Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 408
December 4, 2014
Guest Blog and Giveaway Raven Takes a Pearl by Sharon Lynn Fisher
Raven Takes a PearlFantasies in ColorBook TwoSharon Lynn FisherGenre: Steampunk Erotica (BDSM)
Publisher: West 26th Street PressDate of Publication: Oct. 29, 2014
ISBN:ASIN: B00P1INX9G
Number of pages: 45Word Count: 12,000
Cover Artist: Rafido
Book Description:
Second novelette in the Fantasies in Color series by RWA RITA-nominated author Sharon Lynn Fisher ...
Pearl knows it was Raven who stole her mama's heart -- a beautiful quartz stone given to her by Pearl's father right before he died. She sets off alone to the crow-man's keep determined to bring back the stone, but she's caught by a servant and taken to the tower.
The dark-winged ruler of the keep isn't at all what she imagined, and he isn't about to let Pearl go before unlocking all her mysteries -- mysteries she never dreamed her body possessed.
Available for $2.99 at Amazon
Available for $1.99 at AerBook
Excerpt:THE PUZZLE BOX
We pass through a corridor lit by more of the strange lamps, most notably an octopus with an arm span of a dozen feet and a large green light bulb for a head. A clock is mounted just under the bulb, and as it strikes the hour, the arms begin to adjust their position along the wall, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of grinding gears. Wilkes catches me eyeing it and says, “Master makes them all himself.” “Who is ‘Master’?” I reply, fear sharpening the edges of my voice. “Where does he come from? Who made him like that?”“Same as makes us all, Pearl. The Maker.”“You mean to say he was born like that?” “Are any of us as we were when we first separated from our mothers’ bodies?”This sounds like something my pa would say, and is not at all the sort of chat I want to have right now. “What makes him do it?” I demand. “Why does he steal things?”“Master Raven acquires objects for his inventions. Cast-off things, or things the owner will not long miss.”“Ha,” I grunt, “and what would a silly old crow-man who has no use for other living souls know about that?” Wilkes follows me down the corridor, so he can’t see it’s not only anger that’s choking me up. But also I can’t see what he thinks of my answer. At the end of the corridor we climb a dizzying number of steps that wind upward like a corkscrew. We rise up through a hole in the floor into the “workshop.” Workbenches line the walls, and every surface is covered with what look like machines in various states of repair or assembly. There are heaps of “acquired” objects up here as well, and I steal a quick look around the room for Ma’s stone. The tower has but one large window fitted with amber-tinted panes, so it’s only moderately brighter than the rooms below. More lamps range around the perimeter, but these mostly use clear light bulbs so it feels less like being in a submersible — or at least what I’d imagine a submersible to feel like. Near the window is a tall easel holding a stack of parchment. Symbols and numbers and diagrams have been scratched over almost every inch of the first sheet. I notice now that many sheets, similarly scrawled upon, have been hung along the walls. Some of the diagrams seem to be carefully labeled drawings of Raven himself. “Here, Wilkes,” he calls, and Wilkes takes me by the arm and leads me over to the easel. Next to it is a sort of stand, shaped like an X, with a system of straps and buckles. I jump as the manservant pushes me toward the stand, and the moment my back touches it I begin to fight him in earnest. “What are you doing?” I demand, shoving at his chest. Wilkes doesn’t reply, but he uses his body to seal me against the stand. His eyes bore into mine, transmitting something hot and alive, as he raises my arms over my head. Raven joins us, and I cry out as he fits leather cuffs over my wrists and ankles. “Leave us,” orders Raven. As Wilkes withdraws, Raven steps back, cradles his elbow in one hand, and props his head on the other, watching me. “What do you want from me?” I shout, straining against the cuffs. His brow furrows as his eyes move over me. I’m not sure he’s heard me. “Master Raven!” I insist. He drops his arms and moves to stand directly in front of me. We regard each other, my heart vibrating my chest, and I become aware that the fear that grips me is changing — in a way I don’t understand well enough to explain to anyone, including myself. My heart still hammers. My breaths come faster. I am afraid. But something warm and velvet is awake and moving low in my belly. Raven reaches for a lever and tugs it gently. The X-stand tilts backward, angling my body. He draws nearer, reaching a gloved hand to the top fastening of my corset. I gasp as he runs a finger from the hook, along the ridge of the corset, tip grazing the soft, rounded flesh above. His finger passes back and forth, my breath increasing with his momentum, until finally his fingertip stops just above my nipple. He presses into the soft flesh and then suddenly tugs upward. My nipple pops free of the corset. Heat builds between my legs and my mouth waters. He meets my gaze, and my lips part, short puffs of breath moving in and out. His fingertip slides down, and with the soft leather of his glove he begins to slowly rub. “I … Master … ” He ducks his head closer, positioning the magnifying device over his eye and focusing it over my nipple. I feel the cold metal of its tip pressing against me, surrounding the small red flower. “Hold very still,” he says, and I try to stop breathing. But it’s not possible.
About the Author:An RWA RITA Award finalist and a three-time RWA Golden Heart Award finalist, Sharon Lynn Fisher writes stories for the geeky at heart — meaty mash-ups of sci-fi, suspense, and romance, with no apology for the latter. She lives where it rains nine months of the year. And she has a strange obsession with gingers (down to her freaky orange cat). In addition to her erotica stories, she’s authored three science fiction romance novels for Tor Books: Ghost Planet (2012), The Ophelia Prophecy (2014), and Echo 8 (2015).
Visit her at www.sharonlynnfisher.com
http://www.fantasiesincolor.com/
https://twitter.com/sharonfisher
https://www.facebook.com/sharonlynnfisher
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5820827.Sharon_Lynn_Fisher
http://sharonfisher.blogspot.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/sharonlynfisher/
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December 2, 2014
Gift Ideas for Paranormal Fans Guest Blog and GIveaway with Marina Myles
GIFTS IDEAS FOR FANS OF THE PARANORMAL
Ho-ho-horrors!! It’s that time of year and you have ONE person left on your holiday list. Of course, that person is—you guessed it—a freak about anything unearthly. But “weird” taste is better than “tacky” taste, right?Never fear! I’ve come up with a Top Ten Gift List that will satisfy even the most enthusiastic paranormal fan.
NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS Sleeveless T-Shirt Available at http://www.pyrettaslair.com/shop.php/ladies-gothic-clothing/vests-and-sleeveless-tops/nightmare-b4-xmas-ladies-hands-sleeveless-top/p_1761.htmlPriced around $15.00
How about getting your paranormal fan a collection of scary DVD’s? Chances are, they’ll love revisiting flicks such as THE CONJURING, CARRIE, all the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY movies, and INSIDIOUS.
For the ghost hunter in all of us. How cute is this?! Available at http://www.zazzle.com/paranormal+mugsfor $15.95 
Here’s an inexpensive stocking stuffer for that alien aficionado. http://www.zazzle.com/for+paranormal+keychainsPriced at $3.60
Creepy but cool! Walking Dead iPhone 5 case available at http://www.tribecagear.com/index.php/hardshell-case-for-iphone-5-the-walking-dead-don-t-open-dead-inside.htmlPriced at $21.99
[image error] Pick up Season Five of the Vampire Diaries at all major outlets! Priced around $40.00. Can you ever get enough Damon and Stefan??
I hate to repeat the t-shirt idea, but I just came across this one. LOVE Zak from the T.V. show “Ghost Adventurers”!! And yes, I wouldn’t mind getting locked down with him. http://www.cafepress.com/ghostadventures.424155204Runs $29.99
How about some nonfiction books on the paranormal? This one by Kathy Kelly covers many famous—and extremely spooky—hauntings. http://paranormalbooksnj.com/books/Priced at $10.95
Know any fans of the original paranormal author, Edgar Allan Poe? Then you’ll love this gothic-style pendant from http://paranormalbooksnj.com/products/Runs $10.95.
Perhaps, for that special someone who lives for true reports of the strange and unknown, a one year (6 issues) subscription to FATE Magazine is in order. Priced at $27.95Best of luck shopping and happy holidays!
