Melissa Snark's Blog: The Snarkology, page 27
July 21, 2015
Elemental Storytelling: Tropes in The Vampire’s Partner by Jordan K. Rose #Romance #amreading
Melissa, anyone who signs up for my newsletter will receive all of the upcoming stories in my hot new paranormal romance series, Short Seductions FREE. The first 2 stories are available on all eRetailers. The next 8 will be available in the coming weeks, though are delivered free to all newsletter subscribers on release day.
Introducing the Tropes of The Vampire’s Partner
Title: The Vampire’s Partner
Publisher: Jordan K. Rose
Date Published: September 3, 2014
Genre: paranormal romance
Word Count: 30,000
The Vampire’s Partner is a paranormal romance where the hero (Hunter) if a vampire with in love with a human woman assigned to be his partner. They are members of The Vampire Guard who stand between the residents of Central City and Raymond Tyrone, a lunatic scientist who has been working on a way to harness all the extraordinary abilities of vampires and create his own vampire in a lab.
With Panthera Laboratories running again The Vampire Guard has no choice but to return to Central City. Pretending to be lovers Hunter and Alice are sent in to do reconnaissance. But pretending to be something they both wish was real proves harder than they expect.
For more than twenty-five months Hunter and Alice have worked together, trained together, even saved homeless dogs together, though that last item was never high on Hunter’s list of things to do. What they haven’t done is sleep together.
As far as Alice can see there’s no point to mixing business with pleasure unless you’re looking for a problem. Like every other girl who sees Hunter, she fantasizes about him. There’s no way she’s screwing up the one job that’s managed to get her out of the pit called Central City by sleeping with her partner.
In all his years Hunter had never encountered anyone who could resist his vampire influence. Not until Alice. She’s also the only human to ever best him in a sparring match, but that was beginners luck and had nothing to do with the fact that he couldn’t stop thinking of how he wished they were tangled up nude in his bed instead of the floor of a gymnasium. All Hunter can think about is somehow making Alice see him as more than just a partner at work. He’ll give anything to be her partner for life, love and eternity.
The Vampire’s Partner is a romance. I hadn’t realized I wrote romance until after I’d completed my very first book. At that time I wasn’t a big romance reader so I hadn’t made the connection. But now it’s clear as it can be. I love to read and write romances so that’s almost entirely what I write.
In The Vampire’s Partner is set in Central City. The place is in ruins due to a fire some twenty years back at Panthera Laboratories that killed one of the lab’s founders as well as many others. The near destruction of the lab has left everyone remaining in Central City in poverty. The streets of this once prospering town are no longer safe. The Vampire Guard works to keep the residents of Central City safe. With the fire and the loss of the founder who was an ally to The Guard, their work has gotten even tougher.
In this romance the Hunter and Alice spend every night together patrolling the streets of Central City looking for clues of what Panthera Laboratories is concocting and intervening on behalf of Central City’s residents.
Hunter is a vampire, and he’s quite enjoyed being one for nearly a hundred years. He likes fast cars, fast women and the ability to make them forget the little detail about him being a vampire. He’s a man who does the right thing, even when he knows it’s going to cost him—like not stepping over the line to admit his feelings to his partner. From the moment he “rescued” Alice from a mugging in a back alley he knew he was lost. That evening when he attempted to make her forget that she’d seen a vampire, she laughed. She’s continued to laugh ever since. Since no vampire can influence Alice and she can more than hold her own against any human, Hunter ends up with a new partner, one he can hardly stand to be apart from.
Alice can hold her own against any human – woman or man. Incapable of being influenced by any vampire’s mind control she can even keep vampires at bay. Tough, smart, and not afraid of many things, she doesn’t wait for trouble to find her. She chases it down with a vengeance.
The Vampire Guard is sworn to protect the residents of Central City against Panthera Laboratories.
Raymond Tyrone is the surviving founder of Panthera Laboratories. After his brother met a vampire-scientist at a cancer research conference the idea for Panthera Laboratories was born. However, Raymond was less interested in using vampire blood to cure cancer and more intrigued at using vampire blood to create a superhuman army to help him take over the world.
Excerpt:
Hunter had seen tons of other men look at Alice, and he’d noticed the way she looked back, like she was feigning disinterest. But he knew she longed to be with someone. What woman didn’t want to be cared for, appreciated, loved? What man didn’t want those things?
He drummed his index fingers on the table. “If you win tonight’s challenge, then you get to report.”
They’d sparred many times since he stumbled upon her getting beaten in a street fight. Some guy tried mugging the wrong girl. For all intents and purposes she was kicking the crap out of the dude and she didn’t truly need his aid, but he couldn’t help sticking his nose in where it wasn’t needed.
He’d planned to make her forget, but Alice couldn’t be influenced. And that’s how it all began. Twenty-five-plus months of Hunter not having an inkling of interest in any woman other than Alice.
She sighed loudly.
“Don’t get mad, baby.” Hunter played up their ruse. “You know it’s for your own good.”
That’s the excuse he’d been using. He’d even convinced Serge and the other guys it was a good idea he train her, help her hone her rudimentary fighting skills. That truly was his intention from the start, and he reminded himself of it nightly.
But he’d be a bold-faced liar if he tried to deny the real reason he made her train each night.
“Fine. But after I kick your scrawny little ass, I’m telling Serge about this.” Her eyes darted to her left.
He wanted her alone without interruptions. At least when it was just the two of them training in the gym, he didn’t feel guilty for her not acting on her desires to find a man she loved.
“You mean if…” He winked.
Buy links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1yveawS
Nook: http://bit.ly/1yvecVm
Kobo: http://goo.gl/m0rboe
iBooks: http://bit.ly/1t3naX0
Google: http://bit.ly/1r0xdFn
Author Bio:
Jordan loves vampires. She also loves to laugh. And if you know anything about Jordan, you know her vampires will make you laugh.
A few years back Jordan received a copy of Twilight from her husband as part of her anniversary gift. By the end of that week she’d read the entire series and moved onto Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. Eight weeks and eighteen vampire books later the idea for her first book came to her followed very quickly by Eva Prim.
The Eva Prim Series follows the night-to-night escapades of The Demon Mistress, a vampire with the inexplicable ability to call demons. With both full-length novels and short stories the series has a bit of something for everyone.
Jordan’s newest project is a sexy short story series, Short Seductions. The Short Seductions Series is a collection of ten spicy paranormal romance short stories, each of roughly 8,000 words in length. These hot little love stories are short enough to enjoy on your lunch break, but long enough to satisfy any romance reader. Each sensual tale tells the romantic journey of a different hero and heroine.
Anyone who signs up for my newsletter will receive the upcoming releases for free on release day! Sign up here: http://bit.ly/1G1Y903
Jordan’s other books include Black Magic Rose, book one of The Alliance Series, where the world is set in a hospital run by vampires and werewolves; and The Central City Romance Series, where members of The Vampire Guard one-by-one find love in the ruins of the city.
When she’s not writing about one vampire or another Jordan enjoys spending time with her husband, Ken and their lovable Labrador, Dino on the beautiful beaches of New England.
Author links:
Find Jordan on her website at www.jordankrose.com.
Follow her tweets on https://twitter.com/#!/jordankrose
Friend her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jordan-K-Rose-Author/307285709309992
Follow her Pinterest boards at: http://pinterest.com/jordankrose/boards/
Friend her on Goodreads at: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5751865.Jordan_K_Rose
Google- https://plus.google.com/109182255192009311324/posts
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jordan-K-Rose/e/B007D06OUU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1421929786&sr=8-1
Always You by Ella Jade #Romance #Anthology
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Aurora Mills has moved back to her hometown after a messy divorce which has left her penniless. Her friend Clara offers her a job at their family’s pub, and within days Aurora runs into Clara’s older brother Caleb. Aurora has always been attracted to him—there’s something about him that just draws her in.
