Kyra Halland's Blog, page 27

Western With A Twist, Part 2: Movies and TV

Welcome to part 2 of the Western With A Twist Blog series, setting the mood for the upcoming release of Beneath the Canyons, Book 1 of my high fantasy-western series Daughter of the Wildings. This time: movies and TV. (Part 1, Books, is here)
[Note: Amazon links are my affiliate links.]
First of all, if you're talking about TV and movies that are sci-fi or fantasy with a western twist, or western with a sci-fi/fantasy twist, you have to include Firefly on the list. I don't know how much I need to say about it, except adventures in space with a wild west feel - guns, fortune-hunters, independent-spirited people trying to make a new start in wide-open territory not necessarily on the right side of the law. I haven't seen the entire series yet, but what I've seen I loved. And, of course, there's the companion movie, Serenity. [Amazon] Possibly the next most obvious entry is the old TV show, The Wild Wild West. Basically James Bond in the old west (the main character is Jim West; get it?), with lots of cool gadgetry, it also has elements of science fiction and alternate history, and is sometimes considered a forerunner of steampunk. I don't remember watching it as a kid, although I do remember the little animations between segments, but there are some episodes on YouTube so I've been watching those lately. Lots of fun. There was also a 1999 movie version which gets pretty bad ratings, which is too bad because with Will Smith and Kevin Kline you'd think it would be good. [Amazon] Next up is one of my favorite movies, High Plains Drifter, with Clint Eastwood. Spaghetti western about a Man With No Name who comes into a desolate western town, uncovers its dirty secrets, and punishes it for a long-ago crime. Is he just a wandering Stranger, or is he something more? (The link goes to Rotten Tomatoes because the Wikipedia article was written by someone with a definite bias against the movie. :P) [Amazon]
Finally, while we're on the subject of movies, we can't forget Cowboys and Aliens, which I haven't seen but I love the idea. Critical reaction seems to be mixed; some reviewers love it, others just don't seem to get it. [Amazon] Next up are two of my favorite anime series. Cowboy Bebop is set in space in the near future, after Earth has been made mostly uninhabitable by a natural cataclysm and mankind has moved to Mars. Lawlessness and corruption are rampant, providing plenty of work for bounty-hunting "cowboys" like the crew of the Bebop: Spike, wisecracking gunslinger/martial artist and refugee from the criminal Syndicate; Jet, tough but tender-hearted owner of the Bebop; sexy Faye, a woman without a past; Ed, the 13-year-old hacker girl, and Ein, the super-intelligent Welsh Corgi. Science fiction/space opera with a definite Wild West feel, an awesome jazz soundtrack, and the famous tag line, "See you, space cowboy." [Amazon] Trigun is also set in space, on a desert planet where spaceships evacuating humans from a ruined Earth crash-landed. With the destruction of the ships, technology has, for the most part, gone back to the level of the late 19th/early 20th century (with a few things salvaged from the ruined ships and, of course, the Plants that provide the planet with power and water). The society is wild and lawless, and the most wild and lawless of them all is Vash the Stampede, the Humanoid Typhoon, the outlaw gunslinger with a $$60,000,000,000 bounty on his head. Vash believes in Love and Peace, but a darker destiny hounds him across the planet. Along the way, he meets up with a series of renegades, bandits, bounty hunters, and desperados, an intinerant priest who's more than he appears to be, asssorted lovely ladies, and two "insurance girls", investigators assigned to make sure he doesn't prove to be the ruination of the insurance company. [Amazon] I like to think that Silas Vendine, the hero of Daughter of the Wildings, has a little bit of Spike and Vash in him :)

Cowboy Bebop has bounty hunters, and Trigun has a character with an enormous bounty on his head, and the two come together in possibly the greatest anime music video ever made, Tainted Donuts. To finish off this post, sit back and enjoy some animated Wild West in Space action! Next time: Part 3, Music.

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Western With A Twist, Part 1: Books

To set the mood for the release of Beneath the Canyons, Book 1 of Daughter of the Wildings, a high fantasy series set in a world inspired by the wild west, I'm going to take a three-part look at books, movies/TV shows, and music that puts a twist on the traditional western. The mythos of the Old West - the wide-open, lawless frontier, the desolate and mystical landscapes,  the confrontation between good and evil, self-reliance, individual freedom and responsibility, the struggle to survive, and characters who are trying to make a new start in life, or find justice, revenge, redemption, or just a ton of riches, have made for a rich body of exciting stories, and easily lend themselves to other genres. For the "Western With A Twist" series I'll mainly be looking at western mixed with fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction, which also share a lot of the same traits - new frontiers, confrontations between good and evil, the struggle to survive, characters torn away from their origins who are on a quest. But I'll also throw in a few other things as well, to offer up a wide variety of western-themed entertainment to satisfy all tastes! (Note: Amazon links go to all international sites, and use my affiliate link. Image and title links go to Goodreads.)

First up, books.

I've had a hard time finding Western-themed works that fit my definition of "high fantasy" (and the definition I'm using for Daughter of the Wildings): fantasy set in an entirely different world from our Earth, with no reference to the real world, involving magic as an important plot element and a struggle between good and evil. But there are a few that come close, and there's plenty of other stories that fit into the Western With A Twist theme out there; "Weird Western" is a big trend, as is western paranormal romance (my own definition of paranormal is set in our world and dealing with things like ghosts, demons, vampires, etc), western steampunk, western alternate history, and western science fiction. Here's a rundown of some books and a web comic I've found that fit the bill of Western With A Twist.  The Dark Tower series by Stephen King: When talking about western-fantasy, this is the first thing most people think of. I agree, with qualifications. The first book, The Gunslinger, is very much fantasy in feel, and focuses on the western-like world of Roland Deschain. Book 4, Wizard and Glass, which I'm stuck halfway through, is also pretty straightforward western-fantasy. I'm having a hard time finishing it, partly because I know it can only end in tears (I'm all about happy endings) and because the 14-year-old kid having lots of sex kinda puts me off. I'm told Book 5, Wolves of Calla, is more fantasy-western, as well. Books 2 and 3 (which I've read) take on more paranormal and science fiction elements, and spend a significant amount of time in the modern world. Book 2 was good, though not at all western, and more paranormal than straight-up fantasy. The last two books, according to the information I've seen, mainly take place in the real world, and from the descriptions and reviews I've read, the series seems to go weirdly off the rails and this point (Stephen King is a character in at least one of them) and the ending sounds like something that would incite me to heave the book (or my Kindle, as the case may be) against the wall. King's books that I've read tend to have that effect on me, which may be why I haven't read very many. But if you want fantasy-western, The Gunslinger is worth reading. [Amazon]
The Haunted Mesa , by Louis L'Amour: By one of the grand masters of classic western novels, this book explores what might have become of the lost Anasazi people of the southwest. I consider it paranormal rather than high fantasy, since it's set in our world and deals with things like ghosts and alternate dimensions, but I read it many years ago seem to remember enjoying it a lot, so it belongs on this list as another personal recommendation. [Amazon] The Alloy of Law , by Brandon Sanderson. Set in the same world as Sanderson's Mistborn series but in a later time period reminiscent of the late 19th century. High fantasy, and definitely with a western-type feel and setting, and has definite steampunk elements. I've enjoyed all of Sanderson's work I've read so far, including this. Personally recommended. [Amazon]
The Buck Johnson: Dragon Wrangler series by Wyatt McLaren: Cowboys, wrangling dragons. On a distant planet. What's not to love? Short, funny, entertaining fiction that's a perfect blend of western and science fiction (the dragons are actually large flying lizards native to the distant planet). Personally recommended. [Amazon]
The Hunter (The Legend Chronicles, #1) by Theresa Meyers: This was suggested in a thread on Goodreads looked for fantasy-western recommendations. Mainly paranormal romance set in a steampunk version of the real world 1880's old west. Colt hunts for demons and other evil creatures; Lilly is a succubus he summons to help him on a search. She's ordered to take his soul; she has her own plans. I'm currently reading this one, and so far it's lots of fun. [Amazon]
The Native Star , by M.K. Hobson: Also recommended on that Goodreads thread. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my too-read list. Also paranormal rather than high fantasy. [Amazon]
Not fantasy or science fiction, but also western with an enjoyable twist:

