Linda Nightingale's Blog, page 77
March 25, 2014
Shadows of Damascus by Lilas Taha
Character Creation
When I seriously considered writing a book, I knew that in any story, characters have to become alive, invoke emotions, reactions, and thoughts from readers. Whether the character is the main one in the story, or secondary in a subplot, it doesn’t matter. All the actions and dialogue coming out of the character have to be convincing. I had a general idea of who the characters were, and how they interacted with each other. Developing the specifics of how they went about their daily lives, their views of the world they lived in, and their convictions became my true challenge.
It is important to pin that down to create a character that readers could connect to, if not personally, then to someone they know. Real people, with quirks and shortcomings, weaknesses and strengths, dreams and aspirations, successes and failures. Even if the plot doesn’t call for all the details, writing them in brings the character closer to the surface, to be understood, accepted or rejected, despised or fevered, whatever the reaction from the reader maybe, a reaction nonetheless. I found as I developed my characters, they pushed me to a different angle, a different scene or a new problem that wasn’t in the plot to begin with. This approach may not work with all genres, and every writer has his or her method.
It was also very important to pin down the physical image of the character. I’m one who doesn’t cut out pictures from magazines and stick them to a board or in a sketchbook to help with images, though I think that is an effective way to go about it. I’m one who keeps everything in my head, which may explain the lost look I sport around when I’m developing a scene. I got in the habit of observing people. Wherever I am, I take in details: facial expressions, hair styles and colors, manicured fingernails, scruffy beards, the way a tall man walks, how a plump lady tries to cross her legs, the small gestures between couples they try to hide in public, yet fail. To me, it’s more than hair and eye color, skin tone and body structure. It’s more about how the characters carry themselves, and most importantly, what they try to conceal.
BLURB:
Bullet wounds, torture and oppression aren’t the only things that keep a man—or a woman—from being whole.
Debt. Honor. Pain. Solitude. These are things wounded war veteran Adam Wegener knows all about. Love—now, that he is not good at. Not when love equals a closed fist, burns, and suicide attempts. But Adam is one who keeps his word. He owes the man who saved his life in Iraq. And he doesn’t question the measure of the debt, even when it is in the form of an emotionally distant, beautiful woman.
Yasmeen agreed to become the wife of an American veteran so she could flee persecution in war-torn Syria. She counted on being in the United States for a short stay until she could return home. There was one thing she did not count on: wanting more.
Is it too late for Adam and Yasmeen?
Excerpt:
ADAM
Baghdad, Iraq, Summer 2006
M4 Carbine rifle ready, Sergeant Adam Wegener scanned the street, skimming from window to rooftop. Nerves on edge, his neck and shoulder muscles strained to keep him focused. His heart thumped against his ribs.
Patrol leader Lieutenant Clifton moved his troop with caution through the street, Adam’s fire team at the rear. They’d done street sweeps many times before, but this one was different. Something was not right. Apprehension took hold of his insides and squeezed tight with every step.
Adam turned and walked backwards a few steps, establishing eye contact with Corporal Scottsdale. He nodded at the big guy’s expressionless face, assurance at having Big Scott cover his back. He checked on the other two members of his team trailing his left, Corporals Andrews and Bradley, and faced forward again.
The neighborhood seemed unnaturally quiet. No children walked to school, no laundry hung outside windows on this breezeless day, not even alley cats explored the overflowing garbage containers.
From a corner of his eye, he caught a movement in one of the windows. Wood shutters slammed closed against the windowpane.
A loud boom burst the air. Adam hit the dirt, his head pounding the pavement. The world went silent. He spat blood mixed with something solid. Parts of his body armor and uniform had been ripped off, along with patches of skin. He rose to his knees, his hands searching for his rifle. Finding it, he clasped the rifle in his arms and crawled. He moved as if swimming in a viscous liquid, not knowing which direction to take. He saw only clouds of smoke.
He screamed the names of the soldiers in his team, not sure if his voice even worked. He couldn’t hear a damn thing. His elbow landed on something hard, a boot. He moved his fingers up the leather, across the twill fabric of the pants, until his hands sank in soft flesh and wetness. The man mumbled something, his voice muffled and distant.
“Big Scott, that you?” Adam shouted.
A shower of bullets rang by his side. Helmet gone, he ducked and covered his head. His ears popped from the pressure, jump-starting his hearing.
“Take cover.” Big Scott’s voice penetrated the sounds of warfare.
He scrambled to his feet, hoisted Big Scott on his shoulder, and dashed to the nearest house. He kicked the door and threw himself and Big Scott inside. Propping the injured soldier’s back to one wall, away from the windows, he snatched the M9 Beretta pistol from the holster mounted on his chest rig and forced it into Big Scott’s hands.
“Cover the door.”
Rifle raised and ready, he moved from room to room to secure the small house. He entered the kitchen, coming face-to-face with an old woman. Sitting motionless on a wooden chair, hands clasped on the Formica table in front of her, she stared down Adam’s raised barrel.
