Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 531

Guest Blog and Kindle Giveaway with Stephanie Nelson

Hi! I thought I'd tell you guys a little bit about the world that the Gwen Sparks books are set in.
In the books the humans have accepted that supernaturals exist but they still demand segregation. Because of this, there are secret towns all across the United States that house various species. Some allow humans – mainly the towns that house vampires so they have a feeding source. But then there are towns that are protected by magic that humans cannot cross the borders of.
Gwen and the gang live in the town, Flora. It's set in the countryside of Missouri and has a population of around 1,000 residents. Flora is strictly supernatural. To the humans it looks like a cornfield. But inside,Gwen owns a magic shop called, Broomsticks. Her favorite place to grab a coffee is called Espresso Self and if you asked her where to buy a gown, she'd tell you to head over to Andy's shop, Fairy Fabulous. If you're looking to experience a vampire nightclub then you should head over to Aiden's club, Vain.
In book 2, Deceived, the setting changes to another town – Moon. Moon is home to the witch's council (NAWC) and is strictly houses witches. It's set up like an old English town with river rock buildings, thatched roofs and cobblestone streets. Several restaurants sit within its secret borders and a large castle sits upon a hill overlooking the small town.
I've really enjoyed creating the towns in these books and hope to explore more of them in future books!

March 1 Promo and reviewUrban Fantasy Investigationshttp://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/

March 2 PromoMila Ramos Blogwww.jademystique.blogspot.com
March 3 Guest bloghttp://bellebooksx.blogspot.com/
March 5 Promo/ExcerptRoxanne's Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
March 6 Interview and featurehttp:/janieraeldridge.blogspot.com
March 7 Promo and reviewSapphyria's Book Blogsaphsbookblog.blogspot.com
March 8 Guest Blogwww.obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com
March 9 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
March 12 Guest Blog and reviewRomancing the Darksidehttp://romancingthedarkside.blogspot.com
March 15 Promo (possible reviews)GraveTellswww.gravetells.com
March 16 Interview and promoReviewsFiction Fascinationhttp://fictionfascination.blogspot.com/
March 16 Guest Blog (reviews later)Bookin' It Reviews ~ http://www.bookinitreviews.com/
March 19 Review and PromoSit Here and Read
March 19 Guest blog and reviewAislynn @ Stitch Read Cookwww.stitchreadcook.com
March 20 Promo and reviewKeeping Up With The Rheinlander'shttp://mnmrheinlander.com
March 21 Guest Blogsalaciousreads.blogspot.com
March 22 Reviewswww.novelsontherun.blogspot.com

March 23 Guest blog and reviewThe Ink Puddle
March 26 Guest blog and reviewCocktails and Books http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com
March 27 Interview and promoJeanzBookReadNReview http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.com/
March 27 SpotlightRead 2 Review http://read2review.com
March 28 InterviewKay Dee Royal's http://www.kaydeeroyal.blogspot.com
March 29 Reviewswww.zenes-escape.blogspot.com
March 30 ReviewMy Bookish Fairy Talehttp://www.kristenhaskins.blogspot.com
March 31 reviewBoth bookshttp://bookbriefs.blogspot.com


Deceived
Book 2 Gwen Sparks SeriesBy Stephanie Nelson
Blurb:

The vampire drug, brew, nearly ruined Gwen Sparks' life. Just when things started to get back to normal between her and Aiden, she is summoned by the North American Witches Council to their central city of Moon.

A war is imminent between vampires and witches, and Gwen's experiences with brew are being used to fuel the fire. She is about to discover just how powerful she is with the help of the ruggedly handsome Angel of Death and just how far some people will go to get what they want.

Gwen is going to learn exactly what it means to be Deceived.

Smashwords

Author Bio:

Unlike a lot of authors, Stephanie Nelson didn't dream of becoming an author. It wasn't until she jumped on the bandwagon and read about the sparkly vampire, that she fell in love with the paranormal genre. Books quickly became her addiction and the bookstore her favorite place to visit. Devouring one book after another, a story began to form in her head. Ignoring the characters that seemed to speak to her didn't work.

Eventually she gave in, and began to write. After countless attempts of starting and trashing stories, Stephanie gave up. A year later, she found herself sitting in front of her computer again and made a promise to herself that she would finish a full length book. Seven months later her first book, Craved was published and ended up reaching #1 on Amazon's bestsellers list and #6 on the Barnes & Noble bestsellers list.

While she's not writing about a new adventure, Stephanie enjoys watching movies, spending time with her family and traveling. She resides in the Midwest with her husband and furry children.

www.stephanie-nelson.com

https://twitter.com/#!/StephNel1

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Nelson/177640978961830

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Review of The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens

The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This has got to be one of the best books I have read in awhile. I was thrilled and chilled as I read it.


A thoroughly delightful and creepy read. These books reverberate with the lush decadence of death. Gothic and lovely, creepy and scary it's a series you won't be able to pull yourself away from once you enter the world of The Graveyard Queen.

Book one pulled me deep into the depths of the Amelia's graveyards and book two had me shivering as I imagined the sound of the bells of the dead drifting in from the lake (so very creepy- you'll love it).

**Caution spoilers ahead for those who have not read book one**

The Kingdom takes Amelia away from Charleston, away from her sick mother and distant father, and from Devlin, the man she loves who is still haunted by the ghosts of his dead wife and child. Amelia had gotten too close to Devlin and let the spirits in, which could have dire consequences for her and everyone close to her.