The Mick and Casey stories (Have Gun, Will Play; A Fist Full of Divas; The Curse of Scattershale Gulch, and two stories in the Waiter, There's a Clue In My Soup! collection), by Camille LaGuire. Young married gunslingers Mick and Casey McKee solve mysteries in the old west. Mick and Casey are great characters, the old west settings are beautifully conveyed. If you enjoy putting together the pieces of a mystery in a different setting, try these. Personally recommended. [Amazon]
Bailin' , by Linton Robinson. Crime caper set along the modern-day Texas-Mexico border, but with a very old-west feel to it. So funny it had me laughing in the dentist chair while I was waiting for the hygienist to come in and get to work. It has gunslingers, bounty hunters, a desperado in the person of a town treasurer who makes off with the stadium fund, and modern-day banditos (the two-man motorcycle gang Flathead and Bogart, the world's most inept drug smugglers). Also personally recommended. [Amazon]
Not a novel but a web comic/graphic novel:

Next Town Over, by Erin Mehlos. Follow the mysterious Vane Black as she pursues rogue sorcerer John Henry Hunter across a fictional world based on the Old West. Western high fantasy with a good dose of steampunk, an intriguing story, and really cool art. Personally recommended. Read for free or buy collected volumes for your tablet or in paper at http://www.nexttownover.net/. (I read them on my Kindle Fire.)

Finally, check out Raymond Cook. Straightforward westerns (not with a twist), but I've met the author online and he's a genuinely nice guy and has an inspiring story of following his dreams of writing despite serious injury and disability. I haven't read any of his books yet, but he's definitely on my to-read list.

If you have any recommendations for books that are western with a twist that aren't listed here, please put them in the comments!

Next time: Movies and TV

Author Spotlight: Kia Carrington-Russell

1. Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi everyone, my name is Kia Carrington-Russell. I am a fantasy/young adult author that is loving the journey my three released books have taken me on. I have many more to come, but thus far I have loved all the people I have met and been supported by.

I love animals, and own a Cavoodle dog, Sia, as well as yin and yang kitties: Forest (black) and Isa (white). They are my biggest cheer team as they always sit with me in my office while I write.
I love food, and probably eat far too much. But hey, food is awesome, so why wouldn’t you? I am competitive, in a harmless way of course. But I may sulk if you don’t let me win at Cluedo (only because if you won, then you must have cheated, because I always win!).

I am slightly clumsy; somehow manage to place myself into awkward situations; possess an airy-fairy demeanor; and have no sense of direction. But I am happy and, well, that’s me.

I’m a workaholic, as I have recently found out. I have a full-time job, a part-time job, and then I write on the side—which is just about every day. I am working hard for what I want to achieve. But I also love painting, photography, and anime. I am a bit of a hippie, I am into my spiritual beliefs, and I like to cook as if I were a master chef (although I take about two more hours than a normal cook would take to finish the dish). I enjoy the worlds of fantasy and cosplaying for events such as Supanova and Manga festivals. Why? Probably because I am a bit of a nerd. I love my family and friends—whom support me dearly—and enjoy dancing as well.

I am appreciative of the things I have and the opportunities I have been given. But mostly I am a dreamer, and I have a determination that will never let me lose sight of what it is I truly aim for: to be a well-known author with the opportunity to meet many of my supporters.

2. When did you start writing, and why?
I started writing when I was in high school at age fifteen. I published my first book when I was twenty. Writing was something I had always enjoyed and aspired to do well in, but it wasn’t until the year of 2014 that I really focused on it. I embraced my stories and began to contemplate a career in writing. Apparently my family and friends were waiting for me to take it seriously, as they had always known I would become an author, but said nothing.
3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write?
I write fantasy because there are no limits or boundaries to my writing. It is so exciting to create a world and then place theory and logic in it as well to convince my readers it is a reality. Although I wouldn’t need much rationality to it all because the genre is so vast, I love to make sense of it. I want to make people question as to whether it is something that is already in our world and if such creatures could exist. It doesn’t matter what genre you write because you can always connect to your reader through the emotions and heart-pounding thoughts of your characters. It is so much fun for me to create a colorful—or a dark—world to surround the reader with. With this I am entrapping them too in my world.

4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
I just completed my fourth manuscript, Sia, which is the second in the Phantom Wolf series. In fact, I only sent it off to my amazing editor, Ashley, this week. Currently I am working on creating my two websites: Crystal Book Promoters and Crystal Publishing, so they will hopefully be up and running very soon. I am also trialing my first suspenseful romance and a manual with tips and advice on how to self-publish. I still have many books I want to write over various genres—last time I counted it was over twenty books!

5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
I have two series at the moment, and I have two books left to complete in each of them. The most recent book I have finished is Sia. I love this world because the main characters are a half-human, half-wolf race, but they are oblivious to their abnormality. They fear humans, who some even dismiss as a nightmarish legend. If a human kills one of their kind, they are cursed as a Phantom Wolf. When this transformation happens they are fated to kill all of their pack—all their loved ones who are blood linked. They are forever connected to that human and only regain consciousness after they have slaughtered their entire family. The cursed wolf lives a life of unbearable loneliness in an immortal state until the human dies or they kill themselves.

The Phantom Wolves are driven by murderous intent and can’t handle the beast they become after killing their whole pack. I love this concept because it is thought-provoking; it details the lengths that an individual could go to when driven by fear or love. We humans are confident that we are the superior race on this planet—but what if we fell victim to war and slaughter at the hands of an unfamiliar species that feared us. All in the name of fear.
6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
My favorite character so far is Sia; she is an eighteen-year-old who is sure of herself and curious about the world. She constantly tried to prove everyone wrong about their impressions of her as fragile and in need of protection. But on her journey she begins to learn who she truly is. I could find similar characteristics between her and me.

Another favorite character is Scott from Possession Of My Heart: The Three Immortal Blades, my recently released book (October 10th, 2014); he is flirtatious, fabulous and uninterested in most things. But as his traits as an Elemental Breather slowly begin to reveal themselves , he turns into a slightly darker character. He always believes himself to be superior to humans and Shielders. He is sure he is always right and has no issues with torture. His shifting personality really was fascinating to explore; he changed so quickly before me.

7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book:
I love Japanese culture; one of my dreams and goals is to travel to Japan and bathe in their traditional culture as well as their pop obsession. And I love cosplay— oh, I am always excited to see everyone dressed up!
About the Author:

Kia Carrington-Russell is a young author working on her first series: “The Three Immortal Blades”. Kia began writing at the age of fifteen in high school- finding that all her warped and strange dreams were giving her a fantastic new world- and since then she has never looked back.

Kia was born in a small town in Australia, moving around a lot at a young age until finding a stable town where she finished her schooling. Kia found herself enjoying and expressing herself through poetry, short stories and writing, photography, painting and drawing. All these mediums help Kia express the different world that she is so fond of.

In ‘Senior Art’ Kia focused on feminism and female empowerment; exposing through her work issues and concerns that many people would rather just “sweep under the rug”. In one art installation, Kia made a bed out of Pokémon cards- the concept being that when she slept a new world would come to life and it was the only one she saw and constantly lived in. Kia now focuses on her photography, writing and self-help blogs on her website: ‘Precious Living’.

Kia is now keenly working on “The Three Immortal Blades” series knowing that this book has to be shared with the world and that is what she aims to do now.

Kia writes in her Australian home, trying to focus at times on simply what is running through her head, as her cats either terrorize her legs as scratching posts or her puppy barks in her ear for play-time. And as she continues her series, they grow with her book.

