Young's Blog, page 38
April 7, 2015
Playing by His Rules by Author Glenda Horsfall
About the Author:
Glenda Horsfall was born and brought up in the beautiful city of Edinburgh.
From an early age she was an avid reader. She became engrossed in reading romance novels in her early teens and promised herself that one day she would sit down and write her own.
That dream has now been achieved with the publication of her first novel 'Playing for Keeps'. A tale of Domination and submission, the story is also a romance with a Happy Ever After ending!
Glenda now lives on the Fylde Coast of England with her own hero. She has a grown up son and three beautiful grand-daughters.
Having worked for many years as an Accountant, she loves being able to let her creative imagination run wild as she creates romantic stories for you to enjoy.
Playing by His Rules
Synopsis:
Xander Doumas, wealthy, intelligent and gorgeous entrepreneur was not amused when pictures from within his private playroom started to appear in the gossip rags and on social media. The embarrassment caused to his family made him decide to take a break from the media spotlight and isolate himself on his remote Scottish island.
Chloe Davies had survived an abusive relationship but needed to relocate so she was no longer around when her ex was released, after serving the prison sentence he had been given for assaulting her. When she saw Xander’s ad for a Girl Friday she thought the job would be the answer to her prayers.
At her interview, Xander offered her an entirely different position. Short on funds and desperate to escape the clutches of her ex, she reluctantly agreed to become his mistress. Only after she had signed his confidentiality agreement did she realize that she had delivered herself into the hands of a Dominant.
Isolated on his island with Chloe, Xander still smarting from having his trust betrayed, struggled to trust Chloe as much as she struggled to submit to him.
Amazon Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Playing-His-Rules-Glenda-Horsfall-ebook/dp/B00U6TTGK0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427767717&sr=1-1&keywords=playing+by+his+rules
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/GHorsfallAuthor
Facebook Timeline: http://www.facebook.com/GlendaHorsfall
Website: www.GlendaHorsfall.com
Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/GlendaHorsfall
Blog: http://ghorsfallblog.wordpress.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Glenda-Horsfall/e/B00N441PTO/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Goodreads Author Page: https://goodreads.com/GHorsfall
Playing by His Rules
Naughty Book Excerpt:
He adjusted a lever and the stool position altered slightly. It didn’t move far, but it was enough to stretch her legs and have her standing on the tips of her toes. The position would allow her little advantage against him. She would have no choice but to submit to his mastery of her body.
She gave a small whimper and he stroked her back gently. “It’s alright. There’s nothing to be frightened of.” He continued to caress down her back and across her buttocks in a very non-sexual way as he waited for her to calm down. “Do you remember your safe word?”
“Yes, sir.” His heart lurched at her continued use of the phrase and he wondered if she was truly coming to accept him as her master.
“Good girl.”
He had to remind himself that she was new to all of this and to slow things down. He crouched at the front of the stool and lifted her head in order that he could look into her eyes. “The lesson I was aiming to teach this morning was about control. As your Dom it is my right to grant or deny your pleasure.” Her eyes widened as if he had shocked her, but she didn’t say a word. “When I tell you to close your eyes, I don’t expect to see you gazing at me. When I demand silence, I don’t want to hear a word. When I ask you not to move, I expect you to keep still. In here, you call me Master. Do you understand?”
“Yes. But--”
“No buts, Chloe. Those are the rules of this game.” His tone was harsher than he had ever used with her before, but he wanted to make sure that she understood his intent. “What I demand, you give. Unless of course,” he quantified his statement, “you decide to safe word.”
He held his breath as he awaited her response. When she said nothing he released his hold and stood up moving out of her line of vision.
He continued to talk to her as he wandered over to his cabinet to withdraw several of his favorite toys. “We’re going to have a little session where you will practice self-control.” He ran the anal beads that had so fascinated her, through his fingers. “I am going to teach you some new pleasures, sweetheart. You can move as much as the stool allows. You can scream as loud as you want, this room is soundproof.” He had returned to her side in time to hear her gasp aloud and he bent and whispered in her ear, “The one thing you are not allowed to do is cum.”
She turned her head and looked him straight in the eye. “That’s cruel!”
“Wrong, sweetheart.” He leaned forward and kissed her softly. “It’s control. Its pleasure beyond what you can currently imagine. It’s an exquisite form of torture.”
He stood up and walked around to her rear. He stripped until he was as naked as her then bent to retrieve his toys, which he placed on a nearby table. The sight of her rounded arse cheeks caused a bead of moisture to form on the tip of his cock and he bit his lip as he fought for control. He craved the day when he could bury himself in her forbidden entrance.
He ran his hands over the rounded globes, parting her cheeks with his thumbs as he ran them down the crease of her ass. She tensed and he watched as her puckered entrance tightened as the tips of his thumbs skimmed its surface. His fingers dipped lower and he found her already wet and swollen for him. He loved her response.
He knelt between her legs and slowly kissed and nipped his way up the length of her inner thighs. As he reached the apex, she tried to close her legs; an impossible task with his shoulders wedged between her thighs. His tongue lapped up the moisture that seeped from her body and he listened to her moans of pleasure.
He withdrew from between her legs and stood up. He leaned against her, allowing her to feel his erection between the cheeks of her arse as he bent forward and stroked his hands up the side of her body until he was caressing the underside of her breasts. He heard her breath hitch in her throat as she fought to contain her arousal. “Now sweetheart,” he whispered against the side of her ear, “we’re going to try a couple of my favorite toys.”
She stilled and it felt like she held her breath. He massaged her shoulders gently. “There’s nothing to be worried about. I promise you are going to feel wonderful.”
He straightened and grabbed the silicone vibrator that he had removed from the cabinet. He flicked the switch and the room was filled with the sound of a powerful hum.
“Shit.”
He laughed aloud at her expletive. He was going to enjoy this.
Slowly he ran the tip of the vibrator between her legs. He eased it between her folds as he twisted and turned ensuring that it was coated with her juices. He took particular pleasure in pressing the tip against her sensitive clitoris. The little nub was already hard and he knew she would be feeling close to her climax.
“Hold it, sweetheart.” He told her firmly. “I will not be pleased if you come yet.”
She groaned aloud at his command. “Soon, though. Please.”
“We’ll see.” He switched the vibrator off before slowly inserting it into her vagina where he felt her internal muscles close around it. “If you’re good, I’ll switch it back on.” He gave a small slap across her backside to make sure he had her attention. “If you cum before I give you permission I will switch it on and leave it in position all night.” He made sure to keep his tone firm. She would be appalled at his threat, but the idea excited him. One day he was going to give her enforced orgasms until she was screaming at him to stop. He wondered how many she would manage before she was totally exhausted. He stroked himself. Soon, he promised himself. Soon, he would bury himself deep inside her.
He reached for the anal beads and a tube of lube. He poured a large blob of lube into his hand and then wrapped his fist around the beads. He worked the beads in and out through his fist until every inch was liberally coated in the lube. Positioning his feet to the inside of hers, he held her in position as he liberally smeared the remains of the lube into the crack of her arse.
As if she guessed his intention, she fought and tried to wriggle from under his hand. “No. Please. Don’t.” Her breathing was erratic and she became extremely agitated. He didn’t want to distress her, but she had to learn to trust him.
“Shhh.... calm down. Relax little one and I promise you, you will enjoy.”
“You’re too big!” She cried out.
He smiled to himself, pleased with her opinion of his build. He supposed it was only natural that she would assume he had intended to claim her arse, he had told her once before that the day would come. It wasn’t her fault that she didn’t understand that first he would have to stretch her so that she would be able to accommodate him. He had the ideal set of graduated butt plugs already in his bag for when that time came. Tonight the biggest thing he was going to insert into her, apart from his finger, would be the anal beads that had caught her attention in his cabinet. Her reaction to those and the strength of the orgasm they produced would give him a good indication of whether or not she would welcome him in the future.
April 2, 2015
Author A. J. Dormaar - Books
Author A. J. Dormaar
The Rival
(her latest and most current work)
November 2014
(publication date)
Solstice Publishing
(publisher)
Young: Hi A. J., can you tell us about your latest book/books to be released? Release Date? And can you give us a teaser?
