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Book Blast & Interview: Dying in Pleasure by Lady Ristretto @LadyRistretto4u

 

 

Dying in Pleasure

Lady Ristretto

Genre: paranormal/historical erotica

Publisher: Lady Ristretto

Date of Publication: April 1, 2015

ASIN: B00VHIM7UA

Number of pages: 385

Word Count: 102,000

Cover Artist: Ebooks Covers Design

Book Description:

Lucia, the daughter of the richest family in Pompeii, disappears one night. The mystery goes unsolved and life moves on. The lives of Pompeii's citizens intertwine: Ibis, a prostitute running the whorehouse owned by the Aedile, a city official, gets murdered by his wife Lucy. Lucy falls in love with Narcissus, the most treasured gladiator in Pompeii. The Aedile's daughter, Julia, marries Rust, the man suspected to have murdered Lucia. Maro, Lucia's slave, holds the families together and eventually discovers Lucia when she reappears in Pompeii twenty years later, and as a witch.

The events in Pompeii converged and lead to its ultimate, inevitable destruction. Only Lucia can help the city and save lives. In a ceremony requiring possession by a god, murder, and necromancy, Lucia discovers what is going to happen. But not everyone manages to get away.

Dying in Pleasure brings to life the long dead city of Pompeii, showing its citizens as vibrant, eccentric pleasure seekers. History, pain, violence and ritual blend in a pansexual orgy that is both exciting and extreme from beginning to end.

Available for Nook and Kindle

LUCIA REFERRED to her patron goddess as Father. It was more respectful, a gesture insisted upon to mirror and mock Lucia’s upbringing: the Roman father is the family’s absolute authority. His power is unquestioned. The lives of his family are to do with as he wishes. In essence, he is the god of the family.

Lucia howled in rage on the hills; it wasn’t a wholly unique incident, but it wasn’t uninspired by Rust and Maro either. Lucia had grown accustomed to venting her rage in loud spectacles in nature. Her Father was pleased and Lucia could hear Her approval. She liked Lucia to explode: to remain pent up, repressed, and quiet not only kept the emotions in, it kept her power in.

Lucia wanted to wander the fields and find Father in the wilderness, but she was nervous to stray too far from the villa. On the edge of the woods, now darkening in dusk, Lucia could smell Bacchus out there; He was running toward her at full speed, like an animal galloping toward its prey. She could hear blood engorge His Penis, and the sound was a storm in her ears. If she stepped into His wilderness, He would fall upon her. Father would think the action, the willingness to enter the realm of another god, as disloyalty, a kind of cheating, and give Lucia up to His angry hunger.

Walking the opposite direction, Lucia started on the road back toward the city, to the necropolis she had visited during the night. The trip had been fruitless—the dead shrinking in terror from her like beaten dogs. She was used to fear, but nothing this intense or reckless. The dead were insulting in their terror, shrieking silent obscenities at her. Rather than taking it badly, and snuffing out what little power their trapped souls possessed, she walked away silently and curious.

Lucia returned to the entombed urns, and felt them quake from her approach. Normally, having received such hostility and unwillingness from the dead to be helpful, Lucia would respond with threats and violence. Perhaps seduction was more in order.

In the language of the dead, Lucia said, “Don’t be afraid. I need your help.”

In their language (with Latin accents from the freshly deceased, who still retained memories of Latin), they replied in an overlapping, echoing gaggle of sounds: “Keep away.”

“I only want to speak with one of you.”

“Away,” they whimpered dusty, silent heaves.

“One of you approached me. One of you has been haunting my dreams. One of you brought me back to Pompeii. I want to speak with her. If you help me find her so I can speak to her, I will do you no harm. I swear by my Father.” Lucia, of course, didn’t use the term Father to the dead—she used one of her goddess’s real name, the name in the language of the dead. It made the dead shake, the necropolis stones tremble. Her seriousness startled them; she was trapped by her oath, and they knew her Father would make her keep it.

They had no choice really but to answer her, for by refusing would bring her wrath down upon them. They echoed and reechoed, chanted one word which became for them a plead for peace: Ibis.

Repeating the name to herself, Lucia let Ibis bring her to her. There was a small entombment on the east side where the dead poor lodged. The tombs were less than tombs, less than places for remembering, inhabited by people who were hardly regarded in their lifetimes; but these were ghettos for ashes also thought too powerful to allow in the city, or cast aside in a rubbish heap. Dead beggars, madmen, slaves, whores, and gladiators there trembled at Lucia’s approach. Her voice thundered Ibis and the souls swept aside as if by a blast of wind, leaving Ibis alone to face her. Invisible, but a clear, solid form to Lucia herself, Ibis stood facing this woman she knew in life only as a legend.

Lucia glared through Ibis’s formlessness and forced the soul of the dead prostitute to assume a physical form. Only so Lucia would have something to look at and speak to. Even Lucia preferred to have a face when having a conversation: Lucia treasured the luxury of normalcy and insisted upon it whenever dealing with the dead—no matter what pain it caused. Ibis winced in the cramped confinement being in her former shape.

“Tell me what you want.”

Ibis’s mouth moved, and Lucia knew it would require a few moments for Ibis to accustom herself to her form again. She sighed impatiently: she had no patience for the dead, and their suffering, struggles, and pain angered and annoyed her. At first, speaking with the dead had been a horror. Repetition made it an annoyance, and sometimes Lucia wondered if her severe irritation was only self-protection.

Ibis was especially bothersome to Lucia. In form and in formlessness, Ibis was stained as murdered souls are.

“Help. Julius,” Ibis said with trembling lips. She spoke not normally, but in a shrieking rage. The stones quivered.

Lucia sighed. “Julius who?”

“The Aedile.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Tell. Him. Go. To. Rome.”

“I have no time to be running errands for you,” Lucia said.

“Please. Please.”

“I have been begged by more pathetic souls than you and if you annoy me more I will extinguish you.”

“Then why speak to me at all?” Ibis asked.

She advanced on Ibis but Ibis didn’t move. Lucia found herself staring closely into the pained face struggling to hold itself together. Lucia could see how Ibis’s pale cheeks swarmed in flesh colors like millions of bees. There was even a small buzz of energy. It was more disturbing that Ibis didn’t flinch. Lucia wasn’t accustomed to seeing the dead this close. Lucia arched her eyebrows. It was rare to find a dead soul with the ability to think quickly. “You brought me to Pompeii for a reason. I thought it was for something more important than carrying messages.”

