Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 320

Guest Blog and Giveaway with Genevieve Jack

Thank you to the hosts at Fangtastic Books for having me over today. I’m Genevieve Jack, here to celebrate the release of Vice, Fireborn Wolves Book 1. 
Vice is about a werewolf princess who must go into hiding after a murder takes place on her pack’s shifting grounds. Kyle, our hero, recognizes her, but offers to keep her secret, if she agrees to live with him and train his dog, Milo.
My own dog, a Brittney named Riptide Jack, provided ample inspiration for Milo despite being a quarter of his size. As a writer, I spend most days with Riptide by my side. We’ve fallen into sync. He moves from room to room with me like a shadow. When I yawn, he yawns. But there are a few quirky things about Riptide.
1. He hates treadmills. I work on a Lifespan treadmill desk. Riptide will sit on the treadmill and physically block me from stepping on it. On a regular basis, I have to press the start button and watch him slowly conveyor-belt his way off the end so I can work. He will then angrily stare at the machine as I plod away, giving  me a look that clearly says what I’m doing is dangerous and a poor use of my time.

2. He uses me as his napkin. Every morning after Riptide eats and drinks, he wipes his dripping jowls on my pants. Every. Morning. His height is such that most days my pants are stained just above the knee. This is why I can’t have nice things
3. When he gets angry at me, he buries my stuff.  Riptide has a doggie door. I installed the door so he wouldn’t interrupt me throughout the day. See, I’d trained him to ring a set of jingle bells when he wanted to go outside. That worked for a while, but then smarty-pants decided to reverse engineer the process, ringing the bell and standing by his food dish. Or ringing the bell and pointing toward the treats. Or ringing the bell and grabbing his play toy. Basically, I wasn’t getting anything done because that bell was ringing all day long. So, now he has total freedom to come and go as he pleases between home and our large, fenced backyard.
Problem is that occasionally my family goes out to dinner or to a movie without the dog. Like I said, Riptide is used to staying right by my side—being left home alone makes him sad, and sad dogs, I’ve learned, bury things. Last winter, I could not keep a pair of gloves. Every Friday night he’d bury my left glove. I’d try to remember to put them up where he couldn’t reach them but invariably, over time I’d forget and bye-bye left glove
Socks were his second favorite. Again, he’d only take one of each pair. When spring came, it was like an early Easter egg hunt. We were pulling socks and gloves out of the mud every few feet while Riptide watched, silently laughing.
4. He changes the rules. When we brought Riptide home, he wasn’t allowed on the couch. That rule lasted about two days. His favorite thing to do now is to lie on his back on our sofa and tip his head so he can watch the squirrels out our picture window.

5. He’s basically the best dog ever.  Not a day goes by that Riptide doesn’t make me laugh in one way or another. And when life becomes dark and I’m tempted to sink into an unhealthy mental state, he’s always there, his little stubby tail wagging light into my life.

Do you have a dog that brings light into your life? If so, I’d love to hear about them. Share his or her picture or a story in the comments.


ViceFireborn WolvesBook OneGenevieve Jack
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Carpe Luna Publishing
Date of Publication: 9/13/2016
ISBN: 978-1-940675-25-1ASIN:
Word Count:  65000
Cover Artist: Steven Novak
Book Description:
Some cravings can’t be denied.
Werewolf Laina Flynn longs to break from the patriarchal expectations of Fireborn pack. A successful entrepreneur, she doesn’t have time to be bossed around by her alpha brother, Silas, let alone to act as a proper werewolf princess.
But when a wolf is found murdered on Fireborn shifting grounds, Laina will do anything to protect her pack, even if it means posing as a waitress at a club that flies in the face of her feminist ideals. Unfortunately, her inner wolf marks the club’s owner, Kyle “The King” Kingsley, as her vice—her metaphysical addiction. He becomes a hunger she can’t ignore…one that could threaten her life, her family, and her pack.
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About the Author:
Genevieve Jack is a registered nurse turned author of weird, witty, and wicked-hot paranormal romance. Coffee and wine are her biofuel: the love lives of vampires, shifters, and witches her favorite topic of conversation. She harbors a passion for old cemeteries and ghost tours thanks to her years at a high school rumored to be haunted. Although she calls the Midwest home, her heart belongs to the beaches of the southeast, where she spends her days with her laptop and one lazy dog.
www.genevievejack.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGenevieveJack/
https://twitter.com/Genevieve_Jack

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Top 5 Images that Inspired Wizard King By Michelle Miles

Top 5 Images that Inspired Wizard KingBy Michelle Miles

First, I want to say a thank you to Fang-tastic books for letting me blog today! I’m excited to be here!
I’m also excited to talk about my latest release, In the Tower of the Wizard King.
It’s an epic fantasy with romantic elements that follows four main characters through lots of ups and downs. This story found me, latched on to me and wouldn’t let go. I’m a fan of Pinterest so when I started writing this book, I created a board for inspiration.
Image #1One of the things that inspired me the most was pictures of gardens. I’m not sure why—gardens don’t play a huge role in the story but something about them captivated me. When I saw this image, I knew I had to include a hedge maze in the story somewhere!


Image #2One of the items featured heavily in the story is the Time Sphere. What is a Time Sphere you ask? It’s a magical—dangerous!—object that allows time travel to the past or the future. I was inspired by this photo to bring the Time Sphere to life in the story.


Image #3In one part of the story, the heroine, Aoife (EE-fa), discovers an old steamer trunk in the attic. When she opens it, there’s a portal to Faery inside. I imaged it would look something like this.

Image #4The Ivory Wood features heavily in the story too as the place where the Time Sphere can be found. I searched for specific images that made me think of Ivory Wood. When I stumbled across this photo, I knew it was perfect.


Image #5And, lastly, the title is In the Tower of the Wizard King, so naturally I needed a tower for inspiration. I love searching through stock photos. It’s a great procrastination tactic when the story is stalled. ;) I used this as my inspiration for the Wizard King’s tower.


