E.J. Stevens's Blog, page 94

Guest Author Interview: Ednah Walters + Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author Ednah Walters!  Ednah is the author of Awakened.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Ednah:   I started writing in 1998. Yeah, I know, eons ago. I had just finished my PhD in chemistry and was expecting my third child. I had also decided to be a stay-at-home mother, major undertaking, but switching from academia to baby talk was so-oo hard. I felt like I was losing myself. Anyone who tells you that being a stay-at-home is easy is lying. So I started to write to find some balance in my life. I started with children's books…you know, picture books with no pictures, lol. I wrote them for my children and read to them. They loved them. After several years, I thought why not send them to publishers? They hated them. Rejection after rejection…the bane of a writer's life. Then I tried my hand at romance, something I've read since my teen years (psss, they only had kissing at the end of the stories then, no sex, very tame). That didn't go well either. Finally I switched to YA fantasy.

I'm still learning to be the best writer I can be. Online classes and seminars on writing helped me a lot. Despite my love for reading and an active imagination, chemists are good at writing technical papers, not elegant prose. I call myself a work-in-progress as a writer.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?
 
Ednah:  I've always loved paranormal, especially romance. I'd read a lot of Sherrilyn Kenyon's books, J.R. Ward and L.A. Banks vampire books. Of course, I loved Tolkien's work, Harry Potter series. There's no limit to the world you can create in the paranormal genre. It is exciting to see what your characters can get away with (mwahahaha…).

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
 
Ednah:  Psi power like the kind Awakened main character Lil has—the power to change people's perception of things. Imagine the ability to turn negative traits around…make a criminal stop, abuser stop abusing, abused people not get traumatized by the past. Yeah, I know people have free will and I'm a do-gooder, fair-minded, justice-is-blind Libran but hey, the world would be such a better place…lol.

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

Ednah:   Awakened has a strong female protagonist, romance, action and lots of danger. There're myriad of characters different readers can identify with too. I tend to think of Awakened as a coming-of-age story. Who doesn't remember how puberty hit us hard and the changes that came with it. Lil reaches the age the Nephilim consider puberty with a bang. She has powers to deal with, her first love who may or may not be the right person for her, responsibilities that are so overwhelming she must rise to the challenge or get burned. Readers will root for her to succeed.

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

Ednah:  Hmm, that's a toughie. The girls must be warriors yet feminine and the guys…ooh the guys must be smoking hot. Here goes;

Lil…I'd go with someone tough, tall, slanted eyes, crazy red hair (wigs might do)…Emmy Rossum (Dragon Ball Evolution), tough chick.

Bran…yummy bod, broody, tough…who else but Jared Padalecki (Sam from Supernatural. I love the Winchester boys)

Kim….Tahyana Tozzi got our Kim down to the gorgeous hair and ice-princess persona (Mutant in X-men original Wolverine, Emma Frost aka The White Queen)

Isadora…tough, no nonsense Zoe Saldana. Izzy's hair is always in a ponytail, she's the mediator.

Sykes…ooh, the charming and girl-magnet Sykes…Justine Hartley (Oliver/Green Arrow, Smallville…love him)

Remy…Jesse William, gorgeous eyes, strong silent guy (Young Doctor in Grey's Anatomy…too bad McDreamy is already taken…those eyes)






















Awakened (Guardian Legacy, #1) by Ednah Walters.

Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons, but no one told her she is not supposed to fall in love with one.

Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware she's a Guardian—a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. But when she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers.  But Bran has a secret that can destroy their growing relationship. He's part demon. But in her heart, Lil knows Bran is not evil. So when her grandfather is kidnapped by a powerful nature-bender and Bran is the only one who knows where he's being kept, Lil convinces the other Guardians to trust him, not knowing her grandfather is just the bait. And the truth that she discovers in the demonic enclave may just destroy everything she believes in, unless she makes the right choice—love and sacrifice.

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

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






















 ** Awakened: Guardian Legacy Giveaway **

We are giving away one signed copy of Awakened by Ednah Walters, two Guardian Legacy notepads, two Guardian Legacy t-shirts (size medium), and two Guardian Legacy pens!

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/Canada/Mexico mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends November 4th midnight EST.

Extra entries:
+1 Join Ednah Walters on Facebook

Crossroads Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to Yadkny and Carol L. the winners of our Crossroads International Giveaway !

