Nicky Peacock's Blog, page 26
May 11, 2014
Book Review: Containment by Lucinda Thorne
Synopsis:
Halfway between Earth and a distant penal colony, Jensenn Mal is turning out to be the man of Lieutenant Lai’s dreams … literally. Ripped muscles, blue eyes, cocky attitude–they’re there every time she closes her eyes. Too bad he’s an enemy of the state, sentenced to a lifetime of hard labour and trapped in cryogenic suspension. Little details like those aren’t going to stop Lai, however. She just has to get a better look at that body…
Yet, when Mal gets loose on the ship, he proves more than a match for his jailer. Their battle of wills ignites a passion even the cold of space can’t contain, and now Lai has to make a difficult choice. Should she stay true to her duties and her masters back on Earth? Or surrender to the wily rebel who has stolen her heart?
About the Author:
I was born in New Zealand in 1974, but grew up in England. I studied at Sheffield and Cambridge Universities and have worked as a teacher for the past ten years. After working in the UK and abroad I’ve finally settled in beautiful Melbourne.
My Review:
I’ve not read much sci-fi in the past, although I’ve watched a lot of it on TV, but I must admit that I’m really starting to enjoy a bit of sci-fi/ romance mash-up in my reading schedule. This was a short read, so I managed it all in one sitting, but it really felt epic. It reminded me a lot of the series, Firefly which was cancelled after just the one amazing series (who made that dumb decision?) Which was aided by the fact the hero was called Mal!
From a writer’s perspective, the prose was enjoyable and the story paced well (it was destined to be a short read, anymore pages and it would have been littered with useless info and scenes that didn’t belong) so a big pat on the back to Lucinda Thorne for doing what was right for the story and making it that length, rather than padding it out for the sake of it – which could have easily happened! This is definitely an over 18 read, and the hot scenes were not just justifiable but deserved to be there – another big plus for a book in this genre.
The front cover is okay, but could do with spicing up a bit, when you look at the Ellora’s Cave titles, their fronts are very sexy and obvious as to what you are getting. With this one, it could easily just be a romance book or even a YA!
Overall, I’d give Containment 4 out of 5 stars – a short, enjoyable trip into sexy space.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Captain Mal, Containment by Lucinda Thorne, Firefly, Liquid Silver books, romance, sci-fi, sexy read
May 10, 2014
Interview with Craig Saunders
Tell us about your publishing journey…
It’s been a long one. Mostly my own fault, I think. I’m a slow learner. I started out writing fantasy around ten years ago, hoping I’d get the big deal, the agent, the study with broad windows overlooking the sea…didn’t happen. In a way, I did everything wrong, except for one thing, I suppose, which was to keep writing. I didn’t know any other writers, had no sound advice – I thought an agent was the only route to publication. I wasted plenty of time, years, even, chasing agents.
I finally figured out that writing is a job like any other. I think that discovery came partly from networking, but more from reading Ellen Datlow and Stephen Jones anthologies and yearly round-ups instead of ‘Writer’s Market’…I decided that if I wanted to make a go of this, I’d better start approaching it like a job. I do that now, and things have changed for the better.
What do you love about being an author?
All of it, pretty much. I like creating, doing my own thing. The most enjoyable times for me are when I’m writing a new story and it’s flowing. My least favourite part is doing a second or third draft. I rarely do more than three. I haven’t got the patience to be an editor – they’re amazing. Me? My eyes begin to bleed after a third run through.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
Any character, eh? There are tons I could choose from, but one I’ve read recently – Logan Ninefingers, from Joe Abercrombie’s First Law stories. I think he’d be interesting, if he didn’t kill me. And I’d have steak, I think. My favourite is spaghetti, but I’d worry he’d strangle me with it. Failing that, maybe Dirk Gently, though I think he’d get on my nerves, what with him being such a smartarse.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
I’ve a few books out, but the latest, my DarkFuse novella Deadlift? It’d have to be someone big, because the main character, David Lowe, is a big man. I honestly don’t watch too many movies (I do like superhero movies, though), but I’d go with the guy who plays Hodor in Game of Thrones. I’d love to see what that guy can do with a few extra lines. His wife, Freya Lowe…Famke Janssen. What? No reason. *Whistles*
As a horror writer you are looking to scare readers – what scares you?
