Nicky Peacock's Blog, page 27
April 28, 2014
Book Review: Erasing Shadow by K D Rose
Synopsis:
Generations of mystery smash together when a seemingly traditional family must shatter their illusions of normality to confront themselves and their friends, leaving no possibility unexplored in order to rescue- well, who exactly? Watch the Ross family, the High Five Gang, and multiple generations dig into an innovative explosion of imagination where they must confront numerous realities, real-world danger, and worst of all—their own teenage hormones!
In a place where nothing is as it seems and shocks are around every corner, even the people you thought you knew may find themselves strangers in this moving and provocative reality-bender. With breathless pacing and psychological intrigue, Erasing: Shadows and the High Five Gang will keep you guessing until the very end.
About the Author: 
K.D. Rose is an author and poet and currently has “Heavy Bags of Soul”, “Inside Sorrow” and “I AM (Poetry in Motion)” on sale at Amazon.com. Look for The Erasing Series, Book 1-“Erasing: Shadows” for Lycaon Press available on all publishing platforms. Erasing: Shadows is the first of a Seven Book Series for New Adults in the Paranormal Genre.
“K.D. Rose’s writing will set your neurons on fire.” – Tophat Raven Art and Literary Magazine.
K.D. Rose is now also an author with Lycaon Press. For more adult-themed books, her alter ego, H.K. Sterling is an author for Breathless Press. K.D. also continues to write poetry and recently created a new literary and art magazine with five other authors around the globe. K.D.’s poetry has been featured in a number of magazines online.
K.D. has an eclectic mind and loves language, physics, philosophy, photography, design, art, writing, symbolism, semiotics, spirituality, and Dr. Who. K.D. is an avid supporter of music, the arts, cutting edge science, technology, and creativity in all forms that encourage us to expand and explore past the artificial limits we often set for ourselves in order to see the everyday connections that exist among all things.
Join K. D. Rose on the following social media sites:
Website for the Erasing Series: http://kdroseworld.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00830RFC0
Blog: http://www.kdroseauthortales.com
Twitter: @kdrose1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/K.D.RoseWriter
Lycaon Press: http://www.lycaonpress.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6038789.K_D_Rose
My Review:
What a great idea, the author should be really proud that they came up with something different, and not just on the face of it, but from the tried and tested paranormal novel formula that most other ones tend to follow.
From a writer’s perspective, there are obvious dangers to doing this. I found the world building a bit complicated and the characters’ backstories a little lacking. The relationships were a bit fuzzy, but that probably was down to the fact that the author didn’t go done the normal relationship route. I think that maybe a prequel should be written quick to give more depth to characters like the High Five Gang?
The front cover is very pretty and will certainly stand out from the rest on the virtual bookshelf.
Overall I’d give Erasing Shadows 4 out of 5 stars, an interesting read, but one you need to concentrate on to really appreciate.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: High Five Gang, Lycaon Press
April 26, 2014
Interview with William Meikle
Tell us about your publishing journey…
I write to escape.
I grew up on a West of Scotland council estate in a town where you were either unemployed or working in the steelworks, and sometimes both. Many of the townspeople led hard, miserable lifes of quiet, and sometimes not so quiet desperation. I was relatively lucky in that both my parents worked, but I spent a lot of time alone or at my grandparent’s house.
My Granddad was housebound, and a voracious reader. I got the habit from him, and through him I discovered the Pan Books of Horror and Lovecraft, but I also discovered westerns, science fiction, war novels and the likes of Mickey Spillane, Ed McBain, Alistair MacLean, Dennis Wheatley, Nigel Tranter, Arthur C Clarke and Isaac Asimov. When you mix all that together with DC Comics, Tarzan, Gerry Anderson and Dr Who then, later on, Hammer and Universal movies on the BBC, you can see how the pulp became embedded in my psyche.
When I was at school these books and my guitar were all that kept me sane in a town that was going downhill fast. The steelworks shut and employment got worse. I -could- have started writing about that, but why bother? All I had to do was walk outside and I’d get it slapped in my face. That horror was all too real.
So I took up my pen and wrote. At first it was song lyrics, designed (mostly unsuccessfully) to get me closer to girls.
I tried my hand at a few short stories but had no confidence in them and hid them away. And that was that for many years.
I didn’t get the urge again until I was past thirty and trapped in a very boring job. My home town had continued to stagnate and, unless I wanted to spend my whole life drinking (something I was actively considering at the time), returning there wasn’t an option.
My brain needed something, and writing gave it what was required. That point, back nearly twenty years ago, was like switching on an engine, one that has been running steadily ever since.
It’s been a slow and steady progression, from UK small press pay in copies markets for much of the nineties, to getting a novel published in the USA in 2001, then starting to hit the pro short story market, and finding a home for novels with the higher end small presses in the States. I’ve now got 20 novels, 4 collections and over 300 short stories in print.
