Bri Clark's Blog, page 23

Immortalis Series Tour....These vampire drink human blood and their victims die.

Becoming a vampire is easy. Living with the condition... that's the hard part.
Alyssa was having the worst day of her life: she just lost her job, her friend ditched her, and while walking home, she was brutally mugged. Beaten, bloody, and moments from death, she thought her life was over, but this was only the beginning. Rescued by the most unlikely hero, Lysander, a two thousand year old vampire, Alyssa is initiated into a frightening, eternally dark world she never knew existed.Stricken with cravings of blood, and forced to leave behind all she knew, Alyssa is struggling with the change. And Lysander, her sexy but aloof sire, is the only one who can help guide her.There's no turning back now. It's either, Carpe Noctem, or final death.



REVIEW

Alyssa is a new vampire which in the world vamps is like working at McD's as a fry cook. Not a whole lot of power or knowledge but with promises of promotion. Because it's told in first person (which let me add as an author is freaking hard!) I felt her doubts and anxieties about this new life. She has to eat human blood and there is no hope of survival. In an attempt to keep her ethics she only eats criminals...a commitment you will find she has a hard time keeping. 
There is a struggle and action to keep the plot moving. Romance is not lacking or overpowering which only adds to the dynamics between Alyssa and her sire Lysander. A two thousand year old vampire who is extremely guarded to say none the least. A great read and get this it's part of a series. I'll be reviewing the sequel Hunter's Prey next week. So who wants a copy of Carpe Noctem? Leave a comment and you might get picked!

 
 

Pump it Up Blog Tours: Revelations...A Jane Perry Novel

Sincerest apologies to my audience, to Tracy at Pump it Up and Laurel Dewey for the late review. I still love Blogger but he has been naughty lately.





Blurb
The small, upscale Colorado town of Midas had barely registered on Sergeant Detective Jane Perry's radar before her former boss and current colleague told her she needed to join him there for a case. All she knew was that it was a long way from Denver — both in terms of physical distance and sensibility. Jacob Van Gorden, the fifteen-year-old son of a prominent area businessman, has disappeared, and all signs point to his abductor being Jordan Copeland, a man who committed a similar crime decades ago. There are indications that Jacob is still alive, so the clock is ticking, but as Jane investigates Copeland, she begins to have doubts about his guilt. And at the same time, she begins to uncover trails of devastating – and even deadly – secrets all around Midas.
Meanwhile, Jane must deal with two considerable secrets of her own. One hits her like a left cross before she leaves Denver, and the other creeps up on her from the most unlikely of places. On top of this, Hank Ross, owner of a bar in Midas, has somehow managed to find a way beneath Jane's armor-plated defenses, forcing her to contend with feelings she hasn't allowed to surface for a very long time.
Revelations is the most powerful and personal Jane Perry novel yet. Teeming with the passions and ambiguities that make Laurel Dewey so compelling to read, it is a breathtaking story of mysteries revealed and withheld.


Review

Revelations is the third in series that now I will now be added to Mt TBR. Jane Perry is one of many characters that resonate with a reader. While this is a series Laurel does and amazing job of providing enough background that it's perfect as a stand alone. Now I know the 464 page count can be daunting but take it from this reader you will zip right through it. In fact I actually was skimming a little to my own embarrassment because I HAD to know what happened next.

As an author I have a tremendous amount of respect for Laurel concerning the blurb. I can't even write the review for fear I will give something away. So here's the skinny. Read the flipping book. But I would start with the other two prequels first just because it's always fun to read a series in order.

Testify Thursday: Yeah I'm Published... What about it?

When authors I meet on the street or on social media find out I'm published. Then find out I'm with two publishers one of two things happens.
They get this glazed look on their face and look at me like I'm the embodiement of everything they want to achieve. Or they snicker say, "Two publishers... well when I'm published I'll only be with one publisher. I'm very loyal like."
                                                     
 Addressing "The Glaze"

I think the best way to explain this is to tell you about a typical day for me.  Bed time is at midnight most nights, because reading is requiring for this job either for reviews or to learn.Up 5:30 AM for walking because I have to not be fat and this is the time I get to talk to my two best friends.Kids up, Breakfast,Facebook, Email, Twitter, blogVaccum, Bathrooms,Laundry, Making Beds, Dishes, Facebook, Email, Twitter, blogBills, Phone Calls, Mother Chauffer, Facebook, Email, Twitter, blogLunch,  Facebook, Email, Twitter, blogDishes, Counters, Sweeping, Mopping,WritingNapDinnerFacebook, Email, Twitter, blogBaths, Bedtime, Prayer, Scripture StudyHow's that glaze now? When I got published the only thing that happened was I had new motivation to write and build my platform. Well and I get paid to do it. Why do I do it you ask? Cause I freaking love it!

