Lauryn April's Blog: April Books, page 5

RELEASE DAY!

Unearthed After Sunset is officially available for purchase, and it will be available for 99cents on Amazon only for one more day!



Amazon - In both paperback and kindle format

Barnes & Noble - In both paperback and nook format

Kobo - In ebook format


About the Book:

When Greg Erickson is killed by sultry and seductive vampire Lila, he wakes up cold and alone in a wooden box. After clawing his way out, he finds himself thrust into a vampire turf war, unsure of exactly whose side he’s on and why he’s fighting. Greg discovers that it’s not easy to be human one day and hunting humans the next. While his new vampire cohorts push him to accept his newfound existence, there’s one girl from his human life he’s unable to forget.

Caroline Christensen lived a normal life once. Then her brother was killed by vampires and her family legacy as a vampire hunter was handed down to her. When she meets Greg at a bar one night, they both feel an immediate connection. Then Greg discovers Caroline’s secret and she worries he’ll never talk to her again. She soon finds out that he has a very different reason for not calling – he’s dead.

Now Greg has become Caroline’s target, but can she bring herself to kill him? Greg, however, isn’t Caroline’s only concern. The vampires are battling one another, and Caroline is determined to find out what they’re fighting over.

Taking Cliché Vampire Themes and Making Them Your Own

Vampires are a far cry from an original supernatural creature. They’ve existed in literature for centuries. So, how do you write about them and make them feel new? This was one of the biggest challenges I faced when writing Unearthed after Sunset. How to put your own twist on a story is a question writers tackle no matter what they’re writing about. There are no new plots, as they say. So, writers are constantly trying to create their own spin on things. With a vampire story, however, I feel like this is particularly difficult because if you twist too much then are you really writing about vampires anymore?



Readers expect to see some of the typical vampire stereotypes. We all know that vampires are immortal blood drinkers that burn in the sun and live in gothic mansions. They have no reflections, hate garlic, sleep in coffins, and can’t come in your house unless invited. The only way to kill them is with a wooden stake through the heart and they can be warded off with a handy religious symbol like a crucifix or holy water.
Follow all these rules and you risk being cliché, but don’t follow enough or change too many of them and you risk leaving your readers feeling like they got tricked into reading a vampire-book that isn’t really about vampires.
So, here’s what I did with Unearthed after Sunset:
First, I looked all the vampire rules/stereotypes and decided what I needed to keep so that my creatures would still feel like vampires. For Unearthed after Sunset that meant they had to drink blood. They just wouldn’t feel like vampires to me if they didn’t drink blood. I also wanted to keep the rule that vampires burn in the sun. Those were the two most iconic vampire rules to me, so they had to stay.
Second, I had to decide where does vampirism come from in my story. This meant deciding if it had a magical cause or one more akin to a virus. Since there’s no magic in my vampire universe, I eliminated the vampire rules/stereotypes that related specifically to magic. The vampires in Unearthed after Sunset are not deterred by Holy water, crosses, or garlic, and they can enter your house without an invite. They also do have reflections.
Third, I decided what things I wanted to take my own twist on. The biggest change I made with Unearthed after Sunset was changing what killed my vampires. I tweaked the traditional stake through the heart by deciding that it’s not the wood that actually kills the vampires. Since vampirism is like a virus in my world, I decided the way to kill them would be with a substance that “cured” the virus. So, my vampire hunters use wood stakes, but they soak them in Transylvanian Sage Oil, which is what actually destroys the vampire virus.
Another thing I tweaked was making it so my vampires could only drink human blood. Part of the reason I made this change was because I felt like a lot of vampire novels have recently gone the way of the “vegetarian vampire” who only drinks animal blood. And, while that was an original twist when I first heard of it, I now feel like being a veggie-vamp is too easy. Making this change not only helped my story feel more original, but it also added an obstacle for my characters and I enjoy making them suffer.

I tweaked a few other things, but if you want to know what other twists I took on the stereotypical vampire mythology you’ll have to read Unearthed after Sunset.

Find out more about Unearthed After Sunset by following its blog tour!

Unearthed Book Tour Kick Off and GIVEAWAY

The blog tour for Unearthed After Sunset starts today! Follow the tour to read exclusive excerpts, book reviews, and guest posts all about my new urban fantasy vampire novel. The tour kicks off here with a little info about the book, and tomorrow it moves to Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews with a Song for a Scene guest post! I'm also doing a giveaway for a SIGNED PAPERBACK copy of the book.

