Jamie Marchant's Blog, page 18

Blog Move

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The Nate Temple Chronicles Book Tour & Giveaway

Obsidian SonThe Nate Temple Chronicles Book 1By Shayne SilversGenre: Supernatural Thriller
A city that doesn’t believe in magic. Bloodthirsty weredragons. Good thing this reckless playboy has superpowers…It’s been said that monsters cry when a good man goes to war. But they should run screaming like little school girls when that man is secretly a wizard, and maybe not necessarily good…Nate Temple’s all-consuming quest to avenge his parents is temporarily put on hold when shape-shifting dragons invade St. Louis. And perhaps cow-tipping the Minotaur for answers might not have been Nate’s smartest opening move, because now every flavor of supernatural thug from our childhood nightmares is gunning for him. Nate learns that the only way to save his city from these creatures is to murder his best friend…Nate’s choice will throw the world and his own conscience into cataclysmic chaos: avenge his parents or become a murderer to save his city. Because to do either, he’s going to have to show the world that magic is very, very real, and that monsters are very, very hungry… To survive, he might just need to take a page from the book, How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters.If you like Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne, or Patrick Rothfuss, you will LOVE the first installment of The Nate Temple Supernatural Thriller series.Goodreads * Amazon

Blood DebtsThe Nate Temple Chronicles Book 2
A Wizard, an Angel, and a Horseman of the Apocalypse walk into a bar…The ancient pact between mankind, Heaven, and Hell has been broken. And this upstart wizard’s quest for vengeance may have just kicked off Armageddon. So, time for a drink... or maybe two.Already plagued with sinister night terrors that could qualify him as a card-carrying psychopathic insomniac, Nate can barely even manage to put his pants on in the morning, let alone pick teams for the Apocalypse.But when he’s framed as a demon sympathizer, condemned by the Armies of Heaven, and hunted down by both his allies and the Four Horsemen, this wizard doesn’t think it can get any worse… Then they take away his magic. And a wizard without magic stands no chance against the forces of Heaven and Hell…Goodreads * Amazon

[image error] GrimmThe Nate Temple Chronicles Book 3
The Brothers Grimm – legendary supernatural assassins – have escaped their prison, and their first day in St. Louis could be Nate Temple’s last…Sharing a beer with Death – one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – really put a few things into perspective for this foul-mouthed, billionaire wizard. Like finally strapping on the boots to propose to his girlfriend.But assassination contracts have a way of putting wedding plans on hold. Perhaps permanently. And with the entire wedding party on the bloodthirsty Grimm’s hit-list, and his family fortune in jeopardy, Nate realizes they can’t run and they can’t hide. So, time to do magic and stuff…But with every flavor of supernatural thug teaming up to help the Grimms, Nate realizes that friends have become enemies and enemies have become friends, and he’s forced to cross lines that are better left uncrossed.When magic, claws, and teeth dance to the song of war, the only thing left to learn is who lives and who dies. And if Nate can live with the consequences. No wonder a guy is terrified to propose…Goodreads * Amazon

Silver TongueThe Nate Temple Chronicles Book 4
My resume is pretty full: I’ve cow-tipped the Minotaur, decimated a gang of weredragons, sucker-punched an Angel, and eaten pancakes with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse…I’ve kidnapped one of the most powerful wizards on the planet, and slaughtered the Brothers Grimm. I’m kind of a big deal. But I never thought I’d find myself at a crossroads, a pawn in a deadly game that I hadn’t known existed, willing to sell my soul to save the life of someone I loved… That’s when I learned true fear, because the world I thought I knew was all just smoke and mirrors, and I was just a puppy playing amongst wolves…Goodreads * Amazon

Beast MasterThe NateTemple Chronicles Book 5
What do you do for Thanksgiving Dinner when your guests are Death, an Angel, and a slew of other monsters? You have a nerf gun war, of course… But the Queens of Fae want to crash his party. And the Beast Master is abducting shifter children for a Monster Circus.Thanksgiving Dinner plans with Death, an Angel, a vampire, Achilles, and a slew of other monsters are cut short because a Monster Circus has come to town. And the Beast Master needs new Monsters for his show…
But the Queens of Fae also want a little deep-fried wizard for the holidays.
Oh, and Nate is losing that last finger-hold on his sanity: hallucinating, and talking to creatures that no one else can see. The ancient demon inside of him is getting stronger, fighting for dominance, and only one of them can survive.
But when a wizard curses Nate, extorting him to rescue a lethal Chimera child from the Beast Master’s Circus, Nate’s only option is to partner with his inner demon, risking his very soul. But his friends begin to doubt and fear this new, darker Nate, taking matters into their own hands – even when that means standing against him.
With allies turned enemies, the Fae breathing down his neck, and a dangerous child’s life on the line, Nate must call upon, bully, and coerce new storybook legends and gods to save his traitorous friends from becoming the Beast Master’s next victims…
Discover what – if anything – Nate is willing to sacrifice to save the friends who betrayed him…
Goodreads * Amazon

