Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 566

Review of Siren Song by Stephanie Draven

Description of Siren Song:

When the sexy lead singer of an Annapolis indie band is accused of luring midshipmen to their deaths, she learns she's not the only one with a killer voice…

No one can resist Chloe Karras when she sings—except for the sexy naval officer who is seemingly immune to her sensual allure. Maybe that's why Captain Alex Shore is just the man she wants to take home after her performance—until he tells her what she thought were imagined powers are real…and dangerous.

Alexandros knows firsthand how seductive sirens are, as well as their potential to destroy. Yet the former sea soldier feels a powerful attraction to the beautiful rock singer that goes beyond her spell. Can he banish Chloe from the town he's vowed to protect—or will he be drawn into the siren's bed?

Read an excerpt here or download a free pdf of Chapter 1 here.

My Review:

I loved this quick and sexy little read. At novella length I could almost devour it in one sitting.

Being shorter than a novel everything was fast paced from the meeting of the two main characters to them ending up with a connection- could the relationship development have been dragged out farther, maybe but I know I get antsy sometimes with full length novels where the connection takes too long.

Chloe and Alex meet and instantly there's a connection- but he fights it and she wonders why he acts like he hates her from the moment they meet.

Chloe's had a traumatic past and now her sexy and dangerous voice can do damage. But her pure heart wouldn't let her hurt anyone, would it?

Someone is killing men. Alex has to find out if it's Chloe and stop her - but is it Chloe? And can he resist her long enough to find out?

I would have loved to see more character development but I know with it being a novella everything is crammed into such a small package that completely fleshing everything out is impossible.

All in all I loved this book- found sirens and Triton's to be fresh new types of characters that I can enjoy reading about.

I hope to read more from this author.

Embraced by Blood Review and Giveaway

Alfonso Serrano is a hunted man. For months he's managed to elude the Darkbloods, vengeful foes who won't rest until he's dead. But he still craves one dangerous temptation: Lily DeGraff, the sexy Guardian agent he'll risk anything to protect.
Lily is a wanted woman. Her talent for tracking Sweet—a rare blood type that's addictive to vampires—makes her a prime target for enemy capture. Her only hope is the stealthy vampire operative who stole into her bed…then left her in despair. Danger aside, Lily won't let Alfonso near her heart again—until an irresistible hunger threatens to draw them back together… and into an assassin's snare.
My Review:
I haven't read the other book or novella in this series yet- but after reading this one I know I want to read the rest.
I don't feel that I lost a lot of info by not having read the other books because it works as a stand alone though I felt there was more back story that would have helped my understanding if I had read the other book(s)( technically a book and a novella).
Alfonso Serrano is a tortured hero. In the past he was a double agent- working for both the good guys and the DarkBloods. The oath he pledged to the Darkbloods made going against them dangerous- once he betrayed them an assassin was sent after him.
Obviously his involvement with everything left him estranged from his family and the woman he was/is apparently in love with. I wondered if these people knew what he was really doing that he was a good guy undercover with the bad. If they did they didn't seem to care or he never bothered to tell them- there seemed to be more to the story...which hooked me so I kept reading.
Alfonso's been trying to stay out of things...away from the council, away from the DarkBloods, away from Lily even away from his family.
Now Lily's in town and the council wants Alfonso to do some work for them because the DarkBloods are planning something big to round up the Sweetbloods (humans with a much sought after type of blood- interesting twist and concept).
Lily just wants to raise her daughter Zoe (who I immediately wondered if she is Alfonso's), do her job and keep everyone, including her heart safe.
Lily's having issues with her tracking abilities that make tracking and training a newbie hard.
Even harder is having Alfonso back in the picture. The story that unfolds is dramatic- and in addition to the romantic drama there's a lot going on in this book that will keep you enthralled. The world building is good with a great cast of characters fully fleshed out- some of the secondary characters are fascinating and I hope to see more in future books.
This is a great new vampire world I've discovered- well worth the read.

And if you'd like a chance to read it, author Laurie London has offered to give away one signed copy along with a set of Sweetblood Trading Cards to one lucky reader
To enter leave a comment on this post with your email address
Open to US Shipping Only

Karen E Taylor Guest Blog and Hunger Prize Pack Giveaway

How I created and lived in a vampire world and survived to tell the tales...