About the Book:
Title: Unearthed After Sunset Genre: Urban Fantasy Author: Lauryn April Publisher: Crimson Thistle Release Date: October 15th, 2017


Synopsis:
When Greg Erickson is killed by sultry and seductive vampire Lila, he wakes up cold and alone in a wooden box. After clawing his way out, he finds himself thrust into a vampire turf war, unsure of exactly what he’s fighting for. Greg discovers that it’s not easy to be human one day and hunting humans the next, and while his new vampire cohorts try to get him to accept his newfound existence there’s one girl from his human life he’s unable to forget.

Caroline Christensen lived a normal life once. Then her brother was killed by vampires and her family legacy as a vampire hunter was handed down to her. When she meets Greg out at the bar one night they both feel a connection. Then Greg discovers Caroline’s secret and she worries he’ll never talk to her again, but soon she finds out that he has a very different reason for not calling – he’s dead.

Now Greg has become the thing Caroline is supposed to hunt, but can she bring herself to kill him? Greg, however, isn’t Caroline’s only concern. There’s something going on with the vampires. They’re fighting over something and she’s determined to find out what it is.




TOUR DATES
Oct 5: Tour Kickoff @ Lauryn April's blog
Oct 6: Song for a Scene @ Laurie's Thoughts & Reviews
Oct 8: Interview @ Ashlynne Laynne
Oct 10: Book Review @ Indie Wish List

Oct 11: Making Cliches New @ Lauryn April's blog
Oct 12: Song for a Scene @ Field of Bookish Dreams

Oct 13: Book Haunt Spotlight @ O.D. Book Reviews
Oct 14: Excerpt @ The Hopeless Reader

Unearthed After Sunset will be released on October 15th, 2017


READ CHAPTER 1 FOR FREE NOW
PRE-ORDER FOR 99CENTS



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September Reading and Writing Wrap-Up

I spent a LOT of time marketing in September. Unearthed After Sunset releases on October 15th, so I was super busy trying to set up a blog tour and line up some reviews for the book before release day. I forgot how hard the marketing part of self-publishing is.





READING:

Books Reviewed in September:

I didn't review ANY books in September. I finished The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower #1)  a little while ago. I'm just behind on writing up my thoughts. So, that is coming soon.

Books Read in September:

I'm almost done with The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware. I'm liking it so far.

Books to read in September:

I also added Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris to my TBR list.


WRITING:
OCTOBER 15th is the official release date for Unearthed After Sunset. It's all set up and ready to go on Amazon, and I'm finishing the last tweaks on Ingram Spark so hopefully, I can make my release date on all platforms, including B&N, Nook and I-Books. You can pre-order it now for 99cents. In between all the fun marketing for Unearthed, I've been working on book #2 in the Cereus Vampire Chronicles. The first draft is done, and after a read through I decided to add two new scenes to that I'm not quite done with. Once I finish those I'll probably do two more read-throughs before I start looking for beta readers. I also have a greek mythology book I've been tinkering with and a fantasy novel I've been working on when my scatter-brain ways get the best of me.

BLOGGING:

I've been getting back into the swing of blogging. My upcoming release for Unearthed has eaten up a lot of my time, but I did get a chance to put together a few fun posts this month, and I posted a few author interviews. I also typed up a bunch of guest posts for the BLOG TOUR that's happening in October for Unearthed After Sunset. I really wanted to do a few really fun posts, so while there are some reviews and some author interviews I also wanted to write a few "Song for a Scene" posts and there are some Excerpts. Every stop on the tour has something different! You can follow the tour HERE.



My Favorite Blog Posts in September:
Favorite Post Written: 3 Must Have's for Chapter One: Writing a killer first chapter is essential to getting readers into your story. The last thing you want is to bore your reader with the first chapter and have them put your book down before they see how awesome it is.
Favorite Post Read: If Practice Makes Perfect: I liked this post on Y's Words because Yvonne discusses some of her frustrations with both Amazon and Ingram Spark. I'm currently having some of the same frustrations with Ingram, so it was nice to see that I wasn't alone.



PERSONAL:

I went to a wedding this month and had a blast, and I'm currently in ROME for my honeymoon! I'm curious to see what story ideas this city might inspire. 

How was your September?

3 Must Haves for Chapter One

Most writers know the basics about what should go in their first chapter. Obviously, you want to introduce your main character and give your readers a little background about your story. But, exactly what should happen in chapter one is something I think a lot of writer's struggle with. So, here are three tips to writing that first chapter.