So when she's offered the chance to restore a cemetery in Asher Falls she takes it. But as soon as she arrives things are strange. She feels an odd connection to the place she can't explain and there's a ghost that is drawn to Amelia and even though Amelia tries to fight the connection she can feel powerful emotions and thoughts from this spirit, something she's never done before.

Asher Falls has other secrets too- like the creepy old Asher patriarch who wants to control everything and everyone in the town while trying to seem like he's making up for a bad decision that flooded half the town- putting the original Thorngate town cemetery under water (which is such a creepy element in this book).

Then there's the falls and the strange symbols and the feeling of evil that surrounds everything. Add to that the three women (witches?) who lurk around and always seem to be at the center of everything.

Plus Amelia is attracted to a new man, the adopted grandson of the Asher clan. But can she trust him? Can she forget about Devlin?

Amelia learns more about herself and her family lineage than she ever bargained for. The question is- can she handle the truth, the revelations, and everything it means? And how will the evil of Asher Falls play into Amelia's future?

I can't wait for book 3.

I was at first surprised at all of the family history revealed in this book, being only book 2. But then I realized book 1 set us up for the revelations, book 2 gave us the truth, so I am thinking book 3 will probably bring things full circle back to Devlin and the resolution of Amelia's past and future.

I received this book from NetGalley.


View all my reviews

Review A Sliver of Shadow by Allison Pang

A Sliver of Shadow by Allison Pang

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Who wouldn't love a book with a horny unicorn as a sidekick? Phin is so much fun to read- I wish he would have been featured a bit more in this book but that's OK I'm sure his naughty self will show up more in future books.

The second installment of Pang's Abby Sinclair series takes us out of the urban fantasy world and more into high fantasy as she takes us into fairy. This may pose a problem for some readers who prefer their fantasy on the urban side. Me I don't really care, especially when I've already fell in love with the characters.

Plus I read LKH's Merry Gentry series which moves back and forth into fairy a lot. Several other series do as well including Kalayna Price's Alex Craft books which started off in an urban fantasy world and drifted into fairy as the series developed. As long as it's a natural progression to the story I have no problem with the overlap between genres.



I was a little surprised at the revelation in this book about Abby's parentage- but it only reveals a bit of the mystery and adds depth to what's going on, especially when the end comes and you catch a glimpse of the craziness that will happen in book 3.

Abby is a unique character with the flaws and mystery an urban fantasy heroine must have, along with a quirky sidekick, strange magick, family skeletons in the closet, and a complicated love life.

I look forward to reading book 3.

View all my reviews

Developing a Character Guest Blog and Giveaway with Selena Blake

Some characters jump into my head fully formed, dressed, and ready to tell me their story. I love those kinds of characters. At that point I just hang on for the ride.

Other characters need gentle prodding. I'll begin writing about them, telling their story but I'll be learning about them as I go. Some characters are just more private than others.

Characters, in my opinion, are not entitled to privacy.

I need to know all their secrets, hear about the skeletons in their closet. Their worries, fears, hopes, dreams and heck, even their dirty laundry is not off limits. It's only when I know them that I can understand them. When I understand them and where they're coming from I can tell their story.

I ask them lots of questions along the way. Sometimes, in the case of a particularly frustrating (read: tight-lipped) character I'll interview them. Just call me Barbara Walters. :)

Other times I'll ask them what they were doing a week before the story begins. Believe it or not, that backstory tells me a lot about a person. If the heroine was baby sitting her niece and nephew I imagine her in a different light than a woman who spent her free time at the office, catching up on work. Or hanging out with friends during happy hour. Or taking her dog for a run.

Those little details matter. All of those nuances make us who we are. Our values. Our morals. Our history. Our desires in this life...all ingredients that mix together to make a singular dish.

Anyway, that's how I develop characters. I either wait for them to talk to me or I interrogate them until they cry uncle. Writers, how do you develop your characters? Do you use character worksheets? Collages? Note cards? A program? I've even heard of writers using spreadsheets to organize character details!

Readers, who are some of your all time favorite characters and why?

Selena can be found:


http://twitter.com/#!/SelenaBlake

http://site.selena-blake.com/


https://www.facebook.com/authorSelenaBlake



Would you like to win a PDF copy of the Collector's Edition of the Stormy Weather series?
Leave a comment on this post answering Selena's question " Readers, who are some of your all time favorite characters and why?"
Be sure to include your email

Feelin Lucky Blog Hop Giveaway

Today starts the Feelin Lucky blog hop brought to us by http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com and http://www.fictionalcandy.com
I am giving away an ecopy of  Paranormal Pleasures by Roxanne Rhoads (me)