*All winners are selected using Random.org*

Guest Author Interview: Quinn Keitt + Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author Quinn Keitt!  Quinn is the author of Crimson Stained.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Quinn:  I started writing ever since Kindergarden! lol
At the school I went to they were very, very persistent about forcing us kids to write in our journals every single day. So, I've been used to writing for long periods of time for a long time. Actually, I've kept every single journal I've ever had from my first day of school. Going back and reading, or at least trying to read, all of the stuff that I was writing about back in those days is pretty hilarious really.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Quinn:   To tell you the truth, I was getting sick of all the Twilight hype so I said to myself: "Self, you should write a paranormal novel too!" So I buckled down and started writing yet another story that I had no idea would be my first ever novel. It took only two months to write but it took at least a year and a half to get it all done with editing to finish. And still, it took a few more revising tries to get it the way I want it.
In all honesty though, I've had a little love for the Vampires and Werewolves, it just took a kick in the backside to get me going and do something about it.

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

Quinn:  Oh, I would totally want to fly. Being able to live forever and transform into a super strong creature would be...cool, but to be honest I need to be able to fly. Whenever I get into a fix all I would have to do is say "up, up and away!" And wham. All my problems are over.
Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. :)

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

Quinn:   To not sound cliche, my book(s) draw readers in because I go down that route that people ask about, but is never brought up in other books. My characters are the people you talk to every day, they are your friends, your family, and you go through 'it' with them. My books are new but familiar and fun to read and I can't wait for you all to enjoy them.

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

Quinn:  My day job involves a lot of entertainment individuals so, I have a few choice castings for some of my characters in my books. But I have no idea who I would choose, celebrity wise, for my books. However, if I had to hold an audition I would be right in the middle of it, front row and center behind the table. Whoever would play my characters would have to meet my eye; these are my 'people' only I can know what they're suppose to look like, you know?






















Crimson Stained by Quinn Keitt.

Lacey was pretty happy with her current leisure existence despite the few complaints here and there. Living on her own rocked her socks. However, while coming home from work one night and based on sheer awful luck, she witnessed a disturbing attack on a young and rather eye-catching youth. Thinking the worse was over she continued to go about her daily business. That is, until the boy she saw sprawled out on the bloody street shows up pressed against her balcony window. Obviously something is wrong. This boy should be dead. He is dead. So why then is he stalking her, in the nude? Does he want to start his own army of creatures of the night or does he feel some kind of enticement to her that is unexplainable? Lacey will soon come to and that not all legendary stories are true, when it comes to being involved with a Vampire.


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






















** Crimson Stained Giveaway **

We are giving away three copies of Crimson Stained by Quinn Keitt!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact the winner).  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends November 1st midnight EST.

Guest Author Interview: Krisi Keley + Giveaway!

Please welcome today's guest author Krisi Keley!  Krisi is the author of On the Soul of a Vampire.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Krisi:   I wrote my first full-length novel when I was eleven.  It was a story about the female lead singer of a rock band who couldn't deal with the stresses involved in sudden fame.  I tried submitting it to a few publishers, unaware at that age of the "must have agent" rule and, of course, received the standard "we don't accept unsolicited manuscripts" letters.  That ended my fiction writing career for quite a number of years, but that first story did inspire many years of writing poetry and song lyrics.  On the Soul of a Vampire's first draft was written fifteen years later, but after a few "a bit deep" and "awfully soul-searching" responses from literary agents, fiction writing again got put on the back burner while I attempted other goals.  Fast forward fifteen more years, a theology degree and many life experiences as the basis for the book's rewrite, and On the Soul is published.  Which seems to indicate that if there's a writer in you, that word person is going to make him or herself heard eventually, no matter what other life circumstances may try to intervene!

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Krisi:   I've always been a big fan of the horror and supernatural genres because they essentially examine metaphysical questions:  How are good and evil defined?  Is there more to life than the material things we see with our eyes?  What do our myths, our dreams, our fears have to say about human nature?  Stephen King and William Peter Blatty have been hugely inspirational for me and Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles directly inspired my writing of On the Soul.  Her literary style of looking at deeply spiritual concerns through the vampire legend was the catalyst for my own ideas on the subject.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be?
 
Krisi:   I honestly never wished for a supernatural talent of any kind, I think because I believe there is so much we human beings already possess but simply haven't tapped into yet.  But if I had to choose, I'd say it would have to be being what I think is called an "empath."  It would be painful to be that in tune with everything another feels, but enlightening too, and it seemingly couldn't fail to make one a better person.

