Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 316

Jubal Van Zandt and the Revenge of the Bloodslinger by eden Hudson

How To Get the Most Out of Your Wristpiece by Jubal Van Zandt (an impromptu lesson on Revived Earth Tech as dictated to Jubal’s biographer, eden Hudson)
There’s no bit of tech across the Revived Earth as pervasive as the wristpiece. You’ve got one, you use it every day, for basically everythi—

Oh yeah, guy who always contradicts better-looking guys to make himself sound smart, you almost never use yours? Then how do you pay for stuff? How do you message your friends or coworkers? How do you reserve flights or check competing prices or hack into your friends’ or coworkers’ wristpieces to find out why they’re ignoring your messages? How do you download books, articles, and infograms?

Yeah, that’s what I thought. Shut up and let me talk.


The rest of you want to know how to get the most out of your wristpiece. I’m here to tell you how to do that in four easy steps.

Jubal Van Zandt and the Revenge of the BloodslingerA Jubal Van Zandt NovelEpisode 1eden Hudson
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Cyber Punk
Publisher: Shadow Alley Press Inc.
Date of Publication: October 14, 2016
Number of pages: Approx. 265Word Count: 50,000
Cover Artist: Lou Harper
Book Description:
Narcissist, sociopath, and shameless backstabber Jubal Van Zandt is the best damn thief in the history of the Revived Earth...and he won't shut up about it.
But not everybody in the swampy, soggy, feudal future approves of Jubal's vocation. The Guild—the religious fanatics who helped rebuild civilization after the collapse—in particular are waiting for their opportunity to slip the noose around his neck.
Which is why when the renowned Guild knight Carina Xiao—a.k.a. the Bloodslinger—contacts Jubal about an off-the-books job that violates Guild Law, he's too intrigued to say no. He is the best damn thief in the history of the Revived Earth, after all.
Part bizarro ecopunk, part outworld thriller, part odd-couple roadtrip, Jubal Van Zandt and the Revenge of the Bloodslinger is a 150% futurepunk quest for blood and betrayal across the Revived Earth.
I clapped my hands together. “Let’s get started. How did you hear about me?”“Guild files,” Carina said. “Their records on you are full of suspicions, first-person accounts, and rumors. No arrests, no charges, and no incriminating evidence that you didn’t purposely leave behind for someone to find. I investigated Laars Gonzalez’s allegations that—”She broke off, pulling a well-worn knuckgun from inside her leather jacket and pointing it at the two big guys approaching our booth.“Don’t take another step,” she said. “Drop your weapons.”They stopped, but didn’t drop the rust-caked knife or the stunclub.“Uh-oh,” I said. “Looks like somebody recognized me. I’ll sign one autograph apiece, guys, but then I’ve really got to get back to work.”The bigger of the two, who looked like he dogfought for funsies on the weekends, growled, “The Guild has no jurisdiction here, knight. The man you’re associating with is a wanted fugitive in Argameri.”“That’s true,” I told Carina. “Dead or alive. The bounty’s huge.”She didn’t take her eyes off the bruisers as she asked me, “Why didn’t you say something when I suggested meeting here?”“Aw, come on, look at these guys! They couldn’t take a cucumber from a slime whore. Besides, I wanted to see what you’d do. Shoot ’em and let’s get back to business.”“What are you wanted for?” she asked.“For being better than them. They’re jealous that I sold them out before they could think of a way to do it to me.”The second guy, whose face was covered in fishhook tattoos, pointed his snapping and sparking stunclub at me. “Your betrayal cost hundreds of Argamerian lives!”“Really?” I said. “Because I heard it was thousands.”


About the Author:
I am invincible. I am a mutant. I have 3 hearts and was born with no eyes. I had eyes implanted later. I didn't have hands, either, just stumps. When my eyes were implanted they asked if I would like hands as well and I said, "Yes, I'll take those," and pointed with my stump. But sometimes I'm a hellbender peeking out from under a rock. When it rains, I live in a music box.
But I'm also a tattoo-addict, coffee-junkie, drummer, and aspiring skateboarder. Jesus actually is my homeboy.
http://whitetrashcappuccino.blogspot.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8023393.eden_Hudson