[image error] Shayne is a man of mystery and power, whose power is exceeded only by his mystery. In other words, a storyteller.He currently writes the Nate Temple Supernatural Thriller Series, which features a foul-mouthed young wizard with a chip on his shoulder attempting to protect St. Louis from the various nasties we all know and fear from our childhood bedtime stories. Nate’s been known to suckerpunch an Angel, cow-tip the Minotaur, and steal Death’s horse in order to prove his point. His utter disregard for consequences and self-preservation will have you laughing and cringing on the edge of your seat.Shayne holds two high-ranking black belts, and enjoys conversing about anything Marvel, Magical, or Mythological. You might find him writing in a coffee shop near you, cackling madly into his computer screen while pounding shots of espresso.Join my Readers’ Group for your free books and a pile of other goodies when they become available.Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Instagram *  Amazon * Goodreads

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The Falcon Flies Alone

Gabrielle Mathieu lived on three continents by the age of eight. She’d experienced the bustling bazaars of Pakistan, the serenity of Swiss mountain lakes, and the chaos of the immigration desk at the JFK airport. Perhaps that’s why she developed an appetite for the unusual and disorienting. Her fantasy books are grounded in her experience of different cultures and interest in altered states of consciousness (mostly white wine and yoga these days). The Falcon Flies Alone is her debut novel.
Interview
1. What are your biggest literary influences? Favorite authors and why?
When I was eight, I read Tolkien’s trilogy, which made me incapable of normal kid conversation for a couple of years. Who can play with a Ken doll when you’re longing for Aragon? As the years went by, I began to view Tolkien as a product of his times, stilted in some respects. I’m impressed by the low fantasy world George RR Martin crafted, which seems appropriate for modern times, but I’ve had to stop reading because of the grisly flayings. I would say they both influenced me, and I stand between the two poles: absolute brutality and abstract idealism.
2. What are you reading at the moment? Would you recommend it to readers of this blog? Why?
I’m reading Aliette De Bodard’s The House of Binding Thorns, as preparation for our kickoff interview on the NBN Fantasy channel. The podcast should be available on April 6th or 7th, so drop by http://newbooksnetwork.com/category/arts-letters/fantasy/. The novel, the second in her series, is heavy on atmosphere. This is Paris like you’ve never imagined, a ruined battleground where fallen angels vie for power, and allegiances are made and broken. Aliette lives in Paris and has used her knowledge of the city to create a spell-binding environment.
3. Tell us something about how you write? i.e. are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you have any weird or necessary writing habits or rituals?
I’m in neither a plotter or a pantser. I usually have a good idea how I want the novel to end and what locales it takes place in. After the first draft, I’ll plan to a trip to the country to nail down details. This will be challenging once I start my epic fantasy series though since it’s set in another world. I like to write while I listen to music. I’ve got a play list up at http://gabriellemathieu.com/inspirational-music/.
4. Could you tell us a bit about your most recent book?
My heroine, chemistry nerd Peppa Mueller, falls prey to an unscrupulous anthropologist who tricks her into drinking a hallucinogenic potion that changes her life forever. But Peppa’s no victim. Soon she’s locked in a power struggle that threatens her chance at love, and maybe, her sanity.
5. What gives you inspiration for your book?
The Falcon series was inspired by a whopping nightmare. When I was in my twenties, I didn’t just have run of the mill nightmares. I had detailed vivid dreams, during which I even felt pain or smelled strange smells. My lifestyle, hanging out with musicians and experimenting with various substances, fed the tendency of my night time psychic wandering.
6. Do you have a day job in addition to being a writer? If so, what do you do during the day?
I have three day jobs! I earn a monthly regular income working in the high-tech environment of a laboratory testing human blood and body fluids. This information includes parameters such as cholesterol, but there’s so much more. In 2001, I received a Master’s in Traditional Oriental Medicine, so I also see private clients and help them with acupuncture, massage, and herbal prescriptions. Just recently, I also began translating a book from German to English. Being busy spurs me on to being productive.
7. Tell us a little about your plans for the future. Do you have any other books in the works?
The Falcon Strikes, the second in the series, is coming out this July. It takes place in Ireland, against the background of the IRA’s campaign against British rule. Once again, Peppa tries to carefully plan a strategy, but ends up involved with a handsome young paramilitary and in trouble with both sides of the political spectrum. Then there’s the secrets her Grandmother’s been keeping.
8. Where can we find you online?
Blog: http://gabriellemathieu.com/category/blog/
Website: www.gabriellemathieu.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabriellemathieuauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabrielleAuthor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gabrielle-Mathieu/e/B01IT42JZC/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
The Falcon Flies Alone
As the sun rises on a quiet Swiss mountain village in 1957, runaway Peppa Mueller wakes up naked and stranded on the roof of her employer’s manor, with no idea how she got there. As she waits for help, she struggles to piece together fragmented memories of the previous night. Did she really witness the brutal massacre of a local family? Did she kill them? Her fear of sinister house guest Dr. Unruh fuels her panic—as do electrifying flashes of a furious falcon, trapped inside her.
Wanted for murder, Peppa flees the police, intent on finding out if there’s a scientific explanation or if she’s just going mad. Her godfather, world-renowned chemist Dr. Kaufmann, risks his career to help her. In the meantime, Peppa fights her attraction to the handsome priest from India who offers her shelter. With their help, she not only finds Dr. Unruh but places herself at his mercy. His experiments may be the reason Peppa now shares her body with a bloodthirsty bird of prey—but the revenge she plans could kill them both.
NOTE: The book will be on sale for only $0.99 during the tour.
Excerpt
I took out the illustrated book about birds of prey, wondering if Silvia had been researching hawks because of Horus, the hawk-headed god. I flipped idly past owls and vultures, until I came to the sections on falcons. A full-page illustration of a peregrine caught my eye.
She was buff -colored with gray barring along her legs and chest. The head was slate-colored, her eyes large and profound, the darkness of them more pronounced by the light rim around them. The artist had captured her in full flight, her wings outspread and the tail feathers fanned around her tucked claws.
A stab of yearning—where was she going?
Seconds passed, then minutes. I couldn’t look away from her. A conviction seized me that if I looked into the mirror, I would see her curved beak and piercing eyes instead of my homely features.
I could not face my reflection. Instead, I forced my trembling hand to graze my nose, my cheeks, my eyelids. Familiar. Ordinary.
I slammed the book shut and pushed it to the bottom of the satchel.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 
Gabrielle Mathieu will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.



