Michelle Fox's Blog, page 16

Interview with Urban Fantasy Authors C.N. Crawford and Alex Rivers (Bonus! Giveaway!)

The fae live among us. And one of them is a serial killer.


"I am seriously impressed with this book. It blends hunting for a serial killer in London with concerns about fighting terrorism in our modern world and it works!" 5 star review.
Find the series on Amazon. Free in KU.

Please welcome authors C.N. Crawford and Alex Rivers! I contacted them after reading the first two books in their Dark Fae FBI series. I LOVED the books and wanted more. So I asked them if they would do an interview for my website...because I want to know ALL THE THINGS NOW about their new series.
Keep reading! There's a giveaway at the end.
Michelle: You co-wrote this series. How did you divvy up the writing? I know some co-authors alternate scenes or characters.
Alex: We outline the book together via messenger or chat. Then I write a first initial draft that contains the bare bones of most of the scenes. Then Christine goes through my draft, fills it up with color, changes some of the sections so they work better, and writes the missing scenes/chapters. Then we alternate, going over each other’s corrections of the book until we’re both happy with the final result
Michelle: How did you end up writing together? By design or by evolution? Do you ever have any *ahem* heated discussions about what direction to take in a scene? Ever flip a coin as a tiebreaker?
Alex: There’s a scene in Agent of Enchantment when Cassandra chases the killer into the land of the fae, and meets Roan there. It’s a pivotal scene, because her entire demeanor toward Roan changes in that scene. We had a lot of disagreements regarding their interactions there, and the scene was rewritten half a dozen times, but it ended up a scene we were both happy with, which was a sort of middle-ground between both approaches. We work out all differences by talking and convincing each other, because neither of us is really the type of person who can just write off a scene as “okay whatever, do what you like”
Christine: I don’t remember this at all but now that I learned we disagreed I am annoyed for no reason. Ultimately I really trust Alex’s opinion so that helps us get over disagreements.
How we ended up writing together is that we were already critique partners and had been for a few years, and I knew I could work with Alex because he is very focused and would get things done on time, and I like his writing and knew I could get alMichelle: How did you come up with Cassandra the heroine of your Dark Fae FBI series?
Christine: Alex was already writing FBI profiler books under another name (Mike Omer), and I’m a psychologist, so we thought it would be a good idea to combine all these things with urban fantasy. It was fun to include some aspects of my other field (i.e. she thinks a lot about nature and nurture arguments), and Alex brought a lot of his FBI research to the table.
Michelle: Cassandra's an FBI profiler, did you have a profile put together for her or any of the other characters? Or did you let the characters come organically?
Christine: We have profiles for the major characters, which usually include past traumas and an idea of what their flaws and defense mechanisms are. But they are different from reports I would write as a psychologist which would usually be IQ scores and a bunch of boring stuff about organizational skills.  
Alex: Several characters just sprouted spontaneously. Alvin, who is one of the most popular characters in the books was a spur of the moment idea by Christine, and some of the minor antagonists were things created in my twisted mind while I was walking the dogs.
Michelle:Every author has their own take on Fae mythology and I always love to see what people decide to make up, endlessly innovating the world of fantasy. What did you decide to write 'true to myth' and where did you take liberties?
Christine: We have sort of a mixture of characters from Irish, English, and Scottish mythology that are all blended together. It doesn’t take place in Ireland, but the Irish fae are just particularly cool. We borrowed from British Celtic gods to name a lot of the fae characters (but not all of them).
Michelle:The series takes place in London, and one of the most delightful aspects for me was the way historical events are attributed to the Fae. The great fire, the plague, the dancing plague etc... Did you know all this history before you wrote the series or was this something you sought out after you developed Cassandra? Also, I'm guessing from all the detail in the books that you've been to London, yes?
Christine: I lived in London for eight years and was obsessed with the history of the city. So for this book, we didn’t have to do any new research, but we were treading over the old neighborhoods that I miss so much.
Michelle:There are two men in Cassandra's life. Gabriel, the long suffering, but loyal police officer, and Roan, the dangerous but exciting Fae. We don't know who Cassandra will end up with, maybe neither of them, but who do YOU pick and why? Who do you think readers are rooting for? I'm with Gabriel. Roan's exciting, but at my age, I like a man who knows how to show up and be supportive. Lol
Christine: There is something really appealing to me about the fact that Gabriel has a clean house, and that he cooks for Cassandra. But it’s hard to resist a character with a dark and mysterious past like Roan. Also he is a sex fae. I mean, come on.
Alex: I like Gabriel better than Roan, because he has a nice smile, and is fun to talk to.
Michelle: Who are your favorite secondary characters? The leads, Cassandra and Roan, are fab but who did you become a fan of as the story developed? I myself enjoy Alvin and his trinkets that never quite work as expected.
Christine: I think Scarlett is my favorite. And she might get her own series some day.
Alex: I like Alvin best. He makes me laugh.
Michelle:.How many books do you have planned for this series? The first two are out now, when is the third coming out?
Christine: There are four planned for this series.
Michelle: Tell me all the things about your other series please.
Alex: I write crime thrillers under the name Mike Omer. I currently have 3 books in the Glenmore Park Mystery series which revolves around the detective squad in the town Glenmore Park.
Christine: I have two other urban fantasy series: Vampire’s Mage, which is about a demon-hunter who ends up on the side of the demons, and includes a romance with a shadowy demi-god. And my husband writes the first draft of a series called Demons of Fire and Night, about a girl with no memory who learns she’s a hellhound and gets swept away into a world of the demons.
Giveaway! Comment on this post with your answer to the question below for a chance to win a copy of the first two books in the Dark Fae FBI series and a $5 Amazon giftcard.
QUESTION: The portal to Fairy is open...do you go through or not? Who dares to take the risk? (It was a pretty dangerous place for Cassandra. FYI.)
              Find the series on Amazon. Free in KU.