A.J. Dormaar (A.J.D.): My latest book “The Rival” began life as a 500 word short story I originally thought to try submitting to womens' magazines. I chanced to show it to my agent who loved it so much that she insisted I expand the idea into a short novel (I am also looking at a screenplay format). It is now available on Amazon and also on Solstice Publishing's website in both print and Kindle. For those who love animals and a romantic comedy with a real twist, picture a debonair handsome corporate go-getter, his glamorous supermodel girlfriend who is somewhat naïve about her dashing lover boy's true shady nature...and her very spoiled, very possessively jealous ginger tomcat who can see right through the human male for what he is and is just as determined to get rid of him as the cat-hating boyfriend is to rid himself of the hated felonious feline. This is about the epic time honored battle of man vs cat...and if Chris the boyfriend has his devious connections with the Mob, it is nothing to what the vengeful Henry the Cat can muscle up among the four legged community when the fur begins to fly!
Young: What other books/short stories have you written?
A.J.D.: At the moment I have the first two books in an epic fantasy adventure series similar to C S Lewis's Narnia series and the LOTR works out in both Kindle and print, “The Chronicles of Aridayn”. I have had a couple of people good enough to flatter me by saying it beats Game of Thrones hands down! The series features a heroine at the centre of events rather than a hero, who is a mix of Hermione Granger for bookish intellect, Katniss Everdeen for heart, Queen Elizabeth I for stature and command and I like to think there is a dash of Daenerys Targaryen in Auryn's character as well. Currently I am working on the third book in the series “Queen of Destiny” which promises to be quite a lengthy involved tome – but not to worry, there will be enough epic battle scenes and cliffhanger episodes for even the most jaded of fantasy fans.
Young: Do you publish in e-book, print, or both?
A.J.D.: Both
Young: At this current time, my books, well book is only available in print, but my forthcoming released and the ones lined up after that, are to be in both.
A.J.D.: All my books are available in both formats now.
Young: Where can readers find your books?
A.J.D.: Check out the Solstice Publishing website, also the other links for my existing books are as follows:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Rival-AJ-Dormaar/dp/1625261314
Young: What do you think are the biggest challenges for the type of writing that you do?
A.J.D.: I like to explore various genres – I am a very versatile thinker! For fantasy, the biggest challenge is to come up with a novel approach instead of the old style sword and sorcery B grade films and books that were really sexist bodice rippers with impossibly gorgeous females featured alongside rippling muscled Conan types and all too often a terribly poor or predictable storyline. With Auryn – a well grounded heroine who thinks even more than she acts and who has the moral strength to do what is right instead of what is easier for her, I believe I have done that. I just wish I could pick up sales – so many people express interest, but don't follow through to getting the books!!!! Believe me, if you like Wilbur Smith, Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden, George R. R. Martin or any author of that ilk, you will LOOOOVE my own work! Unlike many female authors, I am not afraid to get a bit gritty when it comes to the action scenes.
Young: How did you get started in writing?
A.J.D.: I was a bit of a day dreamer at school and started jotting down ideas in and getting carried away with what I could write next – simple essay assignments soon assumed epic proportions, much to my teachers' constant reminders to watch length. I believe that by high school it was this tendency that made me finally realise I was by nature a writer.
Young: Where and How can readers get in touch with you?
A.J.D.: I have a blog via alisonjoyceblog.wordpress.com and also a Facebook author page at Author A. J. Dormaar – Fan Page. I can be tweeted via @AlisonDormaar and also have pages in Linked In and Pinturest.
Young: So with your latest work released/or being released, what comes next? What can we expect from you in the future?
A.J.D.: Apart from “Queen of Destiny” I have a screenplay for “The Rival” in the pipeline. I have also not ruled out a further addition for the Aridayn series or a sequel for “The Rival” but featuring a dog this time. I have a folder stuffed with potential ideas, also including a rough draft for a deceased crook finding himself coping with day to day life in Hell (keep posted!)
Young: How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
A.J.D.: There is a huge amount of my character in Auryn, but I think she is a bit tougher than I am. However, like me, she is not politically correct and is a straight talker who has a very clear sense of right and wrong.
Young: Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
A.J.D.: It comes when it comes – and when it does, I keep right on going as far as time will permit!
Young: What is your routine once you start writing a book?
A.J.D.: I don't really have one. I often like playing music to set the mood, namely something like Enya who has a wonderful mystic quality.
Young: What about you in general? What is it that makes you tick? Makes you you? Things you like to do and what prompted you into writing?
A.J.D.: I am a single female, an historical buff who would love to explore the ancient ruins of the world, an insatiable reader, a born talker, a would-be academic and altogether something of an intellectual, albeit with a sense of humour like Michael Palin. I would have made a great member of the Monty Python team!
Young: Among your own books, have you a favourite book? Favourite Hero or Heroine?
A.J.D.: “Aztec” by Gary Jennings – over 1200 epic pages of blood, gore, sex, violence and sheer exotic spectacle in the fascinating vanished world of the Aztecs. I could not put it down when I first read it.
Young: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A.J.D.: A professional, well known author working from home and travelling abroad to promote my work (among other things).
Young: What kind of research do you when writing one of your works?
A.J.D.: If I have to check an historical facts I usually google it, but I am quite well versed in that regard myself as a rule. I am a bit of a boffin after all.
Young: What does your significant other think of your writing?
A.J.D.: Other? Other? Such a being does not exist!
Young: Do you ever ask them for advice or ideas to go into your works?
A.J.D.: Nope.
Young: Have you ever experienced Writer's Block? If so how did you work through it?
A.J.D.: Take time out to relax and daydream – it is amazing where your undisciplined meandering thoughts may take you.
Young: Who are some of your favourite authors to read?
A.J.D.: Manda Scott, Colleen McCullough, Wilbur Smith, Conn Iggulden, Bernard Cornwell, Matthew Reilly, just to name a few. I also like Philippa Gregory for the feminine historical perspective.
Young: Anything else you'd like to tell our readers?
A.J.D.: You haven't seen anything yet of what I can come up with. Get reading my works now, everyone, and enjoy the start of the ride!
Young: Lastly do you have any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
A.J.D.: Don't give up on yourself – there is an ad on TV for cheese which states that good things take time and with writing it is better to get it right and do numerous rewrites than to shove something out at top speed which is going to be rubbished and ruin any further chances you have. Patience is key.
THE UNCLAIMED THRONE
(SYNOPSIS)
"Be careful what you wish for. You may just get it."
For Auryn, a brilliant and unusually gifted young woman born into the ignorant and troubled world of the Dark Ages, these words have a particular meaning. Although she is born a princess into a sheltered life of privilege and wealth, Auryn is unhappily aware that she is an unwanted youngest daughter, especially when her parents had so desperately craved a son and heir. Regarded as strange and plain by most people, her social awkwardness, reclusive ways and superior intellect are gravely misunderstood by her peers, who only see in her her royal marriage potential. Finally Auryn is forced into a hateful and loveless betrothal by her scheming father to his ambitious but cruel and uncouth neighbour, King Horan. Appalled by her fate, Auryn's desperate desire for escape and self-discovery comes true in a way she had never thought possible.
Unknown to Auryn, powers far greater than she could ever dream of have been at work, even before she was born. Forewarned by her aged, half human nursemaid, Maeve, of what is to come and also of her own hidden gift, it still comes as a tremendous shock when Auryn, while en route to wed her intended husband, encounters a terrible magic storm and is plunged by those same powers into the magical, nightmare world of Aridayn. A massacre sees her the sole survivor of her company apart from Garth, her faithful thirteen year old page and friend. Both are taken captive by Sardon, the all powerful and thoroughly evil Sorceror King of Aridayn, who sees in Auryn his greatest threat to power yet. After a desperate escape against fearsome odds, Auryn and Garth begins a perilous and desperate quest across Aridayn to find the One Magic Gateway home that is filled with grave dangers, loyal comrades, sorrow and triumph -and is also filled with remarkable revelations about Auryn herself that will forever shape her destiny.
For Auryn unknowingly holds the Key to the past, present and future, not just for the enslaved peoples of the world of Aridayn but for many other worlds beyond, including our own. It is this power that Auryn must discover within herself - before it is too late.
THE UNCROWNED QUEEN
(SYNOPSIS)
“You must prepare to be a ruling queen – in more ways than one.”
Almost three years have passed since Auryn, Garth and his father, Gaheris, escaped from the ancient, magical world of Aridayn, but the long dark shadow of destiny continues to haunt them well beyond the Gateway.
Forced to come to grips with her evolving power and the formidable responsibilities it brings, the reluctant Auryn is well aware that one day she must return to that mystic world. But she soon discovers that the insidious reach of Sardon, her age-old nemesis, extends well beyond Aridayn and now directly threatens all she holds dear. His sinister shapeshifting agents have penetrated the Gateway and now prowl the lands of men, wreaking havoc. Faced with this new threat, Auryn now receives help from the great Merlin, her newfound tutor and mentor. Further help comes from other powerful new friends who form an ancient group of wizards known as the Circle of Five, dedicated to defending the human world from Sardon’s age-old malice. But dangers both old and new lurk at every turn, and the stakes for the future are higher than ever before.
