Karen Swart's Blog, page 25

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Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: Missy the Werecat by @p_g_allison

 

Missy the Werecat

Book One

P. G. Allison

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Date of Publication: Dec 6, 2013

ISBN-13: 978-1494334260

ASIN: B00H2WPGDA

Number of pages: 400

Word Count: 105,000

Book Description:

When puberty brings on her first Shift, Missy goes into the mountains for two years until finally learning to Change back. She can Change from fully human in one instant to a mountain lion in the next.

Everyone assumes her two year disappearance was because she’d been kidnapped by a sexual predator that she managed to kill. She keeps her werecat nature a secret. There is no pack, no pride of other werecats and no alpha. She’s a girl with fantastic abilities growing up and learning to do great things in today’s world, amongst humans. She only has her instincts to guide her and those drive her to train herself to extremes. She must control those instincts; dampening the wild predator is often necessary.

Her raging hormones and enhanced senses require very strong controls; she explores what happens when those controls are relaxed.

Available at Amazon

Prologue

Imagine a world where werecats at one time did indeed exist, but became extinct eons ago. Then, because their recessive genes managed to survive and get passed on -- thanks to some rare unions with humans -- DNA with these special werecat genes continued down through the ages, further evolving and being inherited by a very small number of descendants. And finally, imagine that two of these very unique individuals -- each one in a billion -- would meet, fall in love and become parents. While three of their four children would be normal humans, one -- their daughter Missy -- would be very special. She would be a werecat.

And thus, Missy the werecat was born in today’s era. She’s not exactly the same as those ancestor werecats, but she does have many special abilities -- not the least of which is being able to transform, with a great shimmer of light and burst of energy, into another form. She can Change from being fully human in one instant to being a cat animal in the next. In her cat form, she has the same body mass as in her human form and fully retains her human intellect and memory. And, in either form, she has all the instincts and abilities of a wild, predatory mountain lion.

Eventually, she will learn how to Change forms back and forth, and how to manage and control her special abilities. Her genetic anomaly, combined with some evolution along the way, brings her cat endowments into her human form: speed, strength, agility, and enhanced senses of smell, hearing, taste and sight. She is also gifted with rapid healing and is immune to disease. As Missy will gradually learn about herself, she will go from being a girl with great skills to a grown woman with truly fantastic powers.

Chapter One

Jul 2013

In the middle of her last night at soccer camp, Missy awakened with a strong desire to get up and go outside. She just knew this was something she had to do, and right away. So, slipping out of bed and quietly making her way down from her dormitory room, she did go out. Although there was a full moon, it was cloudy and very dark outside, with no streetlights or anything else to illuminate the landscape. However, the darkness did not bother her at all. She could feel something pulling at her, drawing her away from the dorm. And, she also noticed her ability to see in the dark was somehow much greater than ever before.

She had always been able to see, hear and smell things to an extent far greater than those around her, but tonight it was even more so. She knew she had other special abilities as well. She had gradually come to realize that others were not able to do all the things which she could do. She had accepted that she was just different. She had shown an athletic ability which was quite advanced, excelling in little league and youth soccer programs, as well as at karate practice and during any gymnastic events. She easily had won all the competitive races at school and in her local community. All of that had lead to her attending soccer camp every summer.

Soccer camp was in Keene, NH and near Monadnock Mountain. It was now late July, a month after her 13th birthday, and Missy had really been enjoying her time back at this wonderful camp once again. It was so beautiful there! A whole week away from home, where she was getting some elite training in a sport where, as a junior high school player, she had already been noted as being really special. Her Mom was keeping all the news articles written about her in a special scrapbook along with several photos.

As this week at camp had been coming to a close, she’d been getting more and more excited about the fall season coming up. This would be her last year in junior high and she just knew her soccer team would go on to win the state championship this year and get to compete in the nationals. Then, the following year, she would finally be competing at the high school level. Her older brother and sister had both been telling her all about the fun activities they were experiencing in high school, and she could hardly wait to get there.

At night, she typically found herself anticipating and dreaming vividly about many of these things and had no trouble sleeping soundly all night long. That’s why waking up with this sudden need to go outside in the middle of the night came as such a complete surprise. What made her wake up and why did she feel this compulsion so strongly? She could not understand what was happening. Her entire body was experiencing something new and strange, something she had never felt before. Her heart was pounding and her blood was racing! And, just why was she having all these tingly feelings?

Once outside, she was drawn towards the nearby trees which marked the edge of the deeper forest and she quickly walked over to them, crossing the courtyard and the small parking lot. The full moon suddenly came out from behind the clouds, shining down brightly. She glanced backwards just once, looking back the way she had come at the dormitory building she was leaving behind. She was thinking, “What am I doing? Why am I out here?” But, then she turned and walked deeper into the woods. She just knew this was something urgent and absolutely necessary.

Further and further she went, all the while continuing to experience all kinds of new feelings, with her senses hyper alert and more aware of sights and sounds and smells than ever before. Since she still had not had her first period, she began to wonder if that might be what this was all about. Puberty! Yes, she had been anxiously waiting for this as most of her girlfriends had already had their first period and had started growing hair on their legs, under their arms, etc. Shaving had been a big topic amongst the girls! And, boobs! And boys!

Missy was somewhat of a late bloomer and had not yet really developed. She’d not had her first period yet, in spite of various signs that things would be happening for her very soon. She had experienced some swelling of her breasts and tenderness of her nipples but was concerned she still looked very flat compared to most of the other girls. Although she now did have some hair growing in new places, she had not yet shaved under her arms … when would she finally be getting her period anyway!?!

But all the talks she’d had with her mother and her sister about this important subject had not really suggested anything like what she was feeling right now. Not only was she physically reacting to something, she was also getting so many thoughts and emotional signals. Whatever was happening was compelling her to be out here … something irresistible was forcing her. Nothing had prepared her for this. And yet, remarkably, she was not at all afraid. Somehow, she just knew …

And then … it happened! Her body just collapsed and her mind was overwhelmed, going to a quiet place deep within itself. She didn’t lose consciousness but felt as though she was in a dream state. She had no control. She knew there was some sort of Change happening to her and then there was a shimmer of light and a burst of energy. She could feel this was coming from within, from somewhere deep inside and from something that was a part of her. There was no pain or discomfort during this Change. Then, in the next moment, everything was suddenly new and different. Very different!

She was a cat. Her form was no longer human but that of a large animal, very much like a mountain lion. She had no idea of that, at least at first. She did notice a huge difference in the sounds and smells around her, which now were even more noticeable. And when she looked out at her surroundings, she could see much more clearly, but without all the color. Since it was dark, there wasn’t much awareness of that just yet. Instead, she was noticing more the way things felt to her body. Her arms and legs were very different and were covered with fur. So was the rest of her body, even her face. Her hands and feet were now paws -- paws with claws which could extend and retract.