Caleb Larson has spent the past few years coming to terms with the tragic deaths of his parents and struggling with the guilt of not being able to prevent it. His gift of premonitions should have allowed him to see their future. After Aurora returns to town, whenever he’s in her presence, he can sense that they have a deep connection of some type. Then he has a powerful vision from the past, and he knows there’s even more to his feelings than he thought. Can these two lost souls find peace in each other’s arms?
A Hint of Heaven by Nola Cross
Firefighter Jake Manley is a no-nonsense kind of guy. So when his little sister goes to see pet psychic Carrie Westfield, he lets the beautiful medium know he’s got a watchful eye on her. But somehow she does seem to know more than she should, including painful secrets from his past. When the helpful spirit of his boyhood dog shows up, things get even stranger, making him question everything he thought was true. Can Jake accept that life doesn’t end with death and let go of the guilt he’s carried all these years? More importantly, can he let Carrie Westfield into his heart?
Cupid and Cupcakes by Jacquie Underdown
In a snowy, sleepy town is a quaint cupcake shop. People travel from miles away to visit this sugar-scented store because they think it’s magical. They’re not entirely wrong. But it isn’t the shop, or the cupcakes it sells, that’s magical…it’s the owner.
Penny loves her little store, but people don’t visit Cupid and Cupcakes solely for her cakes. They have an ulterior motive—they’re seeking love. Penny is a matchmaker, a modern-day cupid, and she’s great at it. Never wrong. Unfortunately, Penny’s gift doesn’t work where her own love life is concerned. That is until Jonathon reappears in her life. He’s her best friend’s brother, utterly wrong for her, and completely off-limits. Or is he?
Psychic Set-Up by Lacey Wolfe
During a drunken night of self-wallowing over his failed love life, Parker Evans wanders into Psychic Set-Up to see what a matchmaking psychic can do for him. But once he meets the luscious psychic he’s not interested in anyone else.
Willow Webb is an aura reader who plays matchmaker for a living. While she has tremendous success matching up others, her own love life is nonexistent. Men aren’t able to handle being involved with a woman who can read their every emotion. But she finds herself drawn to her handsome new client. When it comes time to match him up, will she do her job or keep him for herself?
Something in the Water by Lisa Knight
Kindergarten teacher Jill O’Halloran does her best to disregard the visions she sees in pools of still water, having learned from a young age that it wasn’t something that happened to normal people. But when images of Darcy Albright in the throes of passion keep appearing, they prove too difficult to ignore. Jill can’t understand why she’s so drawn to Darcy. Sure he’s gorgeous, but she doesn’t do relationships.
When Darcy’s ex-wife drops a bombshell, Jill discovers that he’s all too familiar with futuristic visions. But is the prospect of learning more about the gift she’s denied for so long worth the risk of falling for him?
Indigo Stars by Stephanie Beck
Indigo’s ability to create light with her mind was always a fun parlor trick, but since her cancer diagnosis, the parlor has closed for business. On the brink of major health failure, she can’t help but wonder when her good luck ran out.
Dr. Lee Russell believes in healing by any means necessary. He uses his psychic powers in special cases when modern medicine just can’t help. Indigo’s case is special. She’s like him, yet she wastes her gift creating stars. He heals her, but doesn’t expect much, not until he gets sick himself and only Indy’s touch can ease his pain. He’s never seen himself as anything more than a healer, but to save his own life, Lee will have to mentor Indigo to reach beyond the stars and use her gift in ways she never imagined.
Taming Fury by Ellen Cummins
Holly is a mind-moving Fury who electrifies all human flesh she touches. Even her own family has sent her packing. She moves things with her mind, manipulating fire with the flick of her finger, but she burns for the one thing that has never been an option for her—love.
When she catches sight of the handsome man helping her new neighbor move in she longs to take a chance and introduce herself…to pretend to be normal just once. It could easily end in disaster, but surprisingly, when she shakes his hand, no mind-blowing electrocution follows, and she begins to hope. But it turns out that her touch has affected Jacob in a way she never imagined, and it will change his life forever.
Content Warning: these stories contain sensual sex scenes
Buy Links: Beachwalk Press
~Watch the Trailer~
Psychic Seductions only #99cents #Romance #Paranormal #Romance
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Only 99 cents:
Always You by Ella Jade
Aurora Mills has moved back to her hometown after a messy divorce which has left her penniless. Her friend Clara offers her a job at their family’s pub, and within days Aurora runs into Clara’s older brother Caleb. Aurora has always been attracted to him—there’s something about him that just draws her in.
Caleb Larson has spent the past few years coming to terms with the tragic deaths of his parents and struggling with the guilt of not being able to prevent it. His gift of premonitions should have allowed him to see their future. After Aurora returns to town, whenever he’s in her presence, he can sense that they have a deep connection of some type. Then he has a powerful vision from the past, and he knows there’s even more to his feelings than he thought. Can these two lost souls find peace in each other’s arms?
A Hint of Heaven by Nola Cross
Firefighter Jake Manley is a no-nonsense kind of guy. So when his little sister goes to see pet psychic Carrie Westfield, he lets the beautiful medium know he’s got a watchful eye on her. But somehow she does seem to know more than she should, including painful secrets from his past. When the helpful spirit of his boyhood dog shows up, things get even stranger, making him question everything he thought was true. Can Jake accept that life doesn’t end with death and let go of the guilt he’s carried all these years? More importantly, can he let Carrie Westfield into his heart?
Cupid and Cupcakes by Jacquie Underdown
In a snowy, sleepy town is a quaint cupcake shop. People travel from miles away to visit this sugar-scented store because they think it’s magical. They’re not entirely wrong. But it isn’t the shop, or the cupcakes it sells, that’s magical…it’s the owner.
Penny loves her little store, but people don’t visit Cupid and Cupcakes solely for her cakes. They have an ulterior motive—they’re seeking love. Penny is a matchmaker, a modern-day cupid, and she’s great at it. Never wrong. Unfortunately, Penny’s gift doesn’t work where her own love life is concerned. That is until Jonathon reappears in her life. He’s her best friend’s brother, utterly wrong for her, and completely off-limits. Or is he?
Psychic Set-Up by Lacey Wolfe
During a drunken night of self-wallowing over his failed love life, Parker Evans wanders into Psychic Set-Up to see what a matchmaking psychic can do for him. But once he meets the luscious psychic he’s not interested in anyone else.
Willow Webb is an aura reader who plays matchmaker for a living. While she has tremendous success matching up others, her own love life is nonexistent. Men aren’t able to handle being involved with a woman who can read their every emotion. But she finds herself drawn to her handsome new client. When it comes time to match him up, will she do her job or keep him for herself?
Something in the Water by Lisa Knight
Kindergarten teacher Jill O’Halloran does her best to disregard the visions she sees in pools of still water, having learned from a young age that it wasn’t something that happened to normal people. But when images of Darcy Albright in the throes of passion keep appearing, they prove too difficult to ignore. Jill can’t understand why she’s so drawn to Darcy. Sure he’s gorgeous, but she doesn’t do relationships.
When Darcy’s ex-wife drops a bombshell, Jill discovers that he’s all too familiar with futuristic visions. But is the prospect of learning more about the gift she’s denied for so long worth the risk of falling for him?
Indigo Stars by Stephanie Beck
Indigo’s ability to create light with her mind was always a fun parlor trick, but since her cancer diagnosis, the parlor has closed for business. On the brink of major health failure, she can’t help but wonder when her good luck ran out.
