Nicky Peacock's Blog, page 35
December 31, 2013
Book Review: The Dark Huntsman by Jessica Aspen
Synopsis:
An evil queen, a dangerous man, and a witch, tangled together in a tale of Snow White…
Desperate to save the last of her family from the murderous Faery Queen, Trina Mac Elvy weaves a spell of entrapment. But instead of a common soldier, the queen has released the Dark Huntsman, a full blooded fae with lethal powers.
Caged for treason, Logan Ni Brennan, is ready to do anything to win free of the manipulative queen, even if it includes running a last errand for her…murdering a witch. The sight of Trina, ready to fight despite the odds, gives him another option: use the witch as a chess piece, put the queen’s son on the throne, and bring down the queen forever.
As the queen slides into insanity and her closest advisor makes plans to succeed to the throne, Logan secrets Trina away in the enchanted forest and makes a decisive move in his dangerous game of manipulation. But the gaming tables of fate turn on him, and when Trina’s life is threatened he discovers he risks more than his freedom…he risks his heart.
Dare to enter Jessica Aspen’s world of steamy, fantasy romance in her new twisted fairy tale trilogy: Tales of the Black Court…
Purchase it at Amazon Add to Goodreads Shelf
About the Author: 
Jessica Aspen has always wanted to be spirited away to a world inhabited by elves, were-wolves and sexy men who walk on the dark side of the knife. Luckily, she’s able to explore her fantasy side and delve into new worlds by writing paranormal romance. She loves indulging in dark chocolate, reading eclectic novels, and dreaming of ocean vacations, but instead spends most of her time, writing, walking the dog, and hiking in the Colorado Rockies.
Stop by Jessica’s website and leave a comment to enter Givaways!
Website: http://jessicaaspen.com
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5759763.Jessica_Aspen
https://twitter.com/JessicaAspen
https://www.facebook.com/JessicaAspenAuthor
http://pinterest.com/jessicaaspen/
Join the Jessica Aspen mailing list! Get the scoop on new releases, sales, plus the chance to win ARCs and participate in special giveaways. http://eepurl.com/zs4Sj
My Review:
Once upon a time there was a steamy faerie re-telling of Snow White…Playing with fairy tales has never been so popular – but can prove dangerous to an author. After all, taking a story that has been told to death, can be boring for readers. The Dark Huntsman is a fantastic example of a book that is just enough different to capture the reader, but just enough true to the original Snow White story to make you feel comfortable.
I really enjoyed this book. It puts the Faerie back into the fairy tales and gives us interesting characters that really push the boundaries of the traditional. It’s certainly not a YA or even a NA read and I’d recommend to over 18s only. It’s also part of a new series, which promises to take our childhood favourites and make them hot enough to inspire and entertain an adult audience.
From a writer’s perspective, the plot moved along nicely, and although I don’t tend to like third person narrative, it was very effective in this book. For once though, I actually preferred the male character over the female one. Trina got a bit annoying after a while, but Logan seemed to be more rounded out as a character. My only issue with the book is that fairy tales have been over-used of late, and a good piece of writing could get lost amongst the dross – although to be honest, it’s the chance all us authors take when we send our little literary soldiers out into the world.
The front cover is very pretty, but as Logan is equally involved in the story telling, I would have liked to see him on their too – after all it is a romance and it always feels right to have both protagonists on the cover.
Overall I’d give The Dark Huntsman 4 out 5 – definitely worth curling up by the fire with on a cold winter night
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Abracadabra Publishing, Bewitching book tours, Fantasy Romance, Jessica Aspen, The Dark Huntsman, The Dark Huntsman by Jessica Aspen
December 30, 2013
Virtual Book Tours: To tour, or not to tour?
Well, if you’ve been reading my blog (if you haven’t – where have you been?) you’ll have noticed that I do a lot of book reviews and author interviews. The interviews are mainly because I’m an incredibly nosy person, but the reviews tend to be either Netgalley related (If you haven’t joined yet and you love reading – what are you waiting for?) or for virtual book tour companies. I started looking at these sites when I got the release date for my own book and decided to join a few to see how they worked and which of the many companies offering this service provide the best value for money.
