Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 554

HalloweenExpress.com $75 Giveaway and Review

Have you got a Halloween costume yet?
Can you believe I haven't?
I know, I know....too picky, right?
Yeah, that's me. For some reason I am being extremely picky this year.
But thanks to Halloween Express all 3 of my kids picked out costumes perfect for them. My five year old picked out Tow Mater- he and his father absolutely adore Mater and when the little man spotted the Tow Mater costume on the Halloween Express website- hat was it he knew what he wanted to be for Halloween.
And the costume is so cute. It comes with Mater- Mater is a full truck all 3D that fits over my little guy like a vest. It also comes with a matching hat. It can be worn over regular clothes and so easy to put on. Plus he has enough room to bundle up underneath in case it's cold Halloween night when we go trick or treating.
My daughter was rather undecided for awhile until she found this spider web gauze ghost costume - it came with the white wig and everything. Then we added a set of spiderweb fingerless gloves .
She loves it and it is perfect for her.
She can wear layers underneath to stay warm and it fits her signature dark and scary Halloween style. LOL My oldest had to go with something that scares even me-Carver the Killer Clown.
I blame Stephen King's IT for my clown issues.
Anyway, my son is already having a blast with the clown costume. He left the mask in his car and it scared the crap out of me one night. Yesterday I found it hanging in the mud room. Awesome, I'm being stalked by a killer clown.
Yes leave it to the teenager to pick out something truly scary-
And if scary is what you're going for the Carver the Killer Clown costume may be perfect. You might be surprised at how many people have clown issues.
Here's my oldest in just the creepy mask


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List all your entries in the comments please
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1 winner will be chosen next Wednesday

Winner Wednesday

Felicity Heaton's Her Warrior Angel ebook and swag winner is Julie

Lynn Rush's Wasteland winner is Scorpio1974

CJ Ellisson's series winner is

Barbara

The winner of Betrayed is Julie

Print copy of The Vampire Way is

Patsy

The winner of Hunters by Gregory Marshall Smith is

Tanya1224

The winner of Somewhere in Between by Stacey Kennedy is

Cecile Smutty Hussy

Blood Eternal Tour Launch and Giveaway

Party Time for BLOOD ETERNAL!
One week until the release of BLOOD ETERNAL, and I am ready to celebrate! Not just because it's a new release, but because it's the culmination of a trilogy (Awakened by Blood) of which I'm very proud and which I had such a lot of fun writing! And somehow, embarking on a Bewitching Book Tour with it, courtesy of the wonderful Roxanne, makes it all one heck of a party :-).
So what's the trilogy all about? It's a vampire romance/urban fantasy series following the surely doomed love of academic researcher Elizabeth Silk for the Ancient vampire Saloman, whom she accidentally awakened in BLOOD ON SILK. Bestselling author Michele Bardsley said of this opening book:
"BLOOD ON SILK is sensual and thrilling, a wonderful combination of vampire myths old and new. Saloman and Elizabeth's relationship is both amazingly hot and terrifyingly complicated. Readers will fall instantly in love with the world that Marie Treanor has created. You cannot miss this novel!"
Saloman is a dark, dangerous vampire, the strongest who ever existed, and he's determined to take his revenge on those who staked him three hundred years ago, and to achieve his ambition of ruling both vampire and human worlds. To reach his full power, he needs to kill his Awakener, Elizabeth, who is torn between her growing feelings for Saloman and her loyalty to her friends the vampire hunters who believe Saloman and all his kind should be eradicated.
Somehow, by the start of BLOOD ETERNAL, Elizabeth and Saloman are not only still alive, but in an acknowledged if troubled relationship, even though they frequently fight on different sides. The awakening of an old, if beloved enemy threatens everything Saloman's worked for, including his relationship with Elizabeth. While Elizabeth herself has to confront illness, prophesy and the profound temptation of BLOOD ETERNAL…
Come on, give in! You know you want to! Celebrate my new release with me on my Bewitching Book Tour!
September 27 Fang-tastic Books Tour Partywww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
September 27 Guest Blog and Giveawaywww.bookofsecretsblog.com
September 28 Guest Blog The Rest Is Still Unwrittenhttp://rachybee-the-rest-is-still-unwritten.blogspot.com/
September 29 review and guest postLeilani Loves Bookshttp://leilanilovesbooks.com
September 30 Guest Blog Jenny and Kaitlin -- The Nerd GirlsAt Books to the Skyhttp://www.bookstothesky.com/
October 1 Guest Blog and ReviewGetting Naughty Between the Stacks- http://gnbstacks.blogspot.com
October 2 Spooky Legends eventAll Things Urban Fantasyhttp://allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com/
October 3rd Guest Blog Romancing the Darksidehttp://romancingthedarkside.blogspot.com
October 4 Guest Posthttp://bibrary.blogspot.com
Oct 5 Review¡Miraculous! thestephanieloves.blogspot.com
October 6 ReviewFelicia @ Livin' Life Through Books. http://dream-wish-live.blogspot.com

October 7 Interview and reviewAmong the Museshttp://www.amongthemuses.com

October 8 Interview and reviewParanormal Opinion http://paranormalopinion.blogspot.com

October 10 review and guest blogThe Enchanted Book http://theenchantedbook.blogspot.com/
October 11 Review and InterviewUrban Girl Reader http://www.urbangirlreader.com
October 12 Guilty Pleasure Post Another Look Book Reviewshttp://anotherlookbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Oct 13 Vampire Awareness Monthhttp://katiesalidas.com
October 13 Guest Blog Oct 14 review Bending The Spinewww.bendingthespine.blogspot.com
October 14 Interview (Books reviews three days before)The Blog is Frequent Reader, Infrequent Bloggerhttp://www.frequentreaderblog.com/
October 14 ReviewsMichelle's Book Bloghttp://michellesramblins.blogspot.com
Oct 15 Guest Blog Lauren's Book Baghttp://laurenstvtotebookbag.blogspot.com/
Oct 17 Interview Laurie Thoughts & Reviews http://lauriethoughts-reviews.blogspot.com
October 18 InterviewKay Dee Royal Blog http://www.kaydeeroyal.blogspot.com
Oct 19 Interview and ReviewWords of Wisdom from The Scarf Princesshttp://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com/
October 20 Guest Blog and ReviewUrban Fantasy Investigations http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/
Oct 23 Review and Guest PostRamblings From This Chickhttp://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com/
October 23 Guest Post and Reviewhttp://booksfromthepurplejellybeanchair.blogspot.com
Oct 24 Guest Post and ReviewsReader Girls www.readergirls.blogspot.com
October 25 InterviewLaura Kaye's Author Bloghttp://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com/
October 25 InterviewAuthors By Authorshttp://authorsbyauthors.blogspot.com
October 26 Interview and ReviewBeverly @ The Wormholehttp://wormyhole.blogspot.com

October 26 Bite Club Review and Guest Blogwww.vampchixreadbooks.blogspot.com
October 27 Guest Blog and ReviewCocktails and Bookswww.cocktailsandbooks.com
October 28 Interviewhttp://donnasbloghome.blogspot.com/
October 29 Guest BlogTyras Book Addiction www.tyrasbookaddiction.blogspot.com
Oct 30 Guest Blog and Reviewhttp://secretsofabooklover.blogspot.com
October 31 Guest Blog and ReviewReading Larkhttp://readinglark.blogspot.com/


Blood Eternal
By Marie Treanor

Awakened by Blood, Book 3

Signet Eclipse
Mass Market Paperback
4th October 2011

Secrets don't disappear after seduction...