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

Krisi:   Although On the Soul is a vampire story meant to entertain, it's also a human story.  It's about a person who had hopes and dreams, who wanted to fulfill his purpose in life, but because of many circumstances beyond his control and being forced to make choices he didn't, and often still doesn't, fully understand, these hopes and dreams are all but annihilated.  Through another, he learns that hope and faith are stronger than he could have imagined and that love and forgiveness are possible no matter how terrible the mistake.  I think readers will find comfort in the story and, I hope too, be inspired with a greater sense of the miracle and mystery of human nature and the human soul that this very different view of the vampire offers.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
 
Krisi:  Well, despite the fact that there are a lot of actors I love and whom I think would do an awesome job with the roles, if I were casting for On the Soul, I would choose unknowns.  In part because the two main characters, Valéry and Angelina, have such distinctive voices that it seems it would retain their believability as real people better if the actors playing them weren't already well-known, and in part because I'd love it if the story could offer a chance to a new performer looking to build a resumé.  Knowing how hard it is to break into any artistic field, it would be great if I could do something to give someone their first opportunity.






















On the Soul of a Vampire by Krisi Keley.

For some it takes a lifetime to discover their raison d'être. Imagine searching for eight centuries. In 1997 Philadelphia, 800 year old vampire Valéry Castellane comes face to face with his reason to be, in the person of Angelina Lacroix, a young mortal woman whose understanding of immortality is about to change all he's known as truth and which will take him, and his readers, on a journey into the human soul. Discovering a mortal who not only senses his presence, but also somehow knows his name, Valéry becomes obsessed with solving the mystery of how this might be. Confronting the girl, after learning she has knowledge of his entire existence, he is stunned and frustrated when Angelina seems more intent on convincing him that he's not the soulless monster of myth than she is with providing an explanation. Unable to take her life or give her immortality, Valéry embarks on a journey with Angelina that doesn't only take them from Philadelphia to his childhood home in the Provençal Alps, but on a journey into his greatest hopes and dreams, fears and disappointments, and into the strange and frightening past that shaped him. A novel about faltering faith and never-ending hope, On the Soul of a Vampire will not only alter everything you think you know about vampires, it will change the way you see your very soul.

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

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























** On the Soul of a Vampire International Giveaway **

Win a copy of On the Soul of a Vampire, and a t-shirt, mug, poster, and bookmarks featuring beautifully haunting On the Soul of a Vampire artwork.   

To enter, please leave a comment with your email address.  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow!).  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL!  Giveaway ends October 31st midnight EST.

Guest Author Interview: Carolyn Hart + Giveaway

Please welcome today's amazingly prolific guest author Carolyn Hart!  Carolyn is the author the Death on Demand series (including Death on Demand, Design for Murder, Something Wicked, Honeymoon With Murder, A Little Class on Murder, Deadly Valentine, The Christie Caper, Southern Ghost, Mint Julep Murder, Yankee Doodle Dead, White Elephant Dead, Sugarplum Dead, April Fool Dead, Engaged to Die, Murder Walks the Plank, Death of the Party, Dead Days of Summer, Death Walked In, Dare to Die, Laughed 'Til He Died), the Henry O series (including Dead Man's Island, Scandal in Fair Haven, Death in Lovers' Lane, Death in Paradise, Death on the River Walk, Resort to Murder, Set Sail for Murder), Flee from the Past, A Settling of Accounts, Escape from Paris, The Rich Die Young, Death by Surprise, Castle Rock, Skulduggery, The Devereux Legacy, Brave Hearts, Letter from Home, The Secret of the Cellars, Dangerous Summer, No Easy Answers, Rendezvous in Veracruz, Danger, High Explosives!, and the Bailey Ruth Raeburn paranormal mystery series (including Ghost at Work, Merry, Merry Ghost, Ghost in Trouble).

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Carolyn:   My first book, The Secret of the Cellars, was a juvenile mystery published in 1964. GHOST IN TROUBLE will be my 45th published novel.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Carolyn:   I've always loved ghost stories, especially Thorne Smith's Topper series and the standalone ghost thrillers by Manning Coles. I always love to see Noel Coward's hilarious Blithe Spirit.

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

Carolyn:   The ability to appear and disappear at will.

Why?

If used with good intentions, the ability to overhear conversations could provide amazing insights. Often we take the actions of others at face value and perceive a slight or threat when none was intended. In fact, hovering unseen might remind us in a very positive way that everything is not always all about us.

