E.J. Stevens's Blog, page 83

Guest Author Interview: Matt Forbeck

Please welcome today's guest author Matt Forbeck!  Matt is the author of the Guild Wars series (Ghosts of Escalon), Eberron: The Lost Mark series (Marked for Death, Road to Death, The Queen of Death), Blood Bowl, Amortals, and Vegas Knights.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Matt:   I started writing professionally when I was in college, first as a game designer writing rules for board games and books for tabletop roleplaying games. I'd written since I was in grade school, of course, and I have a degree in Creative Writing from the Residential College at the University of Michigan, but I first started getting paid for it when I was in college.

My first published short story came out in 1992 in an anthology based on the TORG roleplaying game called STRANGE TALES FROM THE NILE EMPIRE. It was a modern-day pulp mashup. I've written lots of shorts since then, and 15 novels, the first 13 of which were tie-ins based on games or films. My first original novel, AMORTALS, came out in the US in January, and my second, VEGAS KNIGHTS, is due out in March.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Matt:   I grew up reading comic books, which are not even a single bound away from what we now consider paranormal fiction. I also loved the noir fiction of Chandler and Hammett. Mixing the two into a modern-day setting makes for the best kind of fictional fusion cuisine.

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

Matt:   Omniscience, although that might be asking for a bit too much. Knowing everything might blow even the brightest mind. Otherwise, I'd say time travel. There's nothing like being able to go back and fix mistakes.

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

Matt:  I had a ball writing it, and I hope they'll have just as much fun reading it. It's a fast-paced roller coaster of a ride that starts with two college freshmen heading to Las Vegas to try breaking the bank at the Blackjack tables by way of a little magic. They soon find out they're far from the first people to have thought of this, and it all spirals out of control from there.

Hmm. That's just a sales pitch, of course. How about a couple quotes?

The Ranting Dragon said ""I have held my breath before; I have felt my heartbeat rise before; but never have I physically shaken from the rush generated from the action contained in a book until I read Vegas Knights… If you're craving a fast-paced action adventure, skip a movie and grab a copy of Vegas Knights instead… This is popcorn fantasy at its best."

William King wrote "Vegas Knights is a smart, slick, noir fantasy. If Elmore Leonard had written Harry Potter for grown-ups, it would read something like this."

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

Matt:  For VEGAS KNIGHTS? I don't really know. I'd suspect the leads would be relative unknowns, as they're pretty young. I could see George Clooney as Harry Houdini. He'd be perfect for that. Mostly I'd just be thrilled to see VEGAS KNIGHTS on the silver screen.























Vegas Knights by Matt Forbeck.

Ocean's Eleven meets Harry Potter as two student wizards try to scam a Vegas casino… using magic!

When two college freshmen decide to use Spring Break making magic on the gambling tables of Las Vegas, little do they imagine that Vegas harbours a dark magical secret of its own… the whole place is run by magic, and they won't believe who's in charge…


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

To learn more about Matt Forbeck and his books, please visit his website.

Hope Welsh Ebook Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations BLHmistress winner of our Hope Welsh Ebook Giveaway !  BLHmistress will receive three ebooks by Hope Welsh, Linked, The Storm Within, and Forbidden and Bitten.

Thank you to all who entered! 

Didn't win?  Check out the Shadows of Myth and Legend Book Birthday Giveaway for a signed copy of Shadows of Myth and Legend and swag pack (US) or ebook (International) here (ends 3/31) and the Those Who Fight Monsters Giveaway for a signed copy of the urban fantasy anthology Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives (US) here (ends 4/5).


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

Spring Spirit Guide Series Postcards

It's that time again!  Want a free Spirit Guide Series postcard signed by E.J.? 

Join E.J.'s mailing list by filling out the form here and receive a signed 'Yuki with Cherry Blossoms' Spirit Guide Series postcard.  Your privacy is important and your address will never be shared or sold. 

Happy Spring! xx

Guest Author Interview: Zoe Winters

Please welcome today's guest author Zoe Winters!  Zoe is the author of the Preternaturals series including Blood Lust and Save My Soul.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Zoe:   I don't remember my exact age, but I know for sure I was writing by junior high because I wrote a novel in 8th grade. It was like a Goosebumps/R.L. Stine sort of thing.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Zoe:  Well, in jr. high there was the whole Goosebumps thing, but I didn't get back into paranormal until adulthood. Like many paranormal romance authors, I got hooked on Buffy and her vampire romances.

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

Zoe:  The power of teleportation because you save on gas money and can go anywhere at any time. Sick? Boom. You're at the doctor's office. Your cousin six states away needs you? Boom. You're there. Want to visit Japan? Well, you get the picture. To me it would be the most useful, time saving, and money saving power to have.

