Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 526

Merlyn's Raven Guest Blog, Excerpt and Giveaway

Thank you for having me on Fang-tastic Books! I am thrilled to kick off the blog tour for my first novel, Merlyn’s Raven, here with you. The book is based in Arthurian legend and follows an original character, Gwendydd, as she falls in love with a young druid apprentice named Myrddin, who is destined to be the great Merlin, advisor to the legendary King Arthur.
Some of the characters in Merlyn’s Raven are completely original, and some of them are based in the Arthurian legend. Here is an overview of the main characters in the story, along with a pronunciation key for their rather difficult Welsh names. (Note that the w in the Welsh language is pronounced like the oo sound in the English words book and school.)
Gwendydd – goo IN dith – Gwendydd is the main character in the story, the granddaughter of a Cymry (Welsh) chieftain. She is a bit impetuous, probably due to her youth and the adventurous spirit she inherited from her mother, who died when she was born. Gwendydd dreams of a life of freedom and fears her grandfather, who has vowed to marry her off to a man of station with whom he can ally for war and political strategies. Fate, however, has other plans for her.
Myrddin Emrys -- MIR thin EM ris – Myrddin, called Merlin by others, is a young druid apprentice. He possesses extraordinary precognitive abilities as well as magickal ones that allow him to vanish, conjure fire and fog, and other amazing feats. Gwendydd meets him in the marketplace of her grandfather’s fortress and falls immediately under his charismatic spell. Their love grows over time, but Myrddin’s visions of the rise of a legendary king threaten to tear them apart.
Brychan -- BREE khan – Gwendydd’s chieftain grandfather, who is determined that she wed a powerful leader who will help increase his influence in the land.
Blaise – BLAZE – Myrddin’s druid master, a peaceful, spiritual elder who is convinced Myrddin and Gwendydd are meant to be together.
Betrys -- BET rees – Gwendydd’s foster-mother. She is a convert to the Christian religion and fiercely loves Gwendydd, even though she complains incessantly of her charge’s headstrong ways.
Cadwgawn -- kad OOG in – Gwendydd’s foster-father and husband to Betrys. He is the commander of Brychan’s soldiers and softens Betrys’ hard ways.
Eigyr -- AY gir            -- the Duchess of Cornwall, who becomes Gwendydd’s friend and helps her out of a terrible situation.
Uther Pendragon – A rising star in the southern armies, who is in love with the married duchess. It is his liaison with Eigyr that Myrddin predicts will bring the promised king of legend.
Whether you are a fan of Arthurian lore or completely new to the tales, I hope you’ll spend some time with these characters in Merlyn’s Raven. Magick and love await you there.


EXCERPT:
The scream hung in the air like the waxing moon outside my window. I touched my face, expecting to feel the wound there, my skin cut somehow as Myrddin’s had been in the dream. My trembling fingers came away clean. My heart raced as my mind recovered, but I tore from my bedchamber nonetheless, darting through the shadowed hallways of Grandfather’s household, avoiding the guards that stood, dozing, at the ends of corridors. I knew I’d be beaten if I was caught, but nothing was as important as getting to Myrddin. I reached the familiar door and slipped inside. He lay on his simple pallet beneath the window casement, but his eyes were open in the moonlight. They sparkled like dew on the grass, as did the sweat that dampened his hairline. His hand lay against his cheek, searching for the phantom wound. “What is it?” I breathed, my heart still pounding as if it had never pumped before. “I had a nightmare about you.”He sat up, his body shaking, and I pulled the blanket up over his shoulders as tremors wracked him. He gripped the cover with one hand and took mine in his other. It was not a fit, I knew, but an icy chill stole over me. “I had a vision.”“It was you, was it not?” I forced the words out, even though they pained me to say them. “Trapped? Tortured?”He nodded. I could bear it no longer, and flung myself into him, burying my face in his chest. He hesitated, but then his arms came around me, and I nearly gasped from relief, from knowing he was with me, warm and alive and safe.“What does it mean?” I moaned.“It is the future we see.” I tilted my chin up to look at him, and he stared down into my face, one brow arched as if puzzling over a new plant he’d found while scavenging. “How is it that we see it together, raven? How is it that we are connected?”“I love you.” The words, so sacred and yet sounding so simple, tumbled out. I did not care. Here in the dark, where there was no one else, the rest of the world seemed frozen, unimportant, and far, far away. Blaise, sleeping in the next room, was forgotten. I did not think of my grandfather and his plot to find me a husband, or of his threats to kill any man that stood in the way of that. Only this moment between us mattered. Myrddin had to know that I thought of nothing but him, sought naught but his presence, heard only his voice with the pounding of my heart. It was bold and brash and dangerous, it was everything I wanted to be, my own true self, and I knew he understood that.“I know,” he whispered. “And you should not.”He tried to pull his hand away, yet I clung to it, my voice hardening. “Why do you say that? You are everything to me.”“You speak of love, Gwendydd, and yet you have told me countless times how you long not for a husband, but for freedom.”“You are my freedom. Do you not see? You, who have taught me healing and storytelling and magick. . .so many things. You are right—I did not know what I longed for until I met you, and then I understood.” I lifted my hand, daring to touch his cheek, and he allowed it. “This must be love, for it to seep so deeply into me, into my very soul.”Softness settled into his gaze as he stared at me. “You are a poet, raven.” He teased, I knew, to turn the subject, but I would not be abashed. “It frightened me, Myrddin. The dream. I cannot bear to be without you, or to have you hurt.”“And yet there is no way to stop it, if it is my fate.” He gathered me against him and pushed us both up to our feet, shaking the blanket from his shoulders. He guided me toward the door but did not pull away, and I savored his closeness. “Come. You must go back to your chambers. If Brychan finds you here, or if someone sees us and informs him, he will kill us both.”We shuffled in silence along the corridors, slipping past the sleepy guards undetected. When we came to my quarters, Myrddin placed his hands on my shoulders and looked at me sternly, as Betrys sometimes did when she preached her gospel of Jesus. “Blaise has told me, Gwendydd, that unrest stirs in the land. The Cymry chieftains like your grandsire cannot quell it, and it will come to call here very soon. But these changes, all of them, no matter what they are, must unfold as they are meant to. We may never understand all that happens, but that is our challenge in life. And that includes whatever this vision may portend for me.”I matched his seriousness with my own. “Whatever happens, we are meant to be together. I understand that much.”His hand moved underneath my loosened hair, cupping the back of my head like a pillow, and his expression of wonder made me dizzy. “It is foolish and reckless, raven, but yes. I think I understand it as well.”He left me standing there in a pool of moonlight, my mind spinning as the stars overhead, replaying his words over and over again to seal them permanently in my memory.


 April 23 Tour Intro /ExcerptFang-tastic Books www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com 
April 24 Promo Roxanne’s Realm www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com 
April 25 Guest Blog The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com 
April 27 Guest blog  ~**All the days of (Book Blog)**~
May 3 Promo and interview JeanzBookReadNReview  http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.com/ 
May 5 Guest Blog and review Always a Booklover  http://alwaysabooklover.blogspot.com
May 7 Guest Post Paranormal Romantic Suspense http://sjclarke.com/blog-2/ 
May 6th Promohttp://aobibliosphere.blogspot.com/ 
May 8th  Review http://aobibliosphere.blogspot.com/ 
May 8 Guest Blog SalaciousReads www.salaciousreads.com 
May 8 Guest Blog Fiction Fascination http://fictionfascination.blogspot.com/ 
May 14 Guest Blog and review Lissette E. Manning http://www.simplistik.org/lissetteemanning 
May 16 Promo Reader Girls www.readergirlsblog.com 
May 17 Promo and review The Jeep Diva http://www.thejeepdiva.com/ 
May 17 Guest blog and review Urban Girl Reader – http://www.urbangirlreader.com 
May 19 Guest Blog (review later) Read2Review http://read2review.com 
May 20 Guest blog and review Butterfly-o-Meter Books 
May 20 review and interview Kindling the Fire kindlecatchingfire.blogspot.com 
June 15 Interview (SQAI) Night Owl Book Lover’s Magazine
Merlyn’s Raven
By Rose Vanden Eynden
Soul Mate Publishing
Short Blurb

For a young woman, falling in love is the ultimate magic. But what if the object of her affection is Merlyn, destined to be King Arthur’s legendary advisor? Can Gwendydd work her own magic to capture the heart of the world’s most powerful enchanter, or will her desire destroy her and the people she loves most?