Addressing "The Snicker"

SHUT UP! Seriously. Don't pass judgment on someone when you have never been in that position. Astraea Press publishes books that are described as "sweets". They don't want my work where I stab, kill and bludgeon people to death. Yeah I'm diabolical like that. But Stone House Ink loves that stuff. That the reason I have two publishers. And just because I'm feeling frisky I'm self published too. Booya Hater how you like them apples! 
How about it authors have you ever had this problem? 

Writer Wednesday: The Betas Part Two

Remember last week when i talked about how I was working with a critique partner or beta reader? You don't! Well go back here and then come back.


Status Now
Since last Tuesday I have sent Mafia Seduzione my romantic thriller to my beta. I sent him a couple chapter and a blurb and finalized the cover art. At this point I am still waiting to hear back from him. Since last Tuesday I sent my first chapter of Forever Witch my paranormal romance to my beta. She sent that back. I sent her the additional 8,000 words I wrote. She's gone over that and now it's waiting for me to go over it. Thoughts on betas so far

I'm still sold that is a very positive thing. My great expectation is that it will make it much easier on the editors for my publishing houses I have come to care and appreciate at Stone House and Astraea.
Audrey(Astraea) and Chris (Stone House) I have worked with before and have not only a tremendous amount of admiration and respect for but desire greatly to make their burdens lighter. They do so much and like people that do a lot behind they scenes don't get much recognition.

Thoughts on two novels at once

I'm still very happy with that. My motor is rearing with Forever Witch right now. And that has worked out for the best since my Mafia beta hasn't got back to me yet. It's like I'm going with the flow. Usually being the control freak I am I would be freaked which would have stinted any flow at all. This way I'm much more productive.

So what's your thoughts? Your techniques?

Six Sentence Sunday: Forever Witch

Welcome...Welcome Six Sentence Sunday readers. I don't know about ya'll but I certainly missed this event last week. Now on with this weeks six. Today I am sharing six from my current work in progress, Forever Witch. The sequel to my novella Familial Witch. In this scene Lucien Lemoine encounters a mermaid for the first time.











 If you want to get to know more about Lucien check him out in the Familial Witch below. Don't forget to go back to Six Sentence Sunday and check out the other authors.






 


Lucien Lemione, the clan leader of the feared and revered Eternals, is faced with the ultimate betrayal. His second in command for two centuries has not only created the most grievous of offenses but also commissioned the creation of liquid silver. When poisoned by this toxin, an immortal suffers a fate much worse than death, frozen in an internal prison. After being wounded when found spying, he hides deep within the eerie woods that encircle the Triad Mountains. Desperate and in pain, he prays to an offended mother goddess for help. Her answer: a woman, but not just any woman. A witch.After losing her entire coven at the hands of the Eternals, Aisleen is the last of her kind. She retreats from the world to Trinity Forest where she is giving the opportunity of a lifetime, or perhaps a test of principles. It's there she discovers the man she heals is the Eternal that wiped out her people. Although she is bound as a healer, she could be creative in her revenge. Aisleen knows who and what Lucien is…but does not speak of it. There can be no future with Lucien for she can only be with a mortal man. Even if she wanted to be with him, can she forgive the man that caused the genocide of her people?Lucien must act quickly for the survival of his clan is at stake. However, Aisleen's ethereal beauty and emerald eyes keep pushing those thoughts far from his mind. Determined to find out what secret she hides, he prolongs his time with her. When his people need him most what will he choose…duty, desire, or will he make his own fate?You can choose love but you can't choose destiny.

Party' Til Your Heels Fly Off...With The Nordic God Thor

Welcome to the Belle of Boise blog where Thor Nordic god of Thunder will be your entertainment in the party blog tour. In my novel Glazier my male protagonist Henry Tennison was inspired by Thor. I'll introduce you to Thor first then Henry. But wait first... first the tour rules then the hunks....

TOUR RULES:

1)  HAVE FUN!!!

2)  INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!

3)  THIS TOUR STARTS:  Monday, June 13, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
      THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, June 20, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
      Winners will be drawn and posted June 21st! *** 

4)  MEET AND MINGLE WITH ALL THE AUTHORS! EXPERIENCE A NEW PARTY DESTINATION AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY BLOG CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!!

5)  PARTICIPATION AT ALL BLOGS IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. REMEMBER, THE MORE BLOGS YOU HOP, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES. EVERY AUTHOR IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOW EVERY AUTHOR SOME LOVE!