Elizabeth Silk is struggling to reconcile her passion for the vampire overlord Saloman and her allegiance to the vampire hunters. When a shocking vampire revolt calls Saloman away from her, she refuses to follow him.

To make matters worse, Saloman's beloved cousin Luk has been found and awakened by one of his greatest enemies. Frenzied with bloodlust, Luk embarks on a killing spree and prepares to expose Saloman's biggest vulnerability: Elizabeth.

But under Saloman's regime, vampires have become less concerned with secrecy, no longer willing to hide their power. Rumors are swirling about attacks on humans. After Saloman joins forces with the vampire hunters to consolidate his power, Elizabeth begins to understand her role in the inevitable collision of the two worlds. She could bring resolution between vampires and humans—if she can manage to stay alive long enough to play both sides….



Blood Sin

Awakened by Blood, Book 2

Even if you walk in the light, you can dwell in the dark.

Months after her dangerous encounter with vampire overlord Saloman, Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is still trying to cope with both the demands of her ancestral bloodline—which marks her as a vampire hunter — and the overpowering desire she feels for the immortal she brought back from the grave. But she is not alone in her fascination with Saloman.

When Elizabeth tracks down a distant cousin from America, she learns he possesses an antique sword that has caught the interest of the Grand Master of the American hunters. It is the ancient and mystical sword of Saloman — a treasure of vast occult powers and a prize beyond measure to both vampires and humans. Now the race is on for possession of the sword.

Even as her enemies and allies shift their allegiances and battle for supremacy, Elizabeth must decide which will rule her own perilous fate: unwanted loyalty or unholy love.

Blood on Silk
Awakened by Blood, Book 1

The debut of a seductive new series of vampires, lust, and revenge.

Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local folktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend's most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help - yet fearing Saloman's deadly blood lust - Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie...and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.


Author Bio:
Marie Treanor lives in Scotland with her eccentric husband and three much-too-smart children. Having grown bored with city life, she resides these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing sensual stories of paranormal romance and fantasy.

Marie Treanor has published more than twenty ebooks with small presses, (Samhain Publishing, Ellora's Cave, Changeling Press and The Wild Rose Press), including a former Kindle bestseller, Killing Joe. Blood on Silk: an Awakened by Blood novel, was her New York debut with NAL.

In the Awakened by Blood series, Marie is delighted to be able to bring together her long-standing loves of vampire stories and Gothic romance.

Website: www.MarieTreanor.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Treanor-Paranormal-Romance/105866982782360

Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marietreanornewsletter

Blog- Marie Treanor's Romantic Theme Party:
http://romanticthemeparty.blogspot.com/



Giveaway Time
Want to win a print copy of Blood Eternal Open to US Shipping?
Then leave a comment on this post with your email
Receive a bonus entry for each:
Liking Marie's Page on Facebook
Following her blog
Following the Bewitching Book Tours Blog
And Liking the Bewitching Facebook Page

Interview and Giveaway with Nancy Holzner

Please welcome Nancy Holzner today. We're kicking off her Bewitching Book Tour for the newest book in the Deadtown Series, Bloodstone.

Thanks, Roxanne, for inviting me to kick off my Bloodstone blog tour at Fang-tastic Books. It's fun to be back.

It's always a pleasure to have you here, Nancy. Can we start by telling readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?

I began my career as a medievalist, and I've always enjoyed reading old myths and legends. One of the things I like best about urban fantasy is the way many authors borrow from ancient mythologies and bring elements of those old stories into modern settings. When I decided to get serious about writing fiction, I first tried to write a literary novel (that didn't go anywhere). Next I wrote a mystery, which was published by a small press. But when I had an idea for an urban fantasy series that would draw from some of the medieval Welsh stories collected in the Mabingion , it felt like coming home.

Please tell us about your latest release.

Bloodstone is the third book in my Deadtown series. Deadtown is a section of Boston that's home, by law, to the city's paranormal population. It was created when a mysterious, fast-acting plague swept through downtown Boston, turning two thousand citizens into zombies (although Deadtown's zombies aren't the shambling brain-munchers you've seen in horror films). The quarantine zone eventually became Deadtown.

In the first two novels, my protagonist, Victory Vaughn (a shapeshifter who's a professional demon exterminator) saves Boston from an out-of-control Hellion and stops the demon plane from taking over the human world. In Bloodstone, a serial killer stalks Boston's South End, making tensions run high between the city's human and paranormal populations. As Vicky soon learns, the killer's ultimate goal is something far worse than mere murder.

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

Tina, Vicky's teenage zombie sidekick, is always fun to write. Tina was caught in the plague at the age of fifteen, when she and a friend skipped school to go shopping. As a zombie, Tina has gray-green, spongy skin, red eyes, superhuman strength, and a bigger-than-superhuman appetite. As a teenager, she's sarcastic and wears too much makeup. She was Vicky's demonslaying apprentice until she quit to pursue a career as a backup singer for a zombie pop star. She's fun to write because she's a zombie and kind of a brat, but she still has big dreams and a big heart. When Tina walks into a scene, I'm never sure what she'll say or do.

What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?

Right now, I'm writing Darklands, book #4 in the Deadtown series, which will be out next summer. There's a scene in that book that takes place in a Massachusetts state park called Purgatory Chasm . A couple of months ago I went hiking in the chasm to check the place out. I was picturing gently sloping trails in the woods; the actual chasm trail is more like jumping from one boulder to another down a steep slope. I was wearing sandals—totally the wrong footwear. I should've had hiking boots. I walked the whole trail, but I was lucky to get out of there without a sprained ankle.

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?

Deadtown (book 1) was written as a standalone, but with hopes that a publisher would want to turn the story into a series. I've had readers tell me that they read Hellforged (book 2) first and didn't feel lost at all. With Bloodstone, we're getting a little deeper into Vicky's overarching story. I've tried to make Bloodstone easy to follow for someone who hasn't read the previous books. On the other hand, the story gets more complex and the characters grow and change as a series continues, and there has to be room for that. When I start a series from the first book, I appreciate hints and reminders in later books to keep me up to speed, but I don't want to relive the previous books' story over and over. It's a balancing act.

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

I get stuck when I'm trying to play God and move my characters around like pieces on a chess board. The characters dig in their heels and refuse to act like my puppets. My husband says I sound crazy when I say things like that, so let me put it another way: I get stuck when I'm thinking too hard about my story from the perspective of a writer. In other words, as the writer I know what I want to have happen in a scene, and I know what's coming up in the story. If I try to force the story down a certain path, I get stuck. The cure is to pull back and look at the story through the characters' eyes. They don't know what's coming yet. They're experiencing thoughts and feelings and assumptions that I'm not thinking about, because I'm already focused on the next scene. I can almost always get a scene moving again when I quit taking a God's-eye view and get down on the ground with my characters.

Do you write in different genres?