Along with a print copy of Inked Magic by Jory Strong

One winner open to US Shipping Only
To enter fill out the Rafflecopter Form

Interview with Veronica Blade Author of A Bite's Tale

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I work from home and run the family business, so my schedule is pretty flexible. Translated, that means that I rush through all my "day job" duties so I can hang out with my characters sooner. Our children are mostly out of the house and my wonderful hubby is very understanding about being ignored, which allows more time for… you guessed it — more writing time. I'm such an addict.
I started out writing vampire stories for grown-ups, then I read Twilight and a whole new world opened up for me. I missed the YA stage growing up and never knew it existed. Now, I'm making up for it. YA is what I mostly read and write. But if the story speaks to me, I'll happily veer off for grown up stuff, but only temporarily.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, witches and werewolves, that fascinates you so much?
What's not to love? They live longer and they can do things we can't, but they're haunted with problems just like us. It allows for more creativity from the author and more fun for the reader. As an author, I love making up all the rules. This is MY world, baby!
What inspired you to write this book?
Vampires, werewolves and witches, of course!  Cinderella has always been my favorite fairy tale and I've loved all the different retellings. So, naturally, I gravitated to doing one of my own retellings.
Please tell us about your latest release.
A Bite's Tale is about "Cinderella" who spends her nights as a wolf. She's just grateful for each day that passes without her hurting anyone else — she can't even think about what might've happened to her summer love who got the sharp end of her alter-ego's claws when her human self went through "the change." Exposing her inner wolf to a crowded ballroom is not in her plans, but the prince insists that all eligible young women attend. Ditching it is not an option. The prince just wants to find the girl he loved and lost — the werewolf girl who bit him — before his father, the king, forces him to choose a wife at the ball.
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?
By now, I've completed 6 full length novels and 3 novellas. Each one has the main characters, plus a variety of supporting characters — and they all need names. In the beginning, names were extremely important to me. I still take time to come up with just the right name for my hero/heroine, but for the supporting cast, not so much. Now, I might go up to my employee and say, "Give me the first thing that comes into your head: Girl's name that begins with H." And whatever she gives me is what I go with.  
I've even been known to ask this of my hubby!
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
I found Hayden of Something Witchy This Way Comes most challenging. The reason we like bad boys is because they're exciting. But they're also, well, bad! The trick is to make them sympathetic, which is hard to do when they're doing bad things. So you really have to show their emotional growth and you must make them believable. But if you do it right, the reader will swoon properly J
Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
I think Zack from My Wolf's Bane (summer 2012), because he's the only werewolf in a family who doesn't know that werewolves exist. He's basically on his own in that respect, so he's had to grow up fast. Also, because he's a werewolf, he's physically mature for his age. While he prepares for a future on the run, he works a part time job and studies hard to graduate high school. All that while he cares for his mother who is terminally ill. Basically, he's this big hunky guy who works hard and loves his mom. Can't go wrong with that.
Do you have a formula for developing characters? 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?
Both. I definitely have a character sketch going in. But I always get hijacked at some point (yes, they are real people and they eventually take over without my consent) and then I have to make adjustments.
What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
My favorite scenes are always the kissing scenes. What can I say? I'm a romantic. But if I can't pick a kissing scene… In A Bite's Tale, I like when she's getting ready for the ball. I'm sappy that way.
Did you find anything really interesting while researching this or another book?
Thrown to the Wolves (winter 2012), the prequel for My Wolf's Bane, is set in the 14th century. Eli is a sword smith, so I researched how to make a 14th century sword. Back then, they used borax to fuse the metals together, then they heated it up and pounded it into shape. Borax! Who knew?
What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
Haha! I had to bite my hubby's neck while he was trying to bite mine. It's not physically possible, by the way, but it's fun trying!
Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
The real world doesn't have witches, vamps and shape shifters, obviously. Also, A Bite's Tale is set on a fictitious island, Isle de Paix (In English, it's Island of Peace, because it's like Switzerland for monsters). Although after it was published, I discovered there is a real place in Canada called Iles de Paix (slightly different spelling), which is a wildlife preserve in Canada. Hmph! And I thought I was being clever.
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?
A Bite's Tale is a stand-alone. But there will be others in the Furry Fable series, all retellings of popular fairy tales — with witches, shifters and vamps. Each story will be independent of the others. But that's up the road.
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
Oh, geez, I have such a difficult time keeping myself out of my characters. For instance, all my heroines are a little bit sassy. They're all witty and none of them take crap from men. I'm not sure if I'm capable of writing a meek girl with low self-esteem.
Do you ever suffer from writer's block? How do you deal with it?
I rarely get writer's block. On the rare occasion that it happens, it's because the story line just isn't working. If I can't work it out pretty fast, I start that part from scratch. But I don't usually have to resort to that, because if I'm really deep in my hero or heroine's head, they'll tell me what needs to happen next.
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?

Does staying up way too late count? Other than that, no.
Do you write in different genres?
Everything I write is sweet romance — mostly urban fantasy YA. But Blind Date, Checkmate is a contemporary grownup novella and From Fame to Shame (will be released for free at the end of March) is contemporary YA.
Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?
Not at all. I like the variety. Other genres also give an author an opportunity to pick up readers they may not have acquired otherwise.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
About 4 and a half years ago when I sat down to write my first novel.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
Scrabble on FaceBook. Dr. Pepper. Oh, yes!
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
The Vampire Diaries, the TV series. Team Damon!! I'm such a junkie for The Vampire Diaries, it's sad. You know how they say guys think about sex every few seconds? That's how I am with TVD. Pathetic, but true!
What was the last amazing book you read?
Susan Bischoff has a series called The Talent Chronicles. I read a short freebie a few weeks ago, Impulse Control and still think about it almost daily. Totally sweet, yummy YA love story.
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
I don't get as much time to read as I'd like. I have a Kindle Fire that I take everywhere with me, so I always have something to do waiting in line at the bank, the grocery store or whatever. I'd love to read at night, but usually by the time I turn out the lights, I've already been nodding off for at least an hour and I conk before I finish one page.
What can readers expect next from you?
From Fame to Shame, a contemporary YA novella, which will be released for free at the end of March 2012.
When good-girl Maddie switches places with her famous bad-girl twin Jackie, she has some pretty high stilettos to fill.