6)  DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN?  WHOO! HOO!! HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOO!



Thor the son of Odin and Jord, the earth goddess. Thor was the strongest of the Aesir, the collective name for the the principal race of Norse gods; they who lived in Asgard, and with the All-Father Odin, ruled the lives of mortal men. Known as the god of thunder, his hall is Bilskirnir, which is located in the region Thrudheim ("place of might"). Thor married the golden-haired Sif, a Goddess of fertility. He kept a mistress named Jarnsaxa (the "iron cutlass"), with whom he had two sons, Magni and Modi and his daughter is Thrud. Thor was usually portrayed as a large, powerful man with a red beard, flowing hair, hearty enjoyment of food and drink and eyes of lighting. Despite his ferocious appearance, he was very popular as the protector of both gods and humans against the forces of evil. He even surpassed his father Odin in popularity because, contrary to Odin, he did not require human sacrifices. In his temple at Uppsala he was shown standing with Odin at his right side. The 11th century Christian missionary Adam of Bremen, on noting the great temple of the gods in Uppsala, Sweden, wrote, "Thor, they say, presides over the air, he governs the thunder and lightening, the winds and rains, fair weather and crops...If plague and famine threaten, a libation is poured to the idol Thor."

 While Henry Tennison is no god he is undeniably supernatural. Glazier enables him a strength that far surpasses a normal mortal man. With eyes as beautiful as diamond and as deadly as lightening a when used a Glazier stare can kill a man from the inside out. Similar to Thor he is devout and loyal to those he cares for. Once a military man while enlisted his loyalty unquestioned and orders never questioned. Now an elite spy he only receives orders now from Abram. Once a cold and callous scoundrel Henry world changes when he meets Marie. The stunning auburn beauty plagued by amnesia. Also the only other Glazier in the world.




To party with Henry some more check out Glazier where there is a pretty interesting scene at a ball. Thanks for stopping by...Don't forget to continue the party over at Daniele Lanzarotta - Paranormal Heaven Party. I know I'll be there. 

Bone Dressing...And we aren't talking about Wishbone either...

Blurb

TIME IS RUNNING OUT … THE DARK THAT'S BEEN CHASING SYD FOR MANY LIFETIMES HAS FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH HER … Sydney Roberdeau lost her parents as a young girl. Waiting for her life to start and the freedom that will come with her eighteenth birthday, Syd spends much of her time haunting the local cemetery. It is there, stretched out among the dead, that she feels most alive, most at home. Until one rainy night when Beau, Sarah and T.J. crash her ghostly sanctuary, appearing out of nowhere, turning her already inside-out world one degree past upside down. Syd must now revisit past lives, dressing in the bodies of her previous selves … bone dressing. Her only chance to outrun the evil breathing down her neck is to face her own worst nightmares and her strongest desires. But if she can't stay out of trouble in this life, how can she possibly fix mistakes from past lives? And just how many lives has she lived, loved and lost? What is Syd exactly, and what will she risk for the life of a man she doesn't remember, the man she spent a lifetime with, the man she loves? Everything … including her very own life? Bone Dressing, the first in a series of seven books, will carry Syd and Beau on an adventure that transcends life itself. www.BoneDressing.com

Review

Bone Dressing was a novel of surprises. Syd ,an almost eighteen young adult, has more to figure out than merely her place in the world and who she is like most teens. After losing her mother and father whom she loved dearly she is impulsive, irrational, emotional and over all complex. Her character for me was completely believable yet still continued to surprise me. After the WSJ article that spurred the #yasaves hashtag this book was certainly poetic justice for me.

In summary I liked the book a lot. I only go into Syd's character because if I go any further I'll give away spoilers or offer hints that will taint it for you dear reader. However I will add a little more so I don't leave you hanging and angry vowing to never return to the Belle of Boise Blog again. The beginning can be a little confusing but that was what the author wanted to establish...it's Syd she's hurt, angry and confused. It's part of the experience and helps you connect with the protagonist. After that it really moves and you may want to pee before hand cause you won't want to stop. Romantic and paranormal subplots are layered in but not at all in the way you suspected. The end will leave you with more questions than answers. However, since this is a series it's fun to read it again and try to figure it out before the next installment. Truly a book to make you think...and salivate.

Pump It Up Blog Tours: Stories of a Lifetime...

