Mia Darien's Blog, page 27

Available Now: “Deeper than Skin”

My new romance story is available, and today kicks off my one week blog tour! Please visit me over at: Rachelle’s Window, for an author interview and comment for your chance to win a free copy of the ebook!

* * *

[Smashwords] [Amazon] [Barnes & Noble] [Lulu - Print]

It’s 1767.

For three years, the province of Gévaudan, France has lived under the terrifying reign of the Beast. The death count continues to rise.

It is into this Beast’s woods that Constance throws herself, desperate for escape from a life she finds more horrifying than the thought of her province’s monster. What she does not expect to find is a man.

Tristan, the half-masked noble from a neighboring province, is one of many young men come to hunt the creature. The last thing he expects to find is the beautiful Constance, but find her he does.

Can two wounded souls overcome the pain of the past and the trials of the present to find one another, amid a time of terror and blood?

Author’s Note: Half of all proceeds of this novel will be donated to charity. See Dedication and also the Author’s Note at the end of the story for more information.

Warning: This story contains adult themes and a scene of explicit sexual situations.

Character Interview: Dr. James Pellitere from Micheal Rivers’ “Verliege”

I’m very pleased to welcome back Micheal Rivers, this time with an In World interview with Doctor James Pellitere from his new release, Verliege!

The interview today is part of the blog tour!

* * *

Q: Ah, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you, my friend. What have you been keeping yourself so busy with?

A: Yes, it has been two years to the day since we last talked. I have been living in the castle Verliege in Germany. The day after we had lunch together I was given a new patient. I took the patient as a favor from his childhood friend. As a psychiatrist I would have never guessed his story would take me from West Virginia to Europe.

I am sure you read about him in the papers, his name was Adrian Bolt. His fame as an author was almost as well known as his crime. I really can’t understand the reasons behind it, but his story never had the ring of someone living in a delusional world.

Q: Yes, the name is familiar. I had no idea that you’d taken him on as a patient. That must have been quite the experience, traveling to a castle in Germany! What was it like?

A: I dare say it would have been very nice if it had been for a vacation, but very important business lay before me with no way to get out of it. The castle is beautiful, in some ways beyond compare. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live with history? That is the life at Castle Verliege. I was there to investigate who was responsible for the death of Adrian’s wife. He swore he did not kill her and I believed him.

There is something you should know about the castle. Adrian said it was haunted beyond reason. I have never had any experience of any kind with ghosts or the paranormal until I walked through the castle doors. I can honestly say that now I truly understand fear. I learned very quickly time is a relevant thing and should not be taken for granted.

Q: Is there anything such as haunted within reason, I wonder. It sounds like a frightening place, indeed. Can you tell me a little of what happened to you there?

A: I took a team of paranormal experts with me and we also had a representative from the German government to assure us there would be no interference from the outside to hinder the investigation. The local populace was not happy with us being there.

For a while I felt I knew who was responsible for the murder. As time progressed the ghosts in castle became more and more aggressive as well as threatening. You were seldom alone and having the team with me made little difference. Our mistake was discovering some of the secrets of the castle. This was when the ghosts decided we were not going to be allowed to leave.

We were under almost constant attack. I witnessed a battle between the living and the dead with injuries to us that were very real! What I saw happen to a member of my team should never be seen by anyone. It was incredibly cruel.

Q: Oh my! I’m not sure if I want to hear what happened. It sounds terrifying. I’m glad to see that you’re home safely after all that. Was Bolt with you when you went?

A: Adrian Bolt was murdered while he was under my care. I was the last one to see him alive. Unfortunately I received the blame for it, but they had no evidence against me. The legacy I inherited was to clear his name and mine as well. That is the reason I went to the castle. The entire story is hard to believe, but the evidence speaks for itself. The story will never end in my lifetime or yours. One thing I have discovered for fact. There are things hidden in this world we never knew existed. These are the things that change us in ways we never knew were possible.

* * *

Author Bio: Micheal, an American author, was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina in 1953. He served his country during the Vietnam War in the USMC. Later, his travels provided over thirty years of investigating and collecting stories of the paranormal. His genres include horror and thriller with an element of paranormal in all of his novels. The Smokey Mountain Ghost Trackers of Western North Carolina was founded by him and he is the lead investigator. Micheal currently resides in the mountains of North Carolina along with the love of his life and his Boxer he fondly calls Dee Dee.

