Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 470

Flash Fiction by Suzanne Johnson and an iPad2 Giveaway

It's the last stop of the Elysisan Fields tour and today we have flash fiction- and a chance to win an iPad 2 or a $20 Gift Card to the winner's choice of online retailer.
“Nix That” is an original short-short set in the world of the Sentinels of New Orleans series, featuring wizard DJ Jaco, her partner (and maybe more) shapeshifting enforcer Alex Warin, loup-garou enforcer Jake Warin, the undead 19th-century French pirate Jean Lafitte, Cajun merman Rene Delachaise, and a cast of many—few of them actually human. 
Nix That by Suzanne Johnson


Elysian Fields
Sentinels of New Orleans SeriesBook ThreeSuzanne Johnson
Genre: Urban FantasyPublisher: Tor BooksDate of Publication:  August 13, 2013
ISBN: 978-0765333193ASIN: B00CQY7TOI
Number of pages: 352Word Count: approx. 102,000
Cover Artist: Cliff Nielsen
Book Trailer:
Amazon  Barnes and Noble Book Depository
Book Description:
The mer feud has been settled, but life in South Louisiana still has more twists and turns than the muddy Mississippi. New Orleanians are under attack from a copycat killer mimicking the crimes of a 1918 serial murderer known as the Axeman of New Orleans.
Thanks to a tip from the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, DJ Jaco knows the attacks aren't random--an unknown necromancer has resurrected the original Axeman of New Orleans, and his ultimate target is a certain blonde wizard.
Namely, DJ. Fighting off an undead serial killer as troubles pile up around her isn't easy. Jake Warin's loup-garou nature is spiraling downward, enigmatic neighbor Quince Randolph is acting weirder than ever, the Elders are insisting on lessons in elven magic from the world's most annoying wizard, and former partner AlexWarin just turned up on DJ's to-do list. Not to mention big maneuvers are afoot in the halls of preternatural power.
Suddenly, moving to the Beyond as Jean Lafitte's pirate wench? It could be DJ's best option.



River RoadSentinels of New Orleans 
Book 2
Suzanne Johnson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 978-0765327802ASIN: B00842H5VI
Number of pages: 336Word Count: approx. 92,000
Cover Artist: Cliff Nielsen
Amazon  Barnes & NobleBook Depository  Indiebound
Book Description:
Hurricane Katrina is long gone, but the preternatural storm rages on in New Orleans. New species from the Beyond moved into Louisiana after the hurricane destroyed the borders between worlds, and it falls to wizard sentinel Drusilla Jaco and her partner, Alex Warin, to keep the preternaturals peaceful and the humans unaware. But a war is brewing between two clans of Cajun merpeople in Plaquemines Parish, and down in the swamp, DJ learns, there’s more stirring than angry mermen and the threat of a were-gator.
Wizards are dying, and something—or someone—from the Beyond is poisoning the waters of the mighty Mississippi, threatening the humans who live and work along the river. DJ and Alex must figure out what unearthly source is contaminating the water and who—or what—is killing the wizards. Is it a malcontented merman, the naughty nymph, or some other critter altogether? After all, DJ’s undead suitor, the pirate Jean Lafitte, knows his way around a body or two.


It’s anything but smooth sailing on the bayou as the Sentinels of New Orleans series continues.



Royal StreetSentinels of New Orleans Book OneSuzanne Johnson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 978-0765327796ASIN: B006OM459U
Number of pages: 337Word Count: approx. 94,000
Cover Artist: Cliff Nielsen
Amazon    Barnes and Noble  Book Depository
Book Description:
As the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jaco's job involves a lot more potion-mixing and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires and lethal were-creatures. DJ's boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip over from the preternatural beyond.
Then Hurricane Katrina hammers New Orleans' fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood waters. While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between the modern city and the Otherworld crumbled. Now the undead and the restless are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering soldiers sent to help the city recover.
To make it worse, Gerald St. Simon has gone missing, the wizards' Elders have assigned a grenade-toting assassin as DJ's new partner, and undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her walk his plank. The search for Gerry and the killer turns personal when DJ learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love creates one bitter roux.


About the Author:
On Aug. 28, 2005, Suzanne Johnson loaded two dogs, a cat, a friend, and her mom into a car and fled New Orleans in the hours before Hurricane Katrina made landfall.
Four years later, she began weaving her experiences and love for her city into the Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series, beginning with Royal Street (2012), continuing with River Road (2012), and now with Elysian Fields (August 2013).
She grew up in rural Alabama, halfway between the Bear Bryant Museum and Elvis’ birthplace, and lived in New Orleans for fifteen years—which means she has a highly refined sense of the absurd and an ingrained love of SEC football and fried gator on a stick.
She can be found online at her website or her daily blog, Preternatura. As Susannah Sandlin, she writes the best-selling Penton Vampire Legacy paranormal romance series and the recent standalone, Storm Force.
Website       Blog      Twitter    Facebook   Facebook Fan Page      Goodreads

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Leila Gaskin Hot Flashes Guest blog and Giveaway

Hi everybody, my name is Leila Gaskin and I am the author of the urban fantasy - Hot Flashes. Firstly, I’d like to thank Roxanne Rhoads for allowing me to guest post on Fang-tastic Books. My reading list has increased significantly due to this blog.
When I talked about Ella Hixson, the heroine of Hot Flashes, friends and family often asked ‘why a middle-aged woman?’ My instinctive response is ‘why not?’ The truth is I wanted to write a character I could relate too. Someone who was flawed, quirky, and burdened by all the things she never wanted.
If you were to ask Ella what her life was like, she’d respond – ordinary. Her relationship with her elderly mother is less than perfect, she’s been ousted from her job by her boss’s paramour, she feels stuck in a rut she can’t explain, and she has 20 extra pounds she needs to lose - all relatively normal things. She is a middle-aged woman who dreams of something more.
On the surface Ella is a single woman who works hard and has responsibilities. She holds a black-belt in karate, owns a pit bull, and says ‘no’ to her elderly mother – a lot. While, none of these things are particularly rebellious, together they show that she has been fighting to break free of the monotony of her life. Ella dreams to be more than she is. 
Well, the universe was paying attention to Ella’s desire for more.
Her life is turned upside down when she discovers she is Drakkon. A Drakkon, for those who might not know, is an ancient dragon-shifting race that once ruled the wormholes that transect the space between worlds in the Otherverse. This is where Ella’s adventure begins.
She has to learn how to cope with being a Drakkon, redefine her relationship with her mother, find a way to defend Earth against the advances of the Chancellor, and still be home in time to feed her dog. 
I hope you enjoy reading Hot Flashes.
Bright skies!  Leila
September 9 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
September 10 reviewAdrienne Woods Books and Reviewshttp://woodsadrienne.wordpress.com 
September 11 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
September 12 interviewAuthor Karen Swarthttp://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com
September 13 Guest blogReading In Twilighthttp://readingingtwilight.blogspot.com
September 16 InterviewBia's Wonderlandhttp://bianca-s-blog.blogspot.ro/
September 16 SpotlightSapphyria's Book Reviewssaphsbookblog.blogspot.com
September 17 guest post -Eclipse Reviewshttp://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com
September 18 InterviewMusings and Ramblings   http://judy-ree.blogspot.com
September 19 Guest blogBookin' It Reviewshttp://www.bookinitreviews.com/
September 20 InterviewRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
September 23 SpotlightJody's Book Reviews & Giveawayshttp://www.jodysbookreviews.com
September 24 Guest blogGuest Posthttp://nikkibrandyberry.wordpress.com/
September 25 Interview and reviewEbook Escapesebookescapes.com
September 26 Spotlightelfie bookshttp://elfie-books.blogspot.co.uk
September 26 SpotlightWicca Witch 4 Book Bloghttp://wiccawitch4.blogspot.ca
September 27 Spotlight and reviewFaerie Tale Bookswww.faerietalebooks.org
September 30 reviewtrips down imagination roadhttp://a-reader-lives-a-thousand-lives.blogspot.co.uk
October 1 SpotlightWww.mymidnightfantasies.blogspot.com
October 2 InterviewDalene’s Book Reviewshttp://dalenesbookreviews.blogspot.com/
October 2 SpotlightBook Suburbiahttp://booksuburbia.com/
October 3 Guest blogCloey's Book Reviews and Other Stuffcloeyk.blogspot.com
October 3 Spotlight and reviewMommasez...bloghttp://ccclubbs.com/
October 4 Guest blogRose & Beps Blog - http://rosebeps.blogspot.it/
October 4 SpotlightShare My Destinyhttp://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com
October 7 InterviewButterfly-o-Meter Bookshttp://butterfly-o-meter.com/
October 7 SpotlightThe Writerly Exploits of Mara Valderranhttp://maravalderran.blogspot.com