Kia is strongly supported by her friends and family and thanks them dearly for being with her along the bumpy road and nothing would please her more than having your support as well.

Where to find Kia:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Phantom Wolf :
Sia is a Phantom Wolf. Neither dead nor alive—and rotting from the inside—she is on the edge of her curse. Once a Phantom Wolf has been created, they hunt their blood pack and slaughter all their loved ones. Except for Sia, who woke years after her death to find herself rampaging through the land on a lonely path. She continues to run from the rival pack that hunts her because she is a Phantom Wolf.
Attracted to a scent, Sia finds her old best friend, who is now a grown woman. Having once saved Keeley, Sia takes the role of protector yet again, despite Keeley’s involvement with the mysterious Alpha, Kiba, and his kin brother, Saith.

An ambush separates the pack and the four of them blindly fight the new warriors that attack them: desperately needing to find out where the attacks are coming from, as Sia has vowed to protect Keeley. But at what cost?

Now being chased, Sia finds herself conflicted by the mortal and spirit world while trying to protect her kin. Sia must confront her fears, as well as the human lover who killed her many years before. It is not only survival Sia contends with, but her own façade that must be broken so that she may find peace within herself once more.
Phantom Wolf is available at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kia's website

Read on for more information and excerpts from Possession Of My Soul and Possession Of My Heart!
Possession Of My Soul :
The Three Immortal Blades is a captivating story about Karla Grey, an ordinary young woman struggling with a unique ability. Karla is a Shielder; an exceptional fighter born with the rare ability to project a shield for protection. However, Shielders are not the only kind that possesses such a talent. The Shielders battle a war that has been raging for centuries against the Starkorfs, who endeavor to harvest humans and Shielders alike to obtain immortality and power.

Amidst the chaos of war and death that surrounds her, Karla must also confront the charming Elemental Breathers. Powerful and volatile, the mysterious Elemental Breathers are quick to conjure up the element they inherited power over at birth. Unfortunately for the Shielders, the Elemental Breathers also have at their disposal a depth of knowledge unmatched by any living being, making them indispensable to the Shielders in their quest for truth.

Whilst engaged in battle Karla begins to hear a woman’s voice echo in her head and throughout her dreams. Karla faces many new and daunting challenges while simultaneously searching for a reason as to why the unknown woman seeks to possess her body.

Karla must unravel the purpose of her curse. Finding herself embroiled in a bitter war armed with a talent she has yet to gain control over, she fights to find a way to end it all. But first she must learn to never let her shield down. The woman manipulating her thoughts may be dormant for now but she has every intention of possessing Karla. Mind, body, and soul.

Karla must choose between right and wrong: the charming Lucas and the selfless Paul, death and life, lies and truth. Within this new reality the search for the Three Immortal Blades starts.

Excerpt:
“Hello?” I croaked. My kidney had felt like it had frozen; shards of ice stabbed me from inside. My knees buckled and I fell, tumbling to the pavement. I managed to keep a firm grip on the phone that was now clutched to my stomach. I opened my lips to release a scream–the pain was horrific—but no noise left my mouth, leaving the tension locked inside my body.

“Karla, where are you?” Mum’s voice was panicked and teary; my dear mother that had always took care of me. My body felt like it was decomposing under the force of a hundred spears. My wrist shook with the intensity of supporting my weight against the pavement. It felt like a good time to tell Mum that I loved her and that this may be goodbye- because that’s what my body was telling me.

“Karla?” I could hear the pain in her voice. “Karla, you need to get home. Now.” I heard my dad in the background telling Mum to ask where I was and where he could pick me up. It ripped me to shreds to imagine how heartbroken they would be to know how much pain I was in. I braced myself and yelped as I resurrected my body, only for my feet to sink once again beneath my weight.

“Karla, I’m so sorry, baby!” Mum started crying and I heard the shifting of the phone. My body felt like it was drifting—panic swept over me making my pain unbearable.

“Karla? Karla?” Dad’s voice was as frantic as Mum’s. “Karla, get home now. We have things to discuss.” He sounded jumpy and tearful. I took one step back, and my leg buckled again. I tried dragging the other leg under my body but they could no longer move. My body is shutting down on me.

My eyesight was blurring into blotches of black and then, blotches of green. The pain was like venom triggering every nerve of my body to shut down. I can’t handle it anymore. “I love you,” I gasped into the phone, while tears replaced the stream of rain drenching my face.

“What? Are they there? Don‘t become what they want you to, sweetie. Please!” my dad shouted. I heard Mum scream in the background and I felt her pain layer on top of mine. I can’t breathe. Don’t become what they want me to? What is Dad talking about?

“What who wants me to be?” I whispered, wincing as I felt myself dipping in and out of consciousness. A loud ring echoed through my head blocking out the noise of my father and the rain; then silence. All noise was lost. My knees collapsed at the same time as the world around me. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. I thudded to the ground again, barely able to see my hands in front of my face. My lungs wouldn’t accept any air now.

My body had completely stopped. My mouth filled up with blood, and I could feel it dribble onto the road underneath my face. Relief and fear was all that functioned in my mind. Relief to know that the pain will go away; fear to know that I’m dying.

I felt ice-cold hands lifting me off the ground from the waist while another hand cradled my head. My eyesight could only determine the outline of his shadowy face. The sadness it contained reflected my own. Rain washed over his face and dripped off onto mine. His lips moved as if he were shouting, but I heard none of his rage or furry. Only bliss. My face was cradled in Lucas’s chest; he was embracing me in his arms. My eyesight slowly was taken away from me, leaving me in the dark. I can't breathe.
Find Possession Of My Soul at:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads
Possession Of My Heart:
After the great fight between Tyran and Misfeata, Karla’s body is recovering. Misfeata has manipulated and possessed her body — now, she lies dormant. But for how long?

Paul and Karla continue to venture into the unknown. Karla is in pursuit of her parents, as well as a cure for her body in which Shielder blood now resides. She must find a cure for herself both physically and mentally as she struggles with the morals of this very different world.

As Karla tries to avoid the war, she inevitably drags Paul into dangerous circumstances. A rare Elemental Breather is after Karla and out for war, but why? Now, not only combating the Starkorfs, Karla must contend with the Elemental Breathers and her own fighting spirit.

In this time of hardship, Lucas comes back into her life. He is also targeted by the strange Elemental Breather, Taskatae, who calls herself ‘Mother.’ After his betrayal, Karla must learn to trust him again as he reminds her who she truly is now.

Can she survive the constant battles from not only the physical world but from within? For a while Misfeata is dormant; Karla must try to keep hidden her true feelings. Karla is in turmoil as she faces who may truly possess her heart.

Excerpt:
They’re after the blades, I realized to myself, searching for where Aeisha once was. I looked down at her paired blade in my hand, summoning the energy it possessed. I could sense her partnered blade — it was not that far from here. Was the girl a distraction?

As if hearing my annoyance, Ashley ran over to me as the Starkorfs all began to flee behind the small girl that took Paul’s knife, which held no significant power to it, why run away with it? Plus, they had Aeisha’s other blade.

“They’re here for the Immortal Blades. Chase them and find that girl, find out who sent them,” I shouted.
I felt Aeisha’s pulse once more from whoever held it and ran with my blade. The girl that had taken Paul’s knife must have been a distraction. I ran into the direction where Aeisha called to me. It did not take me long to run past only eight houses until I found the four Starkorfs that ran from me. The one in front was holding Aeisha.

They quickly turned to face me as another arrow shot for me, this time breaking through my Shield and into my shoulder. I winced at it, holding my hand firmly to the injury. How did it get through my Shield? I felt the pulse of Tyran and then the shiver of Misfeata coming to the surface. But how is Tyran close, does that mean Nathanial is behind this ambush and close by? Have they been following us this whole time or is Lucas working with him, telling him of our location?