“I didn’t bring you,” Ibis said. “You came on your own. You wanted to come home.”

Lucia opened her mouth to argue, but couldn’t find anything to say. She felt shame, as it was entirely possible it was true.

Ibis said, “Help Julius. Something horrible will happen to him.”

“I don’t care about the Aedile.”

“Something horrible. Something horrible.”

Lucia stepped back as Ibis began to cry. Ibis’s tears were bloody.

Normally, this would not be enough to move Lucia. She had heard more virulent entreaties and extinguished these souls who asked for less. But as Ibis cried—an unusual occurrence for a soul—the other dead echoed her “Something horrible”. Then it became a chant of “horrible horrible horrible”, not just in this necropolis, but all over Pompeii. As if all the dead were chanting to Lucia.

This had never happened before, and Lucia felt afraid.

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

When I was in third grade I wanted to be a baker. I don't remember why. I think I really liked cake. Then in high school, I wanted to be a florist for a while, because it was artistic. I had taken a career test and a florist came up as well as a journalist. The results really confused me. My junior year I became obsessed with Indiana Jones and decided I wanted to be an archaeologist. But at the time I graduated high school, I decided on English. I had had my first one act play produced by a professional theater and I think that motivated me to change my major.

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

I always made the distinction between being a writer and being a professional writer. I decided to be a writer with serious determination to become a great writer when I was sixteen. But I didn't start calling myself a writer until grad school. I figured that once I got my MFA in playwriting, I was officially a writer.

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

I started out as a playwright actually. At sixteen, I was writing all kinds of different things, but plays were the easiest. At seventeen, I had a one-act play produced by a professional company. It was an awful piece of crap and I don't even have the script anymore. But it was incredible encouragement and kept me from giving up. As far as novels, I didn't have my first published in April, 2015 and that was self-published.

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

At the moment, I'm unable to work (I'm living in foreign countries where I'm not legally allowed to work), but for about ten years I worked in coffee. I worked for Starbucks and Barnes & Noble cafes that serve Starbucks coffee. I loved it. I love the performance elements, helping people choose drinks, then seeing the incredible pleasure a drink I made gave them. I always worked with fantastic baristas and luckily I'm still friends with many. If I could work right now, I'd hit all the coffee houses I could. The jobs never pay well, and I shouldn't really work them because of it, but I ADORE them so. There were terrible elements, but the job taught me how to deal with stress and to learn, deeply learn, that there are things which are out of your power. There's only so much you can do. Crap happens. And really, it's just coffee.

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

It took me ten years to write Dying in Pleasure. My other projects, such as full length plays which is comparable to a novel, could take as short as a month. Each is different and I try really hard not to freak out if it takes a while to polish a piece.

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

I've recently developed a genre called Action Figure Erotica. The only rule to the genre are that the main characters must have been made into an action figure at some point. Minor characters can have been figures as well. History and location aren't important. For example, I'm currently have a novel in progress on Tablo called Medusa Gets Her Hair Done. Medusa and the goddess Kali are traveling through contemporary America to find someone to remove her snakes. They meet Cthulhu and a zombie H. P. Lovecraft, Kali describes a relationship she had with former president Howard Taft. It's supposed to be a mix of time, historical characters and myth in fun, erotic way. Imagine an adult playing with toys. I have a novella which is to appear in November called Lincoln Eats Pie at the Kali Cafe. I have a third novella which is to appear at the beginning of 2016 about Marie Curie on the Titanic.

What genre would you place your books into?

I think primarily erotica. But I branch out dramatically: historical, supernatural, science fiction. And now Action Figure. I still adhere to realism. By that I mean, I still have somewhat linear chronology with characters based upon traditional psychology.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

It was what naturally came out. I'm completely fascinated by sex. The stories which interested in me most involved relationships with vivid sexual dynamics. In plays, my characters had eccentric sexual lives, but I was never able to stage them completely. But in novel form, I can do whatever I want without worrying about how actors are able to handle doing certain acts or audiences walking out during a performance.

As for historical, sci fi, and supernatural: those are the genres I experienced the most as a kid and learned how to write in. My father, brother and I would watch Star Trek and Twilight Zone and analyze the writing. My dad was also into UFOs and ghosts and all of us loved history. It was only natural that I would dive into those genres.

Actually, my mother got me involved in soap operas as early as pre-school. I remember coming home and eating lunch and watching General Hospital. The romance of Luke and Laura was profoundly important to me at that young age. That was probably the beginning of my interest in erotica.

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

I think my favorite character from Dying in Pleasure is Maro, the slave of the Holconia family. He is so intelligent and wise that the Holconias refuse to make a decision without him. He was the tutor to two of the main characters, and he has sexual relationships with both. And both relationships are twisted (yet erotic). In the world of the Roman Empire, he has red hair. This would have been very rare. He's very formal and composed, yet engages in spontaneous sexual activities with a gladiator in a back alley. He has power, yet with Lucia Holconia Polla, his true owner, he is her subservient dog. His contradictions and impulses fascinate me. I listen to him and everything he says interests me. I must admit also that he is based upon someone from my past. That must add to my love of him.

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

In theater, I was taught never to read reviews during performance. Bad reviews could cause us to second guess our choices and make changes. Actors are notorious for this. It is better to respect our choices and not allow other people, who may in fact be wrong, to dictate what we do during performance. I've adopted this philosophy with novels. I don't want to be motivated by an outside opinion to write in a certain way. There are people I trust to criticize my writing in an effective way. That's all that matters to me.

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

I'm terrible with titles. I hate them. I choose them after I'm finished and usually come up with a dozen before I choose one. There's so much riding on a title. And there are titles I hate such as one word titles, which are so vogue right now. Summing a novel up in one word is lazy to me. I could easily have named my book Vesuvius or Pleasure, but I don't feel those do them justice. At least Dying in Pleasure has interesting word play in it.

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

With this book I had to do extensive historical research and pick authentic Roman names. The main family in the book, the Holconia family, is based on a real family in Pompeii. They had a statue at a crossroads of an ancestor. The location appears in the novel, and the ancestor is one of the main character's dead father. All the locations are actual places in Pompeii. I've been to Pompeii and walked the streets my characters would have walked. It wasn't easy. The streets are steep and made of cobblestones. When I was there it was raining and the stones were slippery.