I think, oddly, the scares are secondary – mostly I’m trying to tell a good story, keep people reading. But what frightens me…everything! Casual violence, freak accidents, indifference, insanity…more, I think, these sort of things, rather than supernatural creatures. I’m not, for example, particularly afraid of leprechauns or goblins. Deep water, though…no way.
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
I’d like to say something sweet, like I’d go back to a time full of hope and promise…maybe the sixties and the seventies and flower power and peaceful protests and great music, or Victorian London, on the cusp of so many amazing advances, or the dawn of the Renaissance…but realistically, I think I’d prefer medieval times, a big boar roasting and pennants flying, some ale, and a comfortable seat to watch a tournament full of knights bashing each other. Preferably a seat beyond the range of the splatter. I should imagine knights made quite a mess.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner? 
Silly thing, really – look after yourself. I always imagined I’d be pushing up daisies early. Now I’m still going, still young enough, and wishing I didn’t ache walking up the stairs. ‘Ooh, me hip,’ has become my refrain already, and I’m only just gone 40.
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
Vampire, hands down, no thought needed. Don’t like the sunshine much, I’d happily live forever, not squeamish about a diet of blood…yeah, I could be happy as a vampire.
What is the scariest book you’ve ever read and why?
I’m not sure I’ve ever read a truly scary book. I read a fairly widely, not just horror. Things I find scary, or perhaps just disquieting, are more esoteric. I found Camus’ The Stranger oddly disturbing, and sometimes Murakami’s stories, or even McCarthy’s, leave me feeling uncomfortable. I guess ‘scare’ for me is more something that makes my belly turn a little – maybe some scenes in Adam Nevill’s work, or Gary McMahon’s. A Neil Gaiman story can sometimes give me a pretty good chill, too.
What’s your take on zombies? In your opinion, could they actually happen?
Nope. Not in the strictest sense, I think. Reanimating dead flesh seems, to me, highly unlikely in scientific terms. Perhaps in a biblical or occult tale, it might work (biblical/occult, of course, being far more believable than silly old science ;) ). The idea that the dead might rise from the release of some kind of toxin or chemical or virus? I, personally, don’t think so. The mechanics of death, the degradation of a person’s flesh, would make movement alone nigh-on impossible. Were they infected before death? Then, possibly…the tissue might be preserved and retain some rudimental function…but the old worm-eaten corpse rising from the grave, no flesh, sinew, cartilage, muscle fibres…nope.
Doesn’t mean it’s not fun to wonder what might happen, though. Vampires, werewolves and their ilk…all by and large impractical, in terms of realism, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t fun. I think zombie tales are great. I’ve written them and read plenty I’ve really enjoyed. I kind of prefer the speedy, 28 Days Later vibe, wherein people are still living, but crazed by infection. I write, sporadically, a series of zombie novellas (Dead Days), and I’ve written the first of trilogy of apocaly
ptic horror/thrillers – survival horror and the apocalypse are two sub-genres (I guess they’re sub-genres of horror…or maybe big enough these days to stand on their own feet…) that I’ve always enjoyed. Ian Woodhead’s zombie yarns are great fun, but I’ve read plenty of others, too. Zombies are cute.
If you didn’t write horror, which other would you prefer and why?
Haha – fantasy! Heroic, for preference. Like I say, I’m a sucker for a big guys encased in steel hitting other people. Tolkien was an eye-opener when I was maybe eleven or twelve, but Gemmell’s brand of fantasy was right up my street. When I discovered Druss I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up…not a writer. Pfft. I wanted to be an old guy with a massive white beard and a nasty axe called Snaga.
I dabbled with crime writing, but I’m not devious enough of mind, I think, to make a living doing that. I even tried a sci-fi, which was great for discovering that I’m not a sci-fi writer and never will be. I write horror mostly because I lean toward the macabre, but I was a fantasy fan long before I came to horror. I don’t write fantasy as often as I find it far more complicated and time-consuming to do right. As I writer, I prefer horror…but as a reader, I’ll always enjoy a spot of fantasy.