Keeping an eye on the wrinkled, tanned face, he scanned the kitchen. No place for anyone to hide, not even a closet door to check behind.
“Anyone else in the house?”
She held her stare, unflinching.
Adam tried to recall Arabic words he heard Fadi, the interpreter assigned to his patrol unit, say in situations like these. But he couldn’t recall a single one.
“Where’s your husband?”
The woman blinked. She craned her neck to one side, looking past him toward the front of the house. The white scarf covering her hair slipped down to her shoulders, revealing gray strands pulled back in a tight bun. She lifted the scarf and refastened it under her chin.
His hand shook. He aimed a loaded weapon at a woman the same age as his mother. Hell, she even resembled her.
“Rajul? Rajul?” Was that the right word for man? Why was she so calm?
The only point of entry was the door he came through. He heard heavy movement outside. The sounds of shouting men grew closer. The old mother could yell to alert the insurgents any second. He snatched a towel hanging on a hook to his left, and held his index finger to his lips, motioning for the woman to go with him to the front room.
She followed without uttering a sound.
Adam pointed his weapon for her to sit on the cement floor. He tore the towel into strips and kneeled in front of her.
Big Scott moaned. He slumped to one side, pistol aimed at the door.
“I got you, man. Have to secure the old mother first.” He used a towel strip for her hands and tied another around her mouth.
He turned to Big Scott, got his first aid kit out of a side pocket on his torn pants, and dug for supplies. He applied bandages to Big Scott’s bleeding midsection. Keeping pressure on the wound with one hand, he pulled the radio from his pack and reported to his platoon sergeant they were trapped inside one of the houses.
“Damn it, which one?” Lieutenant Clifton’s voice crackled.
“Don’t know. Scottsdale’s injured. It’s bad.”
“Andrews, Bradley?” The lieutenant screamed back.
“God damn IED was right under them. Can’t confirm.”
“Second platoon’s six blocks away. They’re en route and—”
A loud explosion silenced the radio. Cursing, he flung the radio across the room.
“Hang in there, big man. QRF’s on the way.” There was no way the Quick Reaction Force could come to their rescue if they didn’t know where they were.
“How long?” Big Scott’s voice came out calm, surprising him.
“Ten minutes.” He fumbled with more bandages. Could second platoon make six blocks in ten minutes? It was possible. “Stay with me. Think about that sweet girl you got back home. Sandy, right?”
He slumped beside Big Scott. Sticky stuff on his back squished. He closed his eyes, hoping to God the sensation resulted from an injury he hadn’t yet felt, rather than the blood and flesh of his missing team members splattered all over him. He needed to find a way to signal their location.
Big Scott clamped a charred hand on top of his. “Won’t make it.”
“The hell you won’t. Sandy’s waiting for you.” He pulled himself to his feet and approached the door. “You’d better not disappoint her.” If he opened the door and his patrol didn’t spot him, the insurgents would be alerted to their position, and that would be the fucking end. If he didn’t do anything, Big Scott would bleed out. He looked back at the corporal. His friend didn’t have much time. There was only one thing to do.
“We have to get out of here.”
He propped Big Scott on his shoulder and opened the door. Clouds of smoke blocked his view. Using the cover of smoke, he edged his way along the side of the house, unable to see a yard past his face. His foot stumbled over a chunk of cement, and he collapsed against the house, slumping down on the dirty street, overcome by how absurd this mission was.
A clomp of boots on the gritty pavement caught his attention. They were trapped. They could not fade into the concrete, not a car nor a bush to hide behind, and he didn’t have time to retrace his way back to the door. He aimed his rifle in the direction of the approaching boots and counted the steps. One man, probably a scout. Shots would draw others.
He slung the rifle across his chest and let it hang. Clamping a hand on Big Scott’s mouth, he stifled the soldier’s agonized moan. Adam stretched to full height, flattened his back against the wall, and pulled his knife.
Heavy fire erupted around them. Bullets shattered the wall to Adam’s left. He hit the dirt again. Big Scott’s limp body fell on top of him, pinning him down. Knife gone, he tried to push Big Scott off. Pain shot through his body like electricity. He doubled over and collapsed once more, trapping his rifle under him.
Leather boots slammed right next to his face. He wrapped his hand around the ankle and tried to topple the guy down.
“Don’t fight me, Adam. I’m here to helb you.”
“Fadi? That you Fadi?”
“Shut ub before zey hear us.”
Fadi took hold of Big Scott’s shoulders and pulled him into the house. He returned to Adam and dragged him until they were inside. He checked their injuries.
Multiple holes on Adam’s left side bled. Big Scott lay flat on his back, praying aloud.
“Clifton knows where you are now.” Fadi applied bandages to Adam’s leg.
He sucked in a sharp breath and tried to stay alert, his eyelids too heavy to keep open.
Fadi shook his uninjured shoulder. “Do what you always do to stay awake.”
Adam opened his eyes. “What?”