What I'm Reading Right Now

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 NEW 
Goddess Vinea Summer wants to make amends to the sexy Devon McKinnon—the man she betrayed, but the werewolf refuses to accept her apology, damn it. When trouble finds Vinea, will Devon be willing to risk everything in a life-or-death battle for the woman he loves?

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Her love plunges him into the depths of the ocean. His makes her soar...

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 FR*EE until May 31 
Jenna O’Conner is not human, nor is she considered the norm for the supernatural Other community. It’s important she hide her true nature from both humans and Others. Right after moving to a new city, Jenna runs into trouble in the form of a deadly, mouthwatering man named Adam McPhee. He’s an alpha werewolf determined to do two things: figure out exactly what Jenna is and have her all to himself.
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What I'm Reading Right Now

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 NEW 
Haunted by an unclear past, biologically enhanced Marine, Eva Montreaux, can’t be distracted from her mission. With American troops being brutally murdered on the island of Okinawa, it’s critical. But when her investigation brings her face to face with Marcos Delacruz, it triggers lost memories -- that somehow include him.
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He's a Fire Elemental with a bit of a control problem. She's a fiercely independent graphic designer with a touch of Water in her blood. When fire and water come together? Steam.
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 FR*EE from 5/26 to 5/28 ~ FR*EE in KU 
Princess Anastasia Rose dreams of attending school, but her plans are put on hold when war begins between her father and the beastly lord of a nearby castle in the mountains.

Prince Alistair isn't an ordinary dragon. He's a shifter afflicted by a curse, unable to become human again until he finds his true love. When a mortal king's adventurers trespass in Alistair's territory to steal a rare flower, the prince decides to steal a valuable prize of his own.

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Outfoxed by Love! New Zodiac Shifters!

Outfoxed by Melissa Snark




Music is his magic.

Silver is a coyote-shifter with criminal tendencies and a golden voice. As the lead singer and guitarist for an indie rock band, he is devoted to his craft, however his disreputable past is about to catch up with him. He owes a god a debt, and gods always collect.

She’s a real fox.