Back Cover Blurb

Falling in love is the ultimate magic. For Gwendydd, a young woman in 5th century Wales, it seems an unobtainable fantasy. She dreads the day her chieftain grandfather will marry her off to increase his allies among the warring tribes of Britain. When she meets the mysterious and handsome druid apprentice Myrddin, Gwendydd realizes just how difficult falling in love can be. The ire of her disapproving grandfather is not her only obstacle. Myrddin’s clairvoyant visions of a king who will unify the battling tribes and bring peace to the land become a dangerous obsession that threatens to obliterate their union. Can Gwendydd support her beloved, the man destined to become the world’s most powerful enchanter, King Arthur’s legendary Merlyn? Or will her devotion destroy her and everything she holds dear?

About the Author:

Rose Vanden Eynden has always believed in magic, which probably explains how she is able to be a writer as well as a wife, mother, medium, massage therapist, minister, and instructor. She resides in a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, twin teenaged sons, and a dachshund named after Rudyard Kipling. In her spare (!) time, she enjoys performing in live theatre, watching films, reading, and walking in the woods. An avid believer in a balanced life, she meditates and eats chocolate daily.

Light Journey Enterprises
www.vandeneynden.biz

Read Rose's blog, STANDING BETWEEN THE WORLDS www.vandeneynden.biz/blog

Rose's books, available at all major bookstores:

SO YOU WANT TO BE A MEDIUM? A DOWN TO EARTH GUIDE

METATRON: INVOKING THE ANGEL OF GOD'S PRESENCE

ASK A MEDIUM: ANSWERS TO YOUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SPIRIT WORLD

Do you Twitter? Follow Rose: http://twitter.com/RoseofAvalon

Rose on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RoseVandenEyndenOfficial






Would you like to win an ecopy of Merlyn's Raven?
Then leave a comment on this post

Two winners will be chosen

Character Interview and Giveaway with Cait Lavender

Cait: So Shelby, fill the readers in on what it means to be a lupine.
Shelby: I’m not a lupine...*checks for fur* Not yet anyway.
Cait: Well, that may be, but you know more than the reader does so...
Shelby: Fine. You want to know about lupines? They’re arrogant, domineering and completely frustrating. They’re territorial and very protective. Oh, and they’ll make you want to shoot them.
Cait: *whispers* We’re trying to get people to read our book here...
Shelby: Oh! Well, I’m still pretty new to the whole werewolf thing, but the ones I’ve met have been super hot. Like spontaneously combusting panties hot. Does that help?
Cait: I suppose. So what kind of werewolves are they?
Shelby: You wrote this crap, shouldn’t you know? Who am I trusting with my fate here?
Cait: Yes, I know! I’m trying to do a cutesy character interview and you’re not cooperating!
Shelby: I’m worried about you, Lavender. I’m pretty sure it’s a bad sign when you’re arguing with characters in your own head.
Cait: *Rubs forehead* Just humor me. Or in the next book I’ll—
Shelby: Fine! Fine...umm...they don’t get all furry at the full moon, unless they want to, but they do have a pack. So do I apparently. Yeah, that’s a trip; feeling people in your head.
Cait: And I’m the crazy one...
Shelby: Technically I’m the product of your imagination, so yeah, you’re batshit.
Cait: Watch your mouth, we’re in public here!
Shelby: If they can’t handle hell, shit, and damn you’re in for a world of trouble.
Cait: *Blushing* Shelby, you’re embarrassing me in front of the readers!
Shelby: How sad for you! *laughing*
Cait: Maybe this was a bad idea...


Hunter Moon
By Cait Lavender
Bawling cattle tore Shelby Flint from her bed. With lawyer fees to pay in her struggle to keep her ranch from the clutches of her greedy cousins, she couldn’t afford the loss of even one calf. When she sees a large wolf circling her cows, she aims and fires. While the wolf escapes, Shelby can’t seem to get away from her troubles when a marijuana grower sets up shop on her land, sabotaging her property and eventually coming after her.

Adding to that, a handsome game warden is poking his nose into her business and working his way underneath her skin. Shelby will have to fight harder than she ever fought before to keep from losing her heart and everything she ever loved.

Shelby Flint is a self-sufficient cowgirl and cattle rancher, but when a wolf goes after her calves, a man is murdered on her land and someone is sabotaging her property she can’t do it by herself any longer. In walks a handsome game warden, poking his nose in her business and working her way under her skin. Shelby will have to fight harder than she ever has before to keep from losing her heart and everything she ever loved.

About the Author:

Cait Lavender is a twenty five year old wife and stay at home mother of one in Central California. Living on a cattle ranch and raising her daughter doesn’t afford her much leisure time, but when she has a spare minute or two she loves riding horses, baking and reading everything she can get her hands on. She grew up loving the written word and creative writing and finally decided to work on her dream of becoming a published author.

She has a short story, Cowboy Moon, and a full-length novel, Hunter Moon, both available on Smashwords, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. She’d love to hear from you on her Facebook author page, @caitlavender on Twitter or on her blog, www.caitlavender.coma Rafflecopter giveaway<a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&am... need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.

Shelby Flint on Lupines $25 Amazon and 5 Copies of Hunter Moon Giveaway

Cait: So Shelby, fill the readers in on what it means to be a lupine.
Shelby: I’m not a lupine...*checks for fur* Not yet anyway.
Cait: Well, that may be, but you know more than the reader does so...
Shelby: Fine. You want to know about lupines? They’re arrogant, domineering and completely frustrating. They’re territorial and very protective. Oh, and they’ll make you want to shoot them.
Cait: *whispers* We’re trying to get people to read our book here...
Shelby: Oh! Well, I’m still pretty new to the whole werewolf thing, but the ones I’ve met have been super hot. Like spontaneously combusting panties hot. Does that help?
Cait: I suppose. So what kind of werewolves are they?
Shelby: You wrote this crap, shouldn’t you know? Who am I trusting with my fate here?
Cait: Yes, I know! I’m trying to do a cutesy character interview and you’re not cooperating!
Shelby: I’m worried about you, Lavender. I’m pretty sure it’s a bad sign when you’re arguing with characters in your own head.
Cait: *Rubs forehead* Just humor me. Or in the next book I’ll—
Shelby: Fine! Fine...umm...they don’t get all furry at the full moon, unless they want to, but they do have a pack. So do I apparently. Yeah, that’s a trip; feeling people in your head.
Cait: And I’m the crazy one...
Shelby: Technically I’m the product of your imagination, so yeah, you’re batshit.
Cait: Watch your mouth, we’re in public here!
Shelby: If they can’t handle hell, shit, and damn you’re in for a world of trouble.
Cait: *Blushing* Shelby, you’re embarrassing me in front of the readers!
Shelby: How sad for you! *laughing*
Cait: Maybe this was a bad idea...

Hunter Moon
By Cait Lavender
Bawling cattle tore Shelby Flint from her bed. With lawyer fees to pay in her struggle to keep her ranch from the clutches of her greedy cousins, she couldn’t afford the loss of even one calf. When she sees a large wolf circling her cows, she aims and fires. While the wolf escapes, Shelby can’t seem to get away from her troubles when a marijuana grower sets up shop on her land, sabotaging her property and eventually coming after her.