Have you noticed that not all vampires are created equal? The rules and worlds surrounding some of your favorite blood-sucking characters are not the same as described in other stories. And that's one of the fun things about reading and writing about vampires. There are as many varieties as there are authors. More probably, since each character and each universe dreamt up by the writer has one other key ingredient – the knowledge and detail each individual reader brings to the page. Which is why Lestat can be a totally different creature from Blaylock, or from Edward, or Bill, or Dracula, or Deirdre. Some of these characters are so dissimilar, it's hard to believe that they can all still bear the title of "vampire." And yet they do. They're all just one happy family.
Writing, or reading, a vampire novel involves an odd little dance of expectations and surprises. A writer has to decide which rules to break and which ones to ignore. There has always been a long list of what makes a vampire a vampire –a list built and added to over the years from myths and folklore, movies and books. Any vampire afficionado can rattle off this list by heart. And while it's fairly important to know these rules, it's not really necessary to use them all – an author can (and probably should) pick and choose. In my own Vampire Legacy world, I chose three key elements I deemed absolutely necessary for my characters to possess. One was that they had eternal life if left alone by outside elements. As long as the "villagers" don't arrive with their torches and wooden stakes, as long as the vampires take care of their basic needs (food and shelter,) Deirdre and her ilk can live on. Forever. My second criteria for admittance into the vampire world was the existence and use of fangs to obtain sustenance. No knives or razors allowed. It's fangs or nothing! And the final rule I adhered to was the inability of my vampires to live or walk in full sunlight. Even brief exposure would cause blisters and burns – and longer encounters could cause serious damage and eventually be fatal.
Keeping track of these rules is as important to the continuity of a series as keeping track of hair color, eye color and the basic physical components of each character. And breaking these laws is not something to be undertaken lightly. If you have something laid out as gospel in the first book of the series, then it needs to be gospel in the last book of the series. Exceptions can be made, but must also be explained.
When I started writing the Vampire Legacy series, I began building the world a little bit at a time. In a way, I was taking the same journey as my main character. In the first book of HUNGER, Deirdre Griffin is a rogue vampire. She has no one to teach her how to live, instead she learns everything she "knows" to be true from what few books are available to her and from her own daily/nightly trials and errors. She defines her existence from what she thinks is true or possible and carries on from there, stretching the truths as much as she can, and in some instances defying the rules to assert her own humanity . Unlike many vampires, she refuses to sleep in a coffin, finding that draping the windows with heavy curtains is sufficient to keep her safe. Her dietary tastes and needs are defined by her experiences and by the trust puts in herself and her developing super-human instincts. She is perhaps a little too stubborn for her own good, refusing to explore the mythical abilities she reads can be possessed by one of her kind. Deirdre doesn't want to believe that shape-shifting is possible, because it's so far out of her mind-set. She doesn't want to experiment with strange or disturbing powers. Like most newborn creatures she is simply trying to survive.
And like most newborn authors, I was just trying to get to the end of the page, to the end of the chapter, to the end of the book. Rules helped me get there, helped me build a nice solid world that I and my characters could depend on.
Then with good cause and with deliberate intention, I kicked out a few of the foundation's blocks. What good is a world that can't sustain a disaster or two? I will leave the readers to decide whether Deirdre can do the same...