“Count, man. Count za bains. Double za number if zey were very bainful, half if zey were minor,” Fadi urged in his particular accent.
Adam’s mind kicked into counting mode. Shit, was he crazy?
“How’d you know where we were?”
“I heard za insurgents shouting to each ozer.” Fadi moved fast to administer the articles in his first-aid kit to Adam’s other wounds.
Crunching numbers didn’t do much to alleviate his pain, but the process helped him filter through Fadi’s heavy accent.
“At first I didn’t understand the words they were using for directions,” Fadi explained. “Arabic has two words to indicate left. One can mean north, depending on the dialect. I had to get closer to figure it out, and that’s when I saw you. Clifton was very mad. Didn’t want me to leave the team, but hey, I’m a contract interpreter, not one of his soldiers.”
The woman moaned from her corner. Fadi shot his head up and approached her.
“Who did this?”
“Needed to make sure she didn’t scream.” Adam tried to lift himself on his elbows. He groaned, the full force of deep searing pain setting in.
Fadi untied the woman’s mouth, released her hands, and spoke to her, his tone low and gentle.
“She’s an old woman, Adam. She’s trapped here just like we are. This is her home. No one and nothing is going to drive her out of it. You didn’t need to tie her up.”
“Not taking any chances.”
Scott’s praying voice disturbed rather than comforted Adam. He concentrated on breathing. Why couldn’t he just pass out and be spared this agony?
The woman placed her hands in her lap, flipped her palms upward and muttered something.
“What’s her problem?”
“She’s praying,” Fadi said.
“I didn’t hurt her. See what else you can do for Big Scott before I lose it.” Adam found it hard to formulate his words.
Fadi kneeled in front of Big Scott, tore a bag with his teeth, and spread its contents over his gaping wound.
Adam’s eyes darted between the old mother and Big Scott. Never hesitant Scott. Never questioning and never smiling either. Were they praying to the same God? Would He listen?
“Tell her I’m sorry I tied her up, will you?”
“Itlaa barrah balady,” the woman responded to Fadi.
“What the hell did she say?”
“She wants us to leave.”
“We wouldn’t be here if her people hadn’t planted that Goddamn IED. Tell her that.” Adam spat blood.
“She meant leave her country.”
Darkness closed in on Adam, the bliss of unconsciousness threatening to take over. He closed his eyes.
“I’m okay with that . . .”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
Lilas Taha is a writer at heart, an electrical engineer by training, and an advocate for domestic abuse victims by choice. She was born in Kuwait to a Syrian mother and a Palestinian father, and immigrated to the U.S. as a result of the Gulf war in 1990. She earned a master’s degree in Human Factors Engineering from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. There, Lilas met her beloved husband and true friend, and moved with him to Sugar Land, Texas to establish a family. She is the proud mother of a daughter and a son. Instead of working in an industrial field, she applied herself to the field of social safety, working with victims of domestic violence.
Pursuing her true passion for creative writing, Lilas brings her professional interests, and her Middle Eastern background together in her debut fictional novel, Shadows of Damascus.
Website: www.lilastaha.com
Author Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/LilasTahaAuthor
Blog: http://lilastaha.blogspot.com
Twitter: Follow @LilasTaha https://twitter.com/LilasTaha
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lilastaha
Email: info@lilastaha.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Lilas_Taha
Facebook page for the book:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shadows-of-Damascus/577132239031259
Buy Links: http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Damascus-Lilas-Taha-ebook/dp/B00HUZUG8Y
Publisher: http://www.soulmatepublishing.com
One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e43467
For more chances to win, follow Lila on her tour:
February 3: Room With Books
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February 4: The Official Beth Owyn Blog
February 5: Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
February 5: Books and Other Spells
February 6: Buried Under Romance
February 7: Deal Sharing Aunt
February 7: Christine Elaine Black
February 10: Bookgirl Knitting
February 11: Andi’s Book Reviews
February 12: Harlie’s Books
February 13: Rose and Beps Blog
February 14: Margay Leah Justice
February 17: Live To Read ~Krystal
February 17: Sexy Adventures Passionate Tales
February 18: Straight from the Library
February 19: Long and Short Reviews
February 20: Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews
February 21: Nickie’s Views and Interviews
February 24: Welcome to My World of Dreams
February 27: Dawn’s Reading Nook
February 28: Sun Mountain Reviews
March 3: Our Families Adventure
March 3: Two Ends of the Pen
March 4: Blood Moons and Nightscapes
March 5: Hope. Dreams. Life… Love
March 6: It’s Raining Books
March 7: A Writer’s Life
March 7: Romance Novels in Color
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March 13: Cathie Dunn writes…
March 13: The Write to Read
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March 21: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
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March 24, 2014
Banished Love by Ramona Flightner
I am happy to welcome Ramona today and to offer you an opportunity to learn more about this interesting and talented author. She very kindly agreed to an interview:
Tell us about your latest release. BANISHED LOVE, the first novel in the BANISHED saga, follows Clarissa Sullivan and Gabriel McLeod as they discover love, challenge societal restrictions, and fight class prejudices. Clarissa wants more from life than to sit in the parlor sipping tepid tea and awaiting visits from friends. She chafes against the limitations placed on her by the suffocating society of Victorian Boston. Determined to live an active, fulfilling life, she teaches in a school for poor immigrant girls and joins the suffragist movement. Clarissa’s greatest dream, to find a man who will love her and nurture her independent spirit, seems increasingly elusive.