Dr. Lee Russell believes in healing by any means necessary. He uses his psychic powers in special cases when modern medicine just can’t help. Indigo’s case is special. She’s like him, yet she wastes her gift creating stars. He heals her, but doesn’t expect much, not until he gets sick himself and only Indy’s touch can ease his pain. He’s never seen himself as anything more than a healer, but to save his own life, Lee will have to mentor Indigo to reach beyond the stars and use her gift in ways she never imagined.
Taming Fury by Ellen Cummins
Holly is a mind-moving Fury who electrifies all human flesh she touches. Even her own family has sent her packing. She moves things with her mind, manipulating fire with the flick of her finger, but she burns for the one thing that has never been an option for her—love.
When she catches sight of the handsome man helping her new neighbor move in she longs to take a chance and introduce herself…to pretend to be normal just once. It could easily end in disaster, but surprisingly, when she shakes his hand, no mind-blowing electrocution follows, and she begins to hope. But it turns out that her touch has affected Jacob in a way she never imagined, and it will change his life forever.
Content Warning: these stories contain sensual sex scenes
Buy Links: Beachwalk Press
~Watch the Trailer~
July 20, 2015
Elemental Storytelling: Tropes in Enchantress’ Destiny by Beth Caudill #elves #fantasy #amreading
Thank you for having me again. I spent many hours searching the TV Tropes site. Not all of my time was spent on items related to Enchantress’ Destiny. Although, Enchantress’ Destiny has fairy tale elements which opened more elemental possibilities than I expected.
Introducing the Tropes of Enchantress’ Destiny
Title – Enchantress’ Destiny
Publisher – Moonlight Mountain Books
Date Published – March 2015
Genre – Fantasy / Paranormal Romance
Word Count – 25,200 words
One dark curse, two elves and a destiny neither could escape.
Cursed at his birth by a dark elf, Rowe Calder avoids personal entanglements, especially his betrothal to Caliressa Bellehaven. Circumstances force them together and love won’t be denied. But the dark elf claims his vengeance and only the strongest enchantress can reclaim Rowe’s soul.
Elemental Storytelling Molecule Definitions
I’m a pantster when it comes to writing my stories. I start with an idea or situation and write until the characters stop speaking to me. When I started Enchantress’ Destiny, I hadn’t intended to write a fairy tale. I started with a curse and the Dark Elf. It was only during edits that I realized I’d written a reverse Sleeping Beauty tale. (It wasn’t too much of a surprise given I’d written the first draft during the summer the movie Maleficent released.)
Rowe, my hero, is the one afflicted with the curse. Avoiding the chance at finding his love and triggering the curse has dictated his life, until he meets Clairessa. Claire is a powerful elven enchantress and refuses to believe she can’t save the elf who comes to mean so much to her.
Upon his birth, the Dark Elf cast a curse upon Rowe. When he performed the bonding ceremony with his True Love, the curse would take Rowe’s life.
The curse will not be denied, although it is altered by Claire’s spell and love.
Rowe and Claire are a variation of Wood Elves. They are tall, have pointed ears, athletic, live in treehouses and possess magic. Their magic is directed through stones they have an affinity for and connects them to Arilase and the Goddess who they worship.
Love at First Sight is never easy. Rowe and Claire have to fight their own hang-ups and the consequences of the curse.
Faux Death and Converse with the Unconscious
After the curse takes affect, Rowe’s body lives by drawing on his bond with Claire. His soul/essence is taken away, leaving him unconscious. Claire has no choice but to drag his body on the quest to save him. She may occasionally talk to the undead body; nobody knows what happens in the dark of the night.
It’s a romance, so this fairy tale has the requisite happy ending scene where we see the couple together after everything is wrapped up.
The Dark Elf has forsaken everything in search for vengeance. He became something so dark that when he dies, his soul will be lost forever denied the warmth of the Goddess.
I always thought the Cheshire Cat had something evil on his mind. You can’t trust that smile. He became the inspiration for the true villain of this tale, a woman who was given a chance to redeem her past evil deeds by the Goddess.
Still attached to her evil ways, the cat influenced the Dark Elf to seek revenge and discouraged any attempts at remorse.
An evil laugh echoed in chamber where the final confrontation takes place. It confirmed Claire’s belief someone other than the Dark Elf was involved in the situation.
Excerpt:
Claire watched him walk to the bar. The view of his back, particularly his ass, was almost as enticing to stare at as the front. His long amber honey hair swished behind him and his scent, the tangy zip of orange, hung in the air like the fragrance from her orange-scented geranium. On his way back, blue, green and gold colored eyes held her gaze, and her insides quivered with nervous energy. He was a delicious sweet, mixed with the allure of a hunter’s confidence, like the tree lynx in search of prey.
A moment of indecision gripped her. Dating an elf would be problematic with the betrothal contract hanging over her head. But he tempted every part of her and their liaison would be fleeting. For one night, she could revel in the touch of another elf and embrace the wildness he called within her.
He returned with a cone-shaped glass, filled with a white liquor colored with the faintest tinge of blush and placed it in front of her. She twirled the toothpick with a winterberry on the end and raised an eyebrow at him.
“I didn’t order this.”
“It’s a club special.” His eyes and smile dared her to turn him down. “I hear they’re very popular with the female guests. Surely tonight is a time for experimentation?”
Accepting his lure, she drained half the concoction. Tartness exploded on her tongue and burned her throat, but she was never one to back away. Staring into his eyes, she licked her lips. “Delicious.”
His quiet moan sent a distinctly feminine thrill through her. Knowing a man appreciated her attributes brightened her mood.
Group laughter and the stamp of many feet heralded the arrival of at least ten people. Quickly, the remaining tables filled and they could hardly hear each other above the din. Her spirits took a downturn with the numerous arrivals. She’d enjoyed the quiet privacy.
A loud clatter disrupted every conversation as a lion shifter shoved a satyr into a table and it splintered under his weight. The goat-man rose, stomped his hooves and laughed, oblivious to the unhappy stares directed his way.
“Perhaps you’d like to take this elsewhere?” Rowe whispered in her ear.
Buy Links
Amazon – http://www.amzn.com/B00UNF3QKI/
Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121412070
iBooks – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/enchantress-destiny/id976609430?mt=11&uo=4
Author Bio
Although Beth grew up in West Virginia, she currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two sons and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who makes an excellent lap warmer. Blending the analytical and creative sides of her brain, she delights in creating fantasy worlds for others. Catch her online most days except when NCIS and Once Upon a Time air.
Author Links
Book Website: http://bethcaudill.net/novellas/enchantressdestiny.html
Author Website: http://BethCaudill.net/
Author Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/fs6SU
Author Email: beth@bethcaudill.net
Author Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/beth_caudill
Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorBethCaudill
Author Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/bethcaudill13/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00538IWEU
July 17, 2015
Elemental Storytelling: Tropes in La Déesse Noire: The Black Goddess by Mariana Gabrielle #amreading #Romance
I like to think of myself as a trope-buster (doesn’t every author?). As a historical romance writer, I see myself as someone who creates unusual characters with genuine scars and iconoclastic histories, who are uniquely placed to overcome self-imposed barriers. In the world of romantic fiction, however, the trope is not only alluring, but if you break it utterly, you do so at your peril.
La Déesse Noire: The Black Goddess was a trope-buster from the start: an edgy Regency romance in which the heroine is an Indian courtesan, her best friend a gay man, three villains, two heroes, and an interracial marriage. No Dukes or debutantes.
But a trope is a trope, and a romance novel is a romance novel, and given the enormous number of story elements to sort through at TV Tropes, you can be sure LDN did not make it through the analysis unscathed. (Rather the opposite, I’m afraid, which made me question—momentarily—my own originality.)
