Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 475

Interview with Robert Poulin

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I'll be 44 on July 15th and I'm the Executive Director of a nonprofit disability rights and advocacy agency in upstate New York. I've been legally blind since infancy but as the dedication to Wail of the Banshees says, my mom taught me to dream and work hard to accomplish my goals. I've been an avid reader since second grade, mostly using audible programs but today's tablet technology makes it possible for me to read more easily on my own. I started out reading epic fantasy then in the mid 90's I read my first urban fantasy, Guilty Pleasures by Laurel K. Hamilton, from there the genre quickly became my favorite. Like most readers, I have aspired to be a writer for a long time. When inspiration truly hit me, it was naturally in the paranormal/urban fantasy genre.
What is it about the paranormal that fascinates you so much?
Paranormal stories are modern myth, they are fantasy in a setting that we all live in. The idea of mixing fantasy into the real world appeals to me like it does to so many. I like vampires for the same reason; they look human, they have many of our habits and mannerism, indeed, depending on the mythos used, they were once human. At this point I could get into the metaphors that they represent, but the truth is that I like vampires because they are sexy, they're dangerous, and they have all kinds of cool powers. Most of them are also very tortured beings, which makes for interesting characters, they have layers of complexity to them. 
What inspired you to write this book?
I wanted to write something different, something that was less common. I wanted the usual preternatural beings to exist; the vampires, werewolves, and fae, but I wanted my protagonist to be of a less common variety of paranormal being. I chose the ghost. Once I'd made this choice inspiration for the story came quickly. How did the protagonist become a ghost was the first question for me to answer. Once I'd answered how, I had to answer why and what. This led to world building for the ghostly realm of Limbo, which exists as a shadow copy of the living world. The why provides us with the conflict. Another important inspiration besides the decision to make the protagonist a ghost was the choice of Philadelphia as the setting. This choice added a whole new layer to the story. The first part of the book is about survival in a new reality and the consequences of vengeance as a primary motivator. The second part of the book is thematically about finding purpose and revolution. For movie and tv inspiration I would say Buffy the Vampire Slayer (tv show), and the Matrix.
Please tell us about your latest release.
Wail of the Banshees is the first book in the Ghost Wars Saga. It tells the story of college student Veronika Kane who is murdered in the first scene of the book. Veronika lives on as a ghost and soon discovers that there is a whole world of ghosts. This world is run by evil beings who are manipulating events in the living world and were responsible for her murder. Veronika must learn how this new world works while staving off the corrupting influence of the powers that be. Aside from survival and learning the ropes of Limbo, Veronika decides to help the Philadelphia Police Department capture her killer. Veronika's efforts don't go the way she'd planned and as a result very bad things happen to her. She manages to survive though and sets out on a quest to lead a rebellion against Shadow Philadelphia's Masters. The novel is filled with action and tension and there are a few twists along the 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?
That is a great question because it's one of the things that surprised me the most about writing. I can't believe how much time and energy I spend on names. I use the exact techniques that you mentioned, I'll research period names, ethnic names, and sometimes names with specific meanings. The latter mostly happens with a very special preternatural characters. In the end however, I settle for what feels and sounds right, its very subjective and I agonize over it quite a bit but so far I've never regretted a choice that I've made.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Veronika Kane, the protagonist was definitely the most challenging to write. Since the novel is written in first person, I had to get the emotions right. My first draft was like a summer action movie, lots of bang but little emotion. Thank god for my editor, Jaimee Finnegan. She made me work hard on the emotion, the internal turmoil, the pain, the fear. The emotion was hard for me to write the first time through but it was so rewarding, it opened up whole new avenues to go with the character and the story has real soul as a result.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I'd have to say Frank Cooper. He's one of the detectives investigating Veronika's murder. He's fun because he's a crusader who is driven by stopping the bad guys at all costs. he hates the department politics and will ignore regs if they get in the way of saving lives. He's got a very foul mouth, a big gun, and a mission. Another character that was fun to write is Sebastian the ghost owl familiar. He kind of fills the role that Oberon in the Iron Druid Chronicles fills. 
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 didn't have a formula for Wail of the Banshees, I just let them develop. Book 2, Death Toll, is already written and in revision right now. For Death Toll, I started using more formal processes, part of it is that things start getting a lot more complicated as you write further into a series, you don't want to contradict yourself, nor do you want new materials to not really fit in with what you've done before. Basically I started tracking goals and motivations of every character. For main characters I also started tracking things like habits, flaws, merits, and demeanors. It also became very necessary to track the physical characteristics of all characters. 
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
That's a tough one because there are so many cool and pivotal scenes, but here is one that won't ruin anything. There's a place in North East Pennsylvania called Centralia. It was the location of a massive anthracite coal mine complex. The mine caught fire in 1962 and still burns today. Centralia is a true modern ghost town. In Limbo the site is controlled by a Shadow Reaper named Black Maria and Veronika is leading a small force of free souls to free slave souls while Black Maria is away on business. 
Veronika quickly learns that something called the Devil's Forge is located in Centralia, apparently placed there in 1962, and she decides to investigate further. Veronika makes friends with a shadow hound in this scene and also fights a reaper called The Forgemaster. She does discover the secrets of the Devil's Forge and ultimately must face Black Maria who shows up on the scene. Its a scene with lots of action, revelations, and heartbreaking loss. This is a perfect example of what I love about paranormal/urban fantasy, you can take amazing real life facts and give them a supernatural twist. Its a lot of fun. There's also a cool train heist scene.
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
Aside from Centralia, which I mentioned in the previous question, Penn's Curse is an interesting legend that figures prominently in Wail of the Banshees. On the book cover, the central tower with the statue at its apex is Philadelphia's City Hall. The statue is of William Penn, founder of the city and the state, it stands 37 feet tall. Legend says that no other structure in the city was to be built taller than City Hall and the Penn statue or Penn's Curse would be invoked. It's not known who or why this gentleman's agreement was made but for decades it was part of city building regulations. In 1986, the first skyscraper to overtop City Hall was completed. 
Ever since, every ill in the city is placed at the feet of Penn's Curse. All kinds of fun supernatural stuff can explain why this stricture was put in place, you'll have to read the book to find out more. Also in book two, Death Toll, I did a lot of research into the history of mental health treatment and especially of Byberry Asylum, it was incredibly fascinating. 
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
I can't think of anything physical that I did for this book but my cover designer, Hannah Carr, did use a live model for her rendering of Veronika.
Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
Wail of the Banshees takes place in both the living world and in Limbo. The two worlds are separated by a veil that only some ghosts can translate through. Limbo is a reflection of the living world, but it looks older and shabbier. The presence of structures in Limbo is affected by the memories of the population, the more ghosts that believe a structure should exist, the more likely it is to exist. There are two substances in Limbo that have a material presence and both can destroy ghosts. 
These are celestial steel and devil's iron. In the living world these metals are called blood iron and spirit steel and most objects of power are made of one or the other. Weapons and armor are made of these elements in Limbo as are other objects such as trains and boats. For world building I had to create Limbo from the ground up, its society, its laws (both social and natural), and its history. For the living world I just had to create rules for how ghosts could interact with the material world. I didn't start off with an exhaustive bible of rules, just a few to start things off and I let the story's need for the rules guide me. 
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
I've encountered this problem, but only when I'm not sure where the story should go next. When this happens, I stop that part of the book and write something else, maybe even a different project. I don't go back to the original until I'm ready with an idea on how to proceed, I don't force the story. This has led to several weeks long pauses. I think that this is ok and natural, the important thing is to not stop writing, just write something else. For me something like a tv show, a book, or maybe a newspaper article will trigger the inspiration that I need to continue. I prefer to be patient rather than to force my way through it.
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
I listen to music while writing. I know that this isn't weird but it is for me. I've never been able to do homework or anything else that involves concentration with music in the background, so this is quite new for me.
Do you write in different genres? 
Not yet, but in the future I'd love to do something that melds paranormal with science fiction. Something like vampires in a gritty Mars city, that sounds like fun.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
I considered myself a writer after completing the first draft of Wail of the Banshees. I didn't consider myself an author until completing the final revisions of the book. Writing the original draft was easy, the work was the revision.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Coffee in the AM (iced in summer), Chocolate, and eating at my favorite Italian Restaurant. 
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I play in a couple of weekly tabletop role-playing games and I enjoy video games.
What was the last amazing book you read?
The best book I've read this year is surprising not paranormal. The Gods of of Gotham was truly a masterpiece that brought 1840's New York City alive in ways that blew my mind.
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
My office is where I pretty much do everything.
What can readers expect next from you?
Death Toll is book 2 in the Ghost Wars Saga. It will have new supporting characters and features elements of Lovecraft's mythos. Vampires also make a true appearance in Death Toll. I am also about 15% through book 3, Echoes of Madness, which will feature the Fae and a plague in Philly.
Where can readers find you on the web?
my website is http://ghostwatchpublishing.com/ . Portals to my social network sites and to where Wail of the Banshees can be purchased are easily accessible on the site. There's also a link to the map of Philly that I use, and a sample of the first three chapters.
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Visit my website http://ghostwatchpublishing.com/ to access the first three chapters. I will also tell you that all versions of Wail of the Banshees have a sample chapter from Death Toll in the back. 
Thanks for reading and feel free to visit me on Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7161226.Robert_Poulin