However, in the spring of 1900, her situation changes dramatically. Clarissa meets Gabriel McLeod, a poor cabinetmaker, and her interest in him places her in direct conflict with the ethnic and social prejudices of the period. Their burgeoning love is quickly tested when her stepmother’s machinations lead to Gabriel’s financial ruin. BANISHED LOVE follows Clarissa on her journey as she struggles to suppress her fears and overcome the dictates of family and society in order to live the life she desires with the man she loves.
What have you got coming soon for us to look out for? BANISHED LOVE, released in January 2014, is book one in the BANISHED Saga. Book two, RECLAIMED LOVE, will be released sometime in the Fall of 2014. Book three in the BANISHED Saga, REDEEMED LOVE, will be released sometimes in 2015. All of the novels follow Clarissa Sullivan and Gabriel McLeod on their journey together.
What song would you choose for Karaoke? I hope I am never in a situation where I would need to sing a karaoke song. I tend to be more of a wallflower type than a limelight type and that does not sound fun to me. I have no idea what I would sing.
Which Star Trek or Star Wars character are you most like? I loved the first Star Wars movies, movies 4-6 (the original and best ones in my opinion), but I’ve never imagined myself as one of the characters. I actually polled my family and friends, and everyone had a different answer! It made me realize how hard this question is. This is what one of my friends wrote and I thought it was lovely: “I see you as R2D2…intelligent, knows how to get what you want with whatever “gadgets” you have, witty (not sure why, but I’ve always thought of that little robot as “witty”) and kind.”
I’ve never liked Star Trek, so I have no idea.
Who would you most like to be stranded on a desert island with? Least? Why? I would most like to be stranded on a desert island with my brother. I know we’d get on each other’s nerves at times, but we both love to talk and can make each other laugh over the silliest things. I think that would be essential if we were stuck on an island. He’s also a hard worker and a good fisherman, so he’d work to build some form of shelter and be able to help obtaining food.
There isn’t a specific person I would least like to be stranded on a desert island with. It’s more what the person is like. If the person were selfish, self-serving, greedy, and all those other traits along that line, I would not want to be on an island with him or her. If the person were negative, unsupportive and hated to tell stories, no thanks!
Thank you, Ramona. Let’s now take a look at Banished Love!
BLURB:
Free-Spirited…
Clarissa Sullivan dreams for more from life than sipping tepid tea in stifling parlors in Victorian Boston. She defies her family’s wishes, continuing to teach poor immigrant children in Boston’s West End, finding a much-needed purpose to her life.
Radical…
As a suffragette, Clarissa is considered a firebrand radical no man would desire. For why should women want the vote when men have sheltered women from the distasteful aspects of politics and law?
Determined…
When love blossoms between Clarissa and Gabriel McLeod, a struggling cabinetmaker, her family objects. Clarissa’s love and determination will be tested as she faces class prejudices, manipulative family members and social convention in order to live the life she desires with the man she loves.
Will she succeed? Or will she yield to expectations?
BANISHED LOVE follows Clarissa Sullivan on her journey of self-discovery as she learns what she cannot live without.
EXCERPT:
“Colin, anything in that paper interesting enough to share? You read it like you are hoping to find some long-lost treasure,” Lucas cajoled.
“Hmm…no, nothing uplifting like that song. Just more tales of death and woe around the world. The Boxers are getting more powerful and dangerous.” Colin sighed, setting aside the Boston Evening Transcript.
“And why should we care about a bunch of pugilists?” Mrs. Smythe demanded, her thin face even longer with her disapproval.
I giggled; Lucas snorted before acting as though he were sneezing to hide his amusement, but Colin stared at Mrs. Smythe with frank fascination.
“Do you read the papers, Mrs. Sm…Sullivan? Talk with your friends?” At her cold stare, he continued. “The Boxers are discontented Chinese on the verge of rebellion who are indiscriminately killing Christians in China. Including American Christians,” Colin said helpfully. “I thought it was the topic of conversation these days.” He glanced toward Lucas and me, and we both nodded our agreement.
“A genteel woman,” Mrs. Smythe began, with a sniff in my direction to indicate I must be lacking in that regard, “would not know of such vulgar goings-on halfway around the world with a bunch of savages, my dear Colin. I do read the papers but only the parts that pertain to my world and me. The parts about running a good home, a good kitchen. About decoration.” With this, she waved her hand around the room to indicate its frightful state. “Decorum.” Yet another censorious glare was sent in my direction. “These are the important matters of my life,” she stated with one more sniff, showing her displeasure at the topic.