Adding to that, a handsome game warden is poking his nose into her business and working his way underneath her skin. Shelby will have to fight harder than she ever fought before to keep from losing her heart and everything she ever loved.

Shelby Flint is a self-sufficient cowgirl and cattle rancher, but when a wolf goes after her calves, a man is murdered on her land and someone is sabotaging her property she can’t do it by herself any longer. In walks a handsome game warden, poking his nose in her business and working her way under her skin. Shelby will have to fight harder than she ever has before to keep from losing her heart and everything she ever loved.

About the Author:

Cait Lavender is a twenty five year old wife and stay at home mother of one in Central California. Living on a cattle ranch and raising her daughter doesn’t afford her much leisure time, but when she has a spare minute or two she loves riding horses, baking and reading everything she can get her hands on. She grew up loving the written word and creative writing and finally decided to work on her dream of becoming a published author.

She has a short story, Cowboy Moon, and a full-length novel, Hunter Moon, both available on Smashwords, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. She’d love to hear from you on her Facebook author page, @caitlavender on Twitter or on her blog, www.caitlavender.coma Rafflecopter giveaway<a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&am... need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.

Character Guest Blog and $50 Amazon GC Giveaway Choices by Liz Schulte

I don’t believe in destiny. A few years ago I met a guardian (guardians are sort of like angels, but not) named QuiDestiny to me takes away my free will—my ability to choose. Perhaps having been born a guardian means I don’t have any free will to begin with. But if that were the case, how did I fall in love with Holden? Holden is a jinni who works in direct opposition to guardians. Where we create, he destroys. Where we love, he hates. Where we forgive, he avenges. I should be repulsed by him, but instead he is like gravity. No matter how many times I jump, I always fall back to him.
Quintus doesn’t understand. I’m not sure that I understand either, but I know if destiny exists and if my destiny is what Quintus says it is, then it’s not absolute and my future has yet to be determined.  
My name is Olivia Martin and I am no one’s foregone conclusion. 


April 7 Guest blog and reviewThe Readers Roundtable Infinity & Beyondhttp://infinityandbeyond.thereadersroundtable.com/?p=131
April 10 Guest BlogThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
April 18 Interviewhttp://marshaamoore.blogspot.com/
April 21 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
April 22 PromoRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
April 23 Guest blog Butterfly-o-Meter Books
April 28 Guest Blogstories with bite o,.,ohttp://ravencorinncarluk.blogspot.com
April 29 Guest blogRead2Review http://read2review.com
April 30 Interviewwww.stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com
April 30 PromoMila Ramoswww.jademystique.blogspot.com
May 1 review and promoBeverly @ The Wormholehttp://wormyhole.blogspot.com
May 2 PromoReader Girlswww.readergirlsblog.com
May 2 Guest PostParanormal Romantic Suspensehttp://sjclarke.com/blog-2/
May 3 Guest Bloghttp://thedaydreamer3.blogspot.com/The Daydreamer's Book Obsession
May 4 Guest blog and review (both)This Author's Life thisauthorslife.blogspot.com
May 4 promo and interviewJeanzBookReadNReview http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.com/

Choices
Book Two The Guardian Trilogy
By Liz Schulte
Hearts break. Loved ones are lost. Life keeps moving.

Olivia Martin’s afterlife was more dangerous and confusing than her life ever was. She thought she was ready to come back, to forget about Holden and to let go of the rage consuming her. Fulfilling her destiny as a guardian was all that mattered—the past could stay hidden in the crevices of her mind. However, when guardians are murdered and the evidence points towards jinn, she has to do something. To save anyone’s future, Olivia will have to confront the one person from her past she is terrified to see.

Holden waited for Olivia with the hope he would see her one more time. But when she didn’t return, he found salvation in darkness. The black and twisted road made it easier to forget what he lost than to live with the memory of what he had. An unexpected promotion shoves him into a world of intoxicating power and influence. Holden will have to choose between his new life and the woman he thought was gone forever.

From the ashes of Secrets, Choices are born that will change everything.


YouTube- Book 1 Secrets http://youtu.be/_zclulJemK0

About the Author:

Many authors claim to have known their calling from a young age. Liz Schulte, however, didn't always want to be an author. In fact, she had no clue. Liz wanted to be a veterinarian, then she wanted to be a lawyer, then she wanted to be a criminal profiler. In a valiant effort to keep from becoming Walter Mitty, Liz put pen to paper and began writing her first novel. It was at that moment she realized this is what she was meant to do. As a scribe she could be all of those things and so much more.

When Liz isn’t writing or on social networks she is inflicting movie quotes and trivia on people, reading, traveling, and hanging out with friends and family. Liz is a Midwest girl through and through, though she would be perfectly happy never having to shovel her driveway again. She has a love for all things spooky, supernatural, and snarky. Her favorite authors range from Edgar Allen Poe to Joseph Heller to Jane Austen to Jim Butcher and everything in between.

Liz would love to hear from you and what you thought of Dark Corners.

Please stop by and visit at any of the below mentioned networks:

http://enteringbatcountry.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/liz.schulte

http://twitter.com/lizschulte

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4755336.Liz_Schulte

http://www.lizschulte.com/p/lizs-books.html

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Liz-Schulte/182081915177084

Twitter- https://twitter.com/#!/LizSchulte


Liz is giving away an ebook copy of Choices to enter leave a comment on this post
Liz is also offering a tour wide giveaway of a $50 Amazon GC and 5 signed paperback copies of Secrets and Choices to enter fill out the Rafflecopter form

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Guest Blog and Giveaway with Renee Pace

How Music as a Teen Meant so much
As a teen my music defined me. I listened to Tracy Chapman, Enya and Lady Blacksmith Mombasa. Songs filled with longing, freedom and tales of woe that echoed my teen life resonated with me. When I heard those songs I poured my feelings into poetry. I wrote and wrote lines of words that connected me to something.
Always when I felt down I poured those feeling into poetry. Some teens turn to painting, writing music or playing music to let out their emotions. Teens, like adults, need outlets. I’m a writer. Without writing I’m sure I’d be locked up in the nut house. Like many adult I juggle lots—children, working and writing.
When I write the demons go away. When I write the pain fades and I become engrossed with the lives of my characters. Sometimes writing can be a chore but once I start I lose track of time. 
Yes, writing is work and writing a realistic contemporary teen book when you’re an adult can be daunting but isn’t that life—daunting. One day at time. That was my motto as a teen. I used that to get through the lonely days and then I plotted away out. I set a goal, much like I do with writing. As for finding that teen voice. I delved deep. Sure I used some modern slang to make it real but for most of it I tried to keep the first person POV of my two girls in Off Limits just like how two normal teens talk.

Today when I write I listen to CBC radio. Why? It’s like white noise in the background and I can tune into the news when I want to. 
My taste in music has changed but those Tracy Chapman songs still pull at me. 
What do you listen to when you read? If you’re a writer is there a specific music you listen to?
Answer for a chance to win an ebook copy of Off Limits
Also be sure to enter the Rafflecopter GIveaway for a chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card


April 17 Promo This is From My Heart 
April 18 Guest Blog Mila Ramos www.jademystique.blogspot.com 
April 19 Promo Roxanne’s Realm www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com 
April 20 Guest Blog Fang-tastic Books www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com 
April 21 Guest Blog The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com 
 April 27 Review artsy musings of a bibliophile http://artsymusingsofabibliophile.blogspot.com/ 
May 5 review and guest blog Indiewritersreview http://indiewritersreview.wordpress.com/ 
May 6 Interview http://tana-someofmyfavoritebooks.blogspot.com/ 
 May 8 Guest Blog (review later) Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's http://mnmrheinlander.com

May 9 Promo and review Reader Girls www.readergirlsblog.com 
May 10 Promo  JeanzBookReadNReview  http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.com/ 
 May 12 Guest blog Read2Review  http://read2review.com 
May 13 Guest blog and review Lissette E. Manning http://www.simplistik.org/lissetteemanning

Off Limits
By Renee Pace
Genre:YA
blurb:

Lindsay looks and acts like the perfect fifteen year-old, but she’s hiding a dirty little secret that no amount of fashionista coverings can make better. Telling her mother her step-father is molesting her is not an option. Trying to kill herself again haunts her more than the scars on her wrists, and pretending to be perfect at school might very well drive her over the edge.