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Demon Cursed Blog Tour

Gin Crawford, the world's newest demon huntress, just wants to enjoy a football game, but finds herself hunting a serial killer minion instead. When his victims turn out to be the local football star’s female fans, she must determine if the player has joined forces with the minion, but her efforts lead her deeper into danger. When her mentor, Aidan Smythe, is attacked, Gin resolves to go to any lengths to save him, even if it exposes her most tightly held secret. Minions and demons, however, aren't the only terrors she faces. Will she realize the greatest danger lies within—before it's too late?

Excerpt
I shake my head at him before straightening my shoulders. And slapping a hand over my mouth and nose. Yuck. Hours-old death in humid Texas weather makes for a smelly situation. At least I’m not the only one with their hand, or handkerchief, over their mouths.
“What happened?” Smythe meets the gaze of each guard and the hyperventilating janitorial women who clearly found the body.
One of the women points to where the body lies in front of the Dumpster, flat on her back, hands resting in classic death pose on her bloody stabbed chest, a red rose clasped in her fingers. Her open eyes stare into the night, her mouth curled into a grimace of pain and death. Her clothes look like she came from a club: tight, short, and low-cut, with spiky heels. At one time, I would’ve been jealous of her hot-to-trot figure. Now all I notice is the pain and terror stamped on her face and the unfurling anger deep in my core.
Effing murderers. I might be a fancy-assed demon huntress, but I destroy minions, not human killers. Lucky for me, I can tell which type of kill this scene belongs to with little effort.
Closing my eyes, I start to take a deep calming breath, think better of it, and focus on activating my minion sensors. Tapping into the power of the entity lying along my nerves, I open my eyes to a tactical grid display of reds and oranges, a clear indication of a minion’s presence at the scene.
Looks like I’ll get my wish to annihilate the bastard who killed this poor woman.
About the author Karilyn Bentley's love of reading stories and preference of sitting in front of a computer at home instead of in a cube, drove her to pen her own works, blending fantasy and romance mixed with a touch of funny.
Her paranormal romance novella, Werewolves in London, placed in the Got Wolf contest and started her writing career as an author of sexy heroes and lush fantasy worlds.
Karilyn lives in Colorado with her own hunky hero, a crazy dog nicknamed The Kraken, a silly puppy, and a handful of colorful saltwater fish.
Where to find Karilyn:Website:                          www.karilynbentley.comNewsletter:                      http://eepurl.com/ba_0RfFacebook:                       https://www.facebook.com/KarilynBentleyAuthorTwitter:                             http://www.twitter.com/karilynbentley1Pinterest:                         http://www.pinterest.com/karilynbentleyBlog:                                http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.comGoodreads:                     http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4051943.Karilyn_BentleyAmazon Author Page:     https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=karilyn+bentley

