E.J. Stevens's Blog, page 82

Guest Author Interview: Mayandree Michel

Please welcome today's guest author Mayandree Michel!  Mayandree is the author of Betrayal.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Mayandree:  I honestly can't remember when I began writing. I believe it was in middle school. I used to pair my stories of witches and mayhem with sketches and give them to my friends. They loved them and couldn't wait until the next mini graphic novel would be ready to read.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Mayandree:  It all started with a borrowed copy of Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire. I never turned back.

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

Mayandree:   Hmmm...I wouldn't mind a combination of the invisble woman, because It would be pretty sneaky to go places and never be seen, and the ability to stop time - I would love to get a few extra hours into my day.

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

Mayandree:  Betrayal has something for every one who loves paranormal / fantasy. Betrayal is an exciting read with a melange of romance, Greek myth, time travel, plenty of supernatural elements, secrets, and scandal. It's quick paced with enough twists and turns that will leave the reader satisfied, but wanting more.

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

Mayandree:   I'd like to leave that to the reader's imagination. Everyone who reads my story will picture the characters and identify with them in a unique way so I'd be curious to see who they think could portray the characters.























Betrayal (The Descendants #1) by Mayandree Michel

Where there is love and power, there is always... betrayal.

At seventeen, Cordelia is an ordinary teen with an extraordinary and frightening secret. A secret that induces vivid dreams which she not only experiences true love, but crippling fear while barely escaping with her life each night.  After a life altering event, Cordelia has an unexpected encounter with Evan, the mysterious boy from her dreams, who reveals who and what she is; a descendant of the Greek gods. At that moment everything she knows of her world is a lie, and she must leave the present and go into the past to assume the role she was put on this earth for; safeguarding her ancient empire amidst evil forces that toil hastily to destroy it.

In a race against time, Cordelia must decide if she is truly a part of this dangerous world, or risk defying the gods, and ultimately lose the boy who has put a claim on her heart.


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

To learn more about Mayandree Michel and her books, please visit her website.

Those Who Fight Monsters Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations Mark winner of our Those Who Fight Monsters Giveaway !  Mark will receive a copy of Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives signed by Justin Gustainis.

Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives is a fabulous anthology perfect for any urban fantasy fan.  Read E.J.'s review here.

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

Guest Author Interview: Thomas Amo

Please welcome today's guest author Thomas Amo!  Thomas is the author of An Apple for Zoe.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Thomas:   After a visit to the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland when I was about 9 years old. I was so mesmerized by all of it, of course I thought it was a real house and I wanted to live there. Before we left the park, I begged my mom to buy me, the Haunted Mansion album, so I could listen to the story over and over, and then I got the idea that if I loved scary houses and ghosts so much, there must be other people like me who do also. Maybe if I write a scary story people will buy it and I can buy my mom a house. The thought process of a child.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Thomas:   The Universal Horror films from the 1930's and 40's. I couldn't get enough of ghost stories or anything related to something supernatural. I used to buy a monthly print magazine called "Famous Monster of Filmland" by the late Forrest J. Ackerman. I would spend hours reading and re-reading those magazines.
But more directly to your question, I had always wanted to write that book that would scare me. I'm not interested in gore, or grossing people out. I want to give you that feeling you get when you're home alone and you suddenly become aware, someone or something is watching you and you're really not alone. The paranormal is the one thing I've never lost an interest in. I'm really thrilled to see it's literally the number one genre in fiction right now.

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

Thomas:   I would have to say most likely I would choose to be able to "Read Minds" Then I would know if someone really liked my book or not. LOL.

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

Thomas:  An Apple For Zoë is the kind of story that makes you feel uncertain at all times. Do I take that next step, do I dare look under the bed. It deals in questions we all have about ghosts, demons, God, the devil. Is it politically incorrect now to blame things on the devil? Or is all the evil in this world simply just random acts of violence done by bad people. I think there is so much more going on, that if we knew the truth, we'd probably wish we didn't. If you like a mystery that keeps becoming more disturbing the more you look at it, then I think you will enjoy An Apple For Zoe. Which btw is a trilogy. It didn't start out that way, but when I was 50 pages from the end of book one...I knew there was so much more story to tell that I decided there would be two more books to come.