Describe yourself what is your worst and best quality?

I’m Missy the Werecat and I have a dual nature with enhanced senses, abilities and powers.

What is the one thing you wish other people knew about you?

Well, to be honest, I’m always focusing on hiding what I am and all my enhanced powers and abilities, trying my best to just appear normal … I’m not always successful, but I’m learning!

What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?

Well, being a werecat is my big secret!  I only share that with my family and a few others … I haven’t even told my boyfriend yet!

What are you most afraid of?

Losing control!  I never again want to experience what I did during my first Change, when I was forced to become a wild predator while retaining my human intellect.  For two years, I was alone and had to cope, not knowing if I would ever be human again.  Thank goodness, I did eventually learn how to Shift back.

What do you want more than anything?

Well, I actually LOVE my dual nature and want to be all I can be, BECAUSE I’m a werecat rather than in spite of it.  I have abilities and powers which I can use to help others and so I want to fulfill whatever my destiny might be, as a werecat-woman!

What is your relationship status?

I have a really great boyfriend who seems crazy about me.  When I’m with him, I can’t help but relax my controls, opening myself up to him.  I know I must tell him all about what I am and show him I’m a werecat, before we can go any further …

How would you describe your sense of fashion?

LOL.  I don’t have any!  My sister and my Mom pick out all my clothes.  I’ve been far too busy catching up with my studies and training in those extreme ways my werecat nature requires.

How much of a rebel are you?

Well, I don’t think of myself as a rebel but I definitely am a wild predator!  I work very hard to control myself, when in my human form, but I won’t allow others to bully or take advantage of my family or friends …

What do you considered to be your greatest achievement?

Learning to Shift back to my human form!  Of course, winning that first place trophy in Mixed Martial Arts was pretty cool …

What is your idea of happiness?

Being able to relax all my controls.  When I Change back into my cat form, I then can usually do that, and I love spending time as a cat.  In my human form, I’m finding myself “letting go” more and more when I’m with my boyfriend … that REALLY makes me happy!

What is your current state of mind?

I have compartmentalized my mind, due to my dual nature, and my great efforts to always be in control have allowed me to now ignore any pain I might experience and just go forward, doing whatever needs to be done.

What is your most treasured possession?

My family.  After living those two years in the mountains as a cat, I don’t care about things … I care about being able to be with my family.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Well, obviously, my being able to Change in an instant, form one form to the other!

What is it that you, most dislike?

Bullying by others or when someone takes advantage, preying on those who are vulnerable.  Being a predator myself, by nature, I won’t let others do that but will protect them with all the powers and abilities I’ve been given (which, of course, are awesome!  I’m a supernatural, after all!)

Which living person do you, most despise?

Since my world is a fantasy world, this really does not apply.

What is your greatest regret?

Not learning how to Shift back to my human form sooner; then again, maybe I needed those two years … those really did contribute a lot to who and what I am now.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

You mean besides being big and strong and handsome and sweet and funny?  LOL.  Acceptance and understanding!  He must love me as I am and not judge, support all my needs and love me like crazy.  You know … like my boyfriend does!

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Again, acceptance and understanding!  Like my Mom does!

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?

Since my world is a fantasy world, this really does not apply.

Which living person do you most admire?

Since my world is a fantasy world, this really does not apply.

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

Wow!  I don’t think I’d change a thing!  I’ve got a great family and wonderful friends and this really, REALLY nice boyfriend … I guess I’d have to say I probably shouldn’t take things all on my own, the way I sometimes do, being a vigilante.  But, that is my nature …

What is your motto?

My favorite is my Granddad’s:  Plan your work and work your plan! 

 

 

 

 

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P. G. Allison has always loved stories about female characters with special powers (Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Bionic Woman, Batgirl) along with stories about witches and werewolves. The Missy the Werecat Series has no pack, no pride of other werecats and no alpha; Missy is a girl with fantastic abilities doing great things in today's world, amongst humans. Future books in this Paranormal, New Adult, Urban Fantasy series are planned where Missy will go on to West Point and eventually serve in the Special Forces.

http://missythewerecat.wordpress.com/

http://amazon.com/author/pgallison

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7491359.P_G_Allison

https://www.facebook.com/pages/P-G-Allison/1435556920052731

https://twitter.com/p_g_allison

Blog Tour & Giveaway–Meet Book Butterfly in Dreamland Blog #payitforward #giveaway

  FEATURING     BIO:  Single mom with two teens,grandma of a beautiful baby that I adore,christian,SPED and Elementary Ed. certified,substitute teacher,love to read and watch movies,like hanging out with friends and going to the park. Passionate about fighting Human Trafficking,Abuse,Mental Illness,Cancer,and Bullying. I review mostly YA. Due to content I only will review some NA and rarely Adult books.  I will soon be hosting Blog Tour services. If you would like to request a review, spotlight, giveaway, or Blog Tour info,etc. You may contact me at: princesscandy2008@yahoo.com  



 
LINKS:
Blog: Book Butterfly in Dreamland - http://purpleshadowhunter.blogspot.com/
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Book Blast, Giveaway & Top Ten: My Favorite Second Chance The Lake Effect Series # 2 by Author Rue @ItsNotMyFavorit

Presented by: Sparkle Book Tours My Favorite Second Chance   The Lake Effect Series # 2 by Author Rue