Hot FlashesThe Drakkon Volume 1Leila Gaskin
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
Number of pages:  300Word Count: 85,988
ISBN: 978-0615871851
ASIN: B00ER1W88U
Smashwords: 9781301209422

Cover Artist:  Tatiana Vila
Book Description: 
“Dragons do not exist.” Ella Hixson shrieked as the mythical beasts dive from the sky shredding her car with their impressively long talons and sending her careening across the road in an attempt to avoid the being flambéed. Escaping her car, she grasps the car door in order to prevent herself from tumbling down the slippery embankment. Pouring rain soaks Ella’s interview suit and her dress shoes as she searches the sky for the attacking beasts to find nothing but clouds heavy with their payload of rain.
Hallucinations, relationship destroying fights with her only surviving relative-her mother, and, thanks to a bodaciously bosomed, bottle-blond, jobless, Ella needs the universe to cut her a break.
Be careful what you wish for.
Circumstances conspire and Ella’s mundane existence evaporates when she discovers she is Drakkon, the hidden heir to an ancient dynasty, and she has an enemy who would see all the Drakkon race enslaved or dead.
No more ordinary days for Ella as she learns what it is to be Drakkon, tries to save a world she knows nothing about, and still be home in time to feed her dog.
About the Author:
Born on a dark and stormy night on the other side of the world from Richmond, VA, Leila Gaskin began a life full of imaginative wanderings. Inspired by her journey, Leila takes inspiration from the places she’s lived. She is the author of several short stories ranging from horror, speculative fiction, and science fiction. HOT FLASHES is her debut novel.
With her dog as her co-pilot and the cat as the navigator, Leila explores her world and tells her stories.
Website: http://www.leila-gaskin.com
Twitter: @leilagaskin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeilaGaskin
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/leilagaskin/
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/Leila_Gaskina Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Sebastiana Randone

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre
For most of my professional life I have worked in dance.  3 years ago I started writing.  Coming from a theatrical background I am naturally drawn to fantasy and mystical themes. A clairvoyant once told me I would write an adult fairy tale one day.  That was 20 years ago. It surprised me a little as I always knew that one day I would write. And so I went on a stream of consciousness journey with this book to begin with.  It was not until the story started to take shape, that I recalled that prediction. 
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
Notwithstanding the lush gothic imagery that pervades throughout the genre, Vampires are not a passionate interest of mine (although I did enjoy the spine chilling experience of watching the German 1920’s film, Nosferatu). 
My inclination to the paranormal is in paganism, witchcraft and the occult.  Not as a religion, but for the wealth of imagery and theatrics within these ancient traditions.  The ritualistic practices and ingrained history of these cultures presents a wealth of material for story- telling and invention.  
From an early age I immersed myself into the study of tarot and astrology and have read much of the greek myths.  Being a creative person, the subconscious and its direct relationship with the moon and the shadowy side of nature is a delightful subject for artistic exploration. The archetypes and dramatic narratives that exist in myths and fairy tales compel me to explore these themes in fiction and character creation.  
I am also drawn to the potential influence spirits/ghosts MAY have in shaping our destinies.  Reincarnation is another area of appeal; that past- life experiences are latent drivers within us, presiding over our choices(particularly in love), is an intriguing theme.     What inspired you to write this book?
An enduring love of fantasy and idealism in literature.  I wrote a book I wanted to read.
Please tell us about your latest release.
THE HOUSE, is an adult fairy tale, time travel adventure set in the Regency era.  Inside a rundown scary looking house, magic chambers with portals that transport to parallel worlds, lay in wait. The main character somehow mysteriously arrives in a strange forest and stumbles upon this frightening house. Left with little choice, she reluctantly enters. Only to be met by an interior that is most unexpected.  
Soon she finds herself travelling to an estate in England 1790’s. There she has a terrifying encounter with a beastly lord (archetype of the wolf in children’s tales) and this sets the tone for what unfolds. Escaping to the Regency period 40 years into the future, a picture starts to form and relationships connecting the two periods start to become evident. 
There is a large cast of eccentric identities for her to observe, as their own dysfunctional lives play out before a very startled visitor, who as an idealist addicted to romance novels, suddenly sees that complex lives filled with painful choices and unfair, iniquitous outcomes exist here as much as in her own modern paradigm. 
The nephew to the main host arrives one solitary night, and when the heroine (I cannot reveal her name) lays eyes on him, there is an extraordinary sense of dejavu! The poet, carrying a broken heart, reciprocates this fascination. He is instantly struck by the beautiful time traveler, but much to his chagrin, this love match, on the face of it cannot be consummated. 
As matters start to unfold, many secrets are unveiled, and the purpose of her presence in this most unusual of households slowly starts to reveal itself.   Although the conclusion is surprising, it is, I am happy to declare, very optimistic in an occult kind of way. 
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?
My main character’s name means obscure/dark in Italian.  I enjoyed giving her that name as it symbolized her role in the book.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
no
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I fell in love with Artemisia in Florence.  She had such an interesting past, where choices were made from circumstances out of her control.
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 used both techniques.  As a sketch with pen and paper, I gave them a name and an outline of their history. I created a family tree (the main characters) and visualized their physical features.  I then let them develop on the page.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
I have a special fondness for a scene involving a fortune teller arriving at the London abode.  Most of the characters being learned Oxfordists, are atheists and thus skeptics.  Apart from the fun I had with the theatrics, I liked the fact that her interpretation of the scenes witnessed in the crystal ball, elucidated on past events relating to some of the key characters, thus giving the readers more insight.   
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
After I had completed my book, I was amazed (having never explored this) by the magnitude of books in the genre that I had chosen. Particularly time travel in the regency period.  Before going to the net to investigate, naively, I thought I had embarked on something quite unique. 

Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
Yes.  My main character’s love of classic books, her idealism - the grasser was greener then attitude and her dislike of modern day minimalism.  I also made good use of my knowledge of tarot during the scene with “Luna Llena” the fortune teller  
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it
Often.  I busy myself with other activities and give it a rest.

When did you consider yourself a writer?
After I completed this book.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Smoking green stuff
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
Designing clothes/costumes.  And dance creation
What was the last amazing book you read?
I am always reading, this is difficult but the last really brilliant book was Somerset Maughan’s  the merry go round.
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
In bed
What can readers expect next from you?
My latest book although dealing with paranormal and romance, is very different to this book, particularly in language style, as it is set in the late 1980’s. It is about an unlikely romance between a wall st investor and a dancer. They share a few things in common however, mainly that they are both being pursued by vengeful ghosts.  His dead wife embittered by their dysfunctional marriage, and the dancer’s dead show girl mother, who has grievances towards her daughter’s treatment of her, particularly when she was dying. The plot is played out like a game of chess from the other side (the title).
Where can readers find you on the web?
Good Reads.  Facebook. 
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book? 
Of course.  Here is a page of one of the many scenes I enjoyed creating.
Working as an actor, Sebastienne was celebrated for his interpretation of Moliere, Racine and Shakespeare. His dark and feline beauty also made him suitable for Greek tragedy, where he was mostly cast in the female roles. These transfigured interpretations were accomplished with great aplomb; the actor’s lithe and graceful gait delighting audiences, whom were often ignorant of the handsome performer’s real sex. Notwithstanding Sebastienne’s celebrated artistry, he was in a constant state of want. He had the fiscal discipline of a hedonist, whose soul regaled in the mysteries and excesses of the night, enjoying therein all the pleasures that he could procure. Paris, of course, was filled with all manner of meandering nocturnal pleasure seekers. The day was non—existent to Sebastienne, who loathed to be seen in the revealing and cruel light of day. When he was not performing the serious works of respected playwrights, he would unleash his female alter ego “La Marise” at the local underground theatre house ‘La fleur noir’. A popular night spot, frequented by an array of disparate denizens, allured there, by the eccentric performances of macabre black humourists, satirists and performers, who aimed solely to parody the establishment, in blasphemous and immoral ways. It was a type of freak show where only strange and ostracised beasts of society were given flight to perform all manner of monologues, songs and dance. The material was often lewd and lascivious, which made the venue very popular amongst all manner of non—conformists, relieving for many, the ennui that a bourgeois existence inevitably propagated. At the fleur noir, one encountered a cross section of humanity; politicians, writers, the clergy and upper classes mingling with indefinable creatures of the night, whose existences
were based on whimsical excesses. 