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

Zoe:  Save my soul has a healthy dose of both snark/humor and angst as well as a very satisfying ending. Actually, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say my own book has a satisfying ending, but it totally does, so I'm saying it anyway.

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

Zoe:  I actually have no idea who I'd cast in male roles. Though I'd put Eliza Dushku as Anna because she has a great range... great with snark/comedy but also plays the frightened/vulnerable role well. Anna is a bit of both.























Save My Soul (Preternaturals, book 2) by Zoe Winters.

ALL HE'S ASKING FOR IS HER SOUL

After buying the antebellum home she's fantasized about since childhood, Anna Worthington discovers Luc, a dangerously seductive incubus who has been trapped in the house by a fifty-year-old curse. To rid herself of her problem house guest she'll call on a priest, gypsies, ghost hunters, and the coven of witches from lust bunny hell. All she has to do is resist him long enough to break the spell so they can go their separate ways. If she doesn't, she could die. And that would be the best case scenario.


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

To learn more about Zoe Winters and her books, please visit her website.

Book Review + Giveaway 'Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives'

Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives edited by Justin Gustainis.

Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives brings together popular characters from many Urban Fantasy paranormal investigative series, for your enjoyment.

Meet the Detectives:

Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman's Cosa Nostradamus series.
Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner's Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series.
John Taylor - from Simon R. Green's Nightside series.
Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow's Jill Kismet series.
Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series.
Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis' Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt's Marla Mason series.
Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff's Smoke and Shadows series.
Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green's Vampire Babylon series.
Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge's Black London series.
Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp's Tales of the Sazi series.
Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler's Hell on Earth series.
Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson's Brooklyn Knight series.
Cassiel - from Rachel Caine's Outcast Season series.

Demons may lurk, werewolves may prowl, vampires may ride the wind. These are things that go bump in the night, but we are the ones who bump back!

Review:

Tasty bites of dark, gritty Urban Fantasy.  Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives is a wonderful collection of urban fantasy short stories.  This anthology takes us on numerous paranormal adventures with the intriguing, multifaceted perspective of fourteen hunters and their prey.  I enjoyed the diversity of this anthology.  While these short stories all share a common thread, they are also each unique.  Take a journey into the bowels of nightmare cities, roam the streets with weres and fae, or pull up a stool at your favorite watering hole.  No matter where you turn there be monsters...and those who dare to fight them.

Here are spoiler-free teasers to give the flavor of each short story in this delectable UF anthology.

"So, uh, what exactly is the beast of Felport? Werewolf, demon, undead mutant water buffalo? My grasp of local history is a little shaky"
-Little Better than a Beast

"Huuuuuuuman." That one came from somewhere off to my left.  The shiver became an itch, the urge to follow, to find the treasure such a creature undoubtedly hid here, below ground, in its mines.
-Dusted

Besides, I didn't have the best of luck with boys.  The first time I went out with a guy, he turned out to be a demon.
-The Demon You Know...

It's always half full of junk and garbage, and the only reason there aren't any bodies to step over is because the rats have eaten them all. You have to watch out for rats in the Nightside; some people say they're evolving.
-The Spirit of the Thing

When another hunter calls, you go.  It's that simple.  We who hold back the tide of Hell don't ask for help lightly.
-Holding the Line

What was it Kitty sometimes said? Just when you thought you were getting a handle on the supernatural, just when you thought you'd seen it all, something even more unbelievable came along.
-Defining Shadows

The once coal-black hair was shot through with streaks of gray that made him look older than his years.  The black hair came from the Morris family tree.  The gray was put there by the family profession, begun over a century ago by a man who died in the shadow of Castle Dracula.
-Deal Breaker

Having Henry Fitzroy, bastard of Henry VIII, romance writer, and vampire based in Vancouver was enough to bring in the fine and freaky.  Since Tony had started developing his powers, the freaky vastly outnumbered the fine.
-See Me

As a former vampire who'd been turned human again with the termination of her maker, Dawn knew just what it was like to feel the darkness as it tried to drag you under.
-Soul Stains

The Lament was theoretically a neutral zone in the Black, the ebb and flow of magical London that existed out of most people's sight.  No fighting, no magic and no Fae.
-Under the Hill and Far Away

Blame the werewolf in me.  When I get annoyed, my mask of humanity slips a little, even with my former employer.
-An Ace in the Hole

"I'm an equal opportunity succubus," I agreed happily.  Whatever the gender, whatever the form, I loved humans.  To death.
-Hell Bound

He worked as a curate at the rightly famous Brooklyn Museum.  As such, Knight had access to both religious and blasphemous articles of historical significance from throughout human history.
-Impossible Love

Luis didn't like to let me stray too far, claiming that I was a magnet for trouble.  That might have had some credence, actually; I did seem to draw attention to myself far too much for safety.
-Running Wild

I highly recommend Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives to readers of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal suspense, and especially to fans of urban fantasy anthologies.  Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives may appeal to fans of Justin Gustainis, T.A. Pratt, Laura Anne Gilman, Julie Kenner, Simon R. Green, Lilith Saintcrow, Carrie Vaughn, Tanya Huff, Chris Marie Green, Caitlin Kittredge, C.T. Adams, Cathy Clamp, Jackie Kessler, C.J. Henderson, and Rachel Caine.