Megan knows all about lying. It's been part of her life ever since she realized the only way to escape her poverty-stricken neighborhood was to work hard, keep her mouth shut and wear a mask no one can penetrate. All that changes when Lindsay befriends her.

Can two girls who have little in common discover the value of a real friendship or will the secrets they dare not speak destroy them both?


Off Limits purchase links:

Kindle http://amzn.com/B006JUVE1Y

About the Author:

Renee Pace is a multi-published author who likes to tackle real teen issues in her nitty gritty series. She calls Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada home. Mother of four she juggles writing, deadlines and her children’s hectic schedules. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada, the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia, and the Society of Children Writers & Illustrators. Her first nitty gritty book, Off Leash was a 2011 semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. Her second book Off Limits tackles poverty and sexual abuse, and for her third book, Off Stroke debuting May 2012 Pace writes about young love and prejudice.

renee@reneepace.com

twitter @ReneePaceYA

www.reneepace.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001054616665&sk=info a Rafflecopter giveaway<a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&am... need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.

Interview and Giveaway with Elise Marion

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
It’s funny, because Historical was my first love. Most of the romances that I treasure and love are from bygone eras and feature men in breeches and women in petticoats. My first release was a Historical with a twist of Fantasy, because it was what I knew and loved. But recently I started expanding my horizons in the book department to include Paranormal books. I was suddenly struck by the brilliance of love across different realms. I fell in love with the idea of people literally being from different worlds. The rest, as they say, is history. I’m definitely addicted to the Paranormal now.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular (angels), that fascinates you so much?
Angels have always been such aloof and untouchable creatures. They’re beautiful, powerful, and pure in a way that humans could never understand. But the thing is, they feel like we feel. They have emotions just like humans do, and I like to think they experience them even more strongly. I really love exploring that emotion, playing with the interactions between angel and human, intensifying their differences as well as their similarities.
What inspired you to write this book?
The first book in the series, ‘Fallen’, was originally supposed to stand alone. It was about an angel falling in love with a woman he’d been sent to heal. The heroine in ‘Tempted, Sarah, was a secondary character, a friend of the hero in the first book. She just couldn’t understand how an angel could risk losing his wings over the love of a human. She begged for her story to be told, and as I realized just how vulnerable I could make this angel by exposing the real loneliness that she feels, I knew her story could be great.
Please tell us about your latest release.
‘Tempted’ is the story of an Iraq war vet named Jackson Bennett. He is scarred and he is broken because of the lives that have been lost because of him (he thinks). He’s sort of retreating into himself and shutting out the world. He thought that the Army was his purpose, but now that that part of his life is over he feels he is left with nothing. 
Enter Sarah, an angel from heaven with news of a purpose even greater than anything Jackson could’ve imagined. In the midst of his discovery of his true self, he finds himself falling for the angel. The only problem with that is the set of rules governing angels. Romantic relationships between angels and humans are forbidden. In the midst of it all an angel finds that she is not quite as strong as she thought. A man will discover that he is stronger than he ever dreamed.
Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?
I definitely want names to match characters. For a Historical character, of course certain names are out but I still like to be creative. For this series I used a lot of angels and demons that have been written about in religious myths. The hero in book 1 is named Amir which is Hebrew for ‘Prince’. I found this to be very fitting for an angel. Ironically, the heroin in this book is named Sarah, Hebrew for ‘Princess’.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
Jackson was definitely hard to write because I wanted the reality of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) to shine through in his character. It is something my family has struggled from as my husband is a war vet. I wanted the reader to really see things through his eyes and experience the turmoil as if it was their own. The complexity of his character is something I still agonize her. I often wonder if I did enough. I certainly hope so!
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
The demon Eligos was loads of fun to right. In a lot of religious myth, he is the Great Duke of Hell. He is described as a flaming skeleton (think Ghostrider), wearing a medieval suit of armor and carrying a lance while riding a winged lizard/beast. He has legions (thousands) of lesser demons beneath him. So, I figure this has to be one cocky guy. I had a lot of fun writing him as I love a good villain!
Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?
The characters come to me first. Before I even start developing a story the people that shape the story are always foremost in my mind. I don’t have to make a list, I just somehow know who they are when I begin writing. As far as the growth or development of a character…that very often catches me by surprise. A lot of times they end up places I never thought of at first.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
One of my favorite scenes in the book is Jackson and Sarah’s first kiss. The emotion there is so strong because Jackson has just found out that he is not an ordinary human. He belongs to a hybrid race of humans, and it turns out that the reason his father abandoned his mother and him was because of this special calling. Everything he’s ever known is turned upside down and he learns that his hidden abilities are what allowed him to survive the attack that killed everyone else in his unit. 
The scene is very intense, with Jackson trying to sort through his turbulent feelings, and Sarah experiencing emotions she’s never known before. When it finally happens, it is—I think—one of the most tender moments I’ve ever written. Something about the purity and sweetness of their kiss in the rain just touches me every time I read it. It gives me chills
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
The research on religious myths was very cool. I am a Christian, but didn’t want my own beliefs to influence the story. Most of what I used is a combination of beliefs across the board, including Catholicism and Orthodox Judaism. I feel very happy with the results. There is a mix of a world of my own making, along with these myths and legends.
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
I wish I could tell a cool story about travelling somewhere awesome and learning something new, but alas, there are none! Perhaps someday. Right now, though, I am reading an awesome book called The Amazons of Black Sparta about the Dahomey Amazon warrior women of Africa. It’s for a Historical I’m working on and it’s great stuff! These chicks were tough!
Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
On the surface, everything appears just like our world. However, there is a realm hierarchy that exists that trickles down from heaven to earth and into hell as well. 
There are angels (which have different orders: Seraphim, Cherubim, Archangels, angels who serve in heaven, and angels who are privileged to serve on earth), there are also humans with abilities that play a role between the worlds (Oracles who can see into the future, Guardians who guard portals between worlds as well as spiritual artifacts and ceremonial objects), then there are demons as well as the Fallen angels who will eventually become demons. In book 3, which I am working on now Naphilim (half-breed, human/angel) are introduced.
The idea is that there was a Great War in heaven. Most already know the legend of how Lucifer was cast from heaven and became Satan. He took 1/3 of the angels with him. Now behind the scenes, the war continues, with all sides working toward their own goals.
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 book can definitely be read on its own. The first book’s hero and heroine have gone off into the sunset into their happy ever after, and most of the convoluted world between heaven, hell, and earth that I have written isn’t clearly laid out until this book. However, book 2 and 3 will be very closely tied together as one of the secondary characters of this story is the hero. Sarah and Jackson continue to play a huge role I the continuing story as well.
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
I try to put a bit of myself in all of my characters, though in this case I put a little of someone I love in one of the characters. The hero Jackson is a reflection of my husband, a scarred war vet. Every line I wrote about him resonates with me as it ties back to him. It was even more personal than writing a character that is a reflection of me.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
I wouldn’t call it writer’s block. It’s more like being in a rut. This is why I work on one to three projects at one time. I currently have two open series I’m working on at the moment. Alternating between the projects keeps me from getting caught in a rut. If I get stuck on one, I switch over to the other and give the first one time to breathe. When I’m struck with inspiration then I go back to the first one. You’d think it would be confusing, but it’s just how I work.
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
Nothing weird, sorry to say. Just peace and quiet and a laptop are all I need. And maybe a Coke!
Do you write in different genres?
Yes! Variety is the spice of life, as they say. For now I have books in Historical, Paranormal, Contemporary  and Erotic categories. In the future I am contemplating urban fantasy, time travel, and fantasy; all within the scope of Romance though.
Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?
Not at all. I appreciate the variety.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
I’ve always been a writer. I wrote my first piece of fiction when I was 12! I wrote poetry in high school as well as pieces for the school newspaper. I’ve been writing romance since I was 15 and haven’t stopped. I just recently became a published author, but I’ve always been a writer.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Food! I love to eat and try new things. I also enjoy cooking, which of course leads to eating!
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
Books books books! I am also a big movie buff as well as a singer.
What was the last amazing book you read?
I just read the entire Hunger Games series. It was one of those things where I was like ‘let me see what the hype is all about’. Best books I’ve read all year. I couldn’t tear myself away. I cried like a baby at the end of Mockingjay.
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
As a busy stay at home mom of 2 I read when and where I can: while cooking, before bed in the bed, in the tub, on the couch, the house is my oyster!
What can readers expect next from you?
More books! There is so much in me. Be looking for me to dip my hands into all kinds of subgenres. I want to write about people from all walks of life.
Where can readers find you on the web?
Website: www.elisemarion.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/elisemarion86Twitter: follow me at @elise_marionBlog: http://theromancewritersreads.blogspot.comGoodreads: www.goodreads.com/elise_marion

Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Definitely! Why don’t I share with you that favorite scene I told you about. I hope you enjoy Jackson and Sarah’s first kiss!
Jackson shook himself back into reality at the sight of a white light streaking across the sky. A shooting star. Sarah.As it neared, he couldn’t deny the urge to meet her on the roof. Not only did he owe her a serious apology, but he just knew that seeing her face would make everything else seem distant. He wasn’t sure how it had happened, but somehow Sarah had become a lifeline, a symbol of hope for his life. She represented goodness and faith and everything that was right in the world. Being near her was like coming up for air after being trapped in a dark cave. Raindrops plopped onto his head and shoulders as he stepped onto the roof. Sarah stood a few feet away from him, her palms stretched out to catch the water drops. Her eyes were closed and her face was tilted back to the cloudy sky. Jackson watched, his jaw slack, as she twirled in a slow circle, extending her arms to embrace the coming storm.His heart pounded in his chest, and his conscience nagged him for intruding on her private moment. Yet he couldn’t look away from her. She looked like the angel she truly was, bathed in moonlight, her arms and legs bare in the thin sundress she was wearing, her face tilted to the sky. His stomach clenched and his blood raced. He took a step toward her.She opened her eyes and turned toward him slowly, lowering her arms. As she moved toward him, he felt time slowing around him, and realized he’d felt this sensation before so many times. He’d never bothered to pay attention to it, chalking it up to childish fantasy on his part, blaming it on too many slow-motion filled action movies. He would never have attributed it to the power he'd always possessed. A power he'd never known he had.But as Sarah walked toward him through the rain, he soaked in every detail. It was as if his mind wanted to remember everything; the flow of her dress’ skirt around her knees as the breeze tugged at it and the curling sable waves made damp by the rain, every water drop that rolled down her face. Every detail stood out in sharp clarity, until nothing else existed for him.“I’m so sorry,” she said, breaking the silence. Her wide eyes were filled with tears that mingled with the rain running down her face. “No,” he interjected, reaching up to grasp her upper arms gently. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I took my fears out on you, and you didn’t deserve that. You didn’t ask for this job, and you sure as hell didn’t ask for me. I told you to run, to leave me alone, but you stayed. No one stays for me, Sarah. No one ever stays.”“Your father…” she trailed off lowering her eyes. “I know who he is.”Jackson’s heart dropped into his stomach. “You do?”She nodded. “After you left, Vivian told me all about him. He left your mother because he was charged with guarding one of the few portals between earth and hell. He knew he would be putting you and your mother in harm’s way if he stayed. Guarding portals is a dangerous job. There are Oracles, demons, and even some humans who are constantly searching for them. They would not hesitate to hurt the family or friends of a Guardian in order to get what they want.”Jackson felt his head spinning with the sheer magnitude of what he was hearing. All this time he’d thought his father was an arrogant, heartless bastard. He’d never known anything about him beyond the day he left. While he was still hurt and angry at his father’s abandonment, he couldn’t help but feel pity for him. Much like Jackson, he’d stood on the precipice, facing a choice that could change his life forever. It had cost him his family, but contributed to a greater good beyond anything Jackson could have ever fathomed.“Did you know that Vivian raised me?” She shook her head, a frown marring her forehead. “No. What happened to your mother?”“She ran off with some boyfriend of hers a few months after my father left. His leaving changed her, and she never had time for anything but herself after. I don’t think she knew about my father’s assignment.”“Jackson, I-““People have been leaving me my whole life, Sarah,” he said. He wasn’t sure why he was saying these things to her. He only knew that it felt right, even good to share it with her. It was a part of him he’d never even shared with Rochelle. “I do things to chase people away.”“No!” she protested, stepping more fully into the circle of his arms. Her hands reached up to his face and she forced him to look down into her eyes. “No, Jackson. You didn’t chase your parents away. They made their own decisions.”“Rochelle,” he said with a half-hearted shrug. “I was so broken after Iraq that I chased her away too. And now I’m doing the same thing to little Jack that my father did to me.”“No,” she said again, shaking her head. Her wet waves clung to her face and neck. “You are not alone Jackson, and you are not broken. You have a calling now, a purpose. Accept what you’ve been offered and fulfill your destiny. You don’t have to make the same choices your parents did. You don’t have to be afraid or run or abandon the people in your life.”“I just don’t want-“Her grip tightened on his face, silencing him. “You will not have to do this alone, Jackson. That’s why I’m here. I won’t leave until I’ve seen this through. I don’t care how much quicksand you think you’re standing on, I won’t abandon you.”Silence stretched between them as he allowed her words to sink in. I won’t abandon you.As he looked down into eyes that were incapable of lying, he believed her. He believed it like he’d never believed anything else in his life. He brought his hand up to her cheek, resting it there as his eyes caressed her face. “You know, I was wrong about you,” he said.“You were?” she asked. Her lips parted and he felt her rapid breath against his wrist; it pulsed with the same rhythm as his pounding heart.He nodded.“Yes, I was. You’re beautiful.”Her breath stopped, suspended between her parted lips. She trembled as his arm came around her swiftly, bringing her body up against his. Fear and indecision flashed in her eyes briefly, but by the time his lips pressed against hers it was gone. Her lips were soft and pliant against his, but chastely closed and still as if she didn’t know what to do. Of course she didn’t, he thought as he brought one hand to the back of her head; she’d probably never been kissed. The sweetness of it, the purity of the moment touched him in ways he would have never thought possible. He allowed his lips to linger over hers, gently accustoming her to the intimacy of his mouth pressed to hers. As his fingers caressed the back of her neck, he gently coaxed her mouth open with his. She trembled against him as the inside of her mouth met his; warm, moist, heavenly. Her hand came up tentatively against chest, burning his skin through the wet fabric of his t-shirt. Her touch burned its way across his chest until his entire body was heated by it. She became bolder by the second, angling her head and returning the bold caresses of his lips with her own innocent kisses. A primal satisfaction flared through him at the knowledge that no other man had touched her. No other man had kissed her. At that moment he held a pure, untouched piece of heaven in his arms. He pulled her more tightly against him, molding her against him. He felt every inch of her through the wet fabric of his clothes. She shuddered against him, reaching up with both hands to grip his shoulders tightly. He wrapped both arms firmly around her, one hand at her hip and one at her back. He feared if he let go, she would fall at his feet. When he’d nearly stolen her breath away, she pulled away slowly and stepped away from him reluctantly. Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized that the rain had stopped. His eyes remained locked on Sarah.She took one step away from him, and then another. Her eyes were lowered, her lips tinged pink and parted. Her chest heaved as she struggled for air. She raised her fingers to her mouth as she gazed up at him, her expression of carnal bliss melting into one of pure horror.“Sarah,” he said gently, stepping toward her slowly. She shook her head and took another step back.He reached one hand out for her, but before he could touch her she was gone. Her footsteps echoed across the roof, the skirt of her sundress fluttering behind her. Jackson was rooted to the spot, too numb to follow her. Seconds later, she disappeared from view, leaving Jackson staring off into darkness. Alone.