When Auryn’s aging father falls seriously ill, throwing the future of the entire realm into chaos, Auryn finds herself thrust into the role of Regent, battling treason, famine and war with scheming and ambitious members of her own family her latest adversaries. With the aid of Gaheris, now a formidable and invaluable general and to whom she is increasingly drawn to, Auryn discovers her full mettle and a greater realisation of her destiny to rule. But no sooner has Auryn found bittersweet triumph over her latest foes than Sardon, using the tracking power of his lost magic sword, Ascadril (which fell into the possession of the unsuspecting Gaheris after his previous duel with Sardon at the Battle of Chairon), re-opens the Gateway and Auryn, Gaheris and Garth are forced back to Aridayn under nightmarish circumstances.
It soon becomes apparent to all three they are sorely needed. Over the past three years they quickly discover that the grievous yoke of cruelty Sardon has laid upon the peoples of Aridayn as punishment for their previous insurrection is more than can be borne. Terrified resistance fighters cower in hiding, leaderless and without direction. Auryn appoints Gaheris as their new general, with the daunting and formidable task of turning this diverse range of frightened peoples into a cohesive army capable of withstanding Sardon’s murderous legions. Garth, now on the brink of manhood, grapples with his maturing instincts as well as with his own leadership potential. But Auryn herself must travel far and wide across Aridayn to other places where she is sorely needed, finding new and unexpected allies among outlaws, pirates, griffins, dragons and the ancient and terrifying sea monster, Tethys, whose undying hatred of Sardon brings her and the sea peoples to Auryn’s cause.
Meanwhile Sardon, aware of Auryn’s intention to evacuate her armies by sea, is forging together the greatest and most deadly sea armada Aridayn has ever seen, under the command of one of his most trusted and fearsome lords. While the Circle of Five desperately seek a solution to rescue Auryn and her friends from Aridayn and Sardon’s web of traps and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Auryn must confront some of her greatest challenges to date, as well as some of her deepest emotions and fears.
With the ultimate fate of millions resting in her hands, Auryn has to realize that her greatest power lies not just on the battlefield but within the heart, and that the cost of power may come with deep personal sacrifice...a cost that may be more than she can bear.
March 28, 2015
An Interview with Author K. Caffee
Young: Hello Kat, welcome to In The Harem.
K. Caffee (K.C.): Glad to be here. Thank you for having me.
Young: Let's jump in and start. :)
I'm sure my readers will love to know about your latest book/books to be released? The release date and a teaser
K.C.: My latest and most current work is Into the Sunlits (published by N/A). Its schedule to be release in Spring 2015.
When I first started writing the series, it was just to write the story. It started whispering in my head, and everything I tried failed to make it shut up. As I developed the characters and researched more into what types of personality issues Nameless, the main character, would have, I realized I was telling the story of a feral child. Once that much developed, I knew that I had to finish this project.
Into the Sunlits is the transition from a world where no one cares what happens to the Nameless to one where almost everyone he meets is invested in who he is, and how he can grow to become part of their society. Similar to what happens with a feral child after they have been discovered. They are fed, clothed, and they are introduced to what the society around them considers social norms. It is a time of great stress and change, which can cause the child to regress into previously understood behavioral patterns, which I tried to incorporate into this work.
Leading up to this scene, Nameless had been making progress toward acceptable behavior patterns for his native culture. He also has been observing, and learning about the new environment. However, he is thrown back to his earliest days because of an altercation between two of the supporting characters – one to be his companion, the other to be a mentor. In the opening line of dialogue, the “She” “Her”, and “Her Children” are references to the goddess Nameless has given himself to.
Teaser:
“She wishes me to live, so live I do. She wishes me return, return I do. First others have must worthy of Her, or Her Children.” Nameless whispered in his native tongue.
“Then others we will find.” The Intuii said softly in the same tongue.
Nameless flopped his head a few times. With a deep breath, he forced his body to remember its lessons from the Arena. First one leg, then the second was forced over the side of the bed. His arms were driven to shove his body into a precarious balance on his tail bone, as he contemplated the distance between the bed and the door. He took another deep breath. Before he let it out, he shoved himself to an unstable standing position. With a harsh exhale, he took his first step, almost staggering to the side of the room as when his legs tried to refuse the command from his will.
Akantheldama felt the spike of determination with a sense of hunger and satisfaction. She latched onto the emotion, leeching some of it for her own ends, and feeding the rest back into her master, strengthening his determination to be on the move once more.
Step by unsteady step he forced his muscles to respond to his directions. When he reached the doorjamb, he was met by a returning Raonal. The Silk mutely held out the tankard of water he had drawn from the well. Akantheldama backed away from the tankard as if it were a silver steak poised to plunge into her heart. Nameless saw this in his peripheral vision, his primary attention locked in the task of forcing his hand to take the offered drink and deliver it to his water starved mouth.
The first drought from the tankard vanished almost as fast as the water trickled into his mouth. The second made it to his throat before it was absorbed. He finished the tankard with unsightly haste, which caused small dribbles to fall down his chin. He dropped his hand, as if the tankard had suddenly become too heavy to hold, and sagged against the wooden frame of the door.
“Clothes. Where?” He asked in a voice still leached of strength.
Raonal pointed back into the room, and Nameless felt himself sagging even more. “Bring them.” He ordered, then turned his attention inward.
Akantheldama felt the new surge of determination with amazement. She continued to siphon off some of it for herself, but maintained the loop to ensure her master would survive.
When Raonal did not move fast enough, Nameless found an inner well of strength he had not yet tapped, and lashed out at the pukah. “When ordered are, respond now. Clothes. Me. Bring.” He warned sternly.
Raonal, stunned at the unexpected strength of the blow, nodded mutely. He scuttled into the room, kicking various tankards out of his way, and retrieved the filthy clothes. Before he handed them to his alpha, Akantheldama snagged them with distaste.
“No. You will not be seen in these. Where is the pack?” She asked.
“Just inside the door. I think it is buried in tankards.” Raonal said, looking at the end of the bed where the pack rested quietly.
“Then go get it. And, then get these filthy things washed.” Akantheldama commanded.
“Why me? You are not my alpha. Only alphas can give orders to their pack.” Raonal quipped.
Akantheldama fired off a punch combination that should have sent the pukah into the woodwork across the room. Raonal answered her with a laugh, his form impaled by her fist. “Not this time, Intuii. I learn fast. Here.”
The heavy pack slammed into Akantheldama’s knuckles as Raonal threw the pack at her. She grabbed for the shoulder straps, and jerked the pack to her breast. Before Raonal could cross the room to her, she had single handedly dumped out the contents, and began kicking them awry looking for Nameless’ extra set of clothes, forgetting they had been lost back in the forest.
Raonal, with a glance at the absorbed vampire, grabbed the tankard from Nameless’ loose grip and fled down the hall to the bathing room. He returned soon with it refilled, and pressed it into Nameless’ hands once more. Then, he grabbed the filthy clothes as he danced passed the furiously searching woman. By the time Akantheldama came to the realization that Nameless only had one set of clothes, Raonal was returning with the now clean and dry items. He held them out to Nameless wordlessly. Akantheldama glared at him, and he replied with a smirk and a shrug.
Nameless missed the interplay, as he focused on balancing himself on one leg against the doorframe so he could stuff the other leg into his pants properly. When he tried to switch legs, he lost his balance, and capered wildly back and forth between the hall and room, trying not to fall as he worked on getting his other leg into the garment. He finally succeeded as he slammed his shoulder painfully into the far wall of the hallway. With a small grunt from the impact, he finished drawing his pants up, and tied the waist band securely.
He then staggered to the scatter of personal possessions left by Akantheldama’s search, and sifted through the mess. He found his bag and pouch quickly, but his belt continued to elude his searching fingers.
“What are you looking for?” Raonal asked, kneeling down beside him in preparation of aiding in the search for something valuable.
“Belt. Must have belt.” Nameless rasped through his still dry throat.
Raonal turned to look at his master with surprise, then turned to look for the tankard he had given him. The tankard he saw on the floor, sitting neatly. However, more damage had been done to Akantheldama. When he twisted further around, distracted from the search for Nameless’ belt by a low-level litany of vile languages, his eyes grew round in fear. Where the Intuii had stood safely in the hall there now appeared the visage of vengeful death looming over him. The matted red hair had become even wilder. The dark eyes had ignited. The calm demeanor of Akantheldama had been replaced by something with less care for the world, and more desire for destruction.