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

These are all organic choices. Very rarely do I decide a character is going to have particular attributes. When I first started writing in high school, this process really frightened me. I would write and get caught up in what was going on. I would let go completely and let my mind take control. I felt like I stopped writing and started taking dictation. It really scared me. I thought I was going crazy. It almost seemed like a spiritual experience, as if I was traveling out of my body or my body was being taken over. It's no wonder the ancient Greeks and Romans believed in artists becoming possessed by Muses. It's as good of a description as any to explain the artistic process.

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..")

Yeah, and it shocked me: sexuality, religion and sadomasochism are all forms of the same thing. That thing is pleasure. It also leads inevitably to destruction, that we are too wrapped up in pleasure to save ourselves or we march headlong into destruction because it too is part of pleasure.

That was entirely unintentional, yet it's so present it's embarrassing.

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

Ebooks are easy to transport, hardbacks look great on shelves, but with paperbacks you can have a true physical relationship with a book. I love cracking spines and establishing physical points in the story that were important to me. I love folding down the corners of pages and having a faint record of all my stops along the way in the book. I love the way the spines of thick paperbacks start to spread and curve with age and no longer are flat. They seem to be living creatures that absorb the actions of a reader.

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

Alain Robbe-Grillet's Jealousy. It's a very avant garde novel about a man's obsession with the idea that his wife is having an affair. There's only two or three scenes, and he describes them over and over and over searching for details. When I finished the first time, I turned immediately to the first page and started it all over again. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. The novel blew my mind open to the possibilities because it's so out of the box. It's nothing like contemporary novels and few people would like it. All of my books are in storage because I'm traveling, but I have a copy of Jealousy with me.

Your favorite food is?

My homemade spaghetti sauce. Italian food is my comfort food, and my sauce is perfect. It doesn't always come out as perfect, but the idea of it is perfect. I always feel soothed when I have it.

Your favorite singer/group is?

Linkin Park. It's wonderful angry white boy music and their most recent albums have had wonderful political ideas.

 

Lady Ristretto spent the beginning of her career writing under her real name and as a playwright. She has a BA in English from UCLA and an MFA in playwriting from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Her plays were produced in Illinois and Texas, and her most popular work, Wonderland in Alice: The Uncertainty Principle was produced in New York off off off Broadway.

Her first book, Dying in Pleasure, had been a full length play that was rejected as her thesis play: the professors on her committee felt it was too misogynistic and violent for undergraduates to stage. Always stubborn and obsessed, Lady Ristretto spent years rewriting the play into a novel and has recently published it as an ebook on Amazon and Nook. Lady has recently become obsessed with cricket and deeply wishes America would form a formidable team which is worthy to compete in the World Cup.

http://www.ladyristretto.com

https://twitter.com/LadyRistretto4u

https://www.pinterest.com/lristretto/

https://tablo.io/lady-ristretto

http://dommeladyristretto.tumblr.com/

http://selfpublishersshowcase.com/lady-ristretto/

https://www.goodreads.com/ladyristretto

Book Blast: Timber Lake by Nya Rawlyns @Nya_Rawlyns

BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – Timber Lake SERIES – The Snowy Range Series AUTHOR – Nya Rawlyns GENRE – Gay fiction, suspense/thriller, romance PUBLICATION DATE – August 25, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 202/67041 PUBLISHER – Jade Horse Publishing COVER ARTIST – Dreams2Media BOOK SYNOPSIS Michael Brooks is a loner, and with good reason. A short fuse and a tendency to shoot from the hip, sometimes quite literally, mean he’s all the company he’s got most of the time, and he likes it that way just fine. It suits his job as Warden for Wyoming’s Fish and Game Department. Being alone sounds good to the researcher for the USDA Forest Service, Dr. Seamus Rydell, especially since it means time away from the pressures to follow his family’s political traditions. He’ll need a guide to Timber Lake to set up his testing equipment, and who better than a Warden whose boss needs him out of sight for a while? They’re just doing their jobs, until both men get derailed by a lust threatening to light up the night sky and by egos big enough to fill the wilderness. When a psychopathic poacher intrudes, Michael’s past rises up and the present twists out of shape around a sick mind. As the future for both men fills with darkness, it is all too clear no one will come back from Timber Lake unscathed. EXCERPT A chance to do ground-breaking research brings Dr. Seamus “Sonny” Rydell back to Laramie and the kind of life he’s always dreamed about. His first night back, Sonny’s at the rodeo looking for a decent spot to view the proceedings. He finds more than he bargained for… Circling the perimeter, his eyes and attention skyward toward the huge floods illuminating the arena, he never saw the man coming until he connected with a mountain of solid muscle. At six-two Sonny was no light weight, but the shorter cowboy damn near bowled him over. Hands the size of dinner plates steadied him while gunmetal blue eyes raked him over with a fearsome scowl. Sonny yelped, “Oh hey, man, I’m so sorry. Wasn’t looking where I was going.” He pointed toward the crowded top railing and shrugged. “Looks like I’m SOL.” The man chewed his bottom lip, his face hidden in the shadows cast by his hat. He twisted his head and yelled, “Yo, Dolly. Come over here.” A teen girl, built solid in an athletic way, came rushing out of the crowd, dragging a tall, skinny kid who looked like he’d blow away in a strong breeze. She smiled at the brick wall still clutching his hips in a hero worship way, exposing a chipped tooth. “Take this fella…” He tilted his head up enough Sonny nearly swallowed his tongue when he got a good look at a wet dream of ruggedly handsome. “What’s your name?” “Sonny.” “Sonny. Okay. Dolly here will take you to the contestant’s area. Stay out of the way and you won’t get tromped on.” Sonny muttered, “This ain’t my first rodeo.” Ruggedly handsome smirked. The scowl was less intimidating. He could do the scowl, oh yes, he could. That wasn’t the only thing he could do… BUY & TBR LINKS AMAZON KINDLE US AMAZON KINDLE CA AMAZON KINDLE UK ALL ROMANCE BARNES & NOBLES NOOK ITUNES GOODREADS AUTHOR BIO Writer, editor and hopeless romantic. Nya Rawlyns has lived on a sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay, ridden more than 1000 miles in trail competitions on horseback, and been owned by two Newfoundlands. She is staff for a herd of cats and a herd of horses. She never met a potato chip she didn't like and she lifts weights - which is probably fortuitous as she really likes potato chips. But mostly she loves happy endings, even when she has to make them up. AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE ROMANCING WORDS LOVE'S LAST REFUGE A WHISPER OF WINGS (free reads): FACEBOOK TWITTER GOOGLE+ TSU This Event Was Organized & Hosted By: Special Thank You To Carly's Book Reviews For The HTML Creation

Book Blast, Interview & Giveaway: Affirmation by Rayna Noire @raynanoire

 

 

Affirmation

Pagan Eyes

Book Four

Rayna Noire

Genre: YA Paranormal/Wiccan

Publisher: Sleeping Dragon Press

Date of Publication: September 28th

ISBN: 978-0-9966411-2-8

ASIN:

Number of pages: 270

Word Count: 65,015

Cover Artist: Dawne Dominique

Book Description:

Stella’s college life transforms from sweet to rancid when her boyfriend asks her to do the unthinkable. How did she end up holding her best friend’s future in her hands? Anything she does will trigger the disastrous conclusion. If that isn’t bad enough.