Despite the danger of tabloid drama if their identity swap is discovered, Maddie has to save her sister's butt.  When Jackie's ex-boyfriend shows up with a rekindled spark for "Jackie," his deep gray eyes and sweet kisses make Maddie's heart thumpety thump. But dating the guy who dumped her sister is a no-no. Too bad Dallas isn't used to girls saying no. What will happen when he discovers Maddie's deception?
Where can readers find you on the web?
www.VeronicaBlade.com or @VeronicaBlade at Twitter. I'm also easy to find on FaceBook and Goodreads (I usually have some sort of giveaway going on Goodreads). I love hearing from readers!
Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Yes and thank you so much for having me! J  Here is an excerpt from A Bite's Tale: A Furry FableIf I'd known it could be like this and that she'd wanted it too, I would've kissed her ages ago. I mentally kicked myself for wasting all those weeks when we could've been doing this the entire time.
Her hand crept up under my shirt and her fingers trailed along my back. Goosebumps danced on my skin. She pressed closer against me and I took the kiss deeper, letting loose my weeks of pent up craving for her.I didn't think life could get any more perfect than being with Cindy. And I no longer yearned for a normal life. I wanted things to stay exactly as they were at that moment. With my Cinderella.
Forever.
A soft moan erupted from my throat when she angled her face to take the kiss still deeper. I slid my arms around her waist and the tips of my fingers inched up underneath her tank top.
She shivered.
But it wasn't a usual shiver. Her whole body began to tremble and I nearly lost my hold on her. I pulled back. Cindy's eyes grew huge and her pupils dilated.
She threw her head back, her limbs vibrating as she growled. No, not a growl. It was more like a dull roar, full of pain and anguish. Was she… was my Cindy about to turn into a werewolf? Or was it something else? Maybe if I held her again, whatever was happening to her might stop. I lunged for her.
"Get away from me!" Sobbing, she shoved me back, but in the process, one of her claws raked across my chest.
I flinched, as blood beaded on my skin. A little scratch wasn't going to stop me though. Not when Cindy needed my help. I stepped forward again.
Her lips curled up, exposing long, growing teeth and she shrieked. Yeah, she'd hit werewolf maturity all right. But she hadn't completely morphed. Just her teeth and nails. Maybe if I calmed her, she could prevent it from progressing. I wrapped my arms around her waist, as I'd done just moments ago, and pulled her close.
She shrieked again, then searing pain shot through my arm.
Werewolf bite. Oh, crap. My dad was going to kill me… unless the werewolf virus beat him to it.
The forest spun around me and I couldn't keep my eyelids up. My muscles went lax and when the ground rose to slam against me, I didn't feel a thing.




March 5 reviewSmitten with Reading – http://www.smittenwithreading.blogspot.com/
March 7 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
March 8 InterviewThis is From My Heart Http://janieraeldridge.blogspot.com
March 11 Promo and review The Daydreamer's Book Obsessionhttp://thedaydreamer3.blogspot.com
March 15 Promo (review later)Ce-Ce`s Garden of Reviewshttp://cecesreviews.blogspot.com
March 15 PromoRabid Reads - http://www.rabidreads.ca/
March 16 PromoI Just Wanna Sit Here and Read! www.sithereandread.com
March 22 review and interviewParanormal Indulgencehttp://www.paranormalindulgence.net
March 24 PromoRoxanne's Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
March 26My Bookish Fairy Talehttp://www.kristenhaskins.blogspot.com
March 31 InterviewRomancing the Bookhttp://www.romancing-the-book.com
April 2 review (both books) and promo/excerptChapter by Chapterwww.chapter-by-chapter.com
April 3 Promo and InterviewJeanzBookReadNReview http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.com/
April 4 Promo and reviewWords of Wisdom from The Scarf Princesshttp://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com/
April 5 InterviewThis Author's Lifethisauthorslife.blogspot.com
April 5 Promo and reviews http://everythingtodowithbooks.blogspot.com
April 6 InterviewBookSpark: http://book-spark.blogspot.com/
April 11 PromoGrave Tellswww.gravetells.com

April 12 Interview***Singing and Reading in the Rain***
April 13 reviewForget About TV, Grab a Book http://forgetabouttvgrababook.blogspot.com/
April 14 Guest blog Read2Review http://read2review.com
April 19 Interview and reviewBooks Are Magic http://vidya-booksaremagic.blogspot.in/
April 21 reviewB'Tween Prose http://btweenprose.blogspot.com
April 23 Interview and reviews Beverly @ The Wormholehttp://wormyhole.blogspot.com
April 26 Interview and reviewRead it.. Blog it.. http://readit-blogit.blogspot.com/
April 28 promo and reviewsFiction Fascinationhttp://fictionfascination.blogspot.com/
April 30 Reviewhttp://www.curlingupbythefire.blogspot.com
A Bite's Tale: A Furry Fable
By Veronica Blade
A sweet romantic tale with a Cinderella spin featuring vampires, witches and werewolves

Blurb:

A Cinderella who spends her nights as a wolf. A prince with a taste for blood.