As I said before, I write to escape.
I haven’t managed it yet, but I’m working on it.
What do you love about being an author?
I didn’t chose writing, it chose me. The urge to write is more of a need, a similar addiction to the one I used to have for cigarettes and still have for beer.
For me it’s mainly inspiration. I wouldn’t write at all if the ideas didn’t present themselves in my head. I find I get a lot of ideas clamouring for attention all at once. I write them down in a notebook that never leaves my side, and sometimes one of them gathers a bit more depth, and I get a clearer image. At this stage I find myself thinking about it almost constantly, until a plot, or an ending, clarifies itself.
Once I’ve written down where the story should be going it quietens down a bit. Then, if I find myself still thinking about it a couple of days later, I’ll probably start writing the actual story. At any given time I have about 20 ideas waiting for clarity, two or three of which might end up as finished works.
That’s the inspiration part. And that continues when I start putting the words on paper.
There is also a certain amount of perspiration, especially in writing a novel. But I find if it feels too much like work, I’m heading in the wrong direction and it usually ends up in the recycle bin.
And, yes, there’s a certain degree of desperation in that I want to get better, to make the big sale, to see my name in lights, all that happy stuff. But I try not to think about that too much. :) 
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
William Hope Hodgson’s Carnacki.resonated with me immediately on my first reading many years ago. Several of the stories have a Lovecraftian viewpoint, with cosmic entities that have no regard for the doings of mankind. The background Hodgson proposes fits with some of my own viewpoint on the ways the Universe might function, and the slightly formal Edwardian language seems to be a “voice” I fall into naturally.
Carnacki likes a drink and a smoke, and a hearty meal with his friends gathered round. This dovetails perfectly with my own idea of a good time. And although I no longer smoke, witing about characters who do allows me a small vicarious reminder of my own younger days. I wish I had Carnacki’s library, his toys, but most of all, I envy him his regular visits from his tight group of friends.
So that’s where I’d be, in Chelsea with Carnacki, more than willing to listen to his tales of adventure into the weird places of the world while drinking his Scotch, eating his roast beef and vicariously smoking his cigars.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
I’ve got BERSERKER coming later this spring, and I’d love to see the movie of that.. Vikings vs Yeti in an Arctic mountain landscape on the side of a Russian sea loch… what’s not to like? A dream pairing would be Alexander Skarsgård as Tor, our hero, with his dad Stellan Skarsgård as the ship’s captain.
As a horror writer, what scares you?
Sickness in the family. Supernatural beasties are all very well, but real horror comes when you come face to face with pain and misery that are piled on to such an extent that death seems a welcome alternative. I’ve seen too many friends and family riddled with disease, cancer, madness or addiction. They’re all far scarier than any ghost could ever be.
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
I have a deep love of old places, in particular menhirs and stone circles, and I’ve spent quite a lot of time travelling the UK and Europe just to visit archaeological remains. I also love what is widely known as ‘weird shit’. I’ve spent far too much time surfing and reading Fortean, paranormal and cryptozoological websites. The cryptozoological stuff especially fascinates me, and provides a direct stimulus for a lot of my fiction.
But there’s just something about the misty landscapes and old places that speaks straight to my soul. Bloody Celts… we get all sentimental at the least wee thing.
So I’d go to Orkney, during the mound-building, menhir raising years. I’d love to see Maes Howe and the Ring of Brodgar going up and discover why they were built as they were.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
Start early. I was too timid, too unsure of myself, and generally too drunk to get going before I was 33. I now feel like I’m 10 to 15 years behind the curve, and might not have enough time left in me as a writer to get everything done that I want to get done. If you’ve always wanted to do something, get to doing it now. You might never get the chance again.
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
It would have to be something to do with the sea, as that’s where my heart has always been. The Creature From the Black Lagoon maybe, or maybe a silkie or a merman. Or Great Cthulhu, dreaming in Ryleh. It might be cool to wake up and terrorize the puny humans for a while.
Where do you write best?
These days everything is done on a sofa in a study overlooking a Newfoundland seashore, with a laptop on my lap. Prior to 2007, I did most of my writing on a Palm Pilot on ScotRail trains while commuting across Scotland.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
The Concrete Grove by Gary McMahon. Gary impresses me greatly. He’s got the ability to put what he imagines on the page while still leaving a great deal to the reader’s own imagination. He’s also not afraid to let his feelings bleed out onto the page. Despite that, he has a smooth, readable style, and is growing in stature as a writer with every passing year. I believe he’s going to go on to be huge, and good luck to him.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
It’s all about the struggle of the dark against the light. The time and place, and the way it plays out is in some ways secondary to that. And when you’re dealing with archetypes, there’s only so many to go around, and it’s not surprising that the same concepts of death and betrayal, love and loss, turn up wherever, and whenever, the story is placed. Genre is secondary to that, which is why my work already encompasses science fiction, fantasy, several varieties and horror, weird westerns and crime.