April 9 Guest blogThe Creatively Green Write at Home Momwww.creativelygreen.blogspot.com
April 10 Guest blogMila Ramoswww.jademystique.blogspot.com
April 12 Guest blogThe Daydreamer's Book Obsessionhttp://thedaydreamer3.blogspot.com/
April 13 Guest blogLisa’s World of Bookswww.lisasworldofbooks.net
April 16 Guest BlogRoxanne’s Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
April 17 Interview and reviewUrban Girl Reader http://www.urbangirlreader.com
April 19 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
May 2 Live Radio InterviewParaYourNormal Blog Talk Radio ShowWednesday at 3:30 pm PST 6:30 ESThttp://www.blogtalkradio.com/parayournormalcoordinate their blog to run with the show http://parayournormal.blogspot.comcall in number (619)639-4626



TemptedBook 2
By Elise Marion
In a world full of the sick and dying, the hurting and desperate, and those lost in darkness, angels dwell. Messenger angel Sarah is focused, dedicated to the cause of heaven in the war against hell. For centuries she has watched other angels succumb to temptation and break the rules governing relationships between angels and humans. Sarah has vowed to never become one of the ‘Fallen’ angels, now demons cursed to wander the depths of hell for eternity. She knows that she is stronger than the others, incapable of emotional attachment and the feelings of love and desire that can be so dangerous to her kind.

Jackson Bennett is alone in the world, and he prefers it that way. The former Army sergeant has seen more death than any human ought to experience in one lifetime. Even his dreams are haunted by the faces of those who have lost their lives because of him. He feels lost, purposeless, until an encounter with an angel reveals the secret purpose that he was made for. Born of a superior race of humans, Jackson learns of a special assignment.

Should he accept, he will become an important part of world that exists between heaven, hell, and earth. After all that he has been through, Jackson doesn’t know if he’s ready to take on such a heavy responsibility; what he does know is that he could lose himself in the eyes of Sarah, the intriguing angel assigned to him. She is the only person who seems to understand the darkness and pain that have enveloped his heart; she is the only person capable of driving them away.

In a battle between love or loneliness, divinity or damnation, Sarah’s choice once seemed easy. What she finds is that the black and white lines that once defined her world are now impossibly blurred and gray. What she finds is that she may not be not quite as strong as she thought.

Elise Marion Bio

As a child I always had my nose in a book. From R.L. Stine to Chronicles of Narnia to The Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High, I read it all. When I started Junior High and found out that the school library had over 400,000 books, my goal was to read every single one! Of course I didn't achieve that particular goal, but I sure had fun trying!

In high school I developed a talent for writing and discovered romance. Needless to say I combined my love for both and am now a published Indie author. After almost a year of peddling my book from agent to agent with no success I decided that my work was good enough despite the constant rejection. That's when I discovered the world of indie publishing through e-books. I couldn't have made a better decision than stepping out on faith and doing something for myself instead of waiting around for someone else to do it for me.

A litle bit more about me: My husband Kevin and I have been married for 4 years and have two beautiful children, Haley (4) and Gavin (4 months). We are a military family, which means I spend alot of my time alone with two children. People often ask me how I deal with the military life. I simply say, someone's got to do it, right? I am proud of my husband for serving his country.

When I'm not reading (which is almost always) or writing (I try to every day), I am watching movies (which I love), cooking (which I love even more) or watching someone else cook on TV (love me some Paula Deen). I have been singing my entire life and enjoy being my church's choir every Sunday. My large, extended family is close and means the world to me.


website: www.elisemarion.com

blog: http://theromancewritersreads.blogspot.com

facebook: www.facebook.com/elisemarion86

twitter: @elise_marion

goodreads: www.goodreads.com/elise_marion







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Why Are Women Attracted to Non-Human Males? Guest Blog and Giveaway with Lynda Hilburn

Today I'd like to welcome Lynda Hilburn back to Fang-tastic Books for the new re-release of The Vampire Shrink. 


I first discovered her right after The Vampire Shrink was published the first time. I fell in love with Kismet and Devereux and was so sad to see them off the radar for awhile. 


So when I heard the book was being re-released after being newly edited, rewritten and expanded....well I couldn't wait to get my hands on it to see what had changed, what was the same- was Kismet still a character I could relate to, was Devereux still a vampire to drool over.


Oh yes, everything I loved was still there with much more fleshed out characters and detail.


If you didn't read The Vampire Shrink the first time, you must read it now. You will become hooked.



I just got back from the 2012 Romantic Times Convention in Chicago, which was a wild, crazy and exciting trip into book-reading madness. It was so much fun! 
Talking to romance book fans as I stood in line for one event or another was one of my favorite aspects of the convention. Paranormal fans wanted to talk about this vampire, that werewolf, or the other demon. 
Excellent topics and all right up my alley! But the non-paranormal readers tended to ask one question over and over: Why do women want to be with non-human males? 
What a great question. Why do we? 
 As a psychotherapist, I hear from women daily who are dissatisfied with their husbands/boyfriends/friends-with-benefits. The men in question don’t pay enough attention to the women, they are looking for a mother, and/or they have negative habits, patterns or behaviors. 
No wonder we find imaginary men arousing. Since I’m a vampire writer/reader, it’s easiest for me to think about reasons I fantasize about being desired by a gorgeous, bloodsucking immortal. 
First, he’s NOT human. He wouldn’t sit drinking beer in front of the television or play games on computer. He’d never abandon his woman to go play pool with his buds. No! Instead, he’d lock his smoldering gaze onto mine, run his tongue over the tips of his sharp fangs, and wrap me into his muscled arms for a slow dance into undead heaven. The fact that he needs my very blood in order to exist is orgasmic all by itself. I would be the center of his world. And he’s mysterious – dangerous. We women love the strong, silent type. 
The one we can make up stuff about. We attribute his silence to inner depth; dark secrets he will share only with us. Unlike his human counterpart, who turns out to actually have nothing to say, we imagine our supernatural male will invite us into his tortured mental landscape in due time. We are willing to wait. As long as it takes. We want to ease his eternal pain. 
Stamina. Whether due to the normal passage of time, poor diet, too much alcohol or other bad lifestyle choices, many human men lose interest in, and the ability to perform, sex. 
And, romance? Not on the agenda. But our paranormal hero? He’s the night-walking energizer bunny. Just provide a little crimson refreshment and he can go for hours and hours. Wow. Did it just get hot in here? 
So, needless to say, answering those questions stimulated many a lively – and loud – discussion! 
If you haven’t attended an RT convention, you owe it to yourself to have a hands-on experience of being in a hotel for five days with 1,500+ women. You won’t believe how much fun it is to get together and talk about romance – and sex. 
What do you think? Why do we lust after non-human, supernatural males? 