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

Carolyn:   Bailey Ruth Raeburn, a gorgeous redhead, is lively, impetuous, eager, and kind. She loves beautiful clothes and Oklahoma and cats and people. My hope is she will entertain readers while solving an intriguing puzzle.

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

Carolyn:  Bailey Ruth Raeburn and Reba McEntire are both from Oklahoma and they both love to sing. Reba McEntire would be magnificent as an impetuous redheaded ghost who returns to earth to help people in trouble.






















Ghost in Trouble (Bailey Ruth, #3) by Carolyn Hart

When Bailey Ruth Raeburn passed over into the great beyond, she was delighted to discover her sleuthing days would last an eternity. Joining Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, she uses her unique advantages as a ghost—sometimes you see her, sometimes you don't—to help those in need and ensure the wicked get their just deserts.  However, on this latest mission, Bailey Ruth finds it more difficult than ever to keep up with her boss Wiggins's rules for good spirit deportment. Not only is the woman she is supposed to save determined to thwart Bailey Ruth's good intentions at every turn, she just so happens to be one of Bailey Ruth's oldest enemies. Not that that should matter to one of Heaven's best and brightest emissaries, but still, there is only so much a person can put up with—living or dead.  But solving Bailey Ruth's toughest case yet means managing a recalcitrant charge, a fraudulent medium, a mother's heartbreak, old passions and new, and a telltale rawhide dog bone. Heaven help her!

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

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






















** Ghost in Trouble Giveaway **

There are two chances to win a copy of Ghost in Trouble by Carolyn Hart this month at From the Shadows!  One copy is available in my huge Halloween Monster Giveaway here .  The second copy is available below.  Enter both giveaways and double your chances to win!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so that I 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 for US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends October 26th midnight EST.

Halloween Monster Giveaway: Part II

Ready for more Halloween giveaways?  Today kicks off part two of the Halloween Monster Giveaway at From the Shadows.  Part II is like the evil twin of Part I.  Haven't entered the original Halloween Monster Giveaway at From the Shadows?  Click here to go to the post, read about the amazing prizes, and fill out the form to enter.

** Halloween Monster Giveaway: Part II **

To enter, please fill out this FORM .  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow).  Giveaway ends October 31st midnight EST.
US Prizes:















Clockwork Angel Prize Pack:  Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (hardcover), poster, journal, and bookmarks.
















Werewolves and Vampires Prize Pack:  Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson (hardcover) and Nevermore by Kelly Creagh (hardcover).
















Zombies and Vampires Prize Pack:  Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry (hardcover) and Notes from a Totally Lame Vampire by Tim Collins (hardcover).


International Prize:

To celebrate She Smells the Dead now being available at The Book Depository E.J. is offering one copy of She Smells the Dead internationally wherever The Book Depository ships.


** From the Shadows uses Random.org to select winners for all giveaways **

Guest Author Interview: Lucien Black

Please welcome today's guest author Lucien Black!  Lucien is the author of the No Vacancy series of short story collections including No Vacancies: Volume 1, No Vacancies: Volume 2, No Vacancies: Volume 3, and No Vacancies: Volume 4.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Lucien:  I began writing in 1989.  A few of us got together and started our own comic book publishing company.  We had a very prolific team and within a few months, we had several titles ready to print. Our only problem was funding.  We were able to print the first issue of our first comic book, and it did very well, especially at a time when there was so much competition in the industry. Sadly, we were unable to produce the follow up books and the business eventually dismantled. I kept writing and kept re-working my various storylines.  I also worked with various artists trying to get something going but never really found the right fit.
So, in 2007 my wife convinced me to start converting my comic book scripts into short story format.  With her support I started that process, which took some time to hone. While I was working through scripts, I came up with the idea to bring these short stories to the market with a serialized format.  The idea was to produce a book that had multiple stories going on at one time.  For example, Volume 1 of No Vacancies has four stories, two serials and two stand-alone short stories.  The serials, Outcast and High Stakes, are told in four parts (through volumes 1-4). 