Where can fans find you online?
craigrsaunders.blogspot.com
theislandarchive.blogspot.com
facebook.com/craigrsaundersauthor
or
@GrumbleSprout
I’m on Amazon, too. ;)
Thank you, Nicky, for having me on your blog!
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: Craig Saunders, Dark Fuse, horror
May 8, 2014
Interview with Rachel McClellan
Tell us about your publishing journey…
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always written, but I never finished anything. Drawers full of crap. Mainly this was because I didn’t believe I could write a novel that people would want to read. It wasn’t until 2007 and a trip to Ireland that I finally gained the confidence I needed. Something about standing on the Cliffs of Moher inspired me, and I decided to achieve my dreams. And even though my first two books were never published (looking back I can see why), I continued to write, never getting discouraged.
Finally in 2010, I received an offer from a publisher for Fractured Light. They also published my next three books. Since then, I’ve written two more novels, which I hope will be released within the next year.
What do you love about being an author?
Creating whole new worlds and characters. The possibilities are endless!
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
I would love to break bread with Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein. I would want to be a part of her inner circle including Lord Byron. I bet I would learn a lot about writing dark stuff!
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads? 
Julie Taylor would make a great Llona. I see May as Ellen Page. Christian as a young Zac Efron and Liam as Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
I would visit the time of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. I think she must’ve been an incredible woman to rule for so long in a male dominated world. I’d like to know her secret.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
Don’t sweat the small stuff and figure out sooner than later what really matters to you.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
I just finished End of Feeling by Cindy Bennett. It was good! It was a contemporary novel, something I don’t usually read, but I enjoyed it.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
Horror. I like things on the darker side.
Where can fans find you online?
Facebook | Blog | Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Book Trailer
Filed under: Interviews with other authors
Interview with C.B. McKee
Tell us about your publishing journey…
This book started with a request from my nephew. He was looking for a story to possibly make into a movie.
Though, it didn’t happen. I started looking around for a story to tell. My sons loved the Harry Potter books, and I liked the idea of wizards. However, what I didn’t like about Harry Potter was that it didn’t take place in America. So I had two element of the story: one – wizards, two – in America. Next, I decided I like the idea of a girl as the main character. I wanted her to be an orphan too, but I wanted her to have no family, no one who cared. Then I picked a time period that had the greatest amount of conflict in US history, The Civil War. After much debating with my sons, I plotted out Ace is Wild. Once written, I decided to self-publish to give my readers the best price available and the rest is history.
What do you love about being an author?
Sharing my stories with the world, I love that people get to come along on Ace’s journey and experience a new world.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
Huck Finn, we’d have a good southern feast of fried fish (just caught from the creek) , fresh sliced tomatoes, cornbread and fresh shelled peas. If you can’t tell I grew up in Texas.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
Milana Vayntrub, as Ace, and several other young actors I know, Matthew James, Cody Beyer, and Dylan Oxley (they’re college students)
Vampires – do you prefer them as sexy leads or blood hungry monsters?
Sexy leaders.
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
Personally, I’d like to jump to the future just to see what happen next.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
Life is a marathon not a sprint – pace yourself.
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
Storm from the x-men. I love how she uses weather to achieve what she wants.
Where do you write best?
In my office with no one around and complete silence. This gives me an opportunity to hear the voices in my head.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
I’m a romance reader. I read Jayne Ann Krentz “The Ties That Bind.” I liked the mystery in the story.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
I do write in several other genre, romance, mystery, off-world fantasy, historical western romances.
Where can fans find you online?
Twitter - @CBMcKee1
blog – http://wizardme.wordpress.com/
email – authorcbmckee@yahoo.com
facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorcbmckee
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: Ace, harry potter, Interview with C.B. McKee, YA fiction
May 6, 2014
Book Review: The Concealing (Spirit Warriors #1) by D.E.L. Connor
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Emme Belrose has it all: four best friends, a horse of her own, a hidden tepee hangout, and a blossoming romance with tall and handsome Charlie. These friends also have a secret. They can move their spirits into animal bodies: an osprey, a mustang, a grizzly, a mountain lion and a coyote.