“Get out!” I screamed ripping at the arrow and tearing it from my shoulder. Pain stirred in my wound more than usual. What does this mean? Is Nathanial absent, but still leading this ambush?

I projected my Shield once again as orange ripples swirled around me, only to be broken by another arrow that shot into my leg. I screamed once more in anger as I felt my face twist, trying to compose Misfeata. Where are these arrows coming from and how are they penetrating my Shield?

Anger swelled within me as I faced the Starkorfs, running for them.

“Give me Aeisha!” I raged, angered by my attackers, annoyed they thought they could steal Aeisha from me successfully.

I cut the first Starkorf’s stomach quickly, catching it as it fell forward and using its body as a barrier, noticing another arrow coming for me. The arrow pierced into the Starkorf’s body as I dropped it, leaping for the other. I caught its wrist and swung him in front of me as another arrow shot for me. Another Starkorf’s burned face caught the corner of my eye as it tried to use Aeisha against me, trying to strike me down with her.

I crouched quickly, using the Starkorf I had hold of as the shield to my back. I elbowed the oncoming attacker in the stomach and quickly slashed Aeisha across his knees. He staggered and dropped as I pierced his leg, catching Aeisha’s partnered blade as his grotesque figure screamed on the ground.

I jumped over a fence and hid against the side of a house, firming my back to the wall to hide from the archer. I searched for the archer, noticing the other Starkorf who now ran in the opposite direction, away from me. An arrow hit her back and she dropped to the ground as another caved into the side of her head. The archer is killing their own kind.

Perhaps the archer was no ally of the Starkorfs either? Or maybe because they hadn’t killed me or stolen Aeisha the archer was displeased. I stared for a little longer, hearing a sob behind me. I turned with blades in hand ready to confront my attacker, only to find a small child in front of me with tears running down her face.

My eyes widened. Is it human? Or is it a trick? I briefly searched behind: a trampoline, a few toys on the ground, a vegetable garden at the back. No hiding places for any others to attack from. I stared back into the child’s face as emptiness filled it and shock echoed through such innocent eyes. There is no evil in this girl. This is only a mere human child. I looked away in disbelief. She would have seen everything. The reality of this other world made me nostalgic. I have taken the innocence of this girl away, opening such a horrific nightmare in front of her.

I will now be the memory of her greatest fear.

Find Possession Of My Heart at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Author Spotlight: Daelynn Quinn

Introducing YA fantasy author Daelynn Quinn:

1. Tell us a little about yourself.
 Besides writing novels, I enjoy hiking, running, and occasionally painting. I am a vegan with hippie tendencies, and yes, I like to hug trees. But besides that I have three children - all boys - who keep me busy most of the time. Reading was not always a passion of mine, especially in my youth, so I am adamant on making sure my boys learn the joys that can be found inside books. 

2. When did you start writing, and why?
To be honest, it all started with a backache. A very severe backache. About two years ago I somehow managed to injure my back and I was practically bedridden for months. I got tired of watching the television, and my book collection was rather small at the time. I had just gotten my Kindle and had read a few indie books that I had gotten for free from the Kindle store. After a while, I thought, "I could do that! I could write!" So, to keep myself from getting bored, I spent my days lying on the couch with my lappy perched on my thighs, writing a book. After my back healed, I just couldn't stop!

3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write?
I write about whatever crazy ideas pop into my head. The dystopian genre pulls me in as well as YA/NA because younger characters are so naïve and impulsive – it makes the plot more exciting. What I enjoy most about my writing is coming up with new ideas as I go along. I try to have an outline when I begin, but as I get to know my characters more I have a tendency to stray.

4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
I recently released Neverland Academy, a contemporary YA adaptation of Peter Pan and I'm currently working on an untitled work, which will be the frontrunner of a lengthy series in which vampires exploit humans the way we currently exploit animals.

5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
Neverland Academy takes place in the real world, so there is nothing terribly exciting about that. But the specific setting is quite interesting. It takes place on an old antebellum plantation on the outskirts of Athens, GA. One of the peculiar things about this mansion-turned-school is that it has hidden tunnels running through the walls and underneath the academy, which was previously used as a station in the Underground Railroad. This is where Finn and his band of outcast boys stay hidden while they pull their pranks.

6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
Daphne is a typical rebellious teenager. She reminds me a little of what I tried to be in my youth, but failed miserably because I’m a wimp. She is strong-willed and never backs down from a fight, but she’s also vulnerable when it comes to her heart. Finn is a lovable prankster who refuses to give up his youth. He almost always has a positive outlook on life, which makes him so charismatic among his peers. I love Finn’s charm despite his refusal to grow up.

7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book.
My first book, Fall of Venus, started out based on a dream I had once when I woke up in the woods and had no idea how I got there. That was it. The idea evolved as I wrote and by the time I was halfway done writing it, I had the whole series mapped out in my head.

8. Daelynn Quinn's books on Amazon:
Neverland Academy
Fall of Venus (Fall of Venus #1)
Crimson Return (Fall of Venus #2)
The Trinity (Fall of Venus #3) Neverland Academy :

It was the worst day of Daphne’s life. Not only had her parents moved her from Atlanta to the middle of nowhere, but her boyfriend broke up with her in the middle of a crowded club and her parents grounded her for a month for sneaking out and stealing the BMW. All in one night! If she were back home in Atlanta it would be no problem. She could always find ways of getting around her punishments. But this was rural Georgia. And there was nowhere to go but woods and farmland. That is, until Finn showed up at her window.

Finn was the invincible mascot of Neverland Academy where Daphne’s brothers attended. For the five years since he’d been expelled from the all-boys boarding school, he lived in the old slave tunnels under the former antebellum plantation home. He and his band of outcast boys lived for pulling pranks on the school’s professors, and especially the headmaster, Byron Trappe, who had a personal vendetta against Finn.

Daphne grew to love life under the academy. But there was one problem. She was falling for Finn. Hard. She knew he didn’t want a relationship or anything that resembled growing up. But when the wall she built between them begins to crumble before her eyes, will she stay at the academy and face impending heartbreak? Or will she leave her heart behind and escape the dangers of criminal life, including a perilous encounter with the vengeful headmaster?

Excerpt:

 “You’re not a student here,” a voice drifted from behind her as if a breeze carried it through a drafty window.

 Daphne jumped nearly two inches off her seat and her heart thumped wildly against her chest. Quickly she hit “Send” and stood, guarding the computer screen. She was shocked to meet face to face with a boy who looked not much older than she. Judging by his stature, tall and athletic, he looked like he couldn’t possibly be young enough to attend, but his boyish face complete with deep-set dimples defied that thought. His hair, black as coal was spiked up in that “just got out of bed” look and he was dressed in a black V-neck tee shirt and jeans, which had worn holes in the knees. She was well familiar with the style, being in the crowd she was in, but this didn’t exactly look like a fashion statement. Especially not with bare feet that looked like they’d been through a few mud puddles since his last shower. It certainly didn’t meet the dress code for Neverland Academy.

“Apparently neither are you,” Daphne retorted, letting her gaze scan him from head to toe, but she refused to meet his eyes. There was something intimidating about this boy. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was something about him that made her incredibly nervous.

The boy smiled, showing off a perfect set of teeth.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, leaning back against the bookcase and crossing his arms in a cocky manner.

Daphne twitched nervously. Surely this guy wasn’t old enough to be a professor, was he? “I was just sending an email. See, my parents haven’t set up the Internet at our house yet and I just needed to get in touch with some old friends from—”

“No not here, in the library. I mean what are you doing at the academy? Don’t tell me Professor Pervpot has changed the rules to allow girls in.”

“Professor who?”

The boy rolled his eyes and sighed. “Trappe?”

“No!” Daphne laughed. “My brothers are starting school here. We came to help them move in and do the tour and stuff, which was incredibly boring, I might add. And speaking of Trappe, is it just me or is he a really creepy guy?”