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

Thomas:  Oh as if I haven't been doing this since I first started writing Zoe. LOL. You know I am a HUGE fan of L O S T, what I wouldn't give to work or see actors like Michael Emmerson or Josh Holloway work on something I wrote. I've kicked around Liam Neesom for the lead, because he has that great presence about him. You know he can handle himself, yet he also possesses a vulnerability that tugs your heart strings. Funny enough I have a line in the book where the manager of the hotel confronts the main character and that character laments about how the manager looked like Alan Rickman, not Harry Potter Alan Rickman, but DieHard Alan Rickman, he only hoped his name wasn't Hans. So it would be a kick to see Alan Rickman play the hotel manager. And as far as the lead female, I'm partial to Tania Raymonde, who played Alex on L O S T. She's on my A list, I think she's got great range and is beautiful to boot!























An Apple for Zoe by Thomas Amo

The City of San Francisco is locked in a grip of fear. A series of occult murders has led, Inspector Thomas James, to a crime scene similar to a murder committed 90 years ago in the once grand Aleris Hotel. A place where power barons of the early 20th Century engaged in witchcraft. And silent film stars indulged in the most wicked of sins.

A place where no one questions the black smoke that rises from the hotel's incinerators in the middle of the night.


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

To learn more about Thomas Amo and his books, please visit his website.

Book Giveaway: The Silent Land by Graham Joyce

We are giving away one hardcover copy of The Silent Land by Graham Joyce to one lucky winner!






















The Silent Land by Graham Joyce

Award-winning novelist and cult favorite Graham Joyce transports readers to a mysterious world of isolation and fear with a hypnotically dark story about a young couple trapped by an avalanche in the remote French Alps . . . a daring and powerful novel about love, loss, and rebirth. In the French Alps around Chamonix, a young married couple is buried under a flash avalanche while skiing. Miraculously, Jake and Zoe dig their way out from under the snow—only to discover the world they knew has been overtaken by an eerie and absolute silence. Their hotel is devoid of another living soul. Cell phones and land lines are cut off. An evacuation as sudden and thorough as this leaves Jake and Zoe to face a terrifying situation alone. They are trapped by the storm, completely isolated, with another catastrophic avalanche threatening to bury them alive . . . again. And as the couple begin to witness unset­tling events neither one can ignore, they are forced to con­front a frightening truth about the silent land they now inhabit. 






















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 (sorry!).  Giveaway ends April 20th midnight EST.

Guest Author Interview: Tina M. Randolph

Please welcome today's guest author Tina M. Randolph!  Tina is the author of The Keys of Fate series (Tower of Change), Mystic Deja series (Maze of Existence, Mecca of Ice), The Tempestt Saga (Moon Warp), Alchemyth, and The Jealousy Garden series (Secret Love Letter).

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Tina:   I began writing when I was a teenager in high school. I wrote lyrical songs, and actually began a book series for children about my childhood, which I have yet to complete.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Tina:   I am compelled to write about the paranormal, because of my psychic and astral traveling abilities that I've had since childhood. I've learned so many new theories about the universe, and what a human being is capable of, that I just had to share it with the world as fiction.

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

Tina:  I love the ability of astral traveling, and I don't think I can live without it. I am able to see things from many perspectives, and this helps me understand my existence, and what to look forward to in the afterlife.

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

Tina:   The Jealousy Garden introduces a love triangle that spirals out of control. It is the powerful fragrances in the garden that heighten the senses of Faith Alexander, who is in love with Vance Carter. Her affection is reciprocated, but Vance is supposed to be in love with Hailey. This is no ordinary tale of love, covetousness, and jealousy. There are meddling ghosts that add to the suspense and drama of it all. The mystery of Cristina and why she hates true love is a riddle that if unraveled, will stop the strange deaths that befall the residents of Raven Hill Estates.

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

Tina:   Faith Alexander ~ Jessica Alba: Likable, uniquely beautiful…with the ability to stir up our emotions for the character.
Vance Carter ~ Hayden Christensen: Talented, handsome, mischievous…and intelligent.
Hailey ~ Blake Lively: How could any character not be jealous…of this girlfriend.
Shawn Howard ~ James Franco: Handsome and charming…with a spark of innocence.
Cristina ~ Natalie Portman: Her timeless beauty and acting range makes for the perfect ghost.























