Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 484

A Matter of Fate's Pinterest Board with Ellie Heller and a Kindle Giveaway

A Matter of Fate's Pinterest Board!
I've only recently become a fan of Pinterest, and have to say I'm loving it so far! On my A Matter of Fate Pinterest board (http://pinterest.com/ellieheller/a-matter-of-fate/) I've put up pictures of how I envision Mona, Cart, Tiffany and others looking as well as location shots and recipes.
The hard part is finding that initial picture. I don't typically have a particular person in mind when I write a character (unlike writers I know who are picturing David Gandy or Henry Cavill as they write). So, when I look for pictures, I have to work backwards from the image I've created to find someone who matches. I had a couple of options for Cart before deciding on Jessie Pavelka. When he's in his darker blonde phase and brooding he is spot on Cart!  Here are two little snippets from Cart's introduction:
One man, the one who she’d seen directing things, stepped forward. Were, she was pretty sure. He was quite tall. Mona, at five six, would fit under his chin, with a bit of room. Even in the bulky clothes he looked powerful and sleek, reminding her of a prowling cat….
…Scowling now, he came back. The man did have a mobile face; she briefly wondered how he’d look with a smile. With a sensual mouth, medium brown hair with blonde streaks and tawny eyes, probably too darn fine for his own good.
Mona was more difficult to find. In part because when you type "dark curly hair female" into Google image search you better be sure you have it set on strict filtering! After I washed my eyes, I worked through a couple of variations on key words, found an image which was good but when I typed in the name – Katie Melua – barely any of the images fit! Why? Well, if you don't know who she is, Ms. Melua was a singing sensation in Europe her late teens and is still going strong today. There are many, many pictures of her in her teens. What I needed were more recent/older pictures of her. Took me a bit but I found a couple which I like.
Who I haven’t found yet are pictures for are the Maven, the elf ruler for the area. Perhaps five foot three or four, she's fine boned, very petite, has long butterscotch colored hair she keeps braided and blue-gray eyes. Pale skin, no freckles. Amy Adams is close, but not quite her. If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them! If you've read the book and have suggestions for any of the characters, I'd love to hear those too.
Do you like having the author give you a specific image or would you rather build the character in your minds eye?



April 15 InterviewLaurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews     http://lauriethoughts-reviews.blogspot.com
April 15 SpotlightShare My Destinyhttp://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com
April 16 Guest blogPlace of Reads Book Bloghttp://placeofreeds.blogspot.com
April 17 Guest blogThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
April 18 Guest blogSylv Jenkinswww.sylv-jenkins.com
April 20 Spotlight and reviewFaerie Tale Bookswww.faerietalebooks.org
April 21 Guest blogParanormal Romance Fans for Lifehttp://paranormalromancefanforlife.blogspot.com/
April 22 Interview and reviewMy Home Away From Home – http://www.officialmhafh.com
April 23 SpotlightLisa’s World of Bookswww.lisasworldofbooks.net
April 25 InterviewCloey's Book Reviews and Other Stuffcloeyk.blogspot.com
April 26 SpotlightBooks Books and More Books http://booksbooksmorebooks.blogspot.com/
April 27 Spotlight and review3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!   http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com
April 28 Guest blogRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
April 29 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com


A Matter of Fate
Ellie Heller
Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Contemporary Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Book Description:
Someone is setting death-spells targeting mortals and elf blood alike. With her mentor out of commission, it’s up to half-trained Warder Mona Lisa Kubrek to stop the magic. Despite being told repeatedly her job is to nullify spells and not go after the source, too many people are at risk for her to not track the spell-caster down. Even meeting a sexy half-elf shifter won’t distract her from her goal.
Except Cart Dupree is fully trained and has the team to search for the evildoer, so she’d be stupid to not use his expertise. Stupid is something she can’t afford to be, not with her enemy’s henchmen after her. Later she’ll deal with Cart and his questions about her special abilities and the non-standard training her mentor has given her. Right now, they need to unravel where the magician is, and who he is, before he builds enough power to decimate them all.
First, though, they need to stay alive.

Amazon
About the Author:
After living in several cities east of the Mississippi, but never quite out of the snow belt, I've settled down in SW Ohio with my three kids, two dogs (one of whom thinks he's a cat) and one cat (who thinks he's a dog).

I write paranormal romance and contemporary fantasy, all with a suspenseful edge. A MATTER OF FATE, a 'traditional' paranormal romance, will be available this spring from Crimson Romance. My first published short (GLBT sensual), "Ginny's Capture" is available now.

I'm also an acquisitions editor (i.e. slush reader :-) ) for Curiosity Quills Press using my full first name, Alison.
www.elliewrites2.com
@EllieWrites2
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ellie-Heller-Author/279665692092672
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5762572.Ellie_Heller
http://pinterest.com/ellieheller/a-matter-of-fate/


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Mimi Jean Pamfiloff Author of Accidentally Evil

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I’m not a huge fan of talking about myself only because I think I’m completely boring and unimportant in context to the stories. Seriously! Yawn. Just thinking about myself makes me want to take a nap. So I’ll simply say, I’m an everyday working mom who loves to write for fun.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
That’s easy. Paranormal Romance is like the Reece’s Peanut Buttercup of fiction. It takes two yummy ingredients and puts them together to make something even yummier.  Paranormal is fantastic because anything goes; your imagination is the only limit. And Romance, well, there’s nothing better than a good love story. So there you have it! Put those two together and it’s endless fun! I could write it forever.
As for the vampire component? Let’s just say that vampires are the primary staple in the world of immortal alpha male archetypes, and I never get tired of dark, brooding, indestructible heroes.
What inspired you to write this book?
Definitely my experiences living in Mexico.  Their pre-Hispanic culture is so fascinating, and when I finally decided to write something, I just knew it would involve something related. 
Please tell us about your latest release.
ACCIDENTALLY…EVIL? (a Novella) is my fourth installment of the Accidentally Yours Series.  I can’t give away too much, but I’ll tell you that this is the prequel to the series about the infamous God of Male Virility, Backlam Chaam, who is the series’ villain. 
ACCIDENTALLY…EVIL? finally gives us the answers as to why a god,  so dedicated to love, would turned into a dark, murderous bastard. VAMPIRES NEED NOT…APPLY? (BOOK 4 of the ACCIDENTALLY YOURS SERIES) is due to release in September.

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?
Most of my characters are inspired by Mayan gods or by historical figures who have certain attributes I’m looking for.  But sometimes, as the characters develop and grow, I find their names no longer fit who they are so I’ll change them.  Maggie O’Hare, our heroine in ACCIDENTALLY EVIL? started out with a completely different name and physical traits. I changed everything after I decided she felt more like a fiery redheaded with Irish blood.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Hands down, the toughest character has been the one I’m writing now for BOOK 4, VAMPIRES NEED NOT APPLY?  Ixtab is the Goddess of Suicide. Imagine taking such a morbid deity and trying to mold her into someone the reader can relate to and love.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
By far, it’s Cimil, our Goddess of the Underworld.  She’s completely insane and is the type of deity who gets to say anything and do anything without fear. The result is that I never know what will come out of her mouth, but I find myself laughing hysterically, crying as I write it.  I cannot wait to put Book 4 to bed and start writing her novella, which comes next in the series. 
Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?
I start with the basics, including what they look like, key personality traits, etc.  Then I think about who they are today and who they are ultimately destined to become. From there, I let them develop on their own. I love characters who are imperfect and maybe even slightly annoying or irritating, but along the way, as they grow, they become a character that makes us love them or feel some sort of emotion you don’t expect.     
 For example, my vampire, Niccolo DiConti, in ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE WITH A VAMPIRE, is too egocentric for his own good and completely naïve when it comes to women or emotions. He’s like a child even though he’s hundreds of years old.  By the end of the story, he’s a humble man worthy of love.   
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book? 
The Argentinean lake duck has one of the largest penises of the animal kingdom in proportion to its body.  (I was researching a joke for Cimil.)
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
Not really. I use a ton of Post-its when I write so I don’t forget certain pieces of the plot. My office can get pretty scary with the Post-its.

What can readers expect next from you?
Insanity?  Kidding.  Not counting ACCIDENTALLY EVIL, I have three more installments coming in the ACCIDENTALLY YOURS series.  After that, I have several more series coming. The only problem is trying to pick which one I will write next!

Interview with N Dunham

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?

My name is N. Dunham and I am the author of Visionary- Unleashed which is book 1 in a young adult trilogy series. I enjoy reading young adult books along with many other genre’s but I feel that it is important to capture readers when they are young so that they are inspired to keep on reading.
What inspired you to write this book?

As a teen, I didn’t read much at all.  I started to read a lot more as a young adult and discovered that I love books, all kinds of books.  This led me to think about what kinds of books I might enjoy.

I have had so many ideas, but never had enough time to put the pen to paper.  Last year, when I started writing, the time just worked out.  I started writing late at night when the house was quiet and my ideas were able to flow.  Nature and Red-tailed hawks have also inspired this story!

Please tell us about your latest release.

Visionary-Unleashed is centered around sixteen-year-old Aislinn Lee Murphy who accidentally unleashes her hidden ability to see things before they happen, making her a Visionary.

While Aisilinn tries to make sense of what is happening to her she meets the handsome Sebastian, a fellow Visionary, who introduces Aislinn to other Visionaries.  Sebastian shows Aislinn the ropes and saves her from precarious situations, including the secret agency, whose soul mission is to terminate all visionaries.

Aislinn soon learns that she also has a spirit animal that can provide her with exceptional gifts and abilities. A Visionary can have one of twelve spirit animals based on their zodiac. However, Aislinn may have one of the three the rare spirit animals, the Red-tailed Hawk, which makes her future unpredictable and possibly immortal.
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?

For some of the character’s names in this book I looked at meanings and origins.  The main character’s name was the most important to me.

For example, the name Aislinn, means vision or dream and its origin is Irish.  I fell in love with the name Aislinn the first time I found it.

 And Sebastian means venerable which describes him.  I also find this Greek name to be uncommon and attractive.

And Caleb means faithful or bold and brave depending on the origin of choice.

Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?

I enjoyed writing the protagonist, Aislinn because I really wanted to make her sound and feel like a typical sixteen year old girl. Aislinn goes back and forth with her feelings about being a visionary. Some may think she’s flaky but really she’s being herself.  Most teenagers aren’t sure of who they are at this tender age. It is a time for self-discovery and growth.  I took all of this into consideration when developing her character and found that her choices and feelings on being a visionary are very realistic.