Sensitive reader warning: mild violence, sexual situations.  The short story 'Hell Bound' contains explicit adult material.

Source: This book was provided by the author or publisher for honest review.

Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives on Amazon.
Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives on Goodreads.























 **Those Who Fight Monsters Giveaway**

We are giving away a copy of Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives signed by Justin Gustainis!

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!).  US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends April 5th midnight EST.

Indie Authors Relief: Raising Funds for Japan

Indie Authors Relief is raising money for Red Cross International to provide assistance in the wake of the Japan earthquake and tsunami disaster.  We have auctions going on now with fab items up for grabs.  Check out all of our auction items here. 

Want fun YA paranormal books and swag?  Check out E.J.'s auction (#2: Spirit Storm Tote Bag Full of Goodies by E. J. STEVENS ) for a Spirit Storm tote bag stuffed with signed copies of She Smells the Dead and Spirit Storm, the first two books in E.J. Stevens' YA paranormal series, an "I Smell Dead People" t-shirt (size XL), Spirit Guide series bookmarks, postcards, and Romance Trading Cards - packs of 5 full-color cards each for She Smells the Dead and Spirit Storm.  Auction ends 3/20 at midnight EST.

A HUGE thank you to all who participate. xx

Guest Author Interview: Ramona Wray

Please welcome today's guest author Ramona Wray!  Ramona is the author of Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Ramona:  I started keeping a journal as I turned six, but I don't know if that counts as "writing". I can't really remember when I sat down and wrote my first story - I must've been eight, or so. Writing is something I always did; it's kind of hard to say when it began.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Ramona:  I was brought up by my grandparents, which was awesome because they were both very talented storytellers. With my country's rich folklore, virtually every bedtime story I can remember kept to the supernatural. It was my grandparents' favorite genre, too. So I grew up listening to these fantastic tales and trying to imagine the characters featured in them. No wonder I ended up writing paranormal fiction.

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

Ramona:  I've said it before - I'd like to be able to read really fast - as in, glance at a page and instantly learn the whole content. This is because, although I'm a fast reader, I never get enough time to read as much as I'd like.

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

Ramona:   Hex is an easy story - in the sense that it has been written to entertain. The language is very relaxed, the mythology behind - easy to follow, and there are enough twists and turns to keep a reader turning the pages. Not to mention the boys :-) I'm banking on the two male protagonists to elicit a few sighs here and there from the female readership.

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

Ramona:  Ah, the second trickiest question in the world :-) I think I'll leave it up to the readers to imagine it. I'm sure every person who picks up Hex will visualize the three major characters somewhat differently. To give them famous faces would be to interfere with that. So rather than sharing mine, I'll leave the readers to do their own fantasizing ;-)






















Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray.

Like most girls at Rosemound High School, seventeen-year-old Lily Crane is acutely aware of Ryder Kingscott. Hands down the cutest guy in school, Ryder is cool, mysterious, and utterly untouchable…especially for Lily. For when she touches someone, Lily instantly learns all about their lives. And while such a skill might seem nifty, in truth it is wrecking Lily's life. So she is shocked when Ryder asks her out — and even more shocked to discover he has a rival. Lucian Bell is the gorgeous new kid who can't take his eyes off of Lily. Being pursued by two hotties should make a girl happy, but Lily is skeptical. The boys act as if they've met before, hating each other with a passion that could only be rooted in a dark, dangerous past. A past full of terrible secrets. The kind of secrets that could get a girl killed.


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

To learn more about Ramona Wray and her books, please visit her website.

Shadows of Myth and Legend Book Birthday Giveaway

Happy One Year Book Birthday to Shadows of Myth and Legend!  My collection of paranormal poetry Shadows of Myth and Legend released one year ago this month and I am celebrating with a giveaway.


















Shadows of Myth and Legend by E.J. Stevens.