I must admit, I’m having quite a bit of fun doing these tours. I’ve met some truly lovely people and been introduced to some awesome authors and books – ones I’d have never found on my own. The whole thing appeals to my organised ‘anal’ side, and it doesn’t hurt to have related content almost every day for this blog.
Now, I’m not reviewing the companies who do this, but from my sidebar you can see the ones I tend to favour and I’d encourage you all to have a click through and perhaps join as a tour host or invest in a tour for your own book. And let me know your thoughts as comments on this post.
I see a number of the same authors out there who are dedicated to using these services and repeat business must hopefully mean they’re seeing fairly decent results in the interest levels in their books. The basic equation here is that bloggers have followers, and followers might buy your book.
Most tour companies will offer a service that includes: reviews, interviews, spotlights, and guest posts. You can pick and choose from this menu, but I’d advise you to go ‘tapas style’ on it and try a bit of each to see what you like the most. Reviews can be the scariest of all, what happens if a blogger hates your book? To be honest, this is a natural part of being an author anyway – not everyone will like your work – accept that, move on, suck it up… Do you like everything you read? No. I certainly don’t. But did bad reviews hurt ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’? No, it unfortunately did not!
With more and more books being released it can be hard to get yours to the front of the reading pile. And this isn’t all down to your publishers either; as a modern author part of the job is keeping social and having a decent online presence. Whether you like it or not, we are living in an increasingly digital world and blanking it is not just rude but utterly career stunting. Authors need to get their work out there, and yes this can be time consuming – so virtual book tour companies could be a clever solution for you to do just that whilst keeping your precious time on the thing you actually want to do – going down the pub, oh wait I mean write!
Filed under: Nicky's Posts - My ramblings..., Writing Advice Tagged: author interviews, Bewitching book tours, book bloggers, Book Monster promotions, Dark world book tours, guest posts, Paranormal Cravings Book Tours, promoting your book, virtual book tours, xpresso book tours
December 28, 2013
Interview with S. E. GILCHRIST
Tell us about your publishing journey…
Hi Nicky, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog. I’ve been writing on and off (more off actually) for over ten years when in January 2009 I made a commitment to take my passion seriously. I joined the Romance Writers of Australia, attended my first on-line writing course and attended my first RWAustralia conference.
I purchased heaps of ‘how to’ books, undertook more writing courses and entered writing contests where the feedback I received was invaluable. I polished my work and began to submit to publishers.
My first publication came about when I was involved in a proposed erotic anthology of short stories that we intended to indie publish. However one of the group mentioned our work to her publisher. And before I knew it, I had my first contract (September 2012)– the publisher was Momentum Books a digital arm of Pan MacMillan Australia.
Then I submitted my single title sci fi romance, Legend Beyond the Stars to a new e-publisher, Escape Publishing a digital arm of Harlequin Australia and received an offer.
Since that time, I have had two other books published with Escape Publishing, I’ve indie published four novellas and I have another book being released with Escape Publishing in February 2014.
You write in a number of genres, do you have a favourite?
I love spec fiction so I guess science fiction including dystopian and post-apocalyptic societies. The challenge of inventing new worlds with their own set of rules, cultures, religions and history fires my imagination. Within this genre I can also include my love of action and fight scenes.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
Hercule Poirot and I’d love a five course meal with lots of sauces and desserts. Then we’d sit by the fire sipping one of his syrups where he will re-count all his favourite cases and more about his life before he became a famous detective.
If you had a time machine – what would be the era you’d like to visit?
The future. I’d love to see what we’ve made of ourselves in two hundred or more years time – that is if we haven’t killed our planet first.
If Star Pirate Justice was made into a movie – who would you cast as the leads?
Volkar would be Jake Gyllenhaal and Carly would be Gemma Arterton.
What’s your favourite part about being an author?
The ability to give my characters the gold at the end of the rainbow – what we all want – happiness and love. (After I’ve made them suffer for it, of course!)
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
Dark Country by Bronwyn Parry and I loved it – the characters really drew me into the story and the plot held my interest to the very last page.