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 have an idea of how I want the characters personalities to be, but for the most part I pretty much just let the characters tell their story.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?

I definitely enjoy the first meeting of Aislinn and Sebastian.  It’s the beginning of a possible blooming romance and who doesn’t like that?

Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?

This world is made out to be very realistic.  When Aislinn discovers that she has this new incredible gift, she realizes that this world of Visionaries has always existed but she just wasn’t able to see it until now.  And now she’s a part of it! 

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?

This trilogy should be read in order. The story builds and many things uncover in each book.

Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?

I do love food and ice cream in particular so I wanted to incorporate that love into Aislinn a little bit especially with the ice cream scene and in regards to the Coffee Beanery and restaurants.  I wanted her to be a young girl who wasn’t afraid to eat in front of the opposite sex.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?

Ice-cream, writing, and reality shows- there I said it- I feel better now, thank you!
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?

I love cooking (even when it doesn’t come out quite right), hiking, reading, writing, laughing and being silly!What can readers expect next from you?

I hope to have book 2 of the Visionary Trilogy released by late summer.

Where can readers find you on the web?

Visit me at www.ndunham.com and be sure to check out your spirit animal while you’re there.  I also have links to my facebook, twitter and goodreads on my website.

Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?

“So, how are you enjoying your gift, Aislinn?” he snares as he sits down on the wooden desk beside me carefully placing his cup of coffee on the table.       He has an accent that I simply cannot place.  It sounds like a European accent of some sort.       I am immediately nauseated by the stench that radiates from his body.  It smells like a combination of cigarettes and liquor.  I was never much for the smoker type.  It has always been a big turn off for me.  I can’t stand the way smoke lingers in people’s hair and clothes.  It’s just gross.     “My what?  What gift?” I ask attempting to look sincere and confused.       “Don’t play with me.  I know that you have it.  I just want to know how you are enjoying it?” he retorts in an angry tone.       He’s toying with me like a little puppet.  He’s trying to break me and I will not be broken.  Stay strong, I remind myself.  He moves closer to me and picks up a few strands of my hair.  He brushes the hair gracefully under his nose.  Did he just smell my hair?      I maintain my composure.  I start rambling, hoping to change the subject.       “Mmm,” he grumbles in reference to my hair.     “I really don’t know what you’re talking about and it’s getting very late.  I have to get home.  I don’t want my mother to start looking for-”      The man instantly cuts me off and obnoxiously bangs the table three times with his powerful fists.  He knocks his coffee over with his barbaric tantrum.  His anger causes me to jump fearing that he might strike me next.     “She’s sleeping,” he says with a sinister smile.       I quickly and worriedly ask, “How do you know that?”       He snaps, “I ask the questions and you answer them!  Got it!  Aislinn Lee Murphy of  five Hunter Ridge Lane!”     What?  He knows my address.  I lower my head and begin to question myself.  Can I do this?  I don’t know how to handle this.  I’m just a girl.  I say nothing in return.  He knows too much.       He gets up and grabs a manila envelope from one of the men standing at the doorway and takes out what appears to be black and white photos.       “You want to play do you?  Look here!” he screams.
Thank you for this super fun interview.  It has been my pleasure!

April 15 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
April 16 Interviewhttp://curling-up-with-a-good-book.blogspot.com/
April 17 Guest blogThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
April 18 SpotlightInto the Worms Holewww.intothewormshole.blogspot.com
April 19 Guest blogFandom Fanatichttp://fandomfanatic.blogspot.com/
April 20 InterviewBooks & Other Spells. nightskydarkstar.blogspot.com
April 25 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
April 26 InterviewRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
April 29 SpotlightA_TiffyFit's Reading Cornerhttp://tiffyfit.blogspot.com
April 30 Guest blogSylv Jenkinswww.sylv-jenkins.com 
April 30 InterviewBooks in the Hall – http://www.booksinthehall.blogspot.com
May 2 Guest Blog 
Lisa's World of Books
www.lisasworldofbooks.net

May 6 Guest blogBuffy's Ramblingshttp://buffy-kennedy.blogspot.com/
May 7 SpotlightCarrie ArdoinBlogger and Reviewer at Sweet Southern Homehttp://www.sweetsouthernhome.net
May 8 Guest blogSimply Infatuatedhttp://simplyinfatuated.wordpress.com/
May 10 interview Books & Tales.http://www.booksandtales.blogspot.co.uk/
May 11 Spotlight and reviewTeen Blurbwww.teenblurb.org
May 12 reviewSoliloquy www.kaitlinmichelle.com
May 13 Spotlightwww.paranormal-bookclub.com


Visionary-Unleashed
Visionary Trilogy Book OneN. Dunham
Genre: YA Fantasy Fiction
ISBN: 9781624884542ASIN: B00AMO7O26
Number of pages: 232Word Count: 71,000
Amazon  BN
Book Description:
Sixteen-year-old Aislinn Lee Murphy accidentally unleashes her hidden ability to see things before they happen, making her a Visionary. But little does she know that this amazing gift comes with a severe price.  She must never tell a soul or she risks putting herself and her family in great peril.
A Visionary is someone who has been chosen to see the future and has the benefit of having spirit animals to guide and protect them, but there is a secret agency whose sole purpose is to terminate all Visionaries and Aislinn has become their next target.
Goodreads
About the Author:

N. Dunham is the author of the Visionary Trilogy~ A young adult fantasy series that incorporates psychic phenomena & spirit animals!

N. Dunham's interest in reading and writing didn't come until early adulthood. She enjoys works of many genres and has a passion for the arts.  ​

VISIONARY-UNLEASHED was inspired by New England's natural beauty and wildlife (especially red-tailed hawks).

www.ndunham.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/N-Dunham/565938163423483
https://twitter.com/ndunham151
Amazon Author Page
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6742787.N_Dunham



N Dunham is lowering the price of her ebook to .99 for this  blog tour
 If she gets over 1,000 ebook sales- she will giveaway the following: 
Grand Prize winner of $100.00-Amazon gift card 
Second Prize winner of $25.00- Amazon gift card 
2 Third Prize winners of an autographed copy of the print version Visionary- Unleashed with coordinating bookmarks.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview and Giveaway with N Dunham

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
My name is N. Dunham and I am the author of Visionary- Unleashed which is book 1 in a young adult trilogy series. I enjoy reading young adult books along with many other genre’s but I feel that it is important to capture readers when they are young so that they are inspired to keep on reading.
What inspired you to write this book?
As a teen, I didn’t read much at all.  I started to read a lot more as a young adult and discovered that I love books, all kinds of books.  This led me to think about what kinds of books I might enjoy.
I have had so many ideas, but never had enough time to put the pen to paper.  Last year, when I started writing, the time just worked out.  I started writing late at night when the house was quiet and my ideas were able to flow.  Nature and Red-tailed hawks have also inspired this story!
Please tell us about your latest release.
Visionary-Unleashed is centered around sixteen-year-old Aislinn Lee Murphy who accidentally unleashes her hidden ability to see things before they happen, making her a Visionary.
While Aisilinn tries to make sense of what is happening to her she meets the handsome Sebastian, a fellow Visionary, who introduces Aislinn to other Visionaries.  Sebastian shows Aislinn the ropes and saves her from precarious situations, including the secret agency, whose soul mission is to terminate all visionaries.
Aislinn soon learns that she also has a spirit animal that can provide her with exceptional gifts and abilities. A Visionary can have one of twelve spirit animals based on their zodiac. However, Aislinn may have one of the three the rare spirit animals, the Red-tailed Hawk, which makes her future unpredictable and possibly immortal.
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?
For some of the character’s names in this book I looked at meanings and origins.  The main character’s name was the most important to me.
For example, the name Aislinn, means vision or dream and its origin is Irish.  I fell in love with the name Aislinn the first time I found it.
 And Sebastian means venerable which describes him.  I also find this Greek name to be uncommon and attractive.
And Caleb means faithful or bold and brave depending on the origin of choice.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I enjoyed writing the protagonist, Aislinn because I really wanted to make her sound and feel like a typical sixteen year old girl. Aislinn goes back and forth with her feelings about being a visionary. Some may think she’s flaky but really she’s being herself.  Most teenagers aren’t sure of who they are at this tender age. It is a time for self-discovery and growth.  I took all of this into consideration when developing her character and found that her choices and feelings on being a visionary are very realistic.
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 have an idea of how I want the characters personalities to be, but for the most part I pretty much just let the characters tell their story.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
I definitely enjoy the first meeting of Aislinn and Sebastian.  It’s the beginning of a possible blooming romance and who doesn’t like that?
Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
This world is made out to be very realistic.  When Aislinn discovers that she has this new incredible gift, she realizes that this world of Visionaries has always existed but she just wasn’t able to see it until now.  And now she’s a part of it! 
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?
This trilogy should be read in order. The story builds and many things uncover in each book.
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
I do love food and ice cream in particular so I wanted to incorporate that love into Aislinn a little bit especially with the ice cream scene and in regards to the Coffee Beanery and restaurants.  I wanted her to be a young girl who wasn’t afraid to eat in front of the opposite sex.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Ice-cream, writing, and reality shows- there I said it- I feel better now, thank you!
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I love cooking (even when it doesn’t come out quite right), hiking, reading, writing, laughing and being silly!
What can readers expect next from you?
I hope to have book 2 of the Visionary Trilogy released by late summer.
Where can readers find you on the web?
Visit me at www.ndunham.com and be sure to check out your spirit animal while you’re there.  I also have links to my facebook, twitter and goodreads on my website.
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
“So, how are you enjoying your gift, Aislinn?” he snares as he sits down on the wooden desk beside me carefully placing his cup of coffee on the table.       He has an accent that I simply cannot place.  It sounds like a European accent of some sort.       I am immediately nauseated by the stench that radiates from his body.  It smells like a combination of cigarettes and liquor.  I was never much for the smoker type.  It has always been a big turn off for me.  I can’t stand the way smoke lingers in people’s hair and clothes.  It’s just gross.     “My what?  What gift?” I ask attempting to look sincere and confused.       “Don’t play with me.  I know that you have it.  I just want to know how you are enjoying it?” he retorts in an angry tone.       He’s toying with me like a little puppet.  He’s trying to break me and I will not be broken.  Stay strong, I remind myself.  He moves closer to me and picks up a few strands of my hair.  He brushes the hair gracefully under his nose.  Did he just smell my hair?      I maintain my composure.  I start rambling, hoping to change the subject.       “Mmm,” he grumbles in reference to my hair.     “I really don’t know what you’re talking about and it’s getting very late.  I have to get home.  I don’t want my mother to start looking for-”      The man instantly cuts me off and obnoxiously bangs the table three times with his powerful fists.  He knocks his coffee over with his barbaric tantrum.  His anger causes me to jump fearing that he might strike me next.     “She’s sleeping,” he says with a sinister smile.       I quickly and worriedly ask, “How do you know that?”       He snaps, “I ask the questions and you answer them!  Got it!  Aislinn Lee Murphy of  five Hunter Ridge Lane!”     What?  He knows my address.  I lower my head and begin to question myself.  Can I do this?  I don’t know how to handle this.  I’m just a girl.  I say nothing in return.  He knows too much.       He gets up and grabs a manila envelope from one of the men standing at the doorway and takes out what appears to be black and white photos.       “You want to play do you?  Look here!” he screams.
Thank you for this super fun interview.  It has been my pleasure!