Must Have's for Chapter One:

1. A hook or question to be answered later - You need some kind of mystery, something that puts a question in your reader's head to make them keep reading in search of the answer. Don't start your book with long exposition and backstory. Do, find an interesting moment for your opening scene and sprinkle in backstory as you go.

In the first chapter of  Shatter Me  we learn that Juliette has been locked away in a cell, but Tahereh Mafi leaves why as an open question for her readers to wonder about.

2. A moment that makes your main character like-able - Have your character do something that makes your readers want to root for them. This is sometimes called the "save the cat" moment. This moment, whatever it is, gives your reader a reason to care about your main character and want to go on a journey with them. This can be a small moment or something major, but it's an important moment. If your reader doesn't care about your characters they have to reason to keep reading.

Having a like-able moment is especially important if you have a character that is otherwise unlikable. If your main character does something sympathetic in chapter one, your reader will have an easier time forgiving them for things they may do later on or looking past other unlikable traits.

In Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout we quickly discover a number of reasons to feel sympathetic toward Katy. On page one its revealed that Katy's father has recently passed away and she's just moved to a nowhere town. But, the moment that really made me care for Katy was when she saw her mom making eggs (and not doing a great job at it). Despite the fact that she clearly didn't want to move, and that she thought the eggs looked gross, she ate them knowing it would make her mom feel better. It was a small moment that showed she cared about her mom and for that reason I wanted to root for her.

In Before I Fall  by Lauren Oliver, we're given a lot of reasons not to like the main character, Sam. But, the book opens with her death and Sam thinking back on some things that she seems to feel guilty about. This allowed Oliver to build some sympathy for Sam allowing for readers to be willing to watch her do some mean things throughout the book as she learned to be a better person. This isn't as great of a like-able moment as Katy's from Obsidian because dying is something that happened to Sam, where in Obsidian Katy chose to eat the eggs, but it still worked. Your like-able moment will be stronger if your character actively makes a choice to do something your reader will sympathize with.

3. Description to set the scene - Let your reader know when and where they are. Your reader is being introduced to your book's world in chapter one, so be sure to give them enough details to picture it. Poor descriptions can leave your reader feeling confused or irritated that something wasn't as they imagined it. This is especially important for books that aren't set in a conventional modern day world.

In The Selection, Kiera Cass does a good job setting the scene for America's dystopian world. You know by the fist paragraph that America's family has had a hard time, by the first page that she feels crowded in her own home, and by the end of the first chapter you have a basic understanding of the caste system and that while America's world looks a lot like our own there are some big differences in her society.


For me, the best first chapters have all three of these "must-have's". Only including one or two can leave you with a lack-luster first chapter. Big Little Lies, for example, opens with a flash-forward scene showing a glimpse of the book's dramatic conclusion. It meets "must-have" number one, by opening with an interesting scene that leaves the reader with a question to be answered, and it meets "must-have" number three with some nice scene building. But because the POV is not that of one of the main characters it's unable to meet "must-have" number two and leaves the reader unable to connect with any of the main characters. This was one of my least favorite first chapters.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like: 5 Reasons Readers Put Books Down

What books do you think had the best or worst first chapters?

Author Interview with Missy De Graff

Today I have an author interview with Missy De Graff to share. Her debut novel, The Rogue’s Fate, is scheduled to be released Fall 2017. The Rogue's walks the line between an urban fantasy and paranormal romance and will appeal to the older YA and Adult crowds.

Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi, I’m Missy! I’m so excited to be here, Lauryn thank you so much for having me. A little bit about me…I have a degree in Criminal Justice, a career in Program Management, and I dabble in herbalism. I live in a little slice of heaven at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with a pond, an heirloom apple orchard, and honeybee hives (unfortunately we lost our hives this season, but hopefully we will have more hives again in the future). We have a Mountain Cur (dog), two indoor cats, and eight barn cats. I enjoy a variety of activities, which obviously include reading, writing, and daydreaming. I enjoy weaving together fantasy worlds of romance and intrigue, mixed with paranormal elements, suspenseful storylines, and addicting characters. But a perfect day to me is spending time with my husband and son, laughing and enjoying the little things in life.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? I was telling a good friend of mine of an idea I had about the creation of vampires. And she was like “OOOOOO, YES! You need to write a book about it!” And, that’s the first time I ever actually thought about writing a book. From then, anytime I had the spark of an idea however big or small, I’d write it down.

