Nicky Peacock's Blog, page 19
October 3, 2014
Book Spotlight: Moon Beams & Magic Boxset
Synopsis:
Antithesis by Kacey Vanderkarr:
My name is Gavyn.
Liam doesn’t care that I only have one arm. He actually likes my red hair and freckles. I might forgive him for kidnapping me.
My name is Gavyn.
I lost my Liam. I’ve lost them all. And now it’s my job to make sure they don’t show up again.
My name is Gavyn.
I had a life with Liam, but he couldn’t give me what I need. Then I killed his father. I don’t expect he’ll forgive me for that.
Bewitched by Mark Jay Harris:
Is it love or is it witchcraft? He’ll never find out if he kills her first.
The first time Darren saw Samantha, she was floating above his high school gymnasium during a basketball game, invisible to everyone but him. Next time he sees her, she’s sitting in front of him in class, wowing his friends and causing unexplainable things to happen that only he seems to notice. But things really get strange (and complicated) when his dying grandfather tells him that he is part of an ancient order, the “Pessum Ire,” whose duty is to destroy witches. What does he do now, since he’s almost positive Samantha is a witch…and he’s crushing on her pretty hard?
Colonization by Aubrie Dionne:
Finding a new home has never been so dangerous.
Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer
assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.
But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius’s ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.
Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to protect her new home. What she didn’t expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.
The Star Child by Stephanie Keyes:
The world is about to be cloaked in darkness. Only one can stop the night.
Kellen St. James has spent his entire life being overlooked as an unwanted, ordinary, slightly geeky kid. When the sudden death of his Gran takes him from the East coast to the rugged cliffs of Western Ireland, all that changes. That is until a beautiful girl, one who has haunted his dreams for the past eleven years of his life, shows up spinning
tales of a prophecy. Not just any old prophecy either, but one in which Kellen plays a key role.
Suddenly, Kellen finds himself on the run through a Celtic underworld of faeries and demons, angels and gods, not to mention a really ticked off pack of hellhounds, all in order to save the world from darkness. But will they make it in time?
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Barnes and Noble
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Aubrie Dionne, Kacey Vanderkarr, Mark Jay Harris, moon beams and magic box set, paranormal romance, Stephanie Keyes, witchcraft
October 1, 2014
Book Spotlight: Soul Possessed by Katlyn Duncan
Synopsis:
Life after Life
Now Maggie has been given the chance of her after-life to become a Guard, nothing will stand in her way. Not even the undeniable attraction she feels for her trainer and past love—Jackson. But when the battle between Shadowed and Guard begins again which side will she choose?
When her boss, Felix, partners Jackson and Maggie up with Ally and Cooper to investigate terrifying Shadowed activity in a small New England town, she doesn’t think it could get any worse. Jackson and Cooper barely tolerate each other and this time, Maggie isn’t just proving her loyalty to the Guard during one mission…she has a side mission too. One so secret and so dangerous she can’t tell a soul…
About the Author:
Katlyn Duncan was born and raised in a small town in western Massachusetts. Her overactive imagination involved invisible friends, wanting to be a Disney Princess and making up her own stories. Her bibliophile mom always encouraged her love of reading and that stayed with her since. Even though she works full time in the medical field Katlyn has always made time for books, whether she is reading or writing them.
Katlyn now lives in southern Connecticut with her husband and adorable Wheaten Terrier and she is thrilled to finally share her stories with the world.
Contact Links
Website: katlynduncan.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/katlyn_duncan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/duncankatlyn
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7060690.Katlyn_Duncan
Add Soul Possessed on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18044868-soul-possessed
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Soul Possessed by Katlyn Duncan
September 30, 2014
Interview with Heather Hildenbrand
What do you love about being an author?
I love the mobility! The creative freedom to make things up and entertain — and physical freedom to go anywhere and work wherever I am.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
Jace from Mortal Instruments!! I would eat rocks for him!
If your book, Imitation was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
I love Matt Lanter for Linc BUT that depends on if he can ride a motorcycle…
And Ven… hmm. Taylor Momsen would be good.
If you had a clone, what would you do with her?
I would split my work with her! (and my “play”). I wouldn’t mistreat her like they do in the books. She’d be like a sister!
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
Probably the 70s. Fun hair and bright clothes and everyone was so laid back. I need less stress. More “go with the flow”
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
Be HAPPY. Screw the haters.
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
I love wolves so that would be cool but I also would really love to fly. So, a shifter of some kind would be awesome!
Where do you write best?