Audience: NA and Adult - Genre: Romance/Contemporary; LGBT - Formats: E-book and Paperback - Publisher: Sittin’ On A Goldmine Productions - Cover by:  Regina Wamba, Mae I Design - Editor:  Jazmine Hale- Pages: 328 - ISBN-13: 978-0-9860627-3-5 (Paperback) - ISBN-13: 978-0-9860627-2-8 (eBook) - Date Published: 10 March 2015 Have you ever wished for a second chance? The Hutchinson sisters are out of the frying pan and into the fire—just like their mother always threatened! Gwenn is floating in the dreamy, fragile glow of her new relationship with wealthy artist, Daniel Gregory, when a blast from her past makes a triumphant return. Sure he ran out on her over a decade ago, but can she turn her back on a war hero? Rachel is on the brink of having everything she ever dreamed of, but that’s not how things work out for Hutchinson girls. Her rock-star girlfriend is leaving for a lengthy tour and something is afoot at the bakery. The righteous hand of her mother, Shirley, can orchestrate tribulations from halfway across town. The sisters think they can run away from their troubles on a quick trip to the heart of Mexico, when an unexpected phone call shatters that illusion. Filled with intriguing characters, plenty of steamy romance and lovely plots twists, MY FAVORITE SECOND CHANCE will have you flushed with anticipation, blinking back tears, laughing out loud and cheering for your favorite characters. Amazon / Amazon Series / Goodreads CLANG! He woke with a start. A flaccid sliver of grey light had infiltrated the dank blackness. The comforting numbness in his right shoulder convinced him that he had survived the night. He listened carefully and played his second favorite game—how long until they got to his cell and tossed in what he had come to call “breakfast.” A key twisted in the lock. The door screeched open, the light blinded his nocturnal eyes and a metal tray scraped across the filthy concrete floor. His hand searched toward the sound. Treasure found, his fingers encircled the spoon handle. Slowly, painfully he crawled to the corner and scratched a hatch mark on the wall as he recited his “sanity” mantra. “I am Sergeant Steven Hays. Today is day 2,189 of my captivity. I am engaged to Gwenn Hutchinson and I will return to her. God. Country. Corps.”             Steven slid the bowl over and forced himself to consume the foul slop it contained. He was emaciated and his mouth burned from canker sores. One thought kept him alive—his last, sweet, searing memory of her. Gwenn was his guardian angel and he intended to live long enough to tell her. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL58rl-VV_qmCRPXuH-Xy7g0Xa2p7zzpxd

Top Ten Authors

I love writing, but working on “My Favorite Second Chance” did come with some moments of “freak out.” Reading helps me escape from reality and relieves stress, and with a teenager running around…I need relief! Books are my best friends!

Here are my all-time favorites:

10. Steven Pressfield

9. Sara Gruen

8. Michael Chabon

7. Gregory Maguire

6. Colette

5. Clarissa Pinkola-Estes

4. Yann Martel

3. J. R. R. Tolkien

2. Marian Keyes

1. Juliet Marillier

This list would be different if you asked me tomorrow. There are always new authors joining the fray, and I know working on the third book in The Lake Effect Series will have its share of ups and downs. Read! Read! Read!

Thank you!

Rue, Author

The Lake Effect Series       a Rafflecopter giveaway Rue graduated from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, with a degree in Journalism. Her intimate knowledge of the Midwestern United States, the inordinate amount of time she spent in its churches’ pews and her unique parentage make her an expert on life after religion. Having moved 17 times by the time she graduated from high school Rue has seen more than her share of the Great Plains. She never stayed in one place long enough to make lasting human friends. Her best friends were all characters from her beloved books; and the love of reading led to a lifelong passion for writing. Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon / Pinterest / Instagram / Tsu
March 30 Pretty Little Pages http://prettylittlepages.blogspot.com Portals to New Worlds http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com March 31 Deal Sharing Aunt www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com April 1 Archaeolibrarian - I dig good books! http://archaeolibrarianologist.blogspot.de/ April 2 Moonbeams over Atlanta http://blog.eloreenmoon.com April 3 Angels with Attitude Book Reviews http://angelswithattitudebookreviews-joelle.blogspot.com April 6 The Avid Reader http://the-avidreader.blogspot.com April 7 The Idle Musings of a Writer's Mind http://theidlemusingsofawritersmind.blogspot.com April 8 Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom http://bookyramblingsofaneuroticmom.blogspot.co.uk/ April 9 Indy Book Fairy http://paranormalbookfairy.blogspot.com/ TTC Books and more http://ttcbooksandmore.com April 10 Eclipse Reviews http://eclipsereviews.weebly.com April 13 Books Books Books http://www.booksbooksbooksblog.com April 14 Hooked on Books http://hookedonbooksforever.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1&zx=8f0628a04d78920 April 15 G & Co. Book Blog http://www.ggwblogs.blogspot.com April 16 The Phantom Paragrapher www.thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com

Blog Tour & Giveaway–Meet The Phantom Paragrapher Blog #payitforward #giveaway

    FEATURING     LINKS: Website - www.thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Phantom-Paragrapher/196830633685451   Google + - https://plus.google.com/+PaulaPhillipsThePhantomParagrapher/posts

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Book Blast, Interview & Giveaway: A Time Apart by @rebecca_caudill

A Time Apart

Macauley Series

Book One

Rebecca N. Caudill

Genre: Paranormal Romance , Vampire

Date of Publication: February 8, 2015

ISBN: 978-1508482666

ASIN: B00TDR1O6U

Number of pages: 211 (estimated)

Word Count: 71,020

Cover Artist: Rebecca N. Caudill

Book Description:

A love story that traverses the confines of time, life, and death, uniting two passionate souls from different worlds and ages …

Olivia Donnelly has spent her whole life obsessing about how she will die. When tragedy strikes, reality comes crashing down and she’s forced to confront her fears head on. Hoping that a move across the globe will help her to cope with a devastating loss, she arrives in Ireland a broken down shell of a woman looking for a second chance at life.

Almost immediately Olivia is drawn to places she’s never been, and to a man that she’s never met. When she crosses paths with the mysterious and frustratingly private William Macauley, her life is thrown into turmoil unlike any she has ever known. The two couldn’t be more different – she’s human, he’s a vampire – but Olivia can’t get him out of her mind. Having acknowledged her overwhelming desire for William, now she must come to terms with how her feelings for him will greatly alter her future.

Olivia’s understanding of life – and death – take on new meaning as she examines the truth of the person she once was, the woman she was born to be, and how William is the key to her everlasting happiness.

Available at Amazon



 



“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Flight 716 with service from San Francisco to Dublin. We ask that you please fasten your seat belts and secure all baggage beneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead compartments. At this time, please turn all personal electronic devices to airplane mode so that they cannot transmit a signal. As you know, smoking is prohibited for the duration of our journey to Dublin, and that includes in the lavatories. Thank you for choosing Aer Lingus. Enjoy your flight.”

It was usually at this point in any flight where Olivia’s real panic kicked in. Shortly – terrifyingly – the plane would be airborne with nothing but land and sea below. While she knew statistically that airplanes were safer than cars, she’d never known anyone – let alone two anyones – who had been killed, their bodies never recovered, from a freak accident on the freeway. Not to say that it didn’t happen everyday; she just didn’t know anyone that it had happened to.

To distract her mind, she listened to the crew outline the plane’s safety procedures and then the Captain’s welcome, including the weather forecast for Dublin – rainy and brisk, how shocking. Sipping the champagne the flight attendant had offered her when she boarded, Olivia felt the combination of the Valium and the alcohol take over her body, but not quite enough that she gave up the death grip she had on the arm rests. As she felt the tell tale tingle of the Valium working its magic, she thought – not for the first time – that maybe someday a plane crash wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen to her. Maybe someday she’d just never wake up from the self-induced drug and alcohol fueled nothingness she needed just to fly.