Christmas at Thorncliff TowersA Cursed Princes NovellaMarina MylesISBN: 9781601832863Release Date: November 24, 2014
Book Description:
The Werewolf’s Servant
Thorncliff Towers is done up for Christmas, secure against wind and wolves. But Karina Petri is shut out, too, and the gypsy witch wants what’s inside. She envies the gifts, the feast, the pretty clothes, of course. But her true desire is for the love of Constantin Stoica. Her smolderingly handsome childhood friend agreed to serve Lord Draven after his brother was caught stealing last year. He suspects Karina was involved—and it would take more magic than she possesses to make him forgive…
Constantin has always been drawn to Karina’s dark curls, flashing eyes, and reckless ways. But trusting her has proven dangerous before, and this night holds more to fear than most. The wrong decisions could cost him his job, his safety—even his life. But letting Karina go could cost him his heart…
Excerpt
Scooping up a few pieces of bread, Karina slipped out the back door. With the aid of the cane, she made her way to the stable house where the windows glowed a bright orange.Hearing the crackle of a fire, she entered uninvited. Constantin had his back to her. Shirtless from the waist up as he’d been when she spied on him earlier, he was busy brushing a pewter-colored mare. The chore set his tendons into a fluid stretch and his biceps into a rippling bulge.Karina shut the door with a loud clatter. He whirled around—his foul expression softening as he perused her new appearance.“Karina. You look…nice.” Then he seemed to remember that he was angry with her. Resuming his task, he spoke in an icy tone. “I came here to be alone.”She ignored his comment. “I brought you some bread since you missed dinner.”“Thank you,” he said curtly. “Leave it on the workbench, please.”She did and strode toward him. Gathering her courage, she released the cane and touched his solid shoulder. “Do you like my dress?”He snatched a look at her but then avoided her eyes. “It’s beautiful.”“You hardly saw it. Come. Take a long look.”Gulping, his stare swept over her tiny waist, rounded cleavage, and elegant hairstyle. “You look very—different.”She smiled seductively. “Is that a compliment?”“Yes.” His voice was a growl. “You’re stunning.”Motivated by the jealousy she felt over his connection with Lydia Brentwood, Karina slid both hands up his chest and laced her fingers behind his neck. “You’ve always been my friend, Constantin. But I missed you in another way when you left our Gypsy camp.” She paused. “Did you miss me?”He untangled her fingers. “I’ve missed your companionship. That’s all.”“Is that all I’ll ever be?” Frustration coated her voice. “A companion? A friend?’He held her by the arm and she could swear she saw agony in his forest-green eyes. “We lost our parents at a young age,” he said. “That’s why we became friends, Karina. We had that in common.”“You never thought I was pretty?”“I’ve always thought you were beautiful, but you scared me. I had to grow up and be a father figure to Viktor. I couldn’t afford to let your rebellious ways distract me.”“So that’s the reason…” her voice trailed off.He released her arm and anchored his hands on his hips. “You were constantly defying authority and getting into mischief. I was too straight-laced—too responsible—to join in.”“Sometimes opposites attract,” she suggested. “Besides, you’re a grown man. Are you still scared of me?”His gaze dropped from her eyes to her mouth. Attraction replaced the agony in his stare. He moved closer. “I’m not afraid. But I am lonely.”“I can see why,” she murmured. “The smug people at this mansion lack the Gypsy fire you’re accustomed to.”Their lips hovered inches apart. A whisper of air slipped into Karina’s mouth as she parted her lips. Constantin nearly kissed her. But then he stepped back.She wasn’t giving up that easily. “I liked the feel of your hand on my leg,” she purred. “If you let me touch you, I can erase some of that loneliness.”As slow as a ribbon flutters in a quiet breeze, she feathered her fingertip up his arm. Under her touch, his skin burned as hot as lava. She knew in that moment that he was going to kiss her.With eyes blazing with desire, he craned his neck forward and clamped his mouth to hers. Karina’s whole world changed in that moment. Responding to his warm lips, she pressed herself to his chest. And when he allowed his tongue to slip forward, her heart thrummed wildly.“My God,” he said gruffly. “You smell like summer rain.”Their bodies stayed molded together by pure lust. The feel of his muscles and his intoxicating scent reminded Karina that she’d never want any man but him. Would Constantin make her his tonight?
About the Author:
Marina Myles’s love of books began as soon as she read her first fairy tale. During her college days, she received degrees in English Literature and Communications—and enjoyed the unique experience of being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.
Now that she lives under the sunny skies of Arizona, she hasn’t left her glamorous life behind completely. After all, she gets to divide her time between her loving family, her loyal Maltese, and worlds filled with fiery—but not easily attained—love affairs.
Visit her at www.marinamyles.com
www.facebook.com/marinamylesauthor
www.twitter.com/#!/marinaauthor
www.amazon.com/author/marinamyles
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November 25- December 2
November 25 Guest blogDeb Sandershttp://DebSanders.com
November 25 Top Ten ListDarkest Cravingswww.darkestcravings.blogspot.com
November 26 InterviewMy Book Fairyhttp://mybookfairy.blogspot.com/
November 27 SpotlightEargasms Audiobook Reviews.http://eargasmsaudiobookreviews.com/
November 28 Guest blogRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannerhoads.com
November 28 SpotlightCorazones Literarios http://corazones-literarios.blogspot.com
December 1 Guest blogFlutey Words http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com
December 1 SpotlightCover Reveals http://CoverReveals.blogspot.com
December 2 SpotlightPembroke Sinclair www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
December 2 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
Interview and Giveaway with Helen Treharne
Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I’ve always been fascinated by the supernatural, strange and ghoulish. My mother read Rosemary’s Baby when she was pregnant with me and that probably explains a lot. I’ve always grown up around the genre, particularly through film. I was watching horror movies (albeit pretty tame ones like the Hammer films) as soon I was old enough to gasp, squeal and occasionally mock. They say you should write about what you know, I know horror and the occult.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
A bit like the hero of my series, Sophie Morgan, I’m quite practical and level headed, but like even the most skeptical of us, I’m not too proud to admit there’s more out there than we can see or comprehend. That’s why the paranormal is so fascinating. I’m also intrigued by the sociological and anthropological functions of supernatural belief systems on society. Throw in a need to be intrigued, entertained and occasional scares, it’s a winning combination. In my series, I’ve tried to create vampires that could very well exist – they’re not romanticized. I like to think of them as something of an offshoot of our linear evolution. That could happen, right?
What inspired you to write this book?
I’d gone through a spate of reading more contemporary vampire books, such as the Sookie Stackhouse Series and the Twilight books. I particularly enjoyed the former as the characters are down to earth people trying to get on with a supernatural world evolving around them. But I felt there was a gap in the market for something written set in the UK. Interestingly, just as I love reading fiction from the States, I’m getting a lot of good feedback from US reviewers and readers, so perhaps we all like to step into another world now and again.
Please tell us about your latest release.
Sure. On a literal level, it’s about a young woman called Sophie Morgan, who is doing pretty well in life, one failed relationship aside(but who doesn’t have some of those) She’s done everything that’s expected of her gone to college, got a job, been responsible with money. Then she goes on a mini break to Belgium with a friend and all that goes to hell in a handcart. She’s attacked by vampires, develops an attraction to Mickey, an Irishman working his way around the bars of Europe, and ends up the focus of 300 year old vampires affections when she finally gets home. It’s essentially what would really happen if someone discovered vampires exist – not a romanticised version. It’s about discovering who you are, what’s important and seeing the world through clear, not rose tinted glasses.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
The majority of the story is told through Sophie’s eyes, intertwined with the thoughts, observations and perspectives of a handful of other key factors, most notably “head vampire” Charles Ferrers, a male neighbours and a terminally ill solicitor who becomes a vampire rather than face death. Surprisingly, I enjoy writing from the male character’s perspective. There comes a liberation with adopting a completely different persona and the history you build for a character of the opposite sex. As with most writers, I suspect, however, that there’s a little part of me in all the characters. It’s healthy to encourage that small, hidden away part to come out and play.
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
I adore Nordic Noir, programmes like the original Danish production of The Killing for example. When developing Sophie’s backstory I knew that I wanted her to be raised by a single mother, and that she is the product of a holiday romance. I couldn’t resist making Copenhagen the location for that series of events. I combined my love of Nordic Noir and research for the series with a trip to Denmark last spring. It was amazing and has really helped me understand the location and culture – important to note as I explore this back story more in the second book, Death in the Family.