Add in a lunatic minister, a demi-goddess, and a walk through another dimension full of vindictive shrubbery and wildlife. It’s far from the typical freshman year.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/4AfW7s42QuY

Available at Amazon

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

I did want to be Superman, but that didn’t work out. After that, I wanted to be a forest ranger; the director blocked me from the program at that time because he didn’t think women would be good rangers.

2. When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

When I was fifteen and had a poem published in a magazine. I guess that maybe a poet as opposed to a writer.

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

My first published book took about five years. An agent had it for two years. Then it spent two years with an editor. The process can be slow at times.

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

I am a special needs teacher. I usually work at the high school level, which brings in my love of YA books. I have read tons of them. Books/stories are easy ways to get to know students.

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

Affirmation-Stella learns those who love you will never endanger you or your dreams.

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

I do both. The Pagan Eyes Series is with Sleeping Dragon Publishing. My husband and I own the company.

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

Sometimes I can write a book in a month without any interruptions. It usually takes 3-6 months because I write more than one book at a time. Then there is another two months of editing, proofing, cover at, and formatting.

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

I have a bonus book to the series I am presently writing called Reclamation. It’s Esmeralda and Buell’s early history. After that, I have a new Druid series coming out.

8. What genre would you place your books into?

Currently, I’m calling them paranormal or Wiccan action adventure tales. Some people call them paranormal romances, time travel, or even suspense.

9. What made you decide to write that genre of book?

The stupid stereotypes in the books my students were reading. Some people think children and teens don’t deserve complex characters. I wanted to have positive images for Earth-based religion followers than the Wicked Witch of the West.

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

Esmeralda, the matriarch of the family, is my favorite. She lives her life to the fullest and loves her family. She doesn’t care what people think of her and often uses their stereotypical fears about her against them.

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

I started writing in first grade. My mother taught me to read and write when I was four, which left me with not much to do in first grade, except make alternative endings for the bland reading books.

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

I change the title several times. I guess the book comes first.

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

I try to go with general names that could happen as opposed to actual places. I tend to use students names, names I’ve read, and then mix them up. I sometimes have to change them too, when names are too similar.

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

The characters drive the book, so I know who they are immediately.

15. 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 hidden, obvious, in fact, I have to edit not to be so obvious. Affirmation messages include believe in yourself, face your fears, actions speak louder than words, you’re in charge of your life, etc.

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

I’m a paperback girl. I can find my place easier.

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

The Hobbit because Tolkien brought Middle Earth to life. It includes history, maps, songs, folklore, and customs as part of the story.

18. Your favorite food is?

Steak

19. Your favorite singer/group is?

Hard question. I do like all the old standards done by Michael Buble and Steve Tyrell.

Your favorite color is?

Purple

Your favorite Author is?

Fiction- Jayne Ann Krentz

Non-fiction- Ted Andrews

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Rayna Noire is an author and a historian. The desire to uncover the truth behind the original fear of witches led her to the surprising discovery that people believed in magick in some form up to 150 years ago. A world that believed the impossible could happen and often did must have been amazing. With this in mind, Ms. Noire taps into this dimension, shapes it into stories about Pagan families who really aren’t that different from most people. They do go on the occasional time travel adventures and magick happens.

www.facebook.com/AuthorRaynaNoire

www.twitter.com/raynanoire

www.raynanoire.weebly.com

Book Blast & Giveaway: Affirmation by Rayna Noire @raynanoire

 

 

Affirmation

Pagan Eyes

Book Four

Rayna Noire

Genre: YA Paranormal/Wiccan

Publisher: Sleeping Dragon Press

Date of Publication: September 28th

ISBN: 978-0-9966411-2-8

ASIN:

Number of pages: 270

Word Count: 65,015

Cover Artist: Dawne Dominique

Book Description:

Stella’s college life transforms from sweet to rancid when her boyfriend asks her to do the unthinkable. How did she end up holding her best friend’s future in her hands? Anything she does will trigger the disastrous conclusion. If that isn’t bad enough.

Add in a lunatic minister, a demi-goddess, and a walk through another dimension full of vindictive shrubbery and wildlife. It’s far from the typical freshman year.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/4AfW7s42QuY

Available at Amazon

  

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Rayna Noire is an author and a historian. The desire to uncover the truth behind the original fear of witches led her to the surprising discovery that people believed in magick in some form up to 150 years ago. A world that believed the impossible could happen and often did must have been amazing. With this in mind, Ms. Noire taps into this dimension, shapes it into stories about Pagan families who really aren’t that different from most people. They do go on the occasional time travel adventures and magick happens.

www.facebook.com/AuthorRaynaNoire

www.twitter.com/raynanoire

www.raynanoire.weebly.com

Book Blast. Interview & Giveaway Portia by Christina Bauer @CB_Bauer @sparklebooktour