Who am I kidding?

Sadly, more and more frequently it wasn’t just plane rides that had her mixing booze and pills. Most days she wrapped herself in a hazy blur of alcohol like a security blanket, protecting her in a cocoon of mental fuzziness.

Olivia felt her pulse beginning to race and her breathing accelerate, and she made a conscious effort not to panic, not to look over at Judgy lest the woman start advocating for professional psychiatric help. It wouldn’t have been the first time some well-meaning motherly type had tried to get Olivia into therapy. She stole a quick glance in Judgy’s direction only to find that she was already engrossed in her novel, Olivia’s neurosis and emotional paralysis the least of her concerns.

Not too long after she had fought back the near panic attack, the whirring of the engines lulled Olivia into a stupor that soon resulted in a fitful sleep. For the next ten hours she didn’t exactly fall into a deep slumber, but she wasn’t fully awake either. Her mind seemed to float between a dreaming and wakeful state, and she felt strangely separated from her body. She’d see snippets of things in her head but wasn’t sure if the images were of events or instances that she was remembering, things she was imagining, or scenarios she was concocting to be used in her novel.

And then Olivia saw, quite clearly, the face of a man she had never met and yet she felt like she had known him all of her life – blue eyes, sharp and unnaturally piercing as if he could see deep into her soul. She saw a field of green that stretched far and wide, rolling hills dotted with sheep and lined with stacked stone walls. She saw herself as a child chasing a puppy larger than she was down by a river while laughing that high-pitched squeal that only a child can make as the dog raced back toward her covered in mud and dripping with water. And then that image changed as quickly as it came and she saw her mother as a young woman, happy and carefree, in love with a man who was not Gerald Donnelly.

And as she always did when in one of her fitful states of sleep, Olivia saw all the ways she could die – car accident; mugging gone horribly wrong after having put up a brave fight; her house on fire, the flames licking at her feet as she tried to run; her body weak and broken as it was ravished by cancer; or her heart slowly stopping as she lay in her bed, blind from old age and hunched with the rigors of time.

And in these dreams she was ready for it – any of it – almost welcoming the vast blackness that would follow whatever her death would be.

And then she saw that face again – the man she didn’t know but felt so deeply that she should. He whispered her name, longingly, “Olivia.”




Interview




Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you
want to be? When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

Most
definitely, yes. I began writing short stories in elementary school, and when I
won a few awards I decided that someday I’d grow up and be a famous author. Of
course, I also wanted to be a judge, a horse jockey, a rock star, and a host of
other things most young kids dream about. I studied Journalism in college and
when I started, I had assumed that upon graduation I’d write professionally for
a newspaper, or would work behind-the-scenes in a newsroom. I ended up instead
writing radio commercials for a Top 25 market, and while it wasn’t what I had
dreamed of, I told myself that I could still call myself a Writer. Eventually,
I made my way to technology PR, which requires a ton of writing – albeit not
very creative, and your name is never attached to it. I found it very difficult
to balance my day job with my desires to pursue a career as a fiction writer,
so with the support of my husband I quit my job at the end of 2014 to pursue
creative writing full time. The day I changed my LinkedIn profile was when it
hit me that I was really, finally, absolutely on the road to becoming A Writer.





How long did it take to get your first book published?

I
began writing A Time Apart in 2008, and it was published in 2015. I had
considered shopping it to an agent with the hope of getting a major publisher
to put it out, but after working on it for so long, I became impatient for it
to see the light of day and so I went the self-publishing route, and I have
plans to continue publishing follow-up books in the series myself.




What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to
summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?

A
Time Apart is the story of two souls who defy the confines of time, life, or
death to be together.




What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a
different genre?

I’m
in the process of editing and revising Blood of My Blood: Book Two of the
Macauley Series; you can catch a sneak peek of it at the end of A Time Apart.
It picks up exactly where Book One leaves off, but in it we learn more about
William’s life after he became a vampire, and we see how Olivia is settling
into her new, preternatural life.

I’m
also working on a regency romance that has been simmering at the back of my
mind since I’ve been obsessed with the period for many years now. I don’t want
to give too much away about it because it’s still in the early stages, but
there’s a paranormal angle there as well and I’m really excited to mix the
genres as they’re my two favorites.




What genre would you place your books into?

Paranormal
Romance, with erotic leanings




What made you decide to write that genre of book?

I
grew up sneaking my mom’s romance novels, and today I’m a voracious reader of
the genre, so it was pretty much a foregone conclusion when I began writing
creatively as an adult that I would write a love story. I’ve been obsessed with
vampires for as long as I can remember, so I knew that the first book I would
write would have a male vampire hero. And of course, I love a steamy scene as
much as the next gal, so I definitely wanted to have elements of eroticism
included as well. And I’m drawn to plucky heroines who march to the beat of
their own drums, so to speak, so paranormal romance is a good genre for a
female character who isn’t shy or retiring.




Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why
are they your favorite?

While
I more closely identify with Olivia, I am so in love with William! If I were
going to fall for a vampire, he’d certainly be the one! While I love my husband
beyond reason, when I drop into the world of fantasy, I gravitate toward men
who are confident but not over-bearing, who are complex, but not afraid to
share their emotions. William, for all of his confidence and argument to the
contrary, is very conflicted about who and what he is and I find that dichotomy
intriguing. And of course he’s sexy and commanding – men want to be him, and
women want to be with him – you can’t have a book in the genre without that
trope.




Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie
You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

I’m
slowly getting into a routine that is comfortable for me. I wake up, spend time
on social media, and then I get to the creative stuff. I stop to clean my
house, go to the gym, and do other chores. When my husband comes home, I spend
time with him and when he’s working or has gone to sleep I start writing again.
I’m pretty much a night owl – I’ve had insomnia my whole life – so working late
into the night is the best option for me. I also find that I am more creative
when the world outside is silent and there are no distractions (I live in the
city and it’s really quite loud – sirens, cars, people, planes, etc.) And
because I’m easily distracted, I absolutely cannot listen to music that I know
the lyrics to. I’ve been listening to a number of Spotify playlists that
feature ambient music, which has been good for me. Last month I discovered
Hozier, and I was listening to that on repeat but then I learned all the words
and so he’s been relegated to my driving playlist.




Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

Yes.
I have to know what people think. As persnickety as I can be, I’m also a people
pleaser, and no one writes a book hoping that people don’t like their words.
Thankfully, the reviews I’ve received on both Goodreads and Amazon have been
positive, even from people who don’t normally gravitate toward the genre, so I
haven’t been too upset yet.




Do you choose a title first, or write the book then
choose the title?

