E.J. Stevens's Blog, page 72

Paranormal Guest Author: C.C. Hunter (Shadow Falls Series)

Please welcome paranormal guest author C.C. Hunter.  C.C. is the author of Born at Midnight and Awake at Dawn.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

CC:  Some writers will tell you that they were born with a pen in their hands and by the time their umbilical cord fell off, they'd finished the first draft of their first novel.  Not me.  I was raised in the south, where all my family tried to one-up each other with their stories, I grew up surrounded by storytellers.  And while I was good at it, I was also dyslexic, and writing was not my strong suit.  (Now, standing up and telling my story to an audience?  That I could do with no problem.)  I was twenty-three before I told my husband I wanted to be a writer.  It took years…lots of years, spent teaching myself how to put my talent of telling a story on paper.  I think I may be finally catching on, too.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

CC:  Ghosts.  LOL.  Seriously, I've always loved ghost stories.  I think I love them so much because of all the spooky paranormal elements, this is the one I come closest to believing really exists.  And my first novel with any paranormal element in it was one about a girl whose mom dies and comes back to warn her about bad things that were going to happen to her.  Back in 2006, the paranormal genre was really getting hot.  I had sold one sweet romance to Silhouette years before and wanted to get back into writing novels.  I had been writing Single Title romances, humorous romantic suspense, but humor wasn't the hottest genre and I couldn't seem to sell them.  I signed with my agent and she recommended I try to write a book with a paranormal element in it.  I wrote a proposal about Faes and ghosts.  It didn't sell, but it got the attention of several editors.  Rose Hilliard at St. Martins was one of them, and she loved my voice.

I went on to sell six humorous romances and Rose watched my career from afar.  About two years ago, Rose went to my agent and asked if I would try writing a YA paranormal series. I was leery at first—not about the paranormal element but about the YA.  Ahh, but once I got started I totally loved it. 

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

CC:  Good question.  And to be honest, I get asked this one a lot, so you'd think I'd have my answer down pat, but I really don't.  LOL.  I guess it's just that it's so hard for me to choose.  Now, when I was writing Born at Midnight, and creating the Shadow Falls universe, I did a lot of research.  And because writers like to tweak details to match their vision, I've made some changes to the mythology for many of my supernaturals.  Some of them, like vampires, shape-shifters, and werewolves, can be scary but once you get to know them as characters, you'll realize they all have some good qualities.   I think that's what makes it so hard for me to choose—I don't want to be unfaithful to any of my characters.  LOL.  But if I had to choose, I'd probably go with either a witch or a fae.  I think these characters offer the most options . . . although I think it would be totally cool to be able to fly like a vampire does.  LOL.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

CC:  I read once that your characters should be the type of person that someone wouldn't mind being locked in a closet with for several days.  Because basically, that's what a reader is doing.  Shutting out the rest of the world and spending hours, sometimes days, with your characters.  So I can tell you that I think Kylie and the rest of the crew at Shadow Falls are good closet buddies.  They are interesting, courageous, mysterious (so you won't get bored), and have lots of heart.  Their experiences in their world can teach us a few things about living in the real world.  Things about romance, friendship, family, and about learning to accept ourselves and the other people in our lives for what they are.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

CC:  This question is always so hard for me to answer.  I mean, I could toss out names like Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Chace Crawford, but in truth, the roles of Kylie and the all the crew at Shadow Falls are already taken in my mind.  I know the expression on Kylie's face when she's really frustrated, and Amanda doesn't make that expression.  I know how Lucas walks, with his quiet, silent movements and his how body tenses when people get too close, and Zac doesn't do that.  I know the sexy twinkle Derek gets in his eyes when he looks at Kylie, I know how he sounds when he laughs, and that's not Chace.  I actually have a film agent shopping around the series and all I can say is that it's going to be hard to find people to play these characters the way I see them in my head.























Awake at Dawn (Shadow Falls #2) by C.C. Hunter

Now that she's settled in at Shadow Falls Camp, Kylie Galen's determined to discover the extent of her supernatural abilities.  But with a ghost insisting someone Kylie loves is about die, a rogue vampire on a murdering rampage, and her sixth sense telling her someone is watching her, Kylie's quest for answers is quickly put on hold.