If you want to see more inspirational images for the book, check out my Pinterest board. I’ve also cast my characters. You can find that here. I hope you check it out!
Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive content including cover reveals, excerpts and newsletter-only giveaways!
In the Tower of the Wizard KingAge of WizardsBook OneMichelle Miles
Genre: Epic Fantasy with Romantic Elements
Publisher: Michelle Miles
Date of Publication: Sept 1, 2016
ISBN: 9781311611086ASIN: B01GIALHPC
Number of pages: 242Word Count: 112,000
Cover Artist: Erin Dameron-Hill
Book Description:
In the Age of Wizards, Time is a commodity more valuable than gold. When Aoife (EE-fa) stumbles upon an antique trunk in the attic, it calls to her with an ancient magic. Inside she finds a stairway leading into darkness and cannot resist stepping onto that first stair. It leads her to dark truths her mother never wanted her to uncover and love so powerful she walks through time to save it.
Her magic is dormant.
When Aoife Burke rushes home after the unexpected death of her father, she discovers her mother has vanished amidst inexplicable circumstances. She returns to her childhood home to search for clues of her mother’s whereabouts but another shock awaits her. Sean O’Connell, the object of her girlhood crush, has purchased the family home. She senses Sean is hiding something from her, refuses to let her inside and does everything he can to keep her out. A determined Aoife breaks inside and stumbles upon an antique trunk in the attic. When she opens it, instead of the normal musty clothes and ancient letters, she finds a stairway leading into darkness. It calls to her and she cannot resist stepping into the trunk and onto that first stair where it leads her to magical truths her mother never wanted her to discover.
His magic is dangerous.
Sean O’Connell has been assigned by the Inter-dimensional Portal Protection Agency to keep Aoife and her mother out of Faery. But when she breaks into the house and disappears through the portal in the trunk—like her mother—he has no choice but to follow her, even though stepping into Faery will force him to face his past. Keeping her safe and out of the hands of the Wizard King also becomes a fight to save Aoife’s life from her own mother, who has discovered a time portal in Faery leading her back in time to alter her past mistakes, putting Aoife’s life in peril. Sean is willing to do anything to make sure she’s safe. Even if it means he has to tap into his dangerous magic to do it.
iBooks     Amazon     BN      Kobo     Smashwords
Excerpt:
She halted mid-reach, gasping for breath and shoving back against the wall. She couldn’t. She’d been forbidden her entire life to go into the attic. Her mother made that painfully clear. She was not allowed and neither was Sunnie.
So why then did she have the uncontrollable urge to pull down the attic stairs and go up?
Do it, Aoife. Go up into the attic.
The voice whispered inside her skull. She had no idea whose voice it was. She didn’t think it was her own. She was compelled to open the attic and take that first upward step.
So she did. With her heart pounding in her throat, she ascended and paused in the darkness listening to her ragged breathing. She stood on forbidden ground.
Now what?
The trunk.
Again that voice. She scanned the darkened room, only barely able to make out shapes. There were the holiday decorations on one side. An old desk on another. She headed for the desk.
The trunk. The trunk.
She pressed her palm against the side of her head and rubbed. She was hearing things.
The desk was coated in a thick layer of dust that had been disturbed not so long ago. There were several cubbies with papers sticking out of them in a chaotic and untidy way and two books that had finger and handprints left behind in the dust.
“Hidden Dimensions and Fae Time Travel,” she read aloud.
She picked up the second book, A Hypothesis of Fae Magic in Other Realms, and flipped through it. She understood none of it as it was written in a language she couldn’t comprehend. She dropped the book and reached for one of the scrolls when her fingers brushed one that felt different than paper. Curious, she pulled it out and untied the faded red ribbon, letting it roll open. Despite the flawless handwriting, the words were of a language she couldn’t understand. Except for the two words in English scrawled across the top.
“Eradication spell?”
She dropped the scroll and shoved it away as something dark gripped her. Like she’d touched something forbidden or evil.  With her heart pattering a quick beat, she reached for another scroll. The parchment fell open on the desk revealing a drawing of an ancient map. The ink had faded. When she peered at it closer she couldn’t make out the words, which were in the same language as the book. Something flowery with lots of squiggles and she had no idea what it said. A small compass was drawn in the lower left hand corner with north pointing to the right.
Aoife reached for a second piece of paper. It had been folded and looked as though it was a page that had been ripped out of a book. Again, the language was strange. Like nothing she’d ever seen before. As she stared at the faded ink, the words and letters re-arranged and morphed into words she could read.
A wizard of both Fae and Wizard blood will come into power and rule from a silver throne.
“A wizard of both Fae and Wizard blood…?” Her voice was quiet in the darkness.
Something behind her glowed. She dropped the paper and turned to see a symbol on the top of the trunk had lit up, like a beacon in the darkness.
The trunk. The trunk. The trunk.
It called to her. She was certain she had heard her name coming from it. In a fog, she walked toward it and dropped to her knees. It was an old steamer trunk. She had never seen it before in the house. Where did it come from? Was it her mother’s?
The glowing symbol on the top was an intricate Celtic knotwork circle with a sword through it. The light pulsed, beckoning her.
The trunk, Aoife.
“Yes,” she heard herself say. “The trunk. Of course.”
Her fingers brushed over the Celtic knotwork and suddenly the interior illuminated. Light pushed out around the lid. She gasped and opened it. When the blinding light faded, there in the trunk was a stone staircase leading down into darkness.
“What the heck…?”
Downstairs, she heard a door slam and then Sean’s voice. “Aoife? Are you here?”
Step into the trunk, Aoife.
“Yes, I must.”
She stood and stepped onto the first stone step. Her racing heart thumped a wild beat and the next thing she knew she was on the second step. Then the third.
“Aoife, wait!”
Glancing up, Sean appeared at the top of the attic stairs. She sucked in a sharp breath, grasped the lid and slammed it closed above her head. She was instantly plunged into total darkness and hunched down on the step, waiting for Sean to open the lid and come after her. She heard nothing. No sounds above.
Panic seized her. She reached above and her hand brushed against smooth, cool stone. She pushed and pushed and pushed but the stone would not give. She flattened her trembling hands against where she thought the lid was but again met cold stone instead of smooth wood. The lid had disappeared. Where did it go?
A cold tingling sensation went through her as she realized she was trapped. Gasping for air, she banged the side of her hand against the stone until it hurt, shouting Sean’s name as hot tears stung her eyes. Her voice bounced off the stone walls around her, echoing through the shadows. It was useless. He couldn’t hear her. Sean didn’t follow her because Sean couldn’t follow her. She was trapped.

There was no going back and there was no way she could get out. Her only option was to go down. With her pulse racing, she descended into the shadows.

About the Author:
Michelle Miles grew up in North Central Texas in a rodeo town but was far more interested in nerdy things like Star Trek and Star Wars. She started writing fan fiction in high school. When being an archeologist like Indiana Jones or a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader didn't work out, she decided writing was her gig and has wanted to write her own stories ever since.
Her love of romance started when she picked up Victoria Holt and Daphne du Maurier and was immediately smitten with the genre. But she also found another love in the fantasies of Patricia A. McKillip and Anne McCaffrey. Since she couldn’t decide which genre to pick—and because she’s a true Gemini—she decided it would be super fun to write contemporary and fantasy romance. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and has served on the board of several chapters as president and treasurer.
In her spare time, she enjoys listening to music, reading, cross-stitching and watching movies. A Native Texan, she loves castles, dragons, fairies and elves and is an avid Game of Thrones fan. She can be found online at Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads.
Website and Blog: http://www.michellemiles.net
Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/MMRomNews
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MichelleMilesRomanceAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MichelleMiles
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/MichelleMilesAuthor
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/MilesOfRomance/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/477915.Michelle_Miles
Plotting Princesses: http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com/

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Rachel Rawlings Discusses HallowRead Book Festival and Convention