But when Charlie, who has a gift for seeing the future, has a vision of Emme drowning in the icy Yellowstone River, the Spirit Warriors must train their animal bodies to kill an enemy they know is coming… but know nothing about. Suspenseful, romantic, and awash in Native American magic, Spirit Warriors captures the tragic enchantment of the American West—and confirms the power of friendship.
About the Author:
Newly published author! Nature lover and bird lover. Listener of alternative bands and music. Ivan & Aloysha, Mumford & Sons, The Civil Wars, The Fossil Collective, and Ryan Star (his music seems to fit my book for some strange reason). Science fiction fan, Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and the incredible Harry Potter! MAJOR coffee addict (don’t even get me started)!
My Review:
I did love the idea of this book. It has a real YA feel to it too, but unfortunately it didn’t translate very well to me, an adult reader.
I felt that the characters acted more like kids than teenagers, and mostly in YA, readers want to read above their age group. The way they spoke was kind of random and although they had some teeny talk in there, sometimes they didn’t use it all. For me, I’d have preferred more consistent adult-like speech.
From a writer’s perspective, the start of the book was a little hard for me, it had a long laundry list of characters and descriptions, and if I’m being honest, I wouldn’t have gotten past the first chapter if this wasn’t a book tour – which would have been a shame, as when it got going it was very interesting. The paranormal aspect of the book was very well thought out and original – which in YA fiction is quite rare and hard to find.
The front cover is utterly beautiful and really captures the essence of the book – so definitely 5 stars to the cover designer.
Overall I’d give this book 2 ratings (to make it fair) for an adult reader, 3 out of 5, but for a YA reader 5 out 5 stars.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: animal bodies, Spirit Warriors, Teen reads, The Concealing (Spirit Warriors #1) by D.E.L. Connor, YA fiction
May 3, 2014
Interview with Rebecca Royce
Tell us about your publishing journey…
I’ve been published since 2008. My first book was called Her Wolf. Now, between short stories and novels, I have over 40 works published.
What do you love about being an author?
Getting lost in the writing
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
Scarlett O’Hara because the dinner would be lively
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
In Demon Within? Wow. Kristen Bell and Matthew Fox
Vampires – do you prefer them as sexy leads or blood hungry monsters?
Depends on the book. I like them both ways
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
I would love to see The American Revolution
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
Just to let the small things go before they become big things
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
A werewolf. I just love them
Where do you write best?
In my bed.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
I read a book called Winter’s Ballad. I loved it so much.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
Historical Romance. I’m always so impressed !
Where can fans find you online?
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: author interview, Elloras Cave, Erotic Romance, paranormal romance, Rebecca Royce, Scarlett O'Hara
May 2, 2014
Interview with Auralee Wallace
Tell us about your publishing journey…
My path to publication wasn’t exactly paved with golden bricks – wow, that was a lot of “p” alliteration for one sentence. I call Sidekick my first real novel because I didn’t fully commit to my previous attempts. For a long time, I had the mindset that because I loved books, I could write them. Lots of early rejection taught me that this wasn’t necessarily the case. So after my third child was born, I decided to get serious. I read every book on writer’s craft I could get my hands on before I even thought about trying again. It was after all that, I began to write Sidekick. When I finished, I thought agents would be clamoring to sign me on. I was quickly disabused of that notion. While I got a few timid bites, ultimately, the consensus seemed to be that the whole “superhero” thing would be a tough sell. For a while I wallowed in despair, and then a blogger friend of mine suggested I submit directly to publishers. In particular, she sent me the link for Escape Publishing. The submission guidelines stated that they welcomed manuscripts that were “rule-breaking” and “cross-genre.” Well, Sidekick was definitely both of those. I joyfully signed my contract not long after.
What do you love about being an author?