The Author


Hugh Aaron, a native of Worcester, Massachusetts, received a Liberal Arts degree in the Humanities at The University of Chicago. For three years as a Seabee he served in the South Pacific during WWII. He was CEO of his own plastics manufacturing business for 20 years before selling it to write full time. Several of his short stories have been published in national magazines and 18 of his essays on business management have appeared in The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Business Not as Usual: How to Win Managing a Company through Hard and Easy Times. Currently he's writing and producing plays.
His latest book is a short story collection, Stories From a Lifetime .
You can visit his website at www.stonespointbooks.com or his blog at www.businesswisdom.blogspot.com.



The Novel

About Stories From a Lifetime Stories from a Lifetime carries readers through a widely diverse series of life's peaks and valleys with poignant, clear-eyed vision and understanding that is only gradually gained across the course of a lifetime through endurance and honest appraisal of the emotional rollercoaster that we all ride.
These stories form a welcome, and increasingly rare, honest, grounded, and beautifully written collection that will touch nerves while sympathizing with what it means to be human.
Hugh Aaron delicately reveals the world through the innocent eyes of a young boy, through those of a soldier far from home during wartime, and those of a struggling businessman and faltering husband. He is unafraid to reveal panic beneath a façade of success, the deep and hollow sadness that may exist in an outwardly happy marriage, the yearning we feel to make a break for freedom from the rat race, the unexpected emotional responses that shift lives far beyond the expected course of events.



The Review

Stories of a Lifetime was a different but intriguing read for me. A collection of short stories over the course of Mr. Aaron's life is crafted in the voice of each story. As he wrote a little here and there his technique and his voice grew and evolved. The flow of which movies you through the story. I initially was going to read at random places throughout but found that it sucked me in and then I continued consecutively instead. A truly remarkable talent for a short shorty series.

Testify Thursday: I identify with Madea...and I am unashamed.

On more than one occasion I have been compared to Madea Simmons. You may know her from these major motion pictures.




Now I'm sure if you have seen any of her movies or took the time to watch those trailers you are probably thinking, "How are we anything alike?" Believe me we are.

I have a tendency to talk down to people in a sarcastic demeaning manner. So does Madea.She expects that if someone is stupid enough to mess with her they deserve the consequences of her reaction. So does Bri.I've been in jail. So has Madea...Our mug shots are even similar...Ain't no body messing with my family but me. Madea agrees but trumps me here. At one point she went into the mansion of a cousins whose husband was beating her and with chain saw in hand divided everything down the middle. Finally...I myself have uttered these words after a woman stole my parking space outside the Big Kmart "Lord help me I'm about to rip the K and B off this Kmart."

So what do you think are Madea and I as similar as I imagine?

Writer Wednesday: Critique Partners/Beta Reader...WTH Part 1

I know what you're thinking. But that's what the heck. You have a dirty mind! Shame Shame...If you know me then you have noticed that my online presence has tone down drastically. Why might you ask? Because I finally got the point. I'm wearing people out. I've also been busy doing what should always be the top priority and that is reading and writing. (No... no rithmetic.)


Whenever I do something I throw myself in fully. With that said I'm trying several new things at once. One of those new experiences is critique partners/beta readers. Another is I am writing two novels at once. So of course in an effort to evaluate the productivity of these two endeavors I decided I'd do a blog series.

First I'll define what a critique partner is. Wikipedia says Critique is a method of disciplined, systematic analysis of a written or oral discourse. They also say Partner is a friend who shares a common interest or participates in achieving a common goal.

Second I'll define what a beta reader is. Wikipedia defines Beta Reader is a person who reads a written work, generally fiction, with what has been described as "a critical eye, with the aim of improving grammar, spelling, characterization, and general style of a story prior to its release to the general public."

With these two definitions in mind I can't help but want to create a new title combining the two. Something like Betacritreader or CritiqueBeatpartner. Idk. The point is I have a combination of both talents in two people. Each one working on a different story.One novel being a romantic suspense thriller the other a paranormal romance. The only thing the two novels really have in common is they started with a digital short prequel and I'm the author. Needless to say I realize I have only added to the complexity of writing two novels at once by making them completely different genres. Well that's me...always the hard way.



Pro's of having critique partners/ beta readers so far. By working on two novels at once I seem to be working on them more. If I get stuck on one I'll work on the other. I like having someone who is intimate with the story to be able "to talk it out with." My partners are accessible and are willing to listen and contribute at times when I need to get it out verbally. I also like being able to send them a chapter or a few chapters at a time.


Cons of having critique partners/beta readers so far. I don't have anything to report yet. I just sent my first email of material to both last night. I'm sure I'll have something to say next Writer Wednesday.

Those are my thoughts on partners. Here are some others you might enjoy too...
3 things I want in a beta reader
Why your book needs a Realtor

After all that what do you think? Do you have any experience with beta readers/critique partners?