Buy Link: Kindle

Character Interview: Dr. James Pellitere from Micheal Rivers' "Verliege"

I'm very pleased to welcome back Micheal Rivers, this time with an In World interview with Doctor James Pellitere from his new release, Verliege!

The interview today is part of the blog tour!

* * *

Q: Ah, it's been a while since I've seen you, my friend. What have you been keeping yourself so busy with?

A: Yes, it has been two years to the day since we last talked. I have been living in the castle Verliege in Germany. The day after we had lunch together I was given a new patient. I took the patient as a favor from his childhood friend. As a psychiatrist I would have never guessed his story would take me from West Virginia to Europe.

I am sure you read about him in the papers, his name was Adrian Bolt. His fame as an author was almost as well known as his crime. I really can't understand the reasons behind it, but his story never had the ring of someone living in a delusional world.

Q: Yes, the name is familiar. I had no idea that you'd taken him on as a patient. That must have been quite the experience, traveling to a castle in Germany! What was it like?

A: I dare say it would have been very nice if it had been for a vacation, but very important business lay before me with no way to get out of it. The castle is beautiful, in some ways beyond compare. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live with history? That is the life at Castle Verliege. I was there to investigate who was responsible for the death of Adrian's wife. He swore he did not kill her and I believed him.

There is something you should know about the castle. Adrian said it was haunted beyond reason. I have never had any experience of any kind with ghosts or the paranormal until I walked through the castle doors. I can honestly say that now I truly understand fear. I learned very quickly time is a relevant thing and should not be taken for granted.

Q: Is there anything such as haunted within reason, I wonder. It sounds like a frightening place, indeed. Can you tell me a little of what happened to you there?

A: I took a team of paranormal experts with me and we also had a representative from the German government to assure us there would be no interference from the outside to hinder the investigation. The local populace was not happy with us being there.

For a while I felt I knew who was responsible for the murder. As time progressed the ghosts in castle became more and more aggressive as well as threatening. You were seldom alone and having the team with me made little difference. Our mistake was discovering some of the secrets of the castle. This was when the ghosts decided we were not going to be allowed to leave.

We were under almost constant attack. I witnessed a battle between the living and the dead with injuries to us that were very real! What I saw happen to a member of my team should never be seen by anyone. It was incredibly cruel.

Q: Oh my! I'm not sure if I want to hear what happened. It sounds terrifying. I'm glad to see that you're home safely after all that. Was Bolt with you when you went?

A: Adrian Bolt was murdered while he was under my care. I was the last one to see him alive. Unfortunately I received the blame for it, but they had no evidence against me. The legacy I inherited was to clear his name and mine as well. That is the reason I went to the castle. The entire story is hard to believe, but the evidence speaks for itself. The story will never end in my lifetime or yours. One thing I have discovered for fact. There are things hidden in this world we never knew existed. These are the things that change us in ways we never knew were possible.

* * *

Author Bio: Micheal, an American author, was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina in 1953. He served his country during the Vietnam War in the USMC. Later, his travels provided over thirty years of investigating and collecting stories of the paranormal. His genres include horror and thriller with an element of paranormal in all of his novels. The Smokey Mountain Ghost Trackers of Western North Carolina was founded by him and he is the lead investigator. Micheal currently resides in the mountains of North Carolina along with the love of his life and his Boxer he fondly calls Dee Dee.

Buy Link: Kindle

Character Interview: Amara Dagon from S. I. Hayes’ “In Dreams”

Today I’m happy to welcome an In World interview with Amara from In Dreams, Book One The Road Unavoidable by S. I. Hayes!

* * *

Q: Ah, ’tis always good to meet a fellow travel. Let me buy you a drink and you can tell me your tale of woe. Where do you hail from, stranger?

Amara shifts awkwardly in her chair a moment, a slight suspicion in her opalescent blue eyes, it’s apparent that she is not used to answering questions about herself. After a moment of quiet reflection she flashes a confidant smile, tossing her raven blue hair back over her bare shoulder.

A: Sure, I’ll take a spot of whiskey, after the day I’ve had. I’m from The Isle De’ Cor Len, names Amara by the way.