Have events or people in your life ever inspired scenes or characters in any of your books? Well, since I write about paranormal creatures–no. Real-life people, nor events have inspired my scenes or characters, lol. But, the emotional responses to situations I put my characters through, may have been influenced by real life.

What is your favorite underappreciated novel? That is a hard one. I have several favorite books that are by indie authors and are underappreciated. I guess the first one that comes to mind is the Sweet Series by Bailey Ardisone. (If you haven’t read it and you enjoy Elves, you should totally check it out!)

What is your favorite/most frustrating part of the writing or publishing process? My favorite process is the brainstorming, plotting, and outlining. I love throwing curve balls at my characters and seeing what they do with it. The most frustrating part are the revising and editing rounds! 
Tell us about your main character. Lucinda Mae Ravin is a rogue wolf shifter, meaning she wanders alone with no pack allegiance. She is strong-willed, resilient, and compassionate. Life has thrown so much at her, and she may stumble, but she doesn’t falter. Her life motto is:

I bend with the hurricane when the wind blows.

I stand as solid as a brick wall when the waves come crashing down.

I am strong.

How did you pick your character names? I try to pick my characters names for a specific reason, such as the meaning of the name. Lucinda, the main character, her name means Light. And Caiden, the male lead, his name means Battle. In picking Lucinda’s name, I also wanted a name that had multiple nicknames. Lucinda has two nicknames-Lux and Cinda-one representing different periods of her life.

Do you have a favorite scene in the last book you wrote? Tell us about it. I can’t say too much about it without giving away spoilers, so I’ll just say this...my favorite scene is when the big bad Alpha drops his shield and we see his vulnerability.

What’s something you had to edit out of your last book? I tend to write on the shorter side vs the longer side. While most Authors need to cut down their word count after their first draft, I need to bump it up. I like action. So, during my first draft, I often skip through the finer details and write only the action and dialogue parts. So, during the first round of revision, I need to add all the detail. And as far as editing...there are a few words and phrases I tend to use a lot that needs to be edited out, such as smirks, snarl, flaring nostrils, and clenched jaw to name just a few.

What are you currently working on? I’m currently in the first round of revisions for The Alpha’s Secret, which is the second book in The Raven Chronicles. And then I’ll dive straight into drafting the third book, The Witch’s Betrayal.

What kind of books do you read in your free time? I read an assortment of books to include YA, NA, and Adult. I love the fantasy genre, which include all of its sub-genres, I also enjoy Historical Fiction, and of course select Romance sub-genres, especially Paranormal Romance.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? Reach for the stars, but also keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. Believe in yourself and just keep reading and writing. The more you read and write, the better you’ll get. And most importantly...Never give up!!!


About the Book:If your life hung in the balance, would you choose to make your own destiny or leave your life to fate?

Lucinda Raven is being hunted by her ex-lover, a controlling rogue Alpha, who is determined to perform the sacred mating ritual that will bind them together forever. Knowing nothing will keep him from carrying out his ruthless plan, Lucinda is on the run and seeks refuge in the territory of an old friend.

Caidan Moone, cursed Alpha of the Blood Moone Pack, has a tortured history that haunts him daily. He sees the arrival of this beautiful and alluring nomad as a chance at redemption from his prior failures and invites her to stay, despite the danger it brings to the entire pack.

As Caidan and Lucinda grow closer, her two worlds collide and Lucinda must face the events of her dark past in order to save the future. Will Caidan be able to protect her without sacrificing his pack? Or will she end up bearing the mark of her psychotic ex?

Social Media links:
Website: https://missydegraff.wordpress.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormissydegraff/Twitter: @dream_craziness

Author Interview with Scerina Elizabeth

Hello everyone, today I have an interview with Indie Author, Scerina Elizabeth where she talks about her latest novel, Fangalicious Divas.

What inspired you to write your last book? 
My inspiration for my last novel “Fangalicious Divas: A Fanged Sister Prequel” came from me just wondering what if the women of the lives of the legendary monsters (i.e. Dracula, Wolfman, and Frankenstein) – what if they had their own “Real Housewives of…” reality show and how would their lives look if they were apart of such a situation. So, I tried my best to make each main character unique and strong with a very powerful yet with a touch of humor story to tell.