HallowRead, my favorite time of year. It combines two of my favorite things; books and Halloween. I love all types of books but for HallowRead I wanted to focus on genre fiction. We’ve got ghost stories, vampires, werewolves, time travel and more with authors for readers ranging from Young Adult to Adult. Perfect for the spookiest time of the year! 
HallowRead is where lifelong friendships are made. Share a meal or a pint while discussing books at one of the many restaurants in our new hometown of Havre de Grace with any of the forty participating authors and countless readers. Stuff your reader bag full of goodies at our book signing. Experience the haunts and history of the town on our ghost tour. Listen to our authors read excerpts from their books while enjoying brunch and a wine tasting at a local vineyard. These are just a few of the activities we’ve got planned for you at the fourth annual HallowRead convention.
There’s so much to do and see in the quaint little town located on the Chesapeake Bay. Make some memories with some of the best and brightest the industry has to offer. I know I have over the last three years and I can’t wait to make some more with all of you!
Tickets are on sale now at www.hallowread.com/tickets
Rachel Rawlings is the founder of HallowRead and bestselling author of Paranormal Urban Fantasy and Horror. Her books can be found on iBooks, Amazon, Kobo, Nook and all major retailers of print editions.

HallowRead is non-profit raising funds for literacy and the literary arts as well as flood relief for the victims of the 2016 Ellicott City flood.


Hallowread is a book festival and mini-con for authors and fans of Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Steam Punk and Horror.
October 21-23 2016 in Havre de Grace, Maryland!



Multi author event with various activities throughout the weekend including Writing Workshops, Ghost Tour, SteamPunk Author Tea, Author Panels, Book Signing, Paranormal Investigation and so much more. Hang out with your favorite authors in our new host city, the haunted and historic town of Havre de Grace, Maryland!
Local Maryland author of dark urban fantasy, Rachel Rawlings, had a crazy idea. Create a book convention for genre fiction and hold it the weekend before Halloween. Haunted and historic Ellicott City held a special place in her heart so there was no other place to take her first ever convention. The town welcomed her and HallowRead with open arms. Each ticket sold helped raise money for the Ellicott City Partnership- a coalition of residents and business owners for the betterment of the town. HallowRead raised money for projects like rain barrels which help reduce the sediment and contaminants running into the Patapsco River and fund grants for projects like Paint Main Street which helped small business owners get a much needed fresh coat of paint improving the moral and over all appearance of the town.
Rachel is excited to take the convention on the road for 2016 and raise funds for Harford County literacy programs and the local library system! One ticket, whether it’s a $10 paranormal investigation or the full monty ticket, makes a difference for the town and the wonderful people who call it home, something Rachel is extremely proud of.
Click here to see a list of HallowRead events http://hallowread.com/events/
Get your tickets here: http://hallowread.com/tickets/
See a list of attending authors here: http://hallowread.com/authors/
Author Opportunities still available!
Interested in participating in HallowRead?
Registration of $35.00 includes a feature on panels, the signing, website and social media, plus other special incentives!

About the Founder of Hallowread:
Rachel Rawlings was born and raised in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. Her family, originally from Rhode Island, spent summers in New England sparking her fascination with Salem, MA. She has been writing fictional stories and poems since middle school, but it wasn't until 2009 that she found the inspiration to create her heroine Maurin Kincaide and complete her first full length novel, The Morrigna.
When she isn't writing, Rachel can often be found with her nose buried in a good book. An avid reader of Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Horror and Steampunk herself, Rachel founded Hallowread- an interactive convention for both authors and fans of those genres.
More information on Hallowread, its schedule of events and participating authors can be found at www.hallowread.blogspot.com  and www.facebook.com/Hallowread .
She still lives in Maryland with her husband and three children.
www.rachelrawlings.com
www.authorrachelrawlings.com
www.twitter.com/@rachelsbooks
www.facebook.com/themaurinkincaideseries
www.facebook.com/hallowread
www.tsu.co/@rachelsbooks
www.hallowread.com  
Goodreads Author Page http://goo.gl/FZW0RN
Amazon Author Page http://goo.gl/Q6Ubn1

Top Ten Kick Ass Bad Girls Guest Blog and Giveaway with Vanessa Liebe

Hello,

My name is Vanessa Liebe and I write fun and sexy erotic romances, both contemporary and historical. Today I’d like to discuss some of my favourite ‘bad girls’ or kick ass heroines in television and movies.
Number One – Tracy Whitney from If Tomorrow Comes (Novel and a mini-series). I absolutely love her character. I admire how she gets her revenge on the people that set her up, before she begins her career as a thief. Turning to crime is her only way of surviving but the way in which she interacts with a co-thief is fun as well as the chemistry between them. 
Number Two -  Lisbeth Salander in the Millennium Trilogy. She pursues revenge and justice, using any means. I love her toughness, intelligence and her computer hacking skills.
Number Three – Mindy (Hit Girl) in the Kick Ass movies. Understandably violent due to how she was brought up, I can’t help liking her and admiring her skills. This is one little girl who can take care of herself.
Number Four – Sydney Bristow in the Alias series. I enjoyed all the disguises and secret agent capers. Sometimes the plots were a bit too unbelievable, which was part of its charm, but this female agent did kick ass. She was sexy and likeable.
Number Five – Sarah Connor – both in the Terminator films and The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I liked the concept of this character. Sarah’s intelligent, tough and never gives up. I particularly like the fact she’s such a girly girl initially. 
Number Six – Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I loved the series, seeing how the character matured over the seasons. Who wouldn’t want to have accelerated healing and super powers?
Number seven – Carol Peletier from The Walking Dead TV series. I haven’t read the comics but I really like Carol in the TV series. She has grown so much as a character, endured much and violence is necessary to stay alive. She is brutal  
Number Eight – Veronica in Heathers. An old film, but I liked how this character got involved with the wrong guy, did some violent things but then saw the error of her ways.
Number Nine -  Mathilda, Léon. The unlikely friendship between lethal professional killer Léon, and the 12-year-old, newly orphaned Mathilda is brilliant. I like how she convinces him to take her on as his protégée.
Number ten – Xenia Zirgavana Onatopp in Goldeneye. She’s hilarious as the villain who crushes men to death between her thighs. Quite a power lol.
Well, these are my favourite Bad Girls. I would love to hear about more, so who are your favourite bad girls from TV or movies?