Somewhere quiet. I can’t concentrate if there’s music or loud people or a movie/TV on. I need to focus.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
I just finished The Edge of Darkness by Melissa Andrea. It was SO good! the mc is blind which is so different and I love different.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
I would love something quirky and sarcastic. So maybe a contemp with lots of damage/baggage but she copes with it all using sarcasm and wry humor. Okay, so that’s me in real life. HA!
Where can fans find you online?
I am most often on FB. It’s an addiction. So, yeah, go there. The link is below. BUT if you want to know about books and new releases and such, you can visit my website or better yet–join my Love Birds mailing list. I send out all my releases and deals that way. Love my Love Birds!
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: heather hildenbrand, imitation
Interview with Kevin L. Jones
Author interview with fellow Horrified Press horror writer Kevin L. Jones.
When did you realise you wanted to be a horror writer?
I always wanted to be a writer because I was surrounded by cartoonists and movie people when I was a child and I always liked horror movies
What was the first story you got published? Is there anything you’d change about it now?
Simply A Matter of Luck. I’m always tinkering with old stories and adding things to them.
What’s your thoughts on authors and social media? Which sites do you prefer?
I spend quite a bit of time on the internet looking at various sites about movies, comic books, toys and horror writing. There’s lots of interesting stuff to check out there.
What’s your favourite horror monster and why?
My favorite kind of monster is the kind of zombie that George Romero made popular. Zombies have always seemed scary to me because we used to live close to a large old graveyard when I was in grade school and it gave me nightmares
What is the worst mistake a new writer can make? And what advice would you give them?
I think the worst thing a new writer can do is not try hard enough and I also think it’s important that they try to seek out the best writers who work in the same genre as they do so they can study how the masters do it.
Check out Kevin’s books on Good Reads http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/...
Filed under: Interviews with other authors
[image error]
September 28, 2014
Book Spotlight: The Last Orphans by N.W. Harris
Synopsis:
One horrifying day will change the life of sixteen-year-old Shane Tucker and every other kid in the world.
In a span of mere hours, the entire adult population is decimated, leaving their children behind to fend for themselves and deal with the horrific aftermath of the freak occurrence. As one of the newly made elders in his small town, Shane finds himself taking on the role of caretaker for a large group of juvenile survivors. One who just happens to be Kelly Douglas–an out-of-his-league classmate–who, on any other day, would have never given Shane a second glance.
Together, they begin their quest to find out why all of the adults were slaughtered. What they find is even more horrifying than anything they could have expected–the annihilation of the adults was only the beginning. Shane and his friends are not the unlucky survivors left to inherit this new, messed-up planet. No, they are its next victims. There is an unknown power out there, and it won t stop until every person in the world is dead.
A spine-tingling adventure that will have you gasping for breath all the way until the last page, The Last Orphans is the first book in an all-new apocalyptic series.
Pre-order on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads
About the Author:
Born at the end of the Vietnam war and raised on a horse farm near small town north Georgia, N.W. Harris’s imagination evolved under the swaying pines surrounding his family’s log home. On summer days that w
ere too hot, winter days that were too cold, and every night into the wee morning hours, he read books.
N.W. Harris published his first novel—Joshua’s Tree—in 2013. It was no wonder that with his wild imagination and passion for all things word related, that N.W. Harris was named a quarter finalist in Amazon’s Break Through Novel Award Contest. In early 2014, N.W. Harris joined the ranks with Clean Teen Publishing when they signed his new young adult apocalyptic adventure series—The Last Orphans.
In addition to writing, N.W. Harris has been a submarine sailor, nurse, and business owner. His studies have included biology, anthropology, and medicine at UCSB and SUNY Buffalo. He is an active member of SCBWI and lives in sunny southern California with his beautiful wife and two perfect children. He writes like he reads, constantly.
Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: The Last Orphans by N.W. Harris
September 26, 2014
Interview with Robert DiBella
Tell us about your publishing journey…
I really started writing when I took a playwriting class when I was a sophomore at Molloy College. I meet a bunch of writers through that class and the theater program there. When I was writing my novel one of my friends at Molloy, Pat Shands got a short story published through Rainstorm. He gave me Lyle’s information and told me that Rainstorm was looking for new good books. I submitted a query letter and the first three chapters to Rainstorm and they picked it up.
What part of being a writer do you love most?
I love being able to create different stories and characters. I find writing very therapeutic because I feel like I learn something every time my charters confront a problem.
Which part do you hate most?
Proofreading! I am terrible speller and was never great at grammar. Sometimes when I finish writing a page on a word doc. It’s all underline red and green like a Christmas tree.
What inspired you to write Memoir of a Variable?
The idea came to me when I was writing a three minute film for my friend. I wanted to further develop the concept so I turned it into a forty-five page screen play called “X”. I loved writing about the characters and the plot was very currant and had potential so one night in college I began writing the manuscript.