To make matters worse, just when she's about to give her heart to Derek, a half-fairy, he starts pulling away.  When Lucas, a werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past, returns, Kylie's feels more conflicted than ever. Her weekend with her mom should have been the just the break Kylie needs, but it turns out to be her breaking point.  Someone from the dark side of the supernatural world has plans for Kylie--and it'll take all her resources to get back to Shadow Falls alive...


Thank you C.C. for joining us here today at From the Shadows !

To learn more about C.C. Hunter and her books, please visit her website.

Pandora's Box Giveaway Winner

Congratulations Wicked Leanore winner of our Pandora's Box Giveaway at From the Shadows!  Wicked Leanore will receive an ebook copy of Pandora's Box (Road to Hell #1) by Gracen Miller and a fabulous skull cameo pendant!

Thank you to all who entered!

**All From the Shadows giveaway winners selected using Random.org**

Fading Into Magic Giveaway

Feeling lucky? Madame Anca predicts a fabulous prize in the future of one of our readers.






















Fading Into Magic (Fading Into Magic #1) by Vone Savan

After entering a mysterious tent at the annual Augury Carnival where the words: Come Inside and Discover Your Fortune are persuasively written, seventeen-year-old, Madeline Morgan and her best friend, Dara, come face to face with Madame Anca, an ominous fortune teller who portends the girls' futures. For Dara, the experience is superficial. But for Madeline, things are different. Her fortune promises that she will soon find true love.

Spurred by Madame Anca's enticing prediction and a coincidental attraction to an elusive new stranger, Madeline starts to believe that true love might actually exist. But love—like most things—isn't always what it seems…and for Madeline, this discovery takes her on a dark and mystical journey that forces her to deal with the illusions of love and her own inner strength.






















**Fading Into Magic Giveaway**

We are giving away an autographed copy of Fading Into Magic by Vone Savan to one lucky winner!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact you if you win).  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  This giveaway is to US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends October 25th midnight EST.

To learn more about Vone Savan and his books, check out his author interview here or visit his website.

Legend of Witchtrot Road Blog Party Giveaway Winners

Thank you all SO much for partying with us this week and making our Legend of Witchtrot Road book launch a success. You all ROCK!

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Our release party giveaways have ended.  Now for our WINNERS.

Congratulations Library Lady, Jennifer, Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club, lovestodive, Coreena McBurnie, Renee Rearden, and Darlene winners of our Legend of Witchtrot Road Release Party Giveaway at From the Shadows!

Library Lady will receive our GRAND PRIZE:
3 Books: Signed copies of She Smells the Dead, Spirit Storm, and Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Spirit Guide Tote Bag stuffed with goodies (see below)
1 "I Smell Dead People" T-shirt (Size XL)
3 Postcards (She Smells the Dead, Spirit Storm, Legend of Witchtrot Road)
2 Bookmarks (She Smells the Dead and Legend of Witchtrot Road)
10 Spirit Guide Series Trading Cards
1 Oversize Legend of Witchtrot Road Postcard
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Sticker
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Poster

Jennifer, Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club, and lovestodive will receive FIRST PRIZE:
1 Signed trade paperback copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Ebook copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Spirit Guide Series Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Trading Cards)
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Sticker)

Coreena, Renee, and Darlene will receive SECOND PRIZE:
1 Ebook copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Spirit Guide Series Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Trading Cards)
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Sticker)

Thank you to all who entered!

Winners of our Legend of Witchtrot Road Twitter Party giveaways announced here.  Our #WitchtrotParty was fabulous fun.  Follow E.J. at @EJStevensAuthor for upcoming Twitter chats and giveaways.

Didn't win? Don't miss the Goodreads FirstReads Giveaway, 1,000 Follower Extravaganza Giveaway at A Cupcake and a Latte, and A Month of Treats: Halloween Character Interview Giveaway at For What It's Worth for more chances to win Spirit Guide Series books and swag.

Additional giveaways coming soon to Rabid Reads, Parajunkee's View, Good Choice Reading, and SeeitORreadit!

**All winners selected using Random.org**

Paranormal Guest Author: Amber Argyle (Witch Song)

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Amber Argyle!  Amber is the author of Witch Song.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Amber:  I've been inventing stories for as long as I can remember. I didn't actually start writing them down until junior high. I couldn't seem to write during high school or college--too much reading and writing for classes. I didn't have anything left over for being creative.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Amber:  The first time I read an YA epic fantasy, I was hooked. That week, I started writing. I've never looked back.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Amber:  I'd like to fly. Wouldn't that be soooo cool. I'd never be stuck in traffic again.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Amber:  So far, readers have loved Witch Song because it's so different from everything out there. The medium for the Witch's magic is singing. Their magic changes the seasons, instantly grows and controls plants.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Amber:  I really have no idea. Anyone have any ideas?
