Wail of the Banshees Ghost Wars SagaRobert Poulin 
My name is Veronika Kane and dying, dying was just the beginning. 
How was I supposed to know that getting smashed on my 21st birthday would lead me to becoming the 9th victim of a serial killer that’s been stalking Philadelphia’s streets for months? Now I’m a ghost and unlife is pretty scary. Reapers, wraiths, ghouls, gargoyles: all of the monsters that I thought were storybook characters are real! On top of it all, the powers that be in the ghost world want to enslave me and use me in their own diabolical plot to manipulate the people of the living world. Too bad I didn’t turn out to be the kind of ghost they wanted me to be, and I’m not about to let them turn me into one of their puppets. These ghosts are responsible for my murder and the murders of eight other women. 
A rebellion is coming, and the ghosts that run this place are about to find out just how big a mistake they made when they had me killed. 
My name is Veronika Kane and being murdered isn't the end of my story. 
Wail of the Banshees is an Urban Fantasy Novel and the first book in the exciting Ghost Wars saga which features paranormal horror and action set in living Philadelphia and the ghostly world of Limbo.
Amazon

Interview with Lee Thompson

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
Lee Thompson: I’m a dreamer, constant observer, and thinker, and my biggest writing influences are Clive Barker (read Galilee), William Faulkner (read The Sound and The Fury), and John Gardner (read Grendel). Plus a couple dozen other writers from Bradbury and Rod Serling to Stephen King and John Connolly. What inspired me to write in the realm of dark fiction was my own, and everyone else’s darkness, though some people are experts at hiding, or repressing, their own darker longings. Being human is to suffer and learn and grow, and to dream of what lies beyond the veil of our own understanding and perceptions, and I find that fascinating.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
Lee Thompson: Life beyond death! And of course, our own gluttony. In great fiction, I think, we see we are usually far worse than the ‘monsters’. For example, read Clive Barker’s novel Cabal. Hell, read anything that is more than mere entertainment. Humans strive to be the dominant species and we destroy and suck dry all that stands in our way. It’s in our natures, much like it was in the natures of the Greek gods. 
What inspired you to write this book?
Lee Thompson: I wanted to write a story about the beautiful and sometimes tragic relationships between mothers-and-daughter figures, as well as a woman’s sexual awakening. And having been friends with a lot of mothers and daughters, I wanted to address the anger they sometimes felt at themselves for being oppressed by men, and the shame they felt in themselves for letting other people have so much power over them. I think women are the most loving and ferocious creatures; they’re sensual and intelligent and beautiful, but many times they’re also fragile and doubtful and feel overburdened by responsibilities and tired of the endless tasks they face (especially if the men in their lives contribute little). Vampires themselves are merely metaphors, and so is the main character, Dorothy, who lets her own hunger for dominance go too far from one extreme to the other, her behavior causing an innocent family an undue amount of heartache. 


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?
Lee Thompson: There is significance in the names, especially for my secondary protagonists, Brooke Pistil, and her daughter Natalie. Pistil being, of course, the female reproductive part of a flower. Brooke means ‘lives by the stream’ and the stream in this instance is one of metaphorical terms, in that she is always striving to be/find herself, and has only recently felt that she’s done so when she’s introduced in the story. And Natalie means ‘born at Christmas’ which, to me, is symbolic of a messiah-like figure, and she serves that role in the story, but will it be enough? You have to read Gossamer: A Story of Love and Tragedy to discover the answer.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Lee Thompson: Not really. I do a lot of brainstorming to figure out who my characters are before writing. I also like to find their ‘pivotal moments’ (what shaped them into who they are, both before the story and during the story) so creating the characters is a natural, organic process that I love!
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
Lee Thompson: Natalie is my favorite character in the novel. But I really enjoyed writing about Dorothy’s hardships and how they shape her into a monster, one she never thought she’d become, much like the men who had taken her mother’s life when she was a little girl.
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?
Lee Thompson: Yes. I definitely want to know them before I start writing. But they still surprise you as you’re writing, which I love!
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
Lee Thompson: The climax, when everything has built up to this massive crescendo and Natalie and Dorothy, both in somewhat opposing ways, have everything on the line. It’s a sad and beautiful moment. 
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
Lee Thompson: I find the depth of the characters to be interesting, more than that, fascinating. I wish I knew real people so well. 
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
Lee Thompson: I performed a Satanic ritual and lost my soul to dark forces. But I bought a flashlight and found my essence; it was just hiding in the corner, weeping, scared out of its mind. 
Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
Lee Thompson: The main character, Dorothy, watches her mother die in Salem. Her aunt takes her out west and they found their own small town, Gossamer, where her aunt teaches her the dark arts and slowly, over the next couple centuries, travelers settle in. When her aunt dies of a broken heart, Dorothy follows through with her aunt’s plans and builds a carousel that will keep the town young forever, only she has no idea that she herself will fall in love with a creature who blows in on the hot desert wind, or that she’ll forfeit everything she and her aunt have worked so hard to build and protect. But love does that. It makes fools of us sometimes. 
Natalie Pistil, the young protag, and her mother Brooke, bring a real world element to it, but she might not be strong enough to face such rabid forces.
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
Lee Thompson: All of my characters end up having some aspects of myself, whether it’s that frustration that stems from wanting to know everything and having to accept I never will, or wanting someone to love me for me without having to change myself to fit their ideal, or the shame that stems from a moment of crisis when we know we should be strong but we cower instead, or we simply stand up to fight too late. 
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
Lee Thompson: I haven’t suffered from writer’s block, but I recently felt burned out. I wrote four novels in eight months and though it’s against my nature to take a break, I had to. I didn’t write much for a month and a half and it felt wonderful to get outside and spend time with people I care about and just read a bunch of fiction, watch cartoons, etc. I think we can work too much and when we do so we miss out not only on living, but on the authenticity living brings to our fiction. So the break was great, yeah.
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
Lee Thompson: I like to have a couple beers before I write when creating—it helps me write more truthfully. And when I’m editing I like to drink a lot of coffee and eat a bunch of fruit because it seems to sharpen my focus.

Do you write in different genres? 
Lee Thompson: Yes, I’m not a big fan of genres. I see murder and mayhem in Horror, Dark Fantasy, Thrillers, Suspense, Mystery, and Crime Fiction. And I also see Romance in those genres; a book without some type of love or longing is a shallow and heartless book. When dealing with any type of folklore or magic you’re also touching on science fiction, because even if you don’t know the ‘science’ behind the magic, there is a science to it, there are laws, rules, and physics.  Honestly, I want to transcend genres. I want to write great stories that are dark and lovely and bright and hopeful and tragic all at the same time. 
Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?
Lee Thompson: No, I think it’s natural. Look at life. It’s not one genre. It’s not even three genres. It’s everything. 
When did you consider yourself a writer?
Lee Thompson: Probably not until I sold that first novel to Delirium Books and it came out in 2011. I wrote for eight years before that without making a cent, and mostly I was writing for me, and mostly I knew that I wasn’t a real writer yet because real writers entertain and enlighten people and I hadn’t learned how until I was ready.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Lee Thompson: Alcohol, coffee, music, books, and intelligent conversation. 

Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
Lee Thompson: I have played guitar and been a songwriter for years. It was what led me to writing. I’ve since took up painting with acrylics and I find it very much like meditation. I love it actually, although I’m not very good and have no talent for it. But sometimes we have to do something that is just for us, just for our own souls, our own peace. 
What was the last amazing book you read?
Lee Thompson: Non-fiction: Clive Barker’s Shadows in Eden. Fiction: James Lee Burke’s Creole Belle.
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
Lee Thompson: I love to read in bed while I’m drinking chocolate milk. 
What can readers expect next from you?
Lee Thompson: I have two pen-named novels with an agent and I just submitted another Lee Thompson novel to my publisher. But what will be out next is the end of a first trilogy in my Dark Fantasy series The Division Mythos. It’s a novel called The Collected Songs of Sonnelion. I’m excited about that! 
Where can readers find you on the web?
Lee Thompson: They can visit my website: http://leethompsonfiction.com
Or friend me on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4651572.Lee_Thompson
You can find Gossamer on my Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Gossamer-Story-Love-Tragedy-ebook/dp/B00BX0QJ60/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373750718&sr=1-11
Or at a number of other sources like iTunes, Smashwords, Sony, Kobo, etc.
I’m on other social media sites but don’t use them often because I’m a workaholic. 
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Lee Thompson: Sure! Here is the opening of Gossamer: A Story of Love and Tragedy…
There once was a beautiful girl who held sway over the people of a nowhere desert town. They admired her beauty, the incantations she whispered in the light of the full moon, and the treasures she gave them in exchange for their loyalty. She kept them eternally young, this goddess, this seer of exquisite nighttime mystery. They loved her so deeply they would do awful things to protect her, and to protect the gift given. 
It went on for centuries, until a cool October night when a strange young man walked in from the cold desert. His face shown white beneath the stars, these same stars reflected in his black orb eyes, moonlight and building mating, spewing shadows about his shoulders like a cape. He wore a shirt of chainmail like a knight of old. His boots were dusty. The cross around his neck was silver and a blue eye grew from the center of it. He moved with precision. 
He seduced the young beauty who the town worshipped, his hands gentle, his lips warm and tickling her neck. He rarely smiled but he was so gorgeous to her that he didn’t have to. His touch said it all, aggressive, obsessive, insatiable, as he nipped at her neck, his teeth drawing blood, him filling her, ramming, panting, licking the sweat from the hollow of her throat. He loved her like they never could. He loved her without being gifted anything, though it would be much later, after much blood was spilled, that she discovered the pleasure and security she’d blessed Gossamer with, he had possessed before he came in dusty of cloth and gleaming of eye, into their lives. 
He slept during the days and left their bed after dusk to be, she first suspected, alone with the stars and the open night. She worked her charms, weaving hair and polishing the bones she’d inherited from her mother. She’d yet to see the Devil, though she had been a studious child, a passionate teen, an angelic and stalwart adult, for centuries. She drifted daily, her mind not on her task, or her duties to her people, as he went about his lone midnight wanderings. Then the first time her lover returned with blood on his lips, she thought, The Devil has come at last…