April 15 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
April 16 Interviewhttp://curling-up-with-a-good-book.blogspot.com/
April 17 Guest blogThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
April 18 SpotlightInto the Worms Holewww.intothewormshole.blogspot.com
April 19 Guest blogFandom Fanatichttp://fandomfanatic.blogspot.com/
April 20 InterviewBooks & Other Spells. nightskydarkstar.blogspot.com
April 25 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
April 26 InterviewRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
April 29 SpotlightA_TiffyFit's Reading Cornerhttp://tiffyfit.blogspot.com
April 30 Guest blogSylv Jenkinswww.sylv-jenkins.com 
April 30 InterviewBooks in the Hall – http://www.booksinthehall.blogspot.com
May 2 Guest Blog and Reviewhttp://www.pawsandprint.blogspot.com
May 6 Guest blogBuffy's Ramblingshttp://buffy-kennedy.blogspot.com/
May 7 SpotlightCarrie ArdoinBlogger and Reviewer at Sweet Southern Homehttp://www.sweetsouthernhome.net
May 8 Guest blogSimply Infatuatedhttp://simplyinfatuated.wordpress.com/
May 10 interview Books & Tales.http://www.booksandtales.blogspot.co.uk/
May 11 Spotlight and reviewTeen Blurbwww.teenblurb.org
May 12 reviewSoliloquy www.kaitlinmichelle.com
May 13 Spotlightwww.paranormal-bookclub.com


Visionary-Unleashed
Visionary Trilogy Book OneN. Dunham
Genre: YA Fantasy Fiction
ISBN: 9781624884542ASIN: B00AMO7O26
Number of pages: 232Word Count: 71,000
Amazon  BN
Book Description:
Sixteen-year-old Aislinn Lee Murphy accidentally unleashes her hidden ability to see things before they happen, making her a Visionary. But little does she know that this amazing gift comes with a severe price.  She must never tell a soul or she risks putting herself and her family in great peril.
A Visionary is someone who has been chosen to see the future and has the benefit of having spirit animals to guide and protect them, but there is a secret agency whose sole purpose is to terminate all Visionaries and Aislinn has become their next target.
Goodreads
About the Author:

N. Dunham is the author of the Visionary Trilogy~ A young adult fantasy series that incorporates psychic phenomena & spirit animals!

N. Dunham's interest in reading and writing didn't come until early adulthood. She enjoys works of many genres and has a passion for the arts.  ​

VISIONARY-UNLEASHED was inspired by New England's natural beauty and wildlife (especially red-tailed hawks).

www.ndunham.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/N-Dunham/565938163423483
https://twitter.com/ndunham151
Amazon Author Page
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6742787.N_Dunham



N Dunham is lowering the price of her ebook to .99 for this  blog tour
 If she gets over 1,000 ebook sales- she will giveaway the following: 
Grand Prize winner of $100.00-Amazon gift card 
Second Prize winner of $25.00- Amazon gift card 
2 Third Prize winners of an autographed copy of the print version Visionary- Unleashed with coordinating bookmarks.
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Welcome Guest Author Traci Douglass to Fang-tastic Books

10 Questions With Chago
This week seems to be all about Chago, the hero of my new novel, SEAL OF SURRENDER. He’s been questioned and photographed and even won the first round of the Hot Heroes Face Off over on Facebook! All of this publicity chafes more than a bit with his brooding, introverted nature and the running of his beloved Montana ranch. So, to appease his ever-growing number of adoring fans, I decided to do a variation of by own blog’s 10 Questions with… interview segment today.
I caught him as he was dashing out the door and off to complete another mission with his Scion brethren and pretty much tied him to a chair to get him to answer these. (Mind out of 50 Shades-land ladies… it’s not that kind of a book ***wink***).
So before he loses his quite formidable temper with me, here are Chago’s answers to a special 10 Questions With…
1) Best place to live:  “Rancho Sagrado, of course.”2) Favorite food:  “Anything made by my brother Luther. The guy’s a fantastic chef.”3) Favorite time of day:  “Anytime I’m not tied up by a crazy author.” ***edited out foreign expletive here*** “Santo Cristo, woman! Fine. Dusk. Are we done?”
No. 10 Questions, remember?
4) Where would be your ideal vacation spot? “Anywhere private, away from nosy people.”

Touché. Ignoring his heated ice-blue glare, I move on…

5) Best day ever? “The day I met my Irena.”

Awwww…. ***happy author sigh***

Okay, the last five are the rapid-fire round:
Boxers or briefs? “Neither.”
Favorite color? “Red.”
Favorite alcoholic beverage: “Fine Madeira.”
Current top three songs on your i-pod? “What’s an i-pod?”
And last, but not least:
Where are you going from here? “That’s top-secret, señorita author.” ***he shrugs out of the restraints and stalks to the door*** “You’ll just have to wait and see.” ***gives me a final wink before disappearing***
Sigh.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this brief conversation with the hero of my latest book, SEAL OF SURRENDER. Maybe next time I can keep him a bit longer.
If you would like to know more about Chago, or would like to cheer him on in the next round of the Crimson Romance Hot Heroes Face Off, please follow the link below to join the Facebook event. He’d be most appreciative of your votes! J
https://www.facebook.com/events/360788360698410/
And thanks so much for having me on your blog today, Roxanne!
Until next time… Happy Reading! :-)








Seal Of Surrender
Seven Seals Series: Book 2Traci Douglass
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Number of pages: approx. 270Word Count: 72,000
Book Description:
Love, like War, will always find a way…
War has shaped every aspect of Irena Soldan’s life—her childhood, her work, her DNA. Unaware she is the genetic host of the second Seal of the Apocalypse, Irena battles for those who cannot fight for themselves. As a top human-rights operative for The Omega Consortium, her company provides both the financial backing required to undertake her task and a charismatic, publicity-loving boss to promote her cause. Life proceeds on plan for Irena until a mysterious, sexy stranger arrives claiming to be her guardian and Irena’s path takes a sudden, inauspicious turn for both the erotic and the lethal.
Chago has always been the quiet one amongst his warrior Scion brethren—the brooding, Spanish combat expert with a hidden soft side.  A member of Divinity’s covert special forces, he’s protected humanity for more than a millennium. Still, his greatest joy comes not from the battlefield, but from tending the cattle herd on his remote Montana ranch.
Irena’s new assignment takes her straight to the heart of a bloody civil conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa and Chago’s mission demands he follow. Expecting a seething cauldron of female whoop-ass, he instead discovers a harbinger of peace amidst a world of ever-increasing violence. The explosively tense situation is further magnified by the cunning Omega Consortium leader, his ambiguous personal agenda, and an ancient foe whose audacious rise to power threatens the world’s very existence.
Despite the cataclysmic circumstances, an undeniable attraction ignites between Chago and Irena. Together, they must unravel the ancient puzzle of the Seals and discover her employer’s ulterior plans before they both become casualties of War. Soon, both are forced to choose between a past riddled with old torments or risk everything they treasure on a love capable of defeating evil incarnate.


Seal Of DestinySeven Seals Series Book One
Traci Douglass
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Number of pages: 263Word Count: 70,000
Book Description:
Love conquers all… but can it stop the Apocalypse?
Mira Herald is having the worst life ever.  Not only is she plagued by horrific nightmares starring the Devil himself, she’s now the target of a power-hungry, rogue minion, freshly sprung from Hell and bent on her destruction.  To complicate matters further, she’s acquired a stalker. One who insists he’s a divine warrior sent for her protection because she houses an ancient relic with the power to unleash Armageddon. Last time Mira checked, she wasn’t insane. Still, all this celestial mayhem is enough to drive a girl crazy.
Kagan is a member of the Scion, an elite team of immortal warriors selected by Divinity to aid mankind and save the world. After a century alone, Kagan is summoned for a new mission. He’s eager to begin. Eager until he’s informed his mission consists of protecting a woman with no clue to the power she wields. Plus, his briefing fails to prepare him for his new target’s cosmic-sized attitude problem.  As Divinity’s sworn servant, he’s required to fulfill his duty. His oath, however, does not require him to be enthusiastic about his new assignment or warm-and-fuzzy toward his new compatriot. He plans a wham-bam rescue and a quick return to solitude.
The rogue minion attacks—with the backing of a mysterious organization—and all Hades erupts, putting a fast end to any whirlwind escapes. Accustomed to staunch independence, Mira’s survival now requires full cooperation and an unwavering belief in Kagan. The battle-hardened warrior is also forced to chose: between duty and desire. Amidst the turmoil, Kagan and Mira’s undeniable passion draws them closer to each other and down a path neither expected but both yearn for, more than they ever knew.
Will love save the day? The world’s fate depends on the answer.