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
I would share Sophie’s dependency on a good cup of Earl Grey tea and head for money. I’m pretty practical and love getting a bargain. Not that I’m a cheapskate! There is, as I’ve said, probably a little bit of me in all of the characters – in different moods or in different times in my life.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
Never. If anything I have too many ideas and that can stop me being productive if I’m not careful. I’m already scribbling down ideas for 2/3 books down the line, the chattering monkey voices never shut up, always poking their nose in, telling me about another great idea for a short story. I have to carry post it notes, pads and an iPad with me everywhere so I can scribe everything down to get it out. I think that if you are getting stuck on a piece of work, then it can be something different, a plot line which isn’t working for example. Then I just take a step back, map out all the options and cogitate on them for a bit. That seems to work.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
I don’t feel guilty about pleasure.
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I’m a firm believer in equality, animal welfare and generally being excellent to each other (thanks Bill and Ted for a good maxim to live by). When I’m not writing fiction, I may rant about a topic on my blog, or on Twitter. I also volunteer for Cats Protection, a UK based charity dedicated to the welfare and rehoming of unwanted and abandoned cats. I also read, a lot, and occasionally review. I think authors should support each other – it’s a tough job and going it alone can be a struggle.What can readers expect next from you?
The second book in the series, Death in the Family, will be out in paperback and eBook early next year. It picks up immediately on the action of Relative Strangers. I won’t give too much away but it’s much darker than the first book. Sophie has started to rebuild her life. The vampire threat isn’t over but a greater one lurks and this time it’s much closer to home.
Where can readers find you on the web?
There’s few places on the internet where I haven’t wormed my way in. Here’s just a few of them.My blog www.helentreharne.wordpress.com, Twitter https://twitter.com/Tea_Talks,Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1vOSmXq and GoodReads: http://bit.ly/Vg7voh . I’ve also pages on Amazon, US: http://www.amazon.com/Helen-Treharne/e/B00LFVTXME/and UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Helen-Treharne/e/B00LFVTXME/
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
I’d love to. As Sophie spends a lot of her time trying to fend off vampires, how about some of her thoughts on how to kill them. After all, you never know when you might need to.
“You don’t need to stake them in the heart to kill them, although it’s quite possible that would work too, I’ve not tried it. Daylight definitely doesn’t kill them, or at least not the ones I’ve met. You don’t have to decapitate them either, but my philosophy is that if you cut anything’s head off it will probably cease to function in its usual way, whether it’s living or undead. I’m not a trained fighter, I’m basically about survival, and I’ve found that whacking just about anything with force and frequency will stop it. Either that or blow its brains out. It seems to have worked for me so far.
When you kill a vampire they don’t just go "poof" and turn into cinders either. A well timed breeze doesn’t come along and blow their ashes far and wide. There’s no sudden mound of dust, which you can suck up in your vacuum cleaner, more convenient though it would be. Maybe they disintegrate given enough time, I don’t know for certain, but they definitely leave a carcass behind, which at least leaves you with a problem in the short term.
I can’t say that I’m an expert on slaying vampires, or that I knew exactly what to expect when I woke up the following morning, but at the top of my list of chores was scrubbing my kitchen and disposing of the remains.”
Relative Strangers:A Modern Vampire StorySophie Morgan Vampire SeriesBook 1Helen TreharneGenre: Urban Fantasy
ISBN-10: 1502369435ASIN: B00MRAZGK0
Number of pages: 301Word Count: 96,500
Book Description:
Meet Sophie Morgan… practical, Welsh, prone to occasional profanity, and seemingly a vampire magnet.
Sophie Morgan is 23 and has always done the right thing. She’s caused no stress for her family, worked hard through university, has taken a successful leap onto the career ladder and nurtured a reasonably healthy bank balance. It’s no small surprise then when, on a post relationship break-up, mini-break to Antwerp, she pursues a pair of thieves who steal her friend’s handbag. But this is only the start of her world being turned upside down. Ripped from the streets into a dark alley she is violently attacked, barely alive when quirky Irish bar worker, Michael Kelly, stumbles across the scene.
The pair, shocked by their experience and uncertain whether they have killed her attacker in the brawl which follows, go into the night for answers. They get more than they bargained for. Sophie quickly learns that vampires exist, her neighbours back home aren’t what they seem and new boyfriends can be found in the strangest of situations.
Relative Strangers is the first in a new vampire series with a distinctly British flavour, but which will appeal to everyone. Reviews call it " a vampire tale with bite", with "brilliant characters that draw you in" and a very fresh take on the genre. Read it now to find out reviewers are raving about.
Available at Amazon Smashwords iBooks BN
Excerpt:
I wakened with a jolt, my heart beating, and my lids heavy. The glowing display of my alarm clock informed me it was four a.m. Had the noise been real, or had I been dreaming? My brain fired up and I took in my surroundings. I'd spent two months living with my mother in my childhood home following my sudden relocation back to South Wales. I'd only moved into my own place a few days earlier and was disorientated. Bed, furniture, dressing gown draped over the chair- all mine, definitely my bedroom, no one else in the room with me, all good. So what the hell was that noise?My anxiety levels were sky high. It had been a terrible year, one brimming with violence and death. I couldn't take another emotional or physical beating; I hoped my imagination was playing tricks on me. Please don't let this be anything more than a dream, I prayed.I tentatively reached across the nightstand to flick on the lamp, but quickly retracted my hand. What if there is someone in the house? There could be someone downstairs. You don't want to let them know you're up here. Think Sophie, is that what woke you up, could that have caused the noise you heard - was it a bang, something smashing? It might be better to err on the side of caution. Take a breath, think before you do anything.Slipping my legs from under the duvet I padded over to the window and quietly pulled the cord to lift the blind. It was dark outside. Dawn wouldn't surface for several hours, but the street lamp at the bottom of the garden afforded me a little light. The town council switched them on early during the winter months.Everything outside looked peaceful. The gate at the bottom of the path knocked rhythmically against its post in the cold January wind. I must have failed to close it properly.Another noise. Was it a noise? Did I really hear something? Yep, definitely coming from downstairs. Blood whooshed through my ears as my heart began pumping adrenaline through my body. Someone else was in my house. Someone was moving downstairs. Oh my God, no, not here. How could he have found me? Why now? I've been moving on. I didn't even tell.My body froze in panic, but something deep in my gut forced my brain into action. There was no way I was going to give in after I’d battled for so long and so hard to stay alive, to survive. Nobody was going to rob me of that, or anything else for that matter. I quickly assessed my options, but they didn’t add up to much. I could hide out in my room and hope that the intruder would go of their own accord. Perhaps they'd just be an ordinary burglar - they'd be in and out. They'd take my purse, mobile phone and keys which I'd left in the kitchen and escape but I could replace things. At least I'd be alive and unharmed.But what if I just stayed put and they came upstairs, perhaps looking for things of higher value? Based on my experience, it was more likely that it was some sicko who would then have me penned in. I'd have no escape and be at their mercy. I wasn't ever going to let that happen to me again.Thoughts machine gunned their way through my brain, but I decided to come down on the side of braving it, going downstairs and confronting my intruder. Maybe, I'd be lucky and it would just be a petty thief, more scared of me than I of him. But on the other hand, perhaps it was him. If so, I was probably dead already, may as well get it over with.
About the Author:After a successful career in business and career coaching, Helen Treharne returned to South Wales in 2010 to focus on writing, among other things.
Relative Strangers, a modern vampire story featuring an increasingly feisty Sophie Morgan, hits digital bookshelves in 2014. In addition to being the creator of the developing “Sophie Morgan" series, she is an urban poet and social commentator who can frequently be found ranting in the Twitterverse. She knew the degree in Sociology would come in handy some day!
Helen lives with her husband, three cats, an entrenched tea addiction and an increasing collection of stringed instruments. When she’s not writing she spends her time daytime hours working in communications and volunteers for a feline welfare charity. She can't be trusted near stationery and has had more come backs than Cher.
Blog www.helentreharne.wordpress.com
Twitter @Tea_Talks https://twitter.com/Tea_Talks
Facebook : http://on.fb.me/1vOSmXq
GoodReads: http://bit.ly/Vg7voh
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Helen-Treharne/e/B00LFVTXME/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Helen-Treharne/e/B00LFVTXME/
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Interview and Giveaway with B Truly
Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I have wanted to be an author since I was fifteen years old, and wrote my first unpublished book. Writing was something that I was always good at in school. I could always make up a story. My favorite genre is Sci-fi/Fantasy/Paranormal-Romance, so I knew I wanted to write in that genre.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
I love the unknown. That’s why I like paranormal and sci-fi the best. Vampires have always been intriguing to me. I was brought up watching them because my mom liked vampires.