Bad GirlsVanessa Liebe
Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Blushing Books
Date of Publication: 15th Sep 2016
Book Description:
A cat burgler. A petty cash thief. A desperate housewife. A nosy cat sitter. A reckless basejumper. What could these five women have in common? They are all Bad Girls.
When Gemma climbs into the first apartment on her list to burgle, she is distracted by something more enticing than money and jewels. A moment's hesitation, and she ends up paying for her crime in a most unexpected fashion.
All Shannah wants is a new pair of shoes. They are a bargain, but still not within her means. She finds a way to pay for them, but ends up with far more than she bargains for. Are they really worth the price she must pay?
Melissa is frustrated with her husband away on business all the time. She takes desperate action in order to prompt a response from him, but she may have gone too far. She gets a response alright and things become hotter than she thought they could. Does this naughty housewife manage to save her marriage, or not?
While cat sitting, Jess can't resist the urge to get comfortable. She makes herself at home and in the process crosses some boundaries that her 'host' is far from happy about. Fortunately, she also finds the means to her own—end.
Olivia, The Cat, Davis thrives on the danger and the thrill of jumping off of buildings. The taller the better. As she attempts her ultimate jump, she is met with a stern warning that she has chosen the wrong building this time. If she survives the fall, will she survive the aftermath?
In pursuit of their selfish dreams, each one of these wildly beautiful, but very naughty girls comes up against a man who can teach them right from wrong, and that there are consequences to their actions. Consequences they are more than happy to dish up.
Excerpt: Anger rising, Alex followed the wet prints, down the hall, up the stairs and along – he clenched his jaw – to his bedroom! The prints were fresh to show up on the carpet like this and Alex was furious. Not only was someone in his house, abusing his trust by making free with it, but they were showing a total lack of respect for it. The wooden flooring downstairs could be damaged by the wet foot prints. However, he'd worry about that in a moment. Right now he was more concerned with who the hell was leaving water everywhere.
He entered his room to hear the TV on in the bathroom. His fists clenched. Leaving water all over the house, using his bathroom and watching his new TV. Someone was in serious trouble.
Alex quickly glanced around his room to see what else had been used or taken. He noticed the vibrator on the bedside table and growled. Jesus. The person had even rifled through his box of toys in the wardrobe and taken one out ready to play with. Rather absurdly, Alex just couldn't connect that action with his cool blonde neighbor. Zara was nice enough, pretty enough, but she didn't seem the sort who would like anything more than vanilla sex.
Alex's musings were interrupted by the bathroom door opening and a stunning raven haired woman coming out. She was wearing his robe which tipped his anger over the edge. It swamped her, despite her being fairly tall and his fingers itched to rip it off the beautiful stranger. Take his property back. "Who the hell are you?" he ground out through clenched teeth.
She jumped, gulped and then recovered her poise. She flicked her long hair over a shoulder and looked at him haughtily with a raised brow. "More to the point. Who are you?"
Alex had to admire her brass necked cheek, but it was going to end very badly for her. "I own this house." He watched the dawning realization that she was in trouble register in her green eyes. "Oh," she said. "Oh indeed."
Then she looked at him defiantly. "Well, Mr. Young. I'm Zara's cousin, Jess. She had to go away for two nights. Something came up at work and so she asked me to look after your darling cat for you."
Alex's gaze raked her form. "And you decided to move in and make free with my bathroom, did you?"
She smirked. "Actually I used your kitchen to cook myself dinner, I frolicked naked in your hot tub, while drinking your wine and then I made free with your bathroom."
Alex's eyes narrowed. She was unbelievable. Totally unrepentant about what she'd done.
He watched as she sauntered over to wear he stood.
"If you'll just move, I'll be out of your hair," she said looking up at him. "And I'll return the robe tomorrow." She made to reach for the door handle, giving him an expectant look. But Alex didn't budge.

Instead he reached for the belt on the robe and tugged it loose. "On the contrary, Jess. I want my robe back and you're not going anywhere."
About the Author:
Vanessa Liebe is the author of fun, sexy erotic romance and erotica, both contemporary and historical. She mostly writes in the Fantasy and Paranormal categories as she likes a man with bite. Vanessa is married with three children and resides in Hampshire, South East England. When not house training her children, reading or writing, she likes to sit in the garden with a glass of rose wine.
https://vanessaliebe.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009945581362
https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.liebe.author
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13740310.Vanessa_Liebe
@author_vanessa







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Bewitching Winter Holiday Extravaganza - Put your book in the gift buying spotlight this holiday season

Do you have a book that you’d like to put in front of readers this holiday season?

Put your book in the holiday spotlight with the Bewitching Winter Holiday Extravaganza.

The Bewitching Holiday Extravaganza is Open to All Books, Not Just Holiday Themed Books

Your book does not have to be a holiday themed book though we gladly welcome holiday romances, holiday urban fantasy, horror or holiday erotica books

From November 21- December 23 you will be featured with Bewitching Tour Stops, Social Media Promotion along with a multi-author Facebook party in December.

To participate you’ll need to provide details for one book you wish to promote including a high resolution jpeg of your cover and an excerpt.

You’ll also need to provide a Winter Holiday themed guest blog or a short holiday flash fiction story or poem. Your guest blog or flash fiction materials may feature Christmas, Yule, the Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Kwanza, or whatever winter holiday you choose to celebrate with your writing. Guest blogs may be recipes, DIY Tutorials, Holiday Music Playlists, Top Ten Gift Lists, or anything related to the holidays.

For the Facebook Party you’ll need quizzes, games and a few small prizes for your author party block.

The fee for this promotion is $100 per author for one book. If you wish to promote additional books each additional book is $50.

Sign up here: https://goo.gl/forms/3ZUxceF70Iqpc3qT2 

Books will be split into genre specific holiday promotions- 

A Very Scary Christmas (Horror), Fangs for the Holidays (PNR and UF), Hot for the Holidays (erotica), and Christmas Kisses (Romance).








#paranormalChristmas #holidayhorror #christmaskisses #hotfortheholidays #fangsfortheholidays
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Interview - Freeze by Michele Barrow-Belisle