I
had the title figured out as soon as I settled on a main narrative arc. I toyed
with changing the title, but when I decided to break the book into a series, I
used the different title for Book Two as it fit the story better.




How do you come up with characters names and place names
in your books? Are character names and place names decided after their
creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?

Olivia
was always Olivia, but I did change her last name to honor my Irish
grandmother. I never even considered that she had any other name. When I
pictured her in my head, she was just Olivia. Since then of course Scandal has
come out, and while Olivia Pope is a very strong female in her own right, I
hope people don’t think that I named my Olivia after her though! J In early drafts, William was Liam
(a shortened version of his name), and I think I changed his last name about three years ago but I can’t
remember what it had been before.

The
only made up place in my book is Macauley Castle, and it’s an amalgamation of
several different castles I’ve seen online or visited in person over the years,
including Ashford Castle and Lismore Castle in Ireland. There is currently a 14th
century tower house for sale in the midlands that I would love to buy and live
in, but alas it’s not meant to be. Still, I can look at it and pretend it is
where Olivia and William now reside.

The
bar at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin exists, as does the fireplace in it that
William warms his hands in front of when he and Olivia first meet. I wrote that
scene based on images I saw on the hotel’s website and some travel blogs. When
we visited Dublin in 2009, we splurged and stayed at the hotel since I was
already well on my way to writing the scenes that follow that pivotal moment.




Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy
girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?

I’ve
always written females that are outspoken and definitely do not shy away from
controversy. They say that authors write what they know, and I’ve never been
the silent type. Early report cards indicated that I needed to be quieter in
class. J Today I tend to write my female characters the way I would hope to
be if I found myself in the same scenarios, and I hope that my readers can see
themselves in both the character’s struggles and successes. And of course, I
always want my heroes to be dark and brooding, mysterious and complex – don’t
we all! – so that’s a characterization I stick with in various forms. While the
men tend to look the same, I’m working on a different genre and I tried to go
with a different look for my heroine but I missed her long red hair, so I’m
back to that with her. It’s a look I love.  




Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your
books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story
is ...")

In A
Time Apart, there is a scene where William feeds Olivia a pretty lavish meal,
much to her amusement. In the course of dinner, they have a conversation about
religion, or lack thereof. I don’t know that I would call what is revealed in
that conversation a moral, nor is it certainly hidden, but it’s definitely a
point I wanted to make about my characters.




Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or
paperback?

For
ease of purchase and reading, I am an e-book convert. I do love a hardback
though for my bookshelves, the heavier and more gorgeous the cover the better.




What is your favorite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once? Do you think
books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie
transfer?

Depending
on my mood, I have a few favorites, which I have read multiple times.

Interview
with a Vampire is what set me on my love of the paranormal. I have yet to read
an author that can invoke the feel of New Orleans, a city I adore, quite the
way that Anne Rice did in that novel.

Another
favorite, albeit an unoriginal one right now, is Outlander. I’m a sucker for a
highlander with a heart of gold and Jamie Fraser is the perfect embodiment of
what I like to see in that sort of male character. I was very worried about the
TV version of the show, but it has surpassed my expectations. I daresay that I
like Claire even better now than I did in the pages of Gabaldon’s version.
Bravo to Ron D. Moore and Caitriona Balfe for elevating such a beloved
character. And Sam Heughan, despite my earliest skepticism, is absolute
perfection in the role.

Another
favorite of mine is A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. When the third
book in the series came out last year I re-read the first two, devouring them
quicker than I did the first time I read them. I love the varying paranormal
aspects and the history that Harkness invokes in her tale. I recently read that
the All Souls Trilogy is going to be developed into a TV series by BBC so I am
waited with baited breath.




Your favorite singer/group is?

Kelly
Clarkson is my queen, followed closely by Miranda Lambert.







 

 

 


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Rebecca Caudill read her first novel when she was just four years old and has been hooked on books ever since. When she wasn't writing her own stories, she was sneaking copies of her mom's paperbacks to read late into the night.

Fast forward several years later and Rebecca graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in English Lit, which gave her new insight into the written word. Following college, Rebecca embarked on a career in tech PR in the famed Silicon Valley, which eventually led to her leading Global R&D communications for a Fortune 500 company that everyone knows by name. Finally, after more than a decade of writing words ascribed to other people, in December 2014 she quit her job to pursue writing full time.

Today Rebecca lives with her husband and beautiful-but-neurotic cat in Oakland, California. When not creating fictional worlds inhabited by strong women, rakes, rogues, and dashing heroes, she is planning her next vacation, trying out new recipes, or drinking Islay scotch.

Blog – http://www.rebeccancaudill.com

Twitter - @rebecca_caudill

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/rebeccancaudill

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13488550.Rebecca_N_Caudill

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/rebeccancaudill/

Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: Bite Me by @RobynBachar

 

 

Bite Me

Robyn Bachar

Genre: Erotic paranormal romance

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Date of Publication: March 17, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-61922-457-5

ASIN:

Number of pages: 211

Word Count: 80k

Cover Artist: Kanaxa

Book Description:

Consumed by the need to feed…

After an out-of-control spell triggers the zombie apocalypse, Lizzy Addams is left in the ruins of Chicago with only the slightly unhinged commentary—and endless erotic appetites—of her inner demon for company. Her blood supply dwindling, she is forced to find survivors to feed from, or die trying.

Officer Angela Kinney was on duty when hungry corpses overwhelmed the city. The survivors look to her for leadership, but nothing prepared her for a beautiful monster who offers safety in exchange for blood.

Sean MacMillan never expected to see Lizzy again after she rejected his attempts to lure her back to the vampire fold. But with his flock threatened by the horde and his murderous vampire brother, Lizzy is the only one he can trust to keep them safe.

The veil of secrecy shrouding the supernatural world torn apart, humanity’s only hope is to forge an alliance with vampires, werewolves, and things that go bump in the night. Though accepting their aid could be a devil’s bargain that puts humans at the bottom of the food chain.

Warning: Contains vampire orgies, angsty demon sex, a frisky lesbian werewolf, light kink, and enough sex toys to start a store.

Available at Amazon BN iTunes Kobo Samhain Publishing

 

I opened my mouth to ask for a volunteer, and noticed just a fraction too late that a priest’s collar peeked out from under Manuel’s overcoat and that he was eyeing me in an unfriendly manner. He spat at me in Latin and pulled a cross that exploded with blinding light. The image seared into my retinas as holy fire hit me full blast.

I’d rescued a damn priest. What a fucking way to die.