I mentioned earlier that a small press published my first completed novel, a mystery set in upstate New York titled Peace, Love, and Murder . For that novel, I set out to write the kind of mystery I most enjoy reading—one that has quirky characters, some humor, and lots of action. I recently made Peace, Love, and Murder available as an inexpensive ebook, and lots of readers have asked for a sequel. So that sequel will be my next project. I'll probably publish it straight to ebook format. It'll be fun to work on, because it's very different from the world of Deadtown. There's nothing paranormal, and the narrator is a man who grew up on a commune and rebelled against his hippie parents by joining the Army at age 18.

Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?

My "day job" is writing nonfiction, mostly how-to and reference books, so I've always been able to switch writing gears when necessary.

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

I'm an opera fanatic, especially Italian opera. The funny thing is that I love to travel, and I've never been to Italy—yet. It's my dream to go to the Verdi festival in Parma.

What was the last amazing book you read?

I think Erin Kellison's entire Shadow series is amazing. I loved books 1 and 2, Shadow Bound and Shadow Fall, and the third book, Shadowman (which just came out) is at the top of my TBR pile. The books are gorgeously written dark fantasy romance. They're full of danger and action, strong emotions and passion. Erin has built a complex, seductive world that really pulls me in, like the world of fairy tales made real. I love her writing.

Where can readers find you on the web?

My website and blog are at www.NancyHolzner.com . I'm also on Facebook and Twitter , and I blog with a group of other fantasy and horror writers at Dark Central Station .

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

I always have a lot of fun writing the scenes set in Creature Comforts, a monster bar located in the no-man's land between Deadtown and human-controlled Boston. Creature Comforts is run by Axel, a seven-foot-tall giant who's definitely not human—but no one's quite brave enough to ask him what he is. In this excerpt, Vicky goes to Creature Comforts to ask Axel to give refuge to an injured friend.

Any hope that Axel was having a slow night fled as soon as I opened the front door. Laughter and music blasted out. Creature Comforts was packed with women, dressed for a night of partying. They filled all the tables and spilled out of the booths. As I stepped inside, I was hit by the bar's characteristic perfume of beer, tobacco, and a slight whiff of human blood—shot through tonight with a strong scent of musk. On tables at the back, two half-naked male dancers, humans, performed an athletic bump-and-grind routine.

Oh, great. I'd walked into a werewolf bachelorette party.

Massachusetts was one of a handful of states that recognized marriages between paranormals. Other states had passed laws restricting marriage to humans only. Although some norms in "Monsterchusetts" objected to paranormal marriage, no one seemed to mind the money it brought the state. It had become fashionable among werewolves to have a norm-style wedding in addition to whatever ritual they performed at the full moon. In Boston, a whole industry had sprung up offering destination weddings to werewolves.

I scanned the crowd, but didn't see a face I recognized. I knew most of Deadtown's werewolves through Kane. These were definitely tourists.

"Hey!" One of the women stood up and pointed at me. She wore a tight, super-short, low-cut black dress and a crooked tiara sparkling with pink and white rhinestones. She flipped her glossy blond hair back over her shoulder, managing to make it look like an act of aggression. "This is a private party. The bar's closed."

Damn territorial werewolves. When they traveled in a pack, even out-of-towners acted like they owned the place.

I ignored her and walked toward the bar.

She was in front of me before I got halfway across the room. Her nostrils flared as she sized me up in a few sniffs. She bared her teeth—not a very impressive gesture in her human form—and growled. "I said it's a private party."

"Do I look like I'm here to crash your party?" I gestured at my ruined dress.

She didn't look at my outfit. She stared the the sword in my hand, the one I'd taken from the Old Ones.

Oh, that. Well, yeah, I could see how that might be interpreted as a threat.

I didn't have a sheath for it, so I stuck it under my arm, where I hoped it seemed less dangerous. I stepped to the left, intent on getting around her. "I need to talk to Axel."

She growled again and dropped into a fighting crouch. Jesus, the full moon was still three weeks away and she was going into feral overdrive.

"You want to challenge me? Fine." I dropped my purse on the floor and shifted the sword to my right hand, ready to use it. I wouldn't have minded two blades in a fight with a werewolf, but I wanted to teach her some manners, not kill her. Besides, it was bad form to rummage through your purse for a dagger at the start of a fight.

BLOODSTONEBy Nancy Holzner
Book 3 Deadtown Series
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Ace
Release date: September 27, 2011
ISBN-10: 044102100X
ISBN-13: 978-0441021000

Boston's diverse South End is known for its architecture and great restaurants, not its body count. So when mutilated human corpses begin turning up in the area, the entire city takes notice. The killer—dubbed the South End Reaper—uses a curved blade for his grisly work. And even though there's no real evidence pointing to a paranormal culprit, the deaths are straining the already-tense relations between Boston's human and inhuman residents.
As the bodies pile up, Vicky, her formidable aunt Mab, and her werewolf boyfriend Kane investigate, only to find that the creature behind the carnage is after something much more than blood…


About Nancy

Nancy Holzner grew up in western Massachusetts with her nose stuck in a book. This meant that she tended to walk into things, wore glasses before she was out of elementary school, and forced her parents to institute a "no reading at the dinner table" rule. It was probably inevitable that she majored in English in college and then, because there were still a lot of books she wanted to read, continued her studies long enough to earn a masters degree and a PhD.
She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, she's worked as a technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college admissions counselor, and corporate trainer. Most of her nonfiction books are published under the name Nancy Conner.
Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve, where they both work from home without getting on each other's nerves. She enjoys visiting local wineries and listening obsessively to opera. There are still a lot of books she wants to read.
http://nancyholzner.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-Holzner/163746834500
http://twitter.com/#!/NancyHolzner



Nancy is giving away this unique piece of bloodstone jewelry and a signed copy of Bloodstone--no geographic restrictions- this means open to international shipping.

To enter please leave a comment on this post with your email address
Earn an extra entry for "liking" the Facebook Pages belowand Following Nancy on Twitter
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-Holzner/163746834500
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Interview and Giveaway with Madeline Freeman Author of Awaking

* Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I've been reading for as long as I can remember. I love all sorts of books, but I've always had an affinity for young adult titles. Maybe it's because, as a high school teacher, I spend most of my time around teenagers. Maybe it's because I'm just young at heart. Either way, almost all of the ideas I have for stories involve young adults. I've always been interested in paranormal things, so lots of my ideas are paranormal—at least in part.

* Please tell us about your latest release.
Awaking is a young adult urban fantasy book—the first installment in the Naturals trilogy. It centers around Morgan Abbey, a girl whose mother disappeared nearly a decade earlier and who does psychic readings for her high school contemporaries. When the mysterious Kellen comes into her life and claims he has information both about Morgan's mother and her abilities, she finds herself at the center of a struggle she didn't even know existed.

* Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
In the world of this series, there exists a group of people with powers beyond those of normal people. This group, called the Veneret, are able to do things like influence moods, read thoughts, cause people to do things they may not want to do, even know future events. These people exist within the world, but beside it—above it. Because of their abilities, success comes easily to them. Still, their wealth and status are not enough for them.

* 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?
Absolutely, readers need to be aware of what happens in the first book (Awaking) to be able to fully enjoy the second (Seeking). Of course, at the beginning of book two, I attempted to take a couple of paragraphs catching readers up (or reminding readers, if it's been a while since they read Awaking). Still, as a reader, I think it's important to read all the books in a series in order to understand everything that's going on. This trilogy is definitely intended to build on itself, so I think it's difficult to read the books as stand-alones.