But if I was to write anything else, I think it would be a straight western. I was brought up with Gunsmoke, the Virginian and John Wayne movies. Westerns are deep in my soul.
Where can fans find you online?
My news is always broadcast on my website and associated newsletter at http://www.williammeikle.com, and I hang out mainly on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/williammeikle
Come and say Hi.
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: darkfuse, horror, interview with horror author, William Meikle, writing advice
April 24, 2014
Book Review: RecruitZ by Karice Bolton
Synopsis:
Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly three months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.
Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.
About the Author:
Karice Bolton lives in the Pacific Northwest and is a writer of Young Adult and New Adult books. She loves to read anything and everything. She also enjoys baking, skiing, and spending time with her wonderful husband and two English bulldogs.
Books currently available:
*Beyond Love Series: Beyond Control (Book 1) Beyond Doubt (Book 2) Beyond Reason (Book 3) – Feb. 28th
*Afterworld Series: RecruitZ (Book 1)
*The Witch Avenue Series: Lonely Souls (Book 1), Altered Souls (Book 2), Released Souls (Book 3) Shattered Souls (Book 4)
*The Watchers Trilogy: Awakening (Book 1), Legions (Book 2), Cataclysm (Book 3), Taken Novella (Watchers Prequel)
*The Camp
Karice would love if you stopped by her blog or FB page to find out the latest news on giveaways and upcoming releases, or you can just send her an email. She loves hearing from her readers and responds as soon as she can.
Website Goodread sFacebook Twitter
My Review:
I really loved this book. It had one of the most action packed, straight into the fray opening scenes that I’ve read in a long time! It kind of felt like I was watching The Walking Dead, that tense feeling in your shoulders and that you don’t realise that you’re not even breathing, till the whole scene is over.
From a writer’s perspective, it was beautifully written and an excellent example of how you can tell a story without massive info dumps and lazy characters. The opening scene tells a lot about the main character through her actions and dialogue, rather than giving off a laundry list to the reader. You really have to read it to see what I mean, but if you’re a writer, you need to read this book to see how it can be done.
The front cover is great too – very eye catching and perfect for such an over-crowded genre. I’m not a fan of the colour orange in books, but it seems to work!
Overall, I’d give Recruit Z 5 out 5 stars – a must read for both fans of the genre and writers alike!
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: RecruitZ by Karice Bolton
April 22, 2014
Book Spotlight: Goddess Series Bundle Special by M.W. Muse
*Get the first FOUR books in the #1 Bestselling Teen Romance series for one incredibly low price starting April 21, 2014! PLUS, a never before released bonus story as a special thank-you for all the readers who’ve expressed their love of this series! This limited time special includes the following:
Goddess Legacy: Legacy Kore believes she’s just an average seventeen year old with your basic insane crush on the hottest guy in school, Adin Shepard, until she learns her mother is a Greek Goddess and that Legacy is changing into one, too! When Adin asks Legacy out on a date, she is thrilled her fantasy is becoming a reality, regardless of the Greek Goddess nonsense, but when she meets a new guy in town, River, she discovers everything isn’t always as it seems, and the legacy she wants just might not be the legacy she is destined to have.
Goddess Secret: Legacy only thought she had this goddess thing under control. Well, as much as any other chick could have given the crazy circumstances. But when she learns the truth about her abilities, she is forced to keep a secret so powerful that she and the people closest to her could get hurt if it falls into the wrong hands.
Goddess Sacrifice: Legacy wouldn’t let a little thing like changing into a goddess distract her from the joys of her senior year in high school, hanging with her friends, or getting closer to Adin. She’s ready to take their relationship to the next level, regardless of any bonds they have with other people. But the prophecy is still there, lurking in the background. And while Legacy is wrapped up with living her life in the now, forces are at work solidifying her future.
Goddess Revenge: Hell hath no fury like a goddess scorned… at least that’s the way Legacy sees it. Her dreams collide into a message she did not want to acknowledge, but the implication ignites within her hotter than the knowledge of the betrayal itself. The only thing to do to cure getting mad? Getting even. Legacy dives into a betrayal of her own making as she teaches her lesson. But can she deliver her punishment without loosing her true self in the process, or will the bitter feeling of keeping her enemy close backfire and propel her down a road she never dreamed she’d travel? One thing’s for certain–revenge doesn’t come without a price.
Goddess Dream (Bonus Special): Legacy’s sacrifice hasn’t gone unnoticed by others of her kind. Morpheus visits her, allowing her to relive a specific day with another outcome. It isn’t real, but the reunion is just as sweet.