About the Author:
Traci is the author of paranormal/urban fantasy and contemporary romances featuring a sly, urban edge, including her current Seven Seals series. Her stories feature sizzling alpha-male heroes full of dark humor, quick wits and major attitudes; smart, independent heroines who always give as good as they get; and scrumptiously evil villains who are—more often than not—bent on world destruction. She enjoys weaving ancient curses and mythology, modern science and old religion, and great dialogue together to build red-hot, sizzling chemistry between her main characters.  Traci is an active member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Indiana Romance Writers of America (IRWA) and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Writers (FF&P) and is pursing a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction through Seton Hill University. Her stories have made the final rounds in several RWA chapter contests, including the 2012 Duel on the Delta, the 2012 Molly Awards, and the 2012 Catherine Awards. An earlier draft of Seal of Destiny won the paranormal category of the 2012 Marlene Awards sponsored by the Washington Romance Writers.
Other current projects include upcoming books in the Seven Seals series and a new futuristic suspense series with hints of the paranormal and plenty of romance.
She loves hearing from readers! Connect with Traci here:Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon / Pinterest

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Heart of Darkness, a vampire romance book by Felicity Heaton Just $0.99 until April 28th

Heart of Darkness, a vampire romance book by Felicity Heaton – Just $0.99 until April 28th
Heart of Darkness, a stand alone vampire romance novel by Felicity Heaton, is on sale for just $0.99 / £0.99 / EUR 0,99 until April 28th. 
That’s a saving of $3 on the normal cover price of this paranormal romance ebook. This bargain deal is available at all Amazon Kindle, Kobo and Apple iBooks Stores.
Heart of Darkness was an Epic Ebook Awards 2013 finalist in the Paranormal Romance category.
Read on for the blurb and links to where you can grab this discounted novel.
Heart of Darkness
Felicity Heaton
A vampire prince on a four hundred year old mission to avenge his murdered sister...

Aleksandr Nemov won’t stop until the last of the vampire hunter’s progeny is wiped from the Earth. Each kill has stolen a piece of his humanity, pushing him towards the black abyss all vampires hold within their hearts. Now he is teetering on the edge, close to devolving into a beast, and time is running out as he tracks the last hunter to Prague. There he finds a beautiful woman who could be his one chance for salvation, but is it already too late for him?

A vampire guard who will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves...

Elise is dedicated to her duty. It’s the only thing she has left. All that changes when she meets Aleksandr in Prague and her master grants him permission to stay at her bloodline’s mansion. She knows all about Aleksandr but none of it prepares her for how she feels when the legendary prince’s hunt becomes one for her heart. Elise battles him with all of her strength but can she stop herself from falling for the handsome hunter? When he reveals the depth of the corruption in his soul, will she have the strength to face the pain in her past and do whatever it takes to save him?
This offer is available at:Amazon Kindle Stores, including:US / International site: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005WK6E58/Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B005WK6E58/UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005WK6E58/
Apple iBooks / iTunes Stores, including: USA: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781909306080UK: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/isbn9781909306080Canada: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/isbn9781909306080Australia: http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/isbn9781909306080New Zealand: http://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/isbn9781909306080
Kobo Books:http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9781909306080
Excerpt
It had been an easy kill.

Aleksandr Nemov stood over the body of the vampire hunter, their blood splattered across his black shirt and saturating the leather and metal vambraces that protected his forearms. It coated his fingers and the curved dagger they gripped, and the sweet scent of it heavily tainted the crisp night air. Strong moonlight caressed his back, throwing his shadow out long in front of him, across the hunter’s corpse.

A female.

She hadn’t been strong enough to fight his kind. Too young and inexperienced to best him. It had been foolish of her to try.

Aleksandr raised his hand and swallowed at the sight of the blood glistening on his fingers. It tempted him to taste it.

He dragged his eyes away and settled them back on the female laying on the grass of the small public space, her blood warming the frozen earth. He hadn’t fought a woman in a long time and hadn’t expected to find a hunter so soon after arriving in Prague.

The fountain nearby bubbled regardless of the frigid temperature, defiant of the frost that caused the grass around it to glitter.

Aleksandr glanced at his bloodied hands again and then closed his eyes against the temptation. He took no thrill in the hunt. Yet he found no calm in its aftermath. There was only the threat of unending darkness that beat within his chest and encroached upon his soul. It bled into his eyes. He could feel the jagged points of black that speared the red. He had too much blood on his hands but he couldn’t give up now, not when he was so close to attaining his vengeance.

With great effort, Aleksandr sheathed his dagger against his left hip and wiped the blood away.

The smell of it still permeated the air, taunting and filling him with the dark urge to feast on the hunter’s remains. He refused to obey the voice within that commanded him. His kind had fought hard against it and no Nemov had turned to the darkness. They were stronger than that, and he would die before it happened to him.

“You… what are you doing here?” A light female voice shattered the darkness within him.

Aleksandr glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She stood with the fountain at her back, the cascade of water providing wings that completed the vision of beauty. Moonlight bathed her skin, turning her round eyes dark and her hair as black as the uniform she wore.

An angel.

The red bled from his eyes, returning his irises to grey, and he straightened to his full height, desiring to look his best even when he looked his worst.

She brought her right hand up to reveal the blade clutched tightly in her fingers, held backwards with the blunt edge tucked against her forearm, ready to slash at him if he made a wrong move.

“I won’t ask you twice.” Her strength surprised him.

Such a beautiful creature.

Before Aleksandr could find his voice, she was gone. He turned, blocked her attack with the metal covering his left vambrace around his forearm, and attempted to disarm her. She dodged his counter-attack with ease and came around behind him. He spun and blocked her again, and this time managed to get a hand on her before she leapt backwards, out of his reach, and bared her fangs.

His heart beat harder.

She attacked again, her cry piercing the silent wintry night, and brought her blade down hard. It was difficult to block it. She was strong and skilled for a female. He strafed left and right to avoid her knife, trying to find an opening that he didn’t really want to take. She was fascinating. Beautiful and deadly. Everything a vampire should be, yet there was something more to her. She turned and brought her leg around in a swift kick. The heel of her black knee-high boot smashed into the side of his head, sending him down.

Aleksandr rolled onto his feet and blocked her again. Why couldn’t he bring himself to fight her? He could barely bring himself to defend.

Her red eyes narrowed on him and she growled, exposing her extended canines again. His cheek throbbed where she’d caught him. He would bear a bruise there before the hour had passed. She lunged at him and he barely avoided her blade. If he survived the fight that was. He ducked when she swung at him and swept his leg around to take hers out. She jumped it and rewarded his effort with another hard kick to the head, sending his brain spinning out of control. The darkness threatened to return, goading him into attacking. He didn’t want to. He would not attack another vampire, especially not a female.

Definitely not her.

She huffed as though disappointed. Was it because he wasn’t fighting or wasn’t falling? Aleksandr kept his arms in front of him, blocking her swift attacks with his vambraces, and staring at her face the whole time. Fascination wasn’t the right word for what she did to him.

The warmth he felt, the intense attraction, the abject desire to look into her eyes forever, even when they only promised him a slow death. It was more than fascination.

He wanted her.

“I do not wish to fight you.” Aleksandr leapt backwards, away from her, and raised his hands.

Her grip on her blade tightened and she attacked.

He left himself open to see what she would do. Her clothing was formal—a black military-style jacket that only reached her waist and tight black trousers coupled with polished riding boots. She looked like a guard. If she were, she surely wouldn’t kill him.

If she weren’t, he was making a terrible mistake.

The moment she neared him, she sheathed the blade, threw herself forwards so her hands pressed into the dirt, twisted and launched herself at him feet first. Had he wanted to defend himself, it would have been impossible. The speed at which she locked her knees around his neck, sending him falling backwards with her momentum, and slammed him into the icy earth knocked the breath from him.

Aleksandr stared at her where she perched on his chest, straddling it with his arms trapped in the crook of her knees and her blade against his throat.

He laid beneath her, sprawled out, his back aching and freezing.

Utterly in love.

She leaned forwards. A single strand of her dark hair had fallen out of the tight bun at the back of her head and grazed her cheek. Her soft breath against his face carried the enticing scent of her blood. Her eyes went from darkness to a lighter colour that the moon stole from him. Beautiful.

Aleksandr swallowed, causing the knife to grate his Adam’s apple through his thick beard. He wished that he had cleaned up now before coming to Prague. She wasn’t exactly catching him at his best.

“You will answer for entering my bloodline’s territory.” She pressed the blade harder against his throat. “I’m taking you in.”

“No need to be rough.” Aleksandr smiled slowly. “Unless you like it that way, of course.”

She was off him in an instant, her weapon still held at the ready.

Clearly, she wasn’t into the rough stuff like so many of his kind. With the thrill of hunting denied them, they had to find excitement elsewhere. Dancing with death through sharing blood was the most intoxicating thing a vampire could do without risking their humanity and many of them did it often. He had never been into that sort of thing.

Aleksandr sat up, grazed his fingers over the silvery scars on his wrist, a reminder of why he was tracking and killing vampire hunters, risking his humanity, and then got to his feet.

The female backed off a step, but remained close enough that she could easily attack him if he tried to leave. He didn’t want to, but if he did, she wouldn’t be able to stop him. A woman was no match for him.

First a female hunter and then a female guard. Prague was a modern progressive city, or the world was changing faster than he realised. He had noticed it for a few years now and had been struggling to adjust ever since. He hadn’t expected the change to happen within vampire society too. The males had always been the ones to take care of the females. His gaze settled on her. Now there were females capable of taking care of themselves. It was both disturbing and intriguing.

Aleksandr went to move but she was in front of him before he could take a step.

“Can I at least gather my belongings?” He motioned towards the coat and bag that waited near the fountain.

She looked at them and her gaze tracked back and settled on the corpse. Her pupils narrowed and then she frowned. Had she only just noticed that he had killed someone? She sniffed and then looked at him, her pale eyes falling to his shirt and then his hands, carefully taking all of him in. He liked the assessing edge to her gaze, and the way it lingered on his body a moment before coming up to meet his. She stared into his eyes, long enough that he felt as though she was renewing the spell she had cast on him, and then nodded.

“I desire an audience with your master.” Aleksandr crossed her path and picked up his long heavy black coat. Her gaze remained on him, intent and focused.

He put his coat on, picked up his black bag and slung it over his shoulder. When he turned to face her, she was looking at the dead hunter again. The way she stared at it, studying it closely, made it clear that she hadn’t seen a fresh kill in a long time.

Or she hadn’t seen anything quite like the butchery that had happened tonight.

Aleksandr clenched his fists and reined in the dark hunger that the memory evoked. He was in control now, not his instincts. The hunt would continue until he had avenged her and had rid the world of her murderer’s progeny.

He would not surrender until then.