* Do you ever suffer from writer's block? How do you deal with it?
Yes, I have suffered from writer's block. Sometimes I wonder if it's because I have too many ideas, too many stories started. To deal with it, I attempt to take the pressure off myself. If I make the goal of writing at least one sentence a day, I find I can deal with that. It's not impossible, and even if I only write one sentence, I'm still moving forward. Of course, usually, I'll write more than a single sentence, but it's nice to know that on a busy day, there's no "all or nothing" mentality—no thought that if I don't write a thousand words or two pages or a page, I've failed. As long as I can move forward, I find the writer's block eventually resolves itself.

* Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
When I write, I prefer to have my cat, Fat Baby, present. He likes to lay on the desk in my office. While I'm writing, I can reach over and pet him and he'll purr… It's very relaxing! If he's not there, I can still write. I just like it better when he's there.

* When did you consider yourself a writer?
I've considered myself a writer since about the fifth grade, but I didn't necessarily considered myself an author until I had the physical copy of Awaking in my hands. Perhaps others wouldn't see it as a distinction, but I do. In my mind, a writer is merely someone who writes; whereas, an author is someone whose writing is read by others.

* Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I love the English language. I like reading books on the rules of grammar and word use. I also like reading books in general, as I'm sure most writers do. I enjoy riding my bike. I like snuggling with my cat. I play the guitar—not well, mind you. I enjoy sewing. I love hanging out with my sister or my girlfriends and laughing until I cry.

* What can readers expect next from you?
I'm working on Seeking, the next book in the Naturals trilogy. After finishing that and Becoming, book three, I'm thinking of working on a vampire book. In general, I'm not a huge vampire fan—I think that's why I want to do something with them. I want something that's not trite, something that's not a "vampire fairy tale." This vampire book I'm thinking about might end up being two books. We'll see once I've got more time to focus on it. After that, I'll be reworking a book I finished back in the ninth grade—a book concerning witches. So, it looks like I'll be working in the YA paranormal/urban fantasy vein for a while now.

* Where can readers find you on the web?
I've got a website—http://www.madelinefreeman.net. I'm also on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/madelinefreemanbooks) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/laurealinde).

* Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
There was a large island in the middle of the kitchen, and all manner of cups and beverages were lined up on it. At the far end of the island, Morgan noticed a group of guys standing protectively around a keg. She rolled her eyes and started toward the island. She was within a few steps of it and put her hand out to grab a two liter when a girl pushed her way into the space Morgan was about to step in to. It only took a split second for Morgan to recognize the unruly blond curls of Shayna Malcolm, Lynna Rochester's third-in-command.

Instinctively, Morgan stopped, not wanting to make bodily contact. But then she felt anger swell within her and, without pausing to think about what she was going to do, she changed direction so that she stepped next to Shayna and shoved into Shayna's shoulder with her own. The cup Shayna was filling tipped over and cola went everywhere.

"Oh, Shayna!" Morgan said, putting her hands to her mouth in mock horror. "How incredibly rude and self-centered of me to have not noticed you there."

Shayna Malcolm glared at Morgan. Then she looked down at the brown cola spot consuming much of the front of her short white skirt. She glared at Morgan again.

"Bitch! How dare you!" Shayna screeched.

Morgan just looked at her evenly. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

For a moment, Shayna just gaped at Morgan. Through her peripheral vision, Morgan noticed that people around them were staring.

"God, you're such a freak!" Shayna spat the last word like a malediction, as though Morgan should run away and cry upon hearing it. When Morgan's even expression didn't change, Shayna tried again. "What are you even doing here? This party isn't for losers like you. Why don't you just go home and be freaky all by yourself?"

Morgan said nothing. Instead, she took a step closer to Shayna. In the strappy heels, she was inches taller than Shayna was, and she used this to her advantage. She leaned in close and stared unblinkingly into Shayna's eyes.

At first, Shayna tried to hold Morgan's stare, but she finally took a step back, looking away. "Psycho," Shayna muttered as she turned from Morgan. Then, glancing back, she raised her voice enough so that the people around them could still hear. "But I guess it shouldn't surprise me that you're a psycho, considering your dad killed your mom and cut her body into tiny pieces so no one would ever find—"

A few things happened in quick succession—so fast, in fact, that later, Morgan would be unsure which happened first. Morgan felt a rage bubble inside her so hot and so fast she forgot to breathe. A fire seemed to fill her from the core of her being outward, and a rushing sound filled her ears. All she could feel was the rage and all she could see was Shayna.

And then Shayna started screaming.



September 19 Guest Post and ReviewThat Bookish Girlhttp://thatbookishgirl.blogspot.com/
Sept 19 Interviewhttp://www.darkangelwritingtools.com
Sept 19 ExcerptBookin' It Reviewshttp://www.bookinitreviews.com/
Sept 19 ReviewGothic Mom Reviews
Sept 20 Guest Blog and ReviewThe Ramblings of Amy – http://amylunderman.blogspot.com/
September 21 guest post and September 22 reviewhttp://www.curlingupbythefire.blogspot.com
Sept 22 Guest PostSapphyria's Book Reviewshttp://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/
Sept 23 Interview and reviewBeverly @ The Wormholehttp://wormyhole.blogspot.com
Sept 24 Interview and reviewCocktails and Books / www.cocktailsandbooks.com
Sept 24 reviewBraintasia Bookshttp://www.braintasiabooks.com
Sept 25 Guest Blog and ReviewLissette E. Manning http://lissetteemanning.wordpress.com
Sept 25 InterviewFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
Sept 26 InterviewLaurie's Interviews http://lauries-interviews.blogspot.com
Sept 26 reviewhttp://booksfromthepurplejellybeanchair.blogspot.com



Awaking
By Madeline Freeman
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Blurb:

Morgan Abbey's life is about to change.

Just weeks before her senior year is set to begin, a mysterious stranger approaches Morgan with information that has far-reaching ramifications. First, the psychic ability she believes she has just been pretending to have since middle school might actually be real.

Second, her mother, who disappeared abruptly and completely almost a decade ago, might still be alive.

Morgan finds herself in the drawn into a centuries-old struggle involving a group of people who quietly coexist alongside the common people of the world. This shadowy group believes it is time for them to reclaim their former positions of power—and they believe Morgan is the key.

But when the time comes, will Morgan be able to do what it takes to reunite with her mother and fulfill her destiny?

Available at Smashwords and Amazon

Author Bio:

Madeline Freeman lives in the metro-Detroit area with her husband, her cats, her sister, and her sister's cat. In her spare time, she reads, sews, rides her bike, and watches way too much TV on DVD.

She also loves anything to do with astronomy, outer space, plate tectonics, and dinosaurs. This is her first published novel.

Connect with Madeline online:
http://www.madelinefreeman.net
http://twitter.com/laurealinde
http://facebook.com/madelinefreemanbooks
Giveaway Time
To enter to win an ebook copy (winner's choice Nook, Kindle or pdf version) of Awaking leave a comment on this post
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Interview and Giveaway with CJ Ellisson

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

I haven't been writing all that long. I've been ill for several years and had to leave my previous career in real estate and property management. Writing became a means of escape and a passion very quickly for me.

When I did decide to try my hand at it, I picked what I love to read – strong heroines with a problem or mystery to solve in a supernatural setting, if there was sex in the book, then all the better!