I’ll give away a signed copy of The Vampire Shrink, the first book in my Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series, to two people who leave comments here. 


Thanks so much for participating!

Lynda Hilburn bio: 
Lynda Hilburn writes paranormal fiction. More specifically, she writes vampire books. After a childhood filled with invisible friends, sightings of dead relatives and a fascination with the occult, turning to the paranormal was a no-brainer. In her other reality, she makes her living as a licensed psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, professional psychic/tarot reader, university instructor and workshop presenter. 
Her first novel, “The Vampire Shrink” – which introduced us to Denver Psychologist Kismet Knight and a hidden vampire underworld – was first released in 2007 and republished (the rewritten, expanded version) by Quercus Books 9/2011 and Sterling Publishing/Silver Oak 4/2012. 
Book #2 in the series, “Blood Therapy,” releases Fall, 2012. Several more books are planned. “Undead in the City,” an erotic paranormal novella, “Diary of a Narcissistic Bloodsucker,” a satire/parody, and “Until Death Do Us Part,” a humorous mini-story, are now available in e-form from Amazon.com. “Devereux: The Night Before Kismet” will be available Spring, 2012. 
Her short story, “Blood Song,” is part of the Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance anthology, April, 2009. 
Contact info: 
Website: http://www.lyndahilburnauthor.com 
Blog: http://paranormalityuniverse.blogspot.com 
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lyndahilburnauthor 
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lyndahilburn 
Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhkVHTlWwVg


Answer Lynda's question for a chance to win a signed copy of The Vampire Shrink(What do you think? Why do we lust after non-human, supernatural males? )
2 winners will be chosen
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Please include your email address with your comment

What I Learned About Writing From Watching American Idol: Guest Blog with Julie Rowe

Yes, I admit it, I’m an Idol addict.  I love watching the show; I love the individual singers, the judges and the annoyingly perky host.  But, the other day, I realized I was learning an awful lot from watching the show about the creative process.  Skip the singing folks, I was learning things that could actually help me become a better writer. 
So, in no particular order, here’s my list of lessons learned from watching Idol.
1. You actually have to show up at the audition – Yep, that’s right, in order to sell a book you actually have to write one.  Most people who say they want to write a book, or say they’re writing one, never finish it.
2. While at the audition, you actually have to sing – it’s no joke, not only do you have to write an entire book, you actually have to submit it to someone.
3. Have realistic expectations about your talent – we all secretly hope that what we’ve written will be the next breakout best-seller.  You’ll get offers of representation from multiple agents, who’ll have so many publishers clamouring for your book that it will end up selling at an auction and you’ll never have to work again.  Um, I hate to break it to you, but THAT isn’t realistic.  THAT occasionally does happen, but only to THAT guy who also got struck by lightening three times and survived.  Reality will far more likely result in a rejection letter.
4. After you’ve sung your song, accept criticism gracefully – Criticism is a part of the publishing process.  Be respectful and grateful to anyone who takes the time to evaluate your writing.  To do anything else is rude, unprofessional and stupid.  Publishing may seem like a large industry, but it’s not, it’s more like a small town where everyone knows everyone else.  Nothing spreads faster than bad news or bad behaviour.
5. If you didn’t get a golden ticket, go home, take voice lessons and try again next year– So, your manuscript was rejected.  Now’s the perfect opportunity to strengthen your skills and learn new ones.  Join a critique group, enter contests, take online classes, go to live workshops and go to conferences.  Learn, edit, revise and submit.  Repeat as often as it takes.
6. The judges love singers who take risks musically, have a definitive style and can make well-known songs their own. – Editors and agents are looking for more than good writing, they’re also looking for a compelling Voice.  Every writer has a voice, a combination of style, tone, pace, emotion, theme and technique.  Really good writers are really good because you can’t put their book down – their Voice compels you to read on.  How do you develop your Voice?  There are three ways: write, write and write.
7. Hollywood week has one purpose: to weed out the weak.  Most of the singers who go to Hollywoodwill either quit or get sent home – Publishing is not easy.  Only the strong, the passionate, the dedicated and those writer’s with the ability to adapt to the ever changing market will survive to have long, successful careers.  Strong writers take nothing for granted, keep an eye on where the market is going all while focusing on their deadline next week.
8. Not everyone who gets a golden ticket will end up famous – Most writers don’t earn enough money from their writing to support themselves.  Don’t quit your day job until you actually have enough money in the bank to live for at least one year without earning another dime.
9.  All contestants will be required to sing in styles they may not feel particularly strong in and often surprise the heck out of themselves when they do a really good job – Don’t become complacent.  Try new things once in a while.  I’m not talking about following trends, I’m talking about taking a trend in a new and unexpected direction – yours.  You might score big.
10.  Sometimes the last person you expect gets voted off the show – Art and logic are incompatible.  Things don’t always go the way we expect or want, but failure is only failure if you give up.  If you get knocked off your feet, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get moving again.  Chocolate helps.
A Golden Heart double finalist in 2006, Julie Rowe has been writing for eleven years and has completed eighteen manuscripts.  Her freelance work has appeared in numerous magazines and newsletters. 



April 9 Guest Blog and Review Urban Girl Reader – http://www.urbangirlreader.com 
April 16 Review Smitten with Reading s
 April 17 Guest blog This Author's Life  thisauthorslife.blogspot.com 
April 17 Promo Fang-tastic Books www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com 
April 18 Guest blog Roxanne’s Realm www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com 
April 19 Guest Blog The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com 
 April 20 Guest blog Mila Ramos www.jademystique.blogspot.com 
 April 22 Guest Blog and review  Reading Between the Wines http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/ 
 April 24 Interview (review couple days prior) TBQ's Book Palace http://tbqspersonalbookpalace.blogspot.com 
 April 25 Promo Reviews By Molly  http://reviewsbymolly.com






North of Heartbreak
By Julie Rowe
Since her divorce, Willa Hayes has thrown herself into her work as a nurse practitioner in the remote town of Stony Creek, Alaska. She's regained her self-confidence and her heart is almost healed. Then her newfound peace is shaken by the arrival of sexy flyboy Liam Reynolds. Willa can't deny she's instantly, intensely attracted to him—even if she's convinced he's yet another Mr. Wrong.

Liam has his own reasons for fleeing to the isolation of the north, and a relationship is the last thing he wants. He wasn't counting on being drawn to the pretty nurse who accompanies patients on his flights to southern hospitals.

Fortunately, the temptation—and the desire to avoid anything serious—is mutual. So the pair comes up with an arrangement: sensual, steamy, no-strings fun. But when things heat up on a cold Alaskan night, the rules of the game may change forever...


Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/zSrqOW

B&N: http://bit.ly/zAuLQT

About the Author

Julie Rowe’s first career as a medical lab technologist in Canada took her to the North West Territories and northern Alberta, where she still resides. She loves to include medical details in her romance novels, but admits she’ll never be able to write about all her medical experiences because, “No one would believe them!”