Presented by  Title: Portia
Series: Angelbound Offspring
Vol or Book #: 2
Author: Christina Bauer
Audience: Adult 18+
Genre: Romance/Fantasy
Format: E-book and Paperback
Publisher: Ink Monster LLC
Cover by: Art by Ana Cruz, Graphics by Paddy Donnelly
Editor: Ink Monster LLC
Pages: 250 pages
ISBN: 9780990635246
ASIN: B00W2A9Q0G
Date Published: 10-27-15
          Unlike her famous older brother Maxon, Princess Portia isn't known for killing demons or attracting admirers. The reason why is simple: a spell was cast on Portia, and the magic has marked her to one day transform into a dreaded Void demon. To fight this horrible fate, Portia’s spent her life hiding in libraries and learning magic. But when the Void demons threaten to destroy all the after-realms—and the handsome dragon Emperor Tempest offers his help—then Portia suspects that her future holds more than just a demonic metamorphosis. Fate is calling the bookworm princess onto the battlefield, and it’s a fight against both deadly enemies and her heart’s desires.       AMAZON / GOODREADS / NOOK / IBOOKS / KOBO 
  Chapter One  I am so late.
My heart beats at double speed while I rush up the staircase to the Ryder mansion. After pulling open the fancy wooden door, I step inside a large and empty foyer. Well, it’s almost empty.
The President of Purgatory is waiting for me. Not good.
Even worse, her mouth is pressed into a thin and frustrated line. No question why she’s unhappy. My lecture on Magic Across The After-Realms should’ve started twenty minutes ago.
“Portia, you’re finally here,” she sighs. “We were getting frantic.”
The President’s known for being tough on crime, graft, and well, everything really. But she’s also my grandmother. When it comes to family, Gram’s a softie who worries like crazy. I should know, being a softie myself. I give her a quick peck on the cheek. “So sorry, Gram. I got caught up.”
Gram’s tail sways warily over her right shoulder. No shock, there. Every quasi-demon in Purgatory has a tail. Gram’s variety is long and black with an arrowhead-shaped end and a mind of its own. Currently, that mind totally suspects that I’m up to something.
Good suspicion, actually.
“What are you working on this time?” asks Gram. “Is it dangerous magic? Please tell me you’re being safe.”
“No, it’s not dangerous at all,” I say.
Which isn’t entirely true.
My cheeks redden with guilt, but I can’t exactly admit that I was up all night trying to track Void demons by casting spells with an enchanted canopic jar. It’s super-tricky stuff. I could’ve ended up with a Void demon in my living room, and I’m not what you call battle-hardy.
 
  Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. An avowed girl geek, Christina loves creating immersive fantasy worlds with action, adventure, romance, and kick-ass female protagonists. As part of her work in Ink Monster, Christina has co-developed the ‘Heroine’s Journey,’ a blueprint for telling female myths inspired by the work of Joseph Campbell. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and golden retriever Ruby.
 
        WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOODREADS / AMAZON / PINTEREST Instagram Username : CHRISTINA_CB_BAUER

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33870edf7/?widget_template=55f70ccb0e6eaee8318e2421

1. When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

I don’t know that I’ve ever accepted that title. I consider myself a storyteller and an entertainer. For me, the ‘writer with a capital W’ falls in the same category as ‘literature with a capital L.’ I work my ass off on everything I create, but there’s a whole writing world out there that I still don’t totally feel tethered to.

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

My first book was published with an Indie publisher out of the state of Washington. I’m an entrepreneur, and even their indie style made me give up too much control for my taste! It wasn’t until years later that I felt ready to make another go of it with Ink Monster and my current partner in crime, Aileen Latcham! Owning my own show has been a much better fit for me!

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

My day job is in software marketing for a company called Zerto, which makes disaster recovery software. I’ve spent twenty years selling electronic files through partners, and that experience has directly played over into the business side of founding Ink Monster publishing. I’ve been able to bring over a lot of my high-tech experience to that side of the house. It’s one of the reasons why Ink Monster focuses solely on ebooks.

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

Portia. It’s the story of a girl, a quest, and a hot dragon Emperor.

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

Ink Monster has moved more than a half-million ebooks in two years. Not sure when/if we’ve crossed the line from being self-published to being an official publisher, but I’m not sure it matters so much, either. We’re having a ball and creating stories that people love. What else is there for a writer?

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

Before I started Ink Monster, I’d say 2-3 years. It was tough! Now that I have my fellow writer monsters around me, it’s much easier. We work as a team to plot things out using a beat sheet methodology and are pretty rigorous throughout the process. Now, I run about six months.

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

I’m currently working on a new fantasy-romance series called Beholder. After that, I have a rotating schedule of paranormal romance, sci-fi romance, and fantasy romance worlds set up to go. I’m planned out through 2020. Lots of my ideas are here on my Pinterest boards.

8. What genre would you place your books into?

Fantasy-romance.

9. What made you decide to write that genre of book?

It writes me, if that makes any sense. Like I said, my stories go I my head 24-7. I write get them out on paper as soon as I can to make room for new ones.

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

Right now, I am in serious love with the dragon Emperor Tempest from Portia. He showed up in the second book in the Angelbound series and wouldn’t get out of my head until I wrote his story. Hopefully, when you read the book, you’ll see why.

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

I go to my favorite Starbucks and hit my favorite table (back corner.) The employees there know me and save my spot. After that, I turn on my headphones, crank my tunes, and write the shit out of whatever I need to get done. That’s where I am right now!

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

Every single one. My readers give phenomenal feedback and insights. You are a critical part of the team!

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

Four words: work my ass off. I have a complex set of rules here: Language basis for the culture Set up societal structure Build out key stuff on Pinterest with reference art

I love/hate this part of writing. Sometimes I wish I could snap into an already-created world, but that loses some of the fun for me. I like to tweak our current world in some way and see how people react. For Angelbound, there’s the essential question: what if in the next life, they know as little as we do now?

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

I build out the names last. For example, the thrax demon fighters in Angelbound have a history where they come out of Roman times. So, Latin became the basis for all their naming structures. The Furor dragons were an offshoot of ancient Greece, so everything there is based on Greek naming. It goes on and on.

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

Oh, I decide what the characters are gong to be like, all right. Then, they kick my ass and tell me what they want to be. For example, I wanted Portia to be a playgirl at one point. She was having none of that bullshit. She wanted to be a bookworm and researcher, thank you very much. That’s all part of the fun!

16. Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?

I don’t know if transfer is the word. I studied screenwriting before I wrote my first book, and it’s a different kind of storytelling. There is so much you can convey with costume, set, tone of voice and so on that’s hard for a writer to get on a novel’s page. Meanwhile, books have the advantage of allowing us inside someone’s thoughts. In any case, my hands-down favorite adaptation of a book to a movie is Blade Runner. Ridley Scott added so much to the original work, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick.

17. Your favorite food is?

A burger, medium-rare with cheddar and fries. Yum!