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

I love the versatility. With no other "creature" depicted in fiction do we see stories that fall under horror, romance, suspense, adventure, crime solving, and even erotica. The freedom to create a character with a seemingly unlimited lifespan is amazing.

Want to write an historical? You can. Want to jump 50 years into the future for a change of pace? You can. If you've done your job well, and created a vampire character people love and connect with, your readers will happily jump into the new tale you've spun.

What inspired you to write this series?

Hot monogamy was the first inspiration. I got tired of reading a kick-ass adventure with a great female lead, only to find out she's messed up yet another love connection or we have to have a new guy in the next story just to keep the chemistry going. Who says the magic stops after the initial burst? Why not keep the two together and have them live adventures side by side?

That's what I wanted to read more of, so that's what I wrote. It doesn't fall under a romance for that reason. Editors kept telling me to break up the couple if I wanted the book to sell, but I didn't agree – and neither did my readers. I loved reading about real situations where the couple snarks at one another, disagrees, and is occasionally frustrated with their mate. That's life. But they stick it out – no matter what.

Please tell us about your latest release.

The Hunt picks up where Vampire Vacation left off. Each story is a stand-alone adventure, but there is an underlying story arc that will be concluded in three books. While the first book was told from the heroine's point of view, and done in present-tense (meaning the reader is experiencing the tale at the same time the main character is, not relayed as a re-telling of events in past tense), the second one is different. In The Hunt, we get to see the adventure unfold from all the viewpoints of the characters we introduced in book one.

It received amazing feedback from the beta readers, and so far the readers are enjoying it. It was a style I'd never done before and it was hard to pull off the seven narrative voices, but in the end I'm glad I told the story that way.

Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?

I may be the only writer I know who doesn't get attached to my character's names. I found it incredibly hard to keep coming up with names that didn't sound fake or over the top. The way I worked around it was to allow my readers on Facebook to pick names, we even voted on a few, or I'd steal some of their names and name characters after them – much to their enjoyment!

Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?

In this second book I'd have to say Jonathan, the werewolf. I wanted him to have conflicted emotions and be in pain over them. But I love him so much it was hard to get it all out and express it well. I kept wanting to erase his pain from the story and gloss over it.

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

I'd have to say Paul. He's a new vampire who worked as the resort's head chef before getting turned. He makes mistakes, he screams like a girl, he bumbles a bit… overall he's just fun.

Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?

I have started to write down their physical attributes – hair and eye color, as well as background history – to keep track of details. But basically, I let the character develop as I write.

What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?

Hmm… my favorite would have to be the one I agonized over the most. It's a scene where Asa doubts his path and questions his recent choices as a fledgling vampire. He misses his family and feels out of sorts losing the security he felt being in the military prior to changing. The chapter moves kind of slow, it was designed to be a breather for the reader, but because it involves two characters based on my real-life nephews it really touched me. I hope the readers enjoy it, too.

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?

Yes, they can be read as stand-alones. But, I'd like to warn readers I don't repeat a lot of data over and over again to bring new readers up to speed. Basic information is certainly covered, but I can't stand it when pages are devoted to explaining the world in a series I've come to love. I wind up skipping over the extra data most times.

There is a story arc over the first three books dealing with Vivian's old enemies. But there are distinct plots in each individual title resolved by the end of the book.

Do you write in different genres?

Yes, I write contemporary fantasy, erotica, and middle grade fiction under another pen name (title not released yet).

Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?

Not yet. Writing the middle grade book was a challenge with word choices sometimes, like making sure it stayed at the correct reading level and didn't go over the kids' heads. In one instance I used the word "berate". My mom read the chapter over and said, "You need to substitute this word, a twelve-year-old would not think 'berate'." She was right – I swapped it out to "scold".

When did you consider yourself a writer?

I'm not sure exactly, perhaps when I landed an agent. All the previous rejections made me feel like a hack. Turns out I was just submitting to the wrong agents. I went after romance ones because the book had graphic sex scenes in it. Little did I know that didn't matter.

The agents who handled primarily romance stories were looking for more formulaic character motivation – split up the couple or make them on the verge of divorce, then have them come together in the end.

Once I landed an agent who liked it as it was and believed in my work, I felt like things all came together.

Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?

The bathtub. It's like a private oasis – quiet, serene, alone. Thankfully, I've never dropped my Kindle yet ;-)

What can readers expect next from you?

Book three in the series should be ready before the holidays; I'll keep readers posted on the progress on Facebook and on my Website. Also, I need to finish the middle-grade book for my kids and get that published. They're so proud of me but they can't read anything I've written. This book will be a gift for them and I hope it finds an audience, but I'm not counting on it.

Where can readers find you on the web?

Primarily I hang out on Facebook . I find the interaction to be easier and not as "right now or you're out of the conversation" as Twitter is. I also blog once a month on the home page of my website. If readers would like to read some free original fiction and non-fiction they can find me posting monthly at Digital Digest and Everything Erotic .

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

Excerpt from The Hunt:

Chapter One

As I lie here, curled around my husband's firm body, I begin to wonder: Am I crazy? What in the hell made me think organizing a hunt, here at our hotel, would be a good idea? Over a dozen supernatural predators are flying in from all over the world; ones who've paid an exorbitant price for the privilege of removing their everyday masks and killing one of their own kind. I must be crazy.

I have a feeling this week is going to turn out to be more than any of us bargained for. Self-doubt plagues me as I rise from the warmth of the bed and stroll, naked, to my closet. The glow of the artificial landscape lighting beams in through the windows. The changing gradient indicates it's probably midday here above the Arctic Circle.

Part of my nervous edge could be associated with learning to trust the new members of our seethe. While the vampires appear upfront and honest—as much as a pack of bloodsuckers can be—my old habits of distrust have served me well over the years.

The two months since November's tracking and killing of Ivan have been a trial for me, this upcoming hunt week has been a long time in the planning, but I don't have to like it. Having anyone from the Tribunal of Ancients on our property sucks, especially when I have no idea who they're sending.

Grabbing the clothes I set out in the wee hours of the morning, I head to the shower in our private suite.

The hot water cascading over me fills my mind with horrible memories of my own first hunt. My seethe wore cloth-lined, silver skullcaps to thwart my unique vamp-to-vamp mind-control abilities. They orchestrated the hunt to rid themselves of their "pet" manipulator. What started for the group as demented undead fun, ended with a young, redheaded vampire surprising them all with her ability to kill ruthlessly and without remorse.

The blood of my seethe-mates once covered my body, as the water does now. Later, I stacked their headless corpses in our old farmhouse before setting the structure on fire. Killing that sick group was the least I could do to avenge the murders of my first and second husbands. Considering all I'd been through under their rule for twenty-six years, I let the bastards off easy. Thankfully, even a semi-mortal vampire can only die once—if it's done right.

The sound of Rafe stirring in the next room pulls me out of my dark thoughts and tells me he's getting up as well.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," I call out over the noise of the water. "Get enough rest?"

"You mean after you ravaged me for hours? Oh yeah, I slept pretty damn sound."

Blurb of book two, The Hunt:

Vivian thinks she can control every aspect of a deadly game with her usual manipulations... but what if she can't?

Seven vampires and seven werewolves pay to hunt a supernatural criminal across the cold, vast grounds of an Alaskan resort. The one to catch her, and live through the encounter, will increase their power by feasting on hers.