What life advice have you been given, that you wished someone had given you sooner?
Don’t rush things. I tend to be very impatient when I’m working on a project. I’m trying now to take things slower and look over my work more closely before sending it out and developing it further.
If you could be part of a secret service agency (MI6, CIA etc.) which would it be and what would you do for them?
My dream job would be a double O agent for MI-6. I would drive fast cars, drink Martini’s, wear expensive suits and save the world.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
I would invite Gandalf the grey over my house for left over Chinese food. I think he would be a really cool guy to just hang out with.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
My favorite authors would be Tom Clancy and Jeffery Deaver I love how they keep you guessing throughout the story and keep challenging their characters over and over again.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently working on the sequel to my novel “Ten Names” (working title) I’m hoping it will be out early 2014.
Filed under: Interviews with other authors
September 22, 2014
Horror Event 15th October
If you haven’t already guessed it, I’ll be there that night – so if you’re local and want to come along, then book it quick!
Filed under: Nicky's Posts - My ramblings... Tagged: desborough library, horror, horror authors, horror event, Mark West, paul melhuish
September 21, 2014
PREDATOR by Janice Gable
Synopsis:
The hunt is on!
Sixteen-year-old Bree Sunderland must inject herself with an untested version of her father’s gene therapy to become a werewolf in order to stop a corrupt group of mercenaries from creating a team of unstoppable lycanthrope soldiers.
When Bree went with her scientist father to Ireland, she thought it would be a vacation to study bog bodies. She never expected to fall in love with a mysterious young Irishman and certainly never expected to become the kind of monster her father said only existed in nightmares. Dr. Sunderland discovers that lycanthropy was not a supernatural curse but rather a genetic mutation. When they return home, her dad continues his research, but the military wants to turn that research into a bio weapons program and rogue soldiers want to steal the research to turn themselves into unstoppable killing machines.
Bree’s boyfriend Liam surprises her with a visit to the United States, but there are darker surprises in store for both of them. As evil forces hunt those she loves, Bree must become an even more dangerous hunter to save them all.
Predator gives the werewolf legend a couple of new spins by introducing the Benandanti (an actual folkloric belief that certain families of Italy and Livonia were werewolves who fought against evil), as well as a modern scientific approach to mutation and the science of transgenics.
About the Author:
Janice Gable Bashman is the Bram Stoker nominated author of Wanted Undead or Alive and Predator. She is managing editor of the The Big Thrill (International Thriller Writers’ ezine). Janice lives with her family in the Philadelphia area, where she at work on her next novel. Visit her at janicegablebashman.com
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
My Review:
It’s always nice to see a new take on an old theme. Werewolves have been a bit over-used as a paranormal troupe, a bit like vampires and zombies (so who am I to judge!) so it was nice to read a book that changes it up a bit.
The family dynamic was a nice part too. I’ve notice Disney now making more films that centre around family rather than a romance (Enchanted, Brave etc.) and this book echoes that nicely. It doesn’t just dine out on the romantic element, but includes more interesting family ties.
From a writer’s perspective, I’d have much preferred the POV to be from Bree’s point of view, rather than third person. I think with all the emotion she had in her regarding her family, it would have come across better that way and made the reader feel more for the character. It is written very well though, and easy to read and quickly to get into, just what a YA book should be.
The front cover is great – those Month9 designers are a force to be reckoned with! So it’ll definitely stand out and be attractive to all readers.
Overall, I’d give Predator 4 out of 5 stars – a howling YA read that is accessible to both teen and adult readers alike.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: PREDATOR by Janice Gable
September 18, 2014
Book Review: Into the Fire by Ashelyn Drake
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Cara Tillman’s life is a perfectly normal one until Logan Schmidt moves to Ashlan Falls. Cara is inexplicably drawn to him, but she’s not exactly complaining. Logan’s like no boy she’s ever met, and he brings out a side of Cara that she isn’t used to. As the two get closer, everything is nearly perfect, and Cara looks forward to the future.
But Cara isn’t a normal girl. She’s a member of a small group of people descended from the mythical phoenix bird, and her time is running out. Rebirth is nearing, which means she’ll forget her life up to this point—she’ll forget Logan and everything they mean to one another.. But that may be the least of Cara’s problems.
A phoenix hunter is on the loose, and he’s determined to put an end to the lives of people like Cara and her family, once and for all.
About the Author:
Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult romance author. Her debut NA title Campus Crush is now available. She also write YA and MG paranormal under the name Kelly Hashway. Drake is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency. For more information about Ashelyn, visit her website at ashelyndrake.wordpress.com.