Release Day Blitz Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign

What inspired you to become an author? 
I’ve always been an author. From the moment I put pen to paper at 3 ½ years old, I was an author. I’ve been writing short stories, lyrics and poetry as far back as I have memory (3 y.o.). Now, what inspired me to become a published author is a completely separate question J
Do you have a specific writing style? 
Abstract. Definitely abstract.
Do you write in different genres? 
Yes. Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Historical and anything else that materializes in my mind. I don’t limit myself when it comes to my writing.
If yes which is your favorite genre to write? 
Sci-Fi and Romance are two of my faves right now. Sci-Fi is just so vast and opens your mind to anything you can think of. Nothing is off limits. Romance because it’s filled with hope, love, companionship and remembrance.
How did you come up with the title for your latest book? 
The original title was Darkness in Light. I still have a soft spot in my heart for that title but I had to let it go because it was too common. One consistent theme of the book was the darkness of Adam’s mind. That led me to Opaque. Adam’s mind is an opaque object, where very little light enters and passes through.
Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete? 
Both. Sometimes the title comes first. Usually, the story comes first and the title afterwards.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? 
Larry Strauss. Without a doubt. His spiritual light is just absolutely amazing. His writing is so amazing because he is.
What books are in your to read pile? 
An untitled non-fiction manuscript by LaShelle Cooper, Knights of Enmity by Sedrie Danielle, Eve by William Paul Young and The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer.
What is your current “work in progress” or upcoming projects? 
Split Adam (Book 2 of the Scion Saga), an untitled YA/Sci-Fi epic fantasy, and an untitled Romantic Suspense I’ve just completed.

Who designed the cover of your latest book? 
I designed it, along with graphic book cover artist www.JoshuaJadon.com



OpaqueThe Scion SagaBook OneCalix Leigh-Reign
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Nnylluc Book Group LLC                       
Date of Publication: 10/22/2016
ISBN: 9780997923988ASIN: 0997923989
Number of pages: 256Word Count: 96,910
Cover Artist: Calix Leigh-Reignand Joshua Jadon
Book Description:
"Her crimson limbal ring glows and I focus my sight as the incandescence dims. I clearly see it for sure this time. There's no denying it. Carly isn't human. She's something more - and if she isn't human, neither am I."
For those craving an untapped Sci-Fi niche - Opaque delivers in this gripping page-turner involving mutated Limbal rings, biokenretic anomalies, mental dysfunction, perplexing Russian ancestry & romance.
Cālix takes us on an adventure that begins when 16 year old misanthropic Adam unknowingly reaches biokenretic puberty, and his supernatural abilities awaken to save him from his murderous intentions. His every thought revolves around the extinction of the human race until mysterious Afro-Russian Carly Wit stumbles into his English class one morning. Adam notices something otherworldly about her immediately but denies the bio-synch taking place inside of him. As he resists their blossoming love, he battles with unnatural thoughts of his mother.
Discovering his origin isn't what he'd thought, he becomes determined to peel back the layers of his lineage and unmasks a multitude of mind-bending secrets along the way.
Amazon    BN    Kobo

About the Author:
Cālix is the published author of the Russian-mutant, psychological Sci-Fi fantasy novel, Opaque. She's a certified paralegal and has studied creative writing under English teacher, script writer and published author Larry Strauss. Her earliest literary inspirations include Alice Walker, Larry Strauss, VC Andrews and Stephen King. She spent a majority of her childhood in libraries and developed an intense relationship with words. She's a member of YARWA and RWA and is currently serving as a judge for YARWA's 2016 Rosemary Contest. She enjoys prayer, discovering the minds of those who rebel against social programming, listening to music, a great cup of coffee, exquisite ethnic cuisine, spending time with family and friends, attending movie premieres, traveling and the arts. She spends her free time in the gym, fantasizing about story plots and different ways of changing the world.
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/calixleighreign   
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/CalixLeighReign
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/CalixLeighReign
Blog: www.CalixImplied.com

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/CalixLeighReign
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/54011366-c-lix-leigh-reign  

Where Do Vampires Come From? Hint: It’s not Transylvania by Kathryn M. Hearst

I started writing “Feast of the Epiphany” with the intention of writing a vampire novel. Life happened, and I set the manuscript aside for almost a decade. By the time I returned to it, vampire novels had saturated the market. I had agents telling me that paranormal romance and urban fantasy were dying genres.

I refused to believe that human beings had turned their backs on creatures that have haunted us since the beginning of time or, at least, since the beginning of recorded history. I did what any other nerdy girl would do and researched the history of vampires. My goal to find common themes led me to some unusual tidbits that I used to make my characters unique.