Cover Reveal: Time For Eternity by Susan Squires @susansquires

BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – Time For Eternity SERIES – The DaVinci Time Travel Series, Book 1 AUTHOR – Susan Squires GENRE – Regency Paranormal Romance PUBLICATION DATE – October 27th, 2015 LENGTH  – 384 pages PUBLISHER – Independent COVER ARTIST – Rebecca Poole, Dreams2Media BOOK SYNOPSIS Desire and destiny collide in this novel—first in a stunning new series—from New York Times Bestselling author Susan Squires. Tempted by Fate Once, Frankie Suchet loved Henri Foucault—and it cost her everything. For two centuries, she has cursed the French duke who gave her his blood and then disappeared forever. Today, this sexy vampire is a bartender living in San Francisco. And Frankie has been granted the chance to go back in time…to kill the man who made her what she is. But becoming “Françoise” again means losing all memory of the risk Henri poses to her future…and her heart.  Seduced by Danger France, 1794. The Reign of Terror is in full swing. From the first, Henri is an enigma, saving Françoise from an angry Parisian mob. Drawn to his seductive vitality, Françoise discovers there is much more to him than she once knew. Henri’s devotion to rescuing innocents from the guillotine is his sole passion—until he encounters Françoise’s intoxicating blend of innocence and experience. And as their attraction explodes into dangerous desire, the only way to save each other may be to sacrifice their timeless love… “Superb writing…and intricate characterization make each novel by Ms. Squires and absolute winner.”    —Romantic Times BOOKreviews BUY & TBR LINKS AMAZON KINDLE US AMAZON KINDLE CA AMAZON KINDLE UKiTUNES AUTHOR BIO Susan Squires is a New York Times bestselling author known for breaking the rules of romance writing. Whatever her time period, or subject, some element of the paranormal always creeps in. She has won multiple contests for published novels and reviewer's choice awards. Publisher's Weekly named Body Electric one of the year’s most influential mass market books and One with the Shadows a Best book of the Year. Time for Eternity, the first in the DaVinci time travel series, received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly. Susan has a Masters in English literature from UCLA and once toiled as an executive for a Fortune 500 company. Now she lives at the beach in Southern California with her husband, Harry, a writer of supernatural thrillers, and two very active Belgian Sheepdogs, who like to help her write by putting their chins on the keyboarddddddddddddddddddddddd. AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS WEBSITE FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE MAILING LIST This Cover Reveal Was Organized & Hosted By: Special Thank You To Carly's Book Reviews For The HTML Creation

Book Blast: The Dark Side of the Moon by Kristy Centeno @KrissyGirl122 @sparklebooktour

  PRESENTED BY:        
Title: The Dark Side of the Moon      
Series: Secrets of the Moon Saga
Vol or Book #: 4
Author: Kristy Centeno
Audience: Young adult
Genre: paranormal
Format: E-book/paperback
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Cover by: Najla Qamber
Pages: 180
ASIN: B014MPMH18
Date Published: August 28, 2015




             
During her darkest hour, will she find the courage to seek the light? Marjorie has eluded both capture and death yet again, but her days are numbered. The old threat has resurfaced to endanger everyone she cares for and only a forged alliance with a member of royal blood will guarantee their safety and hers. However, in the midst of accepting who she is, Marjorie has to come to terms with the fact that those she considered friends may be anything but, and the mother she thought dead may have been missing against her will.  
  CREATESPACE / KOBO / ALL ROMANCE / B & N / AMAZON    The portraits of the Rousseau family members aligning the walls of the grand hallway definitely served as testament to Kyran’s statement. Many looked so much alike they could pass for Kyran’s and Alexi’s twins—one particular woman being identical to them. It was scary how much they resembled their long since deceased family members.
I opened my eyes, turning my head slightly to the left to look up at him. “He suffered before he died.” Dorian was whipped until his back was red, oozing blood, and raw. The pain he was forced to undergo was still very fresh and vivid in my head.
“So goes the legend,” Kyran acknowledged. “He paid a hefty price in order to ensure his bloodline. I’d say it was well worth it.” He touched my cheek with the back of his free hand. His gaze locked on my face. “You wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
Was it worth it? What would Dorian say had he survived his ordeal? Would he have agreed with Kyran’s statement?
“I guess I will never know,” I murmured. In my dream, he had appeared resigned to his fate, but one cannot know for sure. He could’ve changed his mind. Or his outlook in life could have been different had he been alive today.
The past week had changed my perspective of life even more than the accident that almost cost me my life over a year ago. I guess one can say the whole incident with Santos had matured me all the way. I definitely didn’t feel like the same nineteen-year-old girl anymore.
“Marjorie.” Kyran’s features hardened a bit. “The man we spoke of earlier is here to see you.”
    Kristy Centeno is an author of paranormal romance, young adult, new adult, horror, and contemporary romance. She has always had a passion for books and after years of being an avid reader, she decided to transform her desire to write into a reality and thus, her first novel was born. In her journey to create memorable reads, she has delved into several genres, creating fictional characters meant to entice readers and captivate the mind. She is currently working on finishing off the Secrets of the Moon saga among other projects, which include sequels to her published work. When she’s not busy taking care of her five children or holding down the fort, she finds time to sit and do what she loves the most: writing.             WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOODREADS / BLOG / AMAZON / LINKEDIN / SKILLPAGES / PINTEREST

Check out this exclusive excerpt of Twenty-One (21) by Clarissa Wild! @WildClarissa

 
Check out this exclusive excerpt of Twenty-One (21) by Clarissa Wild!   My vocal cords are hoarse from the amount of screaming that I’ve done today. For hours, I watch Angel getting tortured. At first, I tried to look away, but the man forced me to look by turning my body toward Angel. Seeing him tied up and at the mercy of some monster makes my insides churn. I’m dying. Not physically, but mentally … dying at the sight of Angel losing his will to live. With every drop of his blood, more of his energy spills out along with his reason, his sole motivator to fight. It was me. All along, it was me. He wanted me to live, and in his effort to save me, he sacrificed his own life. I wish I could turn back time and tell him not to. That I could stop him from even coming into the house and attempting to rescue me, just so I could spare him this pain. I don’t want to see him hurt. I don’t want to see him bleed to death. I love him. It’s not hard to admit when I witness the man carve a hole into his body right on top of his heart … the heart that belongs to me. I am his and he is mine. And now we’re set to die.

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Purchase now   Amazon | iBooks | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Synopsis

21 years
On her 21st birthday she’s taken. Collected by a rich family as an unpaid debt. Her body sold. Her mind his.