For four centuries, he had tracked and killed them, his anger still fresh in his heart, the pain of losing her still raw. He would not surrender until he had killed the last of the hunter’s line and protected his people.

The woman stepped forwards and his attention was back with her. The second his gaze locked with hers, the darkness inside him receded, washed away by the light in her eyes and her beauty. He had thought of nothing but the hunt for four hundred years, had closed himself off to society and focused on his duty, but the woman before him stole his attention away from it so easily. It drifted to the back of his mind with the darkness, unknown to him in this moment while her eyes held his. She wasn’t afraid of him. She had fought him without fear, and with strength and skill that he had never expected to find in a female. She enthralled him.

Looking into her eyes, Aleksandr realised something dreadful. He was too close to the edge. The feelings she evoked in him were ones he had long forgotten existed. It was strange to feel warmed inside by happiness to have met her, desire to make her belong to him, and hunger for the feel of her bare body against his. He had not felt such positive emotions in decades.

He was losing himself.

“Follow me,” the woman said and he did, using her as a distraction from his dark thoughts.

She was young. He placed her at barely over two hundred years old, her appearance somewhat of a human in their mid-twenties. She was at least six inches shorter than him, and slender. Her strength had surprised him because of those facts alone. Young females were often weak and needed protection. She had strong blood in her veins.

Aleksandr ran a hand over his matted long dark hair and then rubbed the several months’ worth of beard on his face. What did he look like? He felt like a mess now, both inside and out. She had definitely caught him at his worst. If he had looked as he had back in his days at court, he was sure she would be looking at him differently.

He was sure that she would recognise him for who he was.

She walked swiftly ahead of him, not once looking back to check if he was still there. She had mastered her senses then. He could feel them fixed on him. How strong were they? He had honed his to perfection through years of training and hunting, but he hadn’t sensed her approach. He had been too lost in the darkness.

His gaze slid down to her small backside and the way it moved as she walked mesmerised him.

He hadn’t really wanted to meet her master, but saying that he did seemed like the easiest way of remaining near to her.

Aleksandr lost track of how long they had been walking. He looked up when he sensed the presence of more vampires. Black wrought iron gates punctuated an endless grey stone wall ahead. Beyond them stood the extensive bleak façade of a mansion. Light emanated from many of the rectangular windows marking the three storeys, at least on the left side. On the right, they were mostly dark hollows. Two male guards at the gate saluted the woman and then eyed him with suspicion as he passed through.

Who was his escort? She was strong, spirited, and these men ranked lower. If she weren’t dressed as a guard, Aleksandr would have placed her as a lady of the bloodline. A female guard. He still couldn’t quite comprehend it.

He followed her up the gravel drive to the house, walking on the left side of the wide expanse of frosty grass that stretched into the distance in both directions. It was a habit of his to mask his footfalls. It had saved his life more than once. The long grey stone front of the mansion was imposing and cold even in the moonlight. The size of it told Aleksandr that this bloodline held the power in the city, or they were the only one resident.

They crossed the large parking area in front of the house, passing a fleet of identical black Mercedes-Benz limousines. This bloodline was definitely doing well for itself. Judging by the fact that the woman had been in the city whilst wearing her uniform, it had to be masquerading as a military school of some sort. Many bloodlines bought privacy from the local government by donating large sums of money and setting up such a front. The humans never questioned them. It had been the easiest way to keep their species secret for many centuries. At least some things hadn’t changed since he had left society.

The moment she entered the house, Aleksandr’s attention was back with her. She hurriedly smoothed her warm chestnut hair back into the tight knot, fixing her appearance. In his opinion, she didn’t need to fix it at all. The slight wanton edge her messy hair gave her was alluring to say the least. His gaze drifted to her throat and he frowned when he spotted her bloodline’s mark on the back of her neck. It was an elaborate black ink crest with a stag incorporated into the design.

Černý.

They passed another pair of male guards and Aleksandr glanced at the back of their necks. The mark was visible above the collar of their short black jackets. A strong bloodline.

He had forgotten who ruled Prague. Perhaps they would be able to help him after all and his coming to their master would prove beneficial in more than one way.

His grey eyes slid back to the woman. She looked over her shoulder at him, her aquamarine eyes briefly fixing on his before she turned away again.

Aleksandr quickened his pace and fell into step beside her. She glanced at him again and then looked forwards. His gaze remained on her as they walked along the elegant gallery at the front of the house, heading towards the lit area he had seen on the left of the building. She had soft features—youthful and graceful. Her oval face, pale skin, and rosy lips set his heart racing again, quick enough that it almost matched a human heart rate. A flicker of a frown wrinkled her brow and her eyes darted to him and then away. He steadied his heart, aware that she could hear the effect she had on him. Her heart was beating at a restful pace, a soothing patter in his mind.

She moved ahead, entering a large red drawing room. The vampires relaxing in it were powerful but none of them were stronger than he was. He carried on without glancing in any of their directions, following his temptress. She turned right in the room, heading towards a guarded set of dark wooden doors. When she reached them, she faced him, her expression stern.

“Wait here,” she said and the guards stationed on either side of the doors opened them for her.

Aleksandr lowered his black holdall from his shoulder. The two dark-haired male guards eyed him. He smiled but it didn’t relieve the tension. It only made it worse. The one on his left cast a glance over him and Aleksandr was thankful that his long coat hid his dagger from view. The female’s voice drifted through the open doors to him and he looked at her. She stood in the middle of a dark green room, the back of a gilt-framed green velvet couch in front of her. A male spoke to her in Czech, his voice a lazy drawl.

Tired of waiting, Aleksandr walked into the room, his knee-high boots heavy on the polished wooden floor. The woman’s blade was at his throat again in the space of a breath. Aleksandr halted and looked at the man her body had shielded from view.

He was young to be leading a bloodline, only in his late twenties in terms of appearance, meaning he was little more than four hundred. He would have been born around the time that Aleksandr had begun his hunt.

The man leaned back into the green couch opposite the one near to Aleksandr and the woman and crossed his long black-clad legs. He smiled without any trace of charm or meaning and preened his short sandy hair back.

“This man desires an audience with you, Master,” the woman said and Aleksandr glanced down into her clear blue eyes. She looked away, towards the leader of her bloodline.

“Then allow him to introduce himself so I may know with whom I speak,” the master said in English.

Aleksandr was familiar with both English and Czech. He had understood everything the master had said to the woman. He wasn’t interested in guests and wanted him gone. His opinion would change once he knew who Aleksandr was. It always did.

Aleksandr’s gaze met the guard’s again, holding it for long minutes. Whenever he set eyes on her, he was struck by her beauty as though it was the first time he had witnessed it. He willingly accepted her blade against his throat because it meant she was near him. Soon she would be this close to him without a weapon. He was sure of it. He would ask for sanctuary and the master would grant it. It would give him time to clean up his appearance and then he would start a new hunt. One for this woman.

His gaze slid across to the master and locked with his hazel one, silently showing the younger vampire that he wasn’t the most powerful in the room by a long shot.

“I am Aleksandr Nemov,” he said in a calm measured tone.

The female’s shock rippled through the knife at his throat, which was gone an instant later. She stepped back.

“You will not mind me requesting proof of that claim,” the master said.

Aleksandr smiled behind his beard. It was to be expected. He had been absent from society so long that many probably thought him dead.

With a flourish, he unsheathed and presented his bloodstained dagger. The curved silver blade caught the warm light of the fireplace to the left of the couches. That same light made the gold handle shine brightly. Only a Nemov carried such a weapon, and it had been given to him at birth, inscribed with his name so those who died by it knew who had taken their life. When the man nodded, he sheathed the blade and took hold of his black shirt above his right hip. He pulled it free of his trousers and revealed the mark he bore there on his pale skin.

The mark of royalty.

The woman’s eyes widened, fixed on the crescent moon on the shield of his bloodline.

Aleksandr lowered his shirt and she slowly raised her eyes to his. She blinked, fumbled with her own knife, and then looked away. The shy sparkle in her blue eyes added to her beauty and his desire for her, momentarily stealing his attention away from the other occupant in the room.

“You will stay a while with my bloodline. It would do us great honour.” The master stood and crossed the room to Aleksandr.

The woman stepped to one side, her eyes still downcast.

The master grinned and held his hand out. “I am Ladislav Černý, and I welcome you to my home. I hope you will be able to enjoy our hospitality for a long time.”

Aleksandr shook his hand. Ladislav was young but wise enough to see a way to gain more power when it was standing in front of him. Being favourable to a royal would grant him more leeway with the law and more privileges in court. It was a shame then that Aleksandr had long since surrendered such authority. No matter how many times he reminded society that he was no longer royalty, it still insisted on treating him that way. In this sort of situation, he usually reminded them that he had given up his title, but this time he couldn’t bring himself to mention it. He wanted to remain here and pursue the woman, and for that reason alone, he would tolerate Ladislav’s mistake.

“We will hold a ball tonight to celebrate,” Ladislav said, his English thickly accented.

This man was no fool. He would serve Aleksandr well. His gaze slid back to the woman. Her eyes were on him again but darted away when his met them. How well would she serve him?

“Then I will need to freshen up.” Aleksandr removed his hand from Ladislav’s grip.

“Any room in the guest wing you desire, and I will arrange whatever you need.” Ladislav motioned to the woman. Her expression blackened for a moment, as though escorting a guest was beneath her, and then she saluted.

Aleksandr picked up his bag and smiled at the woman. She answered it with a frown and then walked out of the room. His smile widened and his gaze raked over her.

She was going to be an interesting hunt.

But he would be the victor.
                            
About the Author
Felicity Heaton writes passionate paranormal romance books as Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. In her books she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons!
If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.
If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, Felicity Heaton’s best selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series she writes as F E Heaton or any of her stand alone vampire romance books she writes as Felicity Heaton. Or if you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try Felicity Heaton’s new Vampire Erotic Theatre series.
In 2011, five of her six paranormal romance books received Top Pick awards from Night Owl Reviews, Forbidden Blood was nominated as Best PNR Vampire Romance 2011 at The Romance Reviews, and many of her releases received five star reviews from numerous websites. In 2012, she received the GraveTells Author of the Year Award and her vampire romance novel, Heart of Darkness, was selected as a 2013 Epic Ebook Awards finalist in the paranormal romance category.