She reaches out her left hand as is the custom of an unmarried woman, the guard on her hand signaling that she has a bow, and from the wear in the palm, often has use of it. Although it is not presently with her.

Q: Nothing like a good drink to ease a rough day. *responds with the proper return gesture of greeting, before signaling the bartender and ordering the drink* What brings you to De Suet this day?

A: I’ve been traveling for a while now, so when I saw that this town had an Inn, I was thankful. I never pass up an opportunity for a hot bath, and a warm bed, and apparently there’s some kind of festival about to take shape around here, so I figured I’d stick around, and check it out.

Q: All good reasons to stop by, I say! I hope that you’ll enjoy the Festival. Have you been through De Suet before?

A: No, I went the other way, see where I come from they give us this map, that tells us where it’s safest to travel, but I have this driving need to just do what feels right, so I ended up in the Brathorian Mountains, first. Spent the long leg of the frost with the Raepuaw, who of course scared the shit outta me at first, with the teeth and the fur! But they really are so kind, they took such good care of me. Anyhow, I figured I’d come home this way, you full circle and all.

Q: That is quite the route you’ve taken! What was it like with the Raepuaw? You know, once you got past the teeth and fur.

A: I’ll tel you this, if you ever have an opportunity to go out that way, pack warmly. Those mountains are snow capped with good reason. It was beautiful, everything glitters, even on the blackest night, the ice reflects color, hues of blues and pinks. Its breathtaking. I was so very fortunate that they found me, I had only been traveling for a few weeks when I was attacked by what I assume was some hungry animal. But I don’t know what it was, I sorta melted it, but not before it trashed me up pretty good. If it hadn’t been for the hypothermia, I’d probably be dead, and we wouldn’t be having this chat.

Amara went silent a moment, but it was becoming obvious from her posture and the way she leaned into the table now, that she was easing into the conversation, finally.

It’s nice to have somebody to talk to, I’ve learned that… The Raepuaw… they are so familiar with each other, always touching gently, always reassuring one another with mummers and purrs. I suppose that when your communication is not an outright spoken one, that it must be replaced by something more intimate. They are paired up, the men and women, since not everyone can understand the language of signs that the men use because they are not able to speak like us, their feline faces elongated as they are. The women seem to have adapted better though, with only the clefting of the upper lip, and smaller fangs, they can speak more easily, which made being there simpler. They have a way of making you feel connected, they are curious, and open. A refreshing quality, by the time I healed up from my wounds, I had a pretty good grasp of their languages. They share so much, I think that we could learn a thing or two from them when it comes to equality. There are no gender rules. Those who enjoy nurturing, become healers, parents, if it’s hunting, or fighting, they do so, male, female, there is no distinction, they celebrate their scars, as milestones, they say a good scar, is one that never leaves you, but keeps you breathing.

I miss them, there was just something about they way they see things. I don’t know, I would love to go back, but its not my path. It was just my season.

* * *

Author Bio: Most bios are written in the third person for that professional effect, but as a teller of tales, it just doesn’t seem right. I am a writer, I have a voice. For as long as I can remember I have been a storyteller. Whether it was written down or simply rattled off in the late hours to friends just to pass the time, I have been the one people come to for a good story. An imagination always at work, I’ve dreamed up people, places and creatures to fill my worlds with nuances of reality, because everything needs roots. The sky is the limit, many people say, but there are universes yet to be seen and stories as yet unrealized. “In Dreams Book One The Road Unavoidable” is the beginning of a tale that will continue to grow, as I have, infused with my soul and I hope that it will be a place that enriches those sleepers who dare to dream.

Buy Link: Smashwords – And the author is offering a special incentive! If you buy the book at Smashwords, here’s a coupon to get a discount: ZC64Q

Buy Link: Nook

Buy Link: Kobo

Character Interview: Amara Dagon from S. I. Hayes' "In Dreams"

Today I'm happy to welcome an In World interview with Amara from In Dreams, Book One The Road Unavoidable by S. I. Hayes!

* * *

Q: Ah, 'tis always good to meet a fellow travel. Let me buy you a drink and you can tell me your tale of woe. Where do you hail from, stranger?

Amara shifts awkwardly in her chair a moment, a slight suspicion in her opalescent blue eyes, it's apparent that she is not used to answering questions about herself. After a moment of quiet reflection she flashes a confidant smile, tossing her raven blue hair back over her bare shoulder.