Who is your literary idol?
Elizabeth Peters, because I loved her Amelia Peabody books. Loved the meshing of humour, quirky characters, adventure and the mystic lure of Egypt and her knowledge of archaeology she wove into every story.
How important is social media to you as a modern author?
Its very important to me to try and connect with fellow writers and also readers but when a writer is time poor, it can be quite a problem carving out the social media from a busy life. I wish I had more time!
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
Believe in yourself and follow your heart.
Where can fans find you online?
Twitter – @SEGilchrist1
http://www.amazon.com/S-E-Gilchrist/e/B009F6LGXA
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6587665.S_E_Gilchrist
http://hunterromancewriters.wordpress.com/
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: S. E. GILCHRIST
December 27, 2013
Book Spotlight: His Wicked Kiss by Zoey Williams
Synopsis:
New York City, December 31—Countdown to Eternity…
Jackson Holloway is running out of time. To pay for his life of crime, he must find a pure soul to take his place in the Underworld before the clock strikes midnight. Medium Charlotte Simms seems like the perfect target—all he has to do is kiss her. But one kiss leads to a sensual encounter unlike anything Jack ever experienced in life. And now he must choose between love—and eternal damnation….
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Zoey Williams was born and raised in New York. She graduated from NYU with a degree in writing and nutrition and currently works in the publishing industry. When she’s not writing, she enjoys travelling, yoga, hiking, and annoying her tuxedo cat, Rini. She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to interact with her on
Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.
Buy links:
http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=49067&cid=3634
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Harlequin Nocturn, His Wicked Kiss by Zoey Williams, paranormal romance, Zoey Williams
December 23, 2013
Book Review: Shadows in the Mist – Anthology
Synopsis:
From the misty waters of Puget Sound across the wrinkles of time to the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius, mystery and magic intertwine to create haunting tales of everlasting passion.
Murder at the Mausoleum
by Marianne Stillings
17,000 words
Out of work and desperate for a job, Stephanie Gabriel reluctantly accepts a position as Housekeeper/Girl Friday for Dr. John Mercilus at his isolated Northern California mansion. Sure, he’s wealthy, hunky, and single, but the fact he’s a Vampire has Stephanie more than a little worried. Though Mercilus promises she’ll come to no harm, there is nonetheless danger afoot. When a major snowstorm maroons them along with an odd assortment of house guests, it’s more than inconvenient – it’s murder, and the clues all point to Stephanie’s boss as the culprit.
Now she has to decide whether to trust the enigmatic “Creature of the Night” she’s falling for, or find a means of escape before she becomes the next victim.
Spellbound in Seattle
by Shannon O’Brien
17,600 words
When Rose McCarty’s boyfriend was killed, she swore off witchcraft and love. But when his tall, dark older brother washes up on her houseboat’s deck three years later—muttering about doppelgangers and incubi—Rose’s lonely, spell-free world comes crashing down.
Dead Moon
by KL Mullens
11,000 words
During a Dead Moon Elspeth Saint has a strange encounter she can’t explain and a door previously closed becomes open; a gift is given; a promise is kept; and Elspeth who has never known what it is to be loved; learns what it is to be cherished.
Evil Bites
by Dawn Kravagna
16,500 words
Kim seeks revenge on the serial killer who viciously attacked and maimed her lovely sister. But she soon discovers that evil can bite back.
The Eye of Lilith
by Sherri Shaw
19,500 words
Marc Blakely has been bewitched by a rare artifact rumored to drive a man insane before compelling him to commit suicide. As a member of the Speaker of the Word coven, Cindi Jones uses her magic to destroy enchanted relics and protect the innocents they infect. Can she save Marc in time, or will he succumb to the Eye of Lilith?
Origins: The Men of MER
by Kristine Cayne
28,500 words
Petty Officer Wyatt Black had no idea what he signed up for by joining the Navy’s experimental MER program. When a domestic terrorist attack almost kills Dr. Claire Montgomery, the woman of Wyatt’s dreams, he is exposed to a lethal illness that poses a horrifying threat to mankind—but only because of what the Navy has done to him. In the midst of saving Claire’s life, Wyatt is forced to face the terrifying truth of what he has become: something not quite human.