The HouseSebastiana Randone
Genre: Adult fairy tale, regency romance, past-life romance, paranormal/fantasy, time-travel
ISBN:   978-1-4836-1371-0ASIN:  B00DAMPQ8Q
Number of pages: 148Word Count: 50,000
The House is the tale of a woman, who is so absorbed with historical novels   that her own reality ceases to offer any hope of romance and beauty.
One day this dreamy idealist finds herself in a mysterious forest. How she arrived there is unknown. She encounters a ramshackle house, wherein magical rooms that transport to parallel worlds lay in wait.  She is transported to historical England, where she interacts with a collection of character's whose dysfunctional lives become apparent immediately.
The first tribulation involves a nefarious lord, an archetypal embodiment of the monstrous creatures that often haunt fairy tales. The ramification of this confrontation sets the tone for the narrative.   
Before long, the folly of disdaining her mundane reality is realized, and she desires desperately to return to her former predictable life.
A hidden portal finally enables escape from the austere Georgian dwelling. She is spirited back to the enigmatic house, where a journey to Regency London ensues. A large cast of eccentric identities present themselves.
One day a handsome, despondent poet arrives, following a period in Florence. His introduction to the time traveler offers promise of restoration and love. But upon the face of it, and much to his chagrin, this union cannot be consummated. There are a few more obstacles ahead before her destiny in this strange adventure is made apparent. In the end a past life connection starts to reveal itself.  And like all good fairy tales, the ending is pleasing, even though the means of getting there are dark and at times, sinister.     

Buy it here       Amazon     Kobo
About the Author:
Sebastiana Randone lives in Melbourne, Australia, and is from a dance background.
From an early age, Sebastiana developed a passion for reading, and from that moment has never been without a book.
The desire to write ‘one day’ had been pursuing for a long while. Finally that goal was realized with the debut release of “The House”; an adult fairy tale set in the Regency era.
Sebastiana is presently writing her second book; a paranormal romance novel based in New York late 1980’s. 
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7030435.Sebastiana_Randone
https://www.facebook.com/sebastiana.randone/about

Revealing Us: Inside Out Series Book Three by Lisa Renee Jones

September 2 SpotlightRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
September 3 InterviewRamblings From A Chaotic Mindhttp://nikkibrandyberry.wordpress.com/
September 4 InterviewVictoria's Gossiphttp://victoriasgossip.com/blog/
September 5 SpotlightFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
September 6 SpotlightThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
September 9 SpotlightReading In Twilighthttp://readingingtwilight.blogspot.com
September 12 Spotlightspotlight and reviewwww.romancewithflavor.com
September 16 SpotlightRomancing Rakes For The Love of RomanceHttp://romancingrakes4theluvofromance.blogspot.com
September 17 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
September 18 reviewRomance Addict Book Blog – http://www.romanceaddictbookblog.com/
September 19 Spotlight and reviewBookwormBridgette's Worldhttp://bookwormbridgette.blogspot.com/
September 20 SpotlightAll I Want and More – http://alliwantandmorebooks.wordpress.com/
September 20 Spotlight and reviewShut Up & Read http://shutupandreadgroup.blogspot.com/
September 21 reviewBeauty Brains and Bookswww.beautybrainsandbooks.com
September 23 InterviewLiterary Nookhttp://literarynook.com
September 24 reviewFangs, Wands & Fairy Dusthttp://fangswandsandfairydust.com/
September 25 reviewSilver Lininghttp://manasa-t.blogspot.com
September 26 SpotlightTattooed Book Reviewwww.tattooedbookreview.com
September 27 Spotlight and reviewFaerie Tale Bookswww.faerietalebooks.org
September 30 Spotlight (review another date) GraveTells.com
October 1 Interviewhttp://erzabetsenchantments.blogspot.com/
October 1 reviewThe LUV'NVhttp://www.theluvnv.com


Revealing Us
Inside Out Series  Book ThreeLisa Renee Jones
Genre:  Adult Romance
Publisher: Gallery BooksDate of Publication:   September 10, 2013
ISBN:  1476727228ASIN:  B00A280VUO
Number of pages:  320 pages
Amazon    BN  
Book Description:

You've discovered Rebecca's secrets. You've discovered Sara's secrets. Now Sara will discover "his" deepest, darkest secrets...but will those secrets bind them together--or tear them apart?
About the Author:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT TRILOGY which has sold to more than ten countries for translation with negotiations in process for more, and has now been optioned by STARZ Network for a cable television show, to be produced by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland).
Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 30 books with publishers such as Simon and Schuster, Avon, Kensington, Harlequin, NAL, Berkley and Elloras Cave, as well as crafting a successful indie career. Booklist says that Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.
Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.
Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her through her website and she is active on twitter and facebook daily.
Website -  http://lisareneejones.com


Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLisaReneeJones

Interview with April Aasheim Author of The Witches of Dark Root

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?I live in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon. I am married, a parent, and have just found myself the ‘mommy’ to a four-month old kitten whose teeth could rival that of any vampire’s.I was inspired to write in the paranormal genre because I grew up in a world of ‘magic’. My mother was a dabblerand having things like Ouija boards and crystal balls around the house was the norm. Later, she stopped dabbling and embraced the New Age culture of the mid 80’s. She taught me about crystals, empathic healing, spirit guides, and channeling. Though I’m not a practitioner my mother opened my eyes to the possibilities that there may be something more going on in our world than we can see with just our eyes.What inspired you to write this book?This book was not originally about witches. It was originally about a woman who leaves her hometown and is forced to return to care for her sick mother. It wasn’t until I sat down and typed out the first sentence If I were a real witch, the kind you read about in storybooks… that I realized there was more to this story than I had at first thought.Please tell us about your latest release.The Witches of Dark Root is about four sisters who return to their hometown of Dark Root, Oregon, The Most Magical Town in the Pacific Northwest, to take care of their sick mother. The story is written from Maggie Maddock’s point of view, a young woman who, since birth, has possessed some extraordinary powers that she doesn’t really want. But in order for her to save her mother and her town, she must learn to embrace her abilities. In a nutshell it’s a story about love, family, healing, and magic.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 don’t have a formula for creating names, I just follow my intuition. In The Witches of Dark Root Maggie’s name is short for Magdalene, named after the bad girl of the New Testament. Maggie was given this name because her mother sensed that her strong-willed, red-haired daughter was going to cause her all sorts of problems. And of course, she was right. But the reader learns that Maggie isn’t bad, she just has her own ideas about life, just like the rest of us.Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?Maggie was the most challenging character for me to write because she was so multi-layered. She was both selfish and giving, vain yet unconcerned about what others thought of her. She could turn from kind and warm to angry and sulky with the flip of a switch. She’s a conflicted individual and it was a challenge to showcase all these elements of her personality while keeping her relatable and sympathetic. Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?I LOVED writing the character of Maggie’s younger sister, Eve. Eve is the dark seductress type, the flippant girl we’ve all met who is more concerned with her looks than her brains. She is also the type that will speak whatever is on her mind without caring if she comes across as a bitch. Eve is so much fun and will figure prominently in future books.
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?I love experiencing life so every time I’m presented with the opportunity to try something different, I generally dive in. Because of this I’ve joined a cult, attended a séance, consulted with a psychic medium, and sat in on an exorcism. These were all experiences from my past that had nothing to do with this book, but I feel they enriched my writing in this genre. Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?In the first book we are introduced to Maggie, her sisters, and her mother. In future books we will learn more about the families history, particularly Maggie’s mother, the town’s coven leader. She has an interesting story of its own.Also, I don’t get into the history of the town of Dark Root too much in this book, but in future books we will learn (spoiler) that Dark Root is a vortex, or a magical spot in the world, much in the same way some people view Sedona, Arizona. In a vortex magic is heightened increasing the powers of Maggie and her sisters as well as some of their enemies. Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?Maggie, Merry, and Eve are all aspects of myself (and probably many women). Maggie is the self-doubting, guilt ridden woman with a quick tongue and a temper. She is also constantly questioning herself and her decisions. She was the me of my teenage years. Merry is the Earth Mother, the healer and compassionate counselor. I would like to think that Merry is the me I became after having children. And Eve is the beautiful temptress who can get whatever she wants with a wicked, dimpled smile. She is the me I try and become when I put on high heels and lipstick for date night with my husband on Friday nights. Try being the operative word.Do you write in different genres? I have another book and maintain a blog that fall more in line with the humor/chicklit genre.Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?I think of myself as a storyteller. If a story comes to me, I write it, regardless of genre. What are your guilty pleasures in life?I’m a junk food fiend, another quirk I passed on to Maggie. I eat my Twinkies and Oreos vicariously through her.
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?I love studying religion, history, archeology, and psychology. I also love to talk to people and hear their stories. I could spend my whole day listening to someone tell me how they came to be who they are. I think it’s very important to hear someone’s story. It puts our own lies into perspective. What can readers expect next from you?I’m currently working on The Magick of Dark Root. In the spring or early next summer I will be working on the sequel to The Universe is a Very Big Place, my romantic comedy. Where can readers find you on the web?aprilaasheim.com. aprilaasheim.blogspot.comTwitter: @aprilaasheimFB: aprilaasheimwriterWould you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?“Dark Root, Oregon. The most magical town in the Pacific Northwest...” Shane recited the town’s slogan after a long silence. “Bet you are excited to get back.”I was leaned over the seat, rummaging through my open bag in the back of the cab. It was less full now that I was wearing half my wardrobe. Finally, I found my package of Oreos and pulled them into the front. I hadn’t eaten since morning and my stomach was not happy. Once I had scarfed down a half-dozen cookies, I responded to him.“First of all,” I said. “Towns can’t be magical. Secondly, you are terrible at small talk. Thirdly, I’m not staying in Dark Root. It’s just a stop until I figure things out.”“How can you say towns aren’t magical? You of all people should believe in magic, considering your upbringing.”I snorted. “Why? Just because I am a supposed descendant of Juliana Benbridge, our town’s first witch?”“Well, yes.”“It’s just lore. And lore isn’t necessarily true,” I said, offering him a cookie which he took. “Especially when a town’s economy is based on it. Lore is used to sell postcards.” “Well then, Dark Root needs a new slogan,” he laughed.“Among other things,” I said.Shane flipped on the radio, settling on one of those sad, storytelling songs on the country station. It was sappy in all the wrong ways.“No one has ever proved that magic exists,” I argued, realizing I could have let it drop and wondering why I didn’t.“No one has disproved it either. And...” he added thoughtfully. “Sometimes people want to believe. Nothing wrong with that. Makes life more interesting.”“Doesn’t mean they should.” I thought of Michael, staring absently out the window, wondering why Woodhaven was failing. “When you get too locked into a set of beliefs, you can’t see anything else.” I blew on the window, watching the fog cover it. I began to etch out my name, or at least the first few letters. The fog had lifted before I could write the letter ‘g.’“No magic, huh?” He opened his console and handed me my cell phone. “Well, how do you explain the fact that your phone called me, even though you had dropped it in the parking lot? Had I not gotten the call and heard you scream, well...” Shane scratched his head and blinked his eyes.Was that how he had known I was in trouble? I had never asked. “I had just programmed in your phone number,” I replied, trying to come up with a logical answer. “When it hit the ground, it dialed you. Lucky coincidence on my part.”“Uncle Joe used to say there are no coincidences. He said there are forces in the world at work, whether we see them or not.”“That’s the problem with coincidences,” I said. “You can never prove them.”“You’re jaded, Maggie. I’m not sure why, but it’s kind of sad. I hope Eve hasn’t become jaded, too.”Hearing him speak Eve’s name darkened my mood. I turned the radio dial away from his hillbilly crying music. I found a station playing Metallica and I blasted it, mostly because I thought it would annoy him.Instead, he started banging his head to the beat.“I’m going to sleep,” I said, closing my eyes.Surprisingly, he kept the radio on the heavy metal station. We listened to songs from Van Halen and Motley Crew. Then ‘For Those About to Rock I Salute You’ came on. My eyes flipped open. Shane was drumming his fingers against the wheel.“Please, turn this off,” I said. But he didn’t hear me. I sat up and repeated my request, this time louder. “Please, turn this off.”He gave me a curious look. “You picked the station.”“Turn this off now!”Pop!A spark shot from the radio and then it went quiet. Shane did a double take as he fiddled with the knobs. Nothing came on, not even static.“You did this?” he asked, his face a mixture of fear and incredulousness.I didn’t respond.“You did this,” he repeated, a smile spreading across his face. “Maggie. What they say is true. You are––”“Careful,” I said, looking at him out of the corner of my eye.“...Special,” he concluded, shaking his head in disbelief.



The Witches of Dark Root
The Daughters of Dark Root SeriesApril Aasheim
Genre: Paranormal/FictionPublisher: Dark Root Press
Date of Publication: June, 2013
ISBN-13: 978-0615819327ISBN-10: 061581932XASIN: B00D6OUDDG
Number of pages: 350Word Count: approx. 112,000
Cover Artist: April Aasheim
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/klihdS5tQr4
Amazon
Book Description:
Deep in the forests of Central Oregon is a town called Dark Root, a place shrouded in secrets, mystery, and witchcraft.
But for Maggie Maddock, Dark Root is also a prison, a place where she is forced to spend her days working in her mother’s magick shop, forfeiting any dreams of her own. So when a mysterious stranger suddenly appears and offers to take her away from it all, Maggie jumps at the chance.

Now, seven years later, a strange phone call sends Maggie back to Dark Root and she is unprepared for what awaits her: a dying town, a sick mother, a renewed sibling rivalry, and a past she had hoped to forget.

Part Practical Magic, part Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The Witches of Dark Root is a tale that seamlessly weaves the normal with the mystical, the mundane with the fantastic. Zipping in and out of time from Maggie’s childhood as an apprentice witch to current day, where Maggie struggles with her increasing powers, as well as family obligations, The Witches of Dark Root is a book rich in both fantasy and heart which will leave readers believing in magic.
About the Author:
April Aasheim spent her childhood traveling the Southwestern portion of the United States with her fortune- telling mother and her get-rich-quick dreaming stepfather. During that time, April and her family toured with a carnival company, sold bug repellant door to door, and resided in an abandoned miner’s shack in The Superstitious Mountains of Arizona. 
When April became a teenager she went to live with her biological father in California. Her father saw April’s need to express herself and encouraged her to write her stories rather than tell them. By learning to write April was able to make sense of her family and the world she lived in. She continues to do that to this day.
April currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband. She is the mother of two incredible sons and the step-mother to a beautiful little girl. She is the author of numerious short stories, has contributed to several anthologies, and is the author of the well-received novel: The Universe is a Very Big Place.
The Witches of Dark Root is The first in the Daughters of Dark Root series and April looks forward to writing the second book in 2014.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AprilAasheimWriter
Website: http://www.aprilaasheim.com/
Blog: http://aprilaasheim.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AprilAasheim
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6535145.April_Aasheim

Dangerous Pursuit by Margaret Daley

Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I enjoyed writing Samantha because she was a woman who lived vicariously  through reading books. She never has done many things that were exciting. In fact, she thinks of her life as a dull routine. She is so out of her element. I could easily put myself in her shoes.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
           Samantha snatched up her canvas bag and stuffed all her belongings back into it. She had to find Brock. She looked at the door, then at the window. The two priests were in the living room, and that was the only way out of the house except through her window.
           Tossing her bag out the open window, Samantha climbed out, landing on her bottom in a bed of flowers. She pushed herself to her feet and allowed her eyes a moment to adjust to the moonlit night. The house next door was pitch black. She had no idea which room Brock was in, but she felt the urgency to get to him.
           Glancing over her shoulder several times, she hurried in the moonlight toward the house. Once inside, she realized the design of this house was similar to the other. She decided to go to the room that would be hers in the other house, hoping that was where Brock was staying.
           Samantha paused at the door, then slowly turned the knob and eased it open. Peering into the room, she saw the outline of a body in the bed and wedged herself through the small opening. She tiptoed toward the bed, her arms outstretched to prevent her from bumping into anything.           At the bed she reached down to touch the dark shape when a hand was clasped over her mouth, cutting off her breath. Something cold and metallic was thrust against her throat.
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
I visited several jungles in Central America  when researching this book and hiked through several. When the air is described as being humid--they really mean that. I was dripping wet within five to ten minutes. I felt the air was over a hundred percent. It sapped my energy quickly.
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
I learned to scuba dive in the Cayman Island. I always snorkeled before that but was writing a story about treasure hunting in the ocean. The hero and heroine scuba dived in the story.
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?
There are three books in The Protectors series and they are loosely tied together. The first book (Dangerous Pursuit) is about Samantha searching for her brother in the Amazon. The second story (Dangerous Interlude) is about that brother, Mark, who is helping out a friend who saved his life. The third book (Dangerous Paradise) is about Mark's friend, Michael. The three stories are stand alones.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Ice cream and pecan pie
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
On my couch in my office—it's comfortable and relaxing
What can readers expect next from you?
After publishing the second book in The Protectors series, I will be working on the third in the romantic suspense series called Dangerous Paradise.
Where can readers find you on the web?Website: http://www.margaretdaley.comBlog: http://www.margaretdaley.com/margarets-blog/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/margaretdaleybooksTwitter: http://twitter.com/margaretdaleyGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/238174.Margaret_Daley
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
I'll give you a teaser from the second book in The Protectors series: Dangerous Interlude.
In the comer by the house phone, Mark watched the meeting between Anna and the stranger. It was brief, seemingly accidental. Mark frowned. His gut instinct told him something wasn’t right. He was worried because he hadn’t found a trace of Hawkins anywhere and the agent hadn’t tried to contact him since he'd come to town.After their conversation that afternoon he had begun to believe Anna was everything she said she was. Fool, he chided himself. A good operative was skilled in many ways—one playing a role well.Mark turned to make his call to Michael. “We’ll be there in thirty minutes.”“Any sign of Hawkins?”“No. And I just witnessed a casual meeting between Anna and a man. On the surface it seemed innocent.”“We can’t take anything for granted.”Mark hung up and glanced over at Anna, sitting alone on the couch gazing into the fire. What plot was she scheming now? He made his way toward the reception desk.“Excuse me. A man just dropped this money, but he disappeared before I could return it. He’s about six feet tall, dark hair, dark eyes, nice looking, in his thirties, I would say. Is anyone like that staying here?”“Yes, that would be Herr Rogers. If you like I will see if he’s in his room.”“No, I’m in a hurry. I’m sure that’s the man. You can just tell him you found it when he comes to the desk.”“But there may be a reward.”“If there is, take the credit and keep it. Merry Christmas.”“Dankeschon. ” The clerk’s face lit with a wide smile, probably pleased for the first time that he had to work on Christmas Eve.As Mark walked toward the fireplace and Anna, grim lines must mark his face. He knew something was terribly wrong. He felt as though a trap was being set and he was the bait.