Seventeen year old Cydney struggles against her werewolf nature, trying to keep everyone around her safe. No way will she risk exposing the beast at the prince's ball, no matter how her two cousins try to persuade her. Even as she attempts to get on with her life, Cydney can't forget the boy she loved three summers ago — or what she did to him after losing control.

Turned into a vampire to save his life, the prince refuses to live up to his royal duties. He just wants to find the girl he loved and lost...the werewolf girl who bit him. But his father, the king, commands him to attend a ball where he must choose a wife. Can he find his Cinderella before he's forced to marry another? He doesn't even have her real name, much less a glass slipper.


Amazon

About the Author:

Veronica Blade lives in Southern California with her husband and whichever of their kids — or someone else's kid — decides to drop in. By day she runs the family business, but each night she slips away to spin her tales. She writes stories about young adults to relive her own childhood and to live vicariously through her characters. Except her heroes and heroines lead far more interesting lives — and they are always way hotter.

You can visit Veronica Blade on FaceBook, check out her website at www.VeronicaBlade.com or follow her on Twitter @VeronicaBlade. She loves hearing from readers!

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000174247353
Twitter: @VeronicaBlade
Website: VeronicaBlade.com

Guest Blog Rob Tobin

Thanks to Roxanne for letting me hijack her wonderful blog as part my blog tour for my new urban fantasy eNovel "Jo-Bri and the Two Worlds." Rox has always been extremely supportive of my writing, and helped me with a very successful blog tour for my last eNovel, "God Wars: Living with Angels." Both novels are available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Smashwords, etc.I tackle some extremely controversial issues in "Jo-Bri and the Two Worlds." I do so intentionally, knowing that it may backfire on me. I'm a huge fan of Robert Heinlein's seminal "Stranger in a Strange Land," and I wanted to achieve a little of what that novel achieved: to encourage people to really look at who we are as a species and a civilization, and to walk away thinking of how we can do things differently.It wasn't easy, because I wanted to create an exciting, action-filled adventure, but wanted to use that entertaining story to say something that mattered more than just magic and battles. And I wanted to make sure that the action and violence did not overshadow or even negate the message of the piece, but I also wanted to make sure that the action and entertainment was enough to allow readers to "get" the message without feeling as if they were being preached at. It's a fine line, one that Heinlein walked brilliantly. But, since I'm no Heinlein (I can hear it now: "I knew Robert Heinlein, Robert Heinlein was a friend of mine, and you, sir, are no Robert Heinlein." With which, by the way, I totally agree), I knew I had to be extra careful.What is so controversial about the novel? Well, let's see… I talk about sex… a lot. Not because it's soft porn, but because sexuality is at the heart of who we are as human beings. Our most important task, propagation of the species, is all about sex, so is the theory of natural selection, biology, genetics, etc. More importantly, sex is at the heart of psychology and psychiatry and sociology. And, even more than talking about sex, I talk, as Heinlein did, about "free love," advocating it, relishing it, reveling in it, and using it to convey the most important principle in the book: love is the recognition of God.It certainly harks back to Heinlein's most famous line: "Thou Art God," but perhaps takes it a step further. What do you call that process of recognizing God in others, recognizing that "thou art God?" Love. And I use that as a springboard for everything else of substance in the book. If love is the recognition of God in ourselves and others, then what of war? Murder? Hate? Racism? Sexism? Oppression? Simple: all of those are the failure to recognize God. I go even one step further: denying God in others is denying God in ourselves, because there is only one God, and we can't deny that one God anywhere and not deny Her everywhere.Heady stuff, but don't worry, it's all wrapped in a tasty sandwich of sex, action, comedy and drama that will pull you in before you even realize that the book is also dealing with this other "stuff."Rob Tobin is a produced screenwriter, published novelist ("Jo-Bri and the Two Worlds" and "God Wars: Living with Angels", available on Amazon.com and iBookshelf), author of two screenwriting books ("The Screenwriting Formula" and "How to Write High Structure, High Concept Movies" available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Google, etc.), a former motion picture development executive and book editor, graduate of USC's prestigious Master of Professional Writing program, husband, father, Canadian, and lives an extraordinarily happy life in Southern California. He is available for writing assignments at scripts@earthlink.net. Visit his website at robtobinwriting.com.

March 1 review and interviewButterfly-o-Meter Bookshttp://butterflyometerbooks.blogspot.com/
March 2 Promo Simply Kayla's Book Reviewshttp://simplykayla0203.blogspot.com
March 5 Guest blogMama Knows Bookshttp://mamaknowsbooks.blogspot.com/
March 6 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
March 7 Guest BlogPatricia's Particularity www.patriciasparticularity.com
March 7 Guest BlogNight Owl Reviews Blogwww.nightowlreview.blogspot.com
March 9 PromoRoxanne's Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
March 10 Guest blogIndiewritersreviewhttp://indiewritersreview.wordpress.com/
March 13 Guest blogParanormal Romantic Suspensehttp://sjclarke.com/blog-2/
March 14 PromoChapter by Chapterwww.chapter-by-chapter.com
March 15 Guest blogLisa's World of Bookswww.lisasworldofbooks.net
March 17 Guest blogstories with bite o,.,o http://ravencorinncarluk.blogspot.com
March 30 InterviewBook A Day Spotlight www.justviews.net
March 31 Guest blogRead 2 Reviewwww.read2review.com



Jo-Bri And the Two Worlds
By Rob Tobin
Blurb:

A teen wizard from a sword-and-sorcery world is chased by an evil sorcerer into modern day Montana. There he learns about sex, love, rock and roll, and the stress of trying to save two worlds from total destruction during summer break.