Part One
I wish I could tell you that this story didn’t have any blood in it, that it is simply a love story, but then I would mislead you. Instead, let me be up front because that will build trust between us… 
Love and Tragedy are the only soul mates I’ve ever seen, and I will show you two situations that intersect, meld, and become one. Love’s allure on one side of a dark carousel, arms outstretched, trusting, hoping, believing; Tragedy’s hunger on the other side, many-limbed, voracious, and insatiable. 
There is never a more deadly or more honest embrace than Love aching over Tragedy’s grief, and Tragedy admiring Love’s hope. 
The webbing that traps them is of a unique substance that is anchored upon several lives running through the course of time, and the creator of the web, the unseen forces of order and chaos, grow fat on the husks of withering love and forlorn sorrow.
None of us have to share our stories with anyone else, but we must, because we want to see the reflection of our existence in the recognition of other people’s joy and other people’s pain. We want to be remembered, for something, whether grand or miniscule, by someone. 
And so starts the first strand of my story…*****My mother, Sarah Good, died before my eyes on July 19th, 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. I, Dorothy Good, had just turned five years old. A week prior to her death, a policeman, assisted by another man I had never seen before and wished to never see again, knocked on our door while Mother was away at the grocery. My father opened the door to them and ushered them inside the darkened foyer. Our house was always dark and the policeman made a comment on it, to which my father only shook his head, exasperated, sighing, saying, “It’s the way she likes it.” 
Meaning, of course, my mother. 
My father nervously checked his waistcoat watch, a faded and worn golden instrument that dully reflected the nervousness of his eyes. I stood near the coat rack, five feet from them, but they paid me no heed for I was only a child, not to mention the daughter of the accused. The policeman’s name was O’Connor, and in true Irish fashion he smelled of rotten things, secrets and fanaticism. He was short and wide. His officer’s cap was smudged with street grime. He looked like one of us, one of the poor, but surely, he wasn’t. He was a man of power, though to a limited degree, working for and answering to men much more influential than he could ever be, much like Father was and did. 
The stranger with Officer O’Connor was tall and lean and wore the garb of a priest. His eyes were soft and his face pale, slightly doughy. He had about him the manner of a demon in the set of his mouth, a cruelty reserved normally only for the most debased. He noticed me first. He smiled a horrific smile, extended his arm, and that dry, cool hand settled on the top of my head as if he wished to hold me in place. He whispered, while Father and the policeman spoke quietly, “There is a great darkness here. Have you known about it for a time?”
My father had told me there would be questions like this. 
I nodded, which took great effort due to the weight of his hand on my skull. 
O’Connor turned, raising a hand to silence my father. He straightened his back and rested both hands on the thick black belt about his waist. His smile was warmer than the priest’s, but just barely. He said, “Aye, the little one.” Then he knelt in front of me and I was afraid that he would touch me like the Priest was touching me, and I was angry with my father for letting either treat me as they saw fit. But my father was powerless, and he was a coward. O’Connor stroked my cheek. He said to the priest, “Do you think she’s troubled?”
The priest, who had not had the courtesy to introduce himself, said, “Very.”
My father had told me they would say things like this. I opened my mouth to speak but words failed me because the game we were playing was tiring. It wasn’t fun like Father said it would be, and even as a small child, I knew that the game, as he called it, that we were running on my mother was no game at all. It would have dire consequences, only, at the time, I had no idea what they might be other than her arrest, given the presence of the policeman who walked our street, and others like it, his bulbous belly only slightly ahead of his bulbous nose, his feet always aching as they hauled him from one troubling encounter to the next. 
But, as I’ve said, it was really the priest who troubled me. He was a scale for souls, weighed the common man’s shortcomings, sought out vileness he saw squirming about in the shadows where sunlight could not reach. His hand continued to cup my head and hold me in place. He leaned forward slightly and my eyes ached from looking up into his dusty and stricken and judgmental face.

Designing Monks-Lantern Guest blog and Giveaway with Matthew Head

Monks-Lantern is the fictional city in which most of the action in “The Chronicles of Darkness” takes place, and I’d like to take this chance to give you a bit of information about how I created it and also to give you a bit of a virtual tour of the city.
Quite early on in the process of writing I had to choose between using a real city in England as the setting for “Chronicles” or creating one of my own. I toyed with a few ideas – the cities of Canterbury, Winchester and Chichester were all in the running to play host to my saga. In the end I decided to create my own place though, as it would give me a lot more freedom with the story. If I needed a forest, I could have one. If I needed a castle, I could have one. Heck, if I needed a mousetrap factory I could have one (although the need for that particular building has yet to arrive.)
Of course, just because I wasn’t literally using an existing city for my book didn’t mean that I couldn’t take inspiration from one. I went to university in the beautiful cathedral city of Canterbury and I was inspired by its quaint cobbled streets, historic buildings and majestic cathedral. I decided to put something of that place into my own creation, and it’s fair to say that although Monks-Lantern is by no means a carbon copy of Canterbury it certainly shares a lot of similarities.
As cliché as it might sound, the name “Monks-Lantern” just came to me one day whilst I was thinking about what to call the city. It was one of those cases where you end up trying too hard to create a name and they all end up sounding rather contrived – then an idea just hits you and you know it’s right from the start. There is a meaning to the name too, don’t think it’s just empty words – although you won’t actually learn the meaning for a while yet (sorry!) Something for you to ponder on…….
The main feature of Monks-Lantern is the cathedral, and as you approach the city by road or train you’ll see the ancient building dominate the skyline before you. In “The Box of Infernos” it sits quietly in the background, but in later books it will move forwards and become a character all of its own. I’m teasing shamelessly, I know I am. I just can’t help it!
The river Els runs through Monks-Lantern, and if you follow the road out of the city centre and across the river you’ll soon find yourself walking past my protagonist Isaac’s road – Elsbridge Hill Road. It’s a typical kind of street that can be found all over the United Kingdom: a uniform row of Victorian terraced houses in red brick. Walk down about three-quarters the length of the road and you’ll find Isaac’s house, number twenty. I wouldn’t knock though – the chances are you’ll end up getting involved in some supernatural misadventure that you could probably do without.
Back down in the city you can occupy yourself in a variety of ways. Spend some cash in the Holy Grove shopping centre, take some photos in the historic market square or go for a stroll in Bridgewater Park. If you’ve got a bit more time why not walk the riverbank and find yourself in the Travelling Woods. I’d be careful in there though, local legend says that the trees move. Although that’s probably just superstitious nonsense isn’t it?Whilst we’re on the topic of superstitious nonsense I would just advise that you avoid St Andrew’s cemetery after dark. It’s probably nothing, and I’m sure you’d be okay – but there are rumours about what lives in that place. Personally I wouldn’t risk it. Oh and if you see anybody at all heading towards you in a hooded robe you must, must turn back immediately and run in the opposite direction. Honestly, it’s for the best. It could just be a monk but if it isn’t then the consequences really don’t bear contemplating.