~Karen E. Taylor


Deirdre Griffin didn't choose to be a vampire. But she is. And she's determined to make the most of her fate. For Deirdre that means surrendering to the raging hunger ignited by even the slightest whiff of blood a hunger that pulses through her body like a fever, demanding release. It means making friends in dark places and savouring every hot, salty, bitter, revitalizing drop of life force the night has to offer...
From Book #1 of HUNGER:
After the kiss, I buried my face in his neck. Now, I thought as I heard the blood pulse in his veins, Oh, please, now.
I nipped him at first, savoring the moment, my low moans echoed by his. Then when my teeth grew longer and sharper, I could hold back no longer. I bit him brutally, tapping the artery and was rewarded by the flow of his blood: hot, salty and bitter. He shuddered violently and fought to push me away, but his resistance was futile. Finally his struggles ceased and his body grew limp as I continued to draw on him, gently now, almost tenderly. I drank a long time, slowly, relishing the feel of my own body being replenished, then I withdrew.
Arising from the couch, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. No longer pale and haggard, my skin glowed with life and my eyes shone, victorious and demonic. A few drops of blood were trickling down my chin; I wiped them away with the back of my hand and turned from my reflection in disgust...
From Book #2 of HUNGER:
He was trembling violently under my touch, but that merely encouraged me and I spoke his name again.
"Mitch."
This time I connected. I knew he heard me and understood, his hands tightened on mine and he whispered my name. Then before I could react, he quickly dropped my hands, formed a fist and silently punched me on the jaw, striking me with such force that I fell to the floor.
As I pulled myself up, shaking my head and gingerly feeling my jaw, I saw him running from the room, pursued by a nurse and two orderlies.
I stood, swaying in the air slightly, oblivious to the uproar Mitch's action must have been causing around me. The noise level in the room rose, as if from a long distance. I could hear the laughing and crying and shouting of the rest of the patients in the room. But my eyes were fastened on the door through which he had disappeared.
What the hell did you expect, you fool, I thought, a passionate embrace, a warm welcome-back kiss? His eyes had been the eyes of one who looked on hell, and I had helped to put him there...

Giveaway Time

Karen is giving away a "deluxe" beach prize pack which includes an autographed copy of HUNGER, a HUNGER tote bag and a HUNGER water bottle

To enter leave a comment on this post

Include your email

+2 entries for being a Fang-tastic GFC Follower

Open to US Shipping

For more chances to win fun prizes follow Karen on her Bewitching Book Tour

Winner Wednesday A Day Late

Sarah is the Uprinting 250 stickers giveaway

Interview with a Vampire Venator Guest Blog with Felicity Heaton

Thank you for having me here today, Roxanne, as part of my Paranormal Pandemonium 2011 Blog Tour.

Some of you will probably know me, but for the rest, I'll introduce myself. I'm Felicity Heaton and I'm a prolific paranormal romance / science fiction romance author who writes under that name and also as F E Heaton. I write dark romances full of action and passion, and often focused on vampires, werewolves, angels, demons or witches, but I do write about other paranormal species too.

My latest release, Forbidden Blood, is the first novel in a new series for me—the Vampire Venators series. It's a dark, sensual tale of betrayal, revenge and a love that knows no bounds. I've been lucky enough to catch up with the very handsome and very eloquent, and also very dangerous, vampire hero of Forbidden Blood and he answered a few questions for me.

FH: I have Kearn here with me today to talk about his book, Forbidden Blood. Firstly, can you tell us a little about yourself?

KEARN: I am a Venator for the vampire species. I was chosen to succeed my father in his role as Venator for House Savernake. I was not happy with this, and I still resent the Sovereignty for the pain they caused my family and myself by forcing this role upon myself rather than passing it to my older brother, Kyran. A Venator is a hunter. It is my duty to carry out the sentence on vampires known to have broken the law. It is not a duty that I relish. I wish I were free of it, but that can only come through death or retirement, and I am a long way from either. I have a reason to live now. It was given to me by my beloved Amber.

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

KEARN: Most certainly. I was pursuing a known Source Blood abuser and had been hunting him for several years prior to the night I stumbled upon Amber under attack by a group of vampires. As a Venator, it is my duty to protect humans from my kind. I had not realised that she was a Source Blood, and by chance, the man who had sought to control her turned out to be the one I was looking for. He is elusive as the wind but with Amber's help I was finally able to track him down and sentence him. It was difficult for me, and I do not think I could have done it without Amber's assistance.

FH: As you mentioned, you meet Amber in your story, Forbidden Blood. How did you feel about her initially?