About the Rainy Day Writers:
Writing fiction is difficult and lonely and more often than not, the “normal” people in your life don’t understand the writing process and can’t fathom why you are possessed and obsessed with finding the perfect word or phrase that says exactly what you want to say right where you want to say it. Only other writers comprehend and accept that kind of torment.
To fill this need to surround herself with like-minded obsessive-compulsive self-doubting lunatics, in 2005, Marianne Stillings established what came to be known as The Rainy Day Writers.
There were only two requirements for joining the group: You must be serious about writing and getting published, and any criticisms of co-members’ work be honest, gentle, and kind.
Over the years, the membership has changed; some people moved on, others joined. The group we have now has been stable and constant since 2009. The Rainy Day Writers are a family.
Find the authors at:
www.seattlerainydaywriters.com
www.facebook.com/AuthorMarianneStillings
www.shannonobrienauthor.wordpress.com
Twitter: @CattleCapers
https://www.facebook.com/pages/CATTLE-CAPERStm/184576081965
www.facebook.com/sherri.shaw.980
https://www.facebook.com/kristinecayne
My Review:
The general rule of thumb with anthologies is that some stories will speak to the reader and some won’t – and that list will change depending on the reader’s tastes. I tend to pick up anthologies when I’m looking for new authors. They can be a wonderful introduction, and I’ve found some of my dearest favourites tightly packed into genre related anthologies.
Shadows In The Mist is a good paranormal romance anthology. Some of the story titles were a little cliché for me, but the overall presentation and talent was good. Although it did fall into the same trap as many other anthologies out there – it put the best story (in my opinion) first. This meant that every story I read after was held up against this one. Yes, I hear you cry, but all the stories should be good – but envitabily this isn’t always the case and it was quite clear to see that ‘Mystery at the Mausoleum’ easily surpassed the others in its storyline and presentation. Like I said before, there were a lot of clichés in this collection, but to be fair, this is where the romance genre can end up laying. As a reader, I kind of like to know where a story is going, I feel justified in my predictions when they come to pass. And predictability does have a certain warm and fuzzy feeling for me.
From a writer’s perspective, it could have benefited from a harsher edit. As an author myself, I’ve had editors who have been passive, and those who have been active. And by far the active ones are the gold mines. At the time, you might want to kill them (I’m not even going to put a flourish on it) yes, kill them, kill them dead. But when you step back at the end, you can see the difference to your work. It’s hard to tell who was the overall editor of this book – maybe there simply wasn’t one and each author was responsible for their own work? I must admit though, that the stories were varied and each had an interesting angle. So I cannot criticise the creativity and effort that went into each one.
The front cover is okay, although I’m not a fan of brown covers. On the marketing colour chart, it’s not very attractive. Maybe going for a red/ pink mix with a gothic twist would serve it better when it’s lined up with the thousands of other books it’s competing with in this powerfully overcrowded genre.
Overall, I’d give Shadows in the Mist 4 out 5 stars. As with all anthologies, there is something for everyone in here and definitely worth a read if you’re looking for some new authors.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Bewitching book tours, Dawn Kravagna, KL Mullens, Marianne Stillings, paranormal romance, shadows in the mist anthology, Shannon O’Brien, Sherri Shaw, the Rainy Day Writers
December 21, 2013
Interview with Rhiannon Frater
Tell us about your publishing journey…
This is a tough question because the answer is actually quite long. I guess to put it simply, I wrote an online serial that was hugely successful with its audience, so I self-published it as a trilogy. I was eventually picked up by my agent who turned around and sold the As The World Dies trilogy (The First Days, Fighting to Survive, Siege) to Tor. It has now come out in both trade paperback and mass market paperback and has several foreign editions.
Though I’m now published by both Tor and Permuted Press, I do continue to self-publish. The Last Bastion of the Living has been my most successful indie work both monetarily and critically.
My next book from Tor will be Dead Spots and Permuted Press is currently reissuing my vampire/zombie trilogy Pretty When She Dies.