If you want to know more about Felicity visit:
My website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk
My blog: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/felicityheaton
Twitter: http://twitter.com/felicityheaton
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/felicityheaton

Cover Reveal King's Crusade by AD Starrling

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Laurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews http://lauriethoughts-reviews.blogspot.com 
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Creatively Greenwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
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King’s CrusadeSeventeeen Series Book 2AD Starrling
Genre: Supernatural thriller
The perfect immortal warrior.A set of stolen, priceless artifacts.An ancient sect determined to bring about the downfall of human civilization.
The exciting, action-packed follow-up to Soul Meaning and the second installment in the supernatural thriller series, Seventeen.
When a team of scientists unearth scriptures older than the Dead Sea Scrolls in a cave in the Eastern Desert mountains in Egypt, a mystery lost to the tides of time is uncovered. Heading the expedition is Dimitri Reznak, the Head of the Crovir Immortal Culture & History Section. But the monumental discovery is spoiled by evidence of looting and half the priceless artifacts Reznak has been seeking for centuries have disappeared.
Alexa King is a covert agent for the Crovir First Council. When she is approached by her godfather for a mission that could help elucidate the enigma of her lost past, she finds herself delving into the dangerous and shadowy world of secret religious societies. Assigned by Reznak to assist her is Zachary Jackson, a gifted human and Harvard archaeology professor.
In their search for the missing artifacts, King and Jackson stumble upon the existence of a deadly sect whose origins are as mystifying as the relics they are searching for. From North Africa to the doors of Vatican City itself, they unveil a centuries-old plan that aims to shatter the very structure of civilized society.
With the help of Reznak and a group of unexpected allies, King and Jackson must stop the enemy and uncover the astonishing truth behind the missing artifacts and King’s own unearthly origins before all is lost.



Soul MeaningSeventeen Series Book OneAD Starrling
Genre: Supernatural thriller
ISBN: 978-0957282605ASIN: B008L8IU8C
Number of pages: 420Word Count: 108,187
Cover Artist: Streetlight Graphics
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Book Description:
A half breed immortal. An international manhunt. A race against time to stop a terrifying plot that threatens to kill millions. The gripping, action-packed debut novel by AD Starrling and the first in the supernatural thriller series Seventeen.

‘My name is Lucas Soul.Today, I died again.This is my fifteenth death in the last four hundred and fifty years.’
The Crovirs and the Bastians. Two races of immortals who have lived side by side with humans for millennia and been engaged in a bloody war since the very dawn of their existence. With the capacity to survive up to sixteen deaths, it was not until the late fourteenth century that they reached an uneasy truce, following a deadly plague that wiped out more than half of their numbers and made the majority of survivors infertile.
Soul is an outcast of both immortal societies. Born of a Bastian mother and a Crovir father, a half breed whose very existence is abhorred by the two races, he spends the first three hundred and fifty years of his life being chased and killed by the Hunters.
One fall night in Boston, the Hunt starts again, resulting in Soul’s fifteenth death and triggering a chain of events that sends him on the run with Reid Hasley, a former US Marine and his human business partner of ten years. When a lead takes them to Washington DC and a biotechnology company with affiliations to the Crovirs, they cross the Atlantic to Europe, on the trail of a French scientist whose research seems intrinsically linked to the reason why the Hunters are after Soul again.
From Paris to Prague, their search for answers will lead them deep into the immortal societies and bring them face to face with someone from Soul’s past. Shocking secrets are uncovered and fresh allies come to the fore as they attempt to put a stop to a new and terrifying threat to both immortals and humans.
Time is running out for Soul. Can he get to the truth before his seventeenth death, protect the ones he loves and prevent another immortal war? 
About the Author:
AD Starrling was born on the small island nation of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean and came to the UK at the age of twenty to study medicine. After five years of hard graft earning her MD and another five years working all of God’s hours as a Paediatrician, she decided it was time for a change and returned to her first love, writing.Soul Meaning is her debut novel and the first in a supernatural thriller series entitled Seventeen. She currently lives in Warwickshire in the West Midlands, where she is busy writing the second novel in the series while drinking gallons of tea. She still practises medicine. AD Starrling is her pen name.
www.adstarrling.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/AD-Starrling/382768535066991
http://twitter.com/adstarrling
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6469599.A_D_Starrling
http://www.amazon.com/AD-Starrling/e/B008KS77GO/     

Interview with Barbara Bretton about Just Like Heaven

What inspired you to write this book?
A combination of things brought JUST LIKE HEAVEN to life. A random conversation with my BFF about age limits and lacy thongs. Another friend's minor (and very unexpected) heart attack which led her to reignite an old relationship. Memories of my very fey and very psychic mother who triumphed over a difficult childhood by actively choosing happiness over sorrow. And my own rock-solid belief that love, true love, can make our differences melt away.
Please tell us about your latest release.
Because love can happen anywhere . . .
Even in New Jersey!

A beautiful morning in early spring. What could possibly go wrong?

Just returned from a buying trip in England, Kate French was jet-lagged and exhausted and running on fumes. She was already running late for an appointment but a wave of dizziness forced her to pull into the shopping mall parking lot in search of a quick fix of caffeine and protein.

When the pain first hit, she ignored it and continued racing across the parking lot toward the food court. But within moments she realized something was terribly wrong as her wobbly legs gave out and she dropped to the ground. The last thing she remembered as she started to fade away was the guy in the Grateful Dead T-shirt who held her in his arms and promised he'd never let her go.

Mark Kerry didn't think of himself as a hero but the story of a Good Samaritan who had saved a woman's life in the parking lot of the Princeton Promenade was attaining the status of suburban legend. Determined to return a stack of documents that had been left behind when the ambulance swept her away, he called in some favors and tracked her down at home one week later.

The moment Kate saw him again, the world and everyone in it disappeared. She knew his voice, the smell of his skin, the way his hands felt against her skin, the taste of his mouth, everything that mattered. All the things she would ever need to know about him.

And then she took another look . . .

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?
Book titles and characters' names are probably two of the most important components involved in making a book come to life for me. Titles, of course, can be tweaked right up until the very end but a character's name is vital to developing a fully dimensional personality. Back when I was writing my second book, I had created a heroine named Meredith Randall. Now Meredith is a lovely name. In fact, I had always wished I'd been named Meredith myself. But something wasn't right. My character just didn't feel like a Meredith. Each day when I sat down at the typewriter (yes, typewriter; I've been around a long time) to write, I found myself struggling to get inside Meredith's skin. No matter how hard I tried, she remained flat and two-dimensional to me and resisted all of my attempts to get to know her better.
Cut to late one night. I was just about to doze off when I swear to you I heard a voice inside my head and that voice was screaming, "I'm not Meredith, you idiot! I'm Lainiei! Do you hear me? Lainie!"
She was right. She wasn't a Meredith at all; she was a Lainie. And as soon as I made that change, the book (The Sweetest of Debts) practically wrote itself.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Writing Mark Kerry, the hero of JUST LIKE HEAVEN, was extremely challenging for me. I'm not a man. I'm not a priest. I'm not an Episcopalian. I'm not a recovering alcoholic. I had to take a writer's leap of faith and finally push my mountains of research aside and dive into his heart where the best stories always hide.
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
Again from JUST LIKE HEAVEN, I'd say the secondary character Maeve was pure delight to work with. Maeve is a self-help guru, sex a specialty, a practicing Wiccan, a mother and grandmother who would do anything to make sure her family has the happy ending they deserve. I based much of Maeve's attitude on my own mother. My mother didn't believe in giving advice. She never poked her nose into my business or told me how to live my life. But she did leave me with one very important rule of life that I passed along to Maeve: "Choose happiness." Life is too short to do anything else.

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?
Early in my writing career, I created lengthy character sketches that described absolutely everything from height to weight to choice of jewelry. I put together binders filled with pictures of living room layouts, bedroom furniture, maps to my characters' houses.
Somewhere around book four or five all that fell away and let those details flow through me and onto with no stops along the way. I've learned that, for me, the best way to develop my characters is to rely on my instinct and intuition and give myself over to the story.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
They were standing inches apart, so close she could feel the warmth of his skin and inhale the fresh-mowed grass smell that clung to his clothes from the hours they had spent outside. He took her hands and her eyes filled instantly with tears. "Allergies," she said, ducking her head. "Springtime is lethal."And it was, in many ways. Springtime was rife with danger. A woman might do anything on a warm spring day with the right man. Except this wasn't the right man. She had better keep reminding herself of that very important fact. Men didn't get any more wrong than a widowed recovering alcoholic who happened to be an Episcopal priest on his way back to resume his old life in New Hampshire, more than three hundred miles away.You would have to be crazy to let your guard down around a man like that."This is crazy," she said as they fell into each other's arms. "Completely nuts," he agreed as they tumbled onto the glider. They were so close their breath mingled in the whisper of air between them. "You'll only be here another six weeks," she said, tracing the contours of his face with her fingers, memorizing the planes and angles, the shadowy stubble darkening his cheek and jaw. "There's no point to starting anything.""No point at all." He pressed a kiss to the hollow of her throat and if she hadn't been sitting already she would have melted into the ground."We both know it would have to end when you leave for New Hampshire.""Your life is here in New Jersey.""Absolutely," she said. "My home, my family, my work. Everything.""And my future is up in New Hampshire." "A second chance," she said, kissing the strong curve of his jaw. "Your second chance to make things right." She got it. She even understood. But she didn't have to like it.His mouth found the nape of her neck, the tiny pulse that was beating crazily in her right temple. She felt like he was setting off tiny explosive charges everywhere his lips touched. His lips touched her ear. "I wanted to do this the first moment I saw you."She shivered at the sensations rippling through her. "I saw you leaning against your car and I almost tripped over my own feet."His thumbs grazed either side of her mouth. She was finding it harder to breathe with each second that passed. "I can't make any promises, Kate. I've already made them to my old congregation.""I don't believe in promises," she whispered, her lips soft against his. "This is enough for me."The kiss was as natural as breathing, as intoxicating as champagne. Her mouth opened beneath his and she gasped at the feel of him, the way he tasted of chocolate and mango and heat. She felt dizzy, knocked off-center, and she clung to his shoulders so she wouldn't slide off the face of the earth and into some vast unknowable universe of shooting stars and fireworks and whispered warnings that some things are too good to be true. He kissed her like kissing was an end in itself, like he loved the feel of her mouth beneath his, the sounds she made deep in her throat, the way she arched against him, trying to crawl inside his skin and stay there. They broke apart, breathless and dazed, and looked into each other's eyes for an eternity as if they couldn't quite believe this was really happening. "A big mistake," she said. "It's moving too fast.""Tell me to go and I will," he said. "It's not too late."But it was too late and they both knew it. They were already in over their heads
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
Bits and pieces of me can be found in every character I write. And no, that's not always a good thing!
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
I think writers do other writers an enormous disservice when they say that writer's block doesn't exist. If all it took to produce pages of story every day was the act of sitting down at the computer, we would all have the output of Nora Roberts. It's not that simple. We're complex, creative individuals and we have different ways of responding to what life throws our way. Some of us can disappear into our fictional words while others find it impossible to make the real world disappear long enough to slip into our imaginations.
I've endured writer's block on more than one occasion and I can tell you it is painfully, bitterly real. That's the bad news. The good news is that it's always temporary. I use that time to refill the creative well by reading more, getting out more, seeing friends, eavesdropping on juicy conversations, all the things you don't have time to do when you're under deadline.
Sometimes the block can be a sign that I've made a wrong turn in my manuscript and my subconscious is determined to keep me from going too far along the path.
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
You mean like making a cup of tea in my microwave before I start writing and making sure I turn it off when there are exactly five seconds left?
Do you write in different genres?
I have. Non-fiction. Mainstream, series romance, mainstream romance, cozy mysteries, paranormals. I go where the story and characters take me.
Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?
Not at all. It's energizing.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
The truth? For as long as I can remember. I was telling stories to my parents before I was old enough to hold a pencil and I never stopped.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
I've reached the age where I know longer feel the slightest bit guilty when it comes to pleasure! More is never enough when it comes to living life to the fullest.
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I am a crazed, over-the-top, seriously obsessed knitter.