PRIZE ALERT: One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e43459/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ramona Flightner is a native of Missoula, Montana. After graduating from Tufts University with a
B.A. in Spanish, she earned a Masters degree in Spanish Literature from the University of Montana. Her Master’s thesis, Chilean Testimonial Literature: the collective suffering of a people, highlighted her continued interest in the stories of those who were at risk of being forgotten or silenced.
She studied nursing at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a Master’s in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has worked for ten years as a family nurse practitioner providing care to the poor and under insured at two community health centers, first in Wilmington, Delaware and now in Boston, Massachusetts.
An avid reader, she began writing three years ago. She enjoys the demands of research and relishes the small discoveries that give historical detail to her books.
Ramona is an avid flyfisher and hiker who enjoys nothing better than spending a day on a remote Montana river, far from a city. She enjoys research, travel, storytelling, learning about new cultures and discovering new ways of looking at the world. Though she resides in Boston, Massachusetts, Ramona remains a Montanan at heart.
Her dreams are to see the plains of East Africa, marvel at the wonder of Petra in Jordan, soak in the seas of the South Pacific, and to continue to spend as much time as possible with her family.
Banished Love is her first novel and is the first in the forthcoming Banished Saga.
AUTHOR WEB PAGE: http://www.ramonaflightner.com
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/ramonaflightner
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/authorramonaflightner
PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/ramonaauthor
The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates are:
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March 13, 2014
Today is my Q&A Day at The Romance Reviews
Scroll down to Question #2 and take a quick look around my blog. BIG CLUE: The answer will be on either the Sinners’ Opera page or Morgan’s page. Yes, he is such a charmer, he gets his own page!
My giveaway is Cardinal Desires:
Good luck!
Linda
March 12, 2014
Morgan and Isabeau Did It!
Sinners’ Opera is nominated in the Paranormal Category for the 2014 RONE Awards! First round of judging is by popular vote. My week is #4 – March 31-April 6. I will be asking everyone I know or have ever heard of to vote. 
Please visit the Morgan D’Arcy page and the Sinners’ Opera page while you are here. Morgan introduces himself and you can learn more about Sinners’ Opera as well as read a couple of the reviews.
March 11, 2014
The Unholy by Paul DeBlassie, III
BLURB:
A young curandera, a medicine woman, intent on uncovering the secrets of her past is forced into a life-and-death battle against an evil Archbishop. Set in the mystic land of Aztlan, The Unholy is a novel of destiny as healer and slayer. Native lore of dreams and visions, shape changing, and natural magic work to spin a neo-gothic web in which sadness and mystery lure the unsuspecting into a twilight realm of discovery and decision.
Excerpt:
“Help me? Help yourself! Face what is yours to face,” Elizabeth hissed. She yanked the door open then forced it to slam behind her.
Claire stood still for a moment, feeling as if a tornado had swept through the room. Elizabeth’s demand had left her shaken. She drew a deep breath, then went to her desk and picked up her tea, noticing her trembling hands.
Turning toward the window, Claire saw a muscular orderly accompanying Elizabeth to
the locked ward at the far end of the hospital compound. A flock of crows circled high overhead, seeming to follow the two receding figures. As they arrived at the outer doors of the locked unit, the orderly reached for his keys. The crows circled while the two crossed the threshold of the unit, Elizabeth suddenly pausing, turning, and looking outside, her gaze riveted on the flock of birds.
All but two flew off, disappearing into the piñon-covered hills. The two that remained came to rest on the red brick wall adjacent to the locked unit, their black eyes boring into Elizabeth. She looked panicked then enraged and, shaking a finger at the creatures, yelled something. Her frantic gestures told Claire that she was screeching curses to ward off evil.
Claire took a step back from the window, from the impact of Elizabeth’s rage.
The orderly grabbed Elizabeth roughly by the arm and pulled her inside.
The crows waited, watched, then flew away.
_______________________________________
The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e43464
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Paul DeBlassie III, Ph.D., is a psychologist and writer living in Albuquerque who has treated survivors of the dark side of religion for more than 30 years. His professional consultation practice — SoulCare — is devoted to the tending of the soul. Dr. DeBlassie writes fiction with a healing emphasis. He has been deeply influenced by the mestizo myth of Aztlan, its surreal beauty and natural magic. He is a member of the Depth Psychology Alliance, the Transpersonal Psychology Association and the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy.
Author Links
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Paul-DeBlassie-III/e/B00E5TBJXY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Website: http://www.pauldeblassieiii.com/
Blog: http://pauldeblassieiii.blogspot.com/
Buy Links
BN.com: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-unholy-paul-deblassie/1116061527?ean=9780865349599
FOLLOW PAUL ON HIS TOUR FOR MORE CHANCES TO WIN:
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March 8, 2014
I’m excited! Book Signing Today 3-4 PM
Blue Willow Bookshop, 14532 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079. Drop by, sip Vampire wine and pick up a scented candle (and a book signed by me!)