Raonal backed away from the trainer-turned-specter in abject fear. He tumbled over Nameless’ driving the weakened man to the floor. He was halted from further retreat when the back of his head slammed into the wall. He curled himself into the tightest ball possible, whimpering like a fearful puppy.
Nameless, surprised at the sudden eruption of fear from his Silk, turned to see what had caused it. Seeing the Intuii standing over him with her eyes locked on the pukah, he felt his own heart skip a beat before thundering its awareness that he was in mortal danger. He shoved himself to his feet and stepped between the insane woman and the pukah. Without thought, he fished out the token he had been given by Akantheldama’s progenitor, and held it out before him like a talisman.
“By the Web Mother, I command you Intuii to stand down. You are calm. You are obedient. You are mine to do with as I please.” He intoned. He repeated the words twice more. With each repetition, his voice gained a clarity and insistence that would not be denied.
Akantheldama had looked at him after the first words; her will slammed into his mind. He forced himself to withstand the onslaught, and fought back. Though he was untrained in the innate gifts of his heritage, the need he experienced in this moment gave him a control much older and wiser pukah would envy. Akantheldama stepped toward Raonal, her eyes never leaving Nameless or the token.
After the third repeat, Nameless raised the token higher, “Obey, or see your House destroyed, Intuii.” He commanded.
Raonal watched as Akantheldama’s eyes began to shift. First to the firey glow, then to their softer violet hues, one then the other. Both shifted for a while to her normal coloration, then the fires flared once more. Through it all, Nameless stood resolute, his will lashing hers, fighting the madness Raonal’s carelessness had unleashed. With a last flash, the madness struck, this time at Raonal, not at Nameless. However, Nameless had been prepared for something similar. As Akantheldama’s madness set off a physical spark of unquenchable fire, Nameless threw himself, talisman first, between the vampire and her victim. The talisman absorbed the flame, and Nameless crashed to the floor gasping in pain.
Raonal peeked over his arms when he heard a body hit the floor. To his amazement, he saw the perpetually unsane Intuii kneeling over his alpha in worry.
“Master, what have I done?” She moaned, softly stroking his hair, trying to revive him once more. Nameless did not stir.”
Young: Where can readers find your books?
K.C. : They are listed on most of the major retailers – Apple’s iTunes, Barns and Noble, Scribd, Oyster, Flipkart, and Kobo. (I don’t have those links immediately to hand.)
Also on Smashwords and Amazon
Out of the Darkness – Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/468200
Out of the Darkness – Amazon universal link: http://hyperurl.co/Out-of-Darkness
Remember the Shadows – Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/507606
Remember the Shadows – Amazon universal link: http://hyperurl.co/kmhx9g
Young: Where and How can readers get in touch with you?
K.C.: I am on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PukahWorks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/KCaffee
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pukahworks
Blog: https://pukahworks.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PukahWorks
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00TMQEJPU
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KCaffee
Young: What do you think are the biggest challenges for the type of writing that you do?
K.C.: For this series, I’ve found trying to balance between dialogue and the story without losing the ambiance that I’ve managed to build up throughout. This is a bleak tale, and it does not hesitate to dive into the gore and brutality that makes the main character who, and what, he is. However, in Into the Sunlits some of his worst personality traits have begun to soften a little under the impact of the few people he has regular contact with up until now.
As Into the Sunlits develops, pacing the changes he undergoes with the development of the new cast proved to be interesting - especially when that cast is so diverse morally, racially, and culturally.
I lost track of the times I would be working on a scene and slam into one, or more, of the characters refusing to do something I thought should happen because of a moral, cultural, or racial prejudice against the action. It was even more pronounced with Nameless, than with the others. And, his lack of knowledge in regards to cultural norms also provided its own stumbling block.
Young: How did you get started in writing?
K.C.: I have always been a storyteller. Even when I was a child. When the family would go on church trips, or with some group if my parents lost track of me, they knew all they had to do was find the biggest group around that was hanging on someone’s words. Nine out of ten times, I would be the one in the center, telling tales, and keeping them entertained.
I kind of grew out of the verbal storytelling, but I never did completely leave it behind. When I was introduced to table top gaming, I found a new outlet. Even after the group I played with broke up due to life pulling us our own ways, I continued to role play in different online settings.
Followers of Torments was started in that role play setting. One of the other players asked me about Nameless’ back story. I wrote it out, and posted it to the group’s page, and thought that was the end of it. Little did I know it would come back to haunt me years later. I argued with it, having had very bad experiences before with my inability to see a story through to completion. But, it would not be silenced. It kept whispering in my head.
I finally gave in, and started working on it again in August of 2014. At the time, I thought it would be one book. When the story kept growing, and morphing, I realized I had a series. When Out of the Darness was published later that month, I had the idea of how all five books of the series would tie together, and how that tied into the journey of Nameless. Now, I am writing for two reasons – to keep up with the flow of ideas the story gives me, and to help spread word about the horrific, unseen issues around what creates a feral child.
Young: What kind of research do you when writing one of your works?
K.C.: Very limited spot research. Once I’m writing, I try to limit the research to very specific details – most times if it takes longer than about 10 minutes, I’ve lost all writing momentum, and have wandered down into the rabbit warren of information that has nothing to do with the story.
The exception to this is if I need to do personality research. That is not something that can be answered with a specific question/answer session, since the personality of a character is present throughout the entire work. I try to do that before I get too deep into the book, but so far I’ve had to take a couple of weeks out in both published books to refine what information I had already, so I could use it effectively with the characters.
Young: Have you ever experienced Writer's Block? If so how did you work through it?
K.C.:I’ve never experienced the typical Writer’s Block, where there aren’t any ideas to be written. I have encountered on several occasions in Into the Sunlits where I have had too many ideas too close together, and wound up with a Writer’s Jam.
At that point, the best I can do is be patient, and give it time. I try to write a little every day, even if it’s only 50 words, just to keep the story fresh in my mind, and to pick at the jam until I can find the linchpin that caused the jam to form in the first place.
Young: Anything else you’d like to tell our readers?
K.C.: Be aware of your surroundings. Read widely, enjoy life, but also be aware of what is around you. Many of the children who have been discovered were known to the neighbours long before they were given any help. The neighbours knew the child was there, but did not do anything until it was almost too late.
Don’t jump to conclusions either. Just because a child is unsupervised does not mean they are unloved. However, if you suspect that there is a child in danger, please report it to your local authorities. Maybe in this small way, the plague of feral children that is growing can be stopped, and these innocents can be spared an animalistic life. There is no Tarzan or Mowgli-type recovery from the damages caused from extreme isolation from a very young age. Many, in fact, do not recover at all, and are forced to live out a half-life in a home for the mentally disabled, never speaking, never smiling, and barely able to understand that they have been taken out of the horrors, which defined their early years.
Help spread the word about these lost innocents.
Young: Lastly do you have any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
K.C.: I’ll go beyond the cliché of “keep writing”. Find a group – online or in person – who can, and will, offer advice and support while you write. Putting words on paper can be a fulfilling life, but it does not have to be a prison from which you never emerge. Take advantage of the technology to find new friends. That way, if you become tangled in your own work, there is someone who you trust and who can help untangle the mess, so it starts flowing smoothly again.
March 26, 2015
The Next Best Thing Blog Tour
1. What is your working title of your book (or story)?
I'm currently working on A Harem Boy's Saga - IV - Turpitude; a memoir by Young - the fourth book in my memoir/autobiography series.
2. Where did the idea come from for these books?
My story has been kept under wraps for close to 45 years. The correct moment has arrived for me to make known my unique education.
3. What genre do your books fall under?
Autobiography and Memoir
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Although, I'm currently working on the screenplay for A Harem Boy's Saga series for my literary agent to pitch; until such time when a purchase is finalized by a film or TV production company, I'm keeping my options open to who should play the main leads.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
This is a unique love story of a boy who was inducted into a sexual secret society, before being spirited away to serve in several Middle Eastern male harems.
6. Will your book(s) be self-published or represented by an agency?
A Harem Boy's Saga seven series is published by Solstice Publishing. My literary agent is Ms. Emerantia Antonia Parnell-Gilbert from the Gilbert Literary Agency.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Each book takes approximately 18 months to complete. Each volume contains three months of my teenage life (per Arab Household) and are approximate 600 pages.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
There are other books written about Middle Eastern female harems. I'm the first to write about my experiences in male harems within a patriarchal society. Therefore my experiences are vastly different to the negative female harem stories that are currently available in the marketplace. My harem experiences are positively illuminating and educationally enlightening.