So Fire and Ice was optioned for a Movie! Exciting! What can you tell us about that? 
Well, as you can imagine we’re all super excited about it! And I’ve had a lot of conversations with the producer, who fortunately wants to keep me on board in adapting the book to a screenplay. That doesn’t always happen, so I’m very grateful. I think it’s a dream most writers have, but it was equally important to me that my stories remain as true to the book series as possible. Hopefully we’ll be able to release more info soon! It’s so hard keeping things secret, lol.
Do you have dream cast in mind? 
From the very beginning I pictured Morgan Freeman as the wizard Hawthrin. That would be amazing! Other than him the other characters have varied over the years. I can see Aimee Teegarden as Lorelei, and Avan Jogia as Adrius and Nick Roux as Zantheil, Zoe Kravitz as Abby, Predrag Bjelac as King Etienne,   Eva Green as the ice witch-Octahvia,  Effy Stonem as Venus, and Idina Menzel as Vivianne, Lorelei’s mom.
Can you tell us a little about yourself, your education, family life and such? 
Well, let’s see, I live with my hubby and son in Southern Ontario, Canada. I studied psychology and early childhood education in university and college and then went on to major in business management. I spend my days writing and sculpting, the two pastimes I’m most passionate about. It’s so important to fill your life with the people and things that bring you joy.
Your favorite childhood books and authors? 
There were so many stories and authors I adored. From Dr. Seuss to Judy Blume there were countless stories I got lost in. The Narnia series, and several others by C.S. Lewis, The Hobbit and The Lord of The Ringby Tolkien, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Lord of The Flies by William Gerald Golding, Christy by Catherine Marshall, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, Flowers in the Attic by Virginia Andrews, Diary of Anne Frank, Jane Austins books, Beverly Cleary books, everything Nancy Drew, not to mention a ton of sweetheart romances read in my teen years... too much information?
What do you love now?  
Many of the books I enjoyed as a child, such as Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, I still enjoy today. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series... loved it. Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga... enjoyed that too. I might add I adored the movies made from those series as well. Anne Rice’s books, Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith, Fallen- Lauren Kate, Stardust by Neil Gaiman. That's the tip of the fiction iceberg. I also love reading metaphysical non-fiction books that question the nature of reality. So many books, so little time...if only there were more hours in a day. But at some point I have to make some time to actually write!
Have you always wanted to be a writer?  
In the recesses of my mind, I would say yes, since writing was always something I loved to do. But it only submerged to the forefront of my awareness after several story idea sparks came to me refusing to be ignored. Once I started writing again, it was like a drug... thoroughly and utterly addicting.
How long have you been writing?  
Well, for nearly as long as I've been able to write, I've been making up stories and characters in my head. Writing them down just seemed the next logical step.​
When and why did you begin writing?  
I’ve been writing for as long as I could hold a pencil… make that a crayon. I used to make up stories and invent long involved plays for my friend to star in, when I was a child. I’ve had a journal or a diary for as long as I can remember, and the ideas for stories and characters and plots dance in my head constantly. I took a long break from it after university, but coming back to it again has been like finding a piece of my soul.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?  
I’d self-published four books on my own and published two books with different publishing houses, but I still hadn’t given myself that label. In the back of my mind I had some lofty expectation that when I officially became a writer, I’d know... like the skies would open up and pour out rainbows and fireworks and stuff. Needless to say that didn’t happen. And it wasn’t until someone very casually and matter-of-factly said to me, “oh, so you’re a writer” that I gave it some thought and realized yes, I guess I really am.
What inspired you to write your first book? 
Well, my very first book was so long ago that I can’t remember what it was about much less what inspired me. But this book came from the characters in it. I woke up to ideas and dialog and scenes playing in my mind in the middle of the night and they wouldn’t stop until I began writing them down. I started, and I’m re-inspired every day to keep going.
Where did you get your inspiration for writing FIRE and ICE and BITTERSWEET? 
When I first started the story, many years ago, it began as something I could read to my son when he was about 8yrs old. I’d already self-published a series of how-to books by that point. We’d been reading the Magic Treehouse book series together and I had the thought, like many humble author has at some time, I could write that. And so I started writing what became Fire & Ice. But the story wanted to become so much more than a short middle grade novel, and so I set it aside for a few years. I took an amazing online fiction writing class at Savvy Authors.com and fresh new ideas for how to shape it into a full length novel sprang to life. It sort of snowballed from there, because once I gave the characters a new lease on life, they wouldn’t leave me alone until I’d finished writing the entire book. Then they went on to insist their story should be a trilogy.  So then came the second book and third is underway. Now I’m not sure they’ll let me end things there though, lol.
What are your current projects? 
I’m currently working on Darkest Light, writing and revising a New Adult alternate historical romance called Courting Scandal, a short story for an anthology called FLIRT, and a new book featuring fallen angels and demons called Counted Shadows. I’ve never been very good at doing one thing at a time or finishing one project before starting another. At any given moment I could have half a dozen things on the go. But I am getting better at completing manuscripts.
Do you have a specific writing style? 
I imagine I do, but it’s hard for an author to label their own style. I’ve been told it’s very lyrical and beautiful and real and that I write dialog brilliantly, so let’s go with that. It sounds good to me.
How did you come up with the title?  
I always had the title in my mind because of the characters the fire and the ice represent in the story. I love the polar opposites and the way that in and of themselves neither one is necessarily dangerous, but taken to extremes, they can be deadly. It’s simple and straightforward and unfortunately quite common, but it really does represent the story well. Plus the publisher let me keep it so it must have been a fairly good choice.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?  
I’d love for readers to recognize there is power within them that may be lying dormant. To know that more of their lives and their choices and their destiny are under their control than they realize. The main character discovers this by uncovering hidden magical abilities, but I believe we all have inner magic to a certain extent. And that it’s our choices, more so than a preconceived destiny, that shapes our future.
How much of the book is realistic? 
To a certain extent all of it is realistic. Ok, so no, I haven’t actually traveled into a Faery realm and encountered other beings, but they represent people and places and situations that are quite real and very human. That said, the worlds are more dreamlike than realistic, and I would really love to visit. That’s one of the most exciting parts about this becoming a movie. The chance to actually step into this imaginary world in real life!  
Are the experiences you write about based on people you know, or events in your own life? 
No, they are all made up, although after reading through my first draft, I realized that various aspects of the main characters reminded me of people I’ve known.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?  
J.K. Rowling. I love not only her books but also her story. It’s so inspiring. I confess, I’ve watched every interview, read every biography and even watched the unauthorized biography movie… more than once. ;)
What book are you reading now?  
Between paperbacks and what’s loaded on my Kobo, I’m reading the The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (Loving this series!), also NeverNever by Colleen Hoover and  , and in non-fiction: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One by Dr Joe Dispenza and E-Cubedby Pam Grout.  
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? 
I discover new authors almost daily, so it would be difficult to list them all, but I really do like a lot of the fresh new voices in contemporary New Adult, which wasn’t a genre I was interested in before.
Name one person that you feel supported you, outside of family members. 
My writing mentor, the NY Times best-selling romance author Lori Wilde. She was instrumental in shaping my first story into what it is today, and she helped me take it from the boring walk-in-the-park it started as, to the thrilling compelling read it is now. *she said modestly.* ;)
Do you see writing as a career? 
Yes, I absolutely do see it as a career and a wonderful one at that! There are people who will say you can’t make money at it, but there are far more people making a wonderful living at it. I chose long ago to align with those who believe in what is possible. It’s the career I see for myself for a long time to come.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?  
I think anything I would have changed, I did change during the million and one rounds of edits. Kidding! Actually, I really like the story as it is and Astraea Press has brilliant editors who helped. I wish I could have included all the bits they made me cut out of it, but then it would have been ridiculously long, filled with details only interesting to me.
What kind of research do you do? And what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research? 
I’ve always loves faerie folklore and Celtic mythology so I’ve read a lot of books on the subject. Fantasy is a genre I’ve adored since childhood. I once bought a book of spells to see what types of elemental magic witches Fey might use, and naturally I had to try out a few of them.  All in the name of research, of course. ;)
Do you have a favorite character from the book? 
I really love Adrius. He’s the ideal hero in my opinion. Yes he makes mistakes and wrong choices, but behind them all is this unrelenting need for love, and his love for Lorelei. There is a soulful depth to his character that I hope to bring to life in a novella, sharing his perspective and his experiences before and after meeting Lorelei. He never really gets to fully give his side of the story and there is so much more to him than we get to see. He’s the ultimate good guy… plus, he’s really hot!