KEARN: The benefit of hindsight is a beautiful thing. Now I can see with clarity that I was falling for her from the moment I set eyes on her, before I first tasted her blood. At the time, I believed myself indifferent and purely under the influence of her blood. Source Blood is rare. It is a gene in the blood of a specific line of humans, and it can bestow godlike powers upon vampires. It is also highly addictive. When we first met, I was reluctant to interact with humans. Amber was the first human I had actually worked with. Most of the time they are dead by the time I reach them. She entranced me so quickly that I was under her spell before I could realise what was happening, and that only put her life in more danger. She was an easy target for the man I was hunting and he knew that he could use her to weaken me and drive me to act on impulse rather than rationally.

FH: Your relationship with Amber was complicated because she's human, and a Source Blood, and it's illegal for you to taste her. Was it difficult around her after you had taken a sip of her blood?

KEARN: Extremely. It had been a long time since I had tasted Source Blood and the effects of Amber's on me were stronger than I had anticipated. Her blood is divine, a drug more addictive than anything else on this planet, and once I had tasted it, I wanted more. I could not help myself and it was difficult to control myself around her. That one sip triggered hunger in me stronger than any I had felt before and I craved her. Not just her blood though. I craved the whole of her. I needed her to be mine and I knew it was asking a lot of her after everything I had already put her through, but she is so beautiful, and she did not shy away or think me a monster because of what I was or what I desired from her. She accepted me and she brought me back to life and filled my world with light, chasing back the darkness.

FH: That's beautiful. For all your growl and menacing edge, you're a big softie when it comes to Amber. How has life been since the events that happened and brought you together?

KEARN: It has been quiet for the past few months. Amber is settling into her new life and says that she learns something new each night that we wake together and I teach her about the ways of my kind. Society has accepted her in a way I could not have wished or hoped for. Archduke Pendragon saw to that. We still turn heads at the balls and Amber's name is on everyone's lips. They are very eager to see how she turns out. I have been working with some of the other vampire Venators and the Sovereignty on matters regarding our species. It keeps me busy but I always find time for Amber. I want her to never feel that she is alone. She comes with me wherever I go when she can, and is becoming a very good ambassador for better treatment of humans who are brought into our world and are in transition.

FH: Your story, Forbidden Blood, is a book in a series. Can you tell us a little about the series and can we expect see more of you in other stories in this series?

KEARN: I believe that we are in the next book. The whole series follows the vampire Venators in their missions for the Sovereignty, a ruling body of demons that govern the nine demon species. They are the remains of their species, and countless centuries old, and extremely powerful. They bless their Venators with the power to sentence those who break the law. For a vampire, the weapon comes in the form of silver markings that cover the length of our strongest arm, in my case my right, but some are left-handed. Vampires have only a few laws that we uphold, and they are all related to Source Blood. I am not sure of the laws of the other species. Vampires do not tend to interact with them if we can avoid it, although I am aware that many of them share a complex society like ours. Lycanthropes and therianthropes in particular. I am told that the therianthropes are generally broken into two groups, the ailuranthropes, or those who shift into a cat form, and the rest. Vampires do not tend to associate with either group, but there are times when we are required to work together.

FH: Describe yourself in one word?

KEARN: Loyal.

FH: Thank you for meeting with me today and chatting. Is there anything else that you'd like to add?

KEARN: I wish to thank you for taking this time to interview me, and I also hope that you will be able to interview Amber too as she was very excited to hear that I was coming to see you to answer these questions. I am sure she would find it a pleasant change to her usual daily routine, and would like to meet with you again. I would also like to extend my thanks to the humans reading this, and to offer words of comfort in that the Venators are there to protect them should any of them be Source Bloods. I hope they will read, and enjoy my story, and also the glimpse it gives of my world.

Forbidden Blood is available now in e-book formats direct from my site, on Amazon Kindle and on Smashwords, and will soon be available from Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBookstore, Sony Reader Store and other retailers. It will also shortly be available in paperback from Amazon.

Forbidden Blood

by Felicity Heaton

In a dark world where vampires exist and where Source Blood, a rare human blood type, can bestow godlike powers upon them, the vampire Venators of the Sovereignty fight to protect the humans by banishing those who drink it to the endless dark.

Exiled from his family and with only his duty to sustain him, Kearn has been on the trail of an elusive Source Blood abuser for three years. When he saves a beautiful human female from the vampire's grasp, it turns out she's the lead he's been waiting for. Amber is a Source Blood and the perfect bait, but for who?