Buy Links:Amazon:   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N4RTO97/B&N:         http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/demon-cursed-karilyn-bentley/1125540623iTunes:      https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/demon-cursed/id1196948081?mt=11TWRP:      http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4908-demon-cursed.html?search_query=karilyn+bentley&results=17

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The Kronicles of Korthlundia has moved

I've moved my blog to a new server with better interacting features. Please, follow me to http://jamie-marchant.com/blog/

The Light and Shadow Chronicles Release Tour & Giveaway

The Shield of SorenThe Light and Shadow Chronicles Book 2by D.M. CainGenre: Epic Fantasy
Ten-year-old Soren Nitaya's marked talent makes him the youngest soldier ever to become an apprentice to the legendary warrior, Raven Lennox. As a prince of Alcherys, he will be expected to fight in the eternal war against the Brotherhood of Shadow when he reaches sixteen.But is the young prince up to the task when he's more interested in causing mischief than in mastering weapons? When one of Soren’s adventures goes off course, he unwittingly unleashes a deadly threat. It appears that an age-old prophecy is finally coming to pass, and Soren and his family must take a perilous journey deep into their enemy's land. Does Soren have what it takes to save his country before the Brotherhood destroys everyone and everything he loves?Goodreads * Amazon


A Chronicle of ChaosThe Light and Shadow Chronicles Book 1
In a world ravaged by war, the paths of two warriors are about to cross with world-changing consequences.Chaos is a soldier of The Children of the Light, and fights in the name of destiny, honor and glory. Arrogant and headstrong, he believes he is the strongest warrior in the land, until a fateful coincidence puts him at the mercy of the demon Anathema.The two strike up an intense rivalry, but their obsession to destroy one another only leads them closer together. When the forces of Light and Dark collide, where will their loyalties lie?Goodreads * Amazon

D.M. Cain is a dystopian and fantasy author working for Creativia Publishing . The Light and Shadow Chronicles series features a range of books which can be read in any order. The first of these to be written was A Chronicle of Chaos . The Shield of Sorenwill be released in March 2017. She is currently working on the next novel in the Light and Shadow Chronicles series, The Sins of Silas, as well as two complementary novellas entitled Genesis of Lightand Origin of Shadow.
Cain has released one stand-alone novel: The Phoenix Project , a psychological thriller set in a dystopian future. The Phoenix Project was the winner of the 2016 Kindle Book Review Best Sci-Fi novel Award.
D.M. Cain is also a member of the International Thriller Writers and one of the creators and administrators of the online author group #Awethors. Her short story The Endwas published in Awethology Dark : an anthology by the #Awethors .
Cain lives in Leicestershire,UK with her husband and young son, and spends her time reading, writing and reviewing books, playing RPGs and listening to symphonic metal. 
Mailing List * Website * Google+ * Facebook * Facebook Author PageTwitter * Amazon * Goodreads



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I've been doing everything wrong

I have confidence in my writing, and the reviews I have received are excellent, but my books haven't been selling well. I sought advice from those whose books sell better, and I have learned that, apparently, I have been doing everything wrong.

These experts told me that my covers are terrible and my blurbs not interesting. My website is worse than horrible, and it doesn't make sense to have my blog separate from my website. Commenting on my blog on its present platform is too difficult because you have to sign into a google account, which stupid me was unaware of.

Therefore, I am going to be making a lot of changes. I am getting my book covers redesigned by a professional who has been recommended and should be able to produce much more enticing covers. This will unfortunately delay the release of the expanded edition of The Goddess's Choice and The Bull Riding Witch. I am rewriting my blurbs and will soon have new and improved ones.

I am moving and combining both my blog and website onto the WordPress platform. For this week, I will be making blog posts on both this old blog and the new one. Starting next week, I will be operating solely on the new blog/website. I sincerely hope all of you will follow me to the new site and subscribe to my blog there. The address is http://jamie-marchant.com/blog/. I'm still working on the design over there, so it's not as pretty as I hope it will eventually be, but it is fully functional. Click on it now if you will, and comment on my post there on what you think of the new set up and if commenting is now easier for you. I sincerely value your opinions.