Introducing the Tropes of La Déesse Noire: The Black Goddess, by Mariana Gabrielle
Publisher: Whaley Digital Press
Date Published: June 10, 2015
Genre: Historical romance, multicultural romance
Word Count: 60,000 words
Sired by a British peer, born of a paramour to Indian royalty, Kali Matai has been destined from birth to enthrall England’s most powerful noblemen—though she hadn’t counted on becoming their pawn. Finding herself under the control of ruthless men, who will not be moved by her legendary allure, she has no choice but to use her beauty toward their malicious and clandestine ends.
When those she holds most dear are placed in peril by backroom political dealings, she enlists some of the most formidable lords in England to thwart her enemies. But even with the help of the prominent gentlemen she has captivated, securing Kali’s freedom, her family, and the man she loves, will require her protectors stop at nothing to fulfill her desires.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/19cKUjY
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Fc31m3
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1wmBxTE
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1K1vMGq
iBooks: http://apple.co/1E4ajHF
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Bx1OCV
All Romance eBooks: http://bit.ly/1DeYx8O
Underpinning the entire book is the Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism, for our heroine has every reason to believe the worst of her prospects, no reason to believe help will be forthcoming, and no faith in her own power. Her situation, too, gives rise to distrust and doubt. One cannot live among people who have had hard lives, without encountering more nihilism than optimism. On the flip side, however, are the experiences of men of influence in her life, for whom life comes easily, who have every right to assume the world’s vagaries will fall in their favor.
Our heroine, Kali Matai, is the queen bee of a Honey Trap, (which is to say, stuck fast in a duty she did not choose), who has known all her life that Love is a Weakness. Not only has she been trained from childhood to act as skilled concubine to one powerful man or another, the only time she ever indulged in a romantic entanglement, it ended in heartbreak and taught her the firm limits of her own power.
Against her will, she acts as a tool for political espionage and blackmail, controlled by a Bitch in Sheep’s Clothing who Would Hurt a Child, a man who showed and convinced her of a dangerously false face. The man’s threats to her, and to her family, are the blackest imaginable, including Blackmail of her best friend, Solomon, an Armoured Closet Gay who, in 1816 England, risked a death sentence to carry on his illegal relationship.
In part to further his political ends, and in part to control Kali, her tormentor threatens Solomon and his lover, the Last Straw for Kali, who reaches a Rage Breaking Point with one of her friends and a Tears Breaking Point with another, but finally acts to regain her power and control of her own life.
Twice in her life, Kali falls In Love with the Mark, and twice they fall in love with her. This leads, during the crisis point, to two Big Damn Heroes rushing to save the day for her, doing everything in their considerable power to give her the Karmic Twist Ending she (and the rest of the cast) deserves.
Excerpt:
Broaching the subject of her renown while playing Hazard at White’s, he heard from one gentleman who knew another who had it on good authority she was the disgraced widow of a sub-continental native prince. Then another man spoke of another who said she had been the favorite concubine of a maharaja.
No, one more man argued, everyone knew she had been mistress to Napoleon before he had set out to conquer the world, and had barely escaped France when war broke out. Yes, came a voice from across the room, it was common knowledge—among anyone important enough to know—that she had worked tirelessly for the foreign office, providing intelligence on the Little Corporal’s preferences in bed.
“Nearly a duel between Neville and Ambrose, before cooler heads prevailed. One just doesn’t threaten a succession over a lightskirt.”
“Picks and chooses who she takes to bed, but accepts jewels from anyone.”
“Lord Devlin’s second son buried at the crossroads for unrequited love of her.”
“Josston said it cost him less to take an Earl’s daughter to wife than keep La Déesse Noire for a half-year.”
Unsubstantiated rumor and innuendo fell from all sides, piling at his feet, and it seemed every man in the building had seen her show. Every man in the building had an opinion about the virtues and vices of the Black Goddess. One thing was agreed in all quarters: she did things in the bedchamber that might change everything a man knew about the intimate act. And every man in the building would do nearly anything to be thus altered.
Author Bio
Mariana Gabrielle is a pseudonym of Mari Christie, a professional writer, editor, and designer with almost twenty-five years’ experience. Published in dozens of nonfiction and poetry periodicals since 1989, she began writing mainstream historical fiction in 2009 and Regency romance in 2013. In all genres, she creates deeply scarred characters in uncommon circumstances who overcome self-imposed barriers to reach their full potential. She is a member of the Bluestocking Belles, the Writing Wenches, and the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Her first Regency romance, Royal Regard, was released in November 2014.
Mariana Social Media
Facebook Launch Party, June 10, noon – 8 pm EDT: https://www.facebook.com/events/1423746821261258/
Website and Blog: www.MarianaGabrielle.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariChristieAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mchristieauthor
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@Inkitt’s latest #Horror writing contest “End Game” is now open for submissions!
Inkitt is a free writing platform that aims to help writers achieve their fullest potential. On July 13th the site launched a new Horror writing contest:
End Game
Submit your scariest and most menacing original horror stories! Petrify readers with tales that will trap and drown them in your world of helpless terror, but somehow leave them itching for more. Come. Play.
There is no minimum or maximum word limit, and, as always, no entry fee.
Contest guidelines
Authors will retain all rights to any and all works submitted in the contest.
Submissions close on August 10th, but voting will continue for an additional week
Original stories of any length are accepted.
Entries must be posted on the Inkitt contest page to be considered eligible.
The top 10% based on reader votes get the chance to be picked by the Inkitt staff for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize.
All entrants will have the chance to show their work to a rapidly growing community of authors and readers hungry for high-quality fiction.
Submit your stories here: www.inkitt.com/endgame
You can also read more horror stories for inspiration in Inkitt’s horror section.
July 16, 2015
Elemental Storytelling: Tropes in Rayne’s Thunder by Jami Brumfield #Romance #amreading
Introducing the Tropes of Rayne’s Thunder
Dating a werewolf can get a little hairy, literally and metaphorically. Rayne Manchester’s 
suitors learn this pretty quickly. Rayne and her siblings, Rhyme and River, have been through a lot lately, and the loss of their father was only more fuel for the firestorm that is their lives.
Grief offers a subtle salve to the drama that eats up their existence and leaves them spinning like a tornado, but when their uncle reads their father’s last will and testament they discover things are only going to get worse. The will divides the massive estate equally, but there is one catch; all three must be mated and married one year from their father’s death. If even one of them fails in this mandate, none of them will inherit! Estranged, the siblings will now be forced to help each other.
Rayne’s Thunder is Rayne Manchester’s journey toward finding a mate and walking down the aisle. Upcoming, Rhyme’s Reason and River’s Fire are River and Rhyme’s stories to happily ever after.
In Rayne’s Thunder, Part One: Master Chef of the Dating a Werewolf Series, Rayne meets her first suitor, Brick. Their date goes well until payback is delivered for the disrespect the two made to the new alpha. Immerse yourself in this series, the characters, and their world. They’re waiting for you to join them on their adventure.
Each installment will serve up romance, suspense, intrigue, and action.
Rayne’s Thunder (Part One) Master Chef Amazon US
Rayne’s Thunder (Part Two) The Veterinarian Amazon US
Rayne’s Thunder (Part One) Master Chef International Link getBook.at/RT1
Rayne’s Thunder (Part Two) The Veterinarian International Link getBook.at/RT2
In Rayne’s Thunder from the Dating a Werewolf series two characters, who grew up despising each other, are thrown into multiple situations that force them to look at each other differently and uncover the love that is at the core of the hatred. They say, ‘there is a thin line between love and hate’ and it’s demonstrated thoroughly in this romantic serial. It’s a journey to true love, finding your perfect mate, kissing a few frogs along the way to uniting with Prince Charming.