A double Golden Heart finalist 2006, Julie has two books out with Carina Press: ICEBOUND and NORTH OF HEARTBREAK. Her writing has also appeared in several magazines such as Today’s Parent, Reader’s Digest (Canada), and Canadian Living. She currently facilitates communication workshops for her local city college. You can reach her at www.julieroweauthor.com or on Twitter @julieroweauthor

A Writer’s Instinct Guest Blog and Giveaway with Chris Karlsen

We frequently hear instinct referred to in a variety of ways—gut feeling, intuition, sixth sense, to name a few. I’m a retired police detective. In the course of my twenty-five year career in law enforcement, instinct, that gut feeling, served me well many a time. I’d say that’s true for most of the detectives I worked with. After interviewing hundreds of witnesses, victims, and suspects, you develop a sense for the truth about what you’re being told. More importantly at times, you develop a sense for what is not being said.Now that I am able to pursue my dream of writing, I’d say gut instinct is as powerful with most of the authors I know. My critique partners and I often discuss ideas for action and/or characters in our stories. Many times the talk results from a character we weren’t going to include but is nagging us to give him or her a role. Or, it results from something in the narrative that we can’t seem to get right. For me, the perfect example involves my latest book, Golden Chariot.I was inspired to write a story centered around my heroine, Charlotte Dashiell’s fascination with the characters from Homer’s Iliad. She has a controversial theory regarding the subject and an especially romanticized view of Hektor, a prince of Troy. Charlotte is a nautical archaeologist working on the recovery of a shipwreck sunk off the coast of Turkey during the time of the Trojan War. The wreck may hold the proof of her theory regarding the characters and Troy. One of my research books had a drawing of a wreck. The ship was exactly how I pictured my story wreck. There were several underwater scenes where the divers couldn’t use dialogue to communicate. Because this recovery project is so important to Charlotte, I knew I had to make the narrative description fairly dramatic. I looked over and used several different photos as a resource for my narrative but it was that drawing I wanted the most on the page. I wrote and rewrote the scene detailing her first dive and what she saw using that ship as my inspiration. It just wouldn’t come out right. I knew in my gut something was missing. There’s a temptation to not pay attention to that instinct when we don’t know how to fix the problem, at least for me. Frustration won out for a brief time and I left the scene. I moved on with the story. But, I came back. I had to. My writer’s instinct wouldn’t let me settle for “something missing.” I studied the drawing, really analyzed what it made me feel when I first saw it. Sad. Perched precariously on a rocky slope, done in shades of blue and green and black, shrouded in a thin veil of white where the currents churned the sand, the ancient ship looked so lonely and sad. Appearing as though it would slip into the abyss with the slightest provocation, the wreck had held on, waiting three-thousand years for someone to discover her. That was the answer to my scene problem. My reaction became Charlotte’s. I needed to personalize the narrative. When I brought the scene in close to Charlotte, I knew instinctively I had it right. That was confirmed by the positive reactions of my critique partners and by a friend who is one of my beta readers. Charlotte’s emotional connection to the ship and how she describes her feelings to Atakan Vadim, the hero of Golden Chariot, in later scenes serves double duty. It allowed me to delve deeper into Atakan’s thoughts and response to the wreck. We put so much of ourselves into our stories. It’s not easy to change a scene when we believe the language we’ve used is perfect, lyrical even. Lovely as those lines are, you can’t ignore that sixth sense telling you didn’t hit all the notes. With my current work in progress, I’ve run into a situation with a character I intended to give only the tiniest of roles. Deep down, I sensed I should give him a bigger one, but I didn’t know what to do with him. I still don’t.  But, I will figure it out. Instinct and my yet unnamed character refuse to be ignored.      





GOLDEN CHARIOT
By Chris Karlsen
Myth, murder, and money clash in this gripping undersea adventure.

BLURB:

The rare discovery of a ship sunk during the time of the Trojan War has been found off the coast of Turkey, near Troy. Charlotte Dashiell is an American nautical archaeologist and thrilled to be part of the recovery team. The wreck may contain proof of her highly controversial theory about the Trojan War.

Charlotte is present when the Turkish government agent assigned to guard the site is murdered. Her possible involvement and a questionable connection to a private collector of black market relics bring her under suspicion. Atakan Vadim is the Turkish agent sent to investigate her. Unknown to either of them, the smuggler behind the murder plans to steal a valuable artifact and frame Charlotte for the theft...after they murder her.

About the Author:

Chris Karlsen is a retired police detective who spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. Her father was a history professor and her mother an avid reader. She grew up with a love of history and books.

She has always loved traveling and has traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Near East (especially Turkey and the Greek Islands), the Caribbean, and North Africa.

Born and raised in Chicago, Chris has also lived in Paris, Los Angeles, and currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and four rescue dogs.

You can contact her at: chriskarlsenwriter@gmail.com

Or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chriskarlsenwriter


www.chriskarlsen.com








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Crystal Illusions Blog Tour Stop with JE Taylor

Hello and welcome to another stop on my blog tour. Roxanne was kind enough to allow me your undivided attention today and I thought it would be interesting to delve into a strong supernatural theme in most of my books. Now this usually isn't displayed in the paranormal realm. In other words, I usually don't have preternatural beings like vampires or werewolves in my fiction. I have been known to have an angel and a ghost or two show up, but most of my supernatural themes run in the form of ESP. Telepathy, clairvoyance, telekinesis, coercive persuasion (a.k.a. mind control), and even a bizarre form of astral projection all have found their way into my books.

It's a subject matter, like ghosts and haunting, that I've always been curious about. We've all experienced déjà vous from time to time and most dismiss it as just coincidence. What if it's a sign that we've had a prior glimpse of the future and time has just caught up with us? I'm of the belief that we all have a touch of something – and it would be neat if science created a way for us to tap into that part of our brain that lay dormant ninety-nine percent of the time, but then again, how weird would it be to really hear someone else's thoughts?

I don't know about you, but sometimes this would be handy and in other situations, I'm not sure I'd want to know what someone was thinking. In certain jobs, like my main character in Crystal Illusions, this ability would be an advantage. My main character works for the district attorney's office and how cool would it be to hear the thoughts of others. Carolyn's only issue is she doesn't have control over when this function turns on or off, so it's about as reliable as a teenager presented with juicy options.

If I was given the option of being granted just one extra sensory gift based on the arsenal of choices found between the covers of my books, I'd be hard pressed to pick just one. It comes down to whether I'd want to control matter or control minds. Absolute power corrupts and both of these lean into that realm and I'm not sure if I'd be able to resist using mind control to suit my own purposes. I think that bodes for purely selfish temptations. Which leaves control of the physical world, including telekinesis and the ability to heal and I'd prefer this to the mind control option because, frankly, I don't have the squeaky clean moral compass that would be required to handle mind control.

Neither did my characters and it's been an interesting journey trying to keep them on the straight and narrow. Each gifted character has struggled with their own moral compass in relation to the powers they hold and sometimes they cross the line. In Crystal Illusions, Special Agent Steve Williams has a few moments where he exercised his ability to make people do as he wishes, but his application of that is much more chivalrous than how Chris Ryan used those same powers in Mind Games.

So, if you had your druthers, which form of ESP would you prefer to be saddled with?


Thank you for swinging into this stop on my Blog Tour and I hope you'll check out my character interview over at Bitten By Books on the 20th for a chance to win a $50.00 Amazon gift certificate.

If you'd like to check out Crystal Illusions, you can purchase it here on Amazon.


Assistant D.A. Carolyn Hastings has an uncanny knack for putting away criminals. With one of the best prosecution records in recent history, her future as Manhattan's next District Attorney looks certain. But her sixth sense for winning cases threatens to work against her when she starts seeing a string of murders through the eyes of the killer.

With suspects piling up as fast as bodies, and the motives of those closest to her questionable, Carolyn doesn't know who to trust. When the FBI assigns Special Agent Steve Williams to the case, Carolyn discloses her deepest fear - that the man she loves may be the one responsible for the city's latest crime spree.

The only thing Steve knows for sure is Carolyn has an inexplicable psychic connection with the killer, and all the victims have one thing in common…a striking resemblance to Carolyn Hastings.

And he knows it's only a matter of time before this psychopath knocks on her door.

"Taylor has a strong thriller where every single character has reasonable doubt flashing like a neon sign hanging over them, and right from the beginning you are trying to guess who the killer really is. Gripping, rich and magnificent - crime whodunnits don't get any better than this!" Author Poppet / Gemma Rice – Author of Quislings, Blindsided, Djinn and Dusan


Until next time,
Ciao,
JET