The first English language use of the word vampire was in the poem, “The Vampyre of the Fens,” in 1734. However, nearly every culture since ancient Mesopotamia has included vampire-like creatures. Early forms of blood drinkers were generally believed to be spirits or demons, but not always.

Ancient Sumerian myths included creatures called ekimmu. Humans, who did heinous things or were improperly buried, would return as these vengeful spirits. The ekimmu sucked the life out of the living. They preferred to consume beautiful young people while they slept.

The Lilitu of ancient Babylonian, which later became Lillith and her daughters in Jewish traditions, were spirits (and later corporeal beings) who consumed babies and their mothers. The medieval version of Lillith was able to transform into an animal, compel her victims, and either drain their blood or sex them to death—a theme that gained popularity as Christianity grew and continues to modern day. 

Arabia gave us ghouls; ancient Egyptians worshiped Sekhmet; Icelandic cultures believed in draugar, but the most disturbing form of ancient vampire are the Hindu Preta. These creatures are the starving ghosts of people, so horrible in life, they are destined to suffer incurable cravings as they wander eternity. What do they crave? Pretas have a taste for anything disgusting: such as corpses and feces. Side note: “If I were a Preta, my incurable craving would be lima beans.”

Ancient Greeks didn’t consider their “vampires” undead, though the Empusae, Lamia, and striges did feed on human flesh and blood—a step up from the Preta as far as I’m concerned. Like the Greek, Roman vampires or strix were half-bird half-human creatures who hunted at night. The term strix later became Strigoi in Romania, Shtriga in Albania, and Strzyga in Slavic regions, though in these incarnations the vampires took on a decidedly more human appearance.

The Inquisitions during the Middle Ages gave rise to the true precursor to the modern day vampire. Bloodthirsty creatures, both demons, and demon-possessed humans, are mentioned throughout Church records. It should be noted that the Catholic Church conducted many inquiries throughout history regarding the existence and extermination of supernatural creatures. A notable example of this research is “The Malleus Maleficarum,” published in 1486. This work became the witch- and vampire-hunters’ handbook of the 1600s.

After I’d filled a notebook with various incarnations of vampires, weird facts, and a bunch of crazy ideas, I had an outline of the mythos I wanted to use in the Order of the Sinistra Dei series. While the characters aren’t traditional vampires, they do share some similarities. They primarily feed from prana, or life force, but can also feed from sex and blood.

I’m fascinated with the psychological impacts of immortality on the human mind. My creatures both evolve and devolve depending on their mental health and other factors. They were considered horrible human beings before they were executed and imbued with eternal life. What started as a vampire book turned into a mash-up of ancient Babylonian mythology, vampire lore, and a hearty dose of Catholic mysticism.


How does that work? You’ll have to read the books to find out.

Feast of MercyOrder of the Sinistra DeiBook TwoKathryn M. Hearst
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Crushing Hearts andBlack Butterfly Publishing
Date of Publication: October 4, 2016
Number of pages: approx. 300Word Count: 75,000
Cover Artist: Marcela Bolivar,Designer Shawn T. King
Book Description:
An ancient feud. A threat from the Vatican. Two lovers caught in the middle.
Nick never wanted to live forever, and he certainly didn’t want to join the Order of the Sinistra Dei. Unfortunately, before he’s able to get used to the idea of immortality, the High Judge from the Vatican arrives in New Orleans to investigate the strange events of Fat Tuesday. If Nick doesn’t play his cards right, his forever could be a whole lot shorter.
Marin, a relatively new immortal, is forced to serve as assistant to the High Judge while he investigates the alleged crimes of those she holds most dear. She’ll do what she has to do to protect her clutch. However, her efforts bring her closer to facing the executioner’s blade.
As their world spins out of control, Marin and Nick struggle to reconcile past hurts and hold onto their budding relationship. New enemies, new abilities, and new desires threaten to tear them apart. It isn’t long before they realize love can’t heal all.
Loving someone means you want the best for them...but what happens when what’s best isn’t you?
Feast of Mercy is the second book of the Order of the Sinistra Dei series, an Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance like no other. If you like mysterious supernatural creatures, conflict-ridden romance and a lot of heat, then you’ll love this series.