What inspired you to write this book?
I loved the TV show and movie Roswell, and Dune. After these shows ended I had more questions about the universe. These questions started my journey in writing my novel, Sonar The Crashing. In the Sonar Series the plot of the story revolves around amnesia, fate, and destiny. I wanted to explore what happens when a husband falls in love with another woman because he doesn’t remember his wife. After I started writing book one Sonar The Crashing, I had several questions about Bryan’s human love. I wondered how they met and fell in love. Also what happened to Melanie after she found out his devastating secret? This led me to dig deeper into the story to find these answers. Before I knew it, I had a novel for Melanie. By getting more details about Melanie’s story, I was able to develop more of the plot for book two also. For me, paranormal-romance is a mysterious adventure. It’s a genre that never gets old.
Please tell us about your latest release.
My latest release is Melanie’s Evanescent Journey (The Sonar Series #1.5). It is the companion novel, and ties-in to books 1 and 2 of the Sonar series.
Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?
I like unique and biblical names. I also like to base each of my series on a culture. The Sonar Series is based on the Egyptian culture.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Yes, Bryan Romeland was the hardest to write. The reason is because I had to balance his personality between two relationships. He also had amnesia so I had to make his new personality slightly different, but still balance it with his true hidden character.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I liked writing about both of my female heroines, Shiray Romeland and Syira Romeland. They both have different stories with a lot of conflict. But it was also fun to intertwine their stories.
Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?
I start with the storyline and plot first. Then the characters fall in line.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
That’s hard. I have so many I like. I think my favorite in Melanie’s Evanescent Journey is their first kiss. Melanie got to experience the paranormal aspect of his kiss by literally getting high of his tongue of ecstasy. She knew something was definitely different with the kiss, but frankly she didn’t care. Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
I found the Egyptian culture interesting. I researched a lot of material. For example most of Kadan’s cities are named after Egyptian cities.
Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
Kadan is 300 million light years away in the Sonar galaxy. Kadan is a reddish-purple in color. It has three moons. The sky is different shades of purple rather than blue. The ground is redder in color rather than brown, like Mars. The water is denser. It’s also different shades of purple. Kadan has no animal life forms. There is also 22 hours in a day total; eleven day time hours, and eleven nighttime.
With the book being part of a series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in somewhere other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be read as stand alones?
Sonar The Crashing, book # 1, can be read as a stand-alone novel. Melanie’s Evanescent Journey companion novel #1.5 can also be read as a stand-alone. Melanie is also is book # 1, but she is in the background. She is not telling the story. But in her book she tells her side of the story. Melanie’s companion novel also ties-in with book # 2, Sonar The Cyclone in part 2 of her novel.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
Sometimes I may get stuck in a certain part of a story. But I have learned to only write the scenes as they come to me. And I never write the story in order.
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
No, I don’t. Unless you count when I always seem to get book ideas when I’m driving. And I have to write on the back on envelopes from my purse at stop lights.
Do you write in different genres?
Yes, I write different genres. I write New and Young Adult. Sci-fi, Paranormal-Romance, Fantasy, and Contemporary romance.
Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?
Not really because the genres I write in are similar.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
I considered myself a writer when I wrote my first unpublished book when I was fifteen.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
My guilty pleasures in life are sleeping as much as possible. Reading books that will become movies or TV shows. And eating whatever I want to on the weekends.
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I like to read. I also like to watch TV, go to the movies. I also love real-estate and house design.
What was the last amazing book you read?
The Lux series which is my absolute favorite.
What can readers expect next from you?
I am currently working on Sonar The Cyclone, book # 2 of the Sonar Series. Also Defiance of Destin, my intro fairy novella for the Ruby of Light series.
Where can readers find you on the web?
http://www.thesonartrilogy.com/https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7276631.B_Trulyhttp://www.amazon.com/Melanies-Evanescent-Journey-Sonar-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00K1NHOPU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416793723&sr=8-1&keywords=Melanie%27s+evanescent+journey
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Work was busy this evening and it was a welcome distraction. I worked as a waitress with Ebony at the Burger Grill. It was a small, family-owned diner. It had been around for over forty years. Ebony had gotten me on a few weeks ago.“How was your day?” Ebony asked as we were putting our aprons on.“I’m getting used to the flow of school. How was yours?”“It will be better once this shift is over. I’m bloated and cramping today.”“Did you take some medicine?”“Yes, but it hasn’t kicked in yet. Any luck with J?”“Not sure. We talked some.”“At least he is talking with you. It’s a good sign.”“I hope so.”“People are getting seated in our sections. We’d better get to our tables,” she said.We tended to our tables, and around an hour later, Ebony tapped me on my shoulder.“Look what the cat dragged in. I sat him in your section,” she said and giggled. I saw Jason across the room, sitting with his brother and sister.“Thanks a lot,” I said, sarcastically. Now I would have to face him again.“You’re welcome,” she replied still laughing and walked off.I took in a deep breath and went to their table.“Hi guys, I’m Melanie. What can I get for you this evening?”Jason looked up in surprise and blushed slightly, making my stomach do a somersault. Their sister said, “Hi Melanie. We get to formally meet now, I’m Harmony. And I will have a Coke.”She and her brother did look exactly alike. “Are you guys twins?” I blurted out.“Yes,” her brother replied. “Nice to meet you, Melanie. I’m Jaden. How do you like Cashmere so far?”“It’s okay, but slightly different from school in Australia.”“I love your accent,” Jaden said.“Thanks.” Jaden was handsome, but his brother was gorgeous.“Melanie, how long have you been working here? My siblings and I come here often,” Jason interrupted and appeared to give his brother an evil glare.“For just a few weeks.” He looked like wanted to ask something else but didn’t.“What can I get you guys to drink?” I didn’t want to stand there making goo-goo eyes at him.“I will have a Coke,” Jaden said.“And I will have a Sprite,” Jason replied.“Coming right up.”I brought them back their drinks, took their food order, and took care of my other tables. A little while later Ebony stood next to me, waiting on her order.“I’ve noticed he keeps staring at you.”“Who?”“You know who. Jason.”“Don’t you have tables to tend to?” I replied playfully.“I just thought you should know.”She winked at me and took her food order. He was eating a French fry. Gosh, he even looked sexy doing that. He caught my eye and signaled for me to come over.“We’d like the check, please,” Harmony said.“Sure,” I answered, pulling out the bill and placing it on the table.“So Melanie, are you seeing anyone?” Jaden asked.Excuse me! He was very direct. I had just met him. Harmony giggled, and Jason turned red. I cleared my throat. “No, not at the moment. Why?”“Maybe we can hang out sometimes,” he replied with a smile. He leaned back and folded his arms behind his head, waiting for an answer. Harmony was amused, and Jason looked aggravated.“Um no. Absolutely not.”“Geez, well why not?”“Because Ebony’s my friend first off, and second, I have my eye on someone else.”“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you guys were friends,” he replied, looking remorseful.“Yeah, we are good friends,” I said, walking off.I went to the kitchen and glanced back at their table. Harmony and Jason were laughing. Jaden appeared annoyed. Served him right. It was obvious he thought he was Mr. Casanova.“What was Jaden talking to you about?” Ebony asked.“Nothing much, the usual. He noticed my accent and wondered where I was from,” I lied. I wasn’t about to tell her he was flirting. He did apologize when he realized we were friends though, so maybe he wasn’t a total douche. I glanced back over to my section, but they were gone.
