequences.
Until last winter Yuki could only smell the dead, but the touch of death's embrace has awakened latent powers. With the help of her friends, Yuki must face her new abilities. Will her psychic powers become the curse they all have feared? Curse or gift, Yuki's new vision begins leading her down an unknown path, but is it a road that only she can follow?
Emma's close encounter of the death kind has her questioning her future as well. Until now she had it all; brains, beauty, conviction, fabulous friends, and a scholarship to Tufts Veterinary School. She knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. Emma had a plan for everything, but she never bargained for her own traitorous emotions. When graduation comes, will Emma follow her dreams...or follow her heart?
Brush with Death available in trade paperback and ebook October 23, 2012.
Add Brush with Death to your Goodreads TBR list
Brush with Death (Spirit Guide #4) by E.J. Stevens.
Samhain was scary, but graduation is downright terrifying.
Yuki and Emma's recent brush with death has unexpected consequences.
Until last winter Yuki could only smell the dead, but the touch of death's embrace has awakened latent powers. With the help of her friends, Yuki must face her new abilities. Will her psychic powers become the curse they all have feared? Curse or gift, Yuki's new vision begins leading her down an unknown path, but is it a road that only she can follow?
Emma's close encounter of the death kind has her questioning her future as well. Until now she had it all; brains, beauty, conviction, fabulous friends, and a scholarship to Tufts Veterinary School. She knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. Emma had a plan for everything, but she never bargained for her own traitorous emotions. When graduation comes, will Emma follow her dreams...or follow her heart?
Brush with Death available in trade paperback and ebook October 23, 2012.
Add Brush with Death to your Goodreads TBR list
Unusual Creatures
Join E.J. today at Wren Doloro as she discusses the unusual creatures from her writing.
September 14, 2012
The Treachery of Beautiful Things Swag Giveaway Winner
Congratulations States of Decay winner of our
The Treachery of Beautiful Things Swag Giveaway
at From the Shadows! States of Decay will receive a The Treachery of Beautiful Things bookmark and postcard.
Thank you to all who entered.
**Giveaway winners selected using Random.org unless otherwise specified**
Thank you to all who entered.
**Giveaway winners selected using Random.org unless otherwise specified**