"Filled with poems about vampires, demons and other creatures of the night."
-Melissa, Books R US

"I just want to sit back and enjoy the flow of the words, the haunting world of myth and legend, of paranormal creatures and beasts of times long gone that Stevens has immortalized in the written word.  And enjoy it I did."
-Roxanne, Fang-tastic Books

"The author has beautiful poetry featuring wolves, vampires, fae, gnomes, zombie's, unicorns, sirens, reapers and more. Each poem is wonderfully written and has a dark feel to each one."
-Amy, My Overstuffed Bookshelf

"I recommend this delectably dark book to every one!"
-Freda, Freda's Voice

"Each poem found within this book recounts a vivid story which at times can be dark, haunting, disturbing and yet beautiful in its own individual way."
-Calum, The Secret Writer

"Shadows of Myth and Legend is a lyrical and spooky collection that will appeal to anyone with a penchant for eerily beautiful things."
-Pirate Penguin, Pirate Penguin Reads

"E.J. Stevens' Shadows of Myth and Legend is a fascinating collection of short, powerful poems that thrill, chill and delight."
-Andrew Valentine, author of Bitter Things























**Shadows of Myth and Legend Giveaway**

One US winner will receive a signed copy of Shadows of Myth and Legend a SoM+L magnet and bookmarks.  One International winner will receive an ebook copy of Shadows of Myth and Legend.
To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact you if you win).  One prize pack is for US mailing addresses only and one prize is international (please see details above).  Giveaway ends March 31st midnight EST.

Guest Author Interview: Gretchen McNeil

 Please welcome today's guest author Gretchen McNeil!  Gretchen is the author of Possess.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Gretchen:  2007.  I'd never written anything before that.  It was a difficult period in my life and I felt like I needed to do SOMETHING to occupy my mind.  Little did I know that I'd actually like it.  No, love it.  Well, become addicted to it.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Gretchen:  My first novel was chick lit and when I started my second, I only had this image in my head of a girl walking down a road toward an isolated coastal Irish town in the middle of a hellacious storm.  The storm is actually trying to keep her from reaching the town.  The paranormal elements just sort of grew from there.

I love the idea of mixing the fantastical with the mundane, of being able to stretch my imagination but still kept things in the "real world."

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

Gretchen:  Invisibility.  This is going to sound super weird, but I'm a spy fiction fan at heart.  I love early 20th century spy fiction like John Buchan and the modern stuff like Clancy and Cussler.  And I've maybe been tinkering around with an historical YA spy adventure manuscript for awhile.  Maybe, just maybe, I've always fantasized about being a spy.  So somehow the idea of controling your visibility is so seductive to me.  I'd be the best spy ever!  ;)

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

Gretchen:  POSSESS is much closer to the horror genre than a lot of YA out there right now.  I wanted it to be scary.  Really scary.  There's a doll shop scene about halfway through that really freaked out most of my readers (and made me so proud).  I feel like the "scary" has gone out of traditional horror elements like vampires, werewolves, ghosts and demons, replaced with a more romantic approach.  Which is great, but I love a good scare, and I'm hoping readers do, too!

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

Gretchen:  Tough one.  I didn't write most of the characters with any specific actor or actress in mind, though Matt Quinn the love interest is kind of modeled after a young Matt Bomer from WHITE COLLAR.  And Bridget's exorcism mentor Monsignor Renault would be even more awesome if played by Tom Wilkinson.























Possess by Gretchen McNeil.

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her overprotective mom, by the hunky son of the police officer who got her father killed, and by the eerie voices which she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Turns out the voices are demons--the Biblical kind, not the Buffy kind--and Bridget possesses the rare ability to banish them.

San Francisco's senior exorcist and his newly assigned partner from the Vatican enlist Bridget's help with increasingly bizarre and dangerous cases of demonic possession. But when one of Bridget's oldest friends turns up dead in a ritualistic sacrifice that mirrors her father's murder, Bridget realizes she can't trust anyone. An interview with her father's murderer reveals a link between Bridget and the Emim: a race of part-demons intent on raising their forefathers to the earth in human form. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the Emim's plan before someone else close to her winds up dead, or worse--the human vessel for a Demon King.


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

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

Paranormal Spring Break: Character Interview + Giveaway

Today I'll be joining in the Paranormal Spring Break festivities at Parajunkee's View and Tynga's Reviews.  We'll be interviewing your fave Spirit Guide Series characters, so stop by with questions for Yuki, Cal, Emma, and Simon.  This promises to be fun!

Wait, did someone say giveaway?  Yes! 






















Visit Paranormal Spring Break at Parajunkee's View and Tynga's Reviews and enter to win a special spring-themed Spirit Guide series tote bag stuffed with signed copies of She Smells the Dead and Spirit Storm, bookmarks, postcards, an "I Smell Dead People" t-shirt, and a gorgeous Spirit Storm poster.  See you all there! xx