The setting of Rayne’s Thunder takes place in a small Colorado town called Myriad Springs. Rayne and her suitors are werewolves. These wolves live as a subculture in the small town. While some humans are privy to their secrets not all know about them. Its urban fantasy set in a country town. The supernatural characters are expected to conform to the societal norms, both human and paranormal. They follow two sets of rules and manage to balance the scales in the process.
Rayne is chosen to mate and marry a man in one year or she and her siblings will lose their inheritance. She must choose her mate from a list of ten men chosen by her recently deceased father. In Rayne’s Thunder choice is the main motivator for the hero and heroine.
In Rayne’s Thunder, Rayne changes in so many ways which makes her extremely dynamic. The problem is, when the pendulum is swung, it sometimes over compensates before finding the normalcy, something Rayne does a lot of in this romantic serial.
When you begin reading Rayne’s Thunder it becomes glaringly obvious who Rayne should choose. The problem is both the hero and heroine can’t seem to get out of their own way to make it happen. Too much muddy water and history clouds their judgements and keeps them apart. Not to mention the other suitors, for both of them that seem to muck things up further and all the political drama around River’s appointment to Alpha, the witches’ inability to make peace with the wolves, and the rogue wolf faction that is trying to tear the Manchester family out of the alpha seat. It seems like everything gets in the way of these two finding each other’s arms, but true love wins out in the end, right?
It’s a world of werewolves, witches, and humans involved in dangerous political games. Powerful players that are leaders in this fictional world. It’s like reality unless noted.
Excerpt Chapter One:
The day my father died was heartbreaking. I’m not ashamed to admit I shed more than my share of tears. It was what my roommate, Joanna, called an ‘ugly cry’. The searing pain that clenches the chest at a loss of a loved one is something I’m sure many people can relate to, Joanna had been lucky and hadn’t felt this agony yet. Foolishly, Jo spent a couple of days trying to cheer me up, even went so far as to set up a chance meeting at The Watering Hole with our neighbor, Cole, who I’d been crushing on for the past semester in Chemistry class at Brigade University.
It was a nightmare! Our very first, actual conversation ended with me rushing off to the bathroom for a good cry and then sneaking out the back door and disappearing. Odd? Perhaps, but I was the baby of the family and a bona-fide daddy’s girl. Being social with anyone was the last thing I wanted. Being able to feel the loss would be the only way I could heal. Getting set up with a guy who’d be no more than a fling, because he wasn’t a werewolf, was not going to make the pain go away.
It wasn’t peculiar, though, when I hightailed it out of the city and returned home that very night. Joanna was pissed and left some nasty voicemails on my cell, but I figured I’d straighten it all out with her when I returned to college after the funeral. I mean, my father did just die. If she couldn’t understand that, well, fuck her. The one man who loved me more than anyone else in this world was gone and I needed time to grieve. So I emailed my instructors and informed them I was taking a week of bereavement and left the big city of Denver, Colorado for the country of Myriad Springs.
When I arrived, it was late. Freda, the live-in maid, greeted me with an irritated scowl and let me set up my old bedroom. It was as though I hadn’t been gone for close to four years. Everything was exactly the same. I felt like I’d stepped back in time and was visiting the room of a stranger. I had changed so much over the last few years, it was hard to reconcile the image of the nineteen year old in the photos with the twenty-three year old staring back at me in the mirror. Pressures and the stress of school left miniscule marks on my face, and the ashen shade of my skin and dullness of my golden brown hair was a result of my guilt and grief.
Author Bio:
Jami M Brumfield has a passion for the paranormal, supernatural, and mythological worlds for most of her life. She believes there is a kernel of truth in every story and loves playing detective to discover what that hidden truth is. She has written most of her life. She started with poems and short stories, then graduated to journalism working for online websites. It was only a natural progression that her love of writing and her passion for the unknown would combine. Her books are a product of that union.
Jami is a multi-genre author in the paranormal arena. She currently has eight series out and two more in the writing process. The Winters Saga series is a Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy Adventure with a touch of romance, Mystery Springs Series is an Adult Paranormal Romance with awesome Action and a Mythological twist, PBI (Paranormal Bureau of Investigation) Case Files series is a Paranormal Mystery series with Romantic Suspense, Ghost Connection series is a New Adult Paranormal Mystery series centered around a reluctant medium and her ghostly companions, Shifter Love Tales series is an adult paranormal romance with mythological twist, Paranormal Hypnotherapy Files series is an adult paranormal romance with a metaphysical twist, Vanished is a paranormal dystopian romance series, Magical Secrets Series centers around antique hunters Josie and Joshua Parker and the mysteries they solve from magical antiques they find, and Demon Love Tales an adult paranormal romance series.
Jami Brumfield’s Author Page on Amazon Author.to/JamiBrumfield
Jami Brumfield’s Newsletter http://spiritandmindconnection.us7.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=1eaee477a5c8cad422a7f00fc&id=e025fdf09c
Jami Brumfield’s Blog http://jamibrumfield.blogspot.com/
Jami Brumfield on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamiMBrumfield
Jami Brumfield’s Reader Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1611857345765271/
Cover 2 Cover with Jami and Michele Radio show http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cover2cover1
July 15, 2015
Elemental Storytelling: Tropes in Origins: Demo 1 by Farah Evers #amreading @FarahEversAuthor #SciFi
“Science is the seed from which enlightenment is harvested.” ~ The Gardeners.
Contrary to common belief, the Gardeners are not a botanical group. Let’s shove that myth out the window. But what are they?
An ancient movement sprung out of Syria in the 1700s led by an influential intellectual with special abilities and numerous followers. Descendants of the Gardeners bloodline are cursed with an ability to foresee the future and experience interdimensional visions. They hold one secret, one prophecy, one single piece of artifact that would salvage mankind from its corruption. It is the Unholy Grail and every greedy opportunist on the planet wants to get their hands on it, if for nothing but its archeological value.
The last descendent from the bloodline, Suddeek Hassan, is extracted from an enemy of the state prison and returned to his old post as the president’s advisor, only to find out his own government had put him there in the first place. Now, acting as a double agent, Suddeek is determined to expose the corruption and overthrow the regime. Except… the world has changed a little since he’d last seen it. The year is 2155 and ancient religions and sects have taken control of first world technology while enforcing their laws on the land. As if things weren’t bad enough, the much coveted grail had fallen in their evil hands. Lebanon survived the Technological Collapse Era, only to end up ruled by a corrupt government that massacres people to quench its thirst for power and control.
Suddeek’s friends had secrets and secret identities some of which mysteriously trace back to his own origins. Member of Parliament, Najib Jasha, has gone rogue and has built a surprisingly powerful stronghold under the tyrants’ noses. And Suddeek’s old friend, Professor Cratia, who tried to instigate the Gardeners inspired New Order before his death, well… let’s just say his legacy puts this whole thing in full circle, for his dying wish was to cleanse the region of said zealots who oppress the masses and hinder progress.
The professor’s daughter, Demo? She’s the chosen one. Armed with her own little secret that links into the New Order and Unholy Grail fiasco, she proves indispensable to solving the puzzle. Not only has she been promoted to head of intelligence and internal affairs at the presidential palace but she’s also more breath-taking than he remembers. The old man did ask him to take good care of her after he was long gone but dammit, Suddeek never thought he would find himself melting in her eyes. Don’t judge. He’s no pervert. True love knows no chronology.
With her help, they must overcome conspiracies, recover the New Order, fulfill her father’s wish, and try to remain as sane as possible. All they need is to retrieve the stolen grail first and then decipher it. Yeah, good luck with that one.