Witch Song by Amber Argyle

The world is changing. Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons--but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor. All but Brusenna. As the echo of their songs fade, the traitor grows stronger. Now she is coming for Brusenna. Her guardian has sworn to protect her, but even he can't stop the Dark Witch. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her. Because if Brusenna doesn't, there won't be anything left to save.


Thank you Amber for joining us here today at From the Shadows !

To learn more about Amber Argyle and her books, please visit her website.

Legend of Witchtrot Road Twitter Party Giveaway Winners

Thank you, thank you, thank you ALL for an AMAZING book launch yesterday.

Legend of Witchtrot Road has been receiving fabulous positive press from early reviewers. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and feedback!

Our Legend of Witchtrot Road Twitter Party is now over and it is time to announce THE WINNERS.






















@JanaRathouska (Jana Rathouská), @KnightTrilogy (Katie M. John), @LadyVampire2u (Lady Vampire), @artdem83 (Diana Giote), @autumneffect (Shannon) will each receive an ebook copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road and a signed Legend of Witchtrot Road postcard from the author.

@KristinaD77 (KristinaDjordjevski) will receive a signed trade paperback copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road by E.J. Stevens and a swag pack filled with postcards, bookmarks, and trading cards.

Winners please message E.J. with your email and mailing address here.

Congratulations winners!

Didn't win?  Don't miss our Legend of Witchtrot Road Release Party Giveaway here at From the Shadows, the Goodreads FirstReads Giveaway, and 1,000 Follower Extravaganza Giveaway at A Cupcake and a Latte for more chances to win Spirit Guide series books and swag.

Additional giveaways coming soon to For What It's Worth, Rabid Reads, Parajunkee's View, Good Choice Reading, SeeitORreadit, and more.

Legend of Witchtrot Road Release Party + Giveaways

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Time to PARTY!  Today is the official US Release of Legend of Witchtrot Road, the third book in the Spirit Guide series.

Are you EXCITED?  You should be!  We have some fabulous Spirit Guide Series book and swag giveaways here at From the Shadows, Goodreads, and on Twitter.  So many chances to win!

Check out Legend of Witchtrot Road Release Party Central to keep track of events and giveaways.

The BOOK...

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Legend of Witchtrot Road (Spirit Guide #3) by E.J. Stevens

The night of Samhain may be behind them, but Yuki and her friends have only begun to face the challenges of their paranormal gifts. Tensions are rising--in the pack, at school, and within their tightly knit group of friends.

The tragic death of Wakefield High student Dylan Jacobs has emotions boiling over. The J-Team, Yuki's arch nemesis, have turned the entire football team against her. They claim that Yuki is a witch and blame her for the death of their fellow teammate. Will Yuki be able to solve the mystery of Dylan's death, and the legend of Witchtrot Road, before tempers flare and things turn violent?

Surviving agitated ghosts, irritated witches, angry werewolves, and the horrors of high school has never been so hard.


The GIVEAWAYS...

GRAND PRIZE (1 Winner):
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3 Books: Signed copies of She Smells the Dead, Spirit Storm, and Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Spirit Guide Tote Bag stuffed with goodies (see below)
1 "I Smell Dead People" T-shirt (Size XL)
3 Postcards (She Smells the Dead, Spirit Storm, Legend of Witchtrot Road)
2 Bookmarks (She Smells the Dead and Legend of Witchtrot Road)
10 Spirit Guide Series Trading Cards
1 Oversize Legend of Witchtrot Road Postcard
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Sticker
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Poster

FIRST PRIZE (3 Winners):

1 Signed trade paperback copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Ebook copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Spirit Guide Series Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Trading Cards)
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Sticker)

SECOND PRIZE (3 Winners):

1 Ebook copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road
1 Spirit Guide Series Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Trading Cards)
1 Legend of Witchtrot Road Swag Pack (Postcards, Bookmarks, Sticker)

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact you if you win). You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Giveaway ends October 7th midnight EST.

and MORE GIVEAWAYS...