As they race to catch the vampire and survive the cruel games he plays, Amber is pulled deeper into Kearn's world and discovers the painful secrets he hides behind his handsome but emotionless exterior—hurt that she has the power to heal if she is brave enough.

Find out where to buy or read the excerpt: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood

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

Werewolf in a Kilt Guest Blog and Giveaway with Terry Spear

Werewolf in a Kilt

(AKA: Heart of the Highland Wolf)

What makes a Scottish hero so special? He's protective, a warrior, sexy—I mean, not all guys in kilts look great, but when they do, they look GREAT, and at least as far as I like my men, they have a sense of humor.

So what makes him different if he's a werewolf? How does the Scottish hero change?

Well, there's this whole shape-shifting issue going on. A Scottish hero might pull his claymore out to fight his enemy. A werewolf in a kilt might just toss the kilt aside and shift into the wolf so he can fight the enemy clan wolf to wolf.

Although in Heart of the Highland Wolf, there's quite a bit of swordplay going on, too. It all has to do with male testosterone, and the need to possess and protect. There is also the issue of old time clan grudges, which for werewolves who live long lives, it's really, really personal.

I think blending the past with the present is a neat way to reconnect with the ways of the Highlanders of old yet still bring them up-to-date in modern society. I enjoyed seeing the Scotsman dressed in kilts while I visited some of the castles in Scotland—those who worked at the castles, and one who was taking pictures of a castle and just a tourist like us. Any of them could have been werewolves in disguise. In truth, they might have been. Werewolves don't reveal their true side to just anyone.

The biggest difficulty in making a Scottish werewolf is that wolves were long ago eliminated from Scotland. So whereas in the States where we still have them, or wolf dogs even, they don't have wolves running wild in Scotland. Which makes it hard on werewolves. They have the same difficulty as werewolves living anywhere. If they get caught, they have to eliminate the future threat to them. But at least if someone saw a wolf running wild, if it was in the States, they could assume it was a real wolf someone had at one time owned. In Scotland? That's a lot harder to explain.

But since wolves did exist in Scotland in days gone by, and werewolves are legend all over the world, it seemed only right that some Scots have a few secrets of their own.

I found Scotland truly magical when I visited, from the haunted ghostly castles (of which I found none) and the fields of green grass by a river where long-haired cattle grazed, and I heard Celtic music playing on the breeze. I thought how it was like a movie scene with an orchestra playing softly in the background as the viewer observed the scene, not really intruding, but adding to the already special atmosphere. Yet when I approached the fence to take a closer picture of the Highland cows, the music stopped. I was disappointed, but after we finished taking pictures, I excitedly asked my companions what they thought of the music. How neat it was to be serenaded like that.

They heard no music. There had been no music. I didn't need to find ghosts in a much-sighted ghost-filled castle…just next to a field with a few woolly cows, where there were no homes or people for miles around—to feel the magic of Scotland.

So what do you think? Do you still feel that Highlanders are hero enough just like they are? Or would a Scottish hero be just as hot and sexy if he wore a wolf coat under his kilt?

Terry Spear

http://www.terryspear.com/

http://www.facebook.com/#!/terry.spear

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

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tspear

HEART OF THE HIGHLAND WOLF BY TERRY SPEAR – IN STORES JUNE 2011

Each holds a secret they can't possibly overcome alone…

Julia Wildthorn is sneaking into Argent Castle to steal an ancient relic, but reluctant laird Ian MacNeill may be the key to unlocking the one answer she really wants discovered…

From brilliant storyteller Terry Spear, modern day werewolves meet the rugged Highlands of Scotland, where instinct meets tradition, and clan loyalties give a whole new meaning to danger…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry Spear has an MBA from Monmouth College. An eclectic writer with a PW Best Book of 2008 (Heart of the Wolf), she writes paranormal romance as well as historical and true life stories for both teen and adult audiences. Spear lives in Crawford, Texas. For more information, please visit www.terryspear.com.