The tiny vampire they track is more than she appears, however. To escape a fate of twelve years in silver chains, she'll do anything to survive the weeklong excursion. This time, the darkness holds more than just the stinging bite of the Arctic--it holds death.

Journey along, in this next installment of The V V Inn series, for a wild ride as the tale is told through the eyes of all the new seethe members.

Warning: This book contains some explicit sex scenes and is not intended for readers under 18.

Blurb for book one, Vampire Vacation:

Meet Vivian. She's a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sex, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions has created the perfect vacation spot—a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true.

Vivian knows the best performance requires perfect timing, but the powerful vamp is put to the test when she discovers a corpse in a locked guestroom minutes before the next arrivals. Always cool-headed, Rafe hides the body, convinced he and Vivian can find the culprit without disturbing their guests.

Juggling the increasingly outrageous demands of their customers while tracking a killer isn't easy. Will their poking and prodding give them the answers they need, or will it uncover secrets Vivian would kill to protect?

Warning: This book contains some explicit sex scenes, intended for mature readers only.

Author Bio:

C.J. Ellisson writes erotica and urban fantasy. Her vampire series, The V V Inn, mixes a heavy dose of erotic elements with suspense, action, a little bit of mystery and some light humor. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband, two children, two dogs, and a fluffy black cat who makes her sneeze.

To learn more about C.J.'s books (where you can read half of the novels for free), please visit her website at www.cjellisson.com














Giveaway Time!
Want to win an ebook of each
The Hunt and Vampire Vacation?
Leave a comment on this spot with your email address
1 winner will be chosen


Be sure to visit all the other stops on the tour
Sept 13 Interviewhttp://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com/
Sept 12, 13 reviewsSept 14 Guest Blog http://www.bookstothesky.com/
Sept 15 InterviewRabid Reads - http://www.rabidreads.com

Sept 15 Guest BlogTyras Book Addiction www.tyrasbookaddiction.blogspot.com
Sept 16 Review and Guest BlogAwesomesauce Book Clubhttp://www.awesomesaucebookclub.com/
Sept 18 Guest Bloghttp://alittlebitofnaughty.blogspot.com
Sept 19 Interview Among the Muses http://www.amongthemuses.com

September 19 Live Radio InterviewBK Walker Blog Talk Radio 12 pm EST
Sept 20 reviewhttp://thatbookishgirl.blogspot.com/
Sept 21 review and guest postwww. zenes-escape.blogspot.com
Sept 22 Guest Blog (reviews in Oct) Bite Clubwww.vampchixreadbooks.blogspot.com
Sept 24 Interview and Giveaway
Fang-tastic Books
www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
Oct 1 Interview and ReviewLaurie's Thoughts & Reviews http://lauriethoughts-reviews.blogspot.com

Oct 1st and 2nd reviewsBookLover's Hideawayhttp://booklovershideaway.blogspot.com

Oct 1 Vampire Vacation Reviewhttp://booksfromthepurplejellybeanchair.blogspot.com

Oct 7 Reviewhttp://booksfromthepurplejellybeanchair.blogspot.com
Oct 7 Guest Blog and GiveawayVampChixwww.vampchix.blogspot.com
Oct 8 Guest Blog (reviews on Oct 9)www.hesperialovesbooks.com
Oct 10 Review at Love To Read For Funwww.lovetoreadforfun.com

Oct 10 short guest piece and sexy excerptsRoxanne's Realmwww.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
Oct 14 Guest Bloghttp://jowannashotromances.blogspot.com

Interview and Giveaway with Lynn Rush

Please welcome author Lynn Rush to the Fang-tastic stage today for an interview and giveaway of her new book Wasteland.

Please tell us about your latest release.

It's titled, Wasteland. How 'bout I give you a little Twitter version of what it's about: A tormented half-demon seeks salvation in a teen's prophesied power, but he must resist her tempting protector or face eternal damnation.

It's my debut novel, and I couldn't be more happy with Crescent Moon Press.

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 do try and match things when I can. For instance, I named my character, David, because I had David and Goliath in mind (story from the Bible in case anyone isn't aware of that.) David faces insurmountable odds and fights valiantly. I figured it was a good name for my half-demon character. J Plus, he's four centuries old, so I needed an "older" name.

Do you have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character develop as you write?

I do a Mind Map. You might have heard of these before, and I'm actually doing a little workshop over at the Museitup conference on October 4th about Mind Mapping. Basically I put my main characters (hero and heroine) in bigger boxes in the center of the page, then I start letting the ideas flow. Lines darting out every direction with ideas, thoughts, conflicts, characteristics, etc.

But then, I just write. I'm a Seat of the Pants writer, so I start out with pretty much nothing other than a mind map, and then I let the characters unfold as I go.

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

Not so much writer's block as just a slow in the flow of words. Some days they come freely, almost faster than my little fingers can type. But then, for whatever reasons, things slow down. When that happens, I love going for long bike rides or runs. Helps me work through whatever is choking the flow. Loud, rocking music (Skillet, P!nk, Red to name a few) really get me going, too! So inspiring and motivating.

Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?

I have this ratty old sweatshirt. It is faded and stained and…OLD! But it's my fave. Love cuddling up in that and having a write-fest. Oh, and having a bowl of milk duds near the computer is a must!

When did you consider yourself a writer?

Ha…I just recently did a blog post on that. When I first started writing, I didn't realize the difference in lingo. You're called a Writer until you're published. Then you're known as an Author.

Who knew, right? LOL

But I guess once I started getting requests, finaling in contests, and got my agent I considered myself a writer. Still weird calling myself that. And now, I need to switch over to getting used to calling myself an Author.

Titles.

Whatever I'm labeled is okay. I'll just keep on writing! I LOVE it.

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

I have a few. Passions: My hubby. Love being with him. He's my best friend and soul mate. His love pretty much inspires the stories I write. Interests/hobbies: Cycling and running. I love to go out and ride 60-70 miles at any given time. Such a freeing time for me. I think things through, pray, process and get rid of stress in my life with each mile I ride. Love it!!

What can readers expect next from you?

I recently signed a three-book deal with Crescent Moon Press for my Violet Night Trilogy. So, I'm working on that one along with cleaning up a follow up book to Wasteland (tentatively called Awaited). Busy times, but I'm lovin' it!

Where can readers find you on the web?

Blog: www.lynnrush.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynnRushWrites

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LynnRush

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/k6NAZa

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

Here's a portion of the excerpt up on my publisher's website: http://www.crescentmoonpress.com/books/Wasteland.html

Her teeth grated her lip. Must be a nervous habit. But the action chipped at my resolve each time.

One quick taste.

I brought my other hand to her face, the side with the mark, and curled my fingers around her neck, moving my thumb behind her ear. Her hands cuffed my wrists, but not to push me away. Instead her stare bore into mine like a freight train. The flashing lights of the club bounced a coral, teal, and violet rainbow over her shimmering skin.

The people surrounding us blurred into oblivion, and the music faded into a storm of muffled pitches and tones.

I concentrated on her shining lips and took in the warmth of her body so close to mine. I wanted only the sense of touch to be awake while I reveled in the silky texture of her skin. For so long I'd touched nothing. If I was going to break my rules, I would enjoy it.

Her hands glided from my wrists down my forearms and up my biceps, sending a ripple of desire through my soul. I could resist no longer. I brushed my lips against hers and tasted melon. She heaved a sharp breath and clamped her fingers around my shoulders, holding me in place.