I love that I get to spend time exploring my imagination, and I don’t have to feel guilty about it. I’ve always had a pretty rich fantasy life, and now I get to put it to work. As an added bonus, I can now sneak in a nap anywhere and pass it off as brainstorming.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
Oh, this one has been giving me trouble. The food isn’t the problem. The food is never the problem. I would be eating sushi. You see, I love sushi, and I haven’t had it in a while. I suppose I really should link my dinner choice to my dinner guest, but, as I just mentioned, I love sushi, and I’m pretty uncompromising when it comes to food.
As for the company, well, therein lies the difficulty. My first thought was Harry Potter because Harry Potter is cool. But I think Harry might be a little shy and I’m definitely a little shy, so that might make for an awkward dinner. So I then considered more romantic characters like Mr. Rochester and Heathcliff, but I figured their overwhelming broodiness might take the shine off my happy sushi. Plus, if I’m going to go out to dinner with any man, it’s going be my husband. We have three small children. We never get to go out to dinner.
So all that being said, I’m not really sure who I would…Oh wait! I’ve got it! Lula from Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. She’s fun, she loves food, and she would do most of the talking.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads? 
This question often haunts me in the wee hours of the morning. I’m not sure why. I do have real life issues that require mulling, but this imaginary quandary is particularly good at elbowing its way to the forefront.
Okay, for Bremy, sometimes I think Jennifer Lawrence would do a wonderful job with the humor, but I’m not sure if she’s the look I have always had in mind. Teresa Palmer maybe?
Dark Ryder for me has always been a mix of Grace Jones and Iman with maybe just a smidge of Rhianna thrown in. So yeah, that’s not really an answer to the question unless you know a gene splicer, but that’s all I’ve got.
For Pierce? I’m completely lost. Maybe readers will one day send me suggestions.
If you had a super power, what would it be?
So many choices. I want to fly, but I also really want to be invisible – and yes, I would absolutely do creepy things with that power. There’s also telekinesis to consider. That would be pretty great. Then I wouldn’t have to get off the couch right now to let my cat in who is on the other side of the sliding door giving me a really filthy look. Okay, I’m rambling. Oh man, I should probably pick something cool and obscure to show that I’m cool and obscure too, like…like…absolutely nothing is coming to mind right now, which means I have completely outed myself as both uncool and obvious. I should have just said the flying thing.
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
These are horribly good questions…questions, which are torturing me…horribly. I’m feeling a lot of pressure, like if I give the wrong answer, I’m stuck with it forever, and then, when I finally find the genie in the magic lamp, well, he’s going to hold me to my original answer, and I’m going to be smacking myself on the forehead saying why didn’t you choose Ancient Rome or seventeenth century Venice? You idiot! Okay…okay…I’m rambling again. This hurts me, but I’m going to have to choose the streets of Victorian London. I’d like to go and walk the cobblestones at night in the fog…but with a mask because I know the air quality was really bad…and maybe a bodyguard.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
Boy, right back to the hard ones. Oh! I want to be a Time Lord. Wait, Doctor Who is an alien, not a supernatural creature. Shoot! That would have taken care of my whole time machine anxiety too. I’d say vampire – sexy, powerful, bloody – but it feels like everybody is a vampire these days. I’d love to run through a forest like a werewolf, but I don’t love dog smells. Now a witch would be cool. I always used to play witch by the creek in my backyard when I was little. I’m not great with details though, and spell-work seems highly detailed. I also worry I might go mad with power and turn random people into toads. This is tough. I give up. I’ll just choose a unicorn. Yes, make me a unicorn.
Where do you write best?
I have always thought I would write best in a cavernous office with built-in floor to ceiling bookshelves on every wall. In it there would be antique velvet furniture, Persian rugs, and a stone fireplace with maybe an Irish setter or a Hellhound sleeping in front of it. I would also have this gargantuan desk that looks like it belongs in front of a throne, and when people needed me, they would have to skulk into the room, cap in hand, and stand in front of it, waiting silently until I decided to look up. And when I finally did – look up, that is – my fountain pen would be hovering over the brilliant bit of prose I was working on, and my one eyebrow would be arched (that sounds weird – I do have two eyebrows, but I would only arch one of them) with both question and annoyance. Oh yeah, that’s my office vision. That would be awesome.