What do you love about being an author? 
I love that I can somehow transfer these dynamic stories from my mind to the page so that other people can read and enjoy them. It feels like magic. I’m incredibly blessed that I can write full-time and continue to explore the strange worlds inside my imagination.
What part do you dislike about being an author?
Probably the physical pain that comes with writing so much. My hands and wrists ache every day and sitting for so long does aggravate my back (though standing for too long is much worse).
It also took some time getting used to not having a regular paycheck and figuring out how to create a budget that works with quarterly payments and fluctuating monthly royalties.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
To never compromise on the story. In the end, I have to be happy with what I wrote. If I alter something to bow to the wishes of fans or an editor/publisher, I have to live with that. That’s a very sobering thought. I will tweak the little stuff to make the story more dynamic, but there are certain elements of a story I will not budge on.
If you could have dinner with a literary character – who would it be and what would you eat?
I would love to hang out with the cast of characters from the Pretty When She Dies trilogy because they’re Austin based and we could go to my favorite restaurant for chicken enchiladas and margaritas. I’d rather meet one of my own characters (since I know them well), than a character from someone else’s book.
What was the last book you read and what were your thoughts on it?
I read Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened. It was wickedly funny, but also very insightful. I have people in my life who deal with depression and/or bi-polar disorder, so there were a few parts that were an interesting portal into the mind suffering from a mental disorder. I also love anything she writes about her childhood and her dogs. I’m a huge fan of Allie Brosh’s blog, so her first book was an auto-buy.
Y ou have a time machine, which era do you go back to and why?
I would most likely go back to the 1950’s so I could hang out with my mother when she was a young woman. I’d also like to meet my great grandparents during that time period. It would be very tempting to warn my mother about the future, but that probably wouldn’t be the best idea.
If you were to cast your book, who would play the leads?
I’m going to assume you mean The Last Bastion of the Living (since I have a bunch of books!), so I would have to go with Michelle Rodriguez as Maria and George Clooney as Dwayne Reichardt. Those are also the two top actors that fans pick. Of course, in my head the two characters didn’t look like movie stars, but just themselves. It’s always hard to add a new face to a character when it comes to dreamcasting a book.
What’s your favourite TV show, and why?
American Horror Story is my absolute favorite right now. I just love the anthology series and the weird places the writers take the viewers every season. I also love watching Archer with my husband because it’s so wrong, yet so hilarious.
What has been the best Xmas present you’ve ever received?
My 12 inch Princess Leia doll who had real hair! That was a big coup for my mom back in the late Seventies. I loved that doll. I still have her in storage.
What’s the best part of Xmas for you?
The nieces and nephews running amok through the house and having fun. The day after Christmas we always have a zombie marathon and play video games. I always enjoy that because they are such rabid little zombie hunters.
Are you on Santa’s nice or naughty list this year?
If he reads my books, I’m probably on both!
Are there plans for another novel in the series?
The Last Bastion of the Living is a standalone novel. I don’t anticipate there being a sequel. It’s been five years since the idea first landed in my mind and it hasn’t spawned a second story, so chances are it won’t. Whenever fans ask me for a sequel they always suggest the same three plots, so that’s a big indicator of what not to write. I absolutely love that world, the tech, and the characters, but the story felt complete when I finished.
Do you have a New Year’s Resolution in mind for 2014?
Not really. I tend to have certain hopes for a year. I’ve learned that it can sometimes take years for a resolution to come to pass, so I generally work toward the same goal every year. Write more, publish more, and sell more.
If your characters could give your readers a Xmas message, what would it be?
I honestly have no idea. Their world is so far removed from our own I’m not even sure they celebrate holidays.
Where can fans find you online?
The portal for all things Rhiannon Frater is at rhiannonfrater.com It has a full list of all my books, my blog, and links to social media.
Filed under: Get your Christmas on! Christmas 2013 posts, Interviews with other authors
December 20, 2013
Book Review: Lichgates by S. M. Boyce
Synopsis:
Kara Magari is about to discover a beautiful world full of terrifying things—Ourea.