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Dangerous Pursuit
The ProtectorsBook OneMargaret Daley
Genre: romantic suspense
ISBN: 9781301248940ASIN: B00E7HNG6MBN ID: 2940148824664
Number of pages: 172Word Count: 59,000 words
Cover Artist: Laura Marie Altom
Smashwords  Amazon   BN
Book Description:
Reading about danger never prepared Samantha Prince for the desperate phone call from her brother in Brazil that sent her from the safety of her New Orleans bookstore into the rugged, inhospitable Amazon in search of him and a hidden treasure. And reading about romance never prepared Samantha to resist the mysterious appeal of Brock Slader, a guide she hired to help her in her quest.
Alone with Brock in an alien world of orchids and anacondas, primitive headhunters and very up-to-date gunmen, she struggles to keep their relationship strictly business. Will Samantha survive the dangers in the jungle only to have her heart broken by a man who lives on the edge—no strings attached?
About the Author:
Margaret Daley, an award-winning author of eighty-four books, has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love.
When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread and corralling her three cats that think they rule her household.
To find out more about Margaret visit her website at http://www.margaretdaley.com.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/margaretdaleybooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/margaretdaley
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/MargaretDaley

Cover Reveal Rogue’s Possession by Jeffe Kennedy

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Rogue’s Possession
Covenant of Thorns Series
Book Two
Jeffe Kennedy

October 7, 2012

Book Description:

A human trapped in the world of Faerie, in possession of magic I could not control, I made a bargain for my life: to let the dangerously sensual fae noble known as Rogue sire my firstborn. And one does not break an oath with a fae. But no matter how greatly I desire him, I will not succumb. Not until I know what will happen to the child.

Though unable-or unwilling-to reveal the fate of human-fae offspring himself, Rogue accompanies me on my quest for answers. Along the way he agrees to teach me to harness my power, in exchange for a single kiss each day and sleeping by my side each night. Just as I am about to yield to temptation, I find myself in a deadly game of cat and mouse with an insane goddess. Now my search for the truth will lead me to the darkest of all Faerie secrets.

Rogue’s Pawn
Covenant of Thorns Series
Book One
Jeffe Kennedy

Publisher: Carina Press
ISBN: 978-14268-9406-0

Book Description:

This is no fairy tale…

Haunted by nightmares of a black dog, sick to death of my mind-numbing career and heart-numbing fiancé, I impulsively walked out of my life—and fell into Faerie. Terrified, fascinated, I discover I possess a power I can’t control: my wishes come true. After an all-too-real attack by the animal from my dreams, I wake to find myself the captive of the seductive and ruthless fae lord Rogue. In return for my rescue, he demands an extravagant price—my firstborn child, which he intends to sire himself…

With no hope of escaping this world, I must learn to harness my magic and build a new life despite the perils—including my own inexplicable and debilitating desire for Rogue. I swear I will never submit to his demands, no matter what erotic torment he subjects me to…

Amazon, Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author with a writing career that spans decades. Her fantasy BDSM romance, Petals and Thorns, originally published under the pen name Jennifer Paris, has won several reader awards. Sapphire, the first book in Facets of Passion has placed first in multiple romance contests and the follow-up, Platinum, is climbing the charts. Her most recent works include three fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns, the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and the post-apocalyptic vampire erotica of the Blood Currency. 

Jeffe lives in Santa Fe, with two Maine coon cats, a border collie, plentiful free-range lizards and a Doctor of Oriental Medicine. Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com or every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog.

She is represented by Pam van Hylckama Vlieg of Foreword Literary.

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Interview with J.D. Thompson