Giveaway Time!
Sourcebooks has generously offered to giveaway
2 copies of Heart of the Highland Wolf
2 winners, US and Canada only
To enter leave a comment on this post
Include your email
Winners TBA Next Wednesday

The Updated Entangled Publishing Website

Entangled website is updated with author info, book info, gorgeous book covers and all the fabulous information about this new publisher.
These are my 3 launch authors for Entangled- their books will be available August 5 but pre-orders will be up soon at Amazon.

To read excerpts and see more of Entangled's books visit www.entangledpublishing.com

A New Dawn Book One by Aubrie Dionne

Title: Paradise 21

Author: Aubrie Dionne
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: August 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-02-2
Mobi ISBN: Coming soon!
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-03-9

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/paradise-21/

Ebook review copies will soon be available at NetGalley.com

Book Blurb:

Aries has lived her entire life aboard mankind's last hope, the New Dawn, a spaceship traveling toward a planet where humanity can begin anew—a planet that won't be reached in Aries' lifetime. As one of the last genetically desirable women in the universe, she must marry her designated genetic match and produce the next generation for this centuries-long voyage.

But Aries has other plans.

When her desperate escape from the New Dawn strands her on a desert planet, Aries discovers the rumors about pirates—humans who escaped Earth before its demise—are true. Handsome, genetically imperfect Striker possesses the freedom Aries envies, and the two connect on a level she never thought possible. But pursued by her match from above and hunted by the planet's native inhabitants, Aries quickly learns her freedom will come at a hefty price.

The life of the man she loves.

THE NIGHT SERIES - Book One by Lisa Kessler

Title: Night Walker

Author: Lisa Kessler

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: August 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-12-1
Mobi ISBN: Coming soon!
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-13-8

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/night-walker/

Ebook review copies will soon be available at NetGalley.com

View the book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OTD8VdDCOc

Book Description:

He gave up his soul for a second chance to love her…

Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life.

She's haunted by dreams of her own death…

After catching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego to clear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calisto she's drawn to him in ways she doesn't understand.

They've waited in the shadows for centuries…

Calisto has no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the Fraternidad Del Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As old enemies reemerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto to the night might destroy the only woman he's ever loved again.

BRINGER AND THE BANE - Book One by Boone Brux

Title: Resurrection
Author: Boone Brux
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: August 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-06-0
Mobi ISBN: Coming soon!
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-07-7

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/resurrection/

Ebook review copies will soon be available at NetGalley.com

Book Description:

Protecting humans is the Bringers' duty.

Sending demons to the Shadow World is their pleasure.

In one night, Ravyn's life plunges from barely tolerable to deadly. Forced to flee the only home she's ever known, Ravyn stumbles headlong into the clutches of a powerful demon intent on stealing her powers. Unfortunately for him, she has no intention of cooperating.

When Rhys realizes the woman he rescued from the Demon Bane is no mere human, his obligation as a Bringer dictates he protect and train her in the ways of his people. But he's unprepared for the intense desire he feels for the fiery Ravyn. To surrender to his need may mean her death.

As the Demon Bane threat escalates, igniting terror and chaos across the realm, Rhys and Ravyn must embark on a perilous journey to unite the last of the Bringers–and explore a passion too powerful to ignore.

Uprinting 250 Label/Sticker Giveaway

I have a fabulous giveaway today, 250 stickers or labels from Uprinting. These are great for small business owners, weddings, or for authors like me.
Last time I received these I made bookplates. Another time I made stickers with my bookcover on them.
Uprinting offers stickers in several sizes, roll labels, even easy label templates to help you get started.
The labels are super easy to make- you can upload a pre-made design (authors-this could be your book cover) or design something on their site.
Prize Details:
250 Stickers for One (1) Winner
2" x 3.5"
70lb Label Matte, Front Only Printing
4 Business Days Turnaround
Restriction: Limited to US residents
18 years old and above only.
Want to win these?
Leave a comment on this post with your email
Like Uprinting on Facebook for +2 entries
Like Fang-tastic Books for +2 entries
Winner TBA Wednesday


Disclaimer: This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given and I will receive labels; for hosting. Check out standard label templates; on UPrinting.com.
If you have won a Uprinting giveaway in the past six month you are not eligible to win

Guest Blog and Giveaway with Sarah Makela

Thank you for having me here at Fang-tastic Books today, Roxanne!