A: Sure, I'll take a spot of whiskey, after the day I've had. I'm from The Isle De' Cor Len, names Amara by the way.

She reaches out her left hand as is the custom of an unmarried woman, the guard on her hand signaling that she has a bow, and from the wear in the palm, often has use of it. Although it is not presently with her.

Q: Nothing like a good drink to ease a rough day. *responds with the proper return gesture of greeting, before signaling the bartender and ordering the drink* What brings you to De Suet this day?

A: I've been traveling for a while now, so when I saw that this town had an Inn, I was thankful. I never pass up an opportunity for a hot bath, and a warm bed, and apparently there's some kind of festival about to take shape around here, so I figured I'd stick around, and check it out.

Q: All good reasons to stop by, I say! I hope that you'll enjoy the Festival. Have you been through De Suet before?

A: No, I went the other way, see where I come from they give us this map, that tells us where it's safest to travel, but I have this driving need to just do what feels right, so I ended up in the Brathorian Mountains, first. Spent the long leg of the frost with the Raepuaw, who of course scared the shit outta me at first, with the teeth and the fur! But they really are so kind, they took such good care of me. Anyhow, I figured I'd come home this way, you full circle and all.

Q: That is quite the route you've taken! What was it like with the Raepuaw? You know, once you got past the teeth and fur.

A: I'll tel you this, if you ever have an opportunity to go out that way, pack warmly. Those mountains are snow capped with good reason. It was beautiful, everything glitters, even on the blackest night, the ice reflects color, hues of blues and pinks. Its breathtaking. I was so very fortunate that they found me, I had only been traveling for a few weeks when I was attacked by what I assume was some hungry animal. But I don't know what it was, I sorta melted it, but not before it trashed me up pretty good. If it hadn't been for the hypothermia, I'd probably be dead, and we wouldn't be having this chat.

Amara went silent a moment, but it was becoming obvious from her posture and the way she leaned into the table now, that she was easing into the conversation, finally.

It's nice to have somebody to talk to, I've learned that… The Raepuaw… they are so familiar with each other, always touching gently, always reassuring one another with mummers and purrs. I suppose that when your communication is not an outright spoken one, that it must be replaced by something more intimate. They are paired up, the men and women, since not everyone can understand the language of signs that the men use because they are not able to speak like us, their feline faces elongated as they are. The women seem to have adapted better though, with only the clefting of the upper lip, and smaller fangs, they can speak more easily, which made being there simpler. They have a way of making you feel connected, they are curious, and open. A refreshing quality, by the time I healed up from my wounds, I had a pretty good grasp of their languages. They share so much, I think that we could learn a thing or two from them when it comes to equality. There are no gender rules. Those who enjoy nurturing, become healers, parents, if it's hunting, or fighting, they do so, male, female, there is no distinction, they celebrate their scars, as milestones, they say a good scar, is one that never leaves you, but keeps you breathing.

I miss them, there was just something about they way they see things. I don't know, I would love to go back, but its not my path. It was just my season.

* * *

Author Bio: Most bios are written in the third person for that professional effect, but as a teller of tales, it just doesn't seem right. I am a writer, I have a voice. For as long as I can remember I have been a storyteller. Whether it was written down or simply rattled off in the late hours to friends just to pass the time, I have been the one people come to for a good story. An imagination always at work, I've dreamed up people, places and creatures to fill my worlds with nuances of reality, because everything needs roots. The sky is the limit, many people say, but there are universes yet to be seen and stories as yet unrealized. "In Dreams Book One The Road Unavoidable" is the beginning of a tale that will continue to grow, as I have, infused with my soul and I hope that it will be a place that enriches those sleepers who dare to dream.

Buy Link: Smashwords – And the author is offering a special incentive! If you buy the book at Smashwords, here's a coupon to get a discount: ZC64Q

Buy Link: Nook

Buy Link: Kobo

"Deeper than Skin" Update!

It's 1767.

For three years, the province of Gévaudan, France has lived under the terrifying reign of the Beast. The death count continues to rise.

It is into this Beast's woods that Constance throws herself, desperate for escape from a life she finds more horrifying than the thought of her province's monster. What she does not expect to find is a man.

Tristan, the half-masked noble from a neighboring province, is one of many young men come to hunt the creature. The last thing he expects to find is the beautiful Constance, but find her he does.