Scents of lilac permeated me. My heart hammered, and my demon pounded, wanting out.

Wanting her.

I turned my head, severing our connection. Too intense. Must stay in control. She let out a whimper. I pressed my mouth to her cheek and tilted her head.

I almost wished I hadn't.

She bore the mark of a Guardian, immortal protectors of the humans.

I drank Beka in for three long breaths, knowing it may be my last chance to hold her close. Because if Beka truly was guarding Jessica Hanks I would more than likel



Wasteland

by Lynn Rush

Genre: New Adult

ISBN: 978-1-937254-00-1

Length: Novel

Publication Date: September 2011

Cover art by Jeannie Ruesch



Bound by the blood contract his human mother signed four centuries ago, half-demon, David Sadler, must obey his demonic Master's order to capture fifteen-year-old Jessica Hanks. But as he learns more about her, he realizes she may be the key to freedom from his dark enslavement.



The only obstacle—Jessica's distractingly beautiful Guardian, Rebeka Abbott. He must not give in to their steamy chemistry, or he will lose his humanity. But fresh off a quarter millennia of sensory deprivation as punishment for not retrieving his last target, he may not be able to resist temptation long enough to save what's left of his human soul.





Bio:

Lynn Rush began her writing career in 2008. She has both an undergraduate and graduate degree in the mental health field and has enjoyed applying that unique knowledge to developing unique characters.

A former inline speed skater and mountain biker, Lynn has been known to test the limits of her athletic endurance. So, when she's not writing, she spends time enjoying the Arizona sunshine by road biking nearly 100 miles per week with her husband of fifteen years and going on jogs with her loveable Shetland Sheep dogs.

Catch the Rush: www.lynnrush.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynnRushWrites

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LynnRush

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/k6NAZa

Amazon: http://amzn.to/pavzwE

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/pbigOg

All Romance Ebooks: http://bit.ly/nujjjp

You Tube Trailer: http://youtu.be/k-KRE1yMiNk





Giveaway Time

Want to win a signed copy of Wasteland?

Leave a comment on this post with your email

Open to US Shipping

If an international winner is chosen an ebook will be given in place of a print copy

Enter the Halloween Spook Fest

Enter the Halloween Spook Fest

A CHILD'S MELODY

I washed dishes and bobbed my head in time with Aerosmith. My mom and dad left me alone. My brothers had abandoned me for a basketball game down the street. The quiet didn't bother me because I had November Rain.

Above the sound of the guitar solo, I heard the faintest cry of giggles. Now, it wasn't an uncommon occurence for my brothers to sneak back in the house and play pranks on me, but this was different. I dried my hands and turned the radio off. We lived across the street from a funeral home and I could hear people shutting car doors in front of our house, but not their voices.

I walked into our living room and stood near the floor vents from the old furnace we didn't use anymore. The sound of children giggling fluttered up from those vents. At first, I was curious. Surely, a child hadn't crawled under the house. I slid to my knees, bracing my hands on each side of the vents. "Hello?" I called. I didn't say I was smart, just alone.

Nothing. I stood and moved back a few steps. The giggling started up again. "Can you hear me?" I called down to the giggles that seemed to fade a bit. Nothing again.

It wasn't until I rushed to the front door intending on running down the street that I felt them. The hair on the back of my neck rose. There was an energy in the room that stirred the asthma in my chest--or maybe I was just hyperventilating. Very close to me, almost like they were pressed against me, I heard the soft flutter of those angelic giggles and something eased inside me.

This was the moment that I knew I'd never be alone again.

And I haven't been...


I hope you'll join me in my October Spook Fest featuring stories just like this from authors, bloggers, reviewers and friends like you. If you'd like to submit a story and have your own personal day on my blog, please contact me at rfirasek@hotmail.com . You will be invited to advertise a new release, a contest on your own blog, or pretty much anything you'd like. Here's the rules:

Word count 1K or less.
Must be submitted by 10/3/11.
PG 13 or less as long as they are horror/scary/bone chilling/etc.
Can be a true story or totally fiction. I've had several entries already and they've been great.
When I get 30 entries, the submissions will be closed, so act fast!


Oh! And if you want to take a look at the new website, visit: www.rachelfirasek.com

Guest Post and Giveaway with Felicity Heaton

Interview with a half-demon - Taylor from Her Warrior Angel

Thank you Roxanne for having me back at your wonderful blog to talk about my Her Angel series. It's great to be here again.

The latest section of my Paranormal Pandemonium 2011 Blog Tour is dedicated to my angel romance series and celebrating the release of the latest novel in it, Her Guardian Angel, which is the fourth book. Today I'll be catching up with Taylor, the heroine of the third book in the series, Her Warrior Angel.

But first I should introduce myself. I'm a paranormal romance author and I've been writing since 2005, and turned indie in 2006. In that time I have written over forty stories under the names Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. Most of my stories are released under my full name, but I write the Vampires Realm series as F E Heaton. My paranormal romances are usually focused on vampires and werewolves, but I do also write other shape-shifters like black panthers, and also demons and witches, and of course I love to write angels.


If you're new to the Her Angel series and haven't read any of the books, then you probably don't know who Taylor is, so I'll do my best to describe her for you. Taylor is a half-demon half-human and has dedicated her whole life to protecting her city of London from demons intent on harming other weaker demons or humans. She's deadly with her weapons, especially swords and throwing knives, and never backs down from a fight. She's a fan of tight black clothing and her beaten up leather, mostly because it can hide a short blade strapped to her back. Her natural grace adds to her beauty, and she has caught the eye of a few powerful men in her time with her long black hair and bright blue eyes. She has a wicked sense of humour and hates it when people try to belittle her strength because she's a woman. Taylor is madly in love with her warrior angel, Einar, and she'll do anything to protect him.
FH: I have Taylor here with me today to talk about her book, Her Warrior Angel. Firstly, can you tell us a little about yourself?

TAYLOR: I'm a half-demon. My mum was a demon and she taught me everything that I know, and perhaps made me a little anti-angel. I grew up hearing stories about how they punished our kind and I think all that bullshit seeped into my head and made me put up barriers against all angelkind. I fight for what I care about, and for as long as I can remember, I've fought to protect my city and those in it. There are some real bastards out there in the demon world. The same sort you get on the mortal side. People who want to hurt others and destroy stuff. I can't tolerate that sort of thing so I do my best to eradicate any demon who tries to hurt humans and weak demons.

FH: In Her Warrior Angel, you meet Einar. How did you meet and how did you feel about them initially?

TAYLOR: I've made my share of bad decisions and had my share of bad relationships, so when I met Einar... well. Bugger me but my Romeo was gorgeous and I was completely caught off guard. He is nothing like the other angels I've met. He's so strong and GRR and I just had to have him even when I knew it was a bloody huge mistake and that I would end up getting my heart broken... or worse. Heaven sort of frowns on angels getting together with demons, and I think we were damn lucky to come out the other end of our story in one piece. I didn't want to fall for Einar. I knew the dangers but I couldn't help myself. He was so beautiful, and smart, and Devil is he good with a sword. When I see that man fight... well... there's only one thing on my mind! (fans herself)

FH: Heavens, you and Einar both need lessons in when not to say too much about your physical relationship. Speaking of your relationship, it's forbidden for you and Einar to have even the slightest feelings for each other, so how did you cope with your attraction to him?