Add it to your Kindle

"Jo-Bri" follows in the tradition of entertaining social statement SFF novels like "Stranger in a Strange Land" and "Left Hand of Darkness," but with the modern, fast-paced feel of urban fantasies like "Twilight" and "Jumper."

Author Bio:

Rob Tobin is an award-winning, produced screenwriter with his latest film shortlisted for a 2012 Best Picture Oscar, a published novelist, and former motion picture development executive. Rob was brought up and worked the gold mines in Timmins, Ontario, Canada, Shania Twain's hometown. He now lives in beautiful Huntington Beach, California with his lovely wife Leslie and goofy brown dog.

Feel free to visit Rob at his website: Robtobinwriting.com

Guest Blog and Kindle Touch Giveaway with MM Shelley

Hi Everyone! I'm M.M. Shelley and I'd like to give a BIG thanks to Roxanne, for having me on her blog today so that I can share my novellas:The Zombie Story & Dead RelativesThey are about Magick and Zombies, a little different take on the Zombie genre and follows the adventures of Orlando as he arrives in a new city.
Ruben Juarez has always been careful; he's had no choice not to be. Orphaned at a young age it has been just him and Elodie, his younger sister, they avoided the foster system by staying anonymous. It hasn't been easy and it has made him feel disconnected.
To make money he became involved with underground fighting and he has become quite good at it. He can detect someone's weak spot just by watching how they carry themselves. Ruben has never boasted about the number of wins he has on his belt or about anything else for that matter. Boxing has always been a way for him to burn off steam, a way to forget about everything and just live in the moment. 
He didn't begin hunting zombies until he learned that he could make money at it. He was approached by a man named Maxwell who made him a generous offer if he would agree to train Orlando Drake.
It was an odd offer, but the money was good so he didn't question it. Maybe he should have questioned it and just maybe he should have walked away. If he had not felt a deep responsibility to look out for his sister he just might have walked away.
His dream would be to just ride on his motorcycle from town to town, nowhere in particular--just far away from everyone who knows him. Ruben has never been one to run away from his responsibility but if it wasn't for Elodie he just might decide to up and leave.
Thanks again to Roxanne for hosting this stop on my tour! You can find me over at my blog; mmshelley.blogspot.com or on twitter @MM_Shelley 
I would also like to let everyone in the Los Angeles area know that on March 31st Mysterious Galaxy bookstore will be hosting an event for the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, myself and 9 other writers will be there!
Mysterious Galaxy-Events

March 1 Interview and reviewsYoung Adult Book Reviewswww.yafictionbookreviews.blogspot.com
March 2 Guest blog and reviewPatricia's Particularity http://www.patriciasparticularity.com/
March 3 PromoMama Knows Books http://mamaknowsbooks.blogspot.com
March 5 Guest blogFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
March 6 Interview and reviewhttp://www.wonderlandreviews.blogspot.com/
March 7 review, promo, giveawayChapter by Chapterhttp://www.chapter-by-chapter.com
March 8 PromoRoxanne's Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
March 10 and 11 ReviewsMarch 11 Interviewhttp://booklog.eternalised.net/
March 12 Guest blog and reviewAli's Bookshelf
March 12 reviewSnowdrop Dreams of Bookshttp://www.snowdropdreams.ca
March 13 GUets blogSnowdrop Dreams of Bookshttp://www.snowdropdreams.ca
March 15 PromoBittersweet Enchantment http://www.bittersweet-enchantment.com/
March 16 PromoAll the days of (Book Blog)*
March 17 Guest blogRead 2 Review http://read2review.com
March 18 PromoInk Spots and Roseshttp://inkspotsandroses.blogspot.com
March 19 guest blogI Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!www.sithereandread.com
March 21 Review"Forget About TV, Grab a Book" http://forgetabouttvgrababook.blogspot.com/
• The Zombie Storyo promo - March 20tho review - March 27thhttp://aobibliosphere.blogspot.com/
• The Dead Relativeso promo - March 22ndo review - March 29th http://aobibliosphere.blogspot.com/
March 25 Interview, promo, reviews laterJeanzBookReadNReview http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.com/
March 27 reviewsMother/Gamer/Writerwww.mothergamerwriter.com
March 29 and 30 ReviewsSapphyria's Book Reviewssaphsbookblog.blogspot.com




The Zombie Storyby MM Shelley

Unfolding on the streets of Los Angeles is a new breed of monster...

Orlando, fresh from the mid west, arrives at his new high school on his Harley Davidson.

All he wants is to make it through the day, and begin his training as a Zombie Hunter.

But someone has different plans for him.

The Zombie Story is the first novella in a young adult series.
Dead Relatives Book 2by MM Shelley

After discovering what was hidden in Mexico and having to sneak back across the border Orlando returns to Los Angeles, but is unable to return to his home.

Instead of hunting Zombies he is now hunted.

Betrayed by those he thought he could trust, Orlando must keep the truth of what he knows to himself.