Short Excerpt:
Nick expected sounds from her—moans, maybe a scream or two. What he didn’t expect was for her to bolt upright and let out a blood curdling scream. Déjà-fucking-vu.“Get out,” Marin shouted.For a brief terrifying second, Nick thought she spoke to him, then a male voice spoke from the door.“Marin, I require your services,” a man said from behind him.Nick covered her body with his unsure of what else to do. He didn’t recognize the voice, though he detected a European accent. Anyone who called her by name would have recognized him, even with his face buried between her legs. It had to be Lysander.When the door clicked shut, he hopped off. “Who was that?”“The High Judge. He’s practically a priest. A freaking priest saw my boobs.” Marin scrambled off the couch in search of her clothes.“He’s not a priest. Worse.” Nick laughed deep in his gut. If looks could kill, he’d be stone cold dead, for keeps this time. “I’m sorry. Do you think he recognized me?”“Where is my bra, dammit?” She pulled her jeans on commando style.Nick handed her the scrap of lace she called panties. “Where are we going?”“You aren’t going anywhere. You’re going to hide here until he’s gone, then go back to Gia’s. I need to find out what the hell he wants.” She snatched her bra from the edge of the desk and rushed it on.Nick ran his hand through his hair. “Shit. This is bad.”“Call Gia.”“I will.” “Now.” Marin slipped out the door.Gia’s phone rang until he thought it would go to voicemail. “Hey, Nick.”“Gia, the High Judge came looking for Marin.” “Where? Did he see you?” “The bar.” Nick’s stomach clenched. “I don’t know if he saw me.”“Did he say why he wanted Marin?”“No, but you need to be careful. Nicholai and Serena are still in town. If he comes to the townhouse, Nicholai doesn’t need to be the one to answer the door.”“Shit, hang on.” She spoke with someone. “Okay, where are you now?”“I’m still upstairs in the office, he barged in and caught us…um…making up. I didn’t get a look at him.”

About the Author:
Kathryn M. Hearst is a southern girl with a love of the dark and strange. She has been a storyteller her entire life, as a child, she took people watching to new heights by creating back stories of complete strangers. Besides writing, she has a passion for shoes, vintage clothing, antique British cars, music, musicians and all things musical (including theater). Kate lives in central Florida with her chocolate lab, Jolene; and two rescue pups, Jagger and Roxanne. She is a self-proclaimed nerd, raising a nerdling.
The Order of the Sinistra Dei is her first series and includes titles, Feast of the Epiphany and Feast of Mercy. Kate's novel, The Spirit Tree, won a publishing contract with Kindle Press through the Kindle Scout contest. Her short stories have been published in various anthologies.
http://facebook.com/kathrynmhearst
http://twitter.com/kathrynmhearst
https://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-M.-Hearst/e/B017S8Z088
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13847103
http://www.kathrynmhearst.com/
a Rafflecopter giveaway

FIRE AND MIDNIGHT

About the Book
Fire And Midnight by Sandra Renee Appet




Genre AdultContemporary Romance


Publisher Evernight Publishing


Publication Date October 18, 2016


He could be the best worst decision she ever made.
With a glass of wine in hand, Jane Keegan’s finger is poised to delete the account her pushy BFF created for her on “The Cowboys” escort service website. Sure, she’s lonely, but not desperate. Then an image of sky-blue eyes and warm, tanned muscles jumps off the screen. And she finds herself hitting the “Book Now” button.
After all, why not? She’s a free, divorced woman on business in San Antonio. There’s nothing to lose…except her nerve. Especially when Mr. Tall Dark And Incredibly Sexy meets her at a Riverwalk bar—and his only-for-you smile turns her insides into a quivering mass of second thoughts.
Ryan Zeigler is enduring one last escort assignment only as a favor before hanging up his Cowboys hat to run his own restaurant. Yet there’s something about the pretty New Yorker’s vulnerable grin and I’ve-got-baggage eyes that halts his usual dating M.O. in its tracks.
When Ryan sweetens the deal—no strings, no payment expected—Jane the good girl takes the bold step of letting her vixen out to play. But when it’s time to go home, her heart is at a crossroads. Is Ryan the real deal? Or is she letting yet another man take her heart for a ride?

  

About Sandra Renee Appet Sandra is an author of romance who puts her MBA degree to good use dreaming up sexy heroes. When she's not writing, shoe shopping or saving wayward turtles, Sandra also pens the monthly column, Addicted to Romance, for BTS eMagazine covering all things romance. As a social media junkie, Sandra loves to chat with readers and formed the Bookalicious Babes Facebook group where members share their love of books.
Author Links        
This promotion is brought to you by Pure Textuality PR.