My Review:
Well, this is the second book about a Phoenix that I’ve read and I must admit that they are a fertile and interesting paranormal aspect. This is YA and definitely ticks all the boxes. I loved the extras added top this lore (I won’t go into them for fear of spoiling the book) and the whole thing was simply a pleasure to read.
From a writer’s perspective, it was written first person from both the girl and the boy’s POV, which usually I hate, but it really worked here and I actually found that it was more interesting this way. My only grips is that it had the whole ‘imprinted’ thing, which I always feel is a bit lazy, as it instantly makes a couple with a strong bond, rather than the reader going on this journey with the characters.
The front cover is beautiful, although the girl doesn’t overly look like Cara, she described as blond with red streaks? This is starting to become a pet peeve with me, when front cover artists don’t read the descriptions of the main characters. It’s a shame, just a change of hairstyle and this would be an amazing cover.
Overall, I’d give Into the Fire 5 out of 5 stars – nothing’s perfect, but this is nearest damn at – for both teen and adult readers.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: ashelyn drake, into the fire, Month9 books, phoenix fiction, Teen reads, YA books
September 16, 2014
Interview with Amelia Cotter
Tell us about your publishing journey…
Long and hard, and not in the way I usually like it.
What do you love about being an author?
It’s been my lifelong dream to write and be a published author. It’s my identity and everything about me, and gives me a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Writing is the one talent I really have, so I want to be able to use it and share it with the world as much as I can, the best that I can.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
I think I would go get ice cream with Alex from A Clockwork Orange. Pralines and cream…give us something to chew on to distract ourselves from the awkwardness.
If your story was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
Every time I am asked this question, I tell people with a straight face that the only woman who is ever allowed to play me or any character based off of me is Kate Beckinsale. They always laugh, but I’m serious. But since the young lady in “When the Goatman Comes” is probably too young to be played by her, I’d go with Abigail Breslin. She’s growing up to have quite a bit of style and attitude, which I think would match the character’s pluckiness. As for the Goatman, I think it would have to be somebody with a lot of presence and a menacing voice…maybe Alexander Skarsgard, or Bryan Cranston. Depends on how truly weird we’d want the live action version of the story to get.
Vampires – do you prefer them as sexy leads or blood hungry monsters?
I prefer all my supernatural beings sexy, at all times.
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
Lost in the Witching Hour
This is a tough one, but I think I would travel to the old west during (or perhaps before) frontier times. I’d be fascinated to observe or be part of Native American life before the Europeans got in the way. I would also be interested, though, in examining how the Europeans who first went west coped with the conditions and forged a life for themselves.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
Be kind to yourself.
Do you believe in faeries?
The names “fairy,” “gnome,” “elf,” “demon,” etc. are all attributed to certain beings or ideas based on our religious and cultural myths from around the world. We can say each word and conjure up a ready-made fairy tale image in our heads. I do believe, however, that these beings could be “real” based on what people have seen, experienced, and reported throughout time. But perhaps what we think of from illustrations and what those beings actually resemble are not necessarily the same. I don’t think I’ll see a fairy with gossamer wings dancing around any flower bushes any time soon, but maybe there is a supernatural (or natural!) being that behaves in a certain way that people, over the course of many hundreds of years, have come to designate as a “fairy” and developed that popular image from. Manatees don’t exactly look like mermaids, and we know they’ve been the culprits in many mistaken identities. So in short, my mind is open.
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
I would be a shapeshifter, because…shapeshifting.
Where do you write best?
Anywhere quiet with minima
l interruption. When I write, I concentrate so hard that hours go by and it’s as if I’ve blacked out or gotten “highway hypnosis” in front of my computer. I get deep in the zone, so I just need a space that allows for that. It could be at home at the kitchen table or at a local coffee shop, as long as the conditions are right.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
I just finished reading the Ghosts of Gettysburg series. A friend gave it to me and even though I grew up an hour from Gettysburg and have explored there many times, I never took the time to sit down and read Mark Nesbitt’s books until now. The stories were compelling and historically informative. It was a somewhat nostalgic experience as well, since I grew up in Maryland and my parents now live in Pennsylvania, and I’ve been living in Chicago for almost seven years.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
I’d love to write romance or erotica. I think it would be fun and it takes a very special talent that is highly underappreciated in the literary world. I’d probably also make a lot more money, but don’t get me started on that.
Where can fans find you online?
My website is www.ameliacotter.com and I am on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Amazon. The third edition of my first book, This House: The True Story of a Girl and a Ghost, was just released by Breaking Fate Publishing, and I encourage ghost story fans to check it out! Folks can also email me at AmeliaMCotter@gmail.com. I always love to connect with people.
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: Amelia Cotter