When you think of technology, there's something really science-y about it. My hero, Ian Bradley, gains his power through the use of technology. A power known as technomancy. A prime tool for the best of hackers.

When I set out to do research on technomancy, I found something really cool. The first is that there are actually two kinds of technomancy. One is in a universe where things are strictly scientific. There is no outright magic present. The other kind of technomancy is where magical things function like technology. For me, I don't like absolutes much. I'd like to say my world is a blend of the two, but being a little toward the magical world.

The second thing I found was a quote by British writer and scientist, Arthur C. Clarke, who said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." That's really fascinating. Magic being indistinguishable from advanced technology? It further spurred me toward the high-tech setting and atmosphere of cyberpunk. But as I mentioned above, just because there's a lot of technology doesn't rule out a more earthy magic since I'm fascinated with magic of all kinds.

That's where Ian's sidekick, Bernard, a gnome who can start trouble at the drop of a hat, can grow a garden or even heal. He's a jack of most trades and adds some comic relief. He was really fun to write, and I'm definitely keeping my eye out for a garden gnome of my own.

Here's the blurb. I hope you enjoy it! If you're interested the excerpt is available here.

Private Investigator Hannah Franklin's life is turned upside down after being contacted by a former employee of MAX Home Security, the leader in security services. But they're not just protecting people anymore. Hannah's informant claims to have proof that MAX has ordered the assassination of politicians who stood against the corporation.

When her informant is killed and an attempt is made on her life, Hannah has no choice but to contact a freelance hacker. Her only hope now lies in the hands of a man she never expected to welcome back into her life.

Ian Bradley has lost his girlfriend and his job, as well as having acquired a very annoying gnome. Now his ex, Hannah, is in danger, and she needs his help. Ian vows to protect Hannah with every resource available to him -- and as a technomage in a high-tech world, his resources are almost endless…

If you're interested in a chance to win a copy of Techno Crazed, make sure to sign up for my newsletter. I'll announce the winner in it on 6/24. If you'd prefer, leave your email address in the comments, and I'd be happy to put you on the mailing list.

Techno Crazed is available now from Changeling Press!

Find me on the web at:
Website: www.sarahmakela.com
Blog: http://blog.sarahmakela.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/sarahmakela
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorsarahmakela

Interview with Author Richard Brown

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted a challenge. In my early years I didn't actually read much and wrote nothing but poetry. It wasn't until I realized that practically nobody likes poetry that I decided to try my hand at writing stories.

Please tell us about your latest release.

Something wicked has returned to Elmwood, and it longs to continue the study it began over a century ago. It's looking for volunteers, but few seem worthy of the gift. Isaac Winters might be the one. He's a detective with a damaged past, and something to prove. Still haunted by his wife's murder sixteen years earlier, Isaac has thought more and more about turning in his badge. Over the years, he's seen the worst mankind has to offer. Until now. A strange fire has consumed the life of a young girl. But she won't be the last. There are no witnesses and no evidence except a small stone figurine, a gateway to the past. Accompanied by a partner with questionable experience, Isaac must discover and defeat this faceless villain before it takes from him the greatest reminder of his dead wife.....their daughter.

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

Lucius, the villain of the story. He's extremely intelligent, a master of manipulation, and he's been dead for over a century.

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

One of my favorites is toward the end of the book. Detective Isaac Winters is searching this old mansion and comes upon a small room full of mirrors, like a funhouse. When he goes inside, he sees his wife's murderer reflected in the glass. What makes the scene so chilling is that Isaac had spent years blaming himself for her death and it was as though the reflection in one swift moment confirmed all his guilt.

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

I think there is a little of me in all the characters. It's not something I do intentionally, just a natural part of the character creation process.

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

Yeah, except instead of writer's block I call it television or movies or video games or anything that can divert my attention from writing. Over the years I've found that having a strict schedule is the best policy to achieve results. Even if the muse doesn't feel like coming, you sit in the chair and do it without him.

Do you write in different genres?

Most books tend to be a blend of genres. The Gift of Illusion is part thriller, horror, paranormal, and mystery. I think of myself just as a writer and not a voice of any specific genre. I'd like to think I could write in any genre if I choose.