When Hannah Kelly’s despicable ex-lover takes her grandmother hostage, she must turn her expertise as a security professional to burglary. With her twin sister’s help, Hannah sets out to steal a priceless Norse artifact from a notorious Russian oligarch.

Two thieves. One prize. A chase so wild, the pursuer becomes the pursued.


Release date: May 23rd 2017

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Excerpt
He continued on his way. Ahead, the shadows stirred and a figure emerged from an alcove on the opposite side of the alley. Even in silhouette, her riotous mane of wild curls was unmistakable. He hitched, caught mid-stride, his entire existence tipped off kilter. A wide, stupid smile overtook him, and he lacked even the sense to assess her as a threat. He stared at her face, not at her hands which could easily shift to claws sharp enough to rip out his beating heart. Like unwitting prey, he stood there and waited while she sashayed closer. 

Her steps were quick and light; her smile slight and sly. She got close enough that her distinctive, alluring scent flooded his nostrils. He leaned in closer, drinking in her warmth, and grew intoxicated within a handful of heartbeats. Enchanted—falling into lust if not love, and damn it, but blind, stupid horniness wasn't like him at all. In the back of his mind, the voice of caution squeaked out a faint alert, however pheromones drowned it right out.

"Why did you do that?" His fox tilted back her head, gazing up at him with the brightest of emerald eyes. Her voice was husky like a lover, but vicious like an assassin.

"Do what?" Silver grew guarded, assuming she meant their whole brief but contentious history. Agitation ate at him. He had wronged her. He owed her an apology—and more. 

"Help that kid after he lied to you." She gestured toward the teenagers. 

"Maybe he didn't lie to me. Here you are."

"Yeah, he did. He didn't see me. And..." She snorted. "Angel wings my ass."

"I mentioned your ass, too." Silver flashed a quick grin, but she didn't return it. He sighed. "You didn't fall out of heaven?"

"Wow... Does anyone actually fall for that corny line?" Her mask slipped just a bit. Beneath her coy flirtation, his fox bristled with repressed anger. Her beautiful face set into hard lines, and her jaws clenched.





About the Author



Author Melissa Snark lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband, three children, and a glaring of litigious felines. She reads and writes fantasy and romance, and is published with The Wild Rose Press & Nordic Lights Press. She is a coffeeoholic, chocoholic, and a serious geek girl. Her Loki’s Wolves series stems from her fascination with wolves and mythology.

Connect with Melissa: 
Website Blog Newsletter Facebook Twitter Amazon Author Page



Keep up with all the latest Zodiac Shifters news here!
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How About a Copy of Moon's Law?

Did you read First Moon and still need a copy of the second book Moon's Law?

Are you going to buy First Moon while it's 99c this week and would love to get book 2 for Free?

Click the link for a simple solution...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-r82NYuvzmLX_FMUWYtZ7NRI96y4GOOPKFGOQ1i8yWw/edit?usp=sharing

New Zodiac Shifters Book is only 99¢! Marked by Love

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 Excerpt (Adult Content): 
“You drive me insane,” he hissed.

Before she could respond, Aramond pulled her to him, his lips claiming hers. The intensity in his kiss sent her into a spiral of need so raw, she couldn’t stop herself. She pressed against him, meeting his tongue stroke for stroke. Unwilling to let him go for even a moment, she tugged at the edge of his shirt. He didn’t seem to need any further encouragement.

Aramond broke their kiss long enough to strip the white T-shirt from his chest. The briefest hint of daylight filtered under the heavy curtains covering the windows, but it was enough for her catlike vision to pick out his broad and rippled chest. His unblemished skin, healed from his fight, took her breath away. She ran her hands over him, enjoying the strength beneath the soft skin.

A purr of pure admiration rumbled in her chest.

He fumbled with the buttons on her shirt, but his large fingers were too big to handle the small fasteners. His brow furrowed as he concentrated, frustration etched in his dark eyes.

Danae couldn’t bear to see him look that way, so she helped him, as eager as him to rid herself of the confining garment. She wiggled out of the shirt, and his eyes widened at her blue and yellow floral bra.