That is until dead relatives return with dire warnings.
About the Author:

M.M. Shelley is a storyteller, word smith and dreamer. MISHAP AND MAYHEM, a captivating story of faerie's and magic, is her debut novel. She has traveled the world extensively in search of the magic which is often overlooked in everyday life. M.M. Shelley is a native of southern California, and a student of mythology from which she gets much inspiration.

Visit M.M. Shelley at her blog: www.mmshelley.blogspot.com


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Guest Blog with Denise Alcea

The Original EndingBy Denise Alicea
So we all have original endings that we have come up with when writing and absolutely loved right? Well what happened to your ending? Did it get elaborated or did it change completely. So before I got published, I had a dear friend of mine edit my short story, Consoling Angel. Since the story took place with two characters, one who traveled back in time. My original ending was a short ending and got straight to the point or so I thought. You learn so much from the editing process. I learned that we have to take it easy and explore the character progression and emotional journey. My main character, Mira was going through a process of withdrawal and becoming very introverted due to her father passing. I needed to add more about what happened with James and Mira. So a suggestion from my editor was that to add more to the middle. What I ended up doing was giving Mira and James more time together in the past. So always look at your ending and ask yourself is this this the right thing for your reader?
The Original Ending
Chuckling softly, he touched my hand and I froze. "Maybe we have met."  Hearing his voice with the warmth of his hand upon mine, I nearly dissolved, feeling nothing around me. This had to be Jimmy reincarnated.  As Ms. Winkler continued her art lesson about drawing, I turned my head and smiled at him. This was the gift fate was willing to hand me along with the message: I guess you can find love across time or maybe it just finds you. James and I looked at each other again with knowing smiles. This was the start of something new in my life.

Feb 27 Guest blogRoxanne's Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
Feb 29 ReviewSapphyria's Book Reviewswww.saphsbookblog.blogspot.com
March 1 Guest Blogwww.sithereandread.com
March 3 Guest BlogFang-Tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
March 8 Interview and reviewFiction Fascinationhttp://fictionfascination.blogspot.com/
March 10 Guest Blog and reviewAlways a Booklover http://alwaysabooklover.blogspot.com
March 11 Guest Blog (review)Read 2 Review http://read2review.com
March 15 InterviewNight Owl Book Lover's Magazine


Consoling Angel,
YA Short StoryTime Travel/Romance

Mira did not know what she had in store the day she fell asleep while wanting to escape her current situation. Overcoming the death of someone close and burying herself in school and an internship has kept her somewhat awake and alive.

An admiration for the actor James Dean was all that kept the memory of her father alive. If she couldn't be with her father, she could at least remember what they shared. She always wanted to meet James Dean.

Be careful what you wish for. It may just come true.


Buy link Amazon , FictionWise ,All Romance

About the Author:

Born in Manhattan, New York and raised in Connecticut, she found that she was more interested in what went on in the past, than in the future. Denise always enjoys reading a variety of book genres such as ancient history, fantasy, science fiction, poetry, and romance. She has a great respect for the arts, her first love being drawing and painting. Writing is a medium that would inspire her to share the ongoing stories in her head.


Author website: www.denisealicea.com
Twitter: @denisealicea
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorDeniseAlicea

THE GIFT by CJ Carmichael Spotlight on Bandit Creek Books

The Gift

A Bandit Creek short story
by C.J. Carmichael and Carla Roma

When is the wrong thing, the right thing to do?

Amy Gold, Bandit Creek's kindergarten teacher, is not the sort of person to flout the law. Especially since she's dating the local deputy, Gray Cassidy. But an unexpected Christmas gift is about to change everything--not just Amy's plans for a traditional Christmas, but her entire future, and Gray's as well
About the Author

C.J. Carmichael
Hard to imagine a more glamorous life than being an accountant, isn't it? Still, CJ Carmichael gave up the thrills of income tax forms and double entry book-keeping when she sold her first book in 1998. She has now published 30 novels with Harlequin, and has twice been nominated for a RITA award. CJ likes to write stories about romance, family and intrigue. She's inspired by real-life scenarios...the kind you read about in magazines and watch on the nightly news on television. When it's time to take a break from the computer, she heads to the Rocky Mountains near her home in Calgary. If you'd like to learn more about her books, or see photos of her hiking exploits, check out her website: http://cjcarmichael.com and watch for her frequent contests.

THE GIFT by CJ Carmichael


Chapter One

Amy Gold didn't know how local rancher and part-time deputy Gray Cassidy had ended up as her boyfriend. A couple of fun dates had somehow morphed into a real relationship. She had to put a stop to it. And soon.

She'd tried to do it a month ago, after the Thanksgiving dinner she'd made for him. But he'd gone and told her that hers was the first turkey dinner–with all the fixings–he'd ever had. The crusty old grandfather who'd raised him hadn't believed in celebrating holidays.

"What about Christmas?" she'd asked. Gray's answer had shocked her. He'd never had a Christmas Tree, never sung a carol, never exchanged gifts…

She hadn't been able to resist. She'd promised him that this year was going to be different. This year he'd have a proper Christmas.

Which explained why she was out in the snow and the cold on Christmas Eve, struggling to hang fairy lights from her gutters and around the frame of her front picture window. The snow was pretty, but it didn't make her job any easier, weighing down her eyelashes and making the rungs of the ladder dangerously slippery. But she was almost done now. The final touch was an angel, which she was placing in the center of her  living room window. The angel had been formed out of white-coated wire, all of it glowing with a hundred tiny, silver lights.