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Below are the reasons that inspired me to write A Harem Boy's Saga series.
A Harem Boy Saga:
· Provide Tolerance to Sissy Boys by understanding parents/peers and the community. Anderson Cooper 360 documentary on the devastating treatment of effeminate boys influence me to tell my story.
· Bullying can be Avoided through Big Brother/Big Sister volunteer programs in school or outside school system. Older students acting as mentors to younger students.
· Gay Adolescent Tolerance – parents/child/siblings relationship issues. Support/mentorship program to all parties involved to foster understanding and acceptance of Gay kids.
· Provide an Alternative Educational System - Understanding Big Brother/adolescent mentorship programs in schools, BB as protector to keep younger kids from being bullied.
· Human Relationship Building Program - Between parents/teachers and young students on sexual topics/issues, especially when adolescent are just discovering their sexuality. They can be guided on a healthy and honest sexual journey instead of “don’t ask, don’t tell”hide it behind the closet policy.
Thank You Vicki-Ann Bush for hosting me. http://vickiannbush.blogspot.com
And a special Thank You Marie Lavender, for inviting me to the group. It was great fun! Please remember to check out Marie's blog at https://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/2015/03/18/the-next-best-thing-blog-tour-my-wip
And the author that started this little shin dig, Lois W. Stern at http://tales2inspire.com
March 23, 2015
SLAVE by Angelica Dawson
Will has no interest in women. He thinks them all animals to be trained, beaten. It doesn't take him long to discover his preference for men, but time and error reveal how wrong view toward women is. Before long, he is able to separate the way he treats women, which is still horrific, from the way he regards women, as fellow human beings.
How does a slave become an equal? What does it take for a young man to see women in a new light?
In the fourth installment of her Blue Moon House series, Angelica introduces Will, a slave boy from the early nineteenth century. You can purchase Slave on Amazon, Smashwords, and Naughty Nights Press.
Angelica Dawson is the author of Blue Moon House, which has been in the top ten best-selling titles at Naughty Nights Press for over six months. She has also written two short stories, “The Highest Bidder” and “Leave Taking” which were each included in anthologies.
She contributes flash fiction to several blogging collectives and excerpts from work in progress can also be found on her blog. She is active on Facebook and Twitter.
She has been writing for several years and having sex a lot longer than that. Angelica is a wife, mother and environmental consultant. Her love of plants and the outdoors is not diminished by the bloodsucking hoards – mosquitoes and black flies, not vampires.
Here is an excerpt from Slave:
A rustling from outside the fence, not one of the cows, pricked both men’s ears. A pair of shadows approached, women by the shape of their skirts.
“Hello, Louis,” one called, stepping close enough Will could make out a black face. The second woman stood slightly behind her friend but was equally dark.
“Well, Gertie. I didn’t expect you.” He removed his pipe to kiss her cheek. “I’m glad you came to visit. Old Man Conners finally give you a night off?”
“That he did. Me and Maybel here.” She turned to her friend.
“Hello, Maybel. Gertrude, this is Will.”
Will nodded to them, but tried to pretend the women weren’t there otherwise. Why did they have to ruin his night?
“Will, ladies, why don’t we head for the barn. I can light a lamp so we can all see each other properly.”
“That sounds very good,” Gertrude said, leaning on Louis. It was obvious what she was after. It hurt Will to see how much his friend wanted it as well. “Maybel, you can keep Will company, right?”
The girl jumped a little, as though surprised. “I thought we—” she cut off abruptly. “Yes, of course I can.” She waited for Will to jump down after Louis and walked beside him. “Where do you work?”
“Baker Street,” he said. “You are on Conners plantation, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “There are more men than girls, though. Baker Street. You don’t even have a garden, do you?”
He shook his head. “I clean. Cook a little.”
“You’re alone?” she asked, pity in her voice.
He nodded. “But, I come and visit Louis regularly.” He looked toward his friend, but rather than comfort, he felt jealousy as he put his head together with Gertrude’s.
“You don’t visit any...girls?” she asked, leading.
“No. No girls,” he said firmly.
They entered the barn and Louis lit a lamp, hanging it from a peg near one of the empty stalls. They were all empty now, ready for when a cow or calf took ill. They each had fresh straw in them, and Louis tumbled Gertrude into one almost immediately. Will looked away in disgust. The slut was throwing herself at him.
March 20, 2015
My Guest Author - Silvia Villalobos
Silvia Villalobos
is a native of Romania who lives immersed in the laid-back vibe of Southern California, is a writer of mystery novels and short fiction. Her stories have appeared in The Riding Light Review, Pure Slush, and Red Fez, among other publications. She is constantly drawn to premises filled with questions which arouse feelings that are often beyond imagination yet seem real. Her upbringing in Romania, the land of Eminescu and Eliade, may have contributed to such complex imagination and stories filled with peril.
When not taking long walks through the local paseos or hiking the Santa Clarita Woodland Park trails, she can be found writing, blogging, or preparing and giving speeches for Toastmasters International.
Young: Welcome Silvia Villalobos to In The Harem.
Silvia Villalobos (S.V.): Glad to be here. :)
Young: Tell us about your Latest Book about to be released?
S.V.: My latest book is titled: Stranger or Friend. It is a mystery novel.
Stranger or Friend is a literary suspense novel sparked by secrets and distrust. It took me five years to complete this mystery/suspense book, mostly because the emotional element had to be examined closely and handled carefully. Emotional depth, I think, is the lifeblood of any story. The early reviews agree.
Young: When is the release date?
S.V.: It will be released by Solstice Publishing March 24, 2015 and is available for pre-order. It is currently available for pre-order.
Here is the book purchase/order link: http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Friend-Silvia-Villalobos-ebook/dp/B00UG0W5O8/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Young: Splendid! Can you give us a teaser?
S.V.: Here it is;
He studied her, the woman from the city, likely an oddity to a man who’d never lived outside Pine Vale. She wasn’t a local anymore, but more or less a stranger ... Zoe pulled her jacket tighter, hoping she'd make it through her first day home without having to explain she hadn't gone crazy in the city.
Young: What other books/short stories have you written?
S.V.: I’ve written several short stories. The most recent, A Blurred Reality, was published by The Riding Light Review and is available on amazon. Other early works include Ioana, published by Red Fez (this story takes place in Romania, where I am originally from), and Survivor, which deals with a cancer survivor, published by Pure Slush, among other works.
Young: Do you publish in e-book, print, or both?
S.V.: Both, but this is the publisher’s decision. A Blurred Reality is available in both formats, and of course the latest release, Stranger or Friend, is now available in kindle format, but it will soon be available in both kindle and print from amazon.
Young: Where can readers find your books?
S. V.: Amazon and Goodreads. And my website strangerorfirend.com
Young: What do you think are the biggest challenges for the type of writing that you do?
S.V.: Forgetting or overlooking the emotional element. As I mentioned, emotion is everything, even in a mystery or thriller where plot and action are so important. Without giving careful consideration to the human and emotional element, it’s difficult to touch anyone’s heart in meaningful ways. The story should leave the reader with a different outlook on things, at least for a while, and that comes from psychological depth and emotion.
Young: How did you get started in writing?
S.V.: I wrote an essay on Eminescu (Romanian poet) in high school. The teacher singled it out and offered dreams-inducing praise. I kept writing. Aside from family, writing is what makes me happiest. I can spend hours alone with my characters -- such a wonderful process.
Young: Where and How can readers get in touch with you?
S.V.: Readers can email me anytime at svillalobos.ro@gmail.com
Also, these are links to social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silvia.villalobos.140
Twitter: @Silvia__Writes
Blog: www.silviatomasvillalobos.wordpress.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Silvia-Villalobos/e/B00U8AB0QK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Young: So with your latest work released/or being released, what comes next? What can we expect from you in the future?
S.V.: Zoe Sinclair, the character in Stranger or Friend, may be ready for more. At least that’s what she seems to be whispering to me. So, will see. A little vacation, for sure, then more writing.
Young: How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
S.V.: A lot. Zoe is a lawyer, and I work in the legal field. Her thoughts on life and people are my thoughts, and her ill mother is based on my aunt, Mary, who helped raised me after my father passed away. A lot of Zoe’s outlook on life, her dislike of certain people and events, that’s all me -- since that’s widely familiar. :)
Young: Among your own books, have you a favourite book? Favourite Hero or Heroine?