Kara, a college student still reeling from her mother’s recent death, has no idea the hidden world of Ourea even exists until a freak storm traps her in a sunken library. With no way out, she opens an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire and unwittingly becomes its master, which means Kara now wields the cursed book’s untamed power. Discovered by Ourea’s royalty, she becomes an unwilling pawn in a generations-old conflict—a war intensified by her arrival. In this world of chilling creatures and betrayal, Kara shouldn’t trust anyone… but she’s being hunted and can’t survive on her own. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn’t know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.
For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this human girl, there is something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.
Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.
About The Author: 
International Amazon Bestseller. Fantasy Author. Twitter addict. Book Blogger. Geek. Sarcastic. Gooey. Odd. Author of the action-packed Grimoire Saga.
S.M. Boyce is a novelist who loves ghosts, magic, and spooky things. She prefers loose-leaf tea, reads far too many books, and is always cold. She’s married to her soul mate and couldn’t be happier. Her B.A. in Creative Writing qualifies her to serve you french fries.
Boyce likes to update her blog a few times each week so that you have something to wake you up in the morning.
https://www.facebook.com/thesmboyce
https://twitter.com/thesmboyce
My Review:
I just loved the tagline on this book: Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive. It really conjures up the overall feeling of the book and also the jeopardy the characters could be in for!
It’s really the type of book you can see a movie evolving from. Great characters, interesting setting and a typical Hollywood theme that would really work on the big screen.
Kara is a strong female lead, which is a rarity in these kind of books, especially when you have a human lead pitted against supernatural characters. Yes, she develops into a more magical character herself to compete, but the story still retains the kind ‘fish out of water’ you get from the likes of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ or the ‘Wizard of Oz’.
From a writer’s perspective, it was a little slow to start with and could have done with perhaps a prelude that had some action in. There were a few fantasy cliches in there, but they kind of worked, so they didn’t bother as much as if they had just been rammed in there to try to add to effect. The whole thing is written very well and the relationships between the characters are both surprising and a welcome change from the norm – the two main protagonists didn’t just fall hopelessly in love within the first five minutes!
I’ve seen two different front covers online – and this one (above) is by far the better. Eerie and pretty all in one – by far more attractive to readers.
Overall I’d give Lichgates 4 out of 5 stars – an epic new fantasy series that pushes it’s way of the norm just enough to capture your imagination.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Fantasy fiction, Lichgate, S. M. Boyce, xpresso book tours, YA fiction
December 19, 2013
Book Review: The S.E.R.A. Files by C.T. Green
Synopsis:
Story #1 – RECOVERING GABRIEL
Angels are trouble. But a Fairy Godmother is The Law.
Callie Burns works for SERA, the Supernatural Entity Recovery Agency, a.k.a. The Scary Fairies. As a Fairy Godmother, it’s Callie’s job to grant wishes and deport supernatural creatures back to their plane of existence. Now she’s got an angel in her sights Gabriel’s a gorgeous, sexy distraction to Callie doing her duty. But she has a reputation to maintain and no smoking hot angel is going to mess that up. Gabriel is determined he’s not going anywhere and he’ll try everything he can to convince Callie he belongs on Earth. But she’s equally determined to get the job done before the angel kills everything in sight—even if that means fulfilling Gabriel’s deepest fantasy.
Story #2 – HANDLING MERCURY
Vampires may go for the throat. But a Fairy Godmother will aim lower . . .
Elizabeth and Mercury both work for SERA, the Supernatural Entity Recovery Agency. Despite the fact Elizabeth’s a Fairy Godmother and Mercury’s a vampire, they make a deadly duo when it comes to deporting supernatural beings. But Mercury and Elizabeth’s perfect partnership changes the night a wish is granted.
Now Elizabeth can’t think of Mercury without remembering how sexy the vampire is under his cool demeanor and designer clothes. And Mercury can’t forget the taste of Elizabeth’s blood nor the desire to have her in every other way as well. Can their partnership survive and will they find a way to grant their very own wishes?
Story #3 – FINDING NAVARRE
A lone wolf is about to find out old dogs can learn new tricks.