“Don’t I know it.”

For the first time Daphne met his eyes and did not look away. She was dazzled by the clarity of them. It was like somebody sliced a lime in half and stuck the two halves in his eyeballs, with the flesh facing out. She’d never seen green eyes that looked so bright and clear. She struggled to look away, but couldn’t. His gaze remained on her, audacious and enraptured.

“So you’re into computers, huh?”

“Kind of,” Daphne replied humbly.

“Kind of? Really? What you just did seemed like the work of a seasoned hacker.” Daphne trembled a little. Would she get in trouble? Who was this guy?

“Don’t worry,” he said, catching on to her nervousness. “I won’t tell. What’s your name?”

“Daphne,” she said. She instinctively turned toward the entrance of the library when voices drifted in from the foyer. Daphne could hear the distinct voice of Headmaster Trappe approaching along with her mother’s gentle voice. She turned back to the boy. “What’s yours?”

But he was gone. Daphne walked along the computer tables, peeking down each aisle of bookcases, but the boy was nowhere in sight. He just seemed to disappear.
About the Author:
Daelynn Quinn was born and raised in southern Maryland where she spent her youth exploring and falling in love with nature in the woods behind her house. She graduated the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in dietetics, which she promptly abandoned to pursue writing. Daelynn’s writing is fast-paced and laced with current issues that concern her. Her first dystopian trilogy, Fall of Venus, focused on climate change and the biochemical industries. Her recently-released YA novel, Neverland Academy, delves into child abuse and negligence. Daelynn is excited to be commencing a new series, which will tear into the animal exploitation industries. While she is not reading or writing, Daelynn enjoys brainstorming while mowing her lawn, cooking healthy meals her kids refuse to eat, and watching old episodes of Mr. Bean with her three boys.

Where to find Daelynn:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Author Spotlight: Hildur Enola

Introducing author and video maker Hildur Enola:

My name is Hildur Enóla. I´m an Icelandic self-published author, and I live in Denmark. I run a website, nostripublication.com, with my writing partner, Sirrý Sig., who lives in Iceland.

I write because I like to imagine characters, stories, other worlds, etc.. Without me, they wouldn´t come to life; they would just drop dead like any other ideas. So I guess I´m saving lives, and even whole worlds by writing. My day job never gives me that much satisfaction, but it pays those damned bills, contrary to my more “important” work.

Currently I´m working on a little Halloween book trailer, or a tiny visual novel—we’ll see what it turns into during the next two to three weeks. It´s based on two short stories that I´ve yet to translate into English,  called “Just a Kid” and “Adult. ” Last week, Adult was the third runner up in a short crime story contest—a real boost for my mousy self-esteem.

The story is a bit creepy, and the horror element is more prominent than the actual crime. It´s about a young adult girl who just turned eighteen, and she´s trying to get rid of her mother's corpse. In Iceland this is a crime ;) I guess that´s why  it worked for the crime contest. Anyway, it´s perfect as a base for a Halloween video prank, or book trailer. Of course, it will only be very loosely based on the story. For example, I´m changing the viewpoint from the girl´s to that of the light outside her house to give it a lighter, and more fantasy-like feel. So the video will start with:

Once upon a time, there was an outdoor light. It hung above the door of an apartment building by Hamraborgin.

It´s a kind of a nice and caring outdoor light that tries to be helpful, although it can get jealous and it, can in fact, electrocute those who change the light bulb.

The book trailer is a work in progress, and will be available later this month, hopefully along with the stories, “Just a Kid” and “Adult.”
Last year, I made my first cute and clumsy Halloween trailer:
Here is the link to the book that it´s loosely based on: One Thing Led to Another

We are always adding to our website, so please come and check it out:
http://nostripublication.com/

Want to join us on Twitter?

https://twitter.com/HildurEnola
https://twitter.com/SirrySig1

Or Facebook?
https://www.facebook.com/NostriPublication

Goodreads

Book Tour Spotlight: Hunters

Here's Aoife Marie Sheridan, here on her book tour with Saskia Book Tours, to introduce us to Abigail, the main character in her new novel, Hunters:

Q: What is the name of your character?
A: The Name of my Character is Abigail Thornton. She’s Nineteen and a Demon Hunter.

Q: Is she fictional or a historic person?
A: Demon Hunter? Fictional I would say. LOL

Q: When and where is the story set?
A: The story is set in our world (Earth). Most of it is set in England and the rest in Rome.

Q: What should we know about her?
A: Well Abigail has no living family, she witnessed the death of her mother, then her father and brother but she was saved by Daniel. Abigail has lots of her own demons but she found a way to deal with them, Alcohol. After being taken in by a priest he teaches her to become a demon hunter, and she’s good at what she does. O did I mention that she can see ghosts. :)

Q: What is the main conflict? What messes up her life?
A: Her feelings for Daniel really cause serious problems; he’s her best friend, her savoir in ways.  Yet she won’t let him see how she feels. Abigail’s main fear is of losing one more person that she loves, so she chooses to keep people at arm’s length. Her past comes back to haunt her also, when ghosts start attacking her, and her brother makes an appearance, she can’t cope so she turns to drink but soon everything starts to spiral out of control. So her life is pretty messed up.

Q: What is the personal goal of the character?
A: To understand what really happened to her family.

Q: Is there a working title for this novel, and can we read more about it?
A: Yes it’s called Hunters (Hunters #1). The first chapter you can read for free at http://www.aoifemariesheridan.com/hunters-chapter-one.php

Q: When can we expect the book to be published?
A: The release date for Hunters is the 1st of October 2014.

Hunters :
Abigail is nineteen. Her job, she hunts demons.

Her life so far has been tough. Having witnessed her family’s death and her mother’s suicide, she’s been taken in by a priest, who believes her when she says that she sees ghosts. Father Peter trains her as a demon hunter with three other members, one being Daniel, who isn’t what he seems.
But when a possession goes wrong, and ghosts start to attack Abigail, the tight rope she has on her emotions soon starts to loosen. Abigail draws the unwanted attention of the Reote, and she finds out a lot more than she was willing to learn.
Knowledge is power, but for Abigail, it’s her undoing, and the only thing keeping her together is Daniel.

Hunters is available at Amazon
About the author:
Aoife Marie Sheridan has loved reading from a very young age. Starting off with Mills and Boon's books, given to by her grandmother, her love for romances grew. By the age of 14 she had read hundreds of them.

Aoife had a passion for writing poetry or in her eyes her journal entries. It was something she did throughout her teens and into her twenties. Aoife won first place for two of her poems and had them published at a young age of just nineteen. Realising she needed to get a real job (What writing isn't) she studied accountancy and qualified working in that field for many years, until her passion for reading returned and she found Maria V Snyder. Poison Study, one of her favourite books, has been read and re-read countless times.

Aoife's first book, Eden Forest (Part one of the Saskia Trilogy), came to be after a dream of a man and woman on a black horse jumping through a wall of fire and the idea of Saskia was born. Now with her first novel published and taking first place for Eden Forest with Writers Got Talent 2013, Aoife continues to write tales of fantasy and is currently working on her third book for the Saskia Trilogy amongst other new works.

You can find Aoife at:
email | Website | Facebook | Wordpress | Goodreads | Twitter | Google+ | LinkedIn | Pinterest

September 2014 Wrap-up, and October Overview

September was all about finishing the first major revision of Daughter of the Wildings and working on the second revision of book 1, Beneath the Canyons. So far it's going well; I'm using a modified version of Holly Lisle's Seven-Day Crash Revision to fix what needs to be fixed and get it fixed fast. I should finish this revision on Tuesday (the 7th), then it's on to the last few editing rounds to fine-tune the writing and fix up mistakes. After that it's time to format and release the book! I'm hoping to be able to release a new book in the series about every two months. If my current pace holds, that should be doable.