But anyway, enough doom and gloom. Do visit Monks-Lantern through the pages of “The Chronicles of Darkness: The Box of Infernos” as despite being a sometimes scary place it is also a very special, very beautiful place. True enough, a lot of evil can happen there. But as with all places a lot of good can occur too. 
July 8 Spotlightfuonlyknewhttp://fuonlyknew.com
July 8 SpotlightElfie Bookselfie-books.blogspot.co.uk
July 9 interview Books & Taleshttp://www.booksandtales.blogspot.co.uk/
July 10 SpotlightEclipse Reviews http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com
July 10 SpotlightAuthor Karen Swarthttp://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com
July 11 Guest blogFae Books www.FaeBooks.co.uk
July 12 InterviewBooks and Bindings http://booksandbindings.com/
July 12 SpotlightParanormal Romance and BeyondAshlynnelaynne.blogspot.com
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July 19 SpotlightCover Reveals http://CoverReveals.blogspot.com
July 22 InterviewRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com 



The Chronicles of Darkness: The Box of InfernosThe Chronicles of Darkness Book OneMatthew Head
Genre:  Supernatural Mystery
ISBN:  978-1-78299-263-9
Number of pages:  204Word Count:  85,000
Cover Artist: Matthew Head
Teaser trailer: http://youtu.be/STsB96OFZfw
Book Description:
In the south of England, in the city of Monks-Lantern, events are starting to unfold which have the potential to threaten all of creation. Isaac Jacobs is a young university student with a haunted past who has long been fighting the supernatural monsters of this world and now he fights them alongside his four friends; Gabbi Gurtpasha, Billie Stamford, Laura Henley and Ben Pokeley.
What starts off as a disturbing but relatively low key investigation soon explodes into something much larger, darker and more fearsome than any of them could have imagined. Just what is behind the slow but steady disappearance of people from the city? Who is the much feared Imperator? What is the worst thing you can hope to see beneath a door in an empty building? How do you define a good man from a bad one? And what terror lies within the Box of Infernos?
A plan which has been in motion for millenia is now coming to fruition and Isaac had better be ready as his life will never be the same again from now on.
Something is coming.
Amazon UK  Amazon US  Kobo
Amazon UK Paperback  Amazon US Paperback  Feedaread

About the Author:
My name is Matthew Head and I'm a writer from Surrey. Well, I say from Surrey - I was born in Kent, moved to London for a bit and then moved out to Surrey to live with my partner Andrew. I was born in the eighties, raised in the nineties and then I was inspired in the noughties during my time at university where I studied Theology.
Theology is quite possibly the most fascinating subject in the world. Sounds boring I know, sounds like church and everyone knows that church is boring. But it's not like that at all. It's packed full of myths and monsters, gods and goddesses - mad, bad, sad ones alive in stories which rival many blockbuster movies in terms of how epic they are. It doesn't matter whether it's all real or not - it's the story that counts. Stories are beautiful because absolutely anything is possible within them. That's why I love writing because I love the idea of contributing to that and creating stories. Stories that will make you cry, make you laugh, make you scared. Because I think there is some magic in writing - that simple words have the power to make us feel and react so strongly to them.
When I'm not writing or doing my day job then I really enjoy going out and exploring new places. I love going somewhere I've never been before, especially if there's some history linked to the place. Old places are the best - the older the better. You just get this sense that so much has happened there, so many different people have come and gone and yet the place remains.
A few more random facts about me - my favourite pet is the humble goldfish, my favourite dinner is macaroni cheese, I love banana flavoured things but I strongly dislike bananas and the only real phobia I have is a phobia of frogs. Yeuch.
Web: www.chroniclesofdarkness.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheChroniclesOfDarkness
Twitter: @Chronofdarkness
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Chronofdarkness
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6536000.Matthew_Heada Rafflecopter giveaway

Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones Blog Tour and Giveaway

Never underestimate the power of a womanon a double espresso with a mocha latte chaser high.—T-shirt
Charley Davidson isn’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill grim reaper.  She’s more of a paranormal private eye/grim reaper extraordinaire.  However, she gets sidetracked when the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, moves in next door. To further complicate matters, Reyes is her main suspect in an arson case.  Charley has vowed to stay away from him until she can find out the truth…but then dead women start appearing in her apartment, one after another, each lost, confused, and terrified beyond reason.  When it becomes apparent that her own sister, Gemma, is the serial killer’s next target Charley has no choice but to ask for Reyes’ help.  Arsonist or not, he’s the one man alive who could protect Gemma no matter who or what came at her. But he wants something in return. Charley. All of her, body and soul. And to keep her sister safe, it is a price she is willing to pay.

Charley Davidson is at it again in Fifth Grave Past the Light, the sexy, suspenseful, and laugh-out-loud funny fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling series by Darynda Jones.
·       Amazon ·       Barnes & Nobles ·       Audible
Excerpt:

Ask me about life after death.
—T-shirt often seen on Charley Davidson,
    a grim reaper with questionable morals 

The dead guy at the end of the bar kept trying to buy me a drink.
Which figured. No one else was even taking a second look and I’d
dressed to the nines. Or, at the very least, the eight- and- a-halves.
But the truly disturbing part of my evening was the fact that my
mark, one Mr. Marvin Tidwell, blond real estate broker and suspected
adulterer, actually turned down the drink I’d tried to buy
him.

Turned it down!

I felt violated.

I sat at the bar, sipping a margarita, lamenting the sad turn my life
had taken. Especially to night. This case was not going as planned.
Maybe I wasn’t Marv’s type. It happened. But I was oozing interest.
And I wore makeup. And I had cleavage. Even with all that going for
me, this investigation was firmly wedged between the cracks of no and
where. At least I could tell my client, aka Mrs. Marvin Tidwell, that it
would seem her husband was not cheating on her. Not randomly,
anyway. The fact that he could’ve been meeting someone in par tic ular
kept me glued to my barstool.

“C-come here often?”

I looked over at the dead guy. He’d finally worked up the courage
to approach and I got a better view of him. I figured him for the runt
of the litter. He wore round- rimmed glasses and a tattered baseball
cap that sat backwards on top of muddy brown hair. Add to that a
faded blue T-shirt and loosely ripped jeans and he could’ve been a
skater, a computer geek, or a backwoods moonshiner.

His cause of death was not immediately apparent. No stab wounds
or gaping holes. No missing limbs or tire tracks across his face. He
didn’t even look like a drug addict, so I couldn’t tell why he’d died at
such a young age. Taking into account the fact that his baby- faced
features would make him look younger than he probably was, I estimated
him to be somewhere around my age when he’d passed.

He stood waiting for an answer. I thought “Come here often?”
was rhetorical, but okay. Not wanting to be perceived as talking to
myself in a room full of people, I responded by lifting one shoulder
in a halfhearted shrug.

Sadly, I did. Come here often. This was my dad’s bar, and while I
never set up stings here for fear of someone I knew blowing my
cover, this just happened to be the very same bar Mr. Tidwell frequented.
At least if it came to a knockdown drag- out, I might have
some backup. I knew most of the regulars and all of the employees.

Dead Guy glanced toward the kitchen, seeming nervous before he
refocused on me. I glanced that way as well. Saw a door.

“Y-you’re very shiny,” he said, drawing my attention back to him.

He had a stutter. Few things were more adorable than a grown
man with boyish features and a stutter. I stirred my margarita and
pasted on a fake smile. I couldn’t talk to him in a room full of living,
breathing patrons. Especially when one was named Jessica Guinn, to
my utter mortification. I hadn’t seen her fiery red hair since high
school but there she sat, a few seats down from me, surrounded by a
group of chattering socialites who looked almost as fake as her boobs.
But that could be my bitterness rearing its ugly head.

Unfortunately, my forced smile only encouraged Dead Guy.

“Y-you are. You’re like the s-sun reflecting off the chrome bumper of
a f-fifty- seven Chevy.”

He splayed his fingers in the air to demonstrate, and my heart was
gone. Damn it. He was like all those lost puppies I tried to save as a
child to no avail because I had an evil stepmother who believed all
stray dogs were rabid and would try to rip out her jugular. A fact that
had nothing to do with my desire to bring them into the house.

“Yeah,” I said under my breath, doing my best ventriloquist impersonation,
“thanks.”

“I’m D-Duff ,” he said.

“I’m Charley.” I kept my hands wrapped around my drink lest he
decide we needed to shake. Not many things looked stranger to the
living world than a grown woman shaking air. You know those kids
with invisible friends? Well, I was one of those. Only I wasn’t a kid,
and my friends weren’t invisible. Not to me, anyway. And I could see
them because I’d been born the grim reaper, which was not as bad as
it sounded. I was basically a portal to heaven, and whenever someone
was stuck on Earth, having chosen not to cross over immediately after
death, they could cross to the other side through me. I was like a giant
bug light, only what I lured was already dead.

I pulled at my extra- tight sweater. “Is it just me, or is it really
warm in here?”

His baby blues shot toward the kitchen again. “Hot is m-more
like it. S-so, I— I couldn’t help but notice you t-tried to buy that guy
over there a drink.”

I let my fake smile go. Freed it like a captured bird. If it came back
to me, it would be mine. If not, it never was. “And?”

“You’re b-barking up the wrong tree with that one.”

Surprised, I put my drink down— the one I bought myself— and
leaned in a little closer. “He’s gay?”

Duff snorted. “N-no. But he’s been in here a lot lately. He l-likes
his women a little . . . l-looser.”

“Dude, how much sluttier can I get?” I indicated my attire with a
sweep of my hand.

“N-no, I mean, well, you’re a l-little—” He let his gaze travel the
length of me. “—t-tight.”