Secret Love Letter (The Jealousy Garden #1) by Tina M. Randolph

The jealousy garden yields powerful fragrances that would break any spell of love. Or so they say...Cristina lost her only heart ages ago, and can't seem to let go of her past. The problem is, she's been a phantom ever since the day it happened.

To make matters worse, mysterious accidents keep befalling the residents of Raven Hill Estates. And unfortunately, love doesn't conquer all. There is enough fear, covetousness, and plenty of suspicion to deter soulmates from staying connected.

Cristina will stop at nothing to keep new sweethearts apart, but there's a secret that if unraveled, would solve the strange mystery of the jealousy garden.


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

To learn more about Tina M. Randolph and her books, please visit her website.

Spirit Guide Series Romance Trading Cards

Spirit Guide Series romance trading cards are here! 

There are currently two sets of Spirit Guide Series RTCs, one set for each book in the series.  Each set contains five trading cards.  Check out the swagalicious She Smells the Dead and Spirit Storm romance trading cards below.

She Smells the Dead:





Spirit Storm:





Want FREE cards?  For a limited time E.J. will be mailing out sets of She Smells the Dead and Spirit Storm romance trading cards (US mailing addresses only).  To sign up for your free Spirit Guide Series RTCs, please fill out the form below (or follow this link).  Easy peasy!

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Legend of Witchtrot Road romance trading cards available after the September 2011 book release.  Collect them all!

Shadows of Myth and Legend Book Birthday Giveaway Winners!

Congratulations to our Shadows of Myth and Legend Book Birthday Giveaway winners!

Congrats Natalie23 winner of the Shadows of Myth and Legend ebook!

Congrats Heidi (loveangel132) winner of a signed copy of Shadows of Myth and Legend, Shadows of Myth and Legend bookmarks, and magnet!

Thank you to all who entered. xx

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

Guest Author Interview: Lori Devoti

Please welcome today's guest author Lori Devoti!  Lori is the author of the Unbound series (Unbound, Guardian's Keep, Wild Hunt, Dark Crusade, The Hellhound King), Amazon series (Amazon Ink, Amazon Queen), Captured, Lured, When Gargoyles Fly, Zombie Moon, Lost: A Vampire Romance, and Demon High.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Lori:  I am not one of those authors who can say I started writing when my fingers were strong enough to hold a pencil and haven't put it down since. I did do some writing, mainly poetry, in high school and took a few very short/half-hearted attempts at novels in my twenties. But I didn't really start writing until I gave up my job and stayed home with my daughter. Then writing became my outlet.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Lori:   I love fantasy. It is probably my main love for reading. Adding paranormal elements to my fiction just made sense.

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

Lori:  They say if you choose invisibility you are sneaky, but I do have to say it would come in darn handy sometimes. I'd also like to be able to shift into a cat, but a nice well-fed cat who people let into their houses on cold nights.

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

Lori:   Demon High is a young adult urban fantasy novel. It is on the dark side with a serial killer escaped from hell and a succubus. I don't like to water things down, so while it is a long way from horror in my opinion, the things I think would have happened in the story are in the story. But despite the demons and serial killer it is, like all of my fiction, about the characters. I love my characters and for me they are what books are all about. You need plot, but it is just the road the characters travel. (Oh and right now, I have Demon High on sale for only $.99. Hopefully, readers like that!)

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

Lori:   This is terrible, but I have no idea. It isn't how I think. I would love, however, if someone who has read the book would tell me!























Demon High by Lori Devoti.

Lucinda Dent never planned to call demons. She wasn't stupid, after all. She'd seen what the addiction had done to her mother. But her mother has been gone for ten years, sucked into hell by a demon, and all Lucinda has left is her grandmother and the house she grew up in. Who could blame her for using the only thing her mother gave her, a talent for demon calling, to save them? Lucinda teams up with an old friend and together they set up business, calling demons. But soon things go terribly wrong. Demons are loose in Caldera High, and not only is Lucinda responsible, she just might be in love with one of them. Can love conquer all or is Lucinda about to lose everything--her home, her new love, and her soul?Author Note: This is dark urban fantasy which contains curse words and sexual situations. It is not squeaky clean.