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Lucien:   Elements of Paranormal Fiction run through many of my works.  As a writer, I enjoy taking elements from all genres and incorporating them into a story. Paranormal themes such as ghosts, vampires and werewolves are evident in the No Vacancies series, specifically in the story Outcast.  Werewolves are a guilty pleasure of mine and ever since I was a kid watching The Howling, I wanted to write a werewolf story. What I didn't want, was to be labeled a horror writer or a get stuck rehashing previously written ideas. I wanted to create, what in my eyes, was an original story with elements of these characterizations.  To have werewolves and vampires be in the story, but not have it be the same old feud.  I believe I accomplish that with Outcast. 
The main character in outcast, Nathaniel, is a werewolf but hold another secret so powerful that some will stop at nothing to obtain that power.  Nathaniel is not aware he possesses this secret but he finds out that not only did the people closest to him know about it, but it was also the primary catalyst of the death of his fiancé, a pivotal moment in his life.  Nathaniel's journey takes him to Hudson, NY where he meets Detective Jackie Thompson, a HPD detective that lost her family in a similar fashion to Nathaniel's fiancé.  The two face off against a being of unspeakable power, Adrian Vandenberg, with limitless resources both financially and metaphysically at his disposal.  He and his minions are hell bent on obtaining Nathaniel's secret and using it for their own gains.  The first installment of Outcast, told through No Vacancies Volumes 1-4 delivers that paranormal werewolf vs. vampire battle that everyone loves, but it comes through with a completely different twist, that I doubt anyone will see coming.  I think people will really love the ending.  

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

Lucien:  I've always wanted winged flight as a supernatural ability.  It wasn't enough to be able to fly; I wanted wings.  The ability to soar above the clouds effortlessly carried by the wind and get lost in my own thoughts; no restrictions, no responsibilities.  Now that's an ability worth having.

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

Lucien:   I think that the No Vacancies series offers readers a little bit of everything, from supernatural horror to action packed adventure tales. This volume of No Vacancies brings to a close my two flagship titles, High Stakes and Outcast, both of which I developed in 1989.  It also introduces a new serial, which I am excited about, Myth.  Myth was a character I developed as a throwaway villain, but eventually decided the character was interesting enough to tell his story.  I love Greek Mythology, so this was a great choice for my next serial. 
I think Volume 4 is also the most action packed of all the books.  With major battles between good and evil in both High Stakes and Outcast, readers are thrown into a non-stop frenzy of supernatural combat.

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

Lucien:  There is no doubt that Outcast is by far my favorite of the serials offered in the No Vacancies Series.  The story is fast paced, action packed and full of supernatural elements that I think lend to the big screen very well.  It is also the story that I get the most feedback about the transition from book to screen. 
So for the cast of characters, this is how I see it:
Nathaniel- The star of the series, Nathaniel, I see Bradley Cooper.  From what I've seen of him in the movies, he has both the star power, but the humility that I think other actors of his mettle lack.  He doesn't come across greasy, which is important to me as well.
Detective Jackie Thompson- Jackie's a tough female cop thrust into a world she didn't even know existed until she met Nathanial.  For Jackie's role in the movie, I see Angela Bassett.  She is such an amazing actress and I think pulls off the badass character while still being a warm and approachable person.
Sterling Garrett- Sterling is the head of the werewolf pack associated with Nathaniel.  He is a mentor to Nathaniel and feels a very strong brotherly bond with him.  He is also the brother of Nathaniel's fiancé and the two have a kinship that helped them through that loss.  Sterling is a slender, middle-aged man with long black hair and I believe Gary Oldman would portray him well.  After his work on BS Dracula, he fits the motif I was looking for when I created the character.   I also think he will bring a dimension to the character not yet explored.
Adrian Vandenberg- The "Donald Trump" of the Outcast story and the antagonist of the book.  He is a being of magic; tapped into a realm few have ever been exposed.  He found that he needed to become a vampire to achieve further greatness.   Julian Sands is Adrian Vandenberg.  He can be bone chilling and wicked while still carrying a multitude of charm and grace.






















 No Vacancies (Volume 4) by Lucien Black.