Of Flame And Light Release Day Blitz

About the Book
Of Flame and Lightby Cecy Robson

SeriesWeird Girls

GenreAdultParanormal Romance

PublisherCecy Robson, LLC

Publication DateOctober 18, 2016
 
Purchase LinksAmazon  |  Amazon UK  |  Kobo  |  Barnes & Noble  |  iBooks
Of Flame And Light Release Celebration Giveaway!Enter to Win the Ultimate Weird Girls Prize Pack, including a Coach® purse stuffed with an autographed copy of Sealed with a Curse, an audiobook of A CURSED EMBRACE, t-shirts, a water bottle, magnets, signed postcards, pins, and bookmarks.CLICK HERE TO ENTER!Taran Wird holds the unique ability to conjure fire and lightning. She is mated to Gemini, Second in Command to the Squaw Valley Pack of the Lake Tahoe Region, and the sole werewolf to possess the ability to split into two wolves. And although they are mates, Taran’s insecurities have driven them apart. Devastated by an injury that left her with a zombie-like limb, Taran struggles to regain command over her magic. But when her arm and her power turn against her, lashing out on those she most loves, she knows she can no longer carry this burden alone. Not that she likes the alternative. The only way to regain control of her magic is to align and learn from the local coven of witches―the very ones who sought to banish her when she and her three unique sisters first moved to the mystical region. But although Taran is trying, the teachings don’t come easy, and the tasks leave her weak and emotionally shattered. Yet Taran must learn and learn fast. Time is running out. The fire she once mastered so easily has become her greatest adversary and is now slowly burning her alive . . .
Of Flame And Light Excerpt“You guys ready?” I ask, forcing myself to stand slightly ahead of Bren.
Shayna fumbles through her backpack and pulls out a box of toothpicks before passing the heavy pack to Emme. Emme doesn’t need her hands free to kick ass, but Shayna does.
“So what’s the plan, dudes?” Shayna asks. “Onward and upward?”
“Yeah,” I answer, shrugging when Bren looks at me. “This isn’t the good kind of magic, Bren. With all the evil set to rise, and the bad guys needing dark witches to make it happen, you know our motto: no stone left unturned, and no scaries left to chew on our insides.”
He snags my elbow when I start to head for the dense brush. “If we can, I’ll let you make the capture. It’s the only way to keep Genevieve from sinking her teeth into you. But that thing in there—if it’s as bad as I think it is—there’s no bringing her home alive, got me? I’ll make the kill if it comes down to it.”
He doesn’t think I can take her, much less kill her. And maybe he’s right. But that doesn’t mean we can turn our backs and pretend she’s not here.
I kick at the dirt at my feet. I don’t like to kill, despite what people think and despite that it’s something I’m freakishly good at. I’ve had plenty of practice, believe me. My first kill occurred when I was just a teen, the second, moments after. It was the right thing to do given what happened. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t sick to my gut. I burned them with enough heat to smoke their chests, allowing them to feel every ounce of pain they caused me and my sisters. Too many followed after that, enough that I’ve lost count. But as much as the dead mark my bones, and stay a part of me, I’ll do it again if I have to.
I meet Bren’s face. “Dead or alive, we have to take care of Savana and whoever else might be helping her.”
“Even if it means you get stuck serving Genevieve?” he presses.
He’s not asking. He knows taking out Savana is the right thing to do. He’s just making sure we’re all on the same page. “Yes,” I answer.The Weird Girls Series                            About Cecy Robson
Cecy (pronounced Sessy) Robson is the new adult and contemporary romance author of the Shattered Past series, the O’Brien Family novels and new Carolina Beach series, as well as the award-winning author of the Weird Girls urban fantasy romance series. A 2016 double nominated RITA® finalist for Once Pure and Once Kissed, Cecy is a recovering Jersey girl living in the South who enjoys carbs way too much, and exercise way too little. Gifted and cursed with an overactive imagination, you can typically find her on her laptop silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.Author Links
This promotion is brought to you by Pure Textuality PR.

Join Us at the Haunted Halloween Spooktacular Facebook Party

Join us for Halloween fun and games at the Haunted Halloween Spooktacular Facebook Party October 19 and 20.