How did you come up with the title for your book? The title Fangalicious Divas came from me wanting to give it a very unique title that would not only stand out but also tell a tale in the title itself. Divas being that they are each divas in their own unique ways and Fangalicious because they are legendary creatures that we often hear about. 
Tell us about your main character. Well I have three main characters and I will tell you about each of them. (1) Mina Tepes is the true love of Vlad Tepes (aka Dracula) who we all know have always been the one woman who have caught his heart as no other despite him having many lovers and brides – in movies and books we often see him with Mina Harker, which says something about her and his love for her. In my book, I have her as a motherly figure to all his other brides yet at the same tie she despises them because of how Vlad would often put them before her and ignoring not just her but even her needs for him as well. She is at the end of the rope and ready to walk out of his life, her story shows whether their relationship can survive and if their true love is truly strong enough; (2) Anya Martinez is a very territorial and possessive she-wolf who discovers her werewolf fiancée’ Sancehz Vargos is cheating on her with his ex-lover Stanzia Allegra and out of anger, she seeks revenge on him only to pay a very hefty price of her own indiscretion that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Her story just basically shows that despite all that has happened, when is true love and meant to be, true love will always survive no matter what; and last but not least (3) Elsa Frankenstein the bride of Frankenstein. Her story is just a touching story where she dreams of having a child but due to her situation and circumstances she is unable to have children but life has a way of working out for the best and her prayers are answer one fateful night when she comes to the rescue of a young mother with her infant daughter, I will stop here as I don’t want to give away the story.

What makes your book different from others in its genre? I honestly think that what makes my book different than most in this genre or other similar books is the fact that I don’t hold back and try my best to add my own personal touch to it without looking like a copycat. It is all in the writing style as well, we each have our very own style of writing and how we write is what makes our stories stands out from all the other similar ones. 
Do you have a favorite scene in the last book you wrote? Tell us about it. I do not have a favorite scene but I do have a favorite story and character – Elsa Frankenstein. I love how they came together to take care of the little infant Aurora – they were all like one big family caring for a little human infant. It was truly beautiful.

Who designed your book cover?
I design my own covers.
How did you find your editor? I met my editors and proofreaders on Goodreads, my editor Robin Butler has been with me the longest and has always done a good job of editing on my books. She is the only one who I truly trust with editing any and all of my books.

What is the best resource for authors? For me, I would have to say reviews from the readers as their honest feedback is what helps improve your stories for the better. I learned the hard way that both bad and good reviews are critical tools in writing. Another good resource is having a really good team who can not only edit and proofread your book manuscripts but also beta read and work with you develop your storyline and characters. Catch what you are missing and in the long run make the book more enjoyable for the reader.

Do you have a day job, or are you a full-time writer? 
At the moment am looking for a part-time job that can help out with paying editors and other expenses related to writing. I prefer to focus more on my writing which is why I am looking for a part-time job.

What are you currently working on? Right now am currently working on a non-paranormal erotica novella about a Friendship with Benefits arrangement between a sexy mysterious man and a beautiful seductive woman called “The Arrangement” due out in October 2017
What kind of books do you read in your free time? I enjoy anything with Erotica and Romance in it but mainly Paranormal Romance Erotica is what I enjoy reading the most

Do you have a favorite book quote? I am not a 100% sure on this quote but I do believe Lestat de Lioncourt (of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles) once said “Drink from me and live forever” when he first created Louis as a vampire – that is a line I loved. It best describes the making of a vampire and how I envisioned it. 
What are some things you’ve learned from publishing your first/most recent book? Don’t blow off bad reviews or take them personally – they are the best tools in improving for the better. Also, take the time to properly edit and revise your book manuscripts before releasing them, make sure the storyline runs smoothly so that the reader can truly enjoy it. Don’t set deadlines for releases unless you are absolutely certain that your book is ready to be published.

What makes your villain so scary/powerful? The fact that they display the worst parts of being a human and they are fictional creatures
What is your favorite/most frustrating part of the writing or publishing process? Best part of the writing process for me is creating the actual story and the characters that are a part of it. The worst part for me and I know this may make me look bad in some eyes, but the first edits – the actual rough draft edits, that is the only time in the entire editing process which I hate the most.