My inner demon shrieked, and I hissed like a pissed-off alley cat and bolted. I slammed against the roof ’s edge and toppled over it like a drunk after the bars close, then crashed through the plastic top of a Dumpster in the alley. For a moment I was relieved to be out of the burning, but it was quickly followed by the sudden onset of the what-the-fuck pain of my landing.

The world had ended before garbage day, so I was up to my ass in trash bags that stank like rancid vomit. Mobs descended on my Dumpster in a sea of arms outstretched to grab and devour me. Like sharks in a feeding frenzy, they were programmed to bite first and ask questions later. My pink Chucks had no traction as I tried to climb atop the Dumpster, and I slipped and struggled. Ugh. Death by fashion. I should’ve gone for the Doc Martens.

Mobs weren’t good at ladders, but they could handle climbing short distances, and two toppled over the edge and into the garbage. I tried to kick myself into flight, but my magic fizzled and refused to cooperate. No fuel, no magic. One of the trash zombies’ rotted teeth sank through my jeans and into my leg, and I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I ripped my leg away, losing a chunk of flesh and muscle in the process, and with a rush of pure terror I vaulted out of the garbage and into the alley. When I hit the ground my wounded leg buckled and I collapsed. The dead closed over me like an ocean wave and clawed at my cashmere coat with frostbitten fingers until I wriggled out of it and broke free. I booked it as best I could, ducking and weaving through the crowd.

Despite my fear, I had enough sense left to run down the alley away from the spot the humans had been. I emerged into the street opposite, found it likewise occupied by mobs, and cursed as I headed into the next alley. A metal fire escape clung to the side of the building to my right, and I leapt, pulled the ladder down and hustled up it as my wounded leg fought me the whole way. When I reached the roof I sighed with relief and lay flat, staring up at the full moon as hunger raged through me like a slavering, rabid dog.

I needed to feed, and the only living humans in Chicago were traveling with a priest with a grudge. I wouldn’t make it home without blood—hell, I wouldn’t make it off this rooftop. In a few hours the sun would rise and I’d be Lizzy Addams flambé.

It sucked to be a vampire at the end of the world.

Character Name: Lizzy Addams

Character Bio: Lizzy has been avoiding vampire society for the past hundred years. After an out-of-control spell triggers the zombie apocalypse, Lizzy Addams is left in the ruins of Chicago with only the slightly unhinged commentary—and endless erotic appetites—of her inner demon for company. With her blood supply dwindling, she is forced to find survivors to feed from, or die trying.

If you can add a dreamcast pic of the character that would be greatJ

Describe yourself. What is your worst and best quality?

This is a dangerous question to ask a woman. It’s almost like, “Do I look fat in this dress?” Any answer has drama potential. But since you asked, I like to think of myself as a lover, not a fighter. I’m just a girl whose intentions are good. It’s my inner demon that causes the problems.

What is the one thing you wish other people knew about you?

I wish people could understand that I’m an exception to the vampire rule. Most vamps spend their immortality being cheesy Bond villains. That’s not me. I’m a kinder, gentler vampire.

What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?

Mostly it’s the vampire thing, but with the world filled with mobile corpses, the cat’s out of the bag that the dead stalk the night.

What are you most afraid of?

Villagers with torches and pitchforks.

What do you want more than anything?

World peace. Though right about now I’d settle for a good cheeseburger. Zombies ruin everything, including fast food.

What is your relationship status?

If this was Facebook, I’d say, “it’s complicated.”

How would you describe your sense of fashion?

It depends on what I’m doing. My inner demon prefers leather and lace. I’m more of a jeans and T-shirt girl, unless I’m in corporate mode, then it’s all power suits and designer shoes.

How much of a rebel are you?

My Master would say I’m going through a rebellious phase. But he’s a prick, so what does he know?

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

My building. It’s a twenty-five story tall solar-powered beauty, all glass and steel, topped with my very own landing pad. And it has my own underground bunker that keeps me safe from vampire hunters.

What is your idea of happiness?

Happiness is flannel pajamas and a high-speed Internet connection.

What is your current state of mind?

Bored. Kinda wish those zombies would go away.

What is your most treasured possession?

My collection of plush Rottweilers.

What is your most marked characteristic?

People tend to notice the fangs when I’m pissed off or hungry.

What do you dislike most?

Zombies. And people who talk on their cell phones in restaurants.

Which living person do you most despise?

I despise most living people. They’re all untrustworthy. One moment they think you’re cool, then out come the wooden stakes.

What is your greatest regret?

I wish I could have traveled more, but vampires are super territorial.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Kindness. I’ve been around too many mean men.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Soulful eyes. Wait, that sounds shallow. Honesty and soulful eyes.

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?

Buffy the vampire slayer. Yeah, she killed my people, but most of us have it coming.

Which living person do you most admire?

Ugh, as I said, the living are boring.

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

I’d like to be taller. And not part demon. Sadly I’m stuck this way.

What is your motto?

Paranoia is just another word for longevity.

 

 

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Robyn Bachar enjoys writing stories with soul mates, swords, spaceships, vampires, and gratuitous violence against the kitchen sink. Her paranormal romance Bad Witch series, historical paranormal romance series Bad Witch: The Emily Chronicles, and spicy space opera romance trilogy Cy’ren Rising are available from Samhain Publishing.

Her books have finaled in PRISM Contest for Published Authors, the Passionate Plume Contest, and twice in the EPIC eBook Awards.

As a gamer, Robyn has spent many hours rolling dice, playing rock-paper-scissors, and slaying creatures in mmorpgs.

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Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: The Carriage by @jenabaxterbooks

 

The Carriage

Jena Baxter

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Jena Baxter Books

Date of Publication: February 16th, 15

ISBN: 978-0-9911677-2-2

ASIN: B00TOQNODQ

Number of pages: 214

Word Count: 52,313

Cover Artist: Consuelo Parra

Model: Amber Ornelas

Book Description:

A teenage girl enters a carriage in Central Park and disembarks in Victorian, England.

Cursed by her sister Brooke, Alexis Powell arrives in the Victorian Era where she meets Ezra, who was recently murdered by an assassin his brother Amos hired. Now a supernatural creature, Ezra sees into Alexis’ mind with a touch and Intrigued by her memories, offers his help only to be rebuffed for his kindness. Alexis runs away, but Ezra is unable to shake off what he saw. He follows her through the streets of London.

Vulnerable after the death of his Father, his brother’s harassment, and Alexis’ many rejections, Ezra decides to stop following her. Alexis is unable to find work or food. Facing starvation, she steals a tomato and Ezra finds her facing the local magistrate and an angry mob. He pays for her freedom.

Finally accepting the help Ezra offers, Alexis moves into the manor he shares with his brother. Romance blossoms but the bond between Ezra and Amos is worse than Alexis’ relationship with Brooke.