I’m signing Gemini Rising, my first full-length novel, Sinners’ Opera, starring my darling Morgan D’Arcy, and Cardinal Desires, a sexy vampire book spiced with lots of suspense.
Hope it doesn’t rain (on my parade)!
March 6, 2014
Knockout! by Emma Catlin
BLURB:
KNOCKOUT!
A Mafia conspiracy. A female undercover cop. Her target: international sportsman and playboy Freddie La Salle.
Can she fake it? Can she nail the gangsters before her cover is blown? What happens when his charm kicks in, passion takes control and she falls for this charismatic suspect?
KNOCKOUT! The No 1 Kindle Bestseller from Emma Calin
Interpol cop, Anna Leyton, spirals down into a hopeless vortex of sexual and emotional turmoil as she fights to keep her professional cool. But who is deceiving who in this fast moving ride across continents? What motivates the art loving prize-bull of a lover Freddie La Salle?
An action-filled pulse-pounding adventure novel. A tense and erotic romantic affair. Can a relationship survive when it is founded on deceit? Can she prove her man is innocent? Can she escape with her life and her love?
The power of love and trust stands against greed and crime as conflicting forces grapple for that KNOCKOUT punch.
Authors note: This book is quite ‘strongly flavoured’ and features uninhibited, but straightforward steamy sexual scenes between consenting adults and true-to-life street language that would occur in high-stress situations.
I love London and books set in London–EXCERPT:
from Chapter 1 – A gorgeous stranger in a cab.
The cab pushed and swished on towards Buckingham Palace. She saw him studying the famous landmark, as if he were checking out the architecture. In profile his face looked even more male – handsome yet warm – the scar above his right eye constantly attracting her gaze. He was a brute of some kind but he could lie even with his eyes. Once again she found herself responding to him and wanting to touch that scar. In this new world of a few out of reality moments with a gorgeous stranger she could let go, becoming aware of the pulse of life in her breasts and a sense of warmth and longing deep in her stomach. She bit her lip as she consciously allowed these feelings to sweep over her. She took in his striped linen jacket, dark trousers and hand stitched leather shoes. His crisp white shirt accentuated the tanned olive tone of his skin. His shoulders were broad with hard muscular upper arms while his beautifully cut clothes proclaimed the body of an athlete or sportsman.
“So, you know what I do. Do you work in London?” she asked wondering if he would tell her the truth – since she had not!
“Oh not at all – I am here to sign some papers that’s all.”
“Papers?” she questioned too quickly, aware she could be exposing her cover.
“Just a contract – you know, boring business stuff.”
He looked at her with a caress in his brown eyes. The cab was at Hyde Park Corner, just a short way from the Hilton. Her heart hammered. Soon he would step out into the night and never see her again. It had to be that way. You could dream but your story was your story. Better just accept and live it out any way you could.
Emma will be awarding an autographed copy of Shannon’s Law to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. One host will receive a signed print copy of the book, a special swag package and a $30 Amazon voucher at the completion of the following tours: Cover Reveal, Virtual Book Tour, Launch Day Book Blast, and Name Before the Masses Review Tour (one entry for each time they host). http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28591022
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Novelist, philosopher, blogger, poet, would be master chef. A woman pedaling between Peckham & Pigalle, in search of passion & enduring romance.
Emma Calin writes romance novels and gritty short stories about love and survival in the 21st century. She has published a number digital and paperback books which are available from Amazon worldwide.
She blogs about her dual life in St-Savinien sur Charente in South West France and Romsey, a market town in England. She feels extremely lucky to be able to experience the world and life through these two, very different, lenses. She spends any time she can, when not writng, on her tandem exploring the countryside.
Emma also records and produces audio books and plays the trombone (although not at the same time).
Novels, Short Stories and Novelettes by Emma Calin:
Shannon’s Law (Passion Patrol Series – hot cops, hot crime, hot romance)
Steamy police action romance- another in the Passion Patrol Series – available 28th February 2014
Knockout! (Passion Patrol Series)
A Mafia conspiracy. A female undercover cop. Her target: international sportsman and playboy Freddie La Salle. Can she fake it? Can she nail the gangsters before her cover is blown? What happens when his charm kicks in, passion takes control and she falls for this charismatic suspect?An action-filled pulse-pounding adventure novel. A tense and erotic romantic affair. Can a relationship survive when it is founded on deceit? Can she prove her man is innocent? Can she escape with her life and her love? Available in print and e-book formats.
The Love in a Hopeless Place Collection
An anthology of stories from the engine room of the human condition. Five stand-alone titles published over the last two years, from No. 1 bestselling short story writer, Emma Calin, combined in this great value ‘boxed-set’. Available in print and e-book formats.
Sub-Prime
Two powerless beings are swept together in a transient struggle for survival. Could the human spirit transcend the brutality and indifference of their brief experience before they are once again swept helplessly apart? E-book only.