Don't miss our LEGEND OF WITCHTROT ROAD BOOK BIRTHDAY TWITTER PARTY happening ALL DAY on Twitter.  More fab prizes all day long!

Also giving away one signed copy of Legend of Witchtrot Road on Goodreads.

Legend of Witchtrot Road by E.J. Stevens now available in Trade Paperback on Amazon and Ebook editions on Amazon (Kindle), Amazon.UK (Kindle), Smashwords (PDF/Epub/Kindle/NOOK/and more), and Barnes and Noble (NOOK).

Paranormal Guest Author: Lia Habel (Dearly Departed)

Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Lia Habel.  Lia is the author of the new steampunk zombie romance novel Dearly, Departed.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Lia:  I've always written - but only to entertain myself. I kept a story journal all throughout high school, and I even remember writing a story during free play time in first grade. I never imagined that I had the skill necessary to become a published author, however.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Lia:  The way I was raised - which sounds pretentious and somehow generationally goth, but it's not. I was raised by a mother who was very into horror films and books, and who saw no need to shelter me from her hobby. She was under the shocking impression that if I was scared by something I saw, I'd excuse myself from the room. I seldom made that choice, and I'm benefiting from it today. I grew up with vampires, zombies, ghosts, and iconic characters like Jason and Freddy as part of my cultural landscape. Other girls had The Baby-Sitters Club; I had King and Craven.

Where I differ from my mother - even today - is that she's honestly *scared* by this stuff. That's why she watches it, after all! Because I grew up with it (and probably because I'm inherently weird), I just *love* it. I've always sympathized with the monsters, even preferred them to the "handsome" heroic characters. So now I write about monsters making good and getting the girl - because prettyboys have enough people on their side.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Lia:  I'm actually quite happy being human. I certainly don't want to be anything immortal; immortality has always struck me as a terrifying concept. (Eventually you would get so BORED.) Maybe something to help me in my "service" to my beloved monsters? The ability to speak any monstrous language at will, or see or sense otherwise subtle paranormal beings?

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Lia:  Because it's a Big Old Book (tons of story) about a futuristic Victorian society with zombies! And the zombies are the best part. I love my dead crew to death (ha, ha) and have so much fun writing them. They're not angsty teen paranormal characters - they're incredibly strong, resilient, and fiercely loyal to one another. I think they embody the idea of "'till death do us part" more strongly than any living marriage ever could. They have great senses of humor. And it's all made more tragic by the fact that eventually we'll watch them rot apart - they're not sanitized, and there is no hope of a happy immortal ending.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Lia:  I've thought about this question a lot, and I've still only come up with a few! I'm terrible with faces and names, and I don't tend to imagine actors when I'm creating or writing my characters. It's a bit difficult to match them up after the fact.

Nora Dearly - Definitely Emily Browning. Nora is a teenage girl with a baby face, no curves, tiny voice, teensy height - she's like a mouthy china doll with a gun.

Bram Griswold - Gaspard Ulliel. Just make him really, really pale and put him in uniform. Specifically this picture:





















Renfield Merriweather the Third - Matthew Gray Gubler. WITH the long curly hair. My skeletal nerd zombie.

Vespertine Mink - Gemma Ward. Blond bully, but there's much more to her.

Dr. Victor Dearly - Who wants to see Michael Caine as a posh zombie doctor with a cybernetic leg? I DO!

Dr. Baldwin Samedi - Aaand who wants to see John Hamm as a zombie engineer who can remove his own head? I REALLY DO.























Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid's arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country's political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune, and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she's nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she's suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting "The Laz," a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there's no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, steampunk meets romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.


Thank you Lia for joining us here today at From the Shadows !

To learn more about Lia Habel and her books, please visit her website.

December Moon Giveaway Winners

Congratulations Naj and Brandy Barber Bates winners of our December Moon Giveaway at From the Shadows!

Naj will receive an Ebook copy of December Moon by Suzy Turner.

Brandy will receive a paperback copy of December Moon by Suzy Turner.

Thank you to all who entered!

**All giveaway winners selected using Random.org**

From the Shadows Blogoversary Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations InlovewithTwilight7 winner of our From the Shadows Blogoversary Giveaway !  InlovewithTwilight7 will receive her choice of $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 book from The Book Depository.

Thank you all for entering!

**All giveaway winners selected using Random.org**