I gasped. “I look anal?”

He drew in a deep breath and tried again. “H-he only hits on
women who are more s-substantial than you.”

Oh, that wasn’t offensive at all. “I have depth. I’ve read Proust.
No, wait, that was Pooh. Winnie- the- Pooh. My bad.”

He shifted his non ex is tent weight, cleared his throat, and tried
again. “More v-voluptuous.”

“I have curves,” I said through a clenched jaw. “Have you seen
my ass?”

“Heavier!” he blurted out.

“I weigh— Oh, you mean he likes bigger women.”

“E-exactly, while I on the other hand—”

Duff ’s words faded into the background like elevator music. So
Marv liked big women. A new plan formed in the darkest, most corrupt
corners of Barbara. My brain.

Cookie, otherwise known as my receptionist during regular business
hours and my best friend 24/7, was perfect. She was large and in
charge. Or well, large and kind of bossy. I picked up my cell phone
and called her.

“This better be good,” she said.

“It is. I need your assistance.”

“I’m watching the first season of Prison Break.”

“Cookie, you’re my assistant. I need assistance. With a case. You
know those things we take on to make money?”

“Prison. Break. It’s about these brothers who—”

“I know what Prison Break is.”

“Then have you ever actually seen these boys? If you had, you
would not expect me to abandon them in their time of need. I think
there’s a shower scene coming up.”

“Do these brothers sign your paycheck?”

“No, but technically neither do you.”

Damn. She was right. It was much easier to just have her forge my
name.

“I need you to come flirt with my mark.”

“Oh, okay. I can do that.”

Nice. The F-word always worked with her. I filled her in and told
her the deal with Tidwell, then ordered her to hurry over.

“And dress sexy,” I said right before hanging up. But I regretted
the sexy part instantly. The last time I told Cookie to dress sexy for a
much- needed girls’ night out on the town, she wore a lace- up corset,
fishnet stockings, and a feather boa. She looked like a dominatrix. I’d

never been the same.



About the Author:

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.
·       Darynda Jones Website  ·       Facebook ·       Darynda’s World ·       Twitter

1 Autographed copy of Fifth Grave Past the Light  to one lucky winner. 
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A Heavenly Countdown :Top Ten Angels with LM Pruitt

A Heavenly CountdownTop Ten Angels
Let me start by saying that this was way harder than I thought it would be. Apparently, I don’t watch nearly as much television or see nearly as many movies as I thought. I had to think pretty long and hard and in the end, some of these are probably going to have people scratching their heads—which is okay, too, since I’m all about confusing people. Now, in no particular order—Jesus, stop making this so hard on me already—I give you my top ten angels.
Gabriel, Constantine. This was the first time I saw an angel, specifically an archangel, portrayed in such an androgynous manner. Sure, she (he?) turned out to not be on the side of angels after all, but she’s still pretty kick-ass.
Loki and Bartleby, Dogma.  Again, not the most angelic of angels, but you can’t say these two weren’t focused and on a mission. Was I the only one who got a little teary-eyed when God came down and Bartleby asked Her to…well, I’m not going to ruin things if you haven’t seen the movie.
Leo and Paige, Charmed. Not technically angels, but close enough, right? I mean, I always equated whitelighters with angels since they were all about protecting and guarding and stepping in with a healing/helping hand. Just me? Please say no.
The Crab, Simply Irresistible. I’m going to bet there are a lot of you who have no idea what the heck I’m talking about. That’s cool. It’s a little known movie with a crab that’s either a fairy godmother or a guardian angel of sorts. Maybe it’s a mix of both, who knows. It’s a simple little romantic comedy that always cheers me up so it goes on the list.
Dr. Malcolm Crowe, The Sixth Sense. Somewhere out there, someone is wondering what I’m smoking in order to put a ghost on this list. Yes, I know—a ghost is not an angel. Still, Malcolm does sort of act like a guardian angel. He does his best to help Cole deal with his issues, to protect him, and to guide him. Granted, he did initially scare the bejesus out of the poor kid, but things worked out the end.
Michael, Legion. Critics be damned, I LOVED this movie. Well, except for the old lady in the diner—she creeped me the hell out (my friend and I still joke about her). Michael was everything I would want an archangel to be—driven, kick-ass, and sexy as hell. I think I need to rent it again….
Loren McConnell, The Reaping. Okay, so someone may correct me on this and that’s okay. I believe Loren is called a prophet, but she might be an angel, who knows. Either way, she was under some serious protection from God and her faith was what brought the entire town burning down.
The Angel, Can’t Hardly Wait. Yes, this is more for shits and giggles than anything else, but think about it—she shows up right on time, she dispenses much needed advice, and then poof!, she’s gone again. Yes, she’s only a stripper dressed as an angel, but still. She’s on the list.


So there you go! My top ten angels—feel free to add to the list and let me know who your favorites are.



WingedBy LM Pruitt
I fell from the Talmadge Bridge the week before I turned thirty.
I was given a choice: Go to Heaven. Go back to my life in Savannah. Or spend eternity fighting evil under the direction of the archangels.
I chose the demons--and the angels.
I chose the Winged.


BN Print  BN Nook    Amazon Print   Amazon Kindle



Uprising
Winged Book Two
L.M. Pruitt


In the last year, Joanne Watson has died, fallen in love, fought demons and earned her Wings.


None of that compares to what's coming next....


Life as a member of the Winged isn't perfect--or easy. There's always some new camp drama. There's always a demon ready for a fight. There's always death.


And now there's the Resistance.

Joanne must choose again, this time between her fellow Winged and their burning desire for change or the archangels and the eternal vow she made.
Even in the afterlife, one truth remains--everything ends
Amazon   BN
LostWinged Book 3L.M. Pruitt
Coming June 2013
In the last year, Joanne has survived repeated attempts on her life, wholesale slaughter, and the dissolution on the cornerstone of her new existence.
And the hard times are only beginning.
As the line between right and wrong, friend and foe, and good and evil continue to blur, Joanne is forced to face one irrefutable fact.
The hardest demons to fight are the ones you can't see.

HUNT, book 4, is scheduled for release August 13th.  Review ebooks will be available around August 1.

About the Author:

L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She is the author of the best-selling Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and the Frankie Post series. She is currently at work on the next Jude Magdalyn book, Shades of Blood. She makes her home in Florida with one two cats—one smart, the other an idiot.


Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/LM-Pruitt/364776895104

Blog: http://www.lmpruitt.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/lmpruitt

Listen to the Romance Radio interview with LM 

Release Day Blitz Seeds of Transition

Receive 73% off the regular price of Seeds of Transition at SmashwordsUse code XE73A   Mythical Bookshttp://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
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Seeds Of TransitionThe Genesis Project Book One
Carolyn HollandCo-Author: Kef Hollenbach
Genre: Speculative-Fiction, Science-Fiction
Publisher: Books, Authors, and ArtistsDate of Publication: July 19, 2013
ISBN: 978-1482657647ASIN: B00DB7UERS
Number of pages: 150 pagesWord Count: 54,184Cover Artist: Shae Thoman
Press Announcement http://youtu.be/0VWvDhyjykQ
Paperback    Amazon  
Book Description:
Seeds Of Transition: Book One - The Genesis Project is full of gripping adventure, psychological thrills, and emotional conflict from start to finish.
As the world’s population approaches 10 billion people, and severe weather extremes impact crop and livestock production, the demand for and price of food is rising. The American government, as well as other powerful individuals, find themselves looking for intelligent, albeit unlikely heroes in the world of academia.
Jarod Farra, a professor of agriculture at Cornell University, quickly finds himself at the forefront of both his longstanding dreams, and perhaps, some of his worst fears. Out of the turmoil and fear of an impending international food shortage, a range of characters come together to perform an experiment that will forever change the world as we know it, and provide new hope for generations to come.
About the Authors:       
Carolyn Holland grew up during the 70’s in the coastal wetlands of North Carolina in a small, rural fishing village. She married right after high school and started her family, in the same community where she grew up. Though life took her to other places, she lived in the Appalachians for a time and later in Alabama, she found herself drawn back to her roots in Coastal North Carolina. With her three children grown now, she resides there still with her husband James Holland, a retired US Marine.
Co-Author:  
Kef Hollenbach was born and raised in Kentucky, USA. Going into business management after graduating from university yielded an eclectic set of experiences ranging from production work to mid-level management to business owner.
The very proud parent of a son and daughter and husband to a deeply appreciated wife, Kef revels in learning new things and visiting new places. With a strong propensity for sharing, he strives to weave his experiences and what he has learned into all of his writing.
Additional information about the authors may be found at http://BooksAuthorsAndArtists.com and on the Books, Authors and Artists Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BooksAuthorsAndArtists
https://www.facebook.com/CarolynHollandAuthor
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7138225.Carolyn_Holland