21 weeks
For 21 weeks she carried a burden no girl should ever have to carry. Now she loses her freedom to a man born to destroy her.

21 days
His name: Angel DeLuca. His mission: To break her in 21 days before she sees through his lies. But she won’t give up without a fight.

21 minutes
It takes only 21 minutes for their lives to be forever entwined.

21 seconds
21 seconds to spill. Time is running out.

Secrets ruin them … but not all truths are worth the price.


This is a STANDALONE Dark Romance novel. WARNING: contains explicit situations, graphic violence, and other disturbing content some readers may find offensive.   Author Bio   Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author, best known for the dark Romance novel Mr. X. Her novels include the Fierce Series, the Delirious Series, and Stalker. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire's Bet series, and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.   Links   WEBSITE FACEBOOK PROFILE
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Book Blast, Giveaway & Interview: The Eternal Undead by David Monette @PaintWriteDave

 

 

The Eternal Undead

In the Time of the Dead

Book III

David Monette

Genre: Horror, Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Severed Press

Date of Publication: October 1, 2015

ASIN- B015NY9J4A

ISBN- 978-1-925342-53-6

Number of pages: 280

Word Count: 100,579

Cover Artist: David Monette

Book Description:

They thought they had escaped.

The battle for Washington DC is behind them, and the last remnants of the human race have fled from their undead enemies to a remote Caribbean island where they try to salvage what is left of humanity. But even here, the zombies have come. Led by the architect of the holocaust, an invading army wreaks havoc trying to acquire the one thing that can stop them, and the one thing a small contingent of soldiers knows they must never get.

Join with Sasha, Terrance, Virgil, and the little girl, Max, in an all or nothing gamble as they fight down the road to either salvation or horrible defeat in the thrilling conclusion of this series.

Available at Amazon

As the day slipped away far off to the west, the darkness of the jungle became a living thing. Knit together by the slow creep of lengthening shadows, it grew by degrees into a massive being, shapeless and black. For nourishment it ate the weak or the unlucky. In return it exhaled moist heat and a cavalcade of sound, the sound of thousands of separate voices, large and small, all coming together to meet the ear in a constant sheet of noise. Those who were responsible for the making of this chaotic ballad were invisible to the naked eye of man. This was so not just because of the darkness, but because most of the performers—the frogs, birds, and insects—were hidden within the surrounding vegetation, frightened of being killed by their neighbors, either eaten, or as was the case with the troop of humans quietly slipping along a trail, flattened under a boot.

For one of the six members of this troop of humans, such an act would have been celebrated with a certain degree of relish. Terrance hated the sound of the jungle at night. There were not many things in his life that he gave away for free, but in his hatred he was quite generous. He hated the bleats, the croaks and hoots, and he hated the creatures that made the noise. He hated the darkness and the fact that he had to wear a pair of thermal goggles to plumb its depths. He hated the heat, and the plants, and the bugs. He hated the head-to-toe leather suit he wore… and most of all he hated the reason he had to wear the suit, the reason he was out in the jungle at night in the first place. He hated the zombies. Or more accurately, he feared the zombies and he hated them for that fear.

His terror of these beasts was not unfounded. Since the first day of the apocalypse when a host of diabolical necromancers eradicated most of the human population on earth and then raised the dead as zombies, the resulting creatures could, with a single bite, turn any living person into one of them. Terrance had seen it done before. It was not pretty. The resilient leather he wore formed a fairly reliable barrier between a bite and death, so day or night, no matter how hot it was, whenever he or anyone else left the barricades surrounding the city of St George’s on a patrol, they wore the protective clothing. The safety it provided far outweighed the bladders of water they needed to carry or the periodic “cool downs” they had to perform while nestled in the boughs of a tree.

Either way, Terrance hated it all.

In fact, he was so busy nursing his various hatreds that he barely noticed when Danger, the woman on point, suddenly raised her fist head-high and froze.

The fire team immediately came to a stop.

Terrance’s finger slipped from outside the trigger guard of his MP5SD sub-machinegun to curl around the curve of the trigger. The contact made him feel safer, more in control.

Around the task force the sound of the jungle withered and slowly died.

The point person opened her fist, laid the flat palm parallel to the ground, and took a knee.

Seeing this, Lieutenant Burgis, the officer in command, looked back and motioned those behind to follow suit.

They crouched and in the dark waited.

There was something out there.

 

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

No, actually I didn’t even know I wanted to be a writer until several years ago. Before that I was an illustrator (I still am—I do the covers and interior work for my books).

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

Let’s see now… I had a few people give the first book I wrote, The Zombie Axiom, a read and that took a couple months. After that, I wanted an agent, so it took me a few weeks to get a cover letter and synopsis done the way I wanted. When that was finished, about three months after I started looking, I found an agent. We then spent about a year looking for a publisher before I said, “The heck with this,” and I decided to self-publish the book. Only three months after, I had a publisher pick up all three books.

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

Like I said earlier, I do illustrations for different companies. But I am also an adjunct lecturer at my local community college.

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 name of my latest book is “The Eternal Undead.” A summary in less than 20 words? I’d say, “A thrilling conclusion to this action-packed series.”

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

My publisher is Severed Press.

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

If you count from having the original idea to finishing the writing of a book, I’m not really sure. For instance, as I was writing the first book, The Zombie Axiom, in this series, I was already jotting down ideas I had for other books. The book I’m writing now was one of those ideas. However, if you count from when I actually begin researching and writing a book until when it is done and sent to a few test readers, I’d say about a year.

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

I would consider this series to be urban fantasy, though it is mostly listed as horror. The book I am currently writing is more of a historical fantasy work. It takes place in 1920’s America, the Prohibition Era, only with a fantasy twist. I’m about 11,000 words deep into that.

What genre would you place your books into?

I kinda answered that in the earlier question, huh? I would place this series into the urban fantasy category, I think.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

I mostly just had an idea that I thought was pretty fresh. Genre doesn’t really matter all that much to me.

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

No, I don’t have much of a favorite character. They are all neat in their own way.

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

I began writing about six or seven years ago. I did so because during that time, I was attending college for my MFA in Illustration and one of my professors there suggested that I pair my writing talents with my skills as an illustrator. I listened to him, and here I am!

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

I don’t have much of a routine when it comes to writing. I mostly write in my studio, music playing sometimes and sometimes not, but every now and then I head to the café downtown and write there.

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

I do. I can’t help myself.