S.V.: Zoe Sinclair, from Stranger or Friend, is my favourite by far at this time. She returns home after a long absence to find that home is no longer the place she left behind, or maybe never really knew. Hence the question: is she a stranger or a friend? She has to deal with the loss of a friend and her mother’s illness, with new faces and new ideas, but above all she must deal with a very real and human aspect in all our lives, a certain prejudice that hides in every heart. Not an easy task, but Zoe is not going to let a complicated issue stop her. She is a complex character, and I love complexity in story and character.
Young: Where do you see yourself in five years?
S.V.: Writing, hopefully. Continually searching for that all-important premise filled with questions, which arouse feelings that are often beyond imagination, yet seem real.
Young: What does your significant other think of your writing?
S.V.: My husband reads everything I write. In many ways, he is my very first editor. As a musician, and fellow creative, he is very supportive. We spend many hours dissecting a character, discussing a premise, disagreeing about a plot line. It’s fun, and I love it.
Young: Have you ever experienced Writer's Block? If so how did you work through it?
S.V.: Oh, yes. When that happens, I set the story aside and go out for a long walk or a hike. I listen to music. I read a lot. There are so many ways to get re-inspired, but by far, reading works best for me.
Young: Who are some of your favourite authors to read?
S.V.: Some old-time favourites are:
Eliade, Jane Austen, Tolstoy, Catarescu, Victor Hugo. I enjoy mysteries, so Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, and P.D. James are also among my favourites.
Young: Anything else you'd like to tell our readers?
S.V.: I hope you enjoy Stranger or Friend, and would love to hear back from you.
Young: Lastly do you have any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
S.V.: Be patient. Learning from rejections is part of the process. Working on one’s art and craft every day is not only rewarding, but crucial. Reading, in and out of preferred genre, and joining a critique group is essential, because writing is one thing and writing well is something else entirely. But above all, as I said, be patient. No editor likes a writer to reacts to rejections, and building a good relationship with editors and publishers is very important.
March 12, 2015
Author Andrew P. Weston
Young: Hello Andrew, thank you for coming on my blog. Let's jump in - can you tell us about your latest book?
Andrew P. Weston (A.P.W.): Thank you for inviting me. Here is the scoop on my latest book:
Andrew P. Weston is my pen-name. My latest and most current work is The IX. It is was released in January 2015 by Perseid Press
Young: And can you give us a teaser?
A.P.W.: The easiest way to describe the book is to tell you details from the teaser page. It will put things in a nutshell:
Arden, home to a culture that has existed for thousands of years and which spans dozens of worlds. Regardless, their sophistication cannot prevent calamity at the hands of an unstoppable nemesis. Known only as the Horde, this enemy has proven relentless. They have not only stripped the outer colonies bare, but now threaten the existence of the entire Ardenese way of life.
Realizing there is nothing they can do to prevent the inevitable march toward extinction, the Ardenese governing body comes to a drastic decision. They gather together at their capital city, Rhomane, and place their remaining genetic heritage in a vast underground ark, in the care of an advanced AI construct called the Architect. Its mission? To use Rhomane’s dwindling reserves and safeguard their race by reaching out across time and space toward those who might be in a position to help reseed a devastated world at some time in the future.
Soldiers from varying eras and vastly different backgrounds find themselves snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing and transported to the far side of the galaxy. Thinking they have been granted a reprieve, their relief turns to horror when they discover they face a stark ultimatum:
Fight or die!
Despite a host of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, this group of misfits manages to turn the tide against a relentless foe, only to discover the true cost of victory might exact a price they are unwilling to pay.
A.P.W. (continues): Here’s a brief excerpt from the beginning of the book:
For as far as his eye could see, the endless tide of rabid hunger continued to advance. They came pouring into the valley from all sides, and the entire basin was soon filled with seething, shrieking monstrosities of every conceivable shape and form. Not one of them stood under two decans in height.
Nearing their goal, the leading entities of the Horde howled with malice and leaped forward. Dashing their bodies against the augmented might of the battlements seemed pointless to Sariff, for the attackers achieved nothing but to spend their vitality in a blaze of explosive fury. Yet the utter futility resulting from their lack of imagination did nothing to lessen their frenzy. Regardless of their comrades’ fate, wave after wave of them continued throwing themselves to their deaths in wanton abandon. So great did the overwhelming press of shadow and flame become that the repeated detonations of each attacker’s self immolation grew into one prolonged cacophony of light and heat. Despite its density, the entire breadth of the wall thrummed under the weight of the assault.
And still they come. Sariff blanched in the face of the onslaught, witnessed here on Arden for the first time. As First Magister of Rhomane City, he seized the opportunity to study the enemy closely, for his would be the deciding vote in a decision that would seal the fate of their people.
He shook his head in disbelief, for he could see no respite from the relentless storm threatening to engulf them. Thirty planets overrun in the space of just fifteen months. More than fifty billion souls lost. A history and a culture spanning more than twelve thousand years brought to this. It’s a bitter pill to swallow. And we risk it all on an idea . . .
What choice do we have?
Everywhere he looked, Sariff saw only the inevitability of death. Unless, by some miracle, Calen’s gamble paid off. That thought reminded him. I’d better get a move on.
So mesmerized was he by the display of savagery below, he almost collided with the duty commander, Sol Beren. Sariff hadn’t heard the soldier’s silent approach, but that was understandable. The veteran warrior was a skilled tracker, renowned for keeping his men on their toes by his sudden, wraithlike appearances at different stations along the wall. Everyone marveled how he could be seen taking the lead at one post only to be spotted minutes later on the other side of the city entirely, without having used the transport pads.
His face a mask of determination, Beren studied the conflict before him. A cold and empty gaze reflected the bitter frustrations of a man who had seen too many men die worthless deaths. Sariff wished there was something he could say to ease the commander’s burden. Instead, all he could ask was: “Will it hold?”
“Oh, it’ll hold all right.” Beren brushed the smooth texture of the defenses with his fingertips. “For now at any rate. It’s pure lydium, the densest known material in existence. A marvel of technological adaptation.” He glanced down again and almost to himself whispered, “It has to hold . . . .”
Sariff caught the hint of helpless acceptance in Beren’s voice. He thinks we’re doomed. Closing his ears to the baying howls of myriad atrocities, Sariff nodded stiffly, entered the portal and was instantly snatched from the reverberating terror of battle. Materializing moments later to deafening silence, he stepped down from the teleport dais and hastened into the sanctuary’s hushed interior.
Despite the emergency, no guards were posted. In their encounters thus far, the Horde appeared unable to use the matter transporters. Whether it was due to their biophysical properties or simple lack of understanding wasn’t known. Regardless, it was looked on as a blessing. And as this location had been positioned within a tear in the very fabric of reality, it was felt additional security was unnecessary, especially as the soldiers were needed at the wall.
That fact did little to stifle Sariff’s growing unease.
Automated sensors tracked his progress toward the Archive-Architect, a self aware AI construct of stunning complexity and one of their greatest achievements. If all went well, it would also serve as their last bastion of hope against total extinction.
If all goes well.
Young: What other books/short stories have you written?
A.P.W.: I’ve written quite a few. The Guardian Series – a science fiction trilogy that details what might happen if it were ever to become public knowledge that beings with extraordinary powers and technological sophistication were looking out for us from behind the scenes. Human society can be extremely fickle. While many people would love the idea that ‘Guardian Angels’ are watching over us, others would merely perceive them to be a threat, and go out of their way to be as obstructive as possible.
I’m also the creator of the Cambion Journals trilogy, which follows the life and struggles of Augustus Thorne, a demon-human hybrid, cursed with a hunger he can barely control. He hates what he is with a passion, and goes out of his way to use his extraordinary powers to hunt down and exterminate any Incubi or Succubae he can find. Along the way, he has to struggle with the loneliness his lifestyle imposes on him, and of course, with the ever increasing efforts of the demon council to end his unholy crusade.
I’ve also written a number of ‘stand-alone’ and other short stories that have appeared in other publications as part of various anthologies.
Young: Do you publish in e-book, print, or both?
A.P.W.: My publisher – Perseid Press – (and before them Pagan Writers Press & Ishtar Press) produce their books in various electronic and print mediums.
Young: How did you get started in writing?
A.P.W.: Following a bad accident. I’d always wanted to write, but, a busy life in the military and the police force kept me away from it. Then I was injured on duty and was medically retired. That’s when I found myself with lots of time on my hands. I thought...’at last’, I can take all these ideas out of my head and put them down on paper.