He toyed with the straps and his finger grazed along the edge of the cup, the rough calluses on his fingers teasing her skin. Her nipples peaked, her anticipation growing. He didn’t make her wait long. With a glimmer of pure reverence in his eyes, he trailed one finger under her cup and over her taut nub. A moan eased from her throat, and she gripped his biceps. The muscles tightened under her palms, hard and firm.

“I like your choice of undergarments. Floral is nice, but it has to go.” His teasing words were rough, deep.

A part of her melted for him, right then and there, breaking through a piece of her wall. He reached behind her and unhooked her bra. Tenderly, he slid the straps down her arms until the garment slipped to the floor. He stepped back and her chest ached at the loss of contact.

A breeze from the open window fluttered the curtains, the sound gentle like a moth’s wings, matching the tremble in her heart.

With deliberate intent, he perused her, studying her with his full attention. An appreciative smile curled his lip. “Danae…you are so beautiful.”

Her heart broke open at his declaration, and she ran her finger over his bicep and down his arm. “I can’t tell you how many times I…” …fantasized about you. She couldn’t bring herself to say the last few words. Her jaw tightened. He couldn’t love her, not really, and she couldn’t give herself to him completely.

What I'm Reading Right Now

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Queen Isabella appreciated her swollen belly. In just a few days she would be gifting King Eldridge something they both had been waiting for -- a child. But the queen was not the only one anticipating the child’s arrival. Sorceress Aurelia, Queen Isabella’s blood sister, waited with baited breath as well, to give the child the best gift of all… a curse.
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 FR*EE 
Melanie Jacoby teaches English at Crystal City High School. She's also the reborn Muse of Tragic Poetry, but she isn't prepared for the tragedy of finding her roommate dead at the bottom of the stairs. Nate Malone is the detective assigned to the case, but as the evidence points to an accidental fall, the visions begin. He sees a killer in a gold Kronos mask. Mel is the next target. But tragedy isn't part of Nate's plan...
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My name is Larkspur, and I am an Elemental. My people use the power of the earth to sustain life and defy our enemies. I should be at my father’s side as a royal princess, but as a half-breed, bastard child, who has no power of her own, my life is on the line.

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What I'm Reading Right Now

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This isn’t about the Hunger, Rogues, or Magic… it’s more than that… it’s Rafe’s Destiny.

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6 sexy, curvy girls looking for love + hot, hunky shifters ready to mate + a dash of danger + a splash of humor = the Curvy Girls Mail Order Brides Club

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What I'm Reading Right Now -- Part 2

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Join the dark side! Step into the shadows with witches, werewolves, shifters, vampires, and soul mates: the sizzling hot alphas you love. Are you fated to find your fantasy lover in these seductive, steamy pages bursting with danger and desire?

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Read about three badass ladies and the silly alpha males who think they can manage them...

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What I'm Reading Right Now

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Good dragons? Bad dragons? Twenty-four hours ago, private chef Tessa Byrne didn’t know about the terrifying world of shifters. Now she knows too much, like the fact that a ruthless dragon lord is determined to claim her — forever. Tessa flees to Maui, where sunny skies, swaying palms, and a handsome stranger conspire to play tricks with her heart. Can she truly trust Kai Llewellyn and his band of battle-hardened shapeshifters to save her from a gruesome fate?

Don’t trust a human, and never, ever fall in love with one. Those are lessons Kai learned the hard way. But Tessa is different. Her emerald eyes mirror the mysterious pendant she wears, and her flaming red hair makes his heart race. Is his inner dragon just greedy for a new kind of treasure, or is Tessa his destined mate?
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Celebrate the release of Ghost Wolf, by discovering where the Wolves of Willow Bend started with a collection and heralds the changes to everyone's life when Mason Clayborne returns. Includes Wolf Bite, Caged Wolf, and Wolf Claim.

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Annika, unable to resist Eoghan’s numerous temptations, soon finds herself at the center of jealousy, betrayal, and war. As her memories return, both Annika and Eoghan are left with more questions than answers. Can Eoghan and Annika navigate the fallout of a discovered double life before their enemies strike a final blow?

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