Can two wounded souls overcome the pain of the past and the trials of the present to find one another, amid a time of terror and blood?

* * *

There have been a few changes to the blog tour line-up!

April 16: I'll be doing an author interview with Rachelle Ayala, http://rachelleayala.blogspot.com/ – There will be a kick-off give-away! Three free ebook copies of the book.

April 17: I'll be doing an excerpt with Jen Blood, http://www.bloodwrites.com

April 18: And sticking around to do another author interview! http://www.bloodwrites.com

April 19: I'll be doing a guest post, My Love Affair with the Beast, with Leigh Ellwood, http://www.leighellwood.com/

April 20: I'll be doing a character interview with Erika Lindsen, http://www.erikabooks.webs.com/

April 21: I'll be doing a guest post, Romancing the NaNo Stone, with Amanda Bretz, http://authoramandabretz.wordpress.com/

Winners from the give-away starting on the 16th will be announced on the 20th!

Welcome to Adelheid's Newest Reporter!

The Adelheid Chronicle has a new reporter! Congratulations to Gwenn D. for Andrea Sullivan, the werehawk. She will be reporting news from the city in the near future, and making her debut in Written All Over Her.

Character Interview: Erin Solomon from Jen Blood's "All the Blue-Eyed Angels"

Welcome Erin Solomon today from Jen Blood's All the Blue-Eyed Angels! She wrote the entirety of this In World interview, and I'm just happy to be able to share it with my readers. Thanks to her for being here today. Enjoy!

Oh, and the author has also happily asked me to let readers know that her book will be available for just .99 until April 8th!

* * *

The Payson Church of Tomorrow was, by all accounts, a quiet, God-fearing community located on a remote island ten miles off the Littlehope peninsula in midcoast Maine. Founded by Christian fundamentalist and Maine native Isaac Payson, the church had been a peaceful part of the Midcoast region since it was first founded in 1976, with Payson regularly donating his time to local charities and ministering to those isolated on neighboring islands.

All that changed on the morning of August 22nd, 1990, when flames engulfed the three-story barn on Payson Isle containing the Payson community chapel. Thirty-four members of the congregation died that day, including nearly a dozen children born and raised on the island. Victims were found inside the chapel; autopsies performed later on several of the bodies revealed a minimal amount of the herb henbane, a plant known to be toxic when consumed in large quantities. It's believed that the henbane may have served as a mild sedative, but there's little doubt that those who perished on Payson Island that day were conscious and fully aware of the fire that consumed them. Investigators have ruled the tragedy mass suicide, with Isaac Payson the most likely instigator.

There were only two known survivors of the fire from the Payson congregation: Adam Solomon – Isaac Payson's right-hand man – and Solomon's young daughter, Erin. Here for the first time, Erin Solomon – now fifteen years old – speaks candidly with reporter Daniel Diggins in this exclusive interview.

DD. What can you tell me about the Payson Church of Tomorrow? Something others might not expect.

ES. Well… It wasn't some crazy sexed-up cult, for one thing. It was, you know… Normal.

DD. Can you give me an example? What does 'normal' mean to you?

ES. I mean… Normal. A lot of praying, sure, but otherwise – we got up, went to church. All the kids out there got home schooled – and we learned a lot more than kids do in the schools here, I'll tell you that much. We did our chores… It was just a big family, living our lives.

DD. What do you remember about the day of the fire?

ES. It was raining – that's tough to forget, because there'd been a drought for a long time before that. I remember my dad crying. Bodies everywhere. And feathers – burned feathers. You know, from the angels.

DD. Angels?

ES. The marionettes we – uh, the Paysons – used to make. You can find them in some shops still, but not very often. Little angel marionettes with blue eyes. All the kids out there had one.

DD. Do you still have yours?

ES. Yeah – I mean, I guess so. Somewhere.

DD. What does your father say about the fire?

ES. My dad doesn't really talk anymore. He just, you know… Kind of stays out on the island.

DD. Payson Island?

ES. Yeah – he didn't leave after the fire. He doesn't really come to the mainland anymore.

DD. When was the last time you spoke to your father?

ES. Like an actual conversation? I don't know… A couple of years, I guess.

DD. Has he ever spoken with you about the fire? Ever given any indication as to what he believes happened that day?