* * *After my shift I stopped at the corner store. There were only a few cars in the parking lot, and no one in sight. I headed to my car, and hit the alarm. Before I could get the door open someone grabbed me from behind. I struggled against them, and fought with all my might, but he dragged me into the side alley. Another person charged from the side, and then something hit me in the head. I fell to the ground, and touched my throbbing wound. It was dark with only the side light from the building, so I couldn’t see the blood clearly. But I could feel the liquid stickiness on my fingers. I squinted in the dim light, straining to see my attackers, but I couldn’t see any facial features. They were blurry. They appeared to be males with short hair, and their broad body frame. “Leave me alone!”One man’s response was a kick to my stomach. I gasped and cringed in pain. Why was this happening to me? I had been told that burglaries and assault hardly ever happened on this side of town. Me and my rotten luck were going to make the crime rate sky rocket. Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage, and tried to get up. One of the men pushed me back down. I saw an object in his hand, the silver color bounced off of the light. It was a knife. I had to find a way out of this. Heat pulsed through my body as I glared into his eyes. And fear consumed me with the black depths of them, dark as midnight. The other man held me down, and I fought to get out of his grasp. The one with the blade leaned closer to me. He didn’t have on a mask, but I still couldn’t make out his features. He was faceless. He thrust the blade against my neck. The pain was sharp, and tears sprang into my eyes.“Please stop! Why are you doing this?”He snorted. “Because the greater good has preordained it.”Before I could contemplate his strange explanation he slit the knife against my throat.
Melanie's Evanescent JourneyThe Sonar SeriesBook 1.5B Truly Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal-Romance
ISBN13: 9781497319622ASIN: B00K1NHOPU
Published April 25th 2014
Number of Pages: 240
Book Description:
True Love may cost a price, if the greater good preordains that you are the sacrifice.
There are always two sides to a story. Melanie Wilhelm's begins after she moves from Australia and starts her senior year at Cashmere High. On her first day, she bumps into a mysterious guy, and they form an instant connection. They become friends and he shares his deepest secret with her. As they grow closer, their relationship amplifies and becomes binding. Strange things occur, but instead of worrying, Melanie's feelings intensify.
The excitement of New Year's Eve approaches, and so does Jason's most devastating revelation of all. She learns his ultimate truth and is now spun into his chaotic web. The danger rises and hard choices must be made. By being with Jason, Melanie may have to sacrifice more than her heart. It may cost her life.
Melanie's Evanescent Journey ties into books one and two of The Sonar Trilogy. From spiraling twists to devastating plots, her journey will make you question fate and true love.
Is fate something you can control? Some believe it's in the hands of what you behold.
Available at Amazon BN Smashwords
About the Author:I have wanted to be an author since I was fifteen years old and grateful to have accomplished this dream. I have three wonderful children and a husband who defines the person I am today. I work full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Sugarland, Texas.
I have very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. I like to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. I’m addicted to romance and get a thrill out of action and suspense. I write New Adult Fantasy and Sci-fi
In the Sonar series it was fun to explore different elements of Sci-fi romance and create various realms of powers for my characters. I want to show my readers that Sci-fi can be fun, but also traumatic. I hope you guys enjoy the Sonar Series.
http://www.TheSonarTrilogy.com
www.Facebook.com/brandy.truly
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19347230-melanie-s-evanescent-journey
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December 1 Guest Post Mythical Bookshttp://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
December 2 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
December 3 Guest BlogRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannerhoads.com
December 4 Guest blogThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
December 5 SpotlightLisa’s World of Bookswww.lisasworldofbooks.net
December 8 Character InterviewEclipse Reviewswww.totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com
December 9 Spotlight3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com
December 10 InterviewDeal Sharing Auntwww.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com
December 11 Interview and reviewhappy tails and tales http://happytailsandtales.blogspot.com
December 12 SpotlightCassandra M's Place www.cassandramsplace.com
December 15 InterviewAuthor Karen Swartwww.authorkarenswart.blogspot.com
December 1, 2014
Giveaway and Excerpt- Wickedly Wonderful by Deborah Blake
Fang-tastic Books has an exclusive excerpt of Deborah Blake's Wickedly Wonderful, Book Two in her fabulous Baba Yaga Series.
Romance, drama, magic, and a fresh spin on the urban fantasy genre- these books are amazing. I am currently reading Wickedly Wonderful.
Book One of the Series, Wickedly Dangerous was so very good, check out my review here. It's a must read- and so is this one. Enjoy the excerpt below. :-)
Wickedly Wonderful
A Baba Yaga Novel
Deborah Blake
Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one of them…
Though she looks like a typical California surfer girl, Beka Yancy is in fact a powerful yet inexperienced witch who’s struggling with her duties as a Baba Yaga. Luckily she has her faithful dragon-turned-dog for moral support, especially when faced with her biggest job yet…
A mysterious toxin is driving the Selkie and Mer from their homes deep in the trenches of Monterey Bay. To investigate, Beka buys her way onto the boat of Marcus Dermott, a battle-scarred former U.S. Marine, and his ailing fisherman father.
While diving for clues, Beka drives Marcus crazy with her flaky New Age ideas and dazzling blue eyes. She thinks he’s rigid and cranky (and way too attractive). Meanwhile, a charming Selkie prince has plans that include Beka. Only by trusting her powers can Beka save the underwater races, pick the right man, and choose the path she’ll follow for the rest of her life…
Excerpt
The red-gold glow of the rising sun turned the sea into a fire of molten lava that belied the cold Pacific waters of Monterey Bay. Beka Yancy didn’t mind, though; her wetsuit kept her mostly warm, and it was worth braving the morning chill to have the waves mostly to herself. Soon enough there would be plenty of people around, but for now, she reveled in her solitary enjoyment of the frothy white lace overlaying blue-green depths, accompanied only by the sound of the wind and the hooting laughter of a nearby pod of dolphins. She gave a chortling greeting in dolphin-speak as she went by.Beka paddled her surfboard out until the pull of the ocean overruled the calm of the shore, feeling herself settle into that peaceful space she only found when there was endless water below her and infinite sky above. On land, there were human beings and all their attendant noise and commotion; here, there was only the challenge that came from pitting herself against the crushing power of the rolling waves.The fresh scent of the sea filled her nostrils and a light breeze tugged playfully on a strand of her long blonde hair as she steered in the direction of a promising incoming swell. But before she could angle herself towards it, her board jerked underneath her as if it had suddenly come to life, and she had to grab on tightly with both hands as it accelerated through the water at impossible speeds, cutting through the whitecaps as if they weren’t even there. What the hell? Beka held on tighter, ducking her head against the biting teeth of the icy spray that washed over her. Through squinted eyes, she could barely make out what looked like a pale green hand grasping the end of her surfboard, gossamer webbing pressed against the bright red surface of the board. A powerful tail with iridescent feathery ends undulated just beneath the water, only occasionally breaking through the surface as it stroked forcefully through the ocean.Mermaid! Beka thought to herself. But the identification of her mysterious hijacker raised more questions than it solved. She doubted the water creature meant her any harm; they normally stayed far away from human civilization, preferring to hide in their own territory concealed by ancient magic within a two-mile deep underwater trench. And Beka was friendly with most of the local non-human residents, on the rare occasions that she saw them.Still, she was glad of the small knife she wore in a waterproof sheath strapped to her calf, carefully disguised from sight with a tiny glamour that kept the other surfers from noticing it. Not that she really expected to need it, as she had other defenses much more powerful than cold steel, but she’d discovered long ago that it paid to be prepared for the unexpected. It came with the territory, when you were a Baba Yaga.Most people had never heard of Baba Yaga. Those who recognized the name were usually only familiar with the legendary witch from Russian fairy tales; a curved-chin, beaky-nosed crone with iron teeth who lived in a hut that ran around the forest on giant chicken legs, flew through the air in an enchanted mortar and pestle, and ate small children when they misbehaved.Some of that had even been true, once upon a time. Certainly, the Baba Yagas were powerful witches, gifted with the ability to manipulate the elemental forces of nature. Even the tales about the huts and the odd form of transportation had been true, back when the Babas had been found only in Russia and its Slavic neighbors. Things were done a little differently these days thoughBeka might have been the youngest and most inexperienced of the three Babas who lived in the United States, but she was still more than a match for a single mermaid. So it was with more curiosity than trepidation that she sat up straight on her board when they finally reached their destination.A swift glance around showed her that the mermaid had brought her quite some distance from the shore, only barely visible as an ochre-colored smudge on the horizon behind her. Two or three miles out at least then, a guess reinforced by the sight of a commercial fishing boat moving ponderously through the steely blue sea, dragging its gnarly mesh of nets behind it like a stout wooden bride with a too-long train. Red and blue buoys bobbed on the surface, giving the nets a festive look. Up on the bow of the boat, two men argued about something she was too far away to overhear; luckily, they were looking at each other, and not at her.Beka jumped as the mermaid surfaced without a sound; her auburn hair turned almost black by the wetness that slicked it back from her face, green eyes bright with fear as she started speaking almost before her lips reached the open air. The now-risen sun glittered off shimmering scales and glinted on sharply pointed teeth.