The fourth installment of the No Vacancies adventure series is here. In Volume 4, Black delivers the final episodes of both the High Stakes and Outcast stories, continues the Independent Initiative and introduces a whole new series, Myth.  In the last installment of Outcast, Nathaniel and Ramuel have united as one and now stand together against Adrian Vandenberg. Will their combined strength be enough to stop the magical prowess of Adrian Vandenberg? Will Nathaniel's friends make it out of Vandenberg Towers alive? Find out in this last action packed episode of Outcast. In High Stakes, Part 4, everything comes to a head. Jack and the Resistance come face to face against the Protectorate in battle. Will the Resistance be able to escape and free the children? The first in the trilogy of the High Stakes saga comes to an end with a mind-blowing secret about the Protectorate and their origin.The Independent Initiative continues with an action packed episode. Cassie Matthews heads to Washington DC to track down the Independent's killer. When she arrives Cassie comes face to face with another squad of insurgents that are hell bent on ending her life and a Russian operative on a vengeful mission. In Myth, the first in a new series, Lucien Black introduces Nick Maverick,an A list actor that can't seem to find work worth his mettle. Instead he slaves away on the set of a television series called What Lies Beneath waiting for his next big break. What Nick doesn't know is that he comes from a very powerful and noble family that lives in another realm. Mount Olympus. His father, Zeus, has gone missing and the Gods turn to Nick for help.  Black continues to weave tales of the unimaginable in the current installment of the No Vacancies adventure series.


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

If you would like to learn more about Lucien Black and his books, please visit his website.

She Smells the Dead now at The Book Depository

Fabulous news for international readers!  She Smells the Dead, the first book in my young adult paranormal mystery series, is now available at The Book Depository .






















I have had many requests for international purchase options since the release of She Smells the Dead and am very excited to pass this information along.  Click here to go directly to the She Smells the Dead page at The Book Depository and click here to check out all of the countries they ship to.  The Book Depository offers free shipping to nearly every country worldwide!

Now available in Trade Paperback at these fine retailers:
She Smells the Dead at The Book Depository, Amazon.com, Amazon.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.jp, Powell's Books, Barnes & Noble, and many more.

Now available in eBook editions online:
She Smells the Dead at Amazon.com, Amazon.uk, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and many more!

Book Review: An Artificial Night

An Artificial Night (October Daye, book 3) by Seanan McGuire.

Changeling knight in the court of the Duke of Shadowed Hills, October "Toby" Daye, has survived numerous challenges that would destroy fae and mortal alike.  Now Toby must take on a nightmarish new assignment.  Someone is stealing both fae and mortal children--and all signs point to Blind Michael.  When the young son of Toby's closest friends is snatched from their Northern California home and his sister falls into a coma-like state, the situation becomes way too personal.  Toby has no choice but to track the villains down, even when there are only three magical roads by which to reach Blind Michael's realm--home of the legendary Wild Hunt--and no road may be taken more than once.  If she cannot escape with all the children before the candle that guides and protects her burns away, Toby herself will fall prey to the Wild Hunt and Blind Michael's inecscapable power.  And it doesn't bode well for the success of her mission that her own personal Fetch, May Daye--the harbinger of Toby's own death--has suddenly turned up on her doorstep.

Heroes come in many forms, sometimes even in the form of a snarky changeling .  The October Daye novels are rich with Celtic myth and folklore and filled with danger, suspense, and Toby's dry wit.  I loved Rosemary and Rue and A Local Habitation, the first two books in this series, and had high expectations for An Artificial Night.  Seanan McGuire did not disappoint.  Changeling October "Toby" Daye, half human and half Daoine Sidhe, lives on the knife's edge between modern day California and a world of darkness, magic, and monsters.  She has tried to live solely in the human world, casting aside her fey heritage for a normal peaceful existence, but that didn't go so well.  Even living on a diurnal human schedule is difficult for Toby, but she perseveres because she has a good heart...the heart of a hero. 

I highly recommend An Artificial Night (October Daye, book 3) to readers of urban fantasy, paranormal suspense, fantasy, and especially to fans of the Rachel Morgan books by Kim Harrison and The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher.

Source: This book was purchased by me for review.


An Artificial Night on Amazon.
An Artificial Night on Goodreads.

Follower Love Giveaway Winner!

The winner of my Follower Love giveaway is Emma Michaels !  Congratulations Emma!

Thank you to all who entered and to all who follow From the Shadows .  Didn't win?  Be sure to enter my huge Halloween Monster Giveaway with a chance to win 13 paranormal books, 10 eBooks, and some fabulous swag (many prizes are international, ends 10/31).  We are also giving away two eBook copies of Crossroads by Keta Diablo here (international, ends 10/20). 
















Later this month we'll be hosting additional giveaways for Ghost in Trouble by Carolyn Hart, On the Soul of a Vampire by Krisi Keley and swag (t-shirt, mug, poster, and bookmarks), Crimson Stained by Quinn Keitt, Awakened by Ednah Walters and swag (Awakened: Guardian Legacy t-shirts, notepads, and pens), and more!

**All giveaway winners are drawn using Random.org**