The official release date for Beneath the Canyons is November 10, though, barring any unforeseen problems, it could be as soon as the end of October. I've made the decision to put Beneath the Canyons exclusively on Amazon for the first 90 days.* I like to have my books available at all the major ebook outlets, but the truth is that my sales at the other stores just aren't enough to make up for the benefits and exposure I lose by not putting books in the 90-day exclusive Select program at Amazon. Once that 90-day stint is up, Canyons will go up at all the other stores, with the rest of the books to follow. (If book 2 is out before Canyons comes out of the Select program, it'll just go up on Amazon but not in Select, until Canyons's 90 days in Select are up. Then I'll put them both up at the other stores.) For up-to-date release information and special offers, be sure to sign up for my email alerts.

In other September news, I finished the Clean Out Your eReader Summer Vacation challenge with 21 books, more than twice my original goal! Somehow, though, the number of books on my Kindle seems to have grown, not shrunk. So I've set myself a new, fun challenge - to read a book (that I already own on my Kindle) starting with every letter from A to Z (ok, X and Z might be kind of hard). Let's say, hm, by the end of the year. I'll do occasional Reading Round-up posts with the books from this challenge.

I didn't make a lot of progress planning my next novel, but last night (late) my muse came out to play and I got a lot of good work done on developing some new story ideas. Check the Still to Come page for information on my upcoming projects! With National Novel Writing Month coming up in November, I'd like to have one of these ideas ready to write.

And, onward.

*Don't have a Kindle? Never fear! You can download the free Kindle reading app for PC, Mac, Android, and iPad/iPod/iPhone; read in the Amazon Cloud Reader, or, since my Kindle ebooks are sold without digital rights management (DRM), you can download free Calibre ebook management software to convert them into epub format for your Nook, Kobo, Sony, or iDevice.

Author Spotlight: Arie Farnam

Introducing Arie Farnam, author of the dystopian fantasy Kyrennei series:

1. Tell us a little about yourself.
I'm originally from a remote rural area in Eastern Oregon. I grew up in a family with somewhat alternative values and an earth-based spiritual bent. I also grew up legally blind. Those two influences collided to give me an education in being an outsider as a teenager. Later, I traveled extensively in about 35 countries, worked as a newspaper correspondent in places like Kosovo, the Ukraine and Kazakhstan, produced documentary films and generally had a very interesting journalistic career. Now, I live in the Czech Republic with my husband and my two small children. I suppose I am still sort of an outsider, because I'm a foreigner and visually impaired and I often hold minority views. But I've made peace with that. And hence my books, which partly deal with issues of social exclusion and inclusion.

2. When did you start writing, and why?
I was taught to type by a wonderful teacher when I was in sixth grade. That opened up a whole new world to me. I've never been all that good at expressing myself orally and handwriting was always difficult. Typing was like freedom. My imagination and expression ran wild. I have basically written something every since. Sometimes it’s fiction, sometimes newspaper articles, sometimes just very long letters but I have never had to make myself write or suffered from writers block. If there weren't other necessary and fun things to do in life, I would write all the time.

3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write?
One thing I really love about writing fiction is the feedback from readers. Non-fiction is good too but fiction is really fun to share. Everyone I've heard from has been intensely gripped my series and has fallen in love with the characters. When readers tell me that they meant to just read for a bit and then ended up staying up half the night and wandering around at work the next day daydreaming about my characters, all I can say is, "Yeah, I know. Isn't it bizarre? I had the same problem while writing it."

Right now, I'm finishing up a series that is something between contemporary dystopia and a fantasy thriller. It's my first serious work of fiction. I've had the ideas and characters and much of the plot since I was a teenager but I always dismissed it as being "too out-there", "too-intense" or "too" something else. I was embarrassed to let my fantasies loose on the world. I tried to write all kinds of other fiction and was never satisfied. For a long time, I thought that I must just be a non-fiction writer. But then about a year ago, I decided to try writing this story down, even though I never expected to show it to anyone. I was emboldened partly by recent trends in the dystopia genre, which showed me that my story isn't beyond the pale.

When I started writing it, I was shocked by what happened. I was gripped by what seemed like a "writer's fever." I literally wrote for three months straight. I couldn't stop. I couldn't sleep. I could barely keep the rest of my life together. In three months, I wrote the rough drafts of three novels. I've spent the last few months learning about the new shape of the publishing world, deciding to go independent, creating a website, learning graphic design, editing, editing, editing and seeking out editors and finally publishing and marketing the books. Despite my worries at the beginning, the first book has a five-star average on Amazon.

4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
Okay, the series is called The Kyrennei Series.

Book One is The Soul and the Seed. It's out as an ebook and will be out in paperback within the next few days.

Book Two is The Fear and the Solace. That will be published as an ebook in early October.

The third book, The Taken and the Free, should be launched at a series party on November 8 if all goes well.

I'm also reworking my narrative non-fiction book Border Crossing Lessons. It is sort of a memoir, sort of just a story about incredible people I met and harrowing adventures I had as a shoestring journalist and traveler in my early twenties. That will be out in 2015.
5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
The Kyrennei Series is about a fantasy world that outwardly looks exactly like the real world. The difference is that so many of the problems of today's world that we have a hard time explaining are explained - everything from inter-ethnic wars to high school cliques, as well as political parties, the military industrial complex and corruption. In essence, it's a whopping good conspiracy theory and it holds water disturbingly well.

There is a clandestine force which usurps the wills and desires of individuals, making them fervent disciples of a secret cult of power. A certain portion of the population - including many politicians, business leaders and socialites - are part of what is called the Addin Association.

The Addin is in essence a manifestation of the human desire for power over others. Humans cannot resist the Addin. If the Addin wants an individual, they take them and there is nothing the individual can do about it. Some people can put it off a little longer than others, but in the end, no human can stand up to it. And once taken by the Addin, you desire more power for the Addin and you can take others under its control as well, except that the Addin doesn't want everyone to have that kind of power and thus only strategic individuals are usually "taken."

As usually happens in nature, the world started out with something to balance the Addin. There was a race of non-human people, a parallel species to Homo sapiens and those people, known as Kyrennei, could not be controlled by the Addin without their consent. In ancient times, some humans wanted to remain free of the Addin and they asked the Kyrennei for help. The Kyrennei allied themselves with some of these humans and thus came into direct conflict with the Addin. In around 300 CE, the Addin decided that the Kyrennei were a threat to their power and thus began a particularly bloody period of history, during which the Addin tried to exterminate the Kyrennei. By around 700 CE they had succeeded, given that the Kyrennei were not very numerous.

But Kyrennei mystics put in place two important things before they were wiped out. First, they equipped their human allies with a strange sign made up of very subtle gestures, which would disappear from their memory if they were taken by the Addin. Thus, their allies, now called Meikans, would always know who among them was taken by the Addin and who was free. The Meikans, being human, were more able than the Kyrennei to hide and some of them still survive today, hiding from the Addin in the general population and passing down through the generations their special sign, their quiet resistance to the Addin and a secret international Pagan religion.

Secondly, the Kyrennei mystics attempted to hide their DNA, through the use of what appeared to be magic, scattered in dormant genes among humans. There was a prophecy that some day the bits and pieces would come together and the Kyrennei would return. But in the twenty-first century few, even among Meikans, actually believe in such things. True, myths and legends about non-human people with pointy ears and slight stature still abound in many disconnected parts of the world, mystifying folklorists from Ireland to Vietnam, but they're only old legends after all.

Or are they?

That is the world that the Kyrennei Series opens on. I hope to someday write more books, beyond the initial trilogy, including historical books about how the modern situation came to be.