The Rise of the Geek Girl with Jennifer Harlow

            I am a geek girl. I have always been a geek girl. I blame my parents and their DoctorWho, Star Trek, Tolkien ways. No My Little Pony Care Bears for this girl. I grew up watching The Real Ghostbusters, She-Ra Princess of Power and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I wanted to marry Jack Nicholson’s The Joker at age six and even learned how to crack a literal whip after watching Michelle Pfieffer do it in Batman Returns. I named my cat Remy LeBeau after X-Men’s Gambit. At present I have about a thousand comic books, two dozen action figures, and too many trading cards to count in my parent’s basement. In high school I wore graphic t-shirts with the likes of Wonder Woman and The Bride of Frankenstein proudly on my chest. I even went to Comic Con when the only people there were comic book sellers. The only geek box I cannot check off is I’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons mostly because no one ever invited me to. Yes, I am a geek girl. A pioneer geek girl. And the struggle was worth it.
            Before the days of Tumblr, blockbuster superhero books, and Twilightgeeks were looked down upon, especially if you were a girl. When I was growing up, geek was as big a put down as being smelly or having cooties. It meant you dressed like an elf, would never get laid, and lived in your parents basement with no hopes of escape. And that was just the boys. No one had a stereotypical view of a geek girl because there were so few of us and the boys wouldn’t let us play. Even in the 1990s gender roles were a tad ridged. I grew up with brothers, and my parents wanted me to be me, so I didn’t know better. I liked what I liked. We geek girls simply did not exist. I remember once I walked into a comic book store filled with about six men and all eyes moved to me, but not in the way you’d expect. No, I was like an alien there to zap them with my ray gun and take away all their fun. I was an interloper even with Rogue blazoned across my chest. And forget about when I mentioned to people I loved horror movies and even had a subscription to Fangoria.My grandmother thought I’d grow up to be a serial killer, and when I told boys of my love of Texas Chainsaw Massacreor vampires their faces scrunched up in horror. It sucked.
            Yet I continued to like what I did. I went and saw Shaun of the Dead when every other girl in college was swooning over The Notebook. I never did find my tribe of geeks beyond my family and best friend, who I indoctrinated into the world of geekiness so I would not be alone. It wasn’t until I was in my mid-20s that I did. I was working as a government investigator and I had to get a record at a college campus, strolling down the quad when I noticed all the girls wore graphic t-shirts. They all wore glasses. They were chatting about vampires and Comic Con and Battlestar Galactica in co-ed groups. It blew my mind. These people became known as “hipsters.” We had a name, and though it now has a negative connotation, it was nice to be recognized by the zeitgeist. People like Felicia Day, Nathan Fillion, and David Tennant who I’d admired for years became mega-stars and continued to make all things geek, gasp, cool. Even for us girls.
            But we still have a long way to go before equality in the geek culture is reached. Recently there was a big controversy within the Science Fiction Writers Association (I am not a member) where several authors, most female, took umbrage to months of comments in their magazine about their physical appearances, and how Barbie is had a quiet reserve which women should aspire to. This prompted several female members to share their stories about being dismissed and outright sexually harassed by male members. (This goes across genres. Something like 70% of reviews in major news sources are about books written by men, but that’s a blog topic for another time.) This sexism isn’t limited to the publishing world by any means. Girl gamers are still put down in live chats as “bitches” and denied access into guilds. The world of superheroes and superhero movies shows the most disparity.  Skimpy outfits and large breasts are still the norm. There hasn’t been a single female superhero with her own movie or show since the failed Birds of Preyon The WB. Sure Scarlett Johansson kicked butt in The Avengers but unlike her male counterparts her costume was skintight and more was said about her butt than her butt kicking skills. Buffy and Katniss are the exceptions, not the rule.
Hollywood is catching on but really they don’t think us geek girls are a force to be reckoned with. That we don’t like ass kicking babes who aren’t defined by the men in their lives. When I was shopping around my latest book, Justice which features a normal hard-boiled female detective fighting supervillains I got the nicest rejection letters. They loved the story, the loved my writing but either my main character Joanna was too tough (not a Mary Sue) or there was no market for anything superhero with a female as a main character. In other words, it was brilliant but women don’t like superheroes or tough broads. I hope to prove them wrong because I am a geek girl, just as I think you are. We like what we like, and we make no excuses for it. And may our strength and perseverance help continue our rise to equality. Let’s make Wonder Woman proud. 

What about you? Have you noticed the inequality as well? Which superheroine would you like to see on the big or small screen? 
July 8 Guest blogMom With A Kindlehttp://momwithakindle.blogspot.com/
July 9 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
July 10 Guest blogAddicted 2 Heroines http://www.addicted2heroines.com
July 11 Interview JeanzBookReadNReview    http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.co.uk/
July 12 SpotlightMythical Bookshttp://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
July 15 reviewThe Speculative Salon – http://speculativesalon.blogspot.com/
July 16 SpotlightThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
July 17 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
July 18 InterviewRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
July 19 reviewTurning the Pages Http://turningthepagesx.blogspot.com
July 22 Guest blog and reviewUrban Girl Reader – http://www.urbangirlreader.com
July 23 SpotlightElfie Bookshttp://elfie-books.blogspot.co.uk
July 29 InterviewStorm Goddess Book Reviewshttp://www.stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com/
July 31 interview and reviewMusings and Ramblings  http://www.judy-ree.blogspot.com
August 1 spotlight and reviewWords of Wisdom from The Scarf Princesshttp://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com
August 2 Spotlight and reviewQueen of All She Reads http://queenofallshereads.blogspot.com/
August 2 reviewhttp://costhenextchapter.blogspot.com
August 5 Interview or Character InterviewLaurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews http://lauriethoughts-reviews.blogspot.com
August 5 reviewA_TiffyFit's Reading Cornertiffyfit.blogspot.com




Justice
Book One of The Galilee Falls TrilogyJennifer Harlow
Genre: Urban Fantasy (Superhero)
Publisher: Devil on the Left Books
Date of Publication:  5/13
ISBN: 978-0-9893944-0-6 ebookISBN: 978-0-9893944-1-3 printASIN: B00CTY1QZ8
Number of pages: 320Word Count: 100,000
Cover Artist: Damonza
Amazon
Book Description:
It’s hard being a regular police officer in Galilee Falls, a city with the highest concentration of superheroes and villains in the country. It’s even harder watching your best friend, the man you’re secretly in love with your whole life, planning to marry another woman. Detective Joanna Fallon has to contend with both. When the vilest supervillain in the city’s history, Alkaline, the former crime boss who can shoot acid from his wrists, escapes from the maximum security prison, the whole city is gripped by panic.
Leading the pursuit is Captain Harry O’Hara, Joanna’s boss and secret lover, and the city’s champion superhero Justice, who caught the villain last time, much to Joanna’s chagrin. Before her father was murdered in a mugging twenty years earlier, Joanna worshiped the hero, but when he disappeared and failed to save her father, that adoration turned to contempt for all supers.
After Alkaline attacks too close to home and targets Joanna as his next victim, tough-as-nail Joanna has to contend with her increasing fear while struggling to choose between her life-long crush and her new-found love.
At turns vulnerable and fierce, equally mordant and winsome, Joanna is an earnest yet emotionally damaged heroine, who despite the tough breaks of her childhood sees the good in people and vow to protect her beloved city at all costs. An ass-kicking petite firecracker with no superpowers of her own, she charges after supervillains unflinchingly, never losing her wit even when facing her toughest fight. With a coy blend of whimsy and vivid imagination, she delivers both humor and thrills in an action-packed and edgy blend of comic book cool, fantasy-noir, and bitter-sweet romance.
About the Author:
Jennifer Harlow spent her restless childhood fighting with her three brothers and scaring the heck out of herself with horror movies and books. She grew up to earn a degree at the University of Virginia which she put to use as a radio DJ, crisis hotline volunteer, bookseller, lab assistant, wedding coordinator, and government investigator. 
Currently she calls Northern Virginia home but that restless itch is ever present. In her free time, she continues to scare the beejepers out of herself watching scary movies and opening her credit card bills. 
She is the author of the Amazon Best-Selling  F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad and Midnight Magic Series. For the soundtracks to her books visit www.jenniferharlowbooks.com.
http://www.jenniferharlowbooks.com
http://blog.jenniferharlowbooks.com  Tales From the Darkside Blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jenharlowbooks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jennifer.harlow.52
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4708453.Jennifer_Harlow
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jenharlowbooks/

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Interview with Debbie Christiana