ES. I told you – he doesn't talk anymore.

DD. Do you think he believes Isaac Payson set the fire that day? That all of those people willingly gave their lives?

ES. I don't know what he believes… He seemed surprised, though. I mean – I guess if he'd been expecting it, he wouldn't have been so broken up, right?

DD. Do you believe Isaac Payson set the fire?

ES. I don't know. I always thought… I always thought he was nice. A little strict sometimes, but he cared about us. I don't know why he would've done it. Why any of them would have.

DD. What do you think happened out there, then?

ES. Sometimes, I think… What if somebody else was there? I dream it, sometimes: that this man in black is chasing me on the island that day.

DD. What do you mean – like someone who wasn't part of the church?

ES. It's just a dream. I thought it really happened, right after the fire – when I was still a kid, I thought there really had been somebody else out there. That I saw him.

DD. But you don't think so now?

ES. No. It was just my imagination. Or a dream. Whatever.

DD. If you could tell people anything about the Payson Church of Tomorrow, what would it be? What should people think when they hear the Payson name?

DD. They should think… I don't know. That they were real people. They weren't just a bunch of religious crackpots. They were, you know… Funny, some of them. They were real. And maybe the fire wasn't what everyone thinks – don't be so quick to judge, when there are still so many mysteries. Someday, I want to go back there – when I'm older. I'll go out there and I'll figure out what really happened. Maybe no one really knows the truth.

In All the Blue-Eyed Angels, Erin Solomon – now in her thirties – returns to Payson Isle to do just what she promised in that interview more than fifteen years before: find the truth behind the alleged Payson Church mass suicide. Isolated on the Maine coast with an old flame and a mysterious newcomer with his own dark past, Erin will risk everything to uncover the secrets of Payson Isle – secrets someone will kill to keep buried.

* * *

Author Bio: Jen Blood was born and raised in midcoast Maine. Her work has been published in Down East, Bark, Pif, and a number of newspapers and periodicals around the country. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing, and currently works as an editor of every genre under the sun for traditional publishing houses and indie authors; those interested in finding out her editing rates or getting a free sample edit and critique can e-mail her at jen@bloodwrites.com for more information.

Buy Link: Smashwords

Buy Link: Kindle

Buy Link: Print from Amazon

Websites: http://bloodwrites.com/ & http://erinsolomon.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jenblood

Facebook: http://facebook.com/alltheblueeyedangels

Character Interview: Benjamin R. Smith & Victoria from "Atlas"

Please welcome with me today, Benjamin R. Smith and Victoria from his book Atlas. Be warned, this one's a spitfire. Some language!

* * *

Mia: What is the name of the book where we'll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

Victoria: I'm lead to understand that the novel is called Atlas. It is a police procedural following a double-murder and conspiracy investigation in San Francisco in the year 2066.

I'm a cop working in the public sector six years after the signing of The Atlantic Compact, a document that declared the wealthiest Americans independent of the Republic and sent the rest of us into the dark ages.

I won't go into too much detail about how shitty the world has become in the later half of the 21st Century, but I will say that the communities of Sausalito, Berkeley, and Oakland have all conglomerated into the world's premiere Private City-State known as Atlantis.

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

Victoria: "Tell us a little about yourself…" Well, If I could pass through each day like a blank—an invisible force unseen and unmolested by the world—I might have the means and wherewithal to answer that question without yelling for you to "fuck off and mind your own business!"

(Pause).

Sorry. I don't like interviews. I'm rather rude in general, but it's exacerbated when pressured into doing things I don't want to do by certain ass-hat authors who shall remain nameless.

ABOUT VICTORIA:

I don't know my real name. I named myself when I was 14 after the cop who eventually adopted me. He rescued me from an underground prostitution and drug ring in 2046. My age is an approximation. I say I'm 34. I don't know exactly what year I was born or whether or not I had actual biological parents. My first memory is of a government school, where I was forbidden to learn to read or write. At the age of 8, I was transferred from that school to an island off the coast of Southern California (You'd probably know it in 2012 as San Nicholas Island).

I refuse to go into detail about the events that lead to the rise in power of the Patriot Party and their experiments in eugenics and mood alteration. Suffice it to say that the Patriot Youth population on the island of San Nicholas was approximately 23,500 in 2040 and by 2044 when the camp was liberated along with 70 others nationwide, the Resistance Army of the Republic catalogued the surviving population as consisting of 1,411 adolescents, all suffering from sever mental and emotional disturbance.