About the Author: 
M.W. Muse is the bestselling author of the Goddess Series with book one, Goddess Legacy, reaching number one in Teen Romance. Her alter-ego, Mandy Harbin, is not only bestselling but award-winning, writing in adult genres for multiple publishers, but her love of younger stories made her seek a new outlet for those characters swimming around in her head. She still spends most of her time living in her other reality, but enjoys spending more time focusing on the younger side of love.
Website: www.mwmuse.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Author.MWMuse
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mw_muse
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/MWMuse
SPECIAL SALE PRICE OF $0.99 BEGINNING 4/21 THROUGH 5/5
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/goddess-series-bundle-special-mw-muse/1118950603?ean=2940149193165
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/goddess-series-bundle-special
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/goddess-series-bundle-special/id846740438?mt=11
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: goddess books, Goddess Series Bundle Special, M.W. Muse, paranormal romance, Teen reads, YA fiction
April 21, 2014
Book Review: Syphon’s Song by Anise Rae
Synopsis:
Legends say a syphon can drain a mage dry. He’ll brave the danger. Will she?
Someone’s playing pranks. The body of the late Casteel patriarch has been stolen and gifted to the family’s enemy, the powerful Rallises. As far as Bronte Casteel is concerned, they can keep it. She hasn’t spoken to her family in thirteen years, not since they exiled her from society for her lack of mage power. But she’s a syphon mage, able drain another mage’s power. Syphons’ destinies are always the same: death by fiery stake. She hides her secret by living among the Nons–powerless humans and the lowest class in the Republic. When her family orders her to go plead for the body’s return, she comes face to face with the one man who knows her secret.
Colonel Vincent Rallis isn’t letting his syphon get away this time. Not when she’s under suspicion of body-napping and aiding anti-mage terrorists. He’ll prove her innocence whether she wants him to or not, and then convince her they belong together…forever.
Vincent’s help comes with a steep price: Bronte must reveal her power. The inevitable ensuing witch-hunt and trial would be bad enough, but even a tough girl might buckle if her prosecutors are her own parents.
CONTENT WARNING: Hot, steamy nights with the colonel’s magic touch
A Lyrical Press Paranormal Romance
About the Author:
Anise Rae grew up among the cornfields and soybeans of Ohio, dreaming of being a ballerina, an astronaut, and a romance writer. Thanks to her soul deep love of chocolate and a lack of natural grace, her ballerina dreams floated away as high as the moon, equidistant with the astronaut aspiration. She stuck with writing.
Now transplanted to the south, Anise lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with her kids and a dog gifted with the power of finding dirty socks.
Syphon’s Song, a 2012 Maggie Award of Excellence finalist, is the first book in the Mayflower Mages series
https://www.facebook.com/AniseRaeauthor
Author photo by www.surianiphoto.com
My Review:
I really appreciate a book that takes a risk, and this one did. It was a mix of magic concepts that struck the right cord, and the world built around them was lovely and engrossing. it was also nice to read a book that clearly starts a series, but doesn’t leave you on a cliff-hanger.
Bronte was a lovely character that really made you feel for her, and even though there was a definitive supernatural element, her problems were identifiable and felt very real – a keen accomplishment in a paranormal romance novel.
From a writer’s perspective, it did take a while for me to get into the flow of the book, and there was a large amount of world building information at the beginning, which I would have preferred to have been weaved in a little more delicately. The characters in the book were built-up beautifully, and I’m sure that Anise had some intricate character crib sheets lingering next to her laptop – a must for any writer looking to flesh out 3 dimensional characters that readers feel, rather than simply read about.
The front cover is pretty, but doesn’t say much about the magical aspect of the book itself. Unfortunately this is a very competitive genre and a cover that could pass for a contemporary teen read might not do the book justice in the long run.
Overall I’d give Syphon’s Song 4 out of 5 stars – a great start to a series with a subtle genre tweak and some compelling characters.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Anise Ra, Lyrical Romance, Syphon's Song, Syphon's Song by Anise Rae
April 19, 2014
Interview with Sherilee Gray
Tell us about your publishing journey…
It all started with my sister getting me hooked on romance novels after the birth of my first child. My first writing attempts were not great, and after entering a writing competition with my not so shiny new novel, I discovered I had a lot to learn about the craft of writing. Also, I’d always struggled at school. I’m a hands-on kind of girl. I learn from doing, and I need a lot of examples before something sinks in. So first I had to go back to basics, and I mean basics. It’s been a long road, from that first ms to getting Lone Wolf’s Captive accepted was close to five years. But in all that time I never gave up, I never stopped working towards my goal. When I received an email from Kate Cuthbert at Escape Publishing to say she wanted my story, I burst into tears. Nothing will ever beat that feeling.
What do you love about being an author?