Suddeek and Demo set on their quest for origins and toppling the regime. Will they succeed in restoring technological freedom back to the masses? Will they be able to fulfill her father’s legacy and save humanity from oppression and corruption? Will they baw-chika-baw-waw and live happily ever after?
In a world of futuristic espionage, led by a Middle Eastern version of Robert Langdon, science fiction meets Da Vinci Code in a high action adventure thriller. If you’re thinking about reading this book, buckle up. You’re in for quite the ride.
Introducing the Tropes of Origins Demo 1
Dirty politics just got dirtier.
2155. Lebanon survives the Technological Collapse Era only to end up governed by tyrannical zealots who control higher technology.
When the unholy grail falls into their totalitarian hands, Suddeek Hassan, the grail’s only heir, finds himself on a mission to instigate an interplanetary new order with laws that originate from his own bloodline.
Available from:
Origins, Demo 1 Elements Breakdown.
This novel was designed on a 3 Act Structure and a Prophecy Twist.
Protagonist: Suddeek Hassan
GH: Guile Hero. Armed with the astuteness of his political mind and a unique clairvoyant ability, it’s no wonder Suddeek is the president’s personal advisor. Despite his past training in the military and with intelligence agencies, Suddeek’s modus operandi mostly consists of cunning conversation and verbal manipulation. You could say he can talk his way in or out of just about anything… Well, most of the time.
DYN: Dynamic Character. On his journey of self-discovery and origins, Suddeek learns more about his own heritage and what it means to become a true Gardener. We’re not talking about the botanic type either. (Who are the Gardeners?)
STW: Saves The World. Suddeek’s prime directive as he discovers his mission in life is to save the world from the after-effects of totalitarian conspiracies with interplanetary laws that originate from his own bloodline. Or is a utopia too far-fetched for mankind on Earth?
Protagonist 2: Demo Cratia
Neo: The chosen one. Demo, whose name is the main title of this series, is the chosen one. Without her, Suddeek’s attempts to complete his missions would prove impossible. Because of Demo all hell breaks loose, countries rebel, governments fall, planets connect… you see where we’re going with this. She is the one key to solving every riddle they come across. Suddeek and Demo’s pasts, present, and future are intertwined in ways they never expected.
DYN: Dynamic Character. Demo went from being an insignificant, invisible, albeit quite tech savvy genius, to an objectified cause that left mayhem in its wake. She had never been a spoiled brat, despite her privileged upbringing but her journey to maturity reaches its potential when she fulfills her father’s prophecy.
DET: The Determinator. Stubborn and determined to her own detriment, Demo would not shy away from manipulating or hurting even those who are closest to her, in order to achieve her goals. They are noble goals though. At least she seems to think so. It’s justified in that case, no?
Antagonist: SPOILER ALERT. If you haven’t read the book yet, skip this part. There’s a touch of a whodunit spirit to our villains in this book. However, if you have read the book, click the link below. 
Antagonist elements consist of the following:
BAD: Big Bad.
VV: The Visionary Villain.
More here: http://faraheversauthor.com/origins-demo-1-antagonist/
Excerpt:
“There seems to be a malfunction in the transporter’s influx mechanism,” a tall man in a black and white uniform reported. “There is a presence on board. I think you might want to see this, master.”
The other man turned around in his seat at a control panel. He stood up and walked toward Suddeek, studying him from head to toe.
Suddeek gawked at his doppelganger, his mouth hanging low. “You’re real.”
The other Suddeek circled around him. “Alien? Shape shifter? Time traveler?”
Suddeek shook his head, still fascinated at the sight of himself in a black and white leather suit, armed and rather muscular in comparison. “I don’t know. Where am I? Who are you?”
“I’m Suddeek Hassan, master of the Gardener’s alliance. This is my ocean-space ship, the Seven Voyager. We’re in shallow waters now. Curious as I am to know how my stunt double materialized in here, I am in the middle of something. Zakariah, show this man to one of the empty quarters.”
“No wait, I don’t have time. Please, Suddeek.” Addressing himself sounded outlandish to his ears. “I’m Suddeek Hassan as well. I am on a mission myself, and I have no idea how I ended up here or why. I often have vivid visions, but it’s like they’ve been materializing.”
Zakariah approached Suddeek with a scanner. “Signals from his corporeal form indicate a different frequency, but he is human, and he does share your exact DNA, master.”
Suddeek observed the giant view screen and noticed the red rocky formations he had visited before.
A strong flashing light flushed across.
“It’s back, master,” Zakariah said. “This is our chance to get to her before Annas.”
“Sorry, Suddeek, we’ll have to catch up another time. Invisibility mode on. I’m going out,” the other Suddeek said. He transported to the exact place where Suddeek had found him the last time he walked into this surreal vision. Zakariah zoomed in on the view screen.
Suddeek watched the other version of himself get caught by someone who resembled the cardinal. Only this guy fought with a golden cane that slithered around his body like a snake, transforming into deflective energy fields and back into a firing cane. The cardinal cuffed Suddeek number two.
“Damn,” Zakariah said. “Master, she’s at the wormhole. Should I proceed?”
“No,” came the answer through the ship’s amplifiers. “Get the cardinal.”
A woman screamed in the distance. Suddeek heard her familiar words. “You will never see me again. Neither you, nor your children, nor your children’s children…”
He watched his alternate version fall to his knees. “No. Please don’t disappear again.”
Zakariah said, “Locking on to target in three, two, one. Firing now.”
The cardinal wrapped himself in his deflector shield which sent an explosion of fire back to the ship. It shook and jolted Suddeek to the side. His head slammed into the ship’s walls, knocking him out.
Author Bio:
Farah Evers is a Science Fiction writer. Her educational background is in Interior Architecture, which plays an integral role in urban development and world building. During her entire academic and professional life, Farah integrated science fiction concepts that allowed her to create unique high-tech projects, which were considered futuristic at the time. By the same token, architecture has shaped and influenced her take on science fiction. The way she thinks and sketches out her worlds begins with the fundamentals of architectural design that always bring back memories of countless overnights, sketching, conceptualizing, and drafting out perspective sketches.
Architecture wasn’t the only factor that played a major role in her understanding of life around her. Evers has a deep interest in Middle Eastern politics, anthropology, and psychology.
Her continuous struggle with weight led up to a short career as a gym trainer. Years of research in the health and nutrition field played a dramatic role in the birth of some of her science fiction concepts and ideas.
Her first published short story appeared in an anthology book, Elements of Dimension, in 2010. Two more e-short stories from the Expressions of Grace anthology collection was published via TTM: “The Feather” & “Julio Adriane”. (Of various genres) All short stories won third place in Twin Trinity Media’s writing contest. She then moved on to focusing on her career as a Science Fiction novelist. Her first novel “Demo” is a political science fiction thriller.
You might also know Farah Evers as a professional graphic designer, award winning book cover artist, digital artist, and performer (actor/singer)
Get in touch:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6858517.Farah_Evers
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaraEversAuthor
Website: http://faraheversauthor.com
e-Mail: mailto: info@farahevers.com
Elemental Storytelling: Tropes in Origins: Demo 1 by Farah Evers #amreading @FarahEversAuthor
“Science is the seed from which enlightenment is harvested.” ~ The Gardeners.
Contrary to common belief, the Gardeners are not a botanical group. Let’s shove that myth out the window. But what are they?
An ancient movement sprung out of Syria in the 1700s led by an influential intellectual with special abilities and numerous followers. Descendants of the Gardeners bloodline are cursed with an ability to foresee the future and experience interdimensional visions. They hold one secret, one prophecy, one single piece of artifact that would salvage mankind from its corruption. It is the Unholy Grail and every greedy opportunist on the planet wants to get their hands on it, if for nothing but its archeological value.