Escape to Love
A woman on the run from domestic violence with no one but her vulnerable autistic teenage child as a companion, lives in isolation and fear. While her hand to mouth scenarios are played out in the shadow of a threatening suspense, a story of crime and love unfolds around her. E-book only.
The Chosen
A woman, a man, a van and a plan. What do painting and decorating, Thai brides, self-help manuals and pay-day loans have in common? J.A. knows the answer. Follow his his quest for love and happiness in The Chosen. E-book only.
Angela
A mystery tale of a late night taxi ride where the final passenger may not be all that she seems. E-book only.
Love in a Hopeless Place
A mature woman stumbles into a discovery of herself that she had never suspected. E-book only.
Find Emma Calin online:
Mailing list for latest launch news: http://eepurl.com/Jfhxr
Blog: http://www.emmacalin.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.emmacalin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emma.calin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmmaCalin
Amazon UK page: http://astore.amazon.co.uk/realifaccto02-21
Amazon USA page: http://astore.amazon.com/realifaccto09-20
About.me: http://about.me/emmacalin
FOLLOW EMMA FOR MORE CHANCES TO WIN:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/01/virtual-super-book-blast-tour-knockout.html
March 5, 2014
BOOK SIGNING!!
I will be signing at Blue Willow Bookshop on Saturday, March 8th, from 3 PM to 4 PM. I am giving away signed cover flats, scented candles and serving Vampire wine (Cabernet). 
Drop by: 14532 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77079 and visit with me!
Hope to see you there. Here’s my new banner:
March 4, 2014
UNLEASHED by Emily Kimelman
Choose the Voice of Sydney Rye
Sydney Rye is coming to Audio and we need your help picking the narrator!
Emily Kimelman’s “Sydney Rye” series features a strong female protagonist and her rescue dog, Blue. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don’t mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!
Haven’t read Sydney Rye yet? Download the first book, UNLEASHED, for free on Amazon, iTunes, B&N, or Kobo and see how she sounds in your head then vote for the best narrator!
Voting enters you to win all sorts of great prizes including Amazon gift cards, signed books, and the finished Audio book! Add to your chances of winning by joining Emily’s email list, liking her Facebook page, or telling your friends about the contest. The Rafflecopter is at the end of this post.
Here are your choices:
The code to listen to each artist is below along with their bio.
Emily Strong
Bio: Emily Strong is an actor, voiceover talent, and first time filmmaker. As a native of Michigan, she is a nature-lover at heart but has the mind of a city girl and moved to Chicago nearly three years ago because she wasn’t smart enough to go somewhere warmer. She takes full advantage of what the city has to offer by training at legendary places like The Second City and eating lots and lots of ethnic food (will travel all the way across the city to Pilsen for the best tacos!). Her love of reading was the catalyst for her adventurous spirit and the reason why she is always stoked to tell stories in their many different forms.
You can visit her at www.emilystrong.net
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Erin Jones
Bio: Erin has narrated over 500 audio books including “The Hunger Games” trilogy for The National Library Services/Library Of Congress, “A State Of Wonder,” The Garden Of The Beasts,” “Anna Karenina,” “Ferdinand The Bull, and “Madeline.”
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Sonja Field
Bio: Sonja has two loves: acting and reading. Narrating audiobooks is her absolute passion. She has logged over 600 hours recording textbooks with an organization called Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, and is currently in the process of recording a kids’ action-fantasy-adventure novel, a steamy and mysterious paranormal romance, and a non-fiction about writing. She loves nothing more than bringing vivid worlds and unique characters to life. When she’s not recording, Sonja can be found onstage, traipsing around Brooklyn, or entertaining children with a variety of dubious accents.
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Erica Newhouse
Bio: Erica Newhouse is a film, televesion and theater actor living in New York City. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School.
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More about UNLEASHED:
UNLEASHED is the first book in Emily Kimelman’s best selling Sydney Rye series of mysteries.
When the series begins Sydney Rye is named Joy Humbolt. She does not like people telling her what to do, so it comes as no surprise that she was just fired from her last job. When she buys Charlene Miller’s dog-walking business on Manhattan’s exclusive upper east side, it seems like the perfect fit: Quiet environment, minimal contact with people.
But then one of her clients turns up dead, and Charlene disappears. Rumors say Charlene was having an affair with the victim–and of course, everyone assumes Joy must know where she is. Joy begins to look into the crime, first out of curiosity then out of anger when there is another murder and threats start to come her way.
When police detective Mulberry is assigned to the case, Joy finds a kindred spirit–cynical and none-too-fond of the human race. As they dig deep into the secrets of Manhattan’s elite, they not only get closer to the killer but also to a point of no return. One last murder sends Joy Humbolt hurtling over the edge. Her only chance of survival is to become Sydney Rye.