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to write in this particular genre?
I’m a 29 year old author, photographer, mother and multitasker from Canada with a long-time obsession with books. Because I’m a grownup who doesn’t accept no longer falling under the “young” adult umbrella, it seems only natural to write novels of that genre. To be honest, what inspired me to write the Bloodlines Series was boredom. No, not boredom of my life. Anyone with two kids and a husband who works 3000 miles away would understand that it is impossible to be bored when one is this busy. I was bored with the books I was reading. The idea for the series came to me while reading yet another YA generic vampire novel. I finished it thinking disappointedly: "Well that was just like every other book I've read in the last year." So I began thinking of what had yet to be done in the YA genre, and what I would like to see as a reader. From there Lucas was born, as well as Alexis and the mysteries that surrounded her.
Please tell us about your latest release.
Blood and Champagne is the second novel of the Bloodlines series and picks up much where Silver and Stone left off. Alexis is having difficulty coming to terms with the truth behind her hellish existence. Now aware of her dark past, she struggles deeply between following her heart or her head. A rift with Lucas only complicates matters further and Alexis finds herself making new alliances that could change her destiny in more ways than one.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I’m a hopeless romantic. I’m also much like a young teenage girl when it comes to hot swoon-worthy characters. So naturally, writing the characters of Lucas (hot leading man) and Theo (brooding underdog) were especially fun for me. (*cough* Silver and Stone – Chapter 18 *cough*)
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
Ironically, my favorite scene of the book may in fact be the reader’s worst. It’s no secret that things between Alexis and Lucas turn sour at one point in Blood and Champagne. There’s one scene in particular that felt so real to me, so utterly heartbreaking, that when I wrote it I had a hard time not crying. Everyone has been through a break up at one point or another in their life. The dialogue and emotion between the two felt very raw and real to me. I hope fans can relate.
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?
I wouldn’t recommend reading the books out of order. It’s an intricate storyline that might be confusing if a reader isn’t aware of the character’s backstories. However, I am working on a spin off series involving one character in particular that will stand alone. The project is very exciting to me because I believe it’s a new spin on a very old mythological creature.
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
Without knowing it, I’ve put a lot of my own personality into Alexis. I was slightly oblivious to this until a close friend pointed it out, but now I see our similarities pretty clearly. Consciously or not, I think it’s natural for a piece of the writer to go into their novel in one way or another. However, though Alexis and I do share a dry sense of humor and unruly mane of hair, Alexis’s troubles are thankfully much more complicated than my own.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
That’s such a hard question! It still feels so strange to say that I’m a writer. When I think of authors like J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins and Cassandra Clare, all strong kick-ass women storytellers, I suddenly feel like a silly school girl scribbling down nonsense. Nonetheless, I suppose I began considering myself a writer after reviews for my first novel were favorable and readers didn’t come after me with torches and pitch forks.
What can readers expect next from you?
I’m currently working on completing the last installment to the Bloodlines series entitled Feathers and Lace. It’s such a bitter sweet process for me since this will mean the end of my first book series as well as the death of some characters I hold dearly to heart (yes, I said it – a select few favs don’t survive). Following Bloodlines I plan to write a spin off that will reveal a world we only skimmed in the first series.
Where can readers find you on the web?
Readers can find me on my blog (www.jdthompson.blog.com) as well as my Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/authorjdthompson). I try to answer every fan question asked so feel free to reach out!
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Absolutely! I hope that fans of the series enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. The following is the first chapter to the upcoming Blood and Champagne, available in all major ebook stores October 1st!Chapter 1
The Urge. The first time I felt it was the night after the Ghostly Gala. It started off as a low hum under my pores that made me fidget even more than I normally do. It wasn’t long before the subtle irritation turned ugly and became a full blown gnawing sensation, eating away at my insides and making me want to literally crawl out of my skin. Like a child with the chicken pox who is told not to scratch or having the sudden need to cough in an otherwise quiet classroom, the Urge was all consuming. A never ending battle between what I am and what I should be. A battle that I knew in the long run I would lose.
That first night I laid in bed sleeplessly tossing and turning, begging for the sun to rise and put me out of my misery. The moon had a great influence on the unbearable calling, its soft rays tempting me to break free of my human shell and give in to my animal impulses.  And though I wore my mother’s pendant fiercely, holding it, rubbing it, it did nothing but make me feel prisoner of my own body. I contemplated swallowing the white stone until the sun finally began to climb above Brook Mountain and the nearly full moon melted away into the clear dawn sky. It was a relief to say the least and, even if I had a sneaking suspicion the feeling would be back sooner than later, I was glad it had subsided. If only I had realized that sooner was much closer than anticipated. Try every night thereafter.
Lucas had warned me this would happen. On the night of the Ghostly Gala, everything I knew about my life shifted. I was no longer a sixteen year old human girl. My life would no longer revolve around bad dates, next season's Louis Vuitton handbags or college admissions (though I have to admit, my life had long been abnormal prior to the actual "transition" as Lucas likes to call it). I was something more, something completely unhuman, and trivial things like lacrosse and extra credits meant very little now. Apparently werewolves such as myself had more to worry about than every day affairs. Hence; the Urge.
I had to fight it. It was one of the few details Lucas had been clear on. I needed to keep a low profile for as long as possible to avoid drawing any added attention to myself in case Gwen and her army of death angels were watching. There's no doubt that she will be back, her return is inevitable, but Lucas said there are others that can do much more damage than her. Archangel Michael, for example.
Lucas also specified that with the transition came unstableness. If I were to morph to my lupine form I may not be able to control my desire for blood. Humanblood to be precise. On the up side it appears that I haven’t attacked a human in centuries, though something else in Holler Creek most definitely has. A number of unsuspecting hikers went missing within the last few months and though he is a Seeker, Lucas has yet to pinpoint who or what is responsible. My innocence regarding the deaths however doesn’t hold as much weight as I would like. In previous lives I have never survived long enough to see my seventeenth birthday, the day which I will no longer teeter between human girl and adult werewolf. A day that just happens to be today.
“Happy birthday,” a seductive voice murmurs into my ear as I pull out yet another embarrassingly atrocious wool sweater out of my closet.
I whirl around panicked since I am currently wearing nothing but a stained pink sports bra and granny panties (it’s laundry day) and I was most definitely alone a moment ago.
Of course it’s Lucas, smiling ear to ear and looking impossibly handsome as always. This has been the drill since Lucas came clean on what he is (newly fallen angel) and what I am (Lucifer's former pet mutt). He randomly sneaks into my room in the morning, or more preferably at night, and then soars down to the backyard and meets me at the front door of my family's Victorian home. My father is oblivious.
My heart is still racing from his unexpected presence as I glance over to notice that my second story window has been pulled wide open, letting in gusts of cold early winter air and sending my light lavender curtains into an uncontrollable frenzy. I quickly cover myself with the first available piece of fabric that I can find (a dirty blue towel from two nights ago) and run to close it.
“I thought I told you not to sneak up on me like that anymore,” I reprimand sternly as I walk away from the frosty window and begin digging through my underwear drawer desperately hoping to find a decent looking thong.
“But it’s your birthday, and surprises are mandatory on birthdays,” Lucas glides fluidly to my side and wraps me in his wonderfully muscular arms, pulling off the soiled towel and letting it drop to the old hardwood floor. “Plus, this is the longest I’ve ever had you.”
The sadness streaking the timber of his voice is crippling. Unlike me, who has incessantly reincarnated over the last millennia despite Gwen and Marcus’s futile attempts to eliminate me, Lucas has remained living. And between our short blissful years together his time has been filled with long empty spaces of loneliness and guilt. And fear. The fear that I may not return the next time around. Lucas has admitted that he still doesn't comprehend how I keep coming back since those of my kind who have met Marcus and Gwen were never so lucky.
“Well, if you intend on keeping me around for future birthdays you’d better stop scaring the crap out of me or I might keel over and die of a heart attack.”
Lucas laughs under his breath, a sound that is entirely too irresistible to deny. I lean in and kiss his soft mouth once, twice, completely drunk on his sultry scent. Suddenly remembering the god awful underwear I am wearing, I quickly pull away and return to my rummaging. “You’d better let me get ready or we’ll both be late for Environmental Science,” I order through blushing cheeks. “And I don’t know about you but I’d rather stay off Mr. Mason’s psycho-teacher radar.”
Mr. Mason is recently divorced and makes everyone around him miserable for it. I mean, it’s not my fault your ex-wife ran off with her yoga instructor. Get over it.
“You’re probably right, but I’m not leaving until you open your present,” Lucas says as he pulls out a small cranberry colored box from his back jean pocket.
I cautiously take the delicate parcel out of his hand. I had specifically asked Lucas not to buy me anything, as gifts always make me feel self-conscious and uncomfortable. People expect a certain reaction along with gift opening, a reaction to which I fail miserably. I dread birthdays for this very reason. I’ve tried the “Oh my god I love it!” and the “How did you know?” but it always seems fake. I’m a bad actress and pretending to love a pack of tube socks or an itchy cable knit scarf makes me feel like a fraud. Feeling Lucas’s intense green eyes watching me doesn’t help.
With a deep breath I pop open the box and exhale noisily. Nestled in deep red velour are two diamond studded gold chandelier earrings shimmering under the light morning sun.  “You shouldn’t have,” I whisper, in awe. Maybe birthday surprises aren’t so bad after all.“I didn’t, actually. They were yours a long time ago…”
As I examine the intricate jewelry from a closer angle I realize that he’s right. I recognize them from when I was Elizabeth Edgar. It’s still extremely sci-fi to think of myself as someone else, another body and face, but it was me inside all the same. I had planned to wear the earrings on our wedding day. A day that never came thanks to Marcus and Gwen. “Wow. Thank you.” A fake response isn’t needed. I really do love them.
“I know they are old fashion and you probably won’t want to wear them every day but I thought that since they went to waste last time…” His words trail off hesitantly, a lopsided smile forming on his perfect mouth. “Maybe this time we could put them to good use.”
The air leaves my lungs faster than I can say “I do”.
Seeing the look of alarm in my face, Lucas doubles over laughing.
“Don’t worry, I’m not proposing – yet. I understand that your memories feel more like movies than actual lived events. But remember that I havelived through them all. To me it’s like we’re already engaged. I’ve been dying to marry you for centuries.”
I laugh along nervously as I finally pull out a lacy black thong from my cluttered drawer. To marry Lucas would be a dream, a fantasy most girls dream of since childhood. He is wonderful. But only one word comes to mind when thinking of a seventeen year old bride in today’s world: freak. People would either assume I’m a religious weirdo or knocked up. And since I’ve been on the outskirts of Weatherford high society lately, I do not want to add to the already rampant rumors.
Seeing as my frozen look of horror hasn't changed and I likely look like as stale as a Madame Tussaud's wax figure, Lucas quickly interjects.
“Forget that I mentioned it. I'm happy just to have you." Lucas kisses my bright red cheek and turns to leave.
“Wait for me outside?” I ask hopeful that I haven't hurt his feelings and damaged chances of him ever proposing.
"Of course. I’ll be on the front steps.”
And with a wink he jumps out the window.


Silver and StoneBloodlines Book OneJ.D. Thompson
Welcome to high school high society hell. 
As if senior year at Weatherford Preparatory School wasn’t hard enough, sixteen year old Alexis Bardolph had to add school outcast to the curriculum.
A new found notoriety following a family scandal, her lacrosse star boy-friend dumping her for a former BFF and a string of perpetually bad hair days were among the many things going wrong in her already turbulent teenage life. 
But when the haunting nightmares that have plagued her since childhood begin to take an eerily tangible form and several Holler Creek residents are reported missing, Alexis can’t help but wonder if there isn’t more to her hellish dreams than meets the eye. 
The unexpected arrival of a mysterious and dangerously handsome new student ultimately leads Alexis to troubling truths that not even her wildest imagination could have conjured.