The last descendent from the bloodline, Suddeek Hassan, is extracted from an enemy of the state prison and returned to his old post as the president’s advisor, only to find out his own government had put him there in the first place. Now, acting as a double agent, Suddeek is determined to expose the corruption and overthrow the regime. Except… the world has changed a little since he’d last seen it. The year is 2155 and ancient religions and sects have taken control of first world technology while enforcing their laws on the land. As if things weren’t bad enough, the much coveted grail had fallen in their evil hands. Lebanon survived the Technological Collapse Era, only to end up ruled by a corrupt government that massacres people to quench its thirst for power and control.
Suddeek’s friends had secrets and secret identities some of which mysteriously trace back to his own origins. Member of Parliament, Najib Jasha, has gone rogue and has built a surprisingly powerful stronghold under the tyrants’ noses. And Suddeek’s old friend, Professor Cratia, who tried to instigate the Gardeners inspired New Order before his death, well… let’s just say his legacy puts this whole thing in full circle, for his dying wish was to cleanse the region of said zealots who oppress the masses and hinder progress.
The professor’s daughter, Demo? She’s the chosen one. Armed with her own little secret that links into the New Order and Unholy Grail fiasco, she proves indispensable to solving the puzzle. Not only has she been promoted to head of intelligence and internal affairs at the presidential palace but she’s also more breath-taking than he remembers. The old man did ask him to take good care of her after he was long gone but dammit, Suddeek never thought he would find himself melting in her eyes. Don’t judge. He’s no pervert. True love knows no chronology.
With her help, they must overcome conspiracies, recover the New Order, fulfill her father’s wish, and try to remain as sane as possible. All they need is to retrieve the stolen grail first and then decipher it. Yeah, good luck with that one.
Suddeek and Demo set on their quest for origins and toppling the regime. Will they succeed in restoring technological freedom back to the masses? Will they be able to fulfill her father’s legacy and save humanity from oppression and corruption? Will they baw-chika-baw-waw and live happily ever after?
In a world of futuristic espionage, led by a Middle Eastern version of Robert Langdon, science fiction meets Da Vinci Code in a high action adventure thriller. If you’re thinking about reading this book, buckle up. You’re in for quite the ride.
Introducing the Tropes of Origins Demo 1
Dirty politics just got dirtier.
2155. Lebanon survives the Technological Collapse Era only to end up governed by tyrannical zealots who control higher technology.
When the unholy grail falls into their totalitarian hands, Suddeek Hassan, the grail’s only heir, finds himself on a mission to instigate an interplanetary new order with laws that originate from his own bloodline.
Available from:
Origins, Demo 1 Elements Breakdown.
This novel was designed on a 3 Act Structure and a Prophecy Twist.
Protagonist: Suddeek Hassan
GH: Guile Hero. Armed with the astuteness of his political mind and a unique clairvoyant ability, it’s no wonder Suddeek is the president’s personal advisor. Despite his past training in the military and with intelligence agencies, Suddeek’s modus operandi mostly consists of cunning conversation and verbal manipulation. You could say he can talk his way in or out of just about anything… Well, most of the time.
DYN: Dynamic Character. On his journey of self-discovery and origins, Suddeek learns more about his own heritage and what it means to become a true Gardener. We’re not talking about the botanic type either. (Who are the Gardeners?)
STW: Saves The World. Suddeek’s prime directive as he discovers his mission in life is to save the world from the after-effects of totalitarian conspiracies with interplanetary laws that originate from his own bloodline. Or is a utopia too far-fetched for mankind on Earth?
Protagonist 2: Demo Cratia
Neo: The chosen one. Demo, whose name is the main title of this series, is the chosen one. Without her, Suddeek’s attempts to complete his missions would prove impossible. Because of Demo all hell breaks loose, countries rebel, governments fall, planets connect… you see where we’re going with this. She is the one key to solving every riddle they come across. Suddeek and Demo’s pasts, present, and future are intertwined in ways they never expected.
DYN: Dynamic Character. Demo went from being an insignificant, invisible, albeit quite tech savvy genius, to an objectified cause that left mayhem in its wake. She had never been a spoiled brat, despite her privileged upbringing but her journey to maturity reaches its potential when she fulfills her father’s prophecy.
DET: The Determinator. Stubborn and determined to her own detriment, Demo would not shy away from manipulating or hurting even those who are closest to her, in order to achieve her goals. They are noble goals though. At least she seems to think so. It’s justified in that case, no?
Antagonist: SPOILER ALERT. If you haven’t read the book yet, skip this part. There’s a touch of a whodunit spirit to our villains in this book. However, if you have read the book, click the link below.
Antagonist elements consist of the following:
BAD: Big Bad.
VV: The Visionary Villain.
More here: http://faraheversauthor.com/origins-demo-1-antagonist/
Excerpt:
“There seems to be a malfunction in the transporter’s influx mechanism,” a tall man in a black and white uniform reported. “There is a presence on board. I think you might want to see this, master.”
The other man turned around in his seat at a control panel. He stood up and walked toward Suddeek, studying him from head to toe.
Suddeek gawked at his doppelganger, his mouth hanging low. “You’re real.”
The other Suddeek circled around him. “Alien? Shape shifter? Time traveler?”
Suddeek shook his head, still fascinated at the sight of himself in a black and white leather suit, armed and rather muscular in comparison. “I don’t know. Where am I? Who are you?”
“I’m Suddeek Hassan, master of the Gardener’s alliance. This is my ocean-space ship, the Seven Voyager. We’re in shallow waters now. Curious as I am to know how my stunt double materialized in here, I am in the middle of something. Zakariah, show this man to one of the empty quarters.”
“No wait, I don’t have time. Please, Suddeek.” Addressing himself sounded outlandish to his ears. “I’m Suddeek Hassan as well. I am on a mission myself, and I have no idea how I ended up here or why. I often have vivid visions, but it’s like they’ve been materializing.”
Zakariah approached Suddeek with a scanner. “Signals from his corporeal form indicate a different frequency, but he is human, and he does share your exact DNA, master.”
Suddeek observed the giant view screen and noticed the red rocky formations he had visited before.
A strong flashing light flushed across.
“It’s back, master,” Zakariah said. “This is our chance to get to her before Annas.”
“Sorry, Suddeek, we’ll have to catch up another time. Invisibility mode on. I’m going out,” the other Suddeek said. He transported to the exact place where Suddeek had found him the last time he walked into this surreal vision. Zakariah zoomed in on the view screen.
Suddeek watched the other version of himself get caught by someone who resembled the cardinal. Only this guy fought with a golden cane that slithered around his body like a snake, transforming into deflective energy fields and back into a firing cane. The cardinal cuffed Suddeek number two.
“Damn,” Zakariah said. “Master, she’s at the wormhole. Should I proceed?”
“No,” came the answer through the ship’s amplifiers. “Get the cardinal.”
A woman screamed in the distance. Suddeek heard her familiar words. “You will never see me again. Neither you, nor your children, nor your children’s children…”
He watched his alternate version fall to his knees. “No. Please don’t disappear again.”
Zakariah said, “Locking on to target in three, two, one. Firing now.”
The cardinal wrapped himself in his deflector shield which sent an explosion of fire back to the ship. It shook and jolted Suddeek to the side. His head slammed into the ship’s walls, knocking him out.
Author Bio:
Farah Evers is a Science Fiction writer. Her educational background is in Interior Architecture, which plays an integral role in urban development and world building. During her entire academic and professional life, Farah integrated science fiction concepts that allowed her to create unique high-tech projects, which were considered futuristic at the time. By the same token, architecture has shaped and influenced her take on science fiction. The way she thinks and sketches out her worlds begins with the fundamentals of architectural design that always bring back memories of countless overnights, sketching, conceptualizing, and drafting out perspective sketches.