Have events or people in your life ever inspired scenes or characters in any of your books? Yes, certain individuals who stands out in my life whether they are someone who am close to or not or if they are bad or good – if they are most memorable, I will create a character based on them.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a North American of Jamaican descent who lives in the New England region of the United States of America. I am a new up and coming author who enjoys writing Paranormal Romance and Paranormal Erotica stories as well as Poetry. I also enjoys reading Paranormal Romance & Paranormal Erotica stories as well. My favorite books include but not limited to: Anne Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles” series, Bella Forrest’s “Shade Of Vampire” series, E.M. Knight’s “Vampire Gift” series, Terry Bolryder’s “Rent-A-Dragon” series, and Stacy Clafflin’s “Transformed” series. My favorite authors are: Anne Rice, Stephen King, Bella Forrest, E.M. Knight, Terry Bolryder, and Stacy Clafflin.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? All my life I have always dreamed of becoming a writer and publishing my own writings. Now that I am, am so glad that I discovered the world of Self-Publishing and becoming an Independent Author.


http://www.scerinaelizabeth.net

You can purchase Eternally Yours: Bloodlines on  Amazon  and Lulu 
 Kindle Unlimited Members can get Eternally Yours: Bloodlines for *FREE*.  You can also get it for *FREE* on  ScerinaElizabeth.NET  with this coupon code - PG4JINJHV4NV 

Six of My Favorite Quotes from Unearthed After Sunset

Unearthed After Sunset will be published on October 15th, 2017. Below I've included six of my favorite lines from the book. Click here to pre-order for 99 cents.
"We walked among them and they knew nothing of what we really were, of the things we'd done. Was this how it'd always been? How many of them had I passed on the streets at night?" - Lauryn April, Unearthed After Sunset
"Caroline, the ghost of my humanity, haunted me in my sleep." - Lauryn April, Unearthed After Sunset
"I should be scared of her, and I did feel the fear deep in my guy, but on the surface, it was hard to be scared of something so beautiful." - Lauryn April, Unearthed After Sunset
"I dreamed of Caroline as the cold set in." - Lauryn April, Unearthed After Sunset
"The road to darkness is paved in shiny promises, the likes of which not even the purest of us could ignore." - Lauryn April, Unearthed After Sunset
"She was the only thing I could think about; this strange girl, so innocent yet strong. A dealer of death disguised as a Barbie doll, and I was fascinated with her." - Lauryn April, Unearthed After Sunset

August Wrap-Up

Lots of Unearthed After Sunset updates this month! I can't wait to share them with you all. I have a release date picked and I'm planning a blog tour! As I've gotten into publishing and marketing mode I haven't been reading much. But, I have some awesome books I added to my TBR list last month so I'll be getting back to reviewing soon.





READING:

Books Reviewed in August:

I didn't review ANY books in August. *Gasp* But, I'll have one posted for The Gunslinger soon.

Books Read in August:

I finished reading The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower #1) by Stephen King. I liked it but didn't love it. The review will be coming soon.

Books to read in August:

I just downloaded The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware and I plan to finish that before the end of the month. I've been in the mood for another suspense/mystery novel.

I also added Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris to my TBR list.


WRITING:
OCTOBER 15th is the official release date for Unearthed After Sunset. I've already been giving away ARC's (and am willing to hand out more - e-mail me at laurynapril@gmail.com if you're a blogger who's interested). I'm also planning a blog tour and to give away some signed paperback copies of the book. I have spaces available for the tour still. So, stay tuned, more goodies are coming.


BLOGGING:

August was a busy month as I started preparing for the release of Unearthed After Sunset. I know my posts were a lttle skimpy. I did an author interview this month, which is not something I normally do on my blog. You'll see a few more of those in September. My plan is that while I'm trying to promote my indie book, I'm going to promote some other indie authors and pay it forward.
My Favorite Blog Posts in August:
Favorite Post Written: 5 Profound Book Quotes. I wrote this post as I was thinking about the different books that have inspired me in one way or another, and I had five quotes that have stuck in my head. Reading can take us to new places and also open our eyes to things in our own world.
Favorite Post Read: 10 of the Weirdest Things about the Online Life of a Book Blogger, I loved this post not only because it looked at what it's like to be a book blogger, but also about how the internet has changed how we interact with people.



PERSONAL:

My best friend had a baby! That was pretty crazy and exciting. My husband has been practically living in our backyard as he works on this garage. Oh, and I've just now started studying Italian for my Honeymoon/Anniversary Rome trip at the beginning of October. So, I gotta cram on that. 

How was your August?

Author Interview with S.T. Sanchez

Hello, lovely readers. As you know I'm preparing to publish my next novel, Unearthed After Sunset, very soon. And, as I've been working on setting up marketing for my own book, I decided to share some of the love and talk a little about other vampire books that have recently been published or will be coming out soon.

So, today, I have an interview with author S.T. Sanchez where she discusses her new book, Sunwalker. 
Tell us a little about yourself.