Interview with Pembroke Sinclair

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I write under the pen name of Pembroke Sinclair, and I’ve had several short stories, novels, novellas, and nonfiction published in various places.  I write across several genres, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, Westerns (modern, not historical), romance (not with a capital R), and about films.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?What inspired you to write this book?
I had a dream about zombies, and the premise was new and fascinating, so I put it down on paper.  How many times have you seen zombies migrating to the West to escape the deteriorating effects of humidity?
Please tell us about your latest release.
“Life After the Undead” follows Krista’s life and how she survives in the zombie-infested world without her parents.  It’s tale about growing up and discovering what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Liet had his challenges.  I wanted to make him creepy and evil without making him one dimensional or stereotypical.  He has strange personality quirks, mainly being contradictory, and I didn’t want to make it seem like those quirks were convenient to the heroes, but realistic.  It was a challenge to make it work.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
Krista was pretty fun to write.  She is snarky and sarcastic, but also scared and vulnerable.  It was fun to let her different emotions come out at different times in the story, and to watch her grow from a scared kid into a confident young adult.
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 let the characters develop as I write.  I usually have a general idea of their background when I start, but I let them take me where they need to go.  After all, it’s their story.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
I really enjoy the scene where Pam and Krista head to Industrial Falls to gather supplies.  They go after being advised not to, but at that point, they feel invincible.  They run into a huge horde of zombies and barely escape with their lives, but at the same time, they learn that they are capable of surviving the most dire of situations.  It’s becomes a learning experience with lots of undead.
Do you write in different genres? 
I do write in different genres.  I’ve written science fiction, fantasy, horror, Westerns, romance, children’s books, middle grade, young adult, and nonfiction.
Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?
Personally, I don’t.  I enjoy genre jumping, it keeps ideas fresh and offers new challenges.  I like to push myself as a writer to better myself and look at things from a different perspective.
What can readers expect next from you?
The sequel to “Life After the Undead,” “Death to the Undead,” is now available.  Readers can now find out what happens to Krista, Quinn, and the others.  
Where can readers find you on the web?
I am on Facebook, Goodreads, and have a blog at www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
I will never understand peoples’ fascination with the apocalypse. Why would you waste so much time and energy worrying about something you can’t change? Besides, most of the time, it never comes to fruition anyway. Remember Y2K? What a hullabaloo that was. People were so afraid computers were going to fail and throw society back into the Dark Ages that they were stockpiling supplies and moving into the wilderness so they could get away from technology. Why would they move to the wilderness? If technology was going to fail, wouldn’t they be just as safe in a city? I guess they were afraid when technology failed, everyone would go crazy and start killing each other. Either way, it didn’t happen. I wonder how those people felt afterward.
Then, there was the whole 2012 scare. This one was supposedly based on ancient prediction, so you know it was reliable. Are you kidding? Even the Mayans didn’t believe their own ancestors’ “vision.” What happened was there had been a tablet that had the Mayan calendar carved into it. The end was broken and faded, so no one knew what it said. Our culture, being the pessimistic lot that we are, automatically assumed it was an end-of-the-world warning. But, again, nothing happened on December 21, 2012. Christmas came and went, and I think everyone, everywhere, even the skeptics, had a little something more to be thankful for. Life went on as usual, and all those doomsayers faded into obscurity.
The day the world did end was pretty nondescript. By that I mean there was no nuclear explosion or asteroid or monumental natural disaster. There weren’t even any horseman or plagues to announce the end was coming. The world ended fairly quietly. I couldn’t even give you a date because it happened at different times depending on where you were. It was never predicted, and I’m sure a scenario that no one even considered. Who really thinks the dead are going to rise from the grave and destroy the majority of the population? No one but Hollywood, and we all know those are just movies. But that is exactly what happened. Those of us that survived were left wide-eyed, mouth agape, trying to figure out what to do next.
There were a few who were able to pull their heads out and organize those left behind. They made sure the populace had food, shelter, and protection. They were saviors, the United States‟ heroes. Life wouldn’t have gone on without them, and it was pretty difficult those first few years after the zompocalypse.
Sometimes it’s difficult for me to remember what life was like before the rise of the undead. I was a teenager, though I hesitate to say normal. I wasn’t deformed or anything, but my classmates thought I was strange. I had a fascination with the dark, the macabre, but I wasn’t a Goth or Emo. I read books and magazines about serial killers. I didn’t idolize them or want to be like them—hell no—but I was fascinated with how evil and black a human’s soul could get.
I wanted to be a psychologist and work with the criminally insane, maybe figure out why they did what they did. Apparently, when you’re 15, your friends think you’re weird if you have desires to help someone other than yourself. While they were worried about becoming popular and getting the right boyfriend, I was trying to figure out how to make society better.
Of course, those dreams will never come true. Society doesn’t exist. Everything I once held dear is gone. I lost my parents to the horde, like a lot of kids. Unlike some of the others, mine weren’t taken by surprise or in some freak accident; they were taken because of their own stupidity. Some days I miss them a lot, but others I believe they got what they deserved. I might sound callous and uncaring, but what about them? Why would they abandon their 15 year old daughter? It used to keep me up at night, trying to find the answer to that question, but I’ve given up asking it. No reason wasting time on things that could’ve or should’ve been.
As I stare out the passenger side window of the semi, I’m reminded how bleak the future has become. The truck rolls down a once heavily traveled highway that has been reduced to a cracked trail. Gas stations and towns dotting the landscape have been abandoned and are crumpling into the weeds that are taking them over. There are a few areas that still resemble pre-zombie destruction, and these are the military outposts set up along the road, used for protection and refueling. I use the term “military” loosely because there is no formal military anymore. It’s a rag-tag group of men and women who were lucky enough to get guns. I chuckle to myself. It’s been two years since I was last out in the world, and a lot has changed since then. I still remember the day the zombies attacked. It’s as clear as if it happened yesterday.


Life After the Undead
Pembroke Sinclair
Genre:  YA HorrorPublisher:  eTreasures Publishing
ISBN:  ISBN-10: 1937809013ISBN-13: 978-1937809010
Number of pages:  356
Cover Artist:  Jerrod Brown
Book Trailer:  http://youtu.be/hrgv7W9A_7w
Amazon    Etreasures      Barnes and Noble
Book Description: 
The world has come to an end. It doesn’t go out with a bang, or even a whimper. It goes out in an orgy of blood and the dead rising from their graves to feast on living flesh. As democracy crumples and the world melts into anarchy, five families in the U.S. rise to protect the survivors.
The undead hate a humid environment, so they are migrating westward to escape its deteriorating effects. The survivors are constructing a wall in North Platte to keep the zombie threat to the west, while tyranny rules among the humans to the east.
Capable but naïve Krista is 15 when the first attacks occur, and she loses her family and barely escapes with her life. She makes her way to the wall and begins a new life. But, as the undead threat grows and dictators brainwash those she cares about, Krista must fight not only to survive but also to defend everything she holds dear—her country, her freedom, and ultimately those she loves.

Death to the UndeadBook 2Pembroke Sinclair
Genre:  YA horrorPublisher:  eTreasures Publishing
ISBN-10: 1937809226ISBN-13: 978-1937809225
Number of pages:  286
Cover Artist:  Jerrod Brown
Amazon   eTreasures  eTreasures
Book Description: 
The battle that began in Life After the Undead continues.
Zombies changed her life completely...
Tough teenager Krista escaped to the safety of Florida after her parents were killed by the zombie horde. She united with General Liet, a distant cousin, and moved with him to North Platte to help build a wall to keep the zombies in the West. Krista fell in love with Quinn, a survivor and fighter from the zombie-infested wildlands of the West, and together they freed the garrison at North Platte from the power-hungry Liet.
But zombies aren’t the only enemy they have to face...
Now, North Platte is free, but Liet was not the only one using the zombie apocalypse to control their people. Florida is ruled by five ruthless Families, who use intimidation and the threat of the zombie horde to coerce their populace. Krista and Quinn hatch a desperate plan to run guns into the state and help the people revolt. Krista and Quinn, labeled as rebels run for their lives when the Families attack North Platte. The Families want them captured, the zombies want to eat them, and other survivors want them dead. Caught in between powerful forces, they must survive long enough to devise a new plan and put it into action, all while trying to solidify their new relationship and trying not to self-destruct in the meantime.
About the Author: 
I write fiction under the pen name Pembroke Sinclair, and I have had several short stories published.  My story, “Sohei,” was named one of the Best Stories of 2008 by The Cynic Online Magazine.  I have novellas and a short story collection forthcoming from Musa Publishing and eTreasures Publishing.  I have two novels, Coming from Nowhere (adult, sci fi) and Life After the Undead (YA, horror), that are available from eTreasures Publishing, as well as Death to the Undead (YA, sequel to Life After the Undead), which is forthcoming.  Life After the Undead was a Top Ten Finisher in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll in the YA category and the cover art category.
Under my real name, from March 2008 to January 2011, I wrote scientific articles for Western Farmer-Stockman.  I have a nonfiction book, Life Lessons from Slasher Films, scheduled for release in July 2012 from Scarecrow Publishing (an imprint of Rowman and Littlefield).
I have my Master’s in English, and I am a freelance content editor for Musa Publishing, as well as a former content and line editor for eTreasures Publishing.
http://pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3522214.Pembroke_Sinclair
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pembroke.sinclair