That I can work from home doing what I love. I also love that I’m home for my kids. Writing is hard, the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it still doesn’t feel like a real job. I mean, my job is to let my crazy imagination run wild. How cool is that?
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
Acheron from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series. I looove him! He doesn’t really like to eat, but maybe I could get him drunk on Sprite and see if he’d shrink me (like he did his wife Tory) and take me on a tour of a miniaturized replica of Atlantis!
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
If I could combine Aiden Turner from the BBC version of Being Human and Jason Momoa from Game of Thrones, weird combo I know. I think you’d have my big, tortured alpha wolf, Fletcher Stone.
For Delaney? That’s a little harder. Maybe Zoe Deschanel, but with dark eyes!
Vampires – do you prefer them as sexy leads or blood hungry monsters?
Sexy leads every time.
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
As long as I could come back and forth, yanno, for dental care and chocolate. I like the idea of medieval Scotland. Who wouldn’t want a massive, claymore wielding, Scottish warrior to carry you off to his castle?
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
Ignore the negative Nancy’s and naysayers. I’m sure I was given this advice as a kid, but it takes age and wisdom before you realize that what other people think of you isn’t your problem. They’re gonna think what they want regardless. Spend your time and energy on those people that love and support you!
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
Today? I’d have to say a shifter! They live longer, they’re stronger than humans, and they can change forms…oh! And they’re all hot! In my mind they are anyway!
Where do you write best?
At the desk in the corner of my bedroom, or on the couch in the living room.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it? 
Reapers Property by Joanna Wylde. I love an emotional ride, and I love me an alpha male. This series is chock full of them. These guys are alpha to the extreme. I know not everyone likes that, but books like this are my current drug of choice.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
Contemporary. I have a few ideas and a few half-finished stories that I will get back to one day. There’s a lot to love about the genre, and it’s what I mainly read when I’m not reading Paranormal.
Where can fans find you online?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSherileeGray
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sherilee_Gray
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: Escape publishing, paranormal fiction, paranormal romance, Sherilee Gray, Wolf fiction, writing advice
April 18, 2014
Interview with Keith Deininger
Tell us about your publishing journey…
The first story I remember writing was in 3rd grade, about a kid who wakes up to discover everyone is missing and he is totally alone.
Man, what does that say about the kind of kid I was?
When I was a senior in high school, I entered a story in a science fiction writing contest, won first place, and received my first $100 as a writer along with a vigorous handshake from Ray Bradbury himself. After that, my ego bloated, I entered college wanting to be a writer.
But, I soon became one of those “writers” who talks about writing at parties more than actually writing anything. It wasn’t until years later, after graduating college, working several shitty jobs, going through some struggles, and growing up a little, that I finally realized that if I were going to ever reach my goals, I’d have to start taking them seriously and write. Now I write every day and I’ve published short stories, novellas, even a couple of novels: THE NEW FLESH and GHOSTS OF EDEN (Nov. 2014).
What do you love about being an author?
Writing is a way to tangibly express a personal vision from the imagination. There’s nothing like it. To me, that’s amazing, and being an author means that other people actually read and hopefully enjoy my visions and come away inspired and affected. Writing is a way to provoke questions and profound thinking.
It’s great to have readers and I’m thankful to each and every one!
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
I’d like to have dinner with Eddie from King’s Dark Tower books. He’s sarcastic, has a wicked sense of humor, and I think we’d get along. We’d eat something weird, something neither of us has tried before.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
Honestly, I’ve never considered what any of my books would be like as movies… I like the idea of someone like Roman Polanski, David Cronenberg, David Lynch, or even Lars von Trier writing the script and directing, making a movie super creepy and filled with dark imagery, but I don’t know about actors.
As a horror writer, what scares you?
A lot of things, but it’s strange. I’ve never been scared of the traditional stuff: spiders, stalking monsters, things like that. I’m more concerned with the creepy and the uncanny. I’m still scared of the dark, or, at least, not knowing what’s in the dark. I’m scared of my life being controlled by others, either by force or through psychological manipulation. And I’m terrified that I will one day wake up and the people I love and care about will be different somehow, that they won’t be the same people, and then reality will start to bend and fray around me until I’m not certain what is real and what is not. That shit’s scary! That’s probably why I write what I write, to attempt to gain an understanding of and reconcile the inexplicable. Too bad it’ll never happen, and I’m forced to always live in fear. ;)
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
This may sound lame to some people, but I would go back to the American 60s and party and have a lot of sex. I wouldn’t want to go further back in time than that, because then I’d probably get sick and die shitting my brains out in the mud somewhere. Yeah, dropping LSD with Aldous Huxley would be pretty cool.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
I wish someone had told me not to take failure and rejection personally. One of the largest epiphanies of my life was the realization that success is a matter of persistence and hard work and not some mystical, innate talent. Rejection is not an attack on one’s character, but just another step, hopefully in the direction you’d like to go. In my youth, it seemed so simple…
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
I think I’d have a lot of fun being some sort of Mephistopheles-like demon, playing little tricks on humans, setting up games to win their souls. I’d get to travel and I’d smile a lot. Either that, or a dragon. Dragons are cool.