Thanks so much for the interview, Lauryn. I am from Dallas, TX. I love Texas. I am married and have three kids. I have a Bachelor of arts in Spanish from the University of North Texas. Mexico is my second home, I love the people, the culture and of course the food. It’s nice that my husband is from there and can show me things most tourists might miss. Reading had always been a passion and I love hiking and being outdoors. And of course, I write!

What are some things you’ve learned from publishing your first book?

I have learned so much from publishing Sunwalker. First, the saying really is true, the work truly begins after you publish. Also, don’t pay a company to publish your book. I wanted to do self-publishing but started with a company that I paid to help me out with the cover and formatting. Well, they took my money and ran. Since then I have learned that although I am not super techy, I was capable to do everything they could do and more. It took a lot of research and some time, but I did it. I love being in control of everything and not having to answer to anyone.

What’s something you had to edit out of your last book?

I really can’t remember having to take anything out. I am sure it will happen. There was a lot of clarifications I had to add, and some things my beta readers caught that I hadn’t been consistent on, but I can’t recall taking anything out.

How did you pick your character names?

I love names. Especially names that I think are unique but not weird, or too hard to pronounce. Lilly is just a name I have always liked. I actually think I have used it in some of my drafts that didn’t turn into a novel. Tread I am particularly happy with. I wanted a story to go along with how he was named, and when I was bouncing through ideas I hit on Tread and loved it. It was a close one though. He was almost named Koyt, which I ended up using for another character.

Tell us a little bit about your main characters

Lilly is a sunwalker—a vampire born from human parents, able to walk in the daylight. She lives life as a human, hiding her true identity from all those around her. Her one secret desire is to meet another one of her kind and learn about her kind.

Tread is a vampire. He was raised in darkness. He loathes humanity. They are nothing more than cattle to him, food to be taken when hunger hits. He is intrigued by Lilly and the life she chooses to live and stalks her in order to make sense of the way she lives.

Share a short excerpt from your novel
Normally Lilly would never think of going there. She knew her mom would never let her out again if she found out, but there was no way she was going to leave Lex alone in a place like that.

She shoved her phone into her back pocket and started jogging slowly toward the beach. She wasn’t exactly sure where this new hang-out was but thought she knew the general area based on a few conversations she’d overheard from people at school.

Finding it wasn't actually that hard. Getting past the wall was the difficult part. There were two entrances to the beach. Each manned by two guards and contained a special scanner designed to prick a finger and test the blood. Lilly had to wait until the power was switched off in a section of the fence and then speed through the door when it was opened, all without being seen. Lilly had never tried to get through before. She didn't foresee a problem in making it through the gate in time, the problem lie in the fact that few people were crazy enough to venture out on the beach, so she had to wait. It was past eight when she finally arrived at the place.

It reminded her of a bigger version of a beach shack she’d seen before in a movie. It was made up of white wooden planks with a wide deck and steps leading up to a big red door. The roof was made out of straw. She didn’t think it would withstand an East Coast storm. It looked more like it belonged in Tahiti or Jamaica or some other tropical location. There was a big wooden sign that someone had painted “The Broken Coffee Pot” on. It was painted in black and whoever had painted it must have done it in a hurry. Big black drips hung dried at the end of each letter. Next to it, someone had actually driven in a nail, and hung a broken coffee pot. All in all, she bet this place could have been built in a day and could fall over any minute. Lilly didn’t understand the appeal. She started up the steps two at a time when she heard some giggling around the back. Lilly slowed and headed toward the back of the building.

She heard a male voice whispering, “No it’s completely safe, we’ll just have a little more privacy back here.”

A giggle came from behind the building. It was definitely Lex, though how she knew that, Lilly had no idea. She would never have even been able to imagine Lex giggling. Lilly approached quietly and saw a man with his arm wrapped around Lex, kissing her as he pushed her up against the back wall of The Broken Coffee Pot. Then, in a flash, he had her neck at an angle. He pushed her hair off her neck and had his hand around her mouth.

“It’ll be so quick you’ll barely notice anything,” the man said. Then he winked at her and his eyeteeth extended into long fangs.

Lilly would never forget the look of terror in her friend’s eyes. Without even realizing what she was doing, she lunged at the man and sent him flying.

The man stood up inhumanly fast, and dusted some sand from his shirt. He seemed amused.

“Listen doll, I don’t know you, but generally speaking, when someone has their dinner ready and is about to eat, you go find your own. You don’t try and steal theirs.”

Lilly turned to Lex. “Run!” she yelled.