Architecture wasn’t the only factor that played a major role in her understanding of life around her. Evers has a deep interest in Middle Eastern politics, anthropology, and psychology.
Her continuous struggle with weight led up to a short career as a gym trainer. Years of research in the health and nutrition field played a dramatic role in the birth of some of her science fiction concepts and ideas.
Her first published short story appeared in an anthology book, Elements of Dimension, in 2010. Two more e-short stories from the Expressions of Grace anthology collection was published via TTM: “The Feather” & “Julio Adriane”. (Of various genres) All short stories won third place in Twin Trinity Media’s writing contest. She then moved on to focusing on her career as a Science Fiction novelist. Her first novel “Demo” is a political science fiction thriller.
You might also know Farah Evers as a professional graphic designer, award winning book cover artist, digital artist, and performer (actor/singer)
Get in touch:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6858517.Farah_Evers
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaraEversAuthor
Website: http://faraheversauthor.com
e-Mail: mailto: info@farahevers.com
July 14, 2015
Elemental Storytelling: Tropes in Heady Velvet by Emily Walker #Romance #amreading
What is a Trope?
In literature, a trope is a theme that recurs across a genre, like the ‘mad scientist’ of horror movies or ‘once upon a time’ as an introduction to fairy tales. It’s similar to archetypes and clichés, although not necessarily negative in aspect. Tropes are often considered shorthand by writers. Readers expect heroes or villains to react in certain ways. Writers can alter those expectations by having the characters act in different manners, or by give the characteristics of a hero to the villain, and vice versa. There are thousands of tropes.
The wiki site TV Tropes is a catalog explaining the tricks of using them for fiction writers and fans. If you want proof, take a look at the Periodic Table of Storytelling chart.
Here’s how Heady Velvet fits within the tropes on this chart. We’ll read the elements in the molecule below from top to bottom. I’ll explain each item and show you how it fits within the tale, without giving away the ending. You can click the element name to visit the page for that trope on the TV Tropes site.
Introducing the Tropes of Heady Velvet
Publisher: Emily Walker
Series – The Club
Date Published: July 15, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Blurb:
Alice Plume is a carefree spirit. She doesn’t get worked up about much—how could she when her son-in-law owns a secret sex club?
While she’s fine with the fact that her daughter lives a life surrounded by kink, she’s never had any desire to venture further into the lifestyle—or even the club itself—other than catering a party or two. But then, she meets Knoll Seaton.
Knoll is the sexy personification of the silver fox—a real estate mogul with a voice that makes her insides melt, and touch that makes her want to beg. He’s also very much into the club lifestyle.
Alice isn’t sure that she can change her perception of sex to meet Knoll halfway…but Knoll isn’t one to walk away from something he wants. And he wants Alice.
The journey of two characters from strangers to lovers.
One of the perennial herbs and spices in the cauldron of storytelling old and new. It’s been around a while, it’s a major driving force of fiction and it’s not going anywhere. A surefire crowd pleaser; probably the only way to really, really screw it up is to overdo it. Induces emotional stakes in an audience like nothing else.
My two main characters are on a journey to be together. Alice and Knoll are older, and both very sure of what they enjoy in life, and want in a partner. They have to meet in the middle because they both have different views when it comes to their sexuality.
The setting, the geography, etc. should somewhat resemble the viewer’s. The newspapers will have the same headlines, the cities will look the same on the surface, etc. But… hidden below it all, what’s really going on is far different. This trope is a tool of the writers to engage Willing Suspension of Disbelief and ensure Plausible Deniability.
I kind of stretched this one just a bit.
The sex club looks like a regular restaurant. There are also encounters Alice has with people in town that are members, but live different lives outside the club. The club is exclusive and private. All members and the people who work there must sign NDAs.
When you think about it, the vast majority of things we do in our everyday life are incredibly boring. Sports games? A bunch of people throw a ball around. Lunch? You put food in your mouth and chew it. Talk about dull.
In the world of fiction, however, this kind of mundanity simply will not do (unless you’re such a good writer that you can pull it off). This is especially noticeable when plot-relevant events of huge import are going on! Looks like we need some editing work from Doctor Fabulous if this is gonna get anywhere. To an otherwise mundane scene, we will thus add
Gripping orchestral music (bonus points for ominous Latin chanting)
Dramatic lighting
Repeat cuts abound
Extreme close-ups
Exaggerated expressions and gestures
Excessive intonation in speech
Slow motion, often Slow Motion Drop or Slow Motion Fall
…And all of a sudden, we’ve got something exciting. Well, in theory anyway. Simply by reading this page, you’ve made it substantially more obvious to yourself when the film editor is just using these disclaimers to screw with your emotions, and indeed, overuse of these tone-changers will be obvious to nearly anyone. Of course, effective use of this trope will blind the viewer with sheer awesome to the point that they won’t notice.
Alice is basically a food taster, but the amazing chef and the company of the sexy Knoll make eating less than mundane.
Plucky means ‘brave and optimistic’.
You might be able to pile life complications onto this young woman/girl, to the point where the audience would forgive her if she just refused to go on. She might even have an episode or so where she does throw in the towel, because human beings can only take so much of what the universe is handing out for her. But the Plucky Girl always comes back. That’s the bravery part.
Alice is a free spirit and brave to have her own business and raise a daughter alone.
People change; it’s a fact of life if not nature. However, change can be gradual, and people may keep the core of their character intact for much if not all of their life, just as a traumatic experience may well abruptly change someone completely. Characters reflect that. When a character finishes a story with a different outlook or personality than when they started, they are called a Dynamic Character. It doesn’t matter whether they had a Deep and Nuanced personality or started life as a cardboard cutout, the character changes in either a subtle or overt way.
Knoll changes through the story softening to Alice and willing to change the way he lives for her.
Excerpt from Heady Velvet
Alice arrived precisely on time Thursday morning and Abigail showed her to the table she’d shared with Tally yesterday. Only instead of Tally, seated across from her was one Knoll Seaton. He was just as handsome as he had been the day before and just as smartly dressed. She was glad she was wearing a simple yellow dress that was comfortable but didn’t make her stand out like a sore thumb next to him.
“Where’s Tally?” Alice wasn’t unhappy to see him, but surprised he was sitting at her tasting table.
“She thought I could watch your reactions to the food today. There was a client she had to tend to and I graciously offered to sit in her place.”
“You just want to eat the delicious food.” She teased.
“I could watch that wonderful mouth of yours and listen to the sounds you make all day without taking a bite.”
She blushed and was surprised she had been able to make such an impression on him in one short day of conversation. Not knowing what to say, she stumbled over her words a bit.
“Well, he makes way too much for just me, and I like to watch people enjoy food just as much. That’s especially true when I like the company.” Oh man, she was flirting, wasn’t she? This was not something she did. Tally set her up. She knew it when she saw her trying to be nonchalant behind the bar. Client my ass.
Author Bio and Links
Emily Walker loves creating worlds and stumbling around in them. She is constantly losing her chap-stick, and has an obsession with the color pink. Currently a resident of the mountains and loving the view she writes mostly paranormal fiction, and horror. Her small family consists of her red bearded other half, a rat terrier named Rebel, and a cat called Mr. Creepy.
You can find all of her work here – http://www.authoremilywalker.com
Website http://www.authoremilywalker.com
Blog http://www.selfpublishordie.com
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/authorewalker
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/authoremilywalker
Facebook Fan Page – http://www.facebook.com/emilywalkerfans
Review Site http://www.reviewsfrombeyondthebook.blogspot.com
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