Playlists for books is becoming very popular….do you have a playlist with your books? And what is your favorite type of music? 
Here’s the playlist for Fire & Ice series (I’m working on the youtube playlist)
My Immortal - EvanesenceForever and A Day - JewelSnowblindBittersweetAgain - FlyleadLoreena McKennitt- The Mystic's DreamCe he mise le ulaingt (The Two Trees) - Loreena McKennittWhispers in the Dark - SkilletBefore We Come Undone - Kris AllenThe Secret Forest - John KellySweet Dreams - JewelThe Magic of The Wizard's Dream - RhapsodyBring It Back -  Kris AllenNever Ending Road - Loreena McKennittA Dangerous MindAngel Stading By - JewelTears - Breakaway - Kelly ClarksonFire and Ice - Pat Benatar
I create playlists for every story I write and I find music a very powerful catalyst in transporting me into the heart of a story or scene. Personally, I love eighties music, dance music, soundtracks and classic rock, but my playlists consists of a huge range of music, depending on my mood. 
Do you have a particular writing routine once you start a book? 
I tend to be undisciplined when it comes to sticking to a writing schedule, which is why I love events like NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) Generally I write in a sporadic fashion. I might write 2500 words one day, nothing for the next two days and then bam, suddenly write 12,000 words the next. I’m trying to stick to more of a routine, especially now that I have three novels on the go and a deadline of the end of the end of the year!

What’s the most difficult part in writing? 
Definitely for me it’s plotting out a story. I’m notorious for diving in without having any real idea where the story is going to lead, aside from knowing I want the characters to have a happily ever after. This method works for the most part, but it has gotten me into a jam on occasion, writing myself into a corner and have to restrict things in order to get out. Now I try to plot at least a basic framework before beginning. I also have a hard time writing concisely. I want to include every minute detail, but no one wants to read every last detail running around in my head. So I do a lot of cutting.
What comes first for you? The story? Characters? Or setting? 
Usually it’s the characters and then they dictate the story and the setting. For Fire & Ice however, the setting came first, because Mythlandria was a very visual place that I could see in my head and I had a very clear image of how it looked.
If you weren’t a writer, what other path might you have followed? 
I would have to do something else creative, like continuing on with my sculpting business. I don’t know how to live life without creativity of some sort. It’s what feeds my soul and brings me joy and lets me share that joy with the world. Isn’t that what life is all about? That or I’d follow my childhood dream of becoming a movie star.
Is there an aspect of writing that comes easy for you, and what do you find the most difficult (ie: plot, character, dialog, etc)?  
I often hear full conversations in my head, so writing dialog is relatively easy for me. It’s funny how you can say that in the company of writers and not freak them out. But fleshing out those character’s strengths, weaknesses and motivation is sometimes a little more challenging.
Now for the hot seat question! Tell us, if you dare, what is the wildest or funniest thing you have ever done (that you can share!) and what did you learn from it?  
I never could turn down a dare, so here it goes. I like to mix business with pleasure, so when a friend and I spent a week in the big apple, and we decided to make our New York experience as exciting as possible. We’d already completed our meetings with bigwig execs, and on an impulse, I looked up the address of a publishing house who had requested to read my manuscript. Our intention was to walk through the lobby, soak up the “atmosphere” and then hit 5thAvenue for some shopping. Well, security generously asked if they could help us, and to my absolute horror my business-savvy friend very calmly gave him the editor’s name and asked if this was where the publishing house had their offices. Almost immediately, there was a flurry of activity which included security asking for our ID and taking our photos, while a second guard was on the phone to the editor, notifying her I was here to see her. I attempted to explain that we didn’t actually have an appointment and that we were just visiting from Canada, then literally held my breath, waiting for the moment security escorted us out of the building, and perhaps even back across the border. But to my surprise, everyone was extremely welcoming, and we were invited up to their offices. The editors we met with were lovely, and graciously offered us a stack of books to take on our return flight. It was an amazing afternoon and we achieved our goal... it was in fact an exciting trip. I guess fortune really does favor the bold.  Plus I found the most amazing pair of shoes, so how does it get wilder than that?! ;)
What is the most valuable advice you've been given about writing and what would you like to pass on to other writers?  
My advice to new writers is the same advice I live by: Start. And then don’t stop. It sounds simple and yet it’s profound. So many people talk about wantingto write a book, but unless you actually start you can never finish. As the queen of procrastination, I was guilty of this myself for a long time. Eventually you have to just do it. Don’t worry about whether it’s any good, just start. Keep going until you get to where you want to go. Then celebrate, decide where you’d like to go next, and keep going. Write what you love, relax and remember to enjoy the journey. And to quote something NY Times bestselling author Lori Wilde once told me: “You cando this.”





FreezeFaerie Song TrilogyBook 2.5Michele Barrow-Belisle
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Astraea Press/ Cleanreads Publishing
Date of Publication: September 1, 2016
Word Count: 70,000
Cover Artist: AM Designs
Book Description:
In a twisted game of following impossible clues to ceaseless dead ends, The Shadow Faerie Zanthiel is forced to search for the girl he'd let go.
Lorelei may be out of his life, but she’s never far from his mind with the prophecy pulling them together. They both feel it, yet they both have reason to fight it. He might not be able to have her, but no force in this world, or any other will stop him from saving her.
Time is running out, and Zanthiel has only a fraction of it left to find her, before those hunting her find either one of them.