World Building

One thing readers of fantasy look for is a journey to a magical world that is unlike the mundane world we all inhabit, so building that world is one of the most important tasks of a fantasy writer and also one of the most fun.There are two basic types of world builders, sometimes called architects and gardeners. Before they even begin to write the story, an architect takes days, weeks, months outlining every intricate detail of their world from economics to politics to magic. They will create whole notebooks full of climate data, geography, types of inhabitants, religious systems, and even holidays. There are two basic dangers to this type of world building. The first is using it as an excuse to delay beginning the actual story. It can become a distraction/procrastination tactic to combat a writer’s anxiety about whether or not they are truly good enough to be a writer. (An anxiety nearly all writers share.) So a writer needs to know when to stop world building and start writing. The second danger is to use every detail imagined within the novel itself. You spent time creating it, so you need to share it, right? Wrong. The writer will always know more about the world that actually appears in the story itself. As an author, you only reveal as much of your world as the reader needs to know. The details of the world should emerge gradually as they are needed for plot and character development, not be dumped on the reader because the writer created a cool aspect of their world that doesn’t matter to the story itself.The second type of world builder is often called a gardener. A gardener will have the seeds or the very basics of their world in mind and allow that world to grow as they write the story. They don’t know everything about their world when they begin, but allow it to emerge as the story needs it. This type of world builder also faces potential problems. The first is a shallow or insufficient developed world with too many aspects of it unexplored. A shallow world will not satisfy the reader. The second problem is continuity errors. The author may claim one thing about the religion on page 5 that is contradicted by the scene on page 94 that doesn’t mesh with what they bring out on page 296.Either method can work and work beautifully as long as the author is aware of the dangers and guards against them. The problems of both methods will be inevitable in the first draft and is one of the many tasks that will need to be addressed in revision.Some people believe that since they are creating something that doesn’t exist, they can do anything they want with it. This is true only to an extent. When you are creating a new world, you are asking your readers to suspend their disbelief for the length of the story. The reader knows that dragons and magic don’t exist, but during the time they are emerged in your story, they should be willing to pretend they do. In creating a suspension of disbelief, the author will find the reader a willing accomplice. Fantasy readers come to a fantasy novel with an absolute willingness to loose themselves in a make-believe world. If they didn’t want to temporarily believe in unicorns and fairies, they would have chosen a different genre. But the reader will turn against the author if the author doesn’t create a believable world, and once a reader loses their suspension of disbelief, it is almost impossible to get back. They probably won’t finish the current novel, and they certainly won’t read another by the same author.So how does an author keep the readers’ suspension of disbelief? The following 4 rules lay that out. (Note: The only unbreakable rule of writing is, does it work? However, if these rules are followed, it will work most of the time.)
Rule #1: Your world needs consistent rules. Unicorns can’t be drawn only to virgins at one point in the story and then come to your non-virgin main character at the moment she has need of a unicorn. Dragons can’t need 100 lbs of meat a day, but exist in a desert without much life. Fantasy doesn’t mean illogical. Readers will readily believe something that they know not to be true, but they will balk at anything that insults their sense of logic.
Rule #2: Anything in your world that also exists in the real world either needs to be consistent with what the reader knows of reality or have an explanation for why it isn’t. So if you’re including such aspects that you have little experience with, you need to research them. One glaring examples of this problem are horses. Horses are a staple of epic fantasy, but few in the modern world have had much interaction with horses. They aren’t like cars with legs, which you can ride all day with only brief stops to load them with fuel and simply park and forget about at night. They are living beings that need a lot of care and have restrictions on their physical strength and endurance. If you are going to include horses in your world, make sure you understand horses.
Rule #3: Include diverse people. No group of people (or elves, fairies, or dwarfs) is all good or all bad. If you have a large enough group, you will some assholes in the mix, some truly caring and good people, and a whole lot of people with varying degrees of assholeness and niceness. Nor will they all think, believe, or act the same way. You may decide in your world that dwarfs are obsessed with mining gold and gems, but if your novel has a large enough sample of dwarfs, there should be some who prefer to play the lute or carve pictures into the rock walls of the caves. A society of only knights and nobles also couldn’t exist. It would also need farmers and artisans.

Rule #4: Your world needs to be structured in such a way that it addresses real world realities, such as food, clothing, shelter. If a society is to exist, human needs must be met. If they aren’t, society is unstable and won’t last long.
What's your favorite fantasy world? Please tell us in the comments below.

Guest author, Holly Evans

I met Holly on Twitter. She has a tendency to post adorable pictures of kittens, puppies, and other baby animals, which first attracted me to her. Then I became intrigued by her mention of her novels starring a gay tattoo magician. I had to check them out, so today, in addition, to my unusual author spotlight, I'm writing a review of the first novel in her Ink Born series, Stolen Ink.