Where do you write best?
I call myself an extroverted-introvert because I like to have people around, but I don’t like it when they bother me. Because of that, I write best at coffee shops where there is activity and human energy all around me. I can maintain my focus for only so long in a silent and confined office. Just don’t talk to me while I’m writing and we’re good.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
Okay, this is good timing because I just finished reading China Mieville’s “Perdido Street Station” for the first time. I love the world-building, and the creativity, and the imagination in it; Mieville’s language is solid too. But as a writer who struggles with pacing and literary bloat in his own work, I can’t help but to look at “Perdido’s” length critically. The actual story arc in the novel doesn’t start until somewhere 200 to 300 pages in. There are several scenes in it that are interesting, but do not draw the story forward and could have been chopped out. Just saying.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
Well, most of my work so far is classified as horror, but I’m really a fantasy writer. It’s just that my imagination tends to be dark, disturbing and disgusting, and that has led me to write some really fucked-up fiction. I definitely write horror, but I have a vast reservoir of fantasy ideas building up—that sometimes trickle into my horror—that will eventually overflow the dam and I’ll be forced to tackle my fantasy epic.
Where can fans find you online?
I also maintain a tumblr blog, am on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, etc.
And I encourage anyone who’s interested in my work to sign up for my New Release Mailing List. I use it only to announce new releases, so don’t worry about spam. I also give away a free story to new subscribers for your Kindle (Hint: it’s fucked up). ;)
Also, my latest work, MARROW’S PIT, comes out March 11th, but you can pre-order from Amazon now.
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: Dark Fuse, horror, Horror author interview, Keith Deininger, writing advice
April 17, 2014
Interview with Teresa Roblin
Tell us about your publishing journey…
I started writing in my early forties, but I’ve always had an active imagination. One elementary teacher wrote in my report card, “Teresa has a tendency to daydream in class. She should pay more attention.”
I haven’t changed a bit!
In 2000, I started writing my first book, Hocus Pocus, and within seven months it was completed. My second book, Now You See It . . . , a year later. Naïve daydreamer that I am, I thought this is it, I’m going to get published. Optimistic, I entered my first book in a contest and placed last in the paranormal category.
So what did I do? I joined RWA, my local chapter, took writing courses, on-line workshops, talked to other writers and joined a critique group. By 2004, I was finally placing second and third in contests.
Now, everyone can read my books and share in my musings and understand why I usually walk around with a grin on my face.
What do you love about being an author?
The things that I love are:
1. Wearing my pajamas to work.
2. Getting fan mail from my readers and learning that I’ve somehow made their day, made them laugh, and made them forget their troubles for just a little while.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
I would invite The Cat In The Hat – he’s always getting into trouble, never gets blamed for his disasters and lands on his feet.
What would we eat? Desserts, desserts, and more desserts. (It’s one of my food groups.)
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads? 
I’d reunite the cast from The Proposal with and extra funny lady.
1. Sarah played by Sandra Bullock.
2. Anthony played by Ryan Reynolds
3. Aunt Lilly played by Betty White
4. Emily played by Doris Roberts (Marie Barone on Everyone Loves Raymond)
Vampires – do you prefer them as sexy leads or blood hungry monsters?
Sexy leads hands down!!!
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
I’d go back to the Gilded Age, which occurred after the Civil War and before 1913. This period saw great economic growth; amazing discoveries and inventions were made. When hardworking people prospered and were able to pursue their dreams and make great things happen.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
Believe in yourself, because if you don’t — no one else has to.
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
I wouldn’t mind being a faery, because just like a witch, they have magical powers.
Where do you write best?
I write best in my front room, away from the rest of the family. I shut the doors, turn on the fireplace and immerse myself in my make-believe worlds.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
Last book I read was Into the Dreaming by Karen Marie Moning. Absolutely amazing!!! Steaming hot! Tension held tight from the beginning to the end – a real page-turner.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
I would probably give a historic/fantasy a go. Having kickass heroines sent back in time and watching the two main characters overcome their differences (want to kill each other) and watching the hero help the heroine adjust to a new time is delicious.
Where can fans find you online?