Young: So with your latest work released, what comes next? What can we expect from you in the future?
A.P.W.: I’m already writing new novels. I have the second Guardian’s trilogy to complete. As for my commitments to Perseid Press. Aha! Wait and see. Let’s just say, there are stories to be told...and they’re on the way . :)
Young: How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
A.P.W.: I tend to put a lot of myself into some of the characters. If you make things personal and put your heart into it, it adds a ring of authenticity to your created world. People can relate to that, and it draws them in.
Young: Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
A.P.W.: I have to keep to a very strict schedule. I still write in my spare time, and have to ensure I maintain the discipline required to get words on paper and projects completed. It’s tough, but worth it.
Young: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A.P.W.: Writing full time. That’s the goal I’m striving for. I won’t rest until I achieve that, because only then will I be able to devote the time and energy to my work that it deserves. I also look forward to the time I can do more to support other charities and individuals, etc. Letting a light shine through literature should be a goal of every author.
Young: What kind of research do you when writing one of your works?
A.P.W.: I had to do a massive amount of research for the IX. Remember, the inspiration was based on the 9th Legion of Rome. But, how were they structured? Who did what? How did they march, set up camp, and operate? What did they wear, and what weapons did they use. The Caledonian tribes of that time were vicious savages, and experts in ‘jungle, warfare. However, where did they come from? How did they fight? How far would they travel to engage in combat, and what made them capable enough to defeat entire legions?
Many, many facets like this had to be considered, and that was before I’d even started work on the composition and function of the many U.S. Cavalry companies and the Native American tribes of the eighteenth century. (Thankfully, I had a friend to assist me on that aspect – she’s of Cree descent, and proved to be a goldmine of information) J
The easiest part related to the Special Forces unit. For that, I drew on firsthand military knowledge and experience of sticking it to the bad guys!
Once that was done, I then had to make certain the futuristic/scientific Tec referred to within the story had a basis in fact. I called on my educational background in astronomy and physics for that. Even so, I still had to research the very latest developments, trends, and breakthroughs to ensure the ‘theoretical’ aspects had that ring of truth. Even though this is a science fiction novel, I wanted it to be believable. There’s no doubt in my mind that if you make things too farfetched and super-convenient, it turns readers off.
Despite the work involved, I really enjoy the research aspect, as it adds a depth of authority to your work that improves quality and reading enjoyment.
Young: Have you ever experienced Writer's Block? If so how did you work through it?
A.P.W.: No, I don’t really believe in writers block. If your mind is cluttered with something, you need to take the time to clear it, settle whatever issue keeps dominating your mind, and then get back on with writing.
Young: Who are some of your favourite authors to read?
A.P.W.: Raymond E. Feist, Julian May, Janet Morris, Stephen R Donaldson, and Tad Williams.
Young: Lastly do you have any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
A.P.W.: Keep writing, keep working hard, and keep applying yourself to your craft. One day, your break will come.
The IX
(blurb)
Roman legionnaires, far from home, lost in the mists of Caledonia.
A US cavalry company, engaged on a special mission, vital to the peace treaty proposed by Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln.
A twenty-first century Special Forces unit, desperate to prevent a nuclear catastrophe.
From vastly different backgrounds, these soldiers are united when they are snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing. Thinking they may have been granted a reprieve, imagine their horror when they discover they have been transported to a failing planet on the far side of the galaxy, where they are given a simple ultimatum. Fight or die. Against all odds, this group of misfits manages to turn the tide against a relentless foe, only to discover the true cost of victory might exact a price they are unwilling to pay.
How far would you be willing to go to stay alive?
The IX. Sometimes, death is only the beginning of the adventure.
Website: http://www.andrewpweston.com/
Blog: http://andrewpweston.blogspot.gr/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WestonAndrew
Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-P-Weston/e/B00F3BL6GS/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
The IX buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/IX-Andrew-P-Weston-ebook/dp/B00RM54QBA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425057174&sr=8-1&keywords=the+ix
March 7, 2015
Author S. C. Alban new books
Young: Finally, I get to have a chat with Author S. C. Alban. Welcome to In The Harem. :)
S. C. Alban (S.C.A.): Thank you to have me on your blog.
Young: Let's start by having you tell us a little bit about yourself?
S.C.A.: Well, I really don’t know where to begin. I guess I’m a bit of an introvert, I prefer to be alone. I spend a lot of time in my head. Fall is my favorite season, I love a warm breeze. My friends tell me I’m a bit quirky, but hey, I’m a lefty, so I think about things differently. I love a good ale, but prefer a scotch, neat. I like Star Wars, Thai food, a loud music.
Young: I've read you new book, A Life Without Living. It's very good. I highly recommend it to readers.
Tell us what do you do when you are not writing?
S.C.A.: When I’m not writing, I’m thinking about storylines. I’m reading or cooking or hiking in the forest. I’m also a teacher, so I’m working with my students Monday through Friday.
Young: Do you have a day job as well?
S.C.A.: I teach life skills to students with severe disabilities in a public school.
Young: When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
S.C.A.: I’ve always been a writer. I was an English Literature major in college and took many creative writing classes for my undergrad. When I started writing my book, I put myself on a schedule. I would work during the day and set aside three hours each night. It took a few months for me to get a basic structure. From there, it took me months of editing and revision. I’d been querying agents and publishing companies off and on for years, and finally, Solstice gave me a break. They have been very supportive and helpful as my book continued to evolve and change into what it is today.
Young: How did you choose the genre you write in?
S.C.A.: If I’m being honest, I would say the genre chose me. I’ve always been a big fantasy fan, so it just seemed natural to write fantasy.
Young: Where do you get your ideas?
S.C.A.: It’s funny that you ask this because I would say that this is the most asked question I get. I just wrote about this exact thing on my blog this week!
The problem is, I don’t really know where my ideas come from. Sure, I may see something or hear something around me that may trigger a chain reaction of imagination, but honestly, I don’t really know. I keep a dream journal, and sometimes, something in a dream may snowball into an idea and grow from there.
Young: Do you work with an outline, or just write?
S.C.A.: I work with a very loose outline. But really, I just sit down with my laptop and a notebook and just go.
Young: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
S.C.A.: I’ve always been a bog fan of Stephen King and Anne Rice. I am also very much influenced by Jerzy Kosinski, Ernest Hemingway, Federico Garcia Lorca, and Khalil Gibran.
Young: How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?
S.C.A.: I use as much social media as I can. I have a website (www.scalban.com) where I blog weekly. I have a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/scalban) and a Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/muchasfloras). I also have an Instagram account that I occasionally post up pics on. Right now, since my book is just newly released I am really trying to get people interested in giving it a try.
Young: Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
Can you also tell us about your upcoming book?
S.C.A.: Right now, I am working on book two to A Life Without Living. It’s titled Barely Living Alive and it continues the story. I’ve also got another small series I’m working on called The Woman Inside. This series is a little bit different that what I typically write, but I’m pretty proud of it. It is a short story series based on the secrets that women keep. Each story tackles a different woman’s secret and gives a glimpse into how she deals with it. It’s not fantasy, it’s literary fiction, but I’m hoping that readers will see that I am a diverse writer and am worth reading.
Young: Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
S.C.A.: The fantasy is purely that; fantasy. A Life Without Living all comes from my imagination. But for The Woman Inside series, I do tap into some real life experiences. Because each story tackles common women’s issues that are present in today’s society, I think that there are a lot of women out there that will read these stories and think ‘I know how she feels!’
Young: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
How did you come up with the title?
What project are you working on now?
S.C.A.: As I mentioned before, I’m currently working on Barely Living Alive. I’m also working on two stories for the short series. I’m thinking that the shorts will be out this spring. I’m hoping to have a rough draft of Barely Living Alive by June.
Young: Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
S.C.A.: Just to keep moving forward. Keep writing and persevere. You have to believe that you will break through. Take criticism. Make changes. Evolve. Don’t give up. Find your voice and use it. Hold on to your creative and artistic integrity, but be willing to play the game. Keep evolving. Be polite and grateful. Listen to your inner voice and learn.
Young: Let's talk about more light hearted subjects and funny faux pas that had happened to you. :)
Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
S.C.A.: I’m kind of both. Can I be a halfer? I pull the sheets up to cover the bed and put my decorative pillow on top of my sleeping pillow, but by no means would I say that the bed is made.
Young: Be honest, how often do you wash your hair?
S.C.A.: I have a pretty busy day job, so I often wash my hair. But I tend to get a bit lax around the weekend. I’m not even sure your supposed to wash your hair that often. Doesn’t strip your hair of oils that you need? Also, I don’t use traditional shampoo. I make my own “shampoo” from a recipe I found on an organic living blog I found one day.