Stolen Ink I’m Dacian, a tattoo magician, and my life went from my biggest concern being finding a pretty guy to fall into bed with at the end of the week to everything falling apart around me. 

There are two problems in my life.

Number one – I’m an ink magician, the thing of myths. A lot of very powerful people would love to get their hands on me, and I have no intention of letting that happen. 

Number two – A tattoo thief came to my city, and the magical community has decided that I’m the guy to stop them. 

Somehow, I have to catch the thief without letting my secret out of the bag, and that’s even harder than it sounds.

ReviewI absolutely loved this book. First, Holly has created a truly innovative world that drips with magic. It is urban fantasy in the sense it's set in a large city with contemporary level of technology, but it most certainly isn't our world.Tattoos pick their wearer, and the tattoo magician's job is to call them forth, not create them. The creatures can then leave their tattoos and become corporeal. Most people have magic of one kind or another and humans share their world with elves and other mystical creatures. It truly isn't like any other urban fantasy world that I've read (and I've read a lot of urban fantasy). More importantly to me, Holly has people her world with fantastic characters. Dacian is sexy, intelligent, and intriguing, but my favorite character is Kyra, his tattoo cat. I love cats to begin with, but Kyra is a feisty one who literally claws the eye out of the bad guy to protect her people. How can one not adore such a creature? The plot contains an appropriate amount of mystery, danger, and intrigue. After finishing it, I immediately pre-ordered Book II, Blood & Ink, and I believe you will, too. I highly recommend Holly Evans and her Ink World. 
ExcerptI gestured to the tattooing chair. “Strip down to your pants. I’ll paint the design of the tattoo that’s trying to break free. Should you choose to accept it, then I’ll bring it forth and tattoo it. It will be painful. The more powerful the tattoo, the more pain you will endure. You will find its presence in the back of your mind once we’re done. As this is your first tattoo, I must add that, if you do not like the design, you cannot choose something else. Should you try and do so, you’ll be risking disfigurement or even death. Do you understand?”He gave a short sharp nod before he carefully unbuttoned the black jacket and folded it, taking his time to ensure that the shirt was properly folded and crease free next to the tattooing chair. I could almost see the skin of his back shimmering where the tattoo fought to be free. It covered his entire back and wrapped around his ribs. Keirn would owe me a few drinks once I was done battling something of that size. “Sit with your back to me, and I’ll paint on the design,” I said.He nodded in acknowledgement and straddled the padded leather chair, his strong back facing me. Taking a deep breath, I opened myself up to the threads of tattoo magic. My own tattoos wriggled and clawed, trying to be free. I mentally growled at them to be quiet. There was work to be done. Kyra yowled at me. The cat had never been one to do as she was told. Aris, however, stilled, his form tightly coiled against my spine. The soothing warmth of the magic flooded my being and tugged my hands towards the brushes. My instincts took over, removing all superfluous thought. I was verging on nothing more than a vessel for the magic. It was a dangerous dance, but one I loved more than life itself.              The tendrils of magic flexed and coursed down the brush. There was nothing but the painting. Everything else slipped away as I lost myself to the art, caressing the threads and edges of the creature that was buried within the man’s very existence. It didn’t need coaxing, it practically exploded through the colour. I stepped back and wiped sweat from my brow. My hand froze halfway down to my hip when I saw the art on his back. It was there in glorious colour, clear cut lines and heavy muscle. There was no denying it, no escaping the fact that he had a dragon desperately clawing at the fibres of his being.