You can reach me at teresaroblin@rogers.com
I’m also on Twitter and Goodreads. (I’m just learning the ropes and I haven’t got a clue what I’m doing)
To buy my books readers can go to my website at www.teresa-roblin.com
Or Amazon:
Hocus Pocus
http://www.amazon.com/Hocus-Pocus-Erotic-Romance-Twist-ebook/dp/B00G6SWKL2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1396971765&sr=1-1&keywords=teresa+roblin
Now You See It … http://www.amazon.com/Now-Erotic-Romance-Twist-Magic-ebook/dp/B00GP4247M/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1396971861&sr=1-3&keywords=teresa+roblin
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: betty white, hocus pocus, paranormal romance, ryan reynolds, sandra bullock, Teresa Roblin
April 16, 2014
Book Review: Moonflower by Angela J Townsend
Synopsis:
Natasha remembers little from her Russian childhood, other than the lingering nightmares of her mother’s tragic death. So when someone close to her hands her a one-way ticket to Russia, along with the deed to her family farm, and then is brutally murdered, she has little confidence about what awaits her in that distant land.
With doubt and uncertainty, Natasha has no choice but to leave her life in America for an unknown future. Once overseas, the terrifying facts as to why she was really summoned home come to light.
Fact one: Monsters do exist.
Fact two: The only thing keeping those monsters out of the world is an ancient mural hidden below her family’s farm.
Fact three: The mural that keeps the evil out of the world is falling apart.
The final fact: It’s up to Natasha to restore it and save the world from a horror unlike anything seen before.
Luckily, Natasha isn’t alone in her mission. Three Russian Knights are tasked with protecting her from the demons as she restores the mural. And leading the Knights is the handsome and strong Anatoly, who seems to be everything Natasha could hope for in a man. Unfortunately, there is one huge problem. Her Knights are forbidden from having relationships with the artists they protect, and Anatoly is a hardcore rule follower. But rules cannot stop the way she feels.
When a horrifying demon breaches the barrier and pulls Anatoly inside the mural, Natasha can’t help but charge, once again, into the unknown—this time to save the man she secretly loves. Now on the demons’ turf, she risks her own life to free the very one who is supposed to be protecting her. Little does she realize that if she should fail, it could mean the destruction of the very last barrier shielding mankind. Will Anatoly refuse Natasha’s help? Or will he finally realize, when love is at stake, the rules will be broken.
About the Author: 
Angela Townsend was born in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Missoula, Montana. As a child, Angela grew up listening to stories told by her grandparents, ancient tales and legends of faraway places. Influenced by her Irish and Scottish heritage, Angela became an avid research historian, specializing in Celtic mythology. Her gift for storytelling finally led her to a full time career in historical research and writing. A writer in local community circulations, Angela is also a published genealogical and historical resource writer who has taught numerous research seminars. Currently, Angela divides her time between writing, playing Celtic music on her fiddle, and Irish dancing.
Angela’s first novel, Amarok, was published through Spencer Hill Press in 2012. She later went on to sign with Clean Teen Publishing in 2013 and currently has two novels published through them: Angus MacBain and the Island of Sleeping Kings and River of Bones. Her third novel, Moonflower is scheduled for release in March 2014.
Angela resides on a ranch, in rural Northwestern Montana, with her two children Levi and Grant.
Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Blog
My Review:
This was an interesting read. Although YA, it had a lot in it that leant itself to an adult title. The whole theme that art can save was intriguing to me, although my cynical side would normally sneer and snort at it, it made for a concept that I hadn’t seen anywhere else, which made this book quite special.
It was written first person from the protagonist’s POV, which really made you feel for her and her kind of ‘Orphan Annie’ background. I felt that it also had a strong opener too that kept you reading.
From a writers’ perspective, it wasn’t paced as well as it could have been and I found myself getting a bit frustrated waiting for the supernatural element. Maybe a few hints from the start as to where it was all heading might have helped the more impatient reader. As it stands, it’s well written but kind of feels like two halves of two different books, one an old style Virginia Andrews and the other a Stephanie Meyers.
The front cover is pretty, but doesn’t say a lot about the story. Perhaps could have done with the mural in the background and a supernatural element in there somewhere.
Overall, I’d give Moonflower 4 out of 5 stars – a great YA read with an interesting concept.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Angela J Townsend, Moonflower
April 14, 2014
Book Review: The Dark Souls Series by Anne Hope
Synopsis: Soul Bound
The one man she wants is the one man destined to destroy her.
Sooner or later we all end up dead. Jace Cutler doesn’t have the luxury of staying that way. After receiving a fatal stab wound, he awakens in a hospital room in Portland, Oregon, with no memory and a big hole where his soul used to be. Worst of all is the glow. Everyone is surrounded by a strange white aura he hungers to possess, none more compelling than the one enveloping Dr. Lia Benson.
Lia has always been ruled by reason, refusing to put stock in such nebulous things as destiny. Until Jace dies in her arms, then miraculously comes back to life. Whenever he’s near, her soul responds and her body burns. And she’s consumed by odd dreams she’s convinced are Jace’s lost memories.When Lia is kidnapped, Jace tracks her and discovers a shocking explanation for who—and what—he is. Something no longer human, a dark legacy that until now has lain dormant within him. Something that could destroy the one woman he’d sacrifice everything to protect.