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to write in this particular genre?
My mother instilled in me the love of reading and the love of the paranormal. It became my favorite genre to read so when I tried my hand at my own story it seemed natural to write a story about an ancient Egyptian mummy coming back to life in modern times to reek havoc. I was twelve or thirteen, it wasn’t very good but it was fun to write and I haven’t looked back.  I may have to dig it out and rewrite it.
What inspired you to write this book?
Witches and vampires are my favorite paranormal characters. Witches are fascinating, mysterious, magical, sexy and best of all, real. What’s not to love? My grandparents immigrated here from Sicily and my grandmother used to tell us stories of the Stregas (Italian witches) from her small village in Sicily. Stregheria is different from Wicca in many ways; one of which is it’s hereditary. You simply don’t become a Strega, you must be born a Strega.  I’ve read many wonderful witch themed books but none featured a true Strega. I thought it would be a different perspective on witchcraft in contemporary times.
Please tell us about your latest release.
SOLSTICE is a romantic suspense about modern day Italian witches, a curse, a murder, lots of magic and a bit of mayhem. 
Do you have a special formula for creating character’s names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes to the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?
I love naming my characters. I like to try to find names that aren’t all that common but reflect the heritage of the character.
For the male characters I like a strong name but one not often heard.  The hero in Solstice is Albanian. I searched around Internet and fell in love with the name Armend. I think it’s strong and sexy. 
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
Yes! I loved writing the antagonist/villain in Solstice. I can’t say who it is right now, the readers don’t find out who is causing all the trouble until at least half way through the book, but it was liberating to say and do things that I would not normally say and do. The antagonist has psychopathic tendencies, is narcissistic and doesn’t really care what anyone thinks so the character does have a few outrageous moments.
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
My debut novel, Twin Flames, is a story of soul mates, reincarnation and past lives. I had been in touch by email with a past life regression therapist who had written books on the subject.  I had the privilege to meet her and found her generous with her time and knowledge. She offered to regress me so I could feel the process first hand and write it accurately. I was thrilled, as I’ve always believed in reincarnation. 
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
There seems to be a difference of opinion if writer’s block exists. Some authors swear by it while others believe it’s an excuse for being lazy or procrastinating.  I don’t know that there is a technical term for it, but I think we all get stuck now and then.
I usually put aside what I’m working on for a day or two and look at something else. Going for a good brisk walk and listening to music also helps but I think the best thing to do is read.  Someone else’s words, dialogue, description and setting are great tools to spark an idea.  
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
I’m a morning person so I enjoy writing within a half hour of getting up and having coffee. My desk is in a corner of our bedroom next to a window that looks out into the woods behind our house.  It’s peaceful and relaxing although I do need music when I write. My walls are decorated with congratulatory cards, rejections and souvenirs of writing events I’ve attended. I like to have small items around me that reflect the story I’m writing. When I wrote Solstice I bought a cute, sexy witch ornament and a magic wand from Salem, Mass and put them on my desk. They’ve brought me good luck so they’re still there.
Do you write in different genres?
My two novels have been paranormal romance/suspense but I have had two dark fiction short stories published in anthologies.  I love to read horror and would like to try to write a good, old-fashioned terrifying ghost story some day.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
A big bag of Doritos and an icy Tanqueray and Tonic with a slice of lime.
What was the last amazing book you read?
Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz. I love the Odd Thomas Series.
What can readers expect next from you?
I’m working on a novella and a sequel to Twin Flames. I’m also developing a new paranormal character, Spookie Millane, that I hope to make into a series.
Where can readers find you on the web?
www.debbiechristiana.comwww.debbiechristiana.com/blogFacebook: Debbie Christiana, author https://www.facebook.com/pages/Debbie... @DebChristiana

July 15 Spotlight and reviewFaerie Tale Bookswww.faerietalebooks.org
July 15 Spotlighthttp://jodiepierceauthor.blogspot.com/
July 16 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
July 16 reviewMommasez...ccclubbs.com
July 17 Guest blogKrystal's Enchanting Reads ... http://enchantingreads7.blogspot.com/
July 17 SpotlightReviewing in Chaoshttp://reviewinginchaos.blogspot.com
July 18 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
July 19 SpotlightMelissa Stevenshttp://melissastevens.us
July 22 reviewhttp://costhenextchapter.blogspot.com
July 22 SpotlightElfie Bookshttp://elfie-books.blogspot.co.uk
July 22 SpotlightShare My Destinyhttp://ShareMyDestiny.blogspot.com





Solstice
Debbie Christiana                             Genre: Paranormal – Romantic suspense
Publisher: Black Opal BooksDate of Publication: May 4, 2013
ISBN: 9781626940178ASIN: B00CMJA3SQ
Number of pages: 313Word Count: 98,000
Cover Artist: Cindy Hammock
Amazon   BN   Smashwords
KOBO   ARe   Black Opal Books
Book Description:
Time is running out for Armend Zogu.  The 250-year old family curse on his head will claim his life on his 30th birthday, the winter solstice.
Sofia Palmalosi is just the Strega who can save him. A descendant of a long line of powerful Italian witches, her family’s magic was a gift from the Goddess Diana.
In order to break the curse, Sofia and Armend must connect two pieces of a violin sonata that Armend’s ancestor composed for his forbidden love.
Together they embark on a journey from New York to Sicily, to the ancient ruins of Diana’s Temple and back to New York all the while fighting a battle of magic and wits with a psychopath who wants them both dead and the curse intact.

If the curse doesn’t kill Armend, breaking it just might.
About the Author:
Debbie Christiana would sit in her room as a little girl and write stories about ghosts, unexplained events and things that go bump in the night. She combined her love of the paranormal with her fascination of unusual love stories and decided to write paranormal romance.  She has two novels published with Black Opal Books, TWIN FLAMES and SOLSTICE.
In 2012, she had two short stories published. The Land of the Rising Sun, was one of ten included in the anthology BITES: Ten Tales of Vampires and The Thirteen Steps is featured in BELTANE: Ten Tales of Witchcraft. Debbie is a member of RWA and the International Thriller Writers, Inc.  She is the Secretary of her local RWA Chapter of Connecticut and Lower New York. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and three children.
www.debbiechristiana.com
www.debbiechristiana.com/blog
Twitter: @DebChristiana
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Debbie-Christiana-Author/152091691536121

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomdebbie_christiana

Redemption – How far can a rogue go? with Kay Dee Royal

Redemption – How far can a rogue go?
Good question, right? How far is too far? Can the worse possible scenario ever be fully erased, even reversed…if we find out about a villain’s past and it feels justified in some empathetic way?
I took a course on Villains– how to make them redeemable, and honestly, Smoke, the rogue Alpha lycan in Savage Smoke , crosses the line and then some.
He and his pack of rogue criminals tore through book 1, Staring Into the Eyes of Chance , leaving a tidal wave of kidnapping, rape, and even deaths (the killing by his pack, not by his hand…but does that even matter when there’s kidnapping and rape involved?)
I’d had enough of him…he needed gone. It would be a sordid scene, played out to his notorious benefit as he’d possibly take another with him. For sure Smoke was marked for death in book 2, Savage Smoke . His savage ways were over.
But, he stole my pen and abducted my mind, playing on my empathy and sympathy. For months we battled…you kidnapped, raped, ran away with someone else’s primal-mate and marked her for your own! Who does that and gets away with it…no one!
Smoke: I had reasons for what I’ve done…I see that now, where I was completely blinded by hate and resentments. Life didn’t play fair by me, being the oldest and not making Alpha all because I was born runt of the litter. What the hell does that have to do with anything when it comes to brawn and intelligence?
Me: You lost your chance the minute you raped, the minute you kidnapped, the moment you marked someone else’s primal-mate as yours.
Smoke: You know our species goes by instinct with mating, we live for sex – I’m no different than the next wolf. As far as the primal-mates – they hadn’t consummated, therefore possession is everything *grins*
Me: You haven’t won my heart by anything you’ve mentioned here. You terrorized those women, besides abusing them.
Smoke: Who are you to judge me? I want to make amends, I want a chance to redeem myself…I want my own primal-mate. I deserve that for my brother.
Me: Crap! You would have to bring up your brother…I’d like to see how in the hell you are going to redeem yourself to him. This might be worth seeing how it all plays out between the two of you…

AND, so Smoke lives through book 2, will he die in Smoke -n- Bliss , Book 3? Do you think he can come back from being so far over the cliff?
 July 15 Guest blog and reviewErotica by Cori Vidaehttp://www.corividae.com/shiny
July 15 Interviewacjamesbooks.blogspot.com
July 16 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
July 17 Guest blogErotica For All, http://eroticaforall.co.uk
July 17 SpotlightSmoldering Heat http://smolderingheat.wordpress.com
July 18 Guest blogBooks Books and More Books http://booksbooksmorebooks.blogspot.com/
July 19 SpotlightRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
July 22 InterviewReader's Edynhttp://readersedyn.blogspot.com
July 22 reviewA Bibliophiles Thoughts on Bookshttp://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/
July 23 SpotlightCover Reveals http://CoverReveals.blogspot.com
July 24 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
July 25 Spotlight and reviewWords of Wisdom from The Scarf Princesshttp://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com
July 26 spotlight and reviewFaerie Tale Bookswww.faerietalebooks.org
July 29 Guest blog and reviewAlphas Authors & Books Oh Myhttp://alphasauthorsbooksohmy.blogspot.com/
July 29 SpotlightAll I Want and More –http://alliwantandmore.blogspot.com/


Savage SmokeLycan International Investigation Agency Series (LIIA)Book TwoKay Dee Royal
Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance
Publisher: Muse It Hot Publishing
Date of Publication: June 21, 2013
Number of pages: 223Word Count: 58,000
Cover Artist: Suzannah Safi
Book Description:
Chance and his LIIA pack of agents search for rogue Lycan mastermind, Smoke, kidnapper of Lindsey and fifteen other human women he plans to use for procreating his own army.
Trevor, Chance’s right-hand Lycan, wants his mate back, but believes she’s fallen for her captor. Lindsey loves Trevor but believes he’s given up on her.Will Trevor come around in time to rescue Lindsey and save her from shifting into Smoke’s pack, and will she even want back with Trevor after spending so long apart?
Warning: Sizzling HOT! Lots of two-somes, three-somes, even more-somes, stimulating, arousing, and positively natural…or supernatural.
About the Author:
Kay Dee Royal writes paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary erotic romance—maybe because it's also her favorite genres to read! She pens tales with wild, rugged heroes and strong, intelligent heroines. She'll give them both a few shadowy secrets, making her stories intriguing and fun. She resides in Southern Michigan with her family (her dogs, her cats, her caged husband... you get the idea). You can reach her at her blog and find the latest on her titles from her publisher, MuseItHot.