PROLOGUE
My blood froze to ice in my veins when I saw her.Lorelei.Lying there broken. Bloodied. Bruised.I'd kill whoever did this to her. Then I'd slaughter their entire family line. My steps hurried, but I could not reach her quickly enough. She was pale. Weakened from the loss of too much blood, and too much cold, and too little hope. Her light was fading from this world and all others."No. No. NO. I will not let you die. I forbid it, do you hear me?" My voice rose as I scooped her into my arms, barely any weight at all, which set my fears even deeper. Live. You must live. Live. For me.I had to get her help, but I feared there wouldn't be anything left of her to save once I had. My powers were useless against whatever treacherous magic this was, but there was always an undoing. A workaround for nearly all spells, even a curse or hex. Something had to be able to change this, reverse the effects and restore her life. A cure existed—I wanted to believe that. It just meant finding it.This was my fault. Things of beauty are never meant to be broken. But I did this. I allowed her into my world, into my life, and I broke her. I deserved to suffer the same fate. Worse than her fate. I never intended to be her nightmare, only her savior. And I failed. Vows signed in blood, giving me ownership of something no one deserved—her body and her soul.Flames ignited from within, consuming her whole, ‘til only her ashes remained. Like a breath of snow and ash they fell gently upon subtle winds—air and shadow carrying both in equal measure to their final resting place. To love someone is to grieve them. For it thrusts you into a black hole—an abyss from which you can never escape.She was worth fighting for. This time, I would fight for her, until my last breath.
****
I awoke with a sharp gasp, ripples of fear tensing every muscle in my body. It took several breaths to realize it had been a dream. No, not a dream. A dream implies something unreal. Wild imaginings of the mind. This was something else. It was a foreshadowing. A glimpse of what may come to pass. But why was I seeing it? By now she'd be leagues from here, safely back in her own world. There should be no cause for what I'd witnessed. Pain and suffering were not supposed to be her future. I'd rather it was mine.I pushed off the fur pelts and climbed from of the wilted mattress stuffed with dry leaves. I was grateful to the Dwarf Tilak for allowing me to stay in his home. A hovel really, but shelter nonetheless. I was still being hunted by Queen Mab's armies. I'd deserted her and the marriage agreement I'd entered into, and word would have spread by now. Thankfully, Lorelei was safely back in her world, with the elf Elf Adrius. I could almost hear her chastising me for not using his name. And I knew it well, for we were friends once.The human world was her home, but it could never be mine. I did not belong there. Each visit was the same as the one before, and it was only her presence that made those visits tolerable.Humans—you could smell their weaknesses. Their needy desires. Their constant craving for more. Their eternal fear. Like a toxic cloud that hovered over their land. It sickened my stomach with each inward breath. I'd hold it for a moment. Then another. Then gasp for air when I could hold it no longer. Ignoring the stench, I'd searched for her. For her face. Her smile. Her eyes that shone in the dimness of her world. The fear strangely mixed with curiosity when she would set her eyes upon me. And without fail, she’d smile.No one else would see me but her. I was careful. For to break that code would mean my death. Her father was specific in his orders. "Watch her. Keep her safe. But remain unseen by the humans." But she wasn't human. Not fully. She was part fey, like I was. And from the very first moment I saw her, she stole my heart away.I shuffled to the wash basin, splashed icy water over my face and dried it on my sleeve. My hand slid across the uneven surface of the mirror. The cracked glass scraped my palm, but I kept it there, watching the blood drip down the surface before it froze to crimson slush.Leaning in, I stared at the reflection, at the steely eyes glaring back at me. Full of accusation and blame.I lost her.No, I didn't lose her. I threw her away.She was my protégé.We were never supposed to be together. Never meant to fall in love.I was careless.She got hurt.And now she was gone.


About the Author:
A dreamer at heart, Michele Barrow-Belisle has always lived with one foot in this reality and one foot in another, one of her own imagining. So it follows that she would grow up to write about the characters from those enchanting worlds she knows and loves so well. A fan of all things romantic, her young adult novels are populated with scintillating witches, vampires and fey.  Her bestselling debut book series Fire and Ice (Faerie Song Trilogy) was optioned for a major motion picture this year. Michele resides in southern Canada with her hubby and son who indulge her never-ending obsession with reading, writing and most importantly… chocolate. 
Website:  www.michelebarrowbelisle.com  
Blog:  www.michelebelisle.blogspot.ca 
Facebook Author Page:  www.facebook.com/authormichele
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/3059577.Michele_Barrow_Belisle
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/MicheleBelisle
Pintrest:  www.pinterest.com/micheley26
Instagram: www.instagram.com/michele.barrow.belisle



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Using Real Life to Make Fiction More Compelling - Half Life by Paul H.B. Shin

Some writers can spin an amazing yarn by conjuring up a purely fictional world or situation, but for “Half Life,” I wanted to ground the story in real places and real events and use those as jumping off points for the characters and the plot. 
That’s probably the main way that my day job as a journalist informed the way I write fiction, and also the way I tried to make my work relevant to a reader who may not be familiar with the topic of North Korea.
Some stories begin with a high-concept idea (a lot of science fiction does this by posing a “what if” scenario), some with an image, others with a character. The genesis for “Half Life” was a real incident in New York City in 1997.
North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations was hospitalized in New York City in the summer of that year, and when word spread that he couldn’t pay his medical bills because the North Korean government was in such financial dire straits, the local Korean-American community rallied around the cause. Yes, that really happened, as you can see from this article in The New York Times. 
This came on the heels of several high-profile defections of North Korean officials, and it got me wondering what it must be like to be an official from the reclusive country stationed overseas -- someone who has to peddle the propaganda but also has seen enough of the outside world to know how backward their country is.
By anchoring a story with real-life events -- and maybe even weaving in some real-life historical characters -- a writer can add some depth and relevance to a story in addition to making it work purely on the level of entertainment. (Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mocking Bird” comes to mind.) It can resonate with the reader because the reader will recognize these events and characters from their own lives.
When reading good non-fiction, many readers have probably had that experience where we find it extraordinarily compelling because we understand that what is being described really happened.
So, even if a story is pure fantasy, adding those elements of real life can add an extra dimension to make your story more compelling.

Half LifePaul H.B. Shin
Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC 
Genre: Thriller   
Release Date: September 6, 2016
About the Book:
The year is 1997. North Korea is suffering from a devastating famine that has shaken the foundation of the ruling class. A series of high-profile defections to the West has lead the reclusive country's leadership into the grasp of paranoia.

Nuclear scientist Han Chol-Soo is on a tenuous diplomatic mission to the United States. There he is forced to embark upon a high-stakes pursuit after his wife disappears with their newborn son. Paralyzed with fear at the repercussions of her decision, Han turns to his colleague Park Jun-Young for help -- a man that he suspects is an intelligence operative. He soon regrets his decision as Park cuts a swath of mayhem in the name of helping Han, and the chase forces Han to confront the harsh realities of his home country.


Half Life Reviews
“Half Life is a terrific novel. Right from the start you'll be drawn into many dark worlds—politics, espionage, and North Korea—and it will keep you on the edge of your seat right until the last page. Paul H.B. Shin’s authenticity and style cannot be missed.” –Dale Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Starfire (William Morrow)

“A gripping, taut espionage thriller, Half Life is enriched by the love story at its core and the refusal to give simple answers. I loved it.” –Robert Ferrigno, bestselling & award-winning author of Heart of the Assassin (Scribner)
“Paul H. B. Shin wraps an engaging tale of espionage and intrigue around a failed marriage in his new international thriller, Half Life. With sure-footed prose and vivid characterization, Shin takes readers inside the paranoid claustrophobia of North Korea’s political world, where even high-ranking diplomats live in constant fear. With North Korea's nuclear arms program as a backdrop, the eminently believable and thoughtful plot will have readers wondering if they're looking at tomorrow's news. A well-wrought debut.”
–Jim DeFelice, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of American Sniper (William Morrow)

About the Author:
Paul H.B. Shin’s debut novel follows a career as an award-winning journalist for more than 20 years, most recently for ABC News. He previously wrote for the New York Daily News. He was born in South Korea and lived in London during his childhood. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York.
https://twitter.com/PaulHBShin 






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Half Life by Paul H.B. Shin

Half LifePaul H.B. Shin
Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC 
Genre: Thriller   
Release Date: September 6, 2016
About the Book:
The year is 1997. North Korea is suffering from a devastating famine that has shaken the foundation of the ruling class. A series of high-profile defections to the West has lead the reclusive country's leadership into the grasp of paranoia.