Warning: Contains bone-melting sexual tension, scary battle scenes, heartrending emotion guaranteed to keep you turning the pages well into the night, and a positively divine hero who may just steal your soul.
Synopsis: Soul Deep
Save her life…or save mankind. His choice could cost him his soul.
For nearly two centuries, Marcus has been the Watchers’ most faithful soldier.
Sworn to protect humanity, driven by an unrelenting compulsion to atone for past sins, he has rarely found a compelling reason to question his mission, let alone defy his leader. His partner, Regan, is his exact opposite, an enigma he longs to solve. A free spirit and reckless to a fault, Regan acts first and thinks later. Her smart mouth and tender heart have fascinated Marcus for decades, but the Watchers’ strict vow of celibacy has forced him to ignore the sizzling attraction between them. Until now. When Regan goes rogue to protect a very special little boy, Marcus is forced to make an impossible choice—commit an act of treason or watch the woman he secretly loves die.
Hunted by enemies and allies alike, Regan and Marcus run for their lives, fighting to thwart an age-old prophecy and guard a boy whose destiny may very well be to destroy the world…or save it.
Synopsis: Soul Thief
Born to hunt and destroy…until the light of one soul reawakens his own.
Adrian knows he once possessed a soul, but it abandoned him the day he was murdered. The day he was reborn as a Rogue, shunned by humans and hunted by his own kind. By night he feeds the darkness inside him by finding and snuffing out corrupt souls, perfectly content to live as an outcast—until a random act of violence unites him with a woman who makes him feel.
Angelica Paxton believes everyone deserves a second chance. Even her rescuer, a mysterious stranger with hypnotic powers, an unsettling ability to invade her dreams, and a shocking secret. Much as her body wants to succumb to Adrian’s seductive charms, she can’t. Not without breaking his newly awakened heart. Adrian swears to protect Angie from his kind, even if staying by her side means volunteering at the center where she works to reform the very souls he has vowed to crush. Even if it means abandoning the shadows for the light. Even if that light exposes the darkest threat he’s ever faced. One from which he is powerless to save her…
Synopsis: Soul Chase
A man she’d die for, a world she was born to defend… Only one can survive.
For twenty-five years, Adrian has mourned the loss of his soul mate, Angie. He’s content to live as an outcast…until a series of abductions forces him out of seclusion and into the arms of the very woman he loved and lost. Angie’s reincarnation, Emma.
Emma is on the run, hunted by soulless creatures whose one goal is to possess her soul. They have taken everything: her home, her identity, her mother. Left with no other choice, she must trust her fate to Adrian, the enigmatic stranger who comes to her rescue. An immortal being whose illicit touch makes her blood burn and awakens an inexplicable desire in her heart.
Emma follows Adrian to his isolated community in Arizona, where she is assailed by visions of a past life. As passion ignites and her enemies close in, Emma is drawn into a world where nothing is what it seems and where love could prove the greatest weakness of all.
Anne Hope is the author of emotionally intense romances with a twist—a twist of humor, a twist of suspense, a twist of magic. All her stories, however, have a common thread. Whether they make you laugh or cry or push you to the edge of your seat, they all feature the redeeming power of love and the heart’s incredible ability to heal.
Anne’s passion for writing began at the age of eight. After penning countless stories about enchanted houses, alien girls with supernatural powers, and children constantly getting lost in the woods, she decided to try her hand at romance.
She lives in Montreal, Canada, with her husband, her two inexhaustible kids, a lazy cat and a rambunctious Australian Kelpie.
My Review:
So, you’d think reading 4 books for a review would be a mammoth task…it really wasn’t. The Soul Series was so enjoyable, I was actually looking for the next one before I knew what I was doing! Paranormal romance as a genre is saturated with authors and series, and its such a pleasure to find a great one amongst the crowd.
The characters were all so real-feeling, which is a great hook for anything with supernatural elements. There was also definitive themes running through the series too – which to me, sets a book apart from the rest of the dross that can litter this genre.
From a writer’s perspective, I felt that the pace and plots were both smooth and fast and that the author didn’t shy away from any hard-hitting story lines or try to sugar coat anything. All too often books can patronize the reader by skipping over the deeper material – Anne Hope doesn’t do this at all, and it’s one of the many attributes of a talented author.
The front covers don’t give a lot away about the books themselves, and perhaps could lead them to be overlooked by readers when there are such colourful and exciting covers out there – this would be a massive shame, but people do judge books by their covers.
Overall I’d give the series a big 5 out of 5 stars – it’s so great to find a captivating series, just make sure you have enough free time on your hands!
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Anne Hope, Bewitching book tours, Dark Souls Series by Anne Hope, paranormal fiction