Come dark it would look fantastic.

Amy fastened the last clip, then climbed down the ladder, and stepped back for a better view. Her tiny bungalow looked magical, if she did say so herself. Worth the two hours she'd spent outside, the numb fingers and toes.

She folded the ladder then carried it behind the house to store in her garage–not an easy job given all the stuff she had packed in here. She wove her way around the boxes of craft supplies for her kindergarten class, the mountain bike she used every summer, her toboggan, skis, snowshoes… hard to believe she'd accumulated so much stuff in the eight years she'd lived in Bandit Creek. Finally she found the nail in the wall where she hung the ladder. By the time she stepped outside again, the snow had stopped.

Well, didn't that just figure. Now that she'd finished her work, the sky was clearing up.

Stomping her boots on the outside mat, she entered her house through the rear door, leaving her coat on the hook and her gloves spread over the heat register to dry. Aromas of cinnamon and cloves filled the air–testament to the baking she'd been doing today.

She'd gone all out.

Not like last Christmas, when she hadn't even put up a tree. But then, last year she'd still been adjusting to her new reality. Even now she had days when it was hard to find her trademark, cheery smile. The sadness could come at any time, a bulldozer bearing down on a narrow country road.

Determined to keep her spirits light, Amy turned on a CD of high-spirited carols. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer…" she sang, as she placed slices of orange and lemon into her pot of mulled wine. No Silent Night for her. That had been her mother's favorite and even after eight years facing Christmas without her was hard.

"Had a very shiny nose…" she continued, with determination. Gray was coming over later, around nine, after he finished feeding the cattle. She just had to keep her spirits up until then. It was impossible to be sad when Gray was around. His great sense of humor was what had first attracted her to him–not to mention his sexy blue eyes.

Gray was new to Bandit Creek. He'd moved here six months ago, after inheriting a thousand acre ranch from his Uncle Bo. Gray had quickly made himself an important part of the Bandit Creek community, signing up as a part-time Deputy as well. That job was how she'd met him, when he'd come to speak to her kindergarten class in October.

They'd talked after school let out for the day and he'd asked her out for coffee. She'd figured it couldn't hurt to say yes. He'd seemed like the sort of guy who was only out for fun–nothing serious. But coffee had led to an invitation to dinner and they'd spent hours after that walking through town and talking. When she got to know the real Gray, the hidden depths, she'd discovered qualities that were hard to resist. Honor, loyalty, and most winning of all, kindness.

Just last week he'd shared his plans with her about his future. He'd grown up an orphan, in a quiet, loveless home with his grandfather. He wanted something different for his future. A loving marriage. Lots of children, noise and laughter.

She'd known then she couldn't put it off much longer. She'd give him the perfect Christmas she'd promised.

But the very next day she was going to break up with him.

*****

"All I want for Christmas is…"

A child of my own.

Now where had that wish come from? Amy had been singing as she prepared the stuffing for tomorrow's roast turkey dinner. Sipping mulled wine, swaying in time to the music–living in the moment the way her counselor had advised.

The song kept playing and when the chorus came around for the second time, Amy very purposefully and loudly sang: "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!"

She added chopped hazelnuts to the dressing, then a dollop of brandy. Yum, this was going to be so good. She transferred the mixture from her frying pan into a bowl, then stuffed it into her fridge above the shelf that held the enormous twenty-pound turkey Gray had purchased from an organic farmer who lived down the road from him. She'd laughed when she'd first seen it. "Gray, there are only two of us for dinner!" But he'd pointed out they could donate the leftovers to Helping Hands, so nothing would be wasted.

He was thoughtful that way. Always thinking about how he could help others. It was one of the qualities she most lov–

No. She did not love Gray. She was just awfully fond of him. They made good partners in so many ways. Like during that early blizzard in November. She'd helped him with the chores at the ranch, then they'd driven into town in his truck and gone sledding down Toboggan Hill, then ended up under the quilt in her four poster bed…

Oh, there were many things she was going to miss about Gray Cassidy once he was out of her life. But she had to make him leave. It was only fair. Why should he miss out on a family just because she had to?

Anyone walking into her kitchen right now would think she had a houseful of children. They'd see the fridge covered with children's art projects; jars of home-made modeling clay lined up on her counter; photographs of five and six-year-olds on her walls, that she'd taken in class, capturing special moments in her pupils' days.

But that was the problem, wasn't it? Her work days were full with children. But her nights…

Amy blinked,  took another sip of mulled wine. At least she was alive. She pressed a hand to the scar that ran across her belly.  She was one of the lucky ones.

The timer buzzed, and she checked inside the oven to make sure the pumpkin pie had set.  Mmm–Gray was going to love this. She placed it on the counter to cool, then checked the clock on the stove. Almost eight now. She had to change. She wanted to wear something pretty and a little bit sexy. Maybe the red–

The doorbell chimed, catching Amy by surprise. It was too early for Gray, who never used the bell anyway, just called out a greeting as he entered the unlocked door. Who would be visiting on Christmas Eve? She'd had lunch with her girlfriends earlier in the day and they'd exchanged gifts then. And she had no family in town…

She waited to see if her doorbell would ring again. It didn't. But then she heard a muffled thud. Maybe someone was dropping off a package on her front porch? She hurried to the door, and opened it cautiously.

A little bundle was on her porch all right. But it was no package. It was a little girl.