Nuclear scientist Han Chol-Soo is on a tenuous diplomatic mission to the United States. There he is forced to embark upon a high-stakes pursuit after his wife disappears with their newborn son. Paralyzed with fear at the repercussions of her decision, Han turns to his colleague Park Jun-Young for help -- a man that he suspects is an intelligence operative. He soon regrets his decision as Park cuts a swath of mayhem in the name of helping Han, and the chase forces Han to confront the harsh realities of his home country.


Half Life Reviews
“Half Life is a terrific novel. Right from the start you'll be drawn into many dark worlds—politics, espionage, and North Korea—and it will keep you on the edge of your seat right until the last page. Paul H.B. Shin’s authenticity and style cannot be missed.” –Dale Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Starfire (William Morrow)

“A gripping, taut espionage thriller, Half Life is enriched by the love story at its core and the refusal to give simple answers. I loved it.” –Robert Ferrigno, bestselling & award-winning author of Heart of the Assassin (Scribner)
“Paul H. B. Shin wraps an engaging tale of espionage and intrigue around a failed marriage in his new international thriller, Half Life. With sure-footed prose and vivid characterization, Shin takes readers inside the paranoid claustrophobia of North Korea’s political world, where even high-ranking diplomats live in constant fear. With North Korea's nuclear arms program as a backdrop, the eminently believable and thoughtful plot will have readers wondering if they're looking at tomorrow's news. A well-wrought debut.”
–Jim DeFelice, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of American Sniper (William Morrow)

About the Author:
Paul H.B. Shin’s debut novel follows a career as an award-winning journalist for more than 20 years, most recently for ABC News. He previously wrote for the New York Daily News. He was born in South Korea and lived in London during his childhood. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York.
https://twitter.com/PaulHBShin 






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Would You Make a Good Druid? - Faerie Lights: Glimmer by Rayna Noire

Whenever someone mentions Druids, people think of bearded old men in white robes with horns on their head. While there are some bearded old men who happened to be Druids, it’s not a requirement.
1.     Druids have no dietary restrictions. They can eat anything. Some might choose to fast before a ceremony or even reduce their intake of a particular item such as salt. This is a choice, not a requirement.
2.     Holidays. Druids celebrate all the fire festivals including Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasad. Who doesn’t love an excuse for a good bonfire? Many Druids celebrate the equinoxes (when you have the same amount of day and night) and the solstices, which acknowledge the longest day and night of the year.
3.     Sex.  Druids can be male or female.
4.     Church.While being a Druid is a recognized religion, they do not worship in buildings, but prefer the outdoors. A group of Druids is called a grove.
5.     Deities. As a Druid, you can believe in one deity or many. Most pick a Patron God or Goddesses such as Brighid, Lugh, The Daghda, The Morrigan, Anu, Danu, Diancecht, Miach, Airmid, Goibniu, and many others. Druids believe every living thing has an energetic essence. They reach out to departed ancestors and spirits from the Otherworld.
6.     Modern Druids never sacrifice animals (or people) in their worship.They may use fruits, vegetables, flowers, poems, and songs as an offering to their deity (deities.)
7.     Ritual Space. Rituals are conducted outside near water, trees, and preferably a large rock.  A cauldron of water and a fire complete the ritual space.
8.     Solitaries. Individuals can be a Druid without being part of a group.
9.     Garb.On special occasions, a Druid might don a white robe, kilt, or other Celtic garb.
10.   Mistletoe. The plant most associated with kissing is sacred to the Druids. It’s associated with fertility, life, and peace. Kissing someone under the mistletoe meant you were friends and bore each other no ill will. It also served as a primitive marriage rite and was an entreaty for children. This might make you think twice before you kiss someone under the mistletoe.
Want to know about Druids?
Check out Bonewits’s Essential Guide to Druidism – Isaac Bonewits or Druid Mysteries – Philip Carr-Gomm
Faerie Lights: GlimmerFaerie Lights Book OneRayna Noire
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Publisher: Sleeping Dragon Press
Date of Publication: August 31, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-944712-99-0ASIN: B01IODFZAY
Number of pages: 278 (est)Word Count: 84,059
Cover Artist: Dawne Dominique
Book Description:
Historical fantasy set against the backdrop of WW1.
For seventeen years, the convent walls kept Meara Cleary from the secret of her own parentage.The sisters regard her with a cross of disdain and fear. Only among the trees by the gurgling creek does she find acceptance. A bearded stranger claims she’s his niece and promises to take her home. Before he can, a cataclysmic event thrusts her into a war-torn world.
Meara vows to journey to Ireland to find her uncle, unaware of how perilous a journey it will be. Her Druidic father guides her through dreams, explaining her magical heritage. Her dead parent can’t help her with the intricacies of village life, especially when she catches the eye of the very engaged Braeden Douglas.
A whirlwind composed of equal parts menace, romance, and revelation sweep Meara across the continent while gathering allies and enemies with equal speed. Her intent to return to her family turns into a fight to survive her own destiny.

Excerpt 4

Braeden Douglas weaved his way through the shifting crowds to their stall. He stopped in front. Taller up close, his eyes sparkled as he grinned in Eleanor’s direction.

“Good morning, Miss Eleanor.”

The woman narrowed her eyes but had the manners to return the greeting. “Good morning to you, Mr. Douglas. I do not think you have any need of my jellies or herbs.”

The normally friendly woman didn’t return his smile and at best seemed civil. She practically told Braeden she had nothing to sell him. Why couldn’t she see this vibrant man meant her no harm?

“I was wondering,” he flicked a look in Meara’s direction, “if you could introduce me to your charming helper?”

Instead of answering, she snorted. Braeden stood stock-still, waiting. When it looked like Eleanor would say nothing, she rushed to introduce herself.

“I’m Meara. Her cousin from Cumbria. I came down to help.” The few words exhausted her backstory and earned her a dark look from her companion.

“Hello, Meara from Cumbria. I’m Braeden from here.” He chuckled as if he’d made a big joke.

She found herself laughing along with him.

“Tell me, Meara. Did you leave a sweetheart or a husband behind to fend for himself?”

Before she could answer truthfully, Eleanor pointed in the distance. “Isn’t that your fiancée, Adelaide, looking for you?”




About the Author:
Rayna Noire is an author and a historian. The desire to uncover the truth behind the original fear of witches led her to the surprising discovery that people believed in magick in some form up to 150 years ago. A world that believed the impossible could happen and often did must have been amazing. With this in mind, Ms. Noire taps into this dimension, shapes it into stories about Pagan families who really aren’t that different from most people. They do go on the occasional adventures and magick happens.
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