Kindle Free Book Blitz: Stonewiser Series by Dora Machado

For the first time ever, Dora Machado's entire Stonewiser series is available in a free Kindle Giveaway, including the complete award-winning trilogy, Stonewiser: the Heart of the Stone, Stonewiser: The Call of the Stone and Stonewiser: The Lament of the Stone.
Read the series from cover to cover.
Download the three books for Free for five days only Aug 31- Sept 2 and Sept 6-7
Book One    Book Two   Book Three 
 The blitz starts on August 22 
The Kindle FREE giveaway begins on  Saturday Aug 31th through Monday, Sept 2. Then again Sept 6-7.










Stonewiser: The Heart of the StoneBook 1
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy,Romantic Fantasy,Fantasy Romance, Dark Fantasy
Publisher: Mermaid Press
ISBN: 978-0979968204ASIN: B001F7ATEO
Amazon
Book Description:
Winner of the 2009 Benjamin Franklin Award for best Debut Novel
Finalist for 2009 Foreword Book of the Year Award for SFF
Between truth and deception, between justice and abuse, a stonewiser stands alone with the stones. Or so begins the stonewiser's oath. But what happens when a rebellious stonewiser discovers that lies have tainted the stone tales?
In a world devastated by the rot's widespread destruction, only the tales preserved in the stones can uphold the truth and defend the Goodlands. In this world, stone truth is valued above anyone's word, and stonewisers are the only ones capable of retrieving the tales from the stones, the only link between past and present, order and chaos.
Sariah is the most gifted stonewiser of her generation, but her talent does not atone for her shortcomings. A survivor of the Guild's brutal training, she is curious, willful and disobedient. Yet not even Sariah is prepared for what she finds when she steals into the Guild's Sacred Vaults: A mayhem of lies and intrigues that shatters her world.
Hunted, persecuted, and betrayed, Sariah must make an unlikely alliance with Kael, a cynical rebel leader pledged to a mysterious quest of his own. The fate of their dying world depends on their courage to overcome centuries of hatred and distrust. But not even the grueling journey has prepared them for what they are about to discover. Because nothing is really as it seems, and the truth is more intricate and devastating than they ever suspected....

Stonewiser: The Call of the StoneBook 2
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy,Fantasy Romance, Dark Fantasy
Publisher: Mermaid Press
ISBN: 978-0979968228ASIN: B0047DWZTU
Amazon
Book Description:
Winner of the 2010 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Gold Medal for SF/F
Finalist for the 2010 ForeWord Book of the Year Award for SF/F
Sariah's reward for revealing the stone truth: a death sentence.
The executioners have arrived and Sariah, the most powerful and controversial stonewiser of her generation, has been judged and condemned to death. For the last few months, Sariah has been hiding in the Rotten Domain, trying to find the elusive tale capable of uniting a divided people teetering on the brink of a catastrophic war. As she is dragged to the nets, where an eel rave has been stirred to maximize her execution's gruesome spectacle, Sariah knows she cannot escape her sentence. She is guilty of the crimes for which she's been condemned and no one, not even Kael, the Domain's foremost rebel leader, can save her from the executioners' righteous justice.
But Kael is more than just a formidable warrior; he is also a cunning strategist and Sariah's steadfast lover. Risking all he has, he bargains with the greedy executioners, bribing them into delaying Sariah's execution, buying her precious time and a last chance to realize the mysterious legacy that the stones have imposed on her. The agreement is hardly a reprieve. It encourages a mob to hunt Sariah for ransom, banishing her from the Rotten Domain and imposing heavy fines on anyone who tries to help her. Worse, it requires her to wear an irremovable, mysterious bracelet. If she doesn't return to the executioners with the tale in hand when the allotted time expires, Kael and his kin will be ruined and the bracelet will kill her.
Hunted by the executioners, the Guild and the Shield, Sariah and Kael embark on a desperate search. Their journey will take them to the depths of the Rotten Domain, where Sariah must wise a guiding beam out of the wild tale stored in a stone-carved game. The beam will lead them through the warring Goodlands—where the rot is on the move—to the land beyond the Bastions, where a zealous people guard an ancient stone that could hold the key to their search. Along the way, Sariah and Kael must overcome deadly traps, torture, heartbreak, agonizing defeat and devastating losses in a desperate attempt to avoid war and answer the mysterious call of the stone.

Stonewiser: The Lament of the StoneBook 3
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy,Fantasy Romance, Dark Fantasy
Publisher: Mermaid Press
ISBN: 978-0979968235ASIN: B0051H6SUI
Amazon
Book Description:
"Do you know why the stones grieve?" the woman said to Kael. "Not for a soul, I'll tell you that much. The stones don't grieve for the passing of a lowly woman or the madness of a smitten man. They don't mourn death, or lost love, or broken dreams, or loneliness or despair. Yet you will make them wail. For you, the stones will weep."
In their most perilous adventure yet, Sariah, the rogue stonewiser who stunned the world by discovering lies in the stones and defying the all-powerful Guild, and Kael, the rebel leader who against all odds loves her, must find a stolen child, the only one capable of setting rule upon chaos, preserving the future of stonewising, and defeating the rot ravaging the land. The stakes couldn't be higher. The coveted child they seek is said to be an abomination. He is also their son.
It's a daunting challenge. Their child is in the hands of a deceitful enemy who has fled to a mysterious ruler, a rival deity with unfathomable powers pledged to destroy the goddess and eradicate stonewising from the world. Worse yet, the land is engulfed in strife, the rot is spreading faster than ever, and Kael is haunted by a malevolent curse compelling him to kill the woman he loves.
In a dangerous journey fraught with shocking twists, Sariah and Kael must do more than defeat their foes, unravel the mystifying forces vying to control their lives, and discover the mysteries of ages past. They must challenge the stones, defy the goddess and confront their cursed fates. Because only by embracing their destinies do they stand a chance to save their child and their world.

About the Author:
Dora Machado is the award winning author of the Stonewiser series and her newest novel, The Curse Giver, from Twilight Times Books, available July 2013. She is one of the few Latinas exploring her heritage and her world through the epic fantasy genre today. She holds a master's degree in business administration and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University. She was born in Michigan and grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she developed a bilingual fascination for writing, a love for history, and a taste for Merengue. After a lifetime of straddling such compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories. She enjoys long walks, traveling, and connecting with the amazing readers who share in her mind's adventures. She lives in Florida with her indulging husband and three very opinionated cats.
To learn more about Dora Machado and her novels, visit her website at www.doramachado.com  Subscribe to her blog at http://www.doramachado.com/blog/ , sign up for her newsletter at http://doramachado.com/newsletter.php  and follow her on Facebook and  Twitter.
About Dora Machado's Novels:
Dora Machado is the award winning author of the Stonewiser trilogy and her newest novel, The Curse Giver. She is one of the few Latinas exploring her heritage and her world through the epic fantasy genre today. Her first novel, Stonewiser: The Heart of the Stone, won the 2009 Benjamin Franklin award for best debut novel. Her second novel, Stonewiser: The Call of the Stone, won the 2010 Independent Publishers Book Award's (IPPY) Gold Medal for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy book of the year. Her third novel, Stonewiser: The Lament of the Stone, won the 2012 Independent Publishers Book Award's (IPPY) Silver Medal for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy book of the year. All three novels were finalists in ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Category. Her latest novel, The Curse Giver from Twilight Times Books is available July 2013.
Website: http://www.doramachado.com/
Blog: http://www.doramachado.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoraMachado101
Twitter: @DoraMachado or https://twitter.com/DoraMachado
Amazon Author Central: amazon.com/author/doramachado