I write at my kitchen table. Bits of cereal are often stuck to my kitchen table.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
Actually, the last thing I read was the first installment of Jonathan Janz’s Savage Species, Night Terrors. I haven’t read any horror like that since I was a teenager. It was…really…wow. Let me put it this way, if Night Terrors were a restaurant, I’d call it The Grotesquery. Yet, I can’t help but smile when I think about it. I’m pretty sure that makes me a bad person.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
All of them. I have never met a genre I didn’t like. I refuse to choose.
Where can fans find you online?
Website: auraleewallace.com
Facebook: Auralee Wallace Author
Twitter:@AuraleeWallace
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8119821.Auralee_Wallace
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: Auralee Wallace, Sidekick, superhero books
April 30, 2014
Interview with Electra Shepherd
Tell us about your publishing journey…
I (Electra) am actually a pseudonym for an award-winning, bestselling author, so my publishing journey is quite different from hers. She wrote a bunch of books and got a bunch of rejections before she got published, but I, Electra, am much more talented (shh, don’t tell anyone). I wrote my first novel, LOVE MACHINE, during a hurricane. The power went out, but my laptop was still charged up. As is normal in a power outage, I started thinking about all the handy things electricity can be used for. Lights…refrigerators…muscular, blue, well-hung sexually active robots…
Thus LOVE MACHINE was born, which was the launch of my BODY ELECTRIC series of erotic science fiction romantic comedy novels, about robots, humans, and hot lovin’. I sent the manuscript to Ellora’s Cave and they wanted it and I was thrilled and kept on writing more.
What do you love about being an author?
Two words: Robot Servants.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
I would find it fascinating to have dinner with HAL 9000. Of course homicidal computers don’t really eat, so I would have to eat all the dehydrated and reconstituted lobster thermidore and cherry cheesecake myself.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
I’ve casted the whole BODY ELECTRIC series in my mind, but the only really interesting thing is that I used Tom Hiddleston as the lead for two different books. In MAN OR MACHINE, he’s a bitter computer genius hacker human who spends a lot of the book tied to a bed, and in the sequel HARDWARE, he’s a bald green robot with an enormous libido and no emotions. I think I am possibly the only person who has given Tom Hiddleston such diametrically opposed roles in a single series, and therefore Tom Hiddleston should probably come and live with me in my house forever. Please.
Vampires – do you prefer them as sexy leads or blood hungry monsters?
Don’t really care. I have this super-flexible titanium vampire-proof suit, see. Try to bite through THAT, vampires! Ha! Suckers!
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
I quite liked last Tuesday.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
SKYNET: Not A Good Idea.
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
I would be a female Smaug. (Smaugette?) I would loll around on my unimaginable riches humming ‘Material Girl’ and burn the buns off of any hobbit who came near wanting to steal my stuff.
Where do you write best?
Evidently, in the middle of a hurricane.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
I constantly reread THE HITCHHIKERS’ GUIDE TO THE GALAXY trilogy. I really really love those books, but I can’t help thinking that Marvin the Paranoid Android would have been a lot happier if someone had offered to have sex with him.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
You mean there are other genres out there other than erotic science fiction romantic comedy?
Where can fans find you online?
My website is http://www.electrashepherd.com, my Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/ElectraShepherd and I’m on Twitter as @ElectraShepherd.
buy links: https://www.ellorascave.com/index.php/authors/index/author/slug/electra-shepherd/
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Electra%20Shepherd&search-alias=digital-text&sort=relevancerank
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: author interview, bestselling author, Electra Shepherd, Elloras Cave, Erotic Romance, paranormal romance, science fiction, Tom Hiddleston
Book Review: Kissed (The Thorn Chronicles #1) by Kimberly Loth
Synopsis:
Trapped in a dark cult, sixteen-year-old Naomi Aren has lived a quiet, albeit unhappy, life nestled deep in the hills of the Ozarks. With uncut hair, denim skirts, and only roses for friends, Naomi seldom questions why her life is different from other kids at school. Until the day her abusive father, who is also the cult’s leader, announces her wedding. Naomi must marry Dwayne Yerdin, a bully who reeks of sweat and manure and is the only one person who scares her worse than her father.