Interview1.                  Tell us a little about yourself? I’m a passionate little red-headed woman originally from England, but I now live in Co. Kerry, Ireland. I’m only 5’2, but I make up for my lack of size with my huge personality and attitude. When I’m not writing Urban Fantasy, I usually reading it or wandering around the local area taking in the views and seeing what inspiration pops up. I’m probably a little bit too interested in sharp pointy things, fae (particularly those with sharp pointy teeth), and fast cars. I plan on having a Dodge Challenger in the future – that deep growling v8, yum!2.                  What are your biggest literary influences? Favorite authors and why? I’m honestly not sure who my biggest influences are. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde definitely had an impact on my writing. I tend to explore that man and beast line and dynamic quite a bit. The Night Circus also had an impact; it really encouraged me to embrace my poetry side. As for favourite authors I adore Seanan McGuire. Her clear love of mythology shines through in her books and makes for engaging, deep, and fascinating Urban Fantasy. Maggie Stiefvater’s books are poetic, sumptuous, and beautifully crafted with real emotion. S.M Reine’s worldbuilding is fantastic, and I adore Gail Carriger’s way of balance humour, action, and romance. 3.                  Do you think people have misconceptions about the speculative fiction? Why do you think it is a worthwhile genre?I think there are a lot of assumptions thrown around that speculative fiction is nothing more than idle escapism. It isn’t worthy of those who wish to think. It’s a worthwhile genre because of the scope! That step away from reality opens up the possibilities for exploration. We can explore the very fibres of humanity, psychology, through shifters. We can ask ourselves how society is put together and look at possibilities of the future through sci-fi. The potential to explore philosophy, psychology, sociology, and more is huge! No longer are we constrained about the hard and fast laws of reality; we can use the realms of our imagination to ask ‘what if?’And yes, we can offer people the opportunity for escape. We can give people who feel trapped, lost, and worse, a place to have adventures and to explore who and what they are. We can provide safe spaces and spaces in which to think and be happy. Is it really so wrong to give people an escape from the grey drab of day to day life?4.                  Could you tell us a bit about your most recent book?Yes and no, lol. My most recent book is Blood & Ink, but as that’s book 2 in a series, I can talk about book 1, Stolen Ink. Stolen Ink is an Urban Fantasy that follows Dacian, a gay tattoo magician. It’s set in a fantasy kitchen sink, meaning that there are lots of types of magic, magical creatures, etc. The entire cast is LGBT+ (primarily gay with some bi and an ace character).Dacian wants a quiet life, but everyone around him has other plans. He’s not a typical hero, but he’s an absolute sweetheart. 5.                  Of all the characters you have created, which is your favorite and why?Tyn. He isn’t in a published book, but I love him. He’s broken, he’s had a horrible start in life, but he has a heart of gold. He comes across as a bit of a jerk sometimes, but he’s my little kitten, and I adore him. He’s a Cait Sidhe (a fae cat), and he shows up in Blood & Ink. 6.                  Do you have a day job in addition to being a writer?  If so, what do you do during the day?  I’m a developmental editor – I look at the big picture stuff, plot, character development etc. So when I’m not writing, I edit other people’s books for them. I might be a tad too passionate about books and writing… 7.                  Tell us a little about your plans for the future.  Do you have any other books in the works?I have Blood & Inkcurrently up for pre-order, that goes live on May 5th. I’m currently book 3 in the Ink Born series; Ink Boundwill go live in early August. Then Seers Stone is book 1 in a new Urban Fantasy series, that’ll go live in early November. Seers Stone follows Kaitlyn, a treasure hunting alchemist, and her books are set in the same world as the Ink Born books. I’ll likely keep writing a bunch of series in the ink world for a good few years now. It’s huge; there’s so much to explore!Where can we find you online? Blog: http://chaosfoxwriting.wordpress.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/KhaosFoxe (Jamie's note: If you like adorable baby animals, you need to follow Holly.)Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Holly-Evans/e/B01ESEZALCStolen Ink: https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Ink-Born-Book-ebook/dp/B01MTMZBKL
About the author:Holly Evans is an urban fantasy author with an unhealthy fascination with blades, a deep love of hellhounds, and would love one day to wake up as a fae. When she isn't wrangling rogue characters and trying to tame her muse, she's researching shiny new ninja moves. During her spare time she fights crime and rights wrongs on the streets of Prague.