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

That completely depends on the book. The second book in this series, The Warring Dead, I think I had the title first. But for The Eternal Undead, I had started writing and thought of it while writing. Or maybe I have that the other way around.

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

This trilogy, In the Time of the Dead, is a modern tale, using modern names and place names, so it was pretty easy to do. For the novel I’m currently writing, it’s a bit more involved. I have to do a little research to find out common names used back then, in the 1920’s. Either way, though, when I land on a good name, I know it.

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

It can go either way, but usually I have an idea for how I want a character to be, and then I find a name that I think fits. Place names are easier. I just use the names on the map, though sometimes I do change them to send my cartographic-minded readers into paroxysms of frustration and/or rage.

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

No, I have the characters fleshed out before I start writing.

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..")

I’ll leave that up to the readers of my books to decide.

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

I like all three. And I’m not just saying that. Right now, I’m reading a book on my Kindle and one that is hardback. I save the Kindle for reading in bed or traveling and the hardback or paperbacks for any other time.

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

A favorite book? How can you pick just one? I like different books for so many different reasons I can’t just pick one.

 

 

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David Monette was born and raised in the cold rural hinterlands of upstate New York. As a typical kid in a typical community, life for him was pretty... typical. He liked to draw creatures and contraptions but as the second born of four sons, such ability was merely a convenient way of standing out from the crowd. As he inexpertly stumbled through high school, his talent for capturing the images in his head onto paper was noticed and encouraged by both teachers and family members.

Without any other idea of what to do with himself after graduation, besides a vague idea of doing something art oriented, he decided to attend Mohawk Valley Community College where he received his associate's degree in Advertising Design and Production. Acting on excellent advice from his teachers at this institution, he went on to Syracuse University where he learned a great deal about art and eventually wound up with a bachelor's degree in Illustration.

With a disturbingly large amount of student debt and a decent portfolio, he learned what it was to be a starving artist. Namely, he found that artists don't starve; they simply pick up an endless series of part time work to pay the rent while continuing to plug away at their true passion. This was essentially what he did until he received his first illustration job and from that point on, he didn't look back. As an illustrator, his highly detailed fantasy and science fiction work has appeared in many books, magazines, board games, and collectible card games for such varied publishers as Dell Publishing, Wizards of the Coast, and Atlas Games. Initially, he had completed these diverse projects utilizing oil and acrylic paints as well as pen and inks.

As digital technology continued to improve, however, he decided it was time to tackle the arduous task of mastering the computer and eventually figured out a way to adapt his style to a digital format. With this knowledge and experience, he went back to school and received his master's degree in Illustration from the University of Hartford. While there, his instructors reviewed his written work and had strongly suggested that he combine his writing ability with his talent as an illustrator to chart his own path.

And hence, an author was born.

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/davidmonetteauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaintWriteDave

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7334521.David_Monette

Blog: http://davidmonette.blogspot.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmonette

Instagram: https://instagram.com/paintwritedave/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/David-Monette/e/B00FMX73DM

Book Blast & Giveaway: The Second Wife by Kishan Paul @kishan_paul

BOOK INFORMATION Title: The Second Wife Author: Kishan Paul Release Date: October 14, 2015 Genre: Suspense/Thriller Length: 82,000 words Cover Artist: Syneca Fetherstone BOOK SYNOPSIS If you want to live, you must let go of the past... Twenty-eight-year-old psychologist, Alisha Dimarchi, is abducted by an obsessed client and imprisoned in his Pakistani compound for over two years. Forced to change her name and live as his second wife, her life is filled with trauma and heartbreak. Thrust into a world of violence and oppression, Ally must fight not only to keep herself alive but to protect the lives of the people she now considers family. At night, she retreats into her memories of the only man she has ever loved—a man she believes no longer loves her. Thirty-four-year-old handsome surgeon, David Dimarchi, has spent the last two years mourning the disappearance of his wife. After a painful and isolated existence, he begins the process of healing. It is then he is visited by a stranger, who informs him that Ally is very much alive and needs his help. In a desperate attempt to save her, David enlists the help of a Delta Force Operative. Together they find themselves in the center of more than just a rescue mission. Will he be able to reach her in time, and if he does, will she still want him? Warning: This story contains elements some readers may find offensive: violence, rape, death. BUY & TBR LINKS AMAZON US KOBO iTUNES BARNES & NOBLES EXCERPT March Twenty-third, Philadelphia The slow drip of a leaky faucet disrupted Ally’s otherwise quiet slumber. “Ally.” The distant sound of David’s voice soothed her, enveloping her in a warm blanket of safety. A smile tugged at her lips. Soon he’d crawl into bed and wrap his limbs around hers, cocooning her with his love. Instead of the heat she anticipated, something coarse scraped against her cheek. When she tried to swat it away, her arms refused to comply. “Baby, wake up.” Her husband’s echoed tone became louder, rougher. “You need to wake up.” The urgency in it made her eyelids flutter, pulling her further away from the dark claws of sleep. Like a silent movie, foggy images of a dimly lit parking lot invaded her dreams. A woman, tall and lean, walked the deserted space alone. With each clip of her heels against the paved road, the haze cleared a little more. Ally’s heart raced when the woman’s features came into view. Long, curly, black hair, dark brown eyes, tanned complexion. It was her. Two sets of hands emerged from the shadows, dragging her into the woods. The taller of the two men covered the woman’s mouth, muting her screams as she wrestled to break free, until the other one slammed a brick into the base of her skull, plunging her into darkness. This must be a dream. Rays of light pierced the darkness as Ally’s heavy eyelids fought to open. When she shifted, instead of soft sateen sheets, her cheek scraped against a cold, hard surface. “Alisha? Can you hear me?” This voice wasn’t David’s. It sounded thick, heavy with an accent and oddly familiar. So familiar, she shivered. TRAILER  AUTHOR BIO From daring escapes by tough women to chivalrous men swooping in to save the day, the creativity switch to Kishan Paul’s brain is always in the “on” position. If daydreaming stories were a college course, Kish would have graduated with honors. Mother of two beautiful children, she has been married to her best friend for over seventeen years. With the help of supportive family and friends, she balances her family, a thriving counseling practice, and writing without sinking into insanity. Her novel, Blind Love, is currently available through most major ebook sites and through Samhain Publications. AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS WEBSITE FACEBOOK TSU PINTEREST TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE NEWSLETTER GIVEAWAY PRIZES Two $25 amazon gift cards a Rafflecopter giveaway