“Baba Yaga, you have to help me!” The merwoman’s head swiveled anxiously between the boat and Beka. Beka was about to reply; something about it being good manners to ask first before dragging someone out into the middle of the ocean, when a large cerulean tear rolled down the woman’s sharp cheekbone and she added, “My baby—my baby is caught in the net!”
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Romance, drama, magic, and a fresh spin on the urban fantasy genre- these books are amazing. I am currently reading Wickedly Wonderful.
Book One of the Series, Wickedly Dangerous was so very good, check out my review here. It's a must read- and so is this one. Enjoy the excerpt below. :-)
Wickedly Wonderful A Baba Yaga Novel
Deborah Blake
Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one of them…
Though she looks like a typical California surfer girl, Beka Yancy is in fact a powerful yet inexperienced witch who’s struggling with her duties as a Baba Yaga. Luckily she has her faithful dragon-turned-dog for moral support, especially when faced with her biggest job yet…
A mysterious toxin is driving the Selkie and Mer from their homes deep in the trenches of Monterey Bay. To investigate, Beka buys her way onto the boat of Marcus Dermott, a battle-scarred former U.S. Marine, and his ailing fisherman father.
While diving for clues, Beka drives Marcus crazy with her flaky New Age ideas and dazzling blue eyes. She thinks he’s rigid and cranky (and way too attractive). Meanwhile, a charming Selkie prince has plans that include Beka. Only by trusting her powers can Beka save the underwater races, pick the right man, and choose the path she’ll follow for the rest of her life…
Excerpt
The red-gold glow of the rising sun turned the sea into a fire of molten lava that belied the cold Pacific waters of Monterey Bay. Beka Yancy didn’t mind, though; her wetsuit kept her mostly warm, and it was worth braving the morning chill to have the waves mostly to herself. Soon enough there would be plenty of people around, but for now, she reveled in her solitary enjoyment of the frothy white lace overlaying blue-green depths, accompanied only by the sound of the wind and the hooting laughter of a nearby pod of dolphins. She gave a chortling greeting in dolphin-speak as she went by.Beka paddled her surfboard out until the pull of the ocean overruled the calm of the shore, feeling herself settle into that peaceful space she only found when there was endless water below her and infinite sky above. On land, there were human beings and all their attendant noise and commotion; here, there was only the challenge that came from pitting herself against the crushing power of the rolling waves.The fresh scent of the sea filled her nostrils and a light breeze tugged playfully on a strand of her long blonde hair as she steered in the direction of a promising incoming swell. But before she could angle herself towards it, her board jerked underneath her as if it had suddenly come to life, and she had to grab on tightly with both hands as it accelerated through the water at impossible speeds, cutting through the whitecaps as if they weren’t even there. What the hell? Beka held on tighter, ducking her head against the biting teeth of the icy spray that washed over her. Through squinted eyes, she could barely make out what looked like a pale green hand grasping the end of her surfboard, gossamer webbing pressed against the bright red surface of the board. A powerful tail with iridescent feathery ends undulated just beneath the water, only occasionally breaking through the surface as it stroked forcefully through the ocean.Mermaid! Beka thought to herself. But the identification of her mysterious hijacker raised more questions than it solved. She doubted the water creature meant her any harm; they normally stayed far away from human civilization, preferring to hide in their own territory concealed by ancient magic within a two-mile deep underwater trench. And Beka was friendly with most of the local non-human residents, on the rare occasions that she saw them.Still, she was glad of the small knife she wore in a waterproof sheath strapped to her calf, carefully disguised from sight with a tiny glamour that kept the other surfers from noticing it. Not that she really expected to need it, as she had other defenses much more powerful than cold steel, but she’d discovered long ago that it paid to be prepared for the unexpected. It came with the territory, when you were a Baba Yaga.Most people had never heard of Baba Yaga. Those who recognized the name were usually only familiar with the legendary witch from Russian fairy tales; a curved-chin, beaky-nosed crone with iron teeth who lived in a hut that ran around the forest on giant chicken legs, flew through the air in an enchanted mortar and pestle, and ate small children when they misbehaved.Some of that had even been true, once upon a time. Certainly, the Baba Yagas were powerful witches, gifted with the ability to manipulate the elemental forces of nature. Even the tales about the huts and the odd form of transportation had been true, back when the Babas had been found only in Russia and its Slavic neighbors. Things were done a little differently these days thoughBeka might have been the youngest and most inexperienced of the three Babas who lived in the United States, but she was still more than a match for a single mermaid. So it was with more curiosity than trepidation that she sat up straight on her board when they finally reached their destination.A swift glance around showed her that the mermaid had brought her quite some distance from the shore, only barely visible as an ochre-colored smudge on the horizon behind her. Two or three miles out at least then, a guess reinforced by the sight of a commercial fishing boat moving ponderously through the steely blue sea, dragging its gnarly mesh of nets behind it like a stout wooden bride with a too-long train. Red and blue buoys bobbed on the surface, giving the nets a festive look. Up on the bow of the boat, two men argued about something she was too far away to overhear; luckily, they were looking at each other, and not at her.Beka jumped as the mermaid surfaced without a sound; her auburn hair turned almost black by the wetness that slicked it back from her face, green eyes bright with fear as she started speaking almost before her lips reached the open air. The now-risen sun glittered off shimmering scales and glinted on sharply pointed teeth.
“Baba Yaga, you have to help me!” The merwoman’s head swiveled anxiously between the boat and Beka. Beka was about to reply; something about it being good manners to ask first before dragging someone out into the middle of the ocean, when a large cerulean tear rolled down the woman’s sharp cheekbone and she added, “My baby—my baby is caught in the net!”
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Country Holidays, Louisiana Style: Christmas in Dogtown by Suzanne Johnson
Somehow, it became a winter tradition. My friends from New Orleans and I would pile in a car the second weekend of November and make the trek west along the winding Mississippi Great River Road to St. Charles Parish, where we’d spend the day at the annual Destrehan Plantation’s annual fall festival.
A beautifully restored plantation house and its sprawling, oak-shaded grounds sits across from the river levee, and we’d spend the whole day visiting the house and antique barn, listening to local bands play, and eating—crawfish bread, pralines, roasted peanuts.
For a couple of years, when I was making art quilts, I had “Yat Cat Quilt” T-shirts printed up and had a booth along with my friend Debbie, who made quilted tea cozies. Most of the years, though, I was on the visitor end of things rather than the seller end.
And yeah, I’ll admit it now, I went for the crawfish bread. Think of a fresh French loaf, hollowed out and then stuffed with a mixture of crawfish tails and cheese and tomatoes and cheese and butter and garlic and cheese. (Did I mention cheese?)
I drew on another favorite winter tradition for “Christmas in Dogtown,” a story about family and tradition and what “home” means: my semi-annual trek to LaPlace, Louisiana, in St. John the Baptist Parish, also west of New Orleans. Now, the locals will tell you they’re “Bailey’s People” or they’re “Jacob’s People,” meaning they prefer the smoked meats from either Jacob’s Smokehouse or Bailey’s (next door).
In “Dogtown,” Teresa Madere has fallen on some rough times so she agrees to leave New Orleans for the month of December and help her uncle run Madere’s Meats out in St. James Parish (just keep heading west and you’ll get there). In my crossroads community of Dogtown, people from the city drive out to buy their holiday meats from either the Maderes or the Caillous, the two main families in town.
It was fun to pull on some Cajun culture to not only tell about the mystery behind the Dogtown community, but also the culture of boudin and andouille and tasso and smoked alligator gar.
It’s not as exotic as it sounds, so in case you want to know more about what Resa’s having to do in “Dogtown,” here’s a quick “meat primer” of the Louisiana river parishes
--Andouille, pronounced “ahn-DOU-eee,” is a smoked pork sausage sort of like a spicier kielbasa. It’s used to make red beans and rice (red beans spiced and cooked down to a mush, with andouille and rice) and jambalaya (a rice dish that usually mixes spices and rice with andouille and either chicken or shrimp, or both). I’m sure others use it in all kinds of other things, but those are the main things I make with it.