Young: Do you go out of your way to kill bugs? Are there any that make you screech and hide?
S.C.A.: I’m not really a fan of bugs in general, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to kill one. Not even those alien-looking potato bugs with the giant body sections and gnarly antennae. Those things are sick. I try to coexist the best I can with nature.
Young: Where is the perfect place to hide a body?
S.C.A.: Umm, probably my bed, since it’s only half-made and has tons of lumps in it :)
Young: If you were a kid in a candy store, and could have a life time supply of anything, what would it be?
S.C.A.: Cinnamon bears. Hands down. Chewy cinnamon bears.
Young: Do you wear matching socks?
S.C.A.: Occasionally, though I prefer to get funky with my footwear.
Young: Thanks for being such a good sport and answered my silly questions. Lol!
Best Wishes to the success of your books. All the best and thank you for taking time to be on my blog.
S.C.A.: The pleasure is all mine. Thank you for having me. :)
March 6, 2015
Author April Adams
The Importance of Outlines
I know that not everyone enjoys outlining their story. They are “fly by the seat of my pants” types. Nothing wrong with that! They tend to be more intuitive and less structured by nature, and it’s important to find what works for you. But don’t let that ideology prevent you from doing the work of outlining. It is absolutely essential to a good, engaging book.
I’m not talking about anal, super-detailed, line by line planning. If that’s what you like to do, then by all means, do it! But if you’re less structured and still want to utilize outlines, I have just a few pointers.
Write the plot. Every book has one. Know what yours is and write it in one page or less using a fair amount of detail.
Write character profiles. If Buffy has blue eyes, you don’t want them accidentally shifting to green later in the book. If she’s ditzy, she can’t be a braniac later. Know her details and write them down, Do this for every main character.
Write the rough outline. What happens in chapter one as told in a paragraph or less? Write a word, sentence, or paragraph for each scene or chapter. It can change, and likely will. You aren’t building a cage, you’re crafting the bones of the story. As you become more intimately acquainted through the very act of writing, you will fine tune the framework and add the substance. It’s fluid and exciting. Just change your outline accordingly.
The plot twist/subplot(s). Write down ideas! I love when seemingly unimportant characters turn out to play a major role in the plot/character development of a story. It speaks to me of forethought and mastermind level thinking. Readers like surprises. Throw as many of them as you can without distracting from the main plotline.
As you can see, outlines are a crucial ingredient in publishing a great work. No matter how opposed to them you are by nature, you can make them work to your advantage.
Find me online!
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/April-Adams/e/B00CHRCD8G
Twitter: @apriladamsnovel
Facebook: www.fb.com/apriladamsnovel
Website: www.writerapriladams.com
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/apriladamsnovel
February 26, 2015
LOST & SCARED by K.C. Sprayberry
When their younger twin siblings were murdered by their cold-blooded father, Shane and Keri’s own twin connection deepened. Their father shamed Shane and Keri into silence, and then went on to bring four more children into a house shuddering under the weight of his unpredictable temper.
Ten years later, what should have been a regular visitation turns into a horrific nightmare. Trapped in the Superstition Mountains with an addicted and dangerous father, Keri’s faith and determination wavers, but she knows she must save her brothers and sisters and return all of them to the home they love.
She now faces one insurmountable obstacle. He can’t afford to let her go.
http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00TXJ48FC
Excerpt 1 ~ Shane
The window in my bedroom that I share with my two younger brothers overlooks Main Street. I angle my head, so I can attempt to see where my twin is.
“See Keri?” Axe, my best bud, asks.
“Nope. But I do see a bunch of cars leaving.” I face him and grin. “That means she’s on her way back.”
“Great. We can leave now.”
“Looks that way.”
He and I race down the stairs. The normal noise of a large family during winter holiday break greets me, along with what can only be described as evil snickering. We come around the corner, shoving and pushing to see which one of us gets to the bottom first, with me gaining an inch on my bud.
“Yes!” I pump a fist and hop down the last three steps, the satisfaction of proving once and for all that I’m the best pass receiver on our team.
“I am so going to beat you one of these days,” he says.
We knuckle bump and clown around.
“Ready when you are, honey,” a strange female voice says.
“Huh?” I turn around.
A woman who looks like a million miles of bad road stands beside the open front door. Before I can ask who she is and what she’s doing in our house, a series of loud bangs precedes the sound of a cat yowling. That noise sends fear shivers through every inch of my body, and I don’t scare all that easily.
“What the heck?” Axe pushes me aside. “What’s going on, Shane?”
“Don’t know.” I point at the woman. “Who are you?”
“Jake’s honey-poo,” she purrs.
That response is wrong on so many levels, beginning with Jake is my dad’s name. The last time I checked he was still married to my mom.
“Who are you two handsome hunks?”
Gross. Sick. Yuck! She sounds just like Scooter when he catches a mouse.
Just as I’m about to tell this loser from the wrong side of the tracks to get lost, Scooter races out of the kitchen. A mix of who knows what, he has gorgeous gray and white striped fur and I can only describe him as fat and slow.
Slow comes nowhere close to describing that streak racing for safety. Scooter howls out his fear. His fur stands on end and his tail is so fluffy that it looks ten times its normal size.
Author Bio:
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in Northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Some of her short stories have appeared in anthologies, others in magazines. Three of her books (Softly Say Goodbye, Who Am I?, and Mama’s Advice) are Amazon best sellers. Her other books are: Take Chances, Where U @, The Wrong One, Pony Dreams, Evil Eyes, Inits, Canoples Investigations Tackles Space Pirates, The Call Chronicles 1: The Griswold Gang, The Curse of Grungy Gulley, Paradox Lost: Their Path, and Starlight. Additionally, she has shorts available on Amazon: Grace, Secret From the Flames, Family Curse … Times Two, Right Wrong Nothing In Between, and The Ghost Catcher.
Excerpt 2 ~ Keri
Carly and I sneak up the walkway to the backdoor of the house where I live with my parents and five siblings. We’ve done nothing wrong. There is no reason for us to be sneaking into my house, except one… him.
“Are you sure about this?” she whispers.
“Yeah.” I cast a guilty glance at the driveway.
Shane’s truck isn’t here. He must still be hanging with his best bud, Axe. Heat rushes up my face whenever I think about that hunk. Axe not Shane. Big Bro is anything but a hunk. Well, he is kind of cute, and a lot of girls like him, but a hunk? Give me a break. None of the girls hot for him know that he stinks up a bathroom or dumps his clothes all over the place for me to pick up.
I’ll forgive Carly for thinking like that. She’s good for Shane, if he’d just get over the “everybody will hate us for dating” thing. Big deal if she’s African American and we’re white. Nobody cares about that anymore.
“Your dad will pop a cork if he catches me in the house,” Carly says. “You know he hates… you know.”
We never talk about that. So what if my dad is the biggest bigot in the world? The rest of my family is totally cool with me having Carly around. They like her. She’s funny, and an awesome bestie.
We both stop in front of the back door. I reach out a hand, but don’t turn the knob when I hear shouting.
“Oh, shit.” I glance at Carly.
“What now?” she whispers.
Memories flood through me of a night I try so very hard to forget. Once upon a time, there was another set of twins in our house. Then they were gone. The reason they’re not with us anymore is too hard to think about. I don’t even talk about that night, but that’s because Shane and I made a sacred vow. We will always keep that secret. Telling now will cause so many problems for us.
I have to tell someone, but that means I’ll go to jail. Won’t I? Isn’t that where liars go when they hide a crime?
The anniversary of that particular act still haunts me, even though it was way back in August. December has usually been good, even if we’re sad because of whatever he is doing. To have such an innocent act end in the violence as that one did should never happen to anyone, especially a kid. To have the person responsible still walking around as if he did nothing wrong infuriates me, until I think about how I never told.
Shane didn’t either. We should have told. It didn’t matter if we were only seven. It doesn’t matter now that we’re almost seventeen. We should have told.
Social Media Links:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/KC-Sprayberry/331150236901202
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kcsowriter
Blog: http://outofcontrolcharacters.blogspot.com/
Website: www.kcsprayberry.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5011219.K_C_Sprayberry
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005DI1YOU
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KcSprayberry/posts
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kcsprayberry/boards/
Authorgraph: http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/kcsowriter
Amazon book list: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=k.c.%20sprayberry&sprefix=k.c.+%2Cdigital-text
Manic Readers: http://www.manicreaders.com/KCSprayberry/