6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
Aranka is "semi-normal" sixteen-year-old girl. She's a bit awkward and more athletic than most. She doesn't pay enough attention to fashion or social cliques, so she's not real popular in high school but she has a couple good friends. Then, some doctors come to her school to administer a surprise blood test and they claim she's sick with a terrible super virus. Aranka and several other kids are shut away in a quarantine and wake up imprisoned in cages in a warehouse. Aranka doesn’t know the Addin, which holds true power in the world, exists any more than your average kid in twenty-first century America does. And when a young doctor tells her that she is belongs to an extinct non-human race called the Kyrennei, she's pretty sure he's delusional. But after a strange illness and gene therapy, she does now have pointed ears and her body has changed in other ways... and the people keeping her in a cage are killing others who look like her.

Kenyen is the young doctor who tries to tell Aranka about the harsh realities of their world. He's an undercover agent for an international group of outlaws who actively resist the Addin. The leaders of the resistance have prepared him for this ever since he was a kid, including putting him through medical school. The modern study of genetics has given the Addin access to the dormant Kyrennei genes hidden deep within the human genome and they have decided to force the Kyrennei to return on their own terms, so that they can easily eradicate those who defy their power. Kenyen's mission is to infiltrate the Addin laboratories and participate in killing Kyrennei at first. Then once the scheme has picked up speed, he is supposed to use his inside position to spearhead a raid by resistance fighters that should free a great number of Kyrennei. The problem with that plan - other than the fact that it’s insanely dangerous to try to infiltrate a group that can control your will in an instant if they ever find out you're not really one of them - is that he's a doctor and he has to help kill innocent kids. And it's destroying him.

Beyond Aranka and Kenyen, the main characters are the members of J. Company, a diverse group of resistance fighters. There's Thanh, the young Vietnamese Meikan outlaw who narrates a good part of the first two books in the series. He's just an incredibly awesome character and whenever I was stuck for a voice, I settled on him. Then there's Jace, the Australian mastermind of J. Company. Jace's second in command is a tough-as-nails, middle-aged Russian lesbian named Dasha. There's also Cho, a Japanese medical student who’s in love with Thanh; Rick, Kenyen's Arab foster brother; Kwasi, an East African musician and mechanic; and Radek, a Czech cartographer with a suspicious streak.

The primary bad guy isn't actually the boss of all the Addin. One problem with the whole Addin puzzle is that there isn't really a boss. The Addin isn't just the people controlled by it and can’t be that easily destroyed. But one Addin figure does stand out, at least for Aranka and Kenyen, because he's the kind of guy who really hates it when someone small and weak stands up to him or makes him look less than invincible. And this guy Bradley becomes obsessed with torturing Kyrennei prisoners, particularly Aranka, because they resist his domination without even trying.

7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book.
Many of the locations in the book are real, so you can read it and have fun navigating with the characters on GoogleEarth.

The Pagan religion of the Meikans is fictional but similar Pagan belief systems now make up the fastest growing religion in the United States.
THE SOUL AND THE SEED (Book One of the Kyrennei Series)
What if your very existence threatened the heart of power?

It's the 21st century, right now, in America and on the surface everything looks just fine. But the commonly accepted image of society is an illusion. A clandestine force usurps the desires of individuals, and those who won't conform must be crushed to preserve the appearance of free will.

Aranka is just a sixteen-year-old girl but a fluke in her genes makes her a threat. Those with power will stop at nothing to protect their supremacy. She is kidnapped by doctors who claim she´s sick but it´s only a matter of time before it´s her turn to die.

A diverse band of outlaws from every corner of the globe represent the only hope of resistance. Kenyen, a young doctor, infiltrates to the heart of the oppression but he can't stop the terror. He just wants to save one life. In the process he uncovers "the Seed," the first flicker of hope in a thousand years.

"This could be the next big thing! It presents a dystopian, world-shattering vision while taking place in the recognizable here and now. The characters are flawed, angst-ridden, and totally believable. The plot is instantly engaging, carefully laid out, and strewn with unexpected twists. Subtle yet apparent undertones surrounding issues of race, politics, language, geography, and urban vs rural culture all contribute to the rich, aromatic "stew" in which this story bubbles. ." -George Lederer, school librarian and radio actor

"The Soul and the Seed is a well-crafted tale, full of dynamic characters and showcasing some of the best aspects of fantasy literature: world building and meaningful social commentary by way of holding up a fantastical mirror to our own world. This is modern fantasy, with no vampires or werewolves or inane teenage romance, and it succeeds where so many similar books fail." -Damian Roache
THE FEAR AND THE SOLACE (Book Two of the Kyrennei Series)
What if you had to fight a war you knew you could never win?

Twenty-two-year-old Cho is temporary commander of the J. Company compound in Montana when disaster strikes. The scouting team in Portland, Oregon has been ambushed on the 205 bridge. If they're captured, their souls will be usurped by the malevolent Addin Association. Then Cho will be on her own in a secret world war that cannot be won. Two of her closest friends are dead, the man she loves is at the epicenter of the peril and the one who carries the first hope in a thousand years is lost, almost certainly killed in a rain of bullets.

Hope is a fragile thing and fear is constant companion. It's the twenty-first century, right now, in America, and a clandestine force controls the highest seats of power. It will stop at nothing to stamp out resistance. Meikans like Cho have lived in terror of the Addin for generations and those who dare to stand up to its power are shunned as outlaws by their own people. Then a mere girl fulfilled an almost forgotten prophecy and hope briefly flowered in unlikely places. But does a giant even notice the crushing of a single flower? One girl is easy enough to kill.

The Fear and the Solace will be published in the first days of October 2014.

The Soul and the Seed is available at Amazon.

Where to find Arie Farnam:
Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

Author Spotlight: Jennifer McDonald

Introducing Jennifer McDonald, author of the YA Urban Fantasy trilogy The Veilwalker Trilogy:

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: There isn’t a terrible amount to tell. I’m married with two children and three cats. Most of my free time is spent arguing with my characters in front of the computer. I’ll read just about anything but my favorite books are those I can share with my friends and family. While literature has been the first love of my life, music is definitely the second. My tastes range from classical (which I listen to when writing) to punk and metal.

Q: When did you start writing, and why?
A: Inspired by the horror novels I read as a teen, I spent a lot of time writing short stories in school. They were always quite dark and twisted though, and my teachers were always trying to curb me toward contemporary ideas. They really never took.
Q: What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write?
A: I write Young Adult Urban Fantasy. Books for me have always been an escape, so I think it’s natural that I was seduced by the imagination and worlds of impossibility that fantasy offer. Though I enjoy adult novels, the YA genre allows me to explore minds still growing and maturing. The teenage years are a powerful time. Characters are learning who they are, beliefs are forming and changing, and the future is wide open to an abundance of possibilities. Q: What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
A: Across the Blood Red River was released in August 2014 and marked the end of my Veilwalker Trilogy. Completing my first series was gratifying, but after nearly two years of writing about Lyric and Lincoln, it was a little sad to say goodbye. I’m now working on a multi-book series titled The Helios Chronicles that follows a rebel warlock clan as they fight against the archaic royal families of the magical world.

Q: "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
A: The Veilwalker Trilogy is a YA Urban Fantasy that takes place in modern day. The mythology goes…
Magical creatures and humans once lived together in peace and harmony. But six thousand years ago, when the humans were most brutal and magical folk most arrogant, a great war broke out. Humans had always possessed vast numbers, and the magical factions lost the earth because they couldn’t work together.

Their kind faded from memory over the generations—becoming history then legend and myth and fairy tales. Now they live as a secret civilization hidden amongst the humans and still locked in eternal battle.
Q: Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
A: Lyric is a teenage veilwalker. This means she has the ability to cross realms and enter the land of the dead. Along with her twin brother and father, Lyric has been hiding from those who seek to use her gifts for their own gain. She’s a driven young woman, focused primarily on being a good little soldier and keeping her family safe. Her brother Lincoln is the charismatic of the pair. He’s easy-going, calm, and a bit of ladies’ man. Then we have Gemma – the ghost who was accidentally enthralled and trapped in the living world. Gemma is certainly the most fun to write. She’s snarky and sarcastic, and constantly at odds with the twins. But when things get tough, Gemma makes for a great ally.