--Boudin, pronounced “boo-DAN,” is basically “dirty rice” in a sausage casing and unless otherwise noted is synonymous with “boudin blanc.” The rice is mixed with pork or shrimp or crawfish, and then seasoned well and stuffed in the sausage casing. One of my favorite memories was when my mom came to visit me in New Orleans for the first time and I served some crawfish boudin with my red beans. She didn’t say anything but I noticed she kept picking something out of her food. She finally said she didn’t eat grub worms. Needless to say, no more crawfish boudin for her (it was crawfish tails, not grub worms…really!).
There are also variations: boudin balls are balls of the rice mixture that’s battered and fried instead of stuffed into the sausage casings and boiled or grilled. “Boudin noir” has the blood and organ meats in it. Suzanne doesn’t care for boudin noir, thank you. In “Dogtown,” Resa weasels out of making it whenever she can.
And yep, I have had alligator boudin, as well as alligator sausage. It doesn’t taste like chicken!
Don’t like the sound of that stuff? No worries—“Dogtown” also has a sexy guy with moss-green eyes and the St. James Parish bonfires. Each year, bonfires are built along the river levees and set ablaze on Christmas Eve to help Papa Noel find his way to all the Cajun boys and girls when he arrives in his pirogue (kind of a flat-bottomed canoe). It’s a beautiful sight, and for those of us making our winter pilgrimages out of New Orleans, a sure sign that the holidays are here!
Have you ever tried any of the Louisiana cuisine—if so, what’s your favorite thing?
Christmas in DogtownSuzanne JohnsonGenre: Sweet Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Story Vault
Date of Publication: December 2012
ASIN: B009RBKTSG
Number of pages: 30Word Count: approx. 11,000
Amazon Barnes and Noble
Book Description:
A woman who spent years escaping her rural past learns that Dogtown, Louisiana, hides more family secrets than just the recipe for boudin blanc…..
Resa Madere’s on the verge of losing it all. The boyfriend’s gone. The job’s history. Her beloved house is on the brink of foreclosure. She’ll do anything to save it—even spend a long Christmas holiday working in St. James Parish, Louisiana, helping her uncle run the family meat business. But the community of Dogtown, which has been home for seven generations of the Madere and Caillou families, has deep roots and deeper secrets. For Resa, going home is one thing.
Getting out might not be so easy.
About the Author:
Suzanne Johnson writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance (under the name Susannah Sandlin) from Auburn, Alabama, on top of a career in educational publishing that has thus far spanned five states and six universities—including both Alabama and Auburn, which makes her bilingual. She grew up in Winfield, Alabama, halfway between the Bear Bryant Museum and Elvis' birthplace, but was also a longtime resident of New Orleans, so she has a highly refined sense of the absurd and an ingrained love of SEC football, cheap Mardi Gras trinkets, and fried gator on a stick. She’s the author of the Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series and, as Susannah Sandlin, the Penton Legacy paranormal romance series.
Website: http://suzannejohnsonauthor.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Suzanne_Johnson
FB: http://www.facebook.com/Suzanne.Johnson.author
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5046525.Suzanne_Johnsona Rafflecopter giveaway
Spotlight and Giveaway Mistress for Hire by Letty James
Mistress for HireLetty JamesGenre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Date of Publication: October 15, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61935-565-1
Number of pages: 172Word Count: 50,000
Book Description:
Stranded in Paris, Nikki Sommers is desperate for a job, willing to sweep the floors of a local bakery. But Gérard Beauvais knows where Nikki needs to be – not in the bakery, but in his bed. Offering her a job as his personal assistant, Gérard introduces Nikki to the workings of international business, along with the romance and beauty of Paris.
Nikki falls under Gérard’s magnetic spell, only to get a nasty surprise when she discovers she is merely a pawn in an international scandal involving her own sister. Her heart is torn between family and a love she had only fantasized about.
Will she win Gérard’s heart or only be his Mistress for Hire?
Available at Amazon
Excerpt
They continued along the river bank. She tripped over the cobblestones, despite her bare feet.“Let me carry you,” he offered.“No!” They walked silently across the street, their arms brushing, but they seemed miles apart. Nikki looked up and stopped short, Notre Dame Cathedral lit up before her.He placed his hands on her shoulders, letting her absorb the magnificence of the church.“It’s beautiful.” She stood awed by the Cathedral’s grand edifice.“Come on. I’ll show you the gargoyles.”The next thing she knew, they were ascending the ancient, worn steps of the tower as Gérard lit the way for her, a flashlight trained on her feet as he protectively climbed behind her.“How did you get a key?”“I make sizeable donations every year.”She almost teased him about charity for favors, then thought better of it. She didn’t want to think about money, or business. To have him all alone in this grand place was a memory in the making. She wouldn’t open her big mouth and ruin it.They crouched through a small door before exiting onto the walkway, the lights of the Cathedral’s square at their feet. She looked out and gasped at the famous gargoyles within touching distance. “Looks like me, oui?” Gérard mimicked a gargoyle’s protruding tongue making her laugh. He moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and they took in the city lights in silence, the Eiffel Tower a beacon in the distance.She relaxed against his chest, feeling safe and content as he sheltered her from the brisk wind whipping her dress into froth around them both. The gargoyles loomed around them as if protecting them from the world and she wished life was as easy as this bit of fairy tale. She rubbed her hands over his as if to warm them, but really wanted to touch him, to distract herself from the tears welling in her eyes. Surely, it was the wind making them water.She turned in his arms and brushed her lips against his cheek, loving the warm comfort of his skin against hers.His face had returned to its brooding repose, so much more like the fierce gargoyles than the silly look he’d made earlier. He cupped her head in his hands, his thumbs moving over her eyebrows, her cheeks, her lips. She kissed the rough skin of his fingers, trying to elicit a smile, but instead received a kiss so gentle in return it was as if Gérard’s stony exterior had been blown into granite dust.He brushed aside the whipping tendrils of her hair. “The world disappears when I’m with you.” His gaze met hers and she felt a bond grow like timeless ivy around an oak. He lifted her in a bear hug as her heart expanded with love. She wrapped her arms around him and met his sweet kiss, which turned into something more as their mouths opened to explore, duel, possess. Their kisses turned frenzied as gentleness became want, then need. His hands roamed her body, pushing her against the corner of the balustrade, his arousal as hard as the stone behind her. No longer the gentle giant, this was the man she recognized—the aggressor, the conqueror.
About the Author:
Letty James has been devouring romance novels ever since she hid under the covers reading Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers. And, yes, searching for all the sexy parts. She completed her first novel participating in National Novel Writing Month in 2005 and has been writing furiously ever since, fueled by chocolate and multiple cups of tea.
Along with writing, she enjoys reading, painting, watching movies featuring studly men, and listening in on other people’s conversations.
www.lettyjames.com
https://www.facebook.com/letty.james.39
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/35247952-letty-james
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Feminism- Why It's Necessary: Guest Blog and Giveaway with Christian Brown
Today, I’m wrapping up my gratefulness/ how to be a better person series with a few final thoughts. On life, on how we behave, on how we can behave better. I had an interesting week, filled with downs, then ups. I reflected on my politics and beliefs. I should start with a bit of preamble about one of those commitments, which I thought was implicit but was recently challenged: I’m a male feminist. I got all riled up by Emma Watson’s speech. I tweeted #HeForShe. I purposefully craft strong female characters overcoming difficult situations. Furthermore, I am accepting of people regardless of their gender, race, creed or sexual orientation. I can’t credit myself for my humanitarianism—I owe that mostly to my incredible, socially-defiant mother. She, who married an African-Canadian fellow to the disgust of certain friends, family and her parents at the time (they came around). We had a burning cross on our lawn, which I seem to remember even though I was very young, as in infantile (or my writer’s mind has concocted enough of a reality from the family legend that I appear to remember). My father, obviously, also deserves admiration for standing against intolerance and hate, and without a doubt he faced a number of struggles as a child and as a man.
My parents fought for women’s rights, gay rights and racial equality. While they won a few important battles, many hatreds and biases are so ingrained into our culture it is unreasonable to hope to erase these issues in a generation or two. Sexism is one of them. Still around, and still a thing. Back to the male feminist thing, I shouldn’t have to be one. The whole concept that we fight for one sex to have equal representation and respect in the world is absurd. If that means that I have to brand myself as a radical to defend this concept, then so be it.