When did you consider yourself a writer?

A few weeks ago when I published The Gift of Illusion. Up until then writing was just a hobby. Once you put your work out there for public consumption everything changes and you begin to realize your potential.

What are your guilty pleasures in life?

Sleeping.

What was the last amazing book you read?

I just finished reading Liquid Fear by Scott Nicholson. It had some very unique ideas, and some of the characters were just crazy. It had the perfect blend of a good psychological mystery with the pace and brashness of a thriller.

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

Yes, my Papasan chair in my office. I can curl up in a ball and get lost in a book.

What can readers expect next from you?

Well, I thought I'd test my theory of nobody likes poetry by releasing a poetry book. It's called The Rebirth, and it's inspired by the works of Poe and Percy Shelley. It should be out in a month or so. I'm also working on my next novel about a woman who is given an opportunity to get back a child she lost during labor. It's an insane idea but one I think people will really enjoy. I hope to have it out by the beginning of next year.

Where can readers find you on the web?

www.richardbrownbooks.com or they can go to my Facebook page Richard Brown Books and become a fan. I love hearing from readers.

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

Since it doesn't give away any major plot details, here is the scene with Isaac and the mirrors.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The small room had no door. In fact, the room was so small Isaac wondered if it wasn't a room at all, but a closet.

Just beyond the doorway he came to a full body standing mirror facing the opposite direction, and when he looked around, he saw more mirrors, seven in all, placed into a circle facing inward. Burning on the floor in the center was a single red candle, hardly melted.

Somewhere in his mind, far beyond where simple thoughts become reality, a voice was telling him not to do it—not to step inside the circle of mirrors, but he did it anyway. He turned to the side, nudged his body between the first two sheets of glass, and stood inside the circle. Then he looked at his reflection many times over in the mirrors.

He had never seen himself so abused, so pathetic. What happened to the man he used to know? What happened to the man who wasn't afraid of anything, the man that knew how to keep his emotions hidden in that dark closet of feelings? Where had he gone, and who had taken his place?

Who was this?

Isaac glanced down at the floor and took another deep breath. He didn't want to look at himself anymore, didn't want to see the broken man in the mirror. Finally, he picked his head back up, but this time he could no longer see his reflection. Now there was someone else in the mirror, and it only took Isaac a second to realize who it was.

Jacob Walsh.

Isaac's hands began shaking, his lips quivering. It can't be, he thought, Jacob is dead! He wanted to run out of the closet but his head had begun to spin and he no longer knew the way out. He stood there, silent and spinning, never removing his eyes from his wife's murderer reflected in the glass.

Jacob wore the same clothes he had worn the night he took his revenge. He had the same psychotic look in his eyes, the same resolve. And in his hand was a gun, lowered by his side. It was the same .38 caliber revolver that had carried the four bullets that had killed Linda, the four bullets that had bloodied her white nightgown leaving her breathless on the bed.

The room spun faster, a whirlwind of glass.

Everywhere, there was Jacob.

Isaac could see the gun rising from Jacob's side, and the room spun faster.

Somewhere, a baby cried.

Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed.

The gun was now pointed at him, Jacob, behind it, grinning.

Shrieks now accompanied the cries, voices, sounds fused within some dark closet of feelings, under the layered dust of some hidden shelf of memory.

The shrieks belonged to Linda.

A familiar voice asked: what are you waiting for?

Linda called his name, begged with her last breath for him to come and save her.

Tears flooded his eyes. If he only could.

Someone—was it Isaac?—whispered: Kill me.

Then a bright light blinded him and the sound of expanding gases filled his head, followed by a shattering of glass.

When he hit the floor, Isaac writhed and latched tightly on to the left shoulder of his coat. A cold tremor ran up the ladder of his spine to his heart.

How it ached.

How it burned.

But only moments later, the spinning stopped, as did the screaming, and the bitter sting faded away. Isaac removed his hand from the scarred spot two centimeters to the left of his heart and looked up at his shaking palms.

No blood.

No Jacob.

There was nothing but a dark closet and a circle of broken glass on the floor surrounding him.