TAYLOR: Badly, I think. Looking back now, I can't believe how I behaved around the guy. I ran hot and cold on him, one moment not caring what people said about such a relationship or the consequences, and then the next fearing that I was heading for heartbreak central on a one way ticket to loneliness and damnation. It sort of screwed with my head and I think that in turn screwed with my Romeo's head. Einar seemed as confused by what was happening as I was. We were both unsure what to do but I do have the balls to stand up and admit that I was the worst out of us. All of my recent relationships had been with demons and it seemed so impossible that an angel could love me when my own kind had done a number on my heart several times over.

FH: Can you tell us about what happened in your story?

TAYLOR: I was minding my own business when this big oaf comes crashing into my life and my fight with a demon and ends up getting me cut up by the demon's claws. Demon claws have toxins on them and I'm not immune to it. Einar was such a pain in my arse that night.

FH: He said that you would blame that incident on him and that it was your fault you got hurt. (smiles when she frowns) But he did save you from the toxin, didn't he?

TAYLOR: Yeah. I tried to get away from him, was afraid straight away that he was going to realise that I was part demon and do something horrible to me. I was too far gone though and had to let him have his way and treat me. I wouldn't have made it to a demon medical centre. When I tried to cover my fears by acting all brash and forward, and he reacted so damn hotly, I knew I was doomed. Then I stupidly said I wouldn't help him unless he let me stick around to fight the demons with him... and everything sort of went from there. I was so scared that he would end up hating me when he realised what I was, but he was so damn understanding and beautiful about it. Man, I can't help loving the bloke.

FH: How has life been since the events that happened and brought you together?

TAYLOR: Lots of fighting, but all with the demons. We both love to hunt and fight, and there are times when it really gets to Einar. The bloke can be a beast, and I'm not talking about on the battlefield. (winks) We've been living together and working hard to set up a sort of network of information sources. It's going well. Of course, we got dragged into that mess with Marcus and Amelia too, and I can't say that I enjoyed my side trip to find my ex-boyfriend. I've seen Veiron a few times since then and he seems alright, and he and Einar are getting along much better now. There's only the occasional attempt to kill each other.

FH: I imagine they'll get along better when Veiron finds himself someone to love. Now for a silly closing question. Describe yourself in one word?

TAYLOR: Wicked.

FH: You certainly are. Thank you for meeting with me today and chatting. It's been great!

I hope you've enjoyed this interview with Taylor and that it has intrigued you enough that you want to find out more about the series and the books, and that you'll follow me on my Paranormal Pandemonium 2011 Blog Tour so you can learn more about the characters, the series and the books, and participate in the giveaways. You can find out my tour dates at my website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/paranormal-pandemonium-blog-tour.php

Her Dark Angel , book one in the series, is currently on offer as my summer deal! You can get this best selling angel romance novella for just $0.99 from my site, Amazon Kindle Stores, and Smashwords until September 30th. That's a saving of $2.00!

Find out more at my site: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/paranormal-romance-ebook-offers.php

Here's a little more about the latest book in the series. Don't worry if you haven't read the others. This story can be read out of order with them without any problem at all.

Stories in the Her Angel series are: Her Dark Angel, Her Fallen Angel, Her Warrior Angel, and Her Guardian Angel. Excerpts from the stories and links to where they are available in e-book and paperback can be found at my website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebookseries.php?series=Her%20Angel

Her Guardian Angel is currently available in e-book direct from my website, Amazon Kindle Stores, Apple iBookstore, Kobo and Smashwords. It will soon be available from Barnes & Noble and Sony. It's also available as a paperback from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, and will soon be available from other sites.

Her Guardian Angel

A simple mission becomes a fight for survival in this fantastic instalment in the Her Angel series.

A guardian angel dedicated to his duty, Marcus will do whatever Heaven asks of him, but even his loyalty has its limits. When his superior orders him to gain Amelia's trust through seduction, Marcus starts to question his mission and his feelings for the beautiful woman he has watched over since her birth.

Amelia has gone from one bad relationship to another, so when a gorgeous guy moves in next door looking like Mr Right, she hopes he doesn't turn out to be another black knight in disguise. But there's more to Marcus than meets the eye, and when he rescues her from three demonic men, Amelia is thrust into his nightmarish world—a world where God and the Devil exist, and only one angel can save her from death—Marcus, the angel she's falling in love with.

On the run from demonic angels and the Devil himself, aided by Marcus's angel friends and their amazing women, fighting for survival against the odds, Marcus and Amelia discover a love that will last forever.

A love so strong it will shake Heaven and Hell.

Read the official excerpt: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Her%20Guardian%20Angel

Available in e-book for $3.99 from:

Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Her%20Guardian%20Angel
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EUJIG8/
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B005EUJIG8/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005EUJIG8/
Kobo Books: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Her-Guardian-Angel-Her-Angel/book-lVb0k7lC80OOiMBAOa-Ldg/page1.html
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/77776
Also available from the Apple iBookstore

Available in paperback for $9.99 from:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1463788363/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-guardian-angel-felicity-heaton/1032773836

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1463788363/

Biography

Felicity Heaton is a romance author writing as both Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. She is passionate about penning paranormal tales full of vampires, witches, werewolves, angels and shape-shifters, and has been interested in all things preternatural and fantastical since she was just a child. Her other passion is science-fiction and she likes nothing more than to immerse herself in a whole new universe and the amazing species therein. She used to while away days at school and college dreaming of vampires, werewolves and witches, or being lost in space, and used to while away evenings watching movies about them or reading gothic horror stories, science-fiction and romances.

Having tried her hand at various romance genres, it was only natural for her to turn her focus back to the paranormal, fantasy and science-fiction worlds she enjoys so much. She loves to write seductive, sexy and strong vampires, werewolves, witches, angels and alien species. The worlds she often dreams up for them are vicious, dark and dangerous, reflecting aspects of the heroines and heroes, but her characters also love deeply, laugh, cry and feel every emotion as keenly as anyone does. She makes no excuses for the darkness surrounding them, especially the paranormal creatures, and says that this is their world. She's just honoured to write down their adventures.

If you want to know more about me, or want to get in touch, you can find me at the following places:

My website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk

My blog: http://www.indieparanormalromancebooks.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/feheaton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/felicityheaton

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

Felicity is offering a giveaway of an e-book copy of Her Warrior Angel plus signed book cover postcards, bookmarks, keyring, magnet and coaster.
Giveaway open to international shipping
To enter just leave a comment on this post with your email address

Coming October 20 and 21 the Entangled Halloween Party

Mark your calendars everyone
October 20 and 21 is the Entangled Authors Halloween Party right here at Fang-tastic Books
There's going to be author guest blogs, flash fiction- and lots of Halloween fun
Oh and giveaways
Yes, there will be lots of giveaways!


Want to know who is going to be here?
Check out the list below


Boone Brux
Lisa Kessler
Sarah Gilman
Natalie J Damschroder
Laura Kaye
Nina Croft
Katee Robert
Rachel Firasek
Aubrie Dionne
Jus Accardo
Melanie Card
Lucianne Rivers
Patricia Eimer
Rosalie Lario
Cate Lord
Nicola Marsh
Theresa Meyers