Navarre is a werewolf and the Director of SERA. It’s his job to oversee the agents who deport supernatural beings from Earth. He loves his work and his vaunted reputation for remaining calm under pressure. But all that is about to change. Tor is also a werewolf and SERA’s newest agent. He’s out to catch not only the bad guy, but his elusive boss as well. It’s love at first sight for Tor, but Navarre doesn’t seem willing to take another chance on a relationship. When a mission goes bad and suddenly it’s Tor’s life on the line, Navarre must overcome his fears if he’s going to experience true love before it’s too late.
Story #4 – TASTING ABSINTHE
Two’s company, will three prove too much of a crowd?
Absinthe is a Fairy Godmother with SERA and Bryce is her irresistible partner. Absinthe is all about getting to know Bryce away from the job, but he comes with one big problem. His best friend Grey is a werewolf and Absinthe does not do wolves. Bryce is in love with Absinthe. Problem is, he’s also in love with Grey. It will take something extraordinary to bring Grey and Absinthe together. Tracking a cold-blooded killer may just be the start of a beautiful romance. Will Bryce’s stubborn wolf and prejudiced fairy overcome their differences enough to not only stay alive, but form a bond strong enough to last a lifetime?
Story #5 – CHASING SIN
A good SERA Agent knows there’s only one Sin that matters.
As an agent and ‘evaluator’ for SERA, Jane is sent in to re-educate their only male Fairy Godmother before he does something even the Scary Fairies can’t ignore.
Sin’s sick of being the brunt of jokes and the latest pin-up after a nude picture scandal. He’s also indecently fascinated with his new ‘minder’, Jane. When a wish shows Sin a very different side to Jane, he’s desperate to find out more. On the hunt for a supernatural with a dangerous new toy and evil plans, Jane and Sin find out how well they work as a team. But can he get the prim and proper agent to loosen up enough to love a naughty fairy while she tries her very best to reform Sin?
About the Author: 
Before becoming a writer C.T. Green worked in advertising for ten years. She also completed a Bachelor of Arts with majors in communication and literature.
C.T. Green now lives in regional Australia with her husband, children and extensive collection of animals – amongst which are the world’s bossiest goldfish.
In between writing, i.e. arguing with her characters and occasionally posting to her blog, she reads, drinks vanilla coffee, kid wrangles, enters writing contests and avoids the goldfish.
Website: http://bit.ly/ctgreen-author
Blog: http://bit.ly/ctgreen-author-blog
Facebook: http://bit.ly/facebook-CTGreenAuthor
Twitter: http://bit.ly/twitter-CTGreenAuthor
Google Plus: http://bit.ly/google-plus-Ctgreen-author
My Review:
I do love an anthology, but this one is slightly different as it’s a collection from just the one author, rather than many. One of the benefits/ downsides with anthologies is that, with different authors you can end up with some stories practically singing off the page to you, and others leaving you cold – The S.E.R.A. Files, being all by just one author, avoids this trap. It has consistency and an attractive style, which makes all the stories a pleasure to read.
I won’t go into each story separately – partly because I don’t want to spoil them too much and partly because I’m far too lazy to do a separate review for each! As a collection, it’s superb. Just spicy enough and with each story having a solid plot line to keep the reader moving forward. It’s also, in this hectic world, lovely to have a book on the go that gives you lovely bite-size paranormal chunks that you can devour in their entirety in one sitting.
From a writer’s perspective, I felt that some of the stories did warrant a longer manuscript and perhaps should be expanded in a future anthology, or simply added to in different books all together – perhaps start with the short story from The S.E.R.A Files as the Prelude then continue writing from that point. Might also make a cool marketing technique too, as those readers who particularly enjoyed those characters would be interested in seeing them develop further.
The front lets it down for me. It looks a little cheap (sorry!) and although a good looking bloke is always a bonus for us ladies, it would have been better for me if there had been slightly more time spent over it to make it look more expensive eluding more to the wealth of creative stories within.