Enter to win tons of prizes. Invite all your friends.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1321889231185264/

Be prepared to show off your Halloween and cosplay costumes for the Costume Contest and enter your pumpkin creations for the Pumpkin Carving Contest.

We have over 20 authors participating, they'll be here to discuss their love of Halloween, talk about their books and offer fun and games to all who drop by.

You have to participate to win, so come by often.

Here's the author schedule, times are listed in EST
Wednesday October 19th

10-11am Ash Krafton
11am-12pm Sam Baltrusis
12-1pm Natalie Nicole Bates
1-2pm Catherine Winters
2-3pm Jill Archer
3-4pm Rayna Noire
4-5pm Laura Diamond
5-6pm Jennifer Windrow
6-7pm Kelex
7-8pm BA Tortuga
8-9pm Constance Burris
9-10pm Jamie K. Schmidt
10-11pm Lexxie Couper
11pm-12am Vanta Black

Thursday October 20th

10-11am Erzabet Bishop
11am-12pm Sam Crescent
12-1pm Roxanne Rhoads
1-2pm Lily Harlem
2-3pm Marcella Burnard
3-4pm Traci Douglass
4-5pm Catherine Stine
5-6pm Krista Carlson 
6-7pm ND Jones
7-8pm Kirsten Weiss
8-9pm Marsha A. Moore
9-10pm Julia Talbot
10-11pm Angelique Voisen
11pm-12am JC Andrijeski

Life as a Teenage Vampire by Amanda Meuwissen

I don’t know about you, but coming up with ideas for stories is easy for me. I do so daily, sometimes hourly, and while many of my ideas are fleeting, or not something I would ever flush out, several are good enough that I have to stop and jot them down. I keep so many Word documents filled with story ideas, it would probably be intimidating to most people, but while I’m working on my next book, I want the ideas for the one after that, and the one after that, ready and waiting to be explored.

Currently, you can get my new book, Life as a Teenage Vampire, on Amazon, and while it’s enjoying its launch, I’ve already written the first draft for my next series, and I have the beginnings of the book after that started as well. Several potential story ideas for after that have their bare-bones notes written out, and when the time comes it’ll just depend on where my muse directs me.

But the hardest part when working on a new story is going from concept to chapter 1—the beginning words, paragraphs, and even the first few later chapters of the story that have to be powerful enough to capture your audience so they want to read more. The answer is different for every story, other than ‘be engaging’, because not every story needs to start the same way.

My previous trilogy, The Incubus Saga, starts in the middle to some extent, after Nathan has lost his brother and is willing to make a deal with a dark fae in order to save him, which kicks off the rest of the tale without beginning like David Copperfield ‘I am born’. It throws readers right into the trilogy’s world from the first few words.

Life as a Teenage Vampire starts with some entertaining action, but not really anything pertinent to the plot, other than it helps introduce readers to these hapless, normal teenagers who are about to enter an adventure of very not normal circumstances.

If you’re a writer, you know that world-building needs to be organic, and it can be the hardest part of starting a new story, especially if your world has elements that drastically differs from the real world. You want readers to understand everything without lengthy exposition. The crux to getting them invested in your story is finding the most resonating way to tell it from the very beginning.

There isn’t an easy way to stumble upon what opening is best for your story, but chances are, if something nags at you or feels off about what you’ve written so far, you’re probably right.

My solution? Share it with as many of your close friends, writers, editors, etc., as you can before you’re officially editing the story. See what people’s reactions are, talk things out, voice your concerns about what isn’t working to you, and eventually you’ll discover how to fix things and make your first chapter one that your readers will remember for a long time.
Life as a Teenage VampireAmanda Meuwissen
Genre: YA M/M Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication: 10/3/16
ISBN-13: 978-1-943619-32-0ISBN-10: 1-943619-32-8
Number of pages: 300Word Count: 82,500
Cover Artist: Alexandra Ishchenko
Book Description:
Emery Mavus just wants to survive his senior year of high school.
Becoming a vampire complicates things. So does a bizarre mentor, a group of vampire hunters, and an unexpected, new attraction for his openly gay best friend, Connor.
An occasional uncontrollable hunger for blood might be the least of his worries.



Amazon
Excerpt:

“Mr. Leonard—”

“Hush, Emery.”