I’ve talked about these issues before on my blog, in one post in particular called Women In Fantasy. I wanted to expound upon that topic now, which was really just a rant on how much I dislike terribly written female characters in fantasy. Terribly written as per my personal tastes: pining wife, succubus, spoiled princess, or always-needs-to-be-saved. We also get those “female” characters that have been stripped of all femininity and emotion and are written as men, which is just as frustrating. For the record, terribly written and stereotypical male characters abound in popular novels, too. None of that is important, except to emphasize that I’m doing my part to initiate change by challenging these stereotypes with my work.
What are you doing? Sorry if that sounded confrontational, however, it’s a question that we should be asking ourselves. How have we as a modern society allowed segregation, hate, and bias to exist for so long? How do we fix our universal apathy? We can start by being grateful, we can start by being kind, we can start—and this point is key—by correcting misbehavior and prejudice as it occurs. We’re not talking about the annoyingly obtuse rules of Political Correctness, where one is excluded from saying anything outside of any context aside from bland. I swear. I make tasteless jokes around the people that I know won’t find them offensive. Knowing your audience is key. And so is stepping outside of your comfort zone and tastefully, respectfully, standing up for the things that need to change. When you see a little girl wondering why she isn’t popular and famous like Miley Cyrus, explain to her how great she is as her quirky/ nerdy/ chubby/ whatever self—perhaps without the obvious and easy defamation of Miley’s character. I repeat: know your audience. I wouldn’t advise walking down an inner city neighborhood and suggesting—even politely—to others to embrace humanity and courteous fellowship. That’s a different and admirable challenge to be tackled: breaking down ghettos (which I believe we should do). It requires a unique set of tools beyond mere civility.
I started talking about feminism, because that is a cause which I dedicatedly support. However, every form of intolerance in the world is in need of champions. Will we ever eliminate hate, greed and violence? Not a chance. We can only minimize these evils. Any change happens in increments, usually ones so tiny that they’re untraceable. The whole “ripple becomes a wave” thing. Well, we can be those ripples. At least I consider myself one, in this tiny corner of the internet, and in the words I’ve cast out into the world. You don’t need to be a writer, a speaker, or anyone with any obvious form of influence, however, to be an instigator of change. You only have to care, and act.
Feast of FatesFour Feasts Till DarknessBook OneChristian A. BrownGenre: Fantasy Romance
Date of Publication: September 9, 2014
ISBN: 978-1495907586Number of pages: 540
Word Count: 212K
Cover Artist Lamin Martin
Book Description:
"Love is what binds us in brotherhood, blinds us from hate, and makes us soar with desire.”
Morigan lives a quiet life as the handmaiden to a fatherly old sorcerer named Thackery. But when she crosses paths with Caenith, a not wholly mortal man, her world changes forever. Their meeting sparks long buried magical powers deep within Morigan. As she attempts to understand her newfound abilities, unbidden visions begin to plague her--visions that show a devastating madness descending on one of the Immortal Kings who rules the land.
With Morigan growing more powerful each day, the leaders of the realm soon realize that this young woman could hold the key to their destruction. Suddenly, Morigan finds herself beset by enemies, and she must master her mysterious gifts if she is to survive.
Available at Amazon and Createspace
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/8E_RVXgpqB8
About the Author:Christian A. Brown has written creatively since the age of six. After spending most of his career in the health and fitness industry, Brown quit his job to care for his mother when she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2010.
Having dabbled with the novel that would eventually become Feast of Fates for over a decade, Brown was finally able to finish the project. His mother, who was able to read a beginning version of the novel before she passed away, has since imbued the story with deeper sentiments of loss, love, and meaning. He is proud to now share the finished product with the world.
http://christianadrianbrown.com
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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8422242.Christian_A_Brown
https://plus.google.com/u/0/105782095673393074893/about
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Guest Blog and Giveaway Water’s Threshold by Jillian Jacobs
Location setting. My sister lives in Seattle. The last time I visited, I was lucky enough to tour, Theo’s Chocolates. https://www.theochocolate.comAcross from Theo’s is Lake Union, we walked along a trail, a very fine mist fell and covered our skin. We journeyed past Google’s offices and gawked at the house boats. So that moment in time stuck with me, the drizzle, the lake, the topiary so I included it in Water’s Threshold. My sister, wearing my logo, went down and took pictures by the topiary.
Here is the Water’s Threshold—“Dinosaur Topiary” excerpt:
Job done, she could return to Terran. Relief and anticipation rushed through her along with a strong dose of happiness. She ran along the trail, exulting in the misty drizzle fanning across her face. She breathed it in, enjoying every particle soaking her skin. Two-dinosaur topiary seemed to laugh at her frolics, the glow from their ornamental eyes sparkling as she ran past.
Ahead was a break in the trees, and she ran for it, ready to plunge into the lake. A short trail led down to the retaining wall, and she leapt off.
A vice squeezed around her throat and wrenched her out of the air. The force propelled her against the water’s edge lined with blackberry bushes that scratched and tore as she tumbled. Her body remained out of her control when, once again, she was lifted right before she rolled into the water. An unforgiving energy slammed her onto the boulders hidden just beneath the lake’s surface along shore. The bones in her back crushed on impact. Darkness threatened, pain seared down her spine, and then he stood above her.
Quint.
With every ounce of power left, she screamed for Nodin to return. Save me.
Now that she'd found her true mate, she refused to die. She blinked against the vacuum of emptiness threatening to overtake her.
Water. Her ravaged body half-rested in the liquid perpetuator of her life force. But was it enough to save her?
What would Quint do now that she was at his mercy?
What would I buy for Terran Forrester, Water’s Threshold’shero for his Birthday?
Beaker T-shirt-
New glasses
Green Eddie Bauer sweater
Starbucks gift card
Water-balloons (Because he should get to have fun with water, too)
Water’s ThresholdThe Elementals SeriesBook 1Jillian Jacobs
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Green Moose Productions
Word Count: 87,802
Cover Artist: www.shelbybertsch.com
Book Description:
What happens when a lonely water-girl finally finds her shore?
In a tourist town at the base of the Tetons, Maya Conway, a mythical being known as an Elemental, stands at a crossroads. On her current path, she is content using her life force water to protect humans and the environment. Her direction is altered when Mother Nature taps her to guide Terran Forrester, an analytical scientist, on his journey to become the next Elemental Earth.
If Maya crosses into his world, will her lonely heart find a partner or will his rational mind reject her otherworldly existence?
When an ancient evil evolved from dark matter shadows their steps, which path will they choose—logic or love?
Available at Amazon BN ARe Kobo
Short Excerpt:
Hazy heat shot through her body. “Not shy at all, are you?” If only Terran knew how easily she could push him away.“I’m very clear about what I want.” His dominant position was much too commanding, but at the same time, Maya found his boldness intriguing.His lips hovered above hers and the scent of cinnamon enticed her senses. Their elemental connection vibrated throughout her body—strong, sensual, primal. Why him? Why had she never felt this attraction to Nodin or Flint? Was it because water flowed toward the shore? Was he the grounding force beneath her feet?If she stretched, her lips would meet his. The flames from their kiss would burn down the building.Fahrenheit 451 had nothing on them.However, book burning in the children’s section would most likely get her dismissed as a volunteer. Tonight was soon enough to find out just how good cinnamon-flavored Terran tasted.“I’ll drop by later.” She pushed a book against his chest and waited until he took it before stepping from under his cage. “You should read that book. It’s very informative.”
His brows drew together as he read the title aloud, “The Little Mermaid?”
About the Author:In the spring of 2013, Jillian Jacobs changed her career path and became a romance writer. After reading for years, she figured writing a romance would be quick and easy. Nope! With the guidance of the Indiana Romance Writers of America chapter, she’s learned there are many "rules" to writing a proper romance. Being re-schooled has been an interesting journey, and she hopes the best trails are yet to be traveled.
Water’s Threshold, the first in Jillian’s Elementals series, was a finalist in Chicago-North’s 2014 Fire and Ice contest in the Women’s Fiction category.Jillian is a: Tea Guzzler, Polish Pottery Hoarder, and lover of all things Moose.The genres she writes under are: Paranormal and Contemporary with suspenseful elements.
Website: www.jillianjacobs.com
Twitter: @GreenMooseProd
https://twitter.com/GreenMooseProd
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorJillianJacobs
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