Then she meets Kai, the mysterious boy who brings her exotic new roses and stolen midnight kisses. Kisses that bring her a supernatural strength she never knew she had. As the big day approaches, Naomi unearths more secrets of about her father’s cult. She learns she has power of her own and while Kai may have awakened that power, Naomi must find a way to use it to escape Dwayne and her father—without destroying herself
About the Author: 
Kimberly Loth can’t decide where she wants to settle down. She’s lived in Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, California, Oregon, and South Carolina. She finally decided to make the leap and leave the U.S. behind for a few years. Currently, she lives in Cairo, Egypt with her husband and two kids.
She is a high school math teacher by day (please don’t hold that against her) and YA author by night. She loves romantic movies, chocolate, roses, and crazy adventures. Kissed is her first novel.
My Review:
I really enjoyed Kissed, it reminded me of the first Virginia Andrews books I read growing up, but had the added spice of the paranormal that I read now.
It’s definitely a teen read, but was still very enjoyable to read as an adult. I love a good transformation story, and this has the feel of modern fairy tale.
From a writer’s perspective, the plot was well paced and, as it was first person, it was easy to identify with the protagonist. It was also nice to be in a world where the reader finds out important information along with main character, rather than before them, which can be frustrating.
The front cover is very pretty, but could do with a supernatural element in there, so it represented the book better. Also Naomi has either blonde or green hair throughout the story, and the girl on the front is brunette, although her true colour, maybe the green would have given it an eye catching edge?
Overall I’d give Kissed 5 out 5 stars, well worth reading whether you’re a teen or an adult.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Dwayne Yerdin, fae, Kissed (The Thorn Chronicles #1) by Kimberly Loth, Naomi, Naomi Aren, paranormal romance, Teen reads, Urban Fantasy, YA fiction 
April 29, 2014
Book Review: Cutlass by Ashley Nixon
Synopsis:
Notorious pirate Barren Reed has one thing on his mind: Revenge against the man who killed his father. So kidnapping his enemy’s fiancé seems a perfect plan…until he actually does it.
Larkin Lee is more than a pretty face and fiancé to a powerful man. Her fierce personality is enough to make any pirate want to push her overboard.
But when the King of the Orient comes to Barren with a task—to find the Bloodstone, a powerful gem thought only to exist in legend, Barren sees another opportunity to destroy his enemy. Together, Barren, Larkin and a crew of pirates set off to find the stone, only to discover it caused the death of Barren’s own mother and Larkin’s, too. As his strongest allies turn into his greatest enemies, and the life of the girl he kidnapped becomes more important than he ever dreamed, Barren’s quest for revenge becomes a fight to save the Orient.
About the Author: 
Ashley was born and raised in Oklahoma, where the wind really does sweep down the plains, and horses and carriages aren’t used as much as she’d like. When she’s not writing, she’s hard at work on her Master’s degree in Library Science and Information Technology, working out, or pretending she’s Sherlock Holmes. Her obsession with writing began after reading the Lord of the Rings in the eighth grade. Since then, she’s loved everything Fantasy–resulting in an unhealthy obsession with the ‘geek’ tab on Pinterest, where all things awesome go.
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My Review:
I’ve always loved the romance of pirates, okay in reality they can be a bit violent and grabby, but in novels they tend to embiggen (notice my casual use of The Simpson’s fun new word?) more noble qualities, and with Cutlass having a strong mix of pirates and fantasy, it certainly gave me an ideal pirate adventure.
From a writer’s perspective, it was a little A to B writing. There were no surprises, and the prose could have done with being a little more lyrical (just my taste) I’d actually suggest that it read more like a high grade children’s book. This is just my opinion and I’m sure that others might disagree. There was a lot of action, but there was also a great deal of telling not showing, which could be why it didn’t float my literary boat.
The front cover is beautiful, and definitely lends itself to an early teen read, my only suggestion would be to include both the pirate and fantasy element on there.
Overall I’d gice Cutlass 3 out 5 stars, great concept and definitely worth a read.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Ashley Nixon, Cutlass