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

To learn more about Lori Devoti and her books, please visit her website.

Guest Author Interview: Rebecca Zanetti + Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author Rebecca Zanetti!  Rebecca is the author of Fated.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Rebecca:  Well…to be honest, we were snowed in December 2008-January 2009, and I sat down and finally started to write that book I'd been thinking about forever. I knew it was something I eventually wanted to do, but there have been lot of things in my life I wanted to pursue, and I did. Now that the floodgates are open, I can't stop. I'll always keep writing now.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Rebecca:  You know, I am fascinated by the old battle between good and evil, and that theme shows up in my writing. The paranormal genre really lends itself to that theme, so I think that was the attraction for me. And I like the "how" of life. So if a vampire can teleport from one place to another, I like figuring out how that could actually happen. (String theory…which studies dimensions).

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

Rebecca:   It'd be cool to be immortal, so long as my friends and family were immortal too. Otherwise, I'd like to be able to teleport…just show up at the Nordstrom's in Seattle for a day without having to get on an airplane first.

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

Rebecca:  FATED is sexy and action packed. The hero is the ultimate-alpha…who discovers his sweet side in a rather clumsy way when he falls in love with the rational, scientific heroine who SO doesn't believe in fate. Of course, they're fighting the bad guys who have developed a virus that attacks vampire mates…

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

Rebecca:  I think Jason Momoa makes an awesome hero. He played the ultimate soldier on Stargate Atlantis, yet he had a surprisingly sweet side. And he was sexy as all get out. Emily Rose makes a fantastic heroine. She plays Audrey Parker on the Haven television show (adapted from a Stephen King novella). She's smart, logical and slightly vulnerable. So I choose them. :)























Fated by Rebecca Zanetti

Marry Me

Cara Paulsen does not give up easily. A scientist and a single mother, she's used to fighting for what she wants, keeping a cool head, and doing whatever it takes to protect her daughter Janie. But "whatever it takes" has never before included a shotgun wedding to a dangerous-looking stranger with an attitude problem. . .

Or Else

Sure, the mysterious Talen says that he's there to protect Cara and Janie. He also says that he's a three-hundred-year-old vampire. Of course, the way he touches her, Cara might actually believe he's had that long to practice. . . 
 

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

To learn more about Rebecca Zanetti and her books, please visit her website.























**Fated International Giveaway**

We are giving away a copy of Fated by Rebecca Zanetti 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 International!  Giveaway ends April 12th midnight EST.

Book Review: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place #1) by Maryrose Wood.

Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander, age ten or thereabouts, keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia, perhaps four or five, has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf, age somewhere-in-the-middle, is alarmingly adept at chasing squirrels.

Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Only fifteen years old and a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must help them overcome their canine tendencies.  But mysteries abound at Ashton Place: Who are these three wild creatures, and how did they come to live in the vast forests of the estate? Why does Old Timothy, the coachman, lurk around every corner? Will Penelope be able to teach the Incorrigibles table manners and socially useful phrases in time for Lady Constance's holiday ball? And what on earth is a schottische?

Review:

A fabulously fun middle-grade series.  The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling is the enchanting first book in The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series.  This book is a delightful middle-grade read.  Miss Penelope Lumley, fifteen year old graduate of Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, is thrust into her first position as governess at the manor house of the wealthy Ashton family.  The children who are put in young Penelope's care, however are not the progeny of Lord and Lady Ashton, but orphans that have been recently forced, at gunpoint, to leave their home in the woods on the Ashton estate grounds.  Fortunately for the children, Penelope has a large heart and an even larger desire to take her role as governess quite seriously.  Armed only with her wits and the anecdotes of her former school mistress Agatha Swanburne, Penelope faces the challenges and mysteries of the incorrigible children.  Maryrose Wood weaves a lighthearted tale that will appeal to young readers and readers who remain young at heart.

I highly recommend The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling to readers of Victorian mysteries and middle-grade fiction.  The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling may appeal to fans of The Agency series by Y.S. Lee.

Note: I read much of this book out loud to my corgi and she *loved* it!  Wood's lyrical prose and the howling dialogue of the incorrigible children make this a fun book to read to others.

Source: This book was purchased by E.J. for review.


The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling on Amazon.
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling on Goodreads.