The Rest of The Sydney Rye Series:
DEATH IN THE DARK (A Sydney Rye Novella, #2)
INSATIABLE (A Sydney Rye Novel, #3)
STRINGS OF GLASS (A Sydney Rye Novel, #4)
THE DEVIL’S BREATH (A Sydney Rye Novel, #5) Coming April 2014
Emily Kimelman Biography
Emily Kimelman is the author of the best selling “Sydney Rye” series of mystery novels including UNLEASHED, DEATH IN THE DARK, INSATIABLE, STRINGS OF GLASS and the forthcoming THE DEVIL’S BREATH. Emily lives with her husband, Sean Gilvey, and their dog, Kinsey Millhone “Pup Detective”, on a trawler docked in the Hudson Valley during the summer. She spends her winters traveling to where ever the next Sydney Rye Novel takes place. Right now she is in Costa Rica working on Sydney Rye #6.
If you’ve read Emily’s work and liked it please contact her. She loves hearing from readers. You can reach Emily via email ejkimelman@gmail.com or on twitter @ejkimelman. Follow her on Instagram to see pictures from Emily’s latest adventures. Visit http://www.emilykimelman.com to learn more about Emily and the Sydney Rye series.
Links:
UNLEASHED
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Unleashed-Sydney-Rye-Novel-ebook/dp/B004XDWJ18
Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11296999-unleashed
Kobo
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/UNLEASHED-A-Sydney-Rye-Novel/book-FLXSjQKQckyjsIbxbqwSkA/page1.html
Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/60752
iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/unleashed-a-sydney-rye-novel-1/id665272929?mt=11
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unleashed-emily-kimelman/1111867294?ean=9781463581978
Social Media
https://twitter.com/ejkimelman
https://www.facebook.com/EmilyKimelman
http://emilykimelman.wordpress.com
Newsletter sign up
http://typepad.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8c975baa018d768aba0ac40d0&id=a5decbfaac
March 3, 2014
Cover Reveal – the Children of Lubrochius – Matthew D. Ryan
The cover revealed! Tempting…
BLURB:
The vampire, Lucian val Drasmyr, has been defeated, but not destroyed: Now he serves another evil: Korina Bolaris, a young and gifted sorceress bent on subverting the power structure of Drisdak. Only Coragan of Esperia can hope to stop them. But is even he prepared to face the dark cult who claims her as their own: the Children of Lubrochius?
Excerpt:
“I am a Child of Lubrochius,” Korina said. “I came here to hire you and offer you an opportunity few ever have. Are you interested?”
“I see little profit in it,” said the first man, “save vague promises of uncertain future rewards.”
Korina paused. Clearly, she was not explaining the up-side of her offer well enough. She needed something to lure the men in; something the Shadowhand could not provide, but the Children could. “Have you ever robbed from a wizard?” she asked, changing the topic as the obvious lure occurred to her. She reached into another small pouch on her side and pulled out four Kaldtarri rings, her fingers gently caressing one, feeling the band of iron and the grotesque gargoyle-like head. Sidipius had come through and provided her with ten Kaldtarri Primes and two Kaldtarri Secunduses, an ample beginning supply: enough to begin a formidable hellring. All she needed were the recruits. Men such as these.
The men stared across the empty space at her, at first saying nothing in reply. Finally, one of them broke the silence. “No, we have not,” he said.
“Why?” she asked, though she knew the answer.
“They have magic. They can snoop you out no matter how good you are.”
“How about a baron or a count?”
“Do you know how many thieves have gone to the gallows for trying?” the thief said. “The nobility just hire wizards. It’s a lost cause.”
She smiled, and one by one dropped three of the rings on the table in front of them. “Is it now?” she said.
Matthew will award a metal miniature of a demon from the Reaper Fantasy Miniatures to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Matthew D. Ryan is a published author living in upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. Mr. Ryan has a background in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He has a black belt in the martial arts and studies yoga. He has 
been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader, writer, and game designer. He is the operator of the web-site matthewdryan.com which features his blog, “A Toast to Dragons,”a blog dedicated to fantasy literature, and, to a lesser extent, sci-fi. Mr. Ryan says he receives his inspiration from his many years as an avid role-player and fantasy book reader. He has spent many long hours devising adventures and story-lines for games, so it was a natural shift moving into fantasy writing.
Mr. Ryan is the author of the exciting dark fantasy novel, Drasmyr,, its sequel, The Children of Lubrochius, and a growing number of short stories. His first novel, Drasmyr, has consistently earned reviews in the four and five star range and serves as the prequel to his upcoming series: From the Ashes of Ruin. In addition to Drasmyr and The Children of Lubrochius, Mr. Ryan has published several short stories on-line, including: “Haladryn and the Minotaur,” “The River’s Eye,” and “Escape.”
Links to the Author on the Internet
Author’s website: http://matthewdryan.com
Author’s Smashwords Page: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/matthewdryan
Author’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000038781652
Author’s Amazon Author Central Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/matthewdryan
Author’s Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/579148.
FOLLOW MATTHEW ON HIS COVER REVEAL TOUR FOR MORE CHANCES TO WIN THE MINIATURE: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/01/virtual-cover-reveal-tour-children-of.html