What was the last amazing book you read?
I've been on a non-fiction binge lately. The book that lingers in my mind is Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and The Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson.  Highly recommended!
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
The beauty of ebook readers is that they turn the unlikeliest places into cozy reading dens. (At least they do for me.) I've been known to catch up on my reading in Atlantic City casinos, the plumbing aisle of Home Depot, and a New York Jets football practice.
What can readers expect next from you?
A number of my titles are being turned into audiobooks that should be available at Audible.com or Amazon.com or iTunes in the next month or two. I've always wanted to be an audiobook and now I can check another item off my bucket list!
Where can readers find you on the web?
Many places! http://www.barbarabretton.com  or http://www.facebook.com/barbarabretton  or http://www.facebook.com/authorbarbara...  or Twitter http://www.twitter.com/barbarabretton And knitters can find me on Ravelry as wickedsplitty
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
You can find a juicy excerpt at http://www.barbarabretton.com/just_li...

April 15 Guest blogSapphyria's Book Reviewssaphsbookblog.blogspot.com
April 16 InterviewStorm Goddess Book Reviewshttp://www.stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com/
April 16 spotlightFreda's Voicehttp://fredasvoice.blogspot.ca
April 17 Guest blog Comfort Books http://paigebradish1996.blogspot.com/
April 18 review and spotlight3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy,& Sissy Too! http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com  
April 19 Spotlightfuonlyknew http://fuonlyknew.wordpress.com
April 20 InterviewPembroke Sinclair.  pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com
April 21 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
April 22 InterviewRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
April 23 SpotlightBooks Books and More Books http://booksbooksmorebooks.blogspot.com/
April 27 InterviewThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
April 29 reviewDEB SANDERShttp://DebSanders.com
April 30 Guest blog and reviewFangs, Wands & Fairy Dusthttp://fangswandsandfairydust.com/
May 1 Guest blog Romance Addict Book Blog – www.romanceaddictbookblog.com
May 6 Interview and reviewMelissa's Eclectic Bookshelfhttp://melissaseclecticbookshelf.blogspot.com
May 7 Spotlight and reviewPaws & Printpawsandprint.blogspot.com
May 8 Spotlight and reviewFaerie Tale Bookswww.faerietalebooks.org
May 10 Spotlight and reviewOnce Upon A Book http://angelicdefiance.com
May 10 ReviewHooked In a Book http://hookedinabook.blogspot.com
May 13 reviewBrooke Blogshttp://www.brookeblogs.com
May 13 InterviewBooks & Tales:http://www.booksandtales.blogspot.co.uk/

Just Like Heaven
Barbara Bretton
Genre: Contemporary romance/women's fiction
Publisher: Free Spirit Presspreviously published in print by Berkley
ISBN: 9781301177493ASIN: B00BH8FZVI
Number of pages: 320
Word Count: Approximately 90K
Book Description:
Because love can happen anywhere . . .
Even in New Jersey!

A beautiful morning in early spring. What could possibly go wrong?

Just returned from a buying trip in England, Kate French was jet-lagged and exhausted and running on fumes. She was already running late for an appointment but a wave of dizziness forced her to pull into the shopping mall parking lot in search of a quick fix of caffeine and protein.

When the pain first hit, she ignored it and continued racing across the parking lot toward the food court. But within moments she realized something was terribly wrong as her wobbly legs gave out and she dropped to the ground. The last thing she remembered as she started to fade away was the guy in the Grateful Dead T-shirt who held her in his arms and promised he'd never let her go.

Mark Kerry didn't think of himself as a hero but the story of a Good Samaritan who had saved a woman's life in the parking lot of the Princeton Promenade was attaining the status of suburban legend. Determined to return a stack of documents that had been left behind when the ambulance swept her away, he called in some favors and tracked her down at home one week later.

The moment Kate saw him again, the world and everyone in it disappeared. She knew his voice, the smell of his skin, the way his hands felt against her skin, the taste of his mouth, everything that mattered. All the things she would ever need to know about him.

And then she took another look . . .

PRAISE FOR JUST LIKE HEAVEN

*TOP PICK!* Bretton's lyrical writing enthralls from the first page as she immerses readers in a tale of romance and new beginnings. --Romantic Times

Bretton has few peers among contemporary romance novelists when it comes to combining escapist romance with everyday, messy reality. She’ll make you believe that love can happen anywhere – or make you grateful that you’ve been fortunate enough to find it.  --Susan Scribner, The Romance Reader

This one will keep you reading past your bedtime. --Elizabeth Darrach, BellaOnline

*STARRED REVIEW* Very few romance writers create characters as well developed and realistic as Bretton's. Her books pull you in and don't let you leave until the last word is read.  --Shelley Mosley, Booklist
About the Author:
Barbara Bretton is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of more than 40 books. She currently has over ten million copies in print around the world. Her works have been translated into twelve languages in over twenty countries.

Barbara has been featured in articles in The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Romantic Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Herald News, Home News, Somerset Gazette,among others, and has been interviewed by Independent Network News Television, appeared on the Susan Stamberg Show on NPR, and been featured in an interview with Charles Osgood of WCBS, among others.

Her awards include both Reviewer's Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times; Gold and Silver certificates from Affaire de Coeur; the RWA Region 1 Golden Leaf; and several sales awards from Bookrak. Ms. Bretton was included in a recent edition of Contemporary Authors.

Barbara loves to spend as much time as possible in Maine with her husband, walking the rocky beaches and dreaming up plots for upcoming books.
www.Barbarabretton.com
http://barbarabretton.blogspot.com/
www.Facebook.com/barbarabretton
www.Twitter.com/barbarabretton
www.Goodreads.com/Barbara_Bretton



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Interview and Excerpt with A.J. Aalto Author of Touched

What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much? 

I’ve always been attracted to the dark souls, and power, and magic, especially the magic of the mind, psychic powers and mind control. Vampires embody all these things, so it’s a natural fit for me. I also love the cadence of the past, the romance of earlier times. To pick and choose my favourite things about other times, and bringing a taste of that forward and blending it with a modern setting, is a real thrill.

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? 

Names are something I spend a lot of time on, and I do investigate time periods and regions, yes. I like names that amuse me, names which cause other characters to react somehow. I also like names that hint at culture, background, history, or personality. For example, “Supervisory Special Agent Gary Chapel” is an FBI agent who heads up the Preternatural Crimes Unit. The first name Gary has always sounded, to me, like a man you can trust. A Gary is a serious dude, intellectual. His last name was a happy accident which was later pointed out to me by my sister. She said, “Oh, I get it. Because priests would not like vampires or other monsters, especially demons and stuff, right? And you find holy men in a chapel.” I answered, “Uh, yeah! Sure! That was TOTALLY intentional.” She didn’t buy it.  


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 show me who they are by their actions, and rarely plan things beforehand. I find too much planning hinders my ability to imagine things in my head. Appearance, perhaps, yes I can decide ahead of time what they might look like. Not always. I’ve often seen a character differently by the middle of the book and have had to go back and do minor touch-ups.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it? 

The only way I manage to avoid writer’s block is by writing every single day and keeping my habit very steady. I’m up at 4 A.M. Monday-Friday. I work, then drive home, then write until 2:30 P.M., when I pick up my kids from school. I may edit from 3-5. If I get off this habit for any reason, it becomes a real problem. 

Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals? 

I have colognes and perfumes that I use for olfactory cues for certain characters, and if a character smokes, I will buy their brand and keep them around to sniff. I don’t smoke, but I have been known to light one and let it sit in an ashtray beside me. I frequently light candles. I have music playlists for different characters, to help me hear their particular voice. I like the curtains closed, to block out the outside world. I do not answer the phone. I must have tea. I cannot stress that last one enough: I. Must. Have. Tea. *chuckle* 

Do you write in different genres? 

I am playing around with some SciFi with my editor, a collaboration that is going nowhere fast because Marnie Baranuik of “Touched” and “Death Rejoices” is a fussy character who insists on continuing to play with me. I am also working with Jason D. Ready on a horror anthology, and a dark fantasy steampunk series that we’re calling “Pixiegrind.” I also write erotica (not yet published, or finished) under a pen name which I’m not ready to share yet. Or maybe ever. Ha. We’ll see.

Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life 

I am fairly obsessed with writing, so my other hobbies tend to be writing-related. I research a lot: police procedure, FBI history, magic, witchcraft, world religions, herbal medicines, other languages, surnames, biochemistry, forensics, murder, body language, human sexuality, odd places on the planet, remote destinations, obsolete British slang, entomology. When I read for pleasure, it’s usually True Crime or mysteries with a forensic anthropology angle, like the works of Kathy Reichs or Patricia Cornwell.   