Overall I’d give The S.E.R.A Files 4 out of 5 stars – pleasurable paranormal bites for romance fans and a good introduction to the genre for those wanting a quick taste.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Bewitching book tours, C.T. Green, paranormal romance, The S.E.R.A. Files, Urban Fantasy 
December 18, 2013
Book Review: Ribbon of Darkness by Decadent Kane
Synopsis:
Before Ribbon had a chance to get used to the idea of being an elf, she ran into Draven who’s body jingled her bells. Unfortunately, he’s the spy sent to haul her and her family back to the North Pole on Santa’s orders.
Draven North has had one task for the last twenty-four years: find the Winters family and bring them home. He wasn’t expecting their only daughter to deck his halls. No matter how hot and sassy he found his roguess, he had to take her back before the darkness devoured the Pole and Christmas magic along with it. But was it already too late?
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/u6IX–LJnUc
About the Author:
If I had to describe myself, it would be in a word that has infinite meanings with a complexity which falls off the tongue.
A word made up of many elements, is deceptive in appearance, and creates an illusion from the imagination.
My word would be Phantasmagoric.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/DecadentKane
Blog: http://decadentkane.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23398789-decadent-kane
Newsletter signup: http://eepurl.com/FDtsL
My Review:
This really shouldn’t work – but it sooooo does! I love that Santa and his elves are put in a more adult book. It’s a short read, but is such a wonderful idea that it really doesn’t matter.
There’s enough intrigue for a decent plot and it doesn’t just revolve around the sugar and spice scenes – like some erotic romances do. The main characters were fleshed out and it really is a perfect read for this time of year – as long as you’re over 18 that is!
From a writer’s perspective, the book works well with a release around this time, but does limit the author to really only this season for the next books in the series– unless of course she expands out into other seasonal worlds – maybe the Easter Bunny is a hot muscle bound egg distributor? The flow was great, it wasn’t very long and didn’t take me more than one sitting to finish it.
The front cover is very pretty and I think really does the book justice. The cover artist obviously read the book and listened to the author.
Overall I’d give Ribbon of Darkness 4 out of 5 stars – a fab holiday read for adults who have stopped believing in Santa!
Filed under: Book Review, Get your Christmas on! Christmas 2013 posts Tagged: Bewitching book tours, breathless press, decandent kane, erotic fiction, erotic xmas fiction, naughty list, ribbon of darkness
December 17, 2013
Xmas Interview with Lacy Williams
What’s you favourite aspect of Xmas?
Christmas has been my favorite holiday since I’ve been a child. I love putting up the outdoor lights (we had ours up before Thanksgiving this year!), decorating the tree, the music, the feeling in the air, the joy all around.
I *don’t* like: the traffic and crowds at my favorite shopping places!
Are you on Santa’s naughty or nice list this year?
Safe on the nice list.
Reindeer stew – would you eat it?
If I didn’t have any other choice to survive. :)
What’s the best present you ever got?
My parents have been very supportive of me wanting to be a writer, even during my childhood. When I was about 10, I received a typewriter for Christmas. I typed out many a story on that machine–I hate to think about how much money they spend on cartridges and paper for several years!
Kiss/Marry/Avoid the following: Jim Carrey’s The Grinch, Will Farell’s Elf, Tim Allen’s Santa?
Haven’t seen it (love the old animated version, though!)/ Kiss / Marry
Do you prefer giving presents or receiving them?
I love finding the perfect gift, enjoy wrapping, and get a thrill when the person opens it. Yes, I’m a giver.
If your characters from Unholy Alliance could give readers a Xmas message what would it be?
Every day is a gift (Shane would say a risk), so live it to the fullest. Splurge on holidays, like Christmas, and gather your family around.
What’s your 2014 new year’s resolution?
I’m actually not big on resolutions. I believe in setting goals and living life in a way that I won’t have regrets when I look back. But I do have a lot of goals for 2014. :)
What books can we look forward to seeing from you next year?
Delicate Accord is Lily’s story (she is the computer nerd from Shadow Allegiance). I’m really excited about writing it. It should be out in early 2014. Readers can sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/GEpGf to make sure they get the word when it comes out!
Filed under: Get your Christmas on! Christmas 2013 posts, Interviews with other authors Tagged: author interview, Christmas interview, Lacy Williams