While Ezra and Alexis search for a way to send her home, Amos looks for a way to kill them.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/-2P1NTDmQww

Available at Amazon

Somehow I was certain I was no longer in New York. The streets were cobblestone, and the buildings wood and brick. A lot of them were broken down, old and shabby. The alleys were filthy and smelled like shit. Exhausted, I looked for a place to hide but didn’t know where to go. When I couldn’t move another muscle, I hid behind a wooden staircase with my back against the wall and fought not to jump at every sound.

I hadn’t meant to fall asleep, and didn’t know how long I’d slept, but it looked close to mid-morning when I opened my eyes and looked around.

The women walking by were wearing long, full dresses, and big feathered hats. The men’s pants were more form fitting, not the jeans they usually wear. Some of the children running around were barefoot and downright filthy, looking as if they had been rolling in mud or playing with charcoal. I cringed when I saw a boy carrying a rat by the tail. Everything was straight out of a Dickens novel. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see little Dorrit, or Ebenezer Scrooge waltz by any minute now. I rubbed my nose with the palm of my hand. What the hell was I going to do?

This obviously wasn’t real, so I must have fallen in with a role playing community of some sort. My mother and father used to play dungeons and dragons. Maybe this was the same thing, but in the extreme.

Something slammed into my back. I screamed and turned at the sound of a woman yelling at me. The broom in her hand whooshed down again, just missing my face.

“Whoa. Hey, stop!”

What was wrong with these people? I couldn’t understand a word she said, so I ran. She chased me, swinging the broom until I left the alley.

I stopped to catch my breath, smoothed my clothes, and approached a woman in a long brown dress with a white bonnet and black boots. She stared at me like I was some sort of freak. Uh ... she was the freak, not me. Maybe the men would be friendlier, but not one of them would stop. Then I saw the man that crashed into me yesterday across the road. He looked a little different, wearing a brown suit, and an odd piece of material similar to a scarf around his neck, with a top hat. He was actually still attractive in the weird clothes. Dodging carts and vendors, I made a bee-line for him. At least he wouldn’t chase me with a broom.

Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

A fairy, princess or ballerina in my early years, an archeologist or hospital administrator in my adult years. 

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

I always considered myself a writer, but not an author until I published my first book. 

How long did it take to get your first book published?

I sent out a few queries, then went to a writer’s conference and came home excited about self-publishing. So once Reflections was written, and re-written, and re-written, not long at all. 

Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?

I don’t. I’m one of the few writers that are able to write full time. I also volunteer read for an annual screenwriting competition.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?

The Carriage. A teenage girl boards a carriage with her sister in New York, and arrives alone in Victorian London. 

Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?

I self-publish. 

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

About two weeks for planning and another month and a half for a complete first draft of a novel. After that it can take another six months to a year of rewriting. 

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

I have a dramatic fantasy romance I just finished about a warrior angel sent on a guardian assignment to restore a marriage. He falls in love with his charge and then realizes she’s in danger so he covers her memories, restores the marriage, and stays with her to deal with the menace ahead. I will be publishing that one in the next few months.

I have a darker novella planned as The Carriage’s sequel.

I’m working on a paranormal romance story about covens who police the supernatural community but they are arguing amongst themselves over who should be the governing power, while the vampires and werewolves want to overthrow them. I meant for it to be a stand-alone novel, but it’s looking like a series of novellas.

Another story begging for attention is called, One with the Dragon, about a nation of people who’ve committed to bond with dragons and guard the nations. But the Methali people began treating the dragons like servants. A dictator is taking power while the dragons are deserting the Methali people.

I’m also working on rewriting my very first story. Pretentious is a sex, drugs and rock n roll romance that begins in high school and ends as adults. Since it would be an incredibly long novel, I’m going to release it as a series of novellas. Everyone has their own story and there will be bittersweet moments from beginning to end.

I also hope to sneak a rewrite of Hans Christian Anderson’s, Little Match Girl, in there.

What genre would you place your books into?

The Carriage is a paranormal historical romance, and Reflections is a YA historical fantasy, but it has a little bit of romance too. Everything I’ve written has a fantasy or paranormal element except for Pretentious. 

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

I like stories that take me into other worlds. I love history, and creating cultures and characters that are diverse and worth following. 

Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?

There are so many, and my favorites change on occasion. I think Ezra from The Carriage is my favorite right now. He’s been through a lot but he’s a man of integrity and he meets the challenges of clashing cultures to be with his modern girl. 

How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?

I’ve been writing since I was a child. First poetry, a short story or two, and now novels. 

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

I do have a chair that’s all mine, but I don’t listen to music unless there is noise in the house. I really need silence when I’m plotting things out or working on a first draft. If I do listen to music, it’s instrumental and something that has a similar ambiance to my story. 

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

I read every one of them. Writing is an odd thing. You work with other writers and editors and it seems like everyone has differing thoughts and opinions. We all think we have a good story, but reality is the mind of the readers and whether or not the world we created and its characters came alive for them. 

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

Most often I get the title when I get the idea. 

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?

I have a list of names I like for various reasons, and I will look for names online sometimes. 

Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?

Character names come first for me. 

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?

Both, they always change a little bit as I write. 

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")

Not intentionally, but both of my novels convey there are consequences to every action. 

Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?

I still love the old paperbacks, but lately its kindle or audible. 

What is your favorite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?

My favorite book is actually a series by Mary Stewart. The Merlin story beginning with The Crystal Cave and ending with The Wicked Day. I’ve read and re-read it so many times over the years. I even read it to my mom when she was ill. 

Your favorite food is?

Artichokes 

Your favorite singer/group is?

That’s a tough question. I like to listen to epic movie soundtracks, but I really like Green Day and Imagine Dragons. 

Your favorite color is?

Dark blue 

Your favorite Author is?

Renea Mason. I really like Brandon Sanderson too.

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Jena Baxter has always loved history and time travel. She liked to read, and often wrote poetry as a stress inhibitor while growing up. But like other writers, she dreamed of writing a novel. So she enrolled at the UCLA Writer's Extension, to gain the confidence and skill to move forward.

Today Jena has a YA Fantasy novel, as well as a YA Paranormal Romance novel online and in print.

www.jenabaxter.com

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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8103907.Jena_Baxter

http://www.amazon.com/Jena-Baxter/e/B00M4YF352

Book Blast & Giveaway: A Time Apart by @rebecca_caudill

 

A Time Apart

Macauley Series

Book One

Rebecca N. Caudill

Genre: Paranormal Romance , Vampire

Date of Publication: February 8, 2015

ISBN: 978-1508482666

ASIN: B00TDR1O6U

Number of pages: 211 (estimated)

Word Count: 71,020

Cover Artist: Rebecca N. Caudill

Book Description:

A love story that traverses the confines of time, life, and death, uniting two passionate souls from different worlds and ages …

Olivia Donnelly has spent her whole life obsessing about how she will die. When tragedy strikes, reality comes crashing down and she’s forced to confront her fears head on. Hoping that a move across the globe will help her to cope with a devastating loss, she arrives in Ireland a broken down shell of a woman looking for a second chance at life.