Guest Author, Amanda Labonté

Welcome my guest today, Amanda, a fantasy writer from the island of Newfoundland.
Amanda Labonté lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland, where she gets much of the inspiration for the characters and places about which she writes. As the co-owner of an educational business and mother of two she spends much of her day with kids of all ages. They give her some of the best reading recommendations.







Interview1.                  Tell us a little about yourself? I’m a writer and business owner living in St. John’s, Newfoundland on Canada’s far east coast. I have two awesome kids and a husband who also doubles as my beta reader. My first novel, Call of the Sea, is a YA fantasy which has recently been picked up by Engen Books as a series. In addition to writing, I also enjoy reading and reviewing books, avoiding house cleaning, and discovering new shows to binge watch on Netflix. 2.                  What made you want to become a writer?I knew I wanted to become a writer from the time I was in eighth grade. I had a wonderful English teacher who thought I had potential and encouraged me to write. Even though I didn’t always get positive feedback on my creative writing, this early interaction really helped set me on a path to wanting to share my writing with others.3.                  Tell us something about how you write? i.e. are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you have any weird or necessary writing habits or rituals?Probably the weirdest thing I do is when I have really bad case of writers’ block or a plot point is really bugging me, I go take a shower. I know it sounds strange, but it can really help sort out my thoughts, especially when I am under a deadline.4.                  Do you think people have misconceptions about the speculative fiction? Why do you think it is a worthwhile genre?I think the misconceptions about speculative fiction come from within the writing community, rather than the reading community. Fans of speculative fiction are amongst the most dedicated and voracious readers. I love writing for this audience.
One of the main misconceptions about speculative fiction is that these writers don’t have to work as hard, since they are making up a new world or using magic as part of their plot. I would say that this might make speculative fiction more fun to write, but it doesn’t make it easier. Consistency is just as important, and just as problematic, in an alternate reality as it is in our own.
As for the value of speculative fiction, I think that’s most easily seen in how deeply readers feel about books written in genres like fantasy and science fiction. These stories resonate deeply with readers and have proven lasting power.  
5.                  What gives you inspiration for your book?My inspiration for Call of the Sea came from my surroundings. Though the specific communities are fictional, the setting of the story is a very real place. The Cape Shore is a beautiful area with breathtaking sea views. It’s exactly the sort of place you’d expect to find fantastical beings. 6.                  What was the hardest part of writing your book?By far, the hardest part of writing this book was balancing my time. My daughter was very young when I was trying to get the Call of the Seamanuscript ready to submit. Then, when I did manage to carve out some time, I had to fight the self-doubt that I think plagues all writers. Is this any good? What if no one ever reads it? I still have to fight the self-doubt demons, I think it’s something all writers have to deal with.7.                  Tell us a little about your plans for the future.  Do you have any other books in the works?I have been working on an e-book serial called Supernatural Causes. It’s a paranormal medical mystery about a university student who moonlights as an intern at a hospital for vampires, werewolves, and witches. Supernatural Causes will be released in four parts, which we’re calling ‘episodes’, starting in April, 2017. I am also working on Return to the Sea, the sequel to Call of the Sea, which will be made available April 2018 through Engen Books.Where can we find you online? (please cut and paste links):Website: https://engenbooks.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandalabontewrites/Twitter: @amlabonteAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amanda-LabontGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14572123.Amanda_Labont_
Call of the SeaWhile twins Alex and Ben are at sea, they get into a fight, and Ben disappears suddenly from the boat without so much as a ripple in the water. Determined to find his brother, Alex begins the biggest adventure of his life, armed only with a mysterious musical talent and the help of a local girl named Meg. But his best hope for finding his brother might come from  the alluring and dangerous girl he finds amidst the frothing ocean waves.




ExcerptCome to me, she called, she called.Come to me my one, my only…The melody played at the edges of his consciousness. The gentle sound of woodwind instruments with the occasional infusion of something deeper, a low, sonorous percussion. He floated along on the feeling of a familiar dream — until it became louder, more pronounced, overpowering his other senses.Come to me my one, my only…Alex sat up in bed, his heart racing, and looked toward the open window. This was not how he’d envisioned his first night home after being away for almost a month. Knowing exactly where the sound was coming from and what he had to do, he ducked out from under the lower bunk and fumbled in the dark for a T-shirt. He pulled the stretch cotton over his head while sneaking into the hallway, making as little noise as possible so as not to wake the household.He paused halfway down the stairs as the wooden clock in the living room chimed the hour. One … two … three … four. Far too early to be up. Moving on, he used the light over the stove in the kitchen to find his sneakers and was almost to the back door when he heard Poppy muttering.Doubling back to the first floor bedroom, he listened outside the door and thought about checking on him but decided against it. Poppy frequently woke in the middle of the night, but he didn't wander. Anyway, the music was getting louder, giving him a headache. He needed to get moving.He left through the back, careful not to let the screen door swing shut. The predawn air was pleasantly warm, and the walk would have been almost welcome if Alex wasn't hearing a song to which everyone else remained deaf. He followed the driveway out onto the main road and down the hill that led to the beach path.Oddly, as he got closer, the music became softer, as though some cosmic power had been shouting for his attention, and now that he'd answered, it was all right for it to whisper. By the time his feet slid onto the beach rocks, the melody had blended so subtly with the sound of the waves that he might have imagined it.Except that if he turned back now, he knew it would start all over again.The tide was out, revealing the narrow strip of sandy beach that was actually a piece of the ocean floor. It made a path to the horned rock, nicknamed for the horn-like appendages that protruded from the ocean side of the boulder. The novelty of the rock was that when the tide was in it was surrounded by water, but when the tide was out it was completely accessible. The trick was not to get caught when the tide changed.He sank down on the strip of sand, facing the ocean, and felt the sense of relief that came with answering the music’s call. It was a clear night, and he could see the stars and the crescent moon. He took a deep, cleansing breath, tasting the salt air. The music had completely dissipated now, and it was easy to think that it had all been an illusion. Closing his eyes, he listened to the natural, rhythmic sound of the waves. He’d missed the ocean while he’d been away.
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