Lex stared hesitantly at Lilly for a brief moment and then took off in a mad dash, tripping on the sand as she tried to get away.

Lilly spun to block his pursuit. Her fangs slid out and a growl ripped through her teeth. She was taken aback at first, realizing the sound came from her and not the vampire in front of her.

The man stared at her, confused. Then he took a few slow steps forward with a look of awe on his face. “You’re a sunwalker,” he said with a hint of amusement.

“Yeah, and I’m stronger than the scum like you who are bitten into existence. So stay away from my friend,” Lilly spat with all the spite she could muster.

Before she realized what was happening, the vampire had her now pinned to the wall.

“You listen to me, little girl. You are nothing but an infant,” he scoffed. “You will watch how you talk to me,” he ordered as he squeezed her wrist tighter. “I have been around a long time. I’m smarter than you, faster than you, and stronger than you. Sunwalkers might be rare. But don't ever assume you're the only one.” He shoved her one more time hard against the wall, gripping her hand with one arm and using the other to hold her across the chest. Then, he released her.

“Ow!” Lilly said, rubbing her wrist. “That hurt.” She looked at him, dumbfounded. He was not just another vampire, but a sunwalker.

“That was the point,” he said, shaking his head, still trying to figure something out.

She rubbed her wrist. “It’s just, I’ve never been hurt before. I didn’t think we could get hurt.”

His jaw dropped. He opened it to speak, then shut it again. He shook his head.

“You do that a lot?” Lilly asked.

“Do what?”

“Walk around and shake your head.”

“I just don’t understand you…” He started to shake his head and stopped himself. Stifling a laugh, he asked, “Where are you from? What hospital were you born at? I don’t understand how we missed you. You must not have been born around here.”

“Hold on, as much as I’d love to stay and chat,” Lilly replied sarcastically, “you just tried to murder my friend.” She turned and started walking back around the building. She heard him muttering "friend" as she stalked off.

“Wait!” the stranger called.

Lilly didn’t bother turning around. “Yeah, I don’t think so,” she called, and then almost walked smack dab into him as he appeared in front of her.

“That was me asking politely, as a courtesy because you are my kind, and I fancy myself as a gentleman—” he began, but stopped as Lilly rubbed her wrist. “Well normally I am a gentleman. Someone stealing my dinner and then letting it run free seems to have put me in a foul mood. Nevertheless, as you've seen, I can make you stay.” He stepped back, holding his hands up non-threateningly and then added, “Just answer a few questions and then I’ll let you leave.”

Lilly wasn’t thrilled with this. She knew Lex must be going out of her mind right now. But after feeling his strength, she knew she really didn’t have a choice. Some kind of gentleman, threatening but polite, she thought.

“Fine,” she huffed. “Ask away. It's not like I really have a choice.”


What are you currently working on?

Presently Nightwalker, book 2 in the Sunwalker trilogy, is going through its first edit and is also in the hands of my beta readers. I also just finished my first draft of The Portal Keeper, a fantasy novel about a secret world, filled with magic and mayhem. It was really fun and easy to write. I finished my first draft in just a few weeks which is crazy fast for me.

Who designed the artwork for your cover? Or did you design it yourself?

I wish I had the talent to design covers. Sadly I tried and it looked like something a kindergartner would come up with. So I found an amazing designer who also happens to be my editor. Courtney Johansson. You can contact her at Cjohanssonedits@gmail.com just don’t keep her too busy. Lol

Share something with us not a lot of people know about you.

I did a live radio commercial when I was in my early twenties. It was for a blockbuster grand opening, and my boss made me do it. I was super nervous and got tongue tied. It was a fun experience even though I bombed it. It’s always better to try and fail than not attempt something.

What is your favorite book?

There are so many phenomenal books out there. I can’t pick one. I loved Harry Potter. I absolutely adore anything by Brandon Mull. If you are a fantasy fan pick up Fablehaven, the Beyonders or the Five Kingdom series. All are amazing.

Any last words?

Thank you for having me on Lauryn. I just want to thank all the readers out there. We appreciate you. Without you, I wouldn’t get to do something I love. Whether you pick up my book or Lauryn’s or another author, please take the time to review it. Reviews are not only important to authors but readers as well. They can give great feedback to an author or let a reader know if a book is worth their time and money. So please do reviews. Happy Reading!! Thanks again:)




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Email sunwalkertrilogy@hotmail.com

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Sunwalker-Trilogy-S-T-Sanchez/dp/0999001612/

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