Kay Dee Royal ~ Paranormal & Erotica Romance Musings
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Ravencraft’s Romance Realm
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Interview and Giveaway with Mimi Sebastian

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I think Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance chose me J. The strange and unusual has always fascinated me. (I loved watching In Search Of as a kid.) With the book, I liked exploring how supernatural characters deal with living in the “normal” world and how being supernatural gives them glimpses into that strange and unusual.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
I like the mystery of the paranormal, have always loved a good atmospheric horror story or movie. Before cable tv, I used to watch these crazy horror movies they used to show on Saturday mornings after the cartoons on the local non-network channels. I’d close myself off in our guest room and watch them while gnawing on my fingernails.
I think we know very little about our world. We have only scratched the surface of understanding about this planet and the greater universe. Animals have senses that we don’t have and can see the world differently. I find that very interesting. I find mysteries interesting. What are UFOs? What are ghosts? What do these mysteries tell us about our world? I play a lot with metaphysics in the necromancer books as it relates to demon power and how it works.
Vampires play a minor role in the overall plot of the necromancer series, with one important vampire character that I love. Vampires form part of that greater mystery, that creepiness, but also represent dangerous passion. Look at how Bram Stoker wrote Dracula, Bela Lugosi’s portrayal, and Anne Rice’s Lestat. (I also love the original Fright Night movie!! Chris Sarandon is awesome as the vampire Jerry Dandrige.) They were dangerously attractive to both their male and female victims. I don’t like how some modern interpretations have stripped them of this primal passion, which stems a lot from the blood drinking, stealing that vital life force. When you take away the blood drinking, you take away part of what makes a vampire dangerous and primal. (The last True Blood episode where Eric turns Willa was awesome.)
What inspired you to write this book?
It was really the characters speaking to me and telling me this story. I never thought my heroine would be a necromancer, but once I began writing the story, I became more and more intrigued with exploring her character, and how she coexists with this intense power.
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?
The character definitely develops as I write. I do a character growth matrix which outlines different levels of growth the character achieves, beginning with change in skills and knowledge, eventually leading to a more spiritual growth, a change in belief. I really try to focus on the internal conflicts more than what they’re wearing, etc, although that’s there too.
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
I enjoyed researching about necromancer abilities and expanding upon their mythology. How did they originate? The answer to this question forms the basis for the series and the main conflict of the book. It’s very exciting. I found all sort of stuff regarding necromancer powers in mythology and in gaming. Necromancers can do lots of crazy stuff, such as extracting disease from the dead and inflicting them on the living.
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?
That’s a tough one. I tried to write them in a way so that the reader understands the plot of the book without having read the previous book, but to really understand where these characters are coming from, it is much more beneficial and enriching to follow their journeys from the beginning. A lot happens to Ruby in Necromancer’s Seduction that reveals some very tragic events from her past. If someone were to pick up the book that follows, they would be okay with the story, but would miss that catharsis, that reveal of Ruby’s psyche from book one. Also, it’s exciting to see how the relationship between the characters evolve, devolve, and resolve from book one to book three.
Do you write in different genres?
I’m preparing a pirate historical book for publication at the end of this year, and I’m waiting for that perfect idea for a horror novel to hit me.
Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?
Yes and no. The pirate historical is written third person from the hero and heroine’s points of view, and the Necromancer Series is first person, all from Ruby’s point of view. I find that I can’t flip easily back and forth from the third person pirate point of view to first person Ruby POV. I have to stop work on the necromancer series and prepare my mind to work in the POV for the pirate historical. That being said, it wasn’t hard at all to write that pirate story in that time period (1700s) because, when I wrote it, I’d read lots of fiction and non-fiction books on pirates so my mind was already there. It was just a matter of putting my story ideas on the paper. The story literally flowed faster than I could write it, which was fantastic.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
My husband and I are foodies so we occasionally like to indulge our culinary pleasures J; ice cream is possibly the one thing I cannot control myself around; sci fi, action, romantic, and comic book movies; and coffee, lots of coffee.
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
Family and friends. I love the ocean and anything you can do in or around the ocean. I sometimes go a little nutty living in the desert (Phoenix), well, more than usual anyway J. I’ve also traveled a lot, lived in some interesting places such as West Africa, Brazil, and Montenegro, and love immersing myself in other cultures. When you travel and really interact with local cultures, you realize how amazing the world and its people are.

July 15 Interview and reviewShut Up & Read http://shutupandreadgroup.blogspot.com/
July 16 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
July 17 reviewDemons do it Betterhttp://jocelyndex.blogspot.com
July 18 InterviewRoxanne's Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
July 19 Interview and reviewHappy Tails and Tales Bloghttp://magluvsya03.wordpress.com/ 
July 22 reviewTiffanytiffyfit.blogspot.com
July 23 Guest blogShare My Destinyhttp://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com
July 26 SpotlightLisa's World of Bookswww.lisasworldofbooks.net
July 29 Guest blogLove in a Bookhttp://www.loveinabook.com
July 31 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
August 1 reviewOffbeat Vagbaondhttp://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/ 
August 5 Interview and reviewUrban Girl Reader – http://www.urbangirlreader.com
August 7 reviewSun Mountain Reviewshttp://sunmountainreviews.wordpress.com
August 8 Spotlight and reviewFaerie Tale Bookswww.faerietalebooks.org 
August 9 Spotlight and reviewJessica Loves Bookshttp://www.jessicalovesbooks.com
August 10 Interview and reviewNicky Peacock Author http://nickypeacockauthor.wordpress.com/
August 12 Guest blog and reviewC.W. Book Reviews @ The House of Malfunctionwww.houseofmalfunction.com
August 12 Spotlight and reviewhttp://melissasnark.blogspot.com/




The Necromancer’s SeductionThe Necromancer Series, Book One
Mimi Sebastian
Genre: Urban FantasyPublisher: ImaJinn Books
Cover Artist: Patricia Lazarus
Book Description:
She has never feared the walking dead. It’s the power required to reanimate the dead that startles her, seduces her. The power that dwells inside her…and is growing.
For Professor Ruby Montagne, being a necromancer has brought her nothing but heartache, and she walked away from that part of her life long ago. However, her quiet existence in San Francisco is shattered when she stumbles upon the body of a slain witch, and the supernatural community insists she transform him into a revenant to track the killer. But his murder was just the beginning, and Ruby soon realizes that the stakes are higher than anyone can imagine—and that revenants have nasty minds of their own.
Now demonic creatures have escaped into the human world, and zombies once again walk the streets. For humanity’s sake, Ruby forms an unlikely alliance with a witch, a zombie, and Ewan March, a demon warrior who sets her senses on fire.
She’s always distrusted demons and Ewan is no exception, but circumstances push them closer together, and Ruby not only finds it harder to resist him, she isn’t sure she even wants to. But she suspects his job of patrolling the portal separating humans and demons conceals a dark and deadly past that may consume them both.
With events spiraling out of control, Ruby unravels a plot that not only threatens the human and demon realms, but puts Ruby’s very soul in jeopardy. Because when the dead walk, no one is safe. Especially Ruby.
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/sCnfq9Se7bU
About the Author:
Noemi Ghirghi writes as Mimi Sebastian and raised herself on books and the strange and unusual with an unhealthy dose of comics and Scooby Doo. Loving angst-filled romance thrown in the mix, she decided to blend all those elements in a steamy mix in her first Urban Fantasy series, the Necromancer Books. The first book, The Necromancer’s Seduction, debuts July 15, 2013, with ImaJinn Books.
Noemi spent two years in the Ivory Coast with the Peace Corps and loves to introduce tid-bits from her experiences in her writing. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and the Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter of RWA. A transplant from the beaches of Florida, Noemi now wanders the desert in Phoenix, AZ, and attempts to balance writing with a day career, fantastic family, and household diva: her Amazon parrot.
www.mimisebastian.com
http://mimisebastian.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/NecromancerSeriesMimiSebastianAuthor
https://twitter.com/SebastianMimi
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13508578-mimi-sebastian


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