I made to push him away, but in that same moment, the fear that had crept under my skin feeling like it might burst out my pores, lessened. Everything about Mr. Leonard seemed different. He didn’t move. His expression didn’t change. It was the air around him, the atoms buzzing, something intangible that shifted. His eyes were mesmerizing, and as I returned his stare, all the anxiety in my stomach washed away. I felt warm, but not uncomfortably so, more like I was snuggling up for an afternoon nap.

My hand dropped.

“I am so sorry, Emery. I have no other choice.”

I didn’t see him move. He was there, standing in front of me, and then he wasn’t. Instead, the curve of his shoulder was in front of my face, and a sharp pain in my neck tore the air from my lungs, like he’d struck me with a knife or a needle. But the pain faded almost instantly, and the tight pressure felt almost soothing.

I sagged against the wall, seeing only the dark blue of Mr. Leonard’s shoulder, the hazy background of the sofa and fireplace fading in color until there was nothing but calming darkness.


About the Author:
Amanda has a Bachelor of Arts in a personally designed major from St. Olaf College in Creative Writing, and has been posting content online for many years, including maintaining the blog for the digital marketing company Outsell. She spent a summer writing screenplay script coverages for a company in L.A., and is an avid consumer of fiction through film, prose, and video games. Amanda lives in Minneapolis, MN, with her husband, John, and their cats, Helga and Sasha (no connection to the incubus of the same name).
http://www.amandameuwissen.com/
http://crimsondomingo.tumblr.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6831429.Amanda_Meuwissen

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmandaMeuwissen/
https://twitter.com/MissSuperCube

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Untitled Beauty by C.E. Wilson

Eleven. A name. A title. A sentence passed. If you aren’t a Beauty, you’re less than a person. You’re a commodity known as a Potential… and you only have so many chances to qualify as a human being.

In her seventeen years, Eleven has seen the best and worst in humanity. She’s been passed around and abused by the bad. She’s hoped and dreamed for the good. And she’s despaired for the hand she’s been dealt. Now she’s been purchased by a wealthy man who has the ability to improve her life and help her become a Beauty – if she can put up with his erratic and controlling personality for long enough, that is. Complicating things is the appearance of a stunningly beautiful young man with amethyst eyes who treats Eleven to the rarest form of attention for a Potential: kindness.

Does Eleven trust her powerful owner to help her escape this life of servitude and enslavement, or does she gamble everything on the enigmatic young man who seems to offer her more than she could ever imagine possible?



Untitled Beautyby C.E. Wilson

SeriesSomewhere In Between #1

GenreSciFi/FantasyDystopianRomance

PublisherLive and Love the Fantasy Publications

Publication DateOctober 13, 2016
  
About the AuthorC.E. Wilson is a Secondary English Education graduate from Millersville University of Pennsylvania currently living in Pittsburgh with her husband, daughter, chubby beagle and two cats.

C.E. published her first book in 2012 entitled Oath of Servitude and hasn't looked back since. She now has over ten books published and plans to release two more by the end of 2016. Her favorite genres to tackle are Young and Clean New Adult with a supernatural element...though she generally steers clear of vampires and werewolves. For now.

When C.E. isn't writing or spending time with her family, she enjoys watching Supernatural, reading shoujo manga and shopping for leggings. She enjoys autumn, all things pumpkin, 90s music, and coffee with way too much cream.

Author Links
  This promotion is brought to your by Pure Textuality PR.       

Whitechapel Paranormal Society Cover Reveal

October is the perfect time to unveil the debut covers from the upcoming Whitechapel Paranormal Society series.  Keep reading for a chance to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card.

New Victorian Gothic Horror Series Set in London's East End.
The Whitechapel Paranormal Society is coming in 2017.  Until then, we have these gorgeous covers from Phatpuppy Art Studios and Sacred Oaks Press.


Eeper Weeper (Whitechapel Paranormal Society #0.5) by E.J. Stevens

The great and prestigious man of science, Doctor Jameson Foster Hadley had somehow made a mistake. I wasn’t good and I wasn’t normal. His experiment had failed.

The tedium and terrors of Josephine "Jo" Hadley's existence within the stone walls of London's Bethnal Asylum are interrupted by a strange visitor, Cora Drummond, a woman who demands to interview one of the asylum's most insane residents. The patient's rantings include tales of ghosts and demons, but it is the bizarre, near-riotous muttering of prophetic nursery rhymes that follow Jo throughout the asylum wards that is most illuminating to Miss Drummond.

Eeeper Weeper, chimney sweeper. Had a wife, but couldn't keep her...