I was one of those 1,411 slated for termination by the new republic but I escaped and managed to survive, drifting north towards San Francisco.

HOW I FIT INTO THE STORY:

Well, two women end up dead across the bay in fabulous Atlantis and one of them, it turns out, is the Public Prosecutor for the city of San Francisco. I get myself attached as a public liaison to the case and, through following the chain of evidence, find myself investigating the head of ATLANTIS SECURITY MULTINATIONAL as a chief suspect in the crimes.

It gets a lot more complex than that and my ethics will probably get called into question somewhere in there, but that's the thrust of it.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won't tell.

Victoria: He's an asshole and I'm going to kill him for subjecting me to this shitty tell-all interview. And you can tell him I said so. I don't give a flying fuck at a rolling doughnut if he knows.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you're in?

Victoria: Oh, I'd much rather be in historical romance if I could have my say in the matter. You know, something along the lines of taking over for Elizabeth Bennett or Marianne Dashwood, whipping out the badge and the gun on occasion just to fuck with Wickham and Willoughby–show them some ladies know how to deal with punk-ass dipshits with no sense of moral obligation whatsoever.

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

Victoria: To be frank, it's emotionally trying. On the one hand, I'm fictional; that's kind of rough when you're trying to register at the DMV. I will say I like the action though the pay is lousy and there were times when I enjoyed myself. There were times also when I wanted to claw Smitty's eyes out for some of his lines of exposition…

"She felt like a marshmallow headed to fight a house fire armed with graham crackers and chocolate."

Yeah, that line stuck sucked.

The sex was fun…

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

Victoria: I don't do fortunes, cupcake. As far as I'm concerned, long-term plans are what ancillary characters make just before they get shot in the crossfire.

What do you know about your author's plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

He's cagey, but I can play detective. On his desk right now he's got a lot of books on mythology. One of them is opened with a post-it marking the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. I'm not sure if that says anything about my future, but its making me a little nervous.

Mia: Let's say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?

Victoria: I don't want anybody to play me in a movie. If you're asking me what actresses could be made to look like me, I'm not altogether sure. I have dark hair that I keep cropped short and my eyes are dark brown. I'm tall but not willowy, athletic but not tanned, self-conscious but not uncomfortable. As for distinguishing marks, my nose was broken sometime ago and it's been kind of crooked ever sense. My go-to expression is repressed sarcasm mixed with general distain. I like leather jackets and avoid jewelry because I can't afford it.

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Author Bio: Benjamin R. Smith (1985-) was born in Wichita, Kansas. He attended a rural high school where he excelled in art and theatre. He attended the University of Kansas, studied Journalism at the William Allen White School for Media and Mass Communication, and completed a Masters of Fine Arts in Playwriting. In 2009, he was nominated for the David Mark Cohen Playwright's Award. ATLAS is his first novel.

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Upcoming Romance Release!

It's 1767.

For three years, the province of Gévaudan, France has lived under the terrifying reign of the Beast. The death count continues to rise.

It is into this Beast's woods that Constance throws herself, desperate for escape from a life she finds more horrifying than the thought of her province's monster. What she does not expect to find is a man.

Tristan, the half-masked noble from a neighboring province, is one of many young men come to hunt the creature. The last thing he expects to find is the beautiful Constance, but find her he does.

Can two wounded souls overcome the pain of the past and the trials of the present to find one another, amid a time of terror and blood?

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This book will be released on April 16! I'm very happy to release it, and to announce that there will be a Release Week blog tour!

April 16: I'll be doing an author interview with Rachelle Ayala, http://rachelleayala.blogspot.com/ - There will be a kick-off give-away! Three free ebook copies of the book.

April 17: I'll be doing a guest post, Romancing the NaNo Stone, with Alisa Jeruconoka, http://www.unparallelworlds.co.uk/blog/

April 18: I'll be doing another author interview with Jen Blood, http://www.bloodwrites.com

April 19: I'll be doing a guest post, My Love Affair with the Beast, with Leigh Ellwood, http://www.leighellwood.com/

April 20: I'll be doing a character interview with Erika Lindsen, http://www.erikabooks.webs.com/