Where is your favorite place to read? 

Two years ago, I had a covered, half-wrap front porch built. My street is quiet and tree-lined. During the summer, I can prop my feet up and settle in with lemonade or iced tea and read while the birds play in the trees. It’s wonderful. In the winter, I have “my spot” on the couch where the lamp glows over my shoulder at just the right angle and the fuzzy blanket is nearby in case I need it. That’s my reading heaven.

What can readers expect next from you?  

Marnie is returning home to Canada for her next adventure, and exploring a case in my own home town. It will, of course, be fairly goofy. 

Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book? 

“How much do you know about Hood and Dunnachie? How do you know they’re not, you know, like you?” I eyeballed Agent Batten, specifically the part of his shirt that hid the vampire hunter’s kill-notch tattoos. They might be sort of sexy if they didn’t indicate wasted immortals, not that I’d ever admit that aloud.

Batten checked the rear view mirror for Agent Chapel’s level of attention and then said more quietly, “I’m not all bad, am I?”

The tone of his voice hinted at scandalous pleasures, private naked escapades behind closed doors, or in our case, up against them. I fought down the instant responding wave of warmth in my groin that indicated my body was an idiot. 

“You’re an oversized ass-hat. You hate my housemate. You won’t respect that I’m retired,” I said. “You push me; I don’t try to improve you.”

“Nothin’ to improve.”

“I don’t ask for anything you’re not able to give.”

“Maybe you should,” he suggested. The intimacy I heard had to be my lurid imagination.

 “Your FBI shield didn’t change the fact that at your core, you’re a rule-bending carnage machine. If there weren’t revenants to dust, you’d be making a living killing something else.”

His jaw ground, a single ripple. “I’ve never hurt an innocent person.”

“Depends on your definition of innocent and person, I suppose,” I drew a deep chest full of air then winced as a stitch pulled low in my back. I heard a sharp inhalation from the back seat, like Chapel had suddenly pulled a muscle. A glance in the make-up mirror showed him staring out the window, lips pinched in a rigid line, brow rutted.

I told Batten quietly, “I don’t trust you for a second not to hurt Harry. That’s enough of a reason to dislike you.”

“Didn’t touch a hair on his head,” he assured me, his voice still gruffly intimate in the front seat. “Could have. He gave me plenty of opportunity.”

My breath caught in my throat. I wasn’t remotely convinced by Gary Chapel’s new show of focus on his Blackberry, so I lowered my voice. “You snuck into Harry’s room?”

“Invited,” he replied. 

“Big heep hunter accepted an invitation down into an immortal’s private lair? Aren’t you brave.” I shifted to get more comfortable.

There was a heartbeat of quiet, during which I figured he was searching for a non-jerky thing to say. Finally, he offered: “It has a real theatrical flair for decorating.”

I felt my lips tug up reluctantly. “His nod to Poe and Wilde.”

“Hence the two-faced portrait of perfect Harry and rotten Harry above the fake fireplace? The bust of Pallas above the door? The stuffed raven?” When I nodded he mirrored it. “I dig the bumper stickers inside the lid of its coffin, especially: What happens in the casket stays in the casket.” 

“You weren’t in there when Harry was resting, though. Right?”

“We took turns every afternoon, watching it.”

“Watching.” My head was starting to throb. Since I couldn’t go back in time and make sure they didn’t do it, I could only make sure it didn’t happen again. “You do know that ‘watching’ isn’t a literal requirement? You can watch him just fine from upstairs. It’s mostly just making sure critters don’t get at him. Or hunters.” 

A slow smile began to spread over his lips. I didn’t get the joke. He shook his head with a surprised chuckle. 
“Harry said flat-out it was our job to sit in the chair by the casket, like bodyguards. ‘Sentinels’ was his word.”

I was about to scoff but then thought it sounded like classic Harry manipulation; what else had he done to amuse himself in my absence? 

“So you sat there,” I said.

“I sat there.”

“For hours. Literally watching him.” 

“Figured if I didn’t do a good job, you’d get pissy.” 

“Since when do you care what I want?” He didn’t answer. “You weren’t tempted to drive a stake between his ribs?” No reply. “You just sat there.”

“I drank beer and played its video games. Old school Mario.”

I tried to get a mental picture of Batten sitting in Harry’s black leather video game chair, not ten feet from an immortal lying prone and vulnerable in his casket, and Batten just …being there. If body snatchers hadn’t replaced the real Mark with an alien duplicate, I had no other explanation. 

“I don’t know what to say,” I told him, meaning it. I wasn’t used to feeling gratitude toward the hunter. I glanced in the make-up mirror. Chapel was still pretending not to listen to us. “Thank you, Mark.”

“You’re welcome, Marnie,” he said easily.

“Now if only we could stop you calling Harry an it.”

“Never gonna happen.”    




TouchedThe Marnie Baranuik Files, Book One
A. J. Aalto
Genre: paranormal fantasy
Publisher: Booktrope Editions
ISBN: 978-1935961574ASIN: B009NIE5S8
Number of pages: 454Word Count: 158k
Cover Artist: Greg Simanson
Amazon paperback    Kindle  Barnes and Noble (paperback only)
Book Description:
The media has a nickname for Marnie Baranuik, though she’d rather they didn’t; they call her the Great White Shark, a rare dual-talented forensic psychic. Twice-Touched by the Blue Sense--which gives her the ability to feel the emotions of others, and read impressions left behind on objects--Marnie also has a doctorate in preternatural biology and a working knowledge of the dark arts. She is considered without peer in the psychic community. 
Then her first big FBI case ended with a bullet in one shoulder and a chip on the other, a queasy heart and a serial killer in the wind, leaving her a public flop and a private wreck. When the FBI’s preternatural crimes unit tracks her down at a remote mountain lodge for her insight on a local case, her quiet retirement is promptly besieged by a stab-happy starlet, a rampaging ghoul, and a vampire-hunting jackass in tight Wranglers. Marnie figures the only real mystery is which one will kill her first. 
Too mean to die young, backed up by friends in cold places, and running with a mouth as demure as a cannon’s blast, Marnie Baranuik is about to discover that there’s no such thing as quitting time when you’re Touched.


About the Author:
AJ Aalto is the author of Touched, first in the paranormal mystery series The Marnie Baranuik Files. Aalto is an unrepentant liar and a writer of blathering nonsense offset by factual gore. When not working on her novels, you can find her singing old Monty Python songs in the shower, eavesdropping on perfect strangers, stalking her eye doctor, or failing at one of her many fruitless hobbies. Generally a fan of anyone with a passion for the ridiculous, she has a particular weak spot for smug pseudo-intellectuals and narcissistic jerks; readers will find her work littered with dark, imperfect creatures, flawed monsters and oodles of snark. AJ cannot say no to a Snickers bar, and has been known to swallow her gum.
www.ajaalto.com 
@AJAalto
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aj.aalto.5

The Story Behind the Story and a Book Soundtrack for Anomaly

The Story Behind the Story
• I had been living in New Orleans for almost a year when I first started toying with the idea for Anomaly. I was walking around Audubon Park and looking at the homes that face the park and wondering what kind of people live there. We’re talking these grand mansions that have been around for well over two centuries. Their front porches are something like fifteen feet from the park. It’s absolutely incredible. I’d never seen anything like it before and the next week when I was driving by the park I decided I wanted to write a story set in the city. New Orleans is so rich in history and character—and the people are amazing. It took a few tries and a few years to get it right, but eventually Eliza’s story fully took shape last year and I couldn’t be happier with it.
Music Playlist (book soundtrack)
1. Need Someone- Mary J. Blige
2. If I Die Young- The Band Perry
3. Melt My Heart to Stone- Adele
4. The Memory Remains- Metallica
5. All Things Must Pass- The Beatles
6. I’m Not Okay (I Promise)- My Chemical Romance
7. Waiting for My Real Life to Begin- Colin Hay
8. Rise Above This- Seether
9. Oh, My NOLA- Harry Connick, Jr.
10. Tuesday’s Gone- Lynyrd Skynyrd




InterviewI know that Book. www.iknowthatbook.blogspot.com
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Guest blog
Fang-tastic Books
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AnomalyThe Birthright Series Book OneJC Emery
Genre: Paranormal YA (small amounts of Romance, History & Mystery)
Book Description:
How far would you go to save your sister?
Life as a college senior is stressful enough. Between mid-terms, stupid boys, and a rare blood condition, Eliza Landry is just trying to figure out what normal is—whatever that means—when she discovers that vampires aren’t just a thing of legend.
In a matter of moments, her life changes forever when she and her older sister Kate suffer a vampire attack which leaves Eliza with two puncture wounds on her neck and an allergy to sunlight. But she’s still human, or at least she thinks she is. It doesn’t really matter—her main concern is that her sister is missing.
Sorrow turns to obsession, leading Eliza to piece together the puzzle of that terrifying night. Even stumbling upon a millennia-old vampire assassin named Luke Conrad who either wants to kiss her or kill her (she can't decide) cannot deter her.
When bodies start piling up and one of them is supposedly Kate, Eliza and Luke set out to discover who is behind the attacks. Soon, Eliza is drawn into the dark and dangerous world of the undead, with no guarantee she’ll make it out alive, and no doubt that she won’t like what she finds.

About the Author:
As a child, JC was fascinated by things that went bump in the night. As they say, some things never change. Now, as an adult, she divides her time between the sexy law men, mythical creatures, and kick-ass heroines that live inside her head and pursuing her bachelor's degree in English. As it is for most writers, finding balance is a challenge. JC is a San Francisco Bay Area native, but has also called both Texas and Louisiana home. These days she rocks her flip flops year round in Northern California and can't imagine a climate more beautiful.
With the support and encouragement of her parents and sister, JC set out to figure out what she wanted to do when she grew up. Most days, the jury is still out; however the thing that stuck with her no matter what she pursued was her love of the written word.

JC writes adult, new adult, and young adult fiction. She dabbles in many different genres including science fiction, horror, chick lit, and murder mysteries, yet she is most enthralled by supernatural stories-- and everything has at least a splash of romance.
http://www.jcemery.com
http://twitter.com/jc_emery
http://www.facebook.com/jcemeryauthor
http://www.goodreads.com/jc_emery