Days later, Jo and her adoptive father receive an invitation to attend an exclusive tea at the prestigious Whitehall Club. But the request for Jo's attendance is more than it might seem. She has caught the attention of a secret branch of government working directly for the queen.

Will Jo Hadley's unusual talent for inciting prophetic nursery rhymes prove useful to the crown? She is given one chance to demonstrate her worth to the Special Paranormal Research Branch, but this is one mission that even the most highly trained operatives might not survive.

Eeper Weeper is a prequel short story in the Whitechapel Paranormal Society series by award-winning author E.J. Stevens. One for Sorrow (Whitechapel Paranormal Society #1) takes place six years after the prequel short story Eeper Weeper (Whitechapel Paranormal Society #0.5). The Whitechapel Paranormal Society series is a Victorian horror (dreadpunk) series set in London's East End.

Free Read: Click to Read an Eeper Weeper ARC Book Excerpt
Release Date: June 2017
Add to Goodreads TBR.
Official Website: WhitechapelParanormalSociety.com


One for Sorrow (Whitechapel Paranormal Society #1) by E.J. Stevens

Afternoon tea had served us up a demon.

It is six years since Josephine "Jo" Hadley joined the ranks of the Special Paranormal Research Branch and three years since the S.P.R.B.'s mission was terminated. After their superiors declare that the supernatural threat is quelled, Jo and her colleagues returned to civilian life with varying degrees of success. But when Jo, Edith, and Flan cross paths with a slogoth demon there is no escaping the terrible truth. The supernatural threat was never defeated.

One for sorrow. Two for mirth. Three for a funeral. Four for a birth. Five for Heaven. Six for Hell. Seven for the Devil, his own self.

Demons and necromancers went into hiding within the labyrinthine warrens of Whitechapel, but after three years of secretly feasting on the souls of London's East End they are back stronger than ever before. Will the Whitechapel Paranormal Society rise up from the ashes of the S.P.R.B., or will all of London become the Devil's playground?

One for Sorrow is the first full-length novel in the Whitechapel Paranormal Society series by award-winning author E.J. Stevens. One for Sorrow (Whitechapel Paranormal Society #1) takes place six years after the prequel short story Eeper Weeper (Whitechapel Paranormal Society #0.5). The Whitechapel Paranormal Society series is a Victorian horror (dreadpunk) series set in London's East End.

Release Date: September2017
Add to Goodreads TBR.
Official Website: WhitechapelParanormalSociety.com


Whitechapel Paranormal Society Cover Reveal Giveaway
We are giving away a $15 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is international.  Giveaway ends October 28, 2016.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
What do you think of the covers?

Cover Reveal EAT, SLAY, LUZT by Jillian Stone

EAT, SLAY, LUZTBook OneJillian Stone
Genre:  Zombie Adventure Thriller 
Publisher: Jillian Stone
Date of Publication:  October 28, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9963459-0-3
Number of pages:  259Word Count:  60,000
Cover Artist: G. J. Stone
Book Description:
Survival tip #1: When you’re caught in the middle of the zombie apocalypse, get a badass partner.
The zombie apocalypse is on, and Lizzy Davis is determined to survive any way she can. As a surgeon, she’s used to saving lives; not cutting into the basal ganglia to make sure the patient stays dead. When the refugee camp is overrun by zombie hordes, Lizzy manages to escape only to run into Black Hawk pilot Chris Oakley in the middle of the Syrian Desert.
Lizzy and Chris fight off zombie attacks as they make their way toward a joint military air base northeast of Kirkuk. Just one problem, they’ll have to pass through the drone-patrolled DMZ— Dead Meat Zone. To get there, they form uneasy alliances with French-Arab commandos and a black ops interrogator who’s slowly rotting before their eyes.
Along the way, Lizzy and Chris manage to find time for each other—the sizzling red-hot lovemaking kind of time. And who knows? They might have a chance at love if they live long enough.
Warning: Features red hot to erotic love scenes

About the Author:
Multi-published, national award-winning author, Jillian Stone is on a three year quest to write all the books (in different genres) she’s always wanted to write before she gets forever labeled as a historical romance writer. Jillian lives in Highland, California and is currently writing a shapeshifter tale WOLF, INTERRUPTED, which recently won the FFandP On The Far Side award in the paranormal category.
Website: http://jillianstone.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillianStoneBooks
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/gJillianStone
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4946569.Jillian_Stone