Almost immediately Olivia is drawn to places she’s never been, and to a man that she’s never met. When she crosses paths with the mysterious and frustratingly private William Macauley, her life is thrown into turmoil unlike any she has ever known. The two couldn’t be more different – she’s human, he’s a vampire – but Olivia can’t get him out of her mind. Having acknowledged her overwhelming desire for William, now she must come to terms with how her feelings for him will greatly alter her future.

Olivia’s understanding of life – and death – take on new meaning as she examines the truth of the person she once was, the woman she was born to be, and how William is the key to her everlasting happiness.

Available at Amazon

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Flight 716 with service from San Francisco to Dublin. We ask that you please fasten your seat belts and secure all baggage beneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead compartments. At this time, please turn all personal electronic devices to airplane mode so that they cannot transmit a signal. As you know, smoking is prohibited for the duration of our journey to Dublin, and that includes in the lavatories. Thank you for choosing Aer Lingus. Enjoy your flight.”

It was usually at this point in any flight where Olivia’s real panic kicked in. Shortly – terrifyingly – the plane would be airborne with nothing but land and sea below. While she knew statistically that airplanes were safer than cars, she’d never known anyone – let alone two anyones – who had been killed, their bodies never recovered, from a freak accident on the freeway. Not to say that it didn’t happen everyday; she just didn’t know anyone that it had happened to.

To distract her mind, she listened to the crew outline the plane’s safety procedures and then the Captain’s welcome, including the weather forecast for Dublin – rainy and brisk, how shocking. Sipping the champagne the flight attendant had offered her when she boarded, Olivia felt the combination of the Valium and the alcohol take over her body, but not quite enough that she gave up the death grip she had on the arm rests. As she felt the tell tale tingle of the Valium working its magic, she thought – not for the first time – that maybe someday a plane crash wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen to her. Maybe someday she’d just never wake up from the self-induced drug and alcohol fueled nothingness she needed just to fly.

Who am I kidding?

Sadly, more and more frequently it wasn’t just plane rides that had her mixing booze and pills. Most days she wrapped herself in a hazy blur of alcohol like a security blanket, protecting her in a cocoon of mental fuzziness.

Olivia felt her pulse beginning to race and her breathing accelerate, and she made a conscious effort not to panic, not to look over at Judgy lest the woman start advocating for professional psychiatric help. It wouldn’t have been the first time some well-meaning motherly type had tried to get Olivia into therapy. She stole a quick glance in Judgy’s direction only to find that she was already engrossed in her novel, Olivia’s neurosis and emotional paralysis the least of her concerns.

Not too long after she had fought back the near panic attack, the whirring of the engines lulled Olivia into a stupor that soon resulted in a fitful sleep. For the next ten hours she didn’t exactly fall into a deep slumber, but she wasn’t fully awake either. Her mind seemed to float between a dreaming and wakeful state, and she felt strangely separated from her body. She’d see snippets of things in her head but wasn’t sure if the images were of events or instances that she was remembering, things she was imagining, or scenarios she was concocting to be used in her novel.

And then Olivia saw, quite clearly, the face of a man she had never met and yet she felt like she had known him all of her life – blue eyes, sharp and unnaturally piercing as if he could see deep into her soul. She saw a field of green that stretched far and wide, rolling hills dotted with sheep and lined with stacked stone walls. She saw herself as a child chasing a puppy larger than she was down by a river while laughing that high-pitched squeal that only a child can make as the dog raced back toward her covered in mud and dripping with water. And then that image changed as quickly as it came and she saw her mother as a young woman, happy and carefree, in love with a man who was not Gerald Donnelly.

And as she always did when in one of her fitful states of sleep, Olivia saw all the ways she could die – car accident; mugging gone horribly wrong after having put up a brave fight; her house on fire, the flames licking at her feet as she tried to run; her body weak and broken as it was ravished by cancer; or her heart slowly stopping as she lay in her bed, blind from old age and hunched with the rigors of time.

And in these dreams she was ready for it – any of it – almost welcoming the vast blackness that would follow whatever her death would be.

And then she saw that face again – the man she didn’t know but felt so deeply that she should. He whispered her name, longingly, “Olivia.”

 

 

 

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Rebecca Caudill read her first novel when she was just four years old and has been hooked on books ever since. When she wasn't writing her own stories, she was sneaking copies of her mom's paperbacks to read late into the night.

Fast forward several years later and Rebecca graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in English Lit, which gave her new insight into the written word. Following college, Rebecca embarked on a career in tech PR in the famed Silicon Valley, which eventually led to her leading Global R&D communications for a Fortune 500 company that everyone knows by name. Finally, after more than a decade of writing words ascribed to other people, in December 2014 she quit her job to pursue writing full time.

Today Rebecca lives with her husband and beautiful-but-neurotic cat in Oakland, California. When not creating fictional worlds inhabited by strong women, rakes, rogues, and dashing heroes, she is planning her next vacation, trying out new recipes, or drinking Islay scotch.

Blog – http://www.rebeccancaudill.com

Twitter - @rebecca_caudill

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/rebeccancaudill

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13488550.Rebecca_N_Caudill

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/rebeccancaudill/

Blog Tour & Giveaway–Meet Room With Books @roomwbooks #giveaway #payitforward

    FEATURING Room With Books   LINKS: Website: http://roomwithbooks.com/
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BIO:
Patricia Green
 
"A room without books is like a life without meaning." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~ Life always existed for me, more real at times, through the books I read and their characters than the life I've lived. My dream is to provide a place where you want to sit down, get comfortable with your favorite beverage and select a book from the authors featured here that will help you escape to that place where only you - and your favorite characters - exist. Room With Books began with my interest in Facebook. I made many Facebook friends and with the help and encouragement of my cousin, Linda Boulanger, a publisher, cover designer, editor, and most importantly, an author, I began sharing posts from many of the authors and tour organizers, and I soon realized I had an avid interest in promoting new and established authors, helping with book cover reveals, book releases and other book publishing events. Thus Room With Books was born. I can be found on  Facebook at https://Facebook.com/roomwithbooks. Please come over for a visit, like the page, and be sure to keep me posted of any new authors or upcoming events you would like to see featured!

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