Q: A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book.
A: Lincoln and Lyric had actually appeared in an unpublished book I wrote years ago. They were only children then, about seven or eight, and played a small role. But I loved the other character’s reactions whenever the twins were around. Everyone was intrigued - fascinated by their odd presence and eerie demeanor. Little by little, Lyric and Lincoln’s roles grew until I realized I was writing about the characters.
Across the Blood Red River (Veilwalker Trilogy, #3):

To lost souls, the veil is a cold, tragic existence. But for Lyric Yama, the living world is so much worse.

Lyric has finally uncovered the truth of her mother’s brutal murder. Now her hands are stained and her mind is plagued with the bitterness of regret.

Soon she will have bigger problems. A grieving warlock is closing in. He’ll stop at nothing to reap vengeance on the young witch.

As the consequences of her past march closer, and the illusion of safety is abandoned, Lyric must decide whether to run or stand and fight.

But when the full power of a veilwalker’s magic is unleashed, no one—living or dead—will ever be safe again.
Excerpt:

I smirked at the melancholy in her sigh, and tossed in a twenty to kick off the betting. “Tell us about yourself, Ray-Anne. I barely know anything about old souls. Or incubi and empaths for that matter.”
Sure, I’d heard rumors like everyone else—the unfair and untrue reputations tacked to each race in a blanket stereotype. Veilwalkers were spies, conjurors thieves, and werewolves were mindless beasts. Succubi were sluts while seers were nothing but trouble. But I hadn’t heard much about empaths or old-souls, good or bad.

“What would you like to know?” She draped her arm over the back of her chair, watching me with eyes that held far too much knowledge.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Do you look the same in every life? Are you always a girl?”

“Heavens, no. I’ve been born into families of every skin color on every continent, and though I’m usually female, I’ve spent four lives as a boy.” She grinned as if conveying top secret information. “Being a boy is amazingly fun, Lyric. A hundred years ago, women couldn’t do anything without everyone getting a bug up their asses. But men? Opium and orgies were expected of men. I can’t begin to tell you how many fresh young maids I defiled…”

“Whoa!”

The Veilwalker Trilogy is available at Amazon

About the Author:
Jennifer R. McDonald resides in Canada with her husband, two children, and three cats. Urban Fantasy is her favorite genre to write but she enjoys reading Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and anything with great antiheroes, cunning villains, and flawed characters.

Jennifer’s first YA Urban Fantasy series, The Veilwalker Trilogy follows the misadventures of a young witch with the power to separate her soul from her body and cross into the land of the dead. After its completion, Jennifer began work on a spin-off series. The first installment of The Helios Chronicles (still untitled) will take a darker turn and feature a teenage witch raised within the treacherous warlock royal palace.

When not writing, Jennifer loves to read, paint, create music, and watch old horror movies.

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Author Spotlight: Inge-Lise Goss

Introducing author Inge-Lise Goss, here with Saskia Book tours to tell us about her novel The Tegen Cave (and don't miss the giveaway down at the bottom of the post for a free ebook copy of The Tegen Cave, a signed paperback of The Tegen Cave, or a $25 Amazon gift card!)

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: I was born in Denmark, raised in Utah, and now I live in Las Vegas.  I have four grown children. When I’m writing, I completely block out the world. Unfortunately, if someone asks me a question during that time, they’ll probably get the wrong answer.  “I said what?” could be stamped on my forehead.  So I definitely try the patience of my husband, but he always supports me in whatever I’m working on. Besides writing, I love to read, row, golf and enjoy the sights and sounds of the awesome world we live in.

Q: When did you start writing, and why?
A: I thought about writing a novel for five years before I actually put a word on paper. Each year the desire grew, but so did the uncertainty that I could accomplish that task. Then my muse insisted I get start, and she wouldn’t let up. Finally in December 2009, I couldn’t take her badgering me anymore. I sat down at my computer and the words flowed onto the pages. Since then I have written six manuscripts.

Q: What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
A: The Tegen Cave was my first published novel. My second novel, The Cost of Crude, a mystery/thriller, was released in May by the same publisher, Silver Tongue Press. It’s about Gwynn Reznick thrown into a world of corruption after her best friend and co-worker dies in a car crash that turns out to be a planned murder. Determined to find the perpetrator, she works undercover with a private investigation team, led by Ruben Dordi, to acquire evidence. As they delve deeper into the crime, they find a trail of victims among Wilton Oil and Gas Company employees linked to a conspiracy that threatens a catastrophic pipeline disaster.Right now, I’m editing Tegen Justice, a sequel to The Tegen Cave. In it Sara Jones will be using her tegen abilities to go after another crime family that deals in the drug trafficking business. She’ll encounter unexpected obstacles along the way and come face-to-face with a tegen enforcer, a guy no one wants to come knocking on their door. And, of course, there will be spiders!

Q: "Welcome To My World": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
A: The Tegen Cave is set in a present day United States, but with a few paranormal features:  mutant spiders with poisonous venom that can paralysis a victim within a minute; and Tegens, immortal beings who use the spiders and nourish them.

Q: Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
A: Sara Jones is an independent, 24-year-old woman who fell in love with a member of a crime family. Realizing the truth about her lover, she leaves him and hopes she has covered her trail well. After she becomes involved with another man, her 25th birthday approaches and her bodily needs become uncontrollable. But, when she discovered he’s a member of a dangerous group, she flees. I like this character because she grows both mentally and physically as the story unfolds.

Brett Daborel is a strong, gorgeous-looking man who possesses paranormal abilities, and he’s deadly. He befriends Sara right after she checks into a hotel in Billings, Montana. He has secrets. One is to keep track of Sara. While he is busy doing his job, he falls for her and he gladly takes care of all her uncontrollable physical desires.  Brett can easily attract a woman’s attention, but to get involved with him could have deadly consequences.

Conner Crussett is the youngest son in an organized crime family. He kept the family’s real business hidden from Sara for the three years while they lived together. He loves Sara and wants her back. When they were a couple, he treated her well, but others weren’t that fortunate. He has a ruthless side and doesn’t think twice about terminating anyone who causes trouble for the Crussetts. Sara has caused trouble, but in this case, he is determined to keep her safe.  Unfortunately, his older brother, Cameron, wants her dead.

Q: A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book.
A: I know how to bend spoons and raise tables. I learned those skills in Lily Dale, New York.
The Tegen Cave:
After running from her boyfriend's powerful organized crime family, Sara Jones starts a new life in a new town. But when people around her start dying from poisonous spider bites after she receives a mysterious package with a spider concealed inside, she worries that the family has found her. Life takes an even more bizarre turn when she seems to be not only immune to the spider venom, but also surrounded by a sinister group of people using spiders to incapacitate their prey. Even her new boyfriend starts acting suspiciously. Just who can she trust?

Then to make matters worse Sara's twenty-fifth birthday approaches, and her dark heritage begins to emerge. She is forced to make a life-or-death decision. And somehow, she must find a way to deal with the crime family.

Available at Amazon

About the Author:
I was born in Denmark and became the youngest member of the Danish Resistance. When I was an infant, papers were placed in my pram and concealed by a blanket with me on top. The papers were documents to help Jews reach a safe haven in Sweden. Whenever a German soldier looked into the pram, I cried loudly and he backed away. Mother loaned me out to friends for the same purpose. I worked from dawn to curfew.

Shortly after World War II, my family immigrated to the United States. I was raised in Utah and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Utah. I'm a Certified Public Accountant and audited oil and gas companies for over twenty years. I now live in the foothills of Red Rock Canyon with my husband and our dog, Bran, where I spend most of my time in the den writing stories dictated by my muse. When I'm not pounding away on the keyboard, I can